> The Consequences of Being a Hero
>  by TheAlienBrony22
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Some Scars never Heal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ben 10 Dimension]
[Earth]

It was a warm summer's evening, the fireflies buzzed all around as a single mother sat on her porch, watching the sun slowly set as her son, a young boy runs around, laughing, smiling and just being generally happy as he chased and danced around with the glowing bugs.

The boy was pale, caucasian, about as white as a ghost, needless to say. He had very little distinct facial features, but his green eyes shined in the rising moon's light, it was almost magical. Almost being the operative word, because it was time to say farewell to the fireflies, and head inside. He ran to the porch and into his mother's arms, excited as can be. "Ma, did ya see me?! Did ya see me, Ma? Didja?!" The boy asked with a smile on his face.

The mother smiled, holding her son as she carried him inside. "Yes, my little Scotty, I saw. You're always so hyperactive at night, but the moment you tire yourself out, it'll be sweet dreams for the whole night," The mother opened the front door and walked inside, closing the door behind her and setting the boy on the couch. "But, that's assuming you'll go to sleep, and I know ya won't." The mother remarked with a grin, ruffling her son's brown hair.

The boy chuckled and grabbed a remote, turning on the TV as the mother walked to the kitchen and began to clean the dishes. Soon enough, the sound of a news broadcast began to play, and the mother could only smirk and roll her eyes. 'My baby sure loves to be informed, just like his grandma.' The mother thought.

The boy sat on the couch, crossing his legs as he listened intently. "Good evening, I'm Will Harangue, and we'll be bringing you the news tonight. First up, there was yet another wildfire in Yosemite National Park, caused by a band of terrorists known as the 'Forever Knights'. The second major wildfire to occur, unlike the devastating wildfire that plagued it five years ago, along with a robot attack. Some have made claims that this strange swampy superhero, calling himself by the moniker 'Swampfire', was on the scene, attacking the terrorists and absorbing the flames, some reports even go as far as to imply he planted seeds to try and restore the damage that had been done. If you ask me, these alien 'heroes' are menaces to society, anywhere they go it's destruction on all fronts, and don't get me started--"

Scott rolled his eyes, seeming annoyed. "Man, this Willy guy is always so mean! At least Swampfire showed up to help, while you sit at your fancy big city desk and push fancy legal papers and polish the specs on yer face ta look purdy." Scott remarked, blowing a raspberry at the man on TV.

A deep booming laugh echoed across the house, revealing a tall, rotund, but incredibly muscular man, looking down at the boy with a smile. He was dressed in a green flannel dress shirt and dark blue overalls. "Ain't that the truth, son. You have your fun already?" The man asked, his voice sounding heavy and tough.

Scott looked up and smiled from ear to ear. "Hey pops, yeah I had my fun. Just watching more stories about the alien superheroes before bed. Man, they rule!" Scott cheered.

The man laughed again, moving to the kitchen as he kissed his wife on the cheek. "He's real excited tonight, think he knows something we don't?" The man asked, a sense of whimsy in his tone.

The woman smiled and pat the man on the back. "He seems to really like those alien things savin' people, I guess it was bound to happen in a world like ours. Anything's possible, I 'spose." The woman responded.

Soon enough, they looked over at their son, seeing him get closer to the screen. "Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone else watching this broadcast. We have a special announcement, and it does pertain to these alien 'heroes' you all love so much. An anonymous source sent in a compilation of clips, each one showing off a random assortment of these aliens, and has claimed to have found the individual behind all these creatures," there was silence, only a few murmurs from within the studio, and Scott was intrigued to see where this could go. "Yes, you heard me right, everyone. It's not multiple individuals involved, it's one person. We'll play the clip now, and at the end, we'll show the image of the man behind these alien monsters." Will finished up.

The man and woman looked at each other, just as curious about the broadcast as their son, but they chalked it up to propaganda. If it truly was one man behind all those aliens, surely they would've come out about it at some point. Right?

They looked over at their son, his eyes going wide as he saw numerous aliens moving around in the video. He saw a giant eyeless orange dog, running across a river in the woods in broad daylight. He saw a large rotund creature with orange shell plating across its body. He saw Swampfire, sprouting vines from his back like tendrils. He saw numerous small white creatures, running and leaping everywhere, shouting and duplicating. He saw a bunch of aliens, each one brandishing the same green hourglass badge.

Scott wasn't aware that someone else was talking in the midst of the clips, but at some point, Scott finally snapped back to reality, as if he was in a trance. He saw the clips come to an end, only to show a photo of an individual. In the photo was a fifteen-year old boy with green eyes and brown hair, dressed in a green biker jacket, blue jeans, and had a green watch with that same hourglass emblem on it.

"All of these alien heroes are one man, one man who has dedicated his life to stopping evil at all costs. His name, is Ben Tennyson." The unknown voice remarked.

Scott stared at the screen, his mouth opened agape, his eyes wider than they ever were before, his heart was pounding, and before he knew it, Scott found the strength to get up, look at his parents, and fell backwards, going unconscious.


***


The next morning, Scott slowly woke up, only to find out he was in bed. Scott groaned softly, rubbing his head and got up, leaving his room and going downstairs. He notices that his mom was watching the news, the same broadcast that came on last night. "Ma?" Scott called out.

The woman jumped, turning towards her son as she walks up to him, holding him in her arms. "Hey hon, did you sleep well?" she asked.

Scott hugged his mother and smiled. "I'm alright. I do feel pretty great this morning, but last night, was probably the best night ever." Scott remarked.

The mother let her son go and Scott was a bit surprised, if not confused. His mother's eyes looked wet, and the little makeup she had on, was running, streaming down her face. "Ma, is everything okay?" Scott asked.

The mother sniffed and kept her smile. "Why don't you eat some breakfast and get ready for school. I need to uh... talk with your father real quick." The mother responded, dismissing her son's question.

Scott looked back at his mom and raised an eyebrow. "I don't go to school, I'm homeschooled... Something ain't--"

There was a scream, a scream that could only be described as one of sheer terror, and utter despair. "Ma?!" Scott called out.

The sound of a struggle could be heard, along with some inhuman noises, too. It almost sounded like the chittering of some kind of bug, but it wasn't any bug Scott ever heard of. Scott was terrified, he didn't know what to do... well, he did know what he wanted to do, but he didn't know if he should, glancing at the steak knife on his dad's untouched plate.

The sound of stuff breaking, and the cracking of wood echoed out, and Scott decided to at least try and help. Scott grabbed the steak knife and hurried up the stairs, noticing that the hallway was a total disaster. The picture frames were shattered, there was claw marks on the walls, and a strange green goo that clung to the ceiling. Scott felt his breath catch in his throat, and tried to muster the courage to move. He just barely managed to do just that, tears slowly welled up in his eyes as he made it to his parents' bedroom.

Scott, without thinking, ran inside. His eyes went wide, he felt confused, angered, upset, and horrified by the scene. Of all the things he's seen, like crazy supervillains attacking on the regular, or alien superheroes, this was somehow, even stranger.

The sight before him reeked of death. His father laid on the floor, unmoving, his chest clawed at, bleeding. He was pale, incredibly pale, like death just took him before he could attempt a rescue. He looked to his side, noticing three larger men, hunched over what looked like his mother. She was clearly dead, though she looked as if she was drained of everything she had. Scott wasn't aware of what was happening, but he felt his body trembling. He felt a pit the size of the moon drop in his stomach, he felt sick. He felt scared.

The three individuals soon stood up, and immediately turned around, staring at the child. The creatures looked like aliens of some kind, specifically like horse flies, or something similar. Their bodies were covered in a sleek black chitin, and even wore armor to some extent. They had these decrepit and malformed wings, and these huge bulbous fly-like eyes, each one shining blue as they chittered, clicked and hissed. They also had noticeable holes in parts of their body, though nothing about the body's interior could be seen.

Scott knew this was a losing fight, should he decide to fight in the first place. Scott might've been a child, but he wasn't stupid. Sure, he didn't want to leave his parents, even if they were already gone, but he needed to leave. He needed to run. He needed to find help.

One of the creatures walked slowly in his direction, seeming to be more careful with its body language. Scott backed up, keeping the knife in front of him, ready to throw down if he had to. The creature continued its advance towards Scott, slowly reaching out its three-clawed hand to the child. "I- I don't know w-what you are, but I-I won't go do-down without a f-fight! You hear me!? Keep ya distance a-and this doesn't have to get any worse!" Scott warned, his voice cracking as he tried to keep himself calm, failing miserably.

The creature stopped moving, as did Scott, who was one step away from falling down the staircase. Soon enough the other two creatures marched forward, joining its comrade by its side, and surrounding Scott. "What are you? W-What do you want?" Scott asked. He was trying his best to suppress his fear, his anger, but it was all slowly bleeding out. The creatures didn't respond, only looking amongst each other, then focusing back on the kid. Scott gulped, terrified. "We... w-we don't have that much money, if th-that's what you're after." Scott responded.

Again, the creatures looked amongst each other, but only then did they back away. They fluttered their wings and left through a hole in the ceiling, flying into the air as they left for wherever it was they were going next. Scott squeezed his eyes closed and gritted his teeth, falling to his knees as the tears finally flowed free. The tears poured and fell to the wooden floor, and Scott just couldn't handle it.

Scott went back downstairs, almost immediately making his way to the house phone that hung to the wall. He dialed the three digits he knew to dial, and was barely able to figure out what exactly he was supposed to say. Once the call went through, he heard the operator. "Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?" They asked.

Scott tried his best to keep himself composed, but a few stray whimpers and sobs escaped him. "Sir, is there a problem?" The operator asked.


***


Hours passed since the call. Scott just couldn't keep it together, but through it all, at least he got the message across to the operator. By the time nightfall came once again, a white alien ship landed right near the property.

Before Scott could move an inch, several individuals, human and alien, dressed in white suits of armor marched up to the home and moved inside. Soon enough, one of the armored men marched right up to Scott, kneeling down before him. "I'm gonna guess and say you're Scott, right? Scott Baristo?" The man asked, his voice tough and full of grit.

Scott said nothing, but he nodded in approval. The look in his eyes, it was clear a lot was on the kid's mind. 'Well this makes things complicated. I'd call those blasted kids here, but I doubt they could handle the aftermath of a gruesome killing... Well, Levin is the exception, he seems like the type. This is gonna be complicated.' The man thought to himself.

The man removed his helmet, revealing a mostly obscured green face with a strong chin. "My name is Gilhil, I'm with an organization known as the Plumbers. We were told by the operator that you had a run-in with three individuals of the same species, is that right?" Gilhil asked.

Scott nodded his head once more, seeming more disheartened than he was before. Gilhil sighed and stood tall, holding out his hand to the kid. "You look like you need a change in scenery. Don't worry about your folks, they're in good hands. Not all aliens are--"

"Horrible monsters?" Scott interrupted. Before he said another word, he took Gilhil's hand and stood up, keeping his gaze fixated on the ground. "I know, because Ben Tennyson is all the proof I need to know that not all aliens are horrendous monsters. I just wish I could've said goodbye, that's all. Heck, I wish I knew what those overgrown horse flies wanted in the first place. They didn't take any money, none of the valuables, either. They just killed my parents, left me alive and flew away." Scott remarked.

Gilhil gritted his teeth, but he held his tongue. But, even so, the boy's words did give some insight into his perspective, despite how odd it seemed to be. A random attack on a small family, no robbery, just murder the parents and leave the child alive? It didn't make sense, but it was three members of one singular species, most likely insectoid, so at least he could narrow the search down later. "Kid, why don't we take you back to the base, and see if we can't help alleviate the pain. Is there anything you want to get before we leave?" Gilhil asked.

Scott thought for a moment, then took his hand away from Gilhil's. He ran back into the house and back up to his room, pulling a drawer open as he grabbed a t-shirt. It was a black and white shirt his dad got him for his seventh birthday, remarking that he'll grow into it some day. Scott smiled, but it didn't last, so he packed it in a plastic bag. He looked back, seeing Gilhil standing in the doorway. Scott nodded, holding the plastic bag as they left the house.

Gilhil and a couple other plumbers escorted Scott onto the ship, where he was buckled into the front seat, clutching the plastic bag. "Tell me, kid. Is there someone, or something you want to be like when you're older?" Gilhil asked.

Scott knew his answer, even if it seemed a bit silly. He clutched the bag containing the shirt, slumping back into his seat, tired and exhausted. So much happened in such a small span of time, and whether it was him, grieving in silence, or the fact that he saw first-hand that his folks were dead, and saw the monsters responsible, he felt sick to his stomach.







5 Years Later...







[Bellwood, USA]

A man in his near teens walks down the street, his head held low. He had shorter, but equally messy brown hair, wore a black t-shirt with white detailing, dark blue jeans, and had some kind of oddly-shaped badge sticking out of his left pocket. His green eyes were full of determination, but they also showed a sense of shame. He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a small notebook and pencil. The notebook looked beat up, and worn out in certain areas. Even the springs holding it together were beginning to loosen up and rust. He flipped to a blank page and began writing.

Day 730:

"It's officially been one-and-a-half years, nearly two years since I became an official plumber agent, but it's been a crazy time in-between back to where I used to be, and to where I am now. I doubt anyone else is gonna read this, but I suppose a self-recap would help me put the pieces together, and maybe it can help me cope.

If I remember correctly, this is the same day that my parents got killed by those strange insectoid creatures. I remember that night, almost vividly. Magister Prior Gilhil took me to this fancy space station and had people ask me questions. It was boring, but I was still reeling from the sudden loss. In an attempt to try and ease my pain, he took me to one of the training rooms. I met a lot of interesting individuals there, but Gilhil seemed to have other plans. He gave me one of those fancy alien guns and gave me a target or three to shoot at. I immediately asked if it was because I was raised out in the sticks he was letting me do this, and while he didn't say a word, he definitely felt silly after that.

But, I can't say I blame him. Even at the early age of eight, my dad always took me hunting. While it wasn't as fun as I thought it'd be, it helped put food on the table, and money in our pockets. When he gave me the gun, and pointed to the targets, it was like shooting fish in a freakin' barrel, from how easy it seemed. Before I could give the gun back, the most notorious pains in my ass would come blastin' through the doors, and by instinct, I shot at them without a moment's hesitation. Knocked the weapons out of their hands and rendered them incapable of fighting back.

After witnessing me take down the two individuals that I'd soon come to know as the Vreedle Brothers, Gilhil was sort of impressed with how I handled the situation. In his own words, he said I had potential. Potential to be a Plumber that would stop at nothing to do what's right, to ensure that no one else had to suffer like I had. I didn't like the prospect of being a law-man, in space or on Earth, but I felt like I owed it to my folks to do some good, even if it meant they'd never be around to see, or hear about it.

I admit, the training wasn't that bad, it just seemed like a boot camp up in space. It definitely wasn't easy, though. The drills, the exercises, the protocols, it all felt like some special way of saying semantics, and I didn't like it, but I toughed it out. By the time I turned fourteen, I had proven that despite my age, my size, and the fact that I was human, I proved to the other students that I can handle anything, and I wanted to prove it.

I would eventually graduate and become an on-duty plumber cadet, even if the uniform didn't fit me properly by the time I got a year older. I admit, being a cadet kinda sucks, but I'll keep going, I spent the last four years in the academy, and even had a run-in or two with Ben Tennyson himself, getting to see him work hard and prove why he's a hero in the first place. If I can survive being almost jettisoned out into the cold, unforgiving vacuum of space, or survive a surprise assault from some Plumber Black Ops gone rogue, then I can handle myself on a solo mission, or whatever I get called in for.

I can't quit now, not after everything that's happened. It's not what my folks would've wanted... or, at least, that's what I've been assuming. Speaking of, as of right now, I have some vacation days saved up, and it's the anniversary of my parents' untimely end. I'm currently on my way to the bus stop, hoping to pay my respects while I can. But, knowing how the last few times I tried to go and pay my respects went, I'm gonna be pretty damn pissed if I get called up to help. Again.

Well, I see the bus stop on the other side of the street. Here's to hoping this doesn't turn out like the last few times I've tried this."

Scott tucked the notebook and pencil back into his pocket and moved quick across the road. Before he knew it, he was on the other side of the street and the closest he's ever been to paying proper respect to his folks. He took a deep breath and sighed in relief, a brief smile forming on his face as he took a seat. 'Maybe this is my chance. Today has felt like a safe enough day, and at least I'm not standin' around, trying to look frickin' stupid. Maybe a day or three away from my job is exactly what I nee-'

The badge in his pocket began to emit a sequence of sounds, and the smile that formed on his face, faded in a near instant. Scott scowled and gritted his teeth, snatching the badge from his pocket and thought about what he should do. As much as he hated being constantly called away, just to mourn and pay respects, his job, even when he tried to get a vacation day in, was always the primary objective.

'One of these days, I'm gonna smash this badge under my frickin' heel, and scream.' He thought bitterly.

Scott took a moment, took a deep breath, and suppressed the unfurling irritation he felt. He spoke into the badge and could only wonder what the problem was this time. He knew that sequence of sounds too well, it was a sequence to notify that any and all plumbers, regardless of rank or position, are to answer the call if they're within range. "This is Cadet Scott Baristo, what's the gist, pally?" Scott asked calmly.

"Illegal tech trafficking ring. Baumann's market, can't miss it." The voice stated.

Scott rolled his eyes and got up from his seat. "It's your lucky day, I'm nearby, much closer than you think. If I run, I'll be there in a minute, maybe even a minute and a half. I'm on my way, sit tight." Scott replied.

"10-4. Over and out." the voice confirmed.

The badge went silent and Scott slid it back in his pocket. "After this, it's back to my business. No more distractions. In and out, stop the trafficking, and if possible, minimize casualties." Scott told himself.

Scott quickly ran down the sidewalk, blitzing around people that got in his way. He knew his objective, and he was surprisingly lucky to have had all of them be right near the bus stop. Whether it was a cruel joke played by fate, or him being lucky to be right near the danger, he knew he'd be remiss to think of himself. He didn't want others to suffer, and that meant doing every job he could, even when he's about to go on vacation.
> A Presumed End to A Life Rescued
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Baumann's Market]

The whole location looked like a warzone, and the war within it was still raging on. On the outside, it was a shoot-out, but it was also a hand-to-hand fight. Several thugs, each of them were either aliens of some sort, or humans that had a sense of familiarity with crime and chaos. Some of the thugs wore very punk-ish gangster-esque outfits, firing off small alien guns, while some of the aliens were firing much larger, and far stronger weapons. They had the way to the front entrance walled off, blocked by several strong-armed individuals.

The plumbers took cover behind their vehicles, pinned down by the constant rate of fire. They constantly tried to fight back, attempting little by little to push the opposing enemy back, but nothing seemed to work. They had dealt with invasions worth more trouble than a bunch of gangsters like these, something much bigger had to be happening here to require such push back.

The Plumber on the far right activated some kind of metal ball, chucking it over his head and right into the face of one of the thugs. It clung to their face, and as they tried to remove it, an explosion soon followed, knocking the gangster out, and knocking back a fair few of the other attackers. "It's times like this where I wish I was back on my homeworld! These blasted fools are pressuring us to stay in cover, and we can't stay here forever!" The plumber remarked, readying some kind of bladed staff.

The plumber in the middle sighed. "I get what you mean, this is getting ridiculous. At this point, we should just give them a taste of their own medicine, fight fire with fire!" they remarked.

The plumber on the far left holstered their weapon, slumping against the vehicle as they try to steady their breathing. "This is getting us nowhere. If we don't take them out, Magister Tennyson and his squad won't be able to get inside! Here's to hoping that backup comes soon!" they stated.

Almost as if a prayer had been answered by a higher power, the sound of metal smashing against someone's face could be heard. A grunt and a muffled cry of pain could be heard, and the sound of seizing gunfire was also prominent too.

The plumbers peaked out from cover, seeing Scott, holding a small metal rod like a baseball bat. The thug at his feet was recoiling bad, and the small bits of blood on the blunter end of the rod was pretty self-explanatory.

Scott spun the rod around with his fingers, gripped it tight, and smiled. The remaining thugs just stood there, wondering what exactly just happened. This guy, he wasn't in a uniform, but he seemed like the type who has his fair share of run-ins with criminals. Something was off, one could even say, he was different. "Alright, I don't know where to start with you, okay? I mean, do you even know who you're talking to?" Scott asked. The thugs didn't answer, they were just confused.

Scott's smile faded into a scowl, and out from his right pocket, he quickly chucked something as it slid to their feet. Before they could react, the thing beeped and ensnared them in a powerful bright yellow energy bind. The more they struggled against the binds, they were shocked beyond compare. The plumbers came out of hiding and witnessed what exactly happened, a bit surprised themselves.

The plumber took his helmet off, revealing a man with a tanned-skin tone and cornrows. "Way to go, Cadet. I probably could've handled it, but they were relentless on keeping us pinned. I also appreciate you answering the call when you did." The man thanked.

Scott simply nodded. "Thanks, pally. Let's get this over with, I got tons of vacation days that need to be used." Scott remarked, walking to the front of the building.

The man put his helmet back on and followed suite, as did the other two, readying their weapons.


***


As they walked in, it was clear this little operation went off the deep end. The actual store was totaled. Everything was either destroyed, slung across the room, or on the rare case, untouched, but just barely scuffed. And judging by the fighting that was happening on the inside, the fun wasn't over.

On the far left, A woman with orange hair in her twenties was casting magic, and a man in his twenties with long black hair, and an X-shaped scar on his chin absorbed and covered himself in a layer of concrete, forming his hands into blades as he readies himself for an attack. The foe they were facing seemed to be some kind of giant white gorilla, with a man's head in a jar being in place of the gorilla's actual head. "I have visuals on Gwendolyn Tennyson and Kevin Levin. Looks like Dr. Animo's involved in some way. Base, do you copy?" The man spoke into his badge.

"Loud and clear. You're clear to engage. Over and out." Another voice spoke.

The man ran in, readying his weapon as he fired at the individual. Scott wanted to run in and help as well, but to his right, he saw a man with feline-like features, dressed in a white, blue-gray and black suit fighting off what looked like a woman with unnaturally pale white skin, red hair and black and red armor with a white skull emblem on the chest. She swung her claws and was beginning to trip up the man.

Scott was about to move in, but was stopped by the other two plumbers. "At ease, Cadet. We got visuals on Rook Blonko, and Rojo. We are clear to engage." He stated. "You stay out of the fight for now. Without your gear, you're about as helpful as an Ectonurite in the daytime." He remarked.

The two other plumbers ran in, weapons drawn as they began to attack Rojo. Scott gritted his teeth, but soon noticed something important. Ben wasn't here, he wasn't fighting these two, and didn't take care of the thugs outside. Needless to say, Scott could feel that something was wrong. He didn't know what, nor why, but he had an idea of where.

Scott jumped over the counter, noticing a man cowering. The man himself looked to be in his early seventies, partially bald and has gray hair on the side of his head with a pot belly, and had a well-grown black mustache. He wore glasses, a dark pink bowtie and a light pink-striped yellow shirt with a dark pink apron and brown pants. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me where I can find someone, could ya?" Scott asked.

The man looked at Scott and was practically terrified. "I already told you hooligans that I have no idea what you're looking for!" Baumann protested.

Scott rolled his eyes and pulled out his badge, showing it to Baumann. "You wanna try that again?" Scott asked, leering at the old man.

Baumann saw the badge and calmed down a fair bit. He gulped and tried to breathe. "What do you want to know?" Baumann asked.

Scott pocketed his badge. "I can't help but notice a certain someone is absent in this fight. On the off-chance Ben Tennyson came through here, where can I find him?" Scott asked.

Baumann started to become more irate. "That blasted troublemaker! Every time he comes into my shop, the destruction of my property is inevitable! He did come through here, but as far as I know, he's probably long gone. I say good riddance! As soon as all of that is settled, I need to look into other locations to put my shop, somewhere I can only hope Ben Tennyson, or anymore troublemakers can't find it!" Baumann remarked.

Scott groaned. As easy as it could've been for him to get angry and pry the information he needed, and throttle someone for slandering a hero after all the good they've done, he knew very well that it would only cause trouble, and it would most likely cost him his job. Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. "Can we get back to the topic at hand? Where did you last see him?" Scott inquired.

Baumann slowly got to his knees and pointed to the broken doorway, leading to the storage room. "Ben and some tall imposing individual were fighting before the rest of you got here. He ended up turning into that large orange-shelled ball of destruction and they ended up crashing into storage. They were probably using my storage as a quieter means of upholding some kind of deal. Something about a revolution in technology." Baumann explained.

'This gets weirder and weirder, just as I expected it to. This doesn't add up. Animo and Rojo, now some unknown attacker is in the mix. This is gonna be a problem, and I'm about to throw myself into it.' Scott thought.

Scott sighed and got up. "I'll see what I can do. Till then, I'd recommend you leave the store. Better to be alive later than to die early." Scott stated. Before Baumann could make an objection, Scott had already jumped over the counter and ran into the storage.

Baumann sighed. "Wonderful, that kid's just as attracted to trouble as Tennyson." Baumann remarked.





[Storage]

The whole room was dark. It was like the lights had been drained of all they had, but were still desperately trying to illuminate light amidst the shadows. Scott carefully moved around, hearing the distant sounds of a fight that has yet to end. Before Scott could go any further, he heard something pass through the shadows behind him, and he quickly turned around, but nothing could be seen amidst the darkness. He heard something rush by even closer, and he turned around, but was once against met with nothing.

'Great, something's fucking with me. Just what I need, an annoying pest keeping my attention. I need a plan, and unfortunately, that plan might require me to be able to see in the dark. What do I do in this kind of situation?' Scott thought to himself.

He heard the thing constantly rushing by, almost as if it was moving within the shadows itself. Scott pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, hearing a sudden hissing noise, one that buzzed with anticipation. It was like a snake was getting ready to attack and bite into its prey, but it almost sounded insectoid in nature. With the light on, he shined the light in all directions, only to find nothing. To a normal individual, they would've brushed it off.

Not Scott, he heard this kind of buzzing before. Then, he heard the chittering, he heard it echo around him, the sound of clicking soon followed as well. The sounds, the way they were made, it was familiar. He never thought he'd get the chance, the opportunity, to face those overgrown bugs again. Looks like today really was lucky, but Scott was unsure if it was his, or theirs.

Scott heard something land behind him. He whipped around, one of his hands balled into a fist, and was immediately kicked away before he could defend himself. The phone flew out of his hands, but he wasn't out of the fight yet. Scott quickly got back up to his feet, and was staring back at those same monstrous things he witnessed years ago.

The holes in their bodies, the malformed wings, the strange armor they wore, the sleek black chitin covering their bodies from head to toe, and those big bulbous eyes. The very same strange horse-fly looking alien freaks, only this time, he planned to fight with all he had, and was gonna stomp them out for good. "I was hopin' to see you ugly bugs again. You three freaks are gonna get stomped like roaches for what you've done, ya got that?!" Scott called out angrily into the darkness.

The buzzing and swirling air from their constant flying was enough to tell Scott they were trying to confuse him. Thankfully, he dealt with plenty of species before that tried the same thing, and he knew how to gain the advantage. Scott looked around, only to notice the faint glow of his phone underneath one of the shelves. Scott made a mad dash towards said shelf, and heard one of them tailing him, trying to dive bomb and land a strike.

Scott quickly dove down, sliding on his stomach as he vanished under the shelf. The subtle sound of the creature colliding with the shelf was enough to signify that they were gonna be hurting after this. Scott quickly crawled out and shined the light in its face. He heard the discomfort in its chittering and tackled into it, punching it in the face and firmly planting his right knee into its stomach. He heard one of them trying to rush in and assist its ally, only for Scott to grab the creature and shove it into the incoming one.

Scott hopped over both of the creatures, only to be grabbed by the throat by the last one, then thrown over to the other side of the room. Scott crashed into several shelves and crates, and even ended up landing on a piece of broken glass, ending up with a piece of it piercing his left side. He cried out and gritted his teeth, feeling the pain of his skin and flesh being torn into. Scott tried to move, but the last remaining creature landed on him, pushing the glass further into his wound. Scott coughed hard the moment the creature's foot was planted on top of his chest, pressing hard onto his ribcage.

It felt as if the end was near, until he heard a voice come from the biped insect. "You've been looking for us? For what reason do you have to seek us out!" The creature hissed.

Scott groaned and mustered enough strength to deliver a solid right hook into the creature, staggering it and knocking it off of him. Scott rolled onto his right side and slowly got onto his knees, heaving as he looked back at the insect. "You freaky bugs killed my parents! You even approached me, you and your stupid troop!" Scott lunged at the creature, trying to grab hold of it and fight. "You left me alive, and I'm gonna make you regret it! Do you know how failure tastes? Let me show ya!" Scott remarked.

The creature hissed and growled as it tried to shake Scott off, but he was keeping quite a tight grip on the creature. Scott tried to keep fighting, but the pain caused by the impaling glass shard was getting harder to ignore. It hurt like hell, and burned like it, too. the creature tried to fly up, revealing a suspended walkway above.

The creature tossed Scott to the walkway, dusting itself off. Scott's body onto it as it landed, causing him to gasp and grunt, holding his side. "You've met our kin before? I'm surprised you've encountered us Changelings. We figured this world's strongest hero, the legendary 'Ben 10' would've been the first. But, you're mistaken, we never killed anyone. The creatures you encountered, they couldn't have been of our kin." The changeling remarked.

Scott reached to his left side, grabbing the shard of glass and began pulling it out with a lot of difficulty. He screamed and yelled out in agony, feeling the searing white hot pain as the glass slowly left his wound. Soon, the glass was out, and the blood-stained shard fell back down to the darkened ground. Scott felt the crimson drip down the side of his body, but he still hobbled his way back onto his feet. "I was nine. I lived on a farm. You were a bunch of scavengers. That remind you of anything!?" Scott reprimanded.

Soon enough, Scott slumped to the ground, feeling the cold metal against his skin as he struggled to keep moving. The changeling walked forward and looked as if he was going to attack, but Scott couldn't move another inch to save himself. He felt weak, he felt as if he had no stamina, no energy, he was practically a dead man. He closed his eyes, and waited for the end, hoping it'd be swift.

But, the end never came.

Scott slowly opened his eyes, feeling something cold and sticky pressing against his wound. Scott moved his gaze, seeing the changeling kneeling above him, applying a strange green goo over his wound. After that, he noticed the creature reaching into his pockets, only to find the badge he had. Scott was too weak to fight, let alone protest, so the changeling examined it, began to think about something, and finally put two and two together, putting the badge back in Scott's pocket.

The changeling looked down at Scott. He was pale, like he lost a lot of blood. Judging by how increasingly more red the spot he collapsed on was, it was a miracle he didn't die on that walkway. "Wh... you... huh..." Scott muttered weakly.

Scott was sat up against the railing, with the changeling examining the creature. "You're a rather odd human, but you do fight fairly well, but your methods are rather unorthodox. Forgive me, had I known prior that you were a plumber, me and my comrades wouldn't have assaulted you the way we did. I also hadn't known you were injured upon the initial landing, not until I noticed the bloodied glass fall back to the ground. Wasn't until I noticed your badge that I knew of the potential trouble I could bring down upon my brothers." The changeling explained.

Scott gritted his teeth, grunting as he tried to get into a more comfortable position. He was hurting and weak enough as is, but at least he wasn't dead, he was grateful, at least. The changeling pulled a glass flask of a glowing viscous violet fluid, opening it. "Here, you can drink this. It's a special magical elixir made from our magic. Your wounds will heal naturally, but it'll take too long, and you could die of blood loss, or disease before it ever heals all the way. If I give you this, will you not attack me, or my comrades once you've healed, and let us explain?" The changeling asked.

Scott wasn't about to die on that walkway, and while he knew those things were in some way connected to the ones that attacked his home, he wasn't going to jeopardize the mission all for petty revenge. 'I really gotta get therapy for this, I can't believe I let myself get to this point… I'll do it during the use of my vacation days.' Scott thought. Scott shifted his weakening gaze to the changeling and tried to shake his head yes, albeit he was slow, exhausted, and still lost a fair amount of blood.

The changeling opened Scott's mouth and poured the liquid from the vial down his throat. Scott's face looked dissatisfied with the taste, though the changeling found it rather humorous. In an instant, Scott felt his wound close up, he felt the fatigue, the dizziness, the exhaustion, it was fading away. He felt his energy come back, his stamina was rejuvenated.

The changeling helped him back onto his feet, though his clothes were now stained in crimson. "Well, aside from the blood on my good clothes, I feel right as rain again. What was in that stuff? It tasted like fifty-year old stomach medicine and rotten cherries." Scott asked.

"It is made of changeling magic. We changelings don't have hearts, so we feed off of love, and we mainly bring it back to our hive, to give to our queen." The changeling explained.

Scott looked at the creature, confused and curious, but mostly confused. "Why did you heal me? You easily could've left me for dead, but you stayed. You tried to stop the bleeding, sat me upright, and healed me. Why?" Scott asked.

The changeling looked Scott right in the eyes. "I did it for the betterment of my brothers. As a plumber, you were doing your job, and again, had we'd known prior, we wouldn't have attacked. But unfortunately, we were pawns in a grander plan, as much as it pains me to admit." The changeling explained.

"You got a name?" Scott asked.

"Exos. My brothers are named Mandible and Tennae." The changeling said.

"In that case, I'm Scott Baristo, but you can call me Scott, if you so wish." Scott introduced.

Scott remembered why he was here, about the illegal tech trafficking ring. He really let his past experience drive him off the designated path this time. "Which reminds me, Exos. What exactly is being smuggled through here, a weapon? An experimental bio-weapon? A bomb capable of destroying planets? It's not one of those Annihilaargs I heard so much about, is it?" Scott asked.

Exos simply shrugged. "We aren't sure what it is, but according to what many potential benefactors have discussed over the conceptualization of this deal, it's supposed to be something that'll allow the one on top to finally defeat all forces for good and justice. It could overwrite a set of code, and replace it with a singular specific kind of code that turns machines into full-blown weapons of majorly assured mass destruction. But, others have called it a knock-off." Exos remarked.

Scott thought about what it could've been, but nothing immediately came to mind. But, then again, there was one individual who had a knock-off device, one that could easily compare to something Ben Tennyson was known for wielding. Scott's face went pale again, and a sense of concern washed over him. "What did they think it was a knock-off of exactly?" Scott asked, his tone full of caution.

Exos saw the human's expression, and could practically smell the fear coming off him. "Something called an Omnitrix, whatever that is. It's supposedly what this 'Ben 10' individual uses to mimic our shapeshifting capabilities, only it seems much more complex. Why do you ask?" Exos asked.

Scott's face got even paler, but before he could explain, the door behind them burst open, sending them flying to the other end of the walkway. Where Exos could fly and easily recover, Scott was just trying to find his footing again, only to then crash into another door. Out from the newly created hole was a towering figure, one that was all too familiar to anyone who's seen or heard the news.

The figure was tall, he was incredibly huge. He looked imposing, as did the red armor he wore. He had a beard, one consisting of numerous tentacles. His skin was green, he wore a set of red metal gauntlets with blackened claws. He grinned as he stared down the human and the changeling. His red eyes shined as he threw an unconscious guy in his twenties onto the walkway.

"W-Who is this towering creature?" Exos asked.

Scott gulped. "Vilgax, conqueror of worlds. He once outsmarted an interdimensional energy demon, known simply as the Diagon, and took its power for his own. Some have even heard he went to other timelines to find evil versions of Ben 10 to make an army, but I don't know if that's actually true. If he can outsmart a literal energy demon, then I believe it." Scott explained. "In layman's terms, we're fucked!" Scott exclaimed.

Exos looked at the unconscious man on the walkway. "And him? Do you know who he is?" Exos inquired. Scott looked down at the individual that Vilgax tossed over.

The guy was dressed in a white t-shirt with a green stripe going down the middle of it, as well as a black long-sleeved shirt underneath that. He had a black belt around his waist with a big green 10 in the middle of it. He wore dark blue jeans and had bulky armored knee pads. He had black boots with white detailing and steel toe armoring. He also had a familiar watch on his wrist. It was bulky, but it was also sleek and incredibly good looking, the main colors being black and gray, with green and white being excellent accent colors, but the bright green hourglass shape in the midst of it was all Scott needed to see to indicate that this was him.

Scott shuddered, terrified of the situation. "That's Ben Tennyson. Wielder of the Omnitrix, the Protector of Earth. He's one of the strongest, most versatile, and most creative superheroes I've ever seen! But as he is right now, I'm a bit worried about our odds." Scott briefly explained.

A sinister smile formed on Vilgax's face as he stepped forward. "You should be. Finally, I have incapacitated the mighty Ben Tennyson, after eleven years of your constant interruption, you stopping my plans, defeating me like I won't come back to settle the score! But now, I'll finally have what is rightfully mine! I'll take your blasted Omnitrix, and create the army I sought to have all that time ago! I may not have need for that pathetic knock-off, after all!" Vilgax rejoiced.

Scott heard the conqueror mention a knock-off, and his brain finally put two and two together. He fished out his badge and activated the communicator. "All plumbers on this frequency, please respond! Vilgax has defeated Ben Tennyson! I repeat, Vilgax has defeated Ben Tennyson, this is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! I'm requesting backup at Baumann's Market! Does anyone copy?!" Scott was panicking, breaking out in a nervous sweat. Not a single response came back through.

He felt useless, he felt terrified, he felt the same way he did as a kid, knowing that changelings, whatever those things are, killed his folks. Now, he's about to watch Vilgax, Ben Tennyson's most notorious enemy, finally kill his hero.

Scott didn't want to watch this, he wanted to do something to help. But, what could he do realistically? He was only human. This was Vilgax he was facing, seeing him approaching the unconscious body of the hero he looked up to in times of his own crisis, it was terrifying to see. Scott doesn't know why he did this, let alone even think it was a good idea, but under so much pressure, the situation escalated more and more, and Scott just couldn't take it.

Scott attempted to run towards the conqueror and attack. Scott did land a single punch on the conqueror, but it felt more like a love tap. Scott stood in front of Ben's unconscious body, shaking and trembling at the sight of the conqueror scowling down at him. "I- I won't let you do this! By authority of the Plumbers, you are under arrest!" Scott exclaimed. He felt the adrenaline pumping through his body, and he knew what he was doing was basically suicide, but he couldn't just stand by and watch Earth's mightiest hero go down like this.

For a moment, everything went silent. Vilgax stared down at the human, while Exos carefully pulled Ben's unconscious body away. Scott's eyes were wide, his teeth were gritting together so hard, he thought he'd break every tooth in his mouth. Without warning, the tentacles that dangled down Vilgax's face quickly ensnared Scott, holding him still. He raised his right arm and stared down, smiling.

Scott watched Vilgax's hand come down at a dangerous speed, and the moment it collided, the sound of something snapping, breaking, and dislocating could be heard throughout the entire building. Scott was quite literally knocked off his feet. The entire left side of his body felt numb, but he was more worried falling off the side of the walkway. He tried to stop and save himself, but the blood on his hand made it hard to keep a firm grip on anything.

Before Scott knew what happened, he landed on top of the shelves in the right most corner of the room. The shelves began to collapse, and as Scott landed on the floor, he was buried under the shelves, and blocked off by crates. The pain was basically unbearable, Scott felt like everything got bent and broken, then fixed, and then broken again. He felt his consciousness fading, and he could hear the faint, if not booming laughter coming from Vilgax. He desperately wanted to move, but he lost the stamina he had.

'Dammit, I knew that was a bad idea... Why did I frickin' do that?! I knew I wasn't gonna win that fight, but I just had to step in. I might as well have shown up dressed as a giant chicken, while holding fried chicken! I can't feel anything on the left side of my body, and whatever I can feel, I don't even have the strength to muster out a cry for help, not even a whimper. I'm gonna end up a dead man today, and it's a miracle I haven't ended up a dead man yet in this blasted career, until now.'

Scott could feel everything slowing down and speeding up, and he felt the crippling injury he was afflicted with. His body was going through another adrenaline rush, but he couldn't do anything with it. He felt his muscles tear up, swell and flex on their own, the pain and torment was agonizing. He felt like one of those one billion piece puzzles, except a hundred twenty-eight pieces were missing, or broken beyond actual use or repair. Everything was going dark, darker than it previously was without any proper lighting.

'So, this is my life story. As a child, my parents were killed by something known as Changelings, some sort of freaky magical race of bug people that have a passing resemblance to horse flies. I learned the name of the hero behind the aliens that saved the day. I joined the plumber academy and would eventually qualify to become a cadet. Now, I'm a crumpled up, broken heap of a man. The moment I get to be in the same room with my hero, it just so happens that debatably, his worst enemy, is trying once again, to get revenge. Either I have the worst sense of timing, or today was just one of those days where I get smacked like a ragdoll, and then I have to spend most of my vacation days trying to heal. Knowing my luck, it's one of those days, but I had a job to do. I've always got a job to do, even when I'm trying to go on vacation!'

Unbeknownst to him, something had fallen out from one of the crates, and landed right near his right hand. Within the cover of darkness, it didn't seem like anything special. But, then a strange green glow began to emanate from it, illuminating the small contained trap that Scott's crippled body was trapped within. Scott felt as if everything was finally about to go limp, and while the green glow did catch his attention, it was the hourglass emblem that it sported that truly made him wonder.

Through the pain, knowing that he'd go unconscious soon, he let a small smile form on his face before his eyes began to close.

'Guess this is how it ends. Ma, Pops... if you all can hear me, wherever you ended up... I'm on my way... Sorry to make you wait so long, I was... doing my best, with what little I got left... But hey, I finally got to see my hero in person, even if he never gets to know... That's good enough for me... Not bad... for a Boston boy born from the sticks...'

A loud digital pinging sound soon echoed out, all while Scott fell limp. While he couldn't feel it, let alone be aware of what was happening around him, something did end up clasping around his wrist. Amidst the green glow, was a bulky watch. It looked like what the Omnitrix initially looked like, back when it was first conceived as a prototype, but there were some obvious differences with this version.

Instead of four white tubes plugged into the device, there was only one. It also had an extra button above the main button used to prime the device. It looked impractical, one could even say incomplete, compared to the original design, but it did look fairly well-put together. The device had fixated itself upon Scott's wrist, and after a minute of the interior mechanisms firing up, the device shined bright.

[All systems online. All basic functions and standard features have been granted access to user. Default DNA sample has been collected. Human DNA sample recognized, Scott Baristo has been registered as this device's user. Estimated Time for permanent genetic bond, unclear.] A calm synthetic digital voice spoke out from the device.

The Omnitrix-like device suddenly began to project a thin layer of green light over Scott's body, but that light vanished as soon as it was deployed. The device began to blink and glow a red color, only to start flashing rapidly from red to white. [ERROR. Host physical health is critical, user death is imminent. Initializing Fail-Safe Protocol... Two DNA Samples have been identified within prior incomplete default playlist. Initializing...]
> Activating Displacement Protocol
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vilgax marveled at his handiwork. He laughed like he never laughed before, letting his evil deed become a beacon to those nearby that know not of the danger he can be. "What a pitiful fool. Sacrificing your life for some fool, who stoked the fires of which my passion, my hunger, my yearning for the Omnitrix's power in the first place!" Vilgax spat in the direction of where Scott's body had careened towards. "Pathetic. That is the consequence of being a hero, foolish human! You should've known you were outclassed from the beginning. But, enough of that, time to claim the device I beheld so long ago. Say your prayers, Ben Tennyso-" Vilgax looked down, noticing that not only was Ben not there anymore, but the insect that stood with the human he just swatted away, was also missing.

Vilgax leered down at the darkness below, roaring out in a fit of rage.


***


Back on the ground floor, the other side of the room was abuzz. Exos and his brothers watched Ben, noticing him stirring and beginning to awake. "Oh man... feels like I got hit by a whole building," Ben said groggily, rubbing his eyes. He stretched and cracked a few parts of his body as he looked up, only to be immediately terrified by the three changelings watching him. "Ahh!! Giant mutant bugs!!" Ben exclaimed, rolling backwards as he got ready to activate the Omnitrix.

Exos stepped in front of Ben Tennyson, shielding him from his brothers, and vice versa from the hero. "Do not attack, and do not panic, we are not your enemies. Just wayward souls, who became pawns in a grander plan. One of your own, they are injured, they may require extensive and immediate medical aide." Exos stated.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "My cousin's hurt? She must've dropped her guard and got attacked, but even so..." Ben wondered, still keeping his fingers hovered over the device on his wrist.

The changeling on Ben's left, Tennae, they stepped forward. "Not your blood, a plumber. An ally who gave Exos time to hide you. The monster you call Vilgax, made immediate and devastating work out of them. They crashed somewhere down here, and by the sounds of what happened before we hid you, it sounded like this 'Scott Baristo' was dealt a fatal blow. You humans are fragile creatures, but full of surprises. Living a blow like that, and surviving the landing, I doubt is one of those surprises." The changeling explained.

Ben took a moment to let this information sink in, but he never heard of anyone named Scott before, but Vilgax was definitely in for a devastating beating now. "Did he say who he was affiliated with?" Ben asked.

The changeling on the right, Mandible, stepped forward. "He was one of the Plumbers, as told to us by Exos, the one who was with that human and quickly hid you away with Vilgax distracted by the human's sacrifice, looking for whatever Vilgax was after." Mandible stated.

Ben's eyes widened, he growled out of irritation. "He is after some sort of knock-off based on your device, Ben Tennyson. It's unclear as to where exactly this device was being kept, but Vilgax will probably want to deal with you, before you can stop him from acquiring it." Exos explained.

Ben frowned at those words. He activated something on the watch and began to speak into it. "Omnitrix, do an automatic search through plumber records for a Baristo, Scott." Ben stated.

The Omnitrix chirped and a small holographic list began to churn through several bits and pieces of information. It then stopped on the file, labeled Baristo, Scott. Ben tapped on the file. "Let's see here... youngest student enrolled, travesty before enrollment, served all of last year to do his job... kid's quite the worker," Ben scrolled down further, reaching a key point in his file. "Scott Baristo was turned into an orphan by age nine. Five years ago, around the time Ben Tennyson's identity was leaked to the public, nine-year-old Scott Baristo told the earth authorities that three human-shaped fly-like creatures had..."

There was a pause. Ben's words caught in his throat, but he knew what happened next. He was impressed, knowing someone so young could go so far, but he wondered why he was here, specifically. By that point, he stopped reading, focusing on the three insects that stood before him. "So, what are you three about?" Ben inquired.

Exos cleared their throat. "Scott Baristo, he was familiar with our species, just not by name. He claimed that we were the ones responsible for the untimely end of his family. In reality, we were pawns of a grander plan, one that had no involvement with his family, or Scott himself. We initially just wanted to go back home and report back to our queen, but we've been trapped on your world for a good year and a half, we know nothing of the years prior," Exos stepped closer to Ben, taking a knee. "You are an impressive and kind-hearted human, Ben Tennyson. Scott's words of praise in your name, they show a rather enthusiastic sense of aspiration for your heroics." Exos stated.

This was a lot for Ben to take in, but he didn't have much to contribute. Soon enough, he noticed a yellow glow coming off of the Omnitrix. "Something tells me I know what this thing's gonna start yapping about." Ben remarked.

[Uncatalogued DNA Detected.] The Omnitrix chirped. Before the changelings knew what happened, a yellow beam of light passed over Exos. After a few seconds, the light soon diminished and the Omnitrix beeped again, showing off a holographic icon of a changeling. [Unknown DNA sample acquired. Scan complete. Changeling DNA is now accessible for transformation in primary playlist.] The Omnitrix soon returned to being inactive, leaving Ben quite surprised. "Huh, I guess I can become one of your species now. What can you guys do anyway?" Ben asked.

Tennae was the first to explain. "We can utilize magic to shapeshift, we can look like anything, or anybody. On top of that, we can spew a sticky resin, which makes it easy for combative purposes, and for hunting prey. We can fly, thanks to our wings, and we feed off of emotions. The more emotions we drain from an individual, the more they will be weakened." Tennae explained.

Before anything else could be asked, the lights that had been darkened this entire time, soon flickered back on. The mess that had been created in the shadows was evident, and Ben winced at the sight. "Yeah, Baumann's gonna be on my ass for this one, I know it." Ben joked, a small smile forming on his face.

Vilgax landed on the ground, glaring daggers at the alien, as well as the three insectoid creatures. "Pests, the lot of you! Get out of my way, the Omnitrix is mine, do you hear me?! Mine, and mine alone!" Vilgax roared out.

Ben cycled through his transformations, and pressed down on the watch. In a flash of light, he had become one of his classic transformations. A tall red bipedal man with tons of muscle, and four arms. He wore no shirt, but did wear a green sash with the Omnitrix's emblem on it. He had a white belt and black pants, all while he cracked his knuckles, all twenty of them. This was the Tetramand form that Ben affectionately called Four Arms.

"If you really want a piece of me that bad, then let me give you a hand... or four!" Four Arms remarked with a grin.

Vilgax roared out, firing lasers from his eyes. The changelings scattered, while Four Arms shielded himself from the attack. Another flash of light then showed another alien, one that was just as nimble, as it was annoying to deal with.

It was a small blue four-armed monkey, it had six green eyes and constantly leapt around. It wore black pants and had the Omnitrix strapped to its chest. This was what Ben referred to as Spidermonkey.

The monkey shot a huge glob of white webbing at the conqueror, which only infuriated Vilgax even more. "I'm going to skin you alive, slowly and in pain, Tennyson!!" Vilgax threatened.

Spidermonkey clung to the wall, staying as far up as he can. "And someone should've taught you to play a bit nicer. Seriously, was knocking me out the best plan you had?" Spidermonkey remarked.

They leapt off the wall, only for another flash of light to envelop them. This next alien was something rather new, but also pretty familiar. It looked like a giant bright sickly green pufferfish. It had black pants, a green belt, and the Omnitrix was located on top of its forehead. This was an alien that Ben called Spitter.

The alien inhaled and spewed out a sickly green liquid right down at Vilgax, who dodged out of the way, only to be met by a sudden glow of green flames. Vilgax turned around, only to go wide-eyed, seeing Four Arms, Spidermonkey, and another him leering at him. Vilgax roared out and threw a punch, staggering the fake him, until Four Arms and Spidermonkey tackled him, attempting to pin him and keep him still. He struggled hard, and finally managed to shake them off, causing the changelings to change back to their normal form.

Spitter landed on the ground, letting another flash of light transform him. This next alien was recently acquired, practically brand-new. He was a tall black bipedal insect, very reminiscent of a horsefly. He had holes riddled throughout his body, which was covered in a sleek black chitin. He had a set of ant-like mandibles, as well as a set of mangled fluorescent green wings. His fingers and toes became claws and talons, and the Omnitrix was embedded into the left pectoral, right where the heart would be located.

The changeling cheered. "Yeah!! Looks like I'll get to try out this new guy after all! Not sure what to call it, but for now, I think Wallflyer has a nice ring to it!" The changeling remarked.

Vilgax growled, firing lasers at the insect. Wallflyer constantly zipped around and would cautiously let some of the stray beams pass through the holes in his body. "Never thought I'd say this, but for once, I'm glad I'm riddled with holes!" Wallflyer quipped.

He flew in fast, striking Vilgax in the face as he flew out of his reach. The changeling repeated this process a few times, but was eventually grabbed by the leg, seeing Vilgax grip onto his ankle as he aggressively slammed him against the floor, as if he was trying to actually smear the changeling hero on the ground. Vilgax slammed the alien against the ground several times, and it was clear that this was getting to be a lot of trouble. Once the physical beating stopped, Vilgax pinned Wallflyer under his foot, knocking the wind out of the changeling, and fired his lasers onto the hero at close range.

It was a vicious and aggressive display, but soon, the onslaught came to an end. Wallflyer couldn't move, he felt as if his entire body was on fire. Before he could try moving, Vilgax reached down and grabbed hold of the Omnitrix's badge. He pulled at it, causing the device to let out several noises, and causing it to spark with green electrical energy. Wallflyer hissed and cried out, only to spew resin into Vilgax's face. Vilgax recoiled, letting go as he attempted to pull the substance off his face.

In a flash of light, Wallflyer turned back into Ben, who struggled to get back on his feet. He felt sore, but that was always a good thing to him, it reminded him that he was alive. "Man, I'm gonna feel all this tomorrow." Ben groaned.

He crawled his way to the collapsed shelves and crates, sitting up behind one of them, in hopes that once Vilgax can see again, he'll assume he left. Ben tries to activate the Omnitrix again, knowing he might have to take things up a notch, but before he can try and transform, the Omnitrix suddenly locks up. Ben grumbles, getting frustrated. "This is the definitive version, and yet it continues to piss me off. What's the problem now?" Ben wondered.

[Unknown Omnimatrix energy signature has been detected. Unknown Omnimatrix unit is nearby.] The Omnitrix chirped.

Ben was surprised, but at least he had an idea of what this meant. "Couldn't be the Nemetrix, I know it isn't Albedo, it can't be an alternate me... must be that knock-off Omnitrix that squidface is after. If he can't have the original, then he's willing to settle for a cheap copy." Ben said.

He got on his stomach, looking past the various small gaps between the shelves and crates, and he did see some kind of bootleg Omnitrix, but it looks like someone else ended up getting it stuck to them instead. "Oh man... well, at least Vilgax didn't end up with it," Ben slowly wormed his left arm through one of the cracks, and positioned the Omnitrix in a manner that focused on the unconscious man's face. "Ok Omnitrix, can you run a scan and use facial recognition to identify this guy?" Ben asked.

[Request Acknowledged.]

The Omnitrix showed a holographic green screen that focused in on the man's face. His eyes were closed, the left side of his body looked bent, broken, disfigured beyond repair. After a few scans of the man's face, the Omnitrix immediately began the search. Ben pulled his arm back and kept a lookout for Vilgax, noticing that he was now being distracted by the changelings.

[Facial recognition scan complete.] the Omnitrix pulled up a list of details, along with a photo for comparison. [Scott Baristo, Cadet Rank. Ben 10 Fanboy. Plumber Academy Graduate. Highschool Drop-Out. Wielder of Unidentified Omnimatrix Unit.] the Omnitrix listed off.

Ben looked through the cracks, noticing a plumber's badge that now rested inches away from his body. Ben tried to transform again, but was immediately cut off by the sound of another voice.

[Initializing Fail-Safe Protocol...] A calm synthetic digital voice spoke out.

Ben's eyes went wide, looking towards the sudden increase of brightness from a green glow emanating from the Omnitrix-like device. "Oh man, that's not good." Ben stated with concern.


***


Exos, Mandible and Tennae looked like they had seen better days. Parts of their body were breaking, they could barely stand, and they seemed drastically weakened. "Now, I'll make sure you insects stay out of the way. Prepare to--"

"Get down!!" Ben exclaimed. In a flash of light, Ben was replaced by a lean blue bipedal reptilian creature. It had black claws, a black helmet, a tail, a green stripe going down its chest, strange ball-like spheres on its feet, and the Omnitrix on its chest. This was Ben's Kinecceleran form, XLR8.

The form moved like a blur. Before Vilgax knew what happened, the three changelings, along with XLR8, were gone, with a blurry blue trail leading back to the main market area. Before Vilgax could chase after them, a sudden pillar of green light caught his attention. The shelves and crates had been blown back, all while Scott's body was suspended in the air by an unknown force. Something began to spark and crackle on his right wrist, and Vilgax could only tell from a glance that it was what he was looking for.

Vilgax growled, scowling at the oblivious human. "You!! That's my Omnitrix, you pitiful piece of human scum! Hand over what rightfully belongs to me, or else death is what you will get in kind!" Vilgax threatened.

Scott couldn't give an answer, but the device attached to him responded, in a way. In a flash of green light, Scott's body transformed into a humanoid-shaped figure, but then it became an amorphous alien made out of some kind of sludge. Vilgax couldn't tell what was happening, but Scott's body constantly changed back and forth between the two transformations at a rapid rate, almost asynchronously.

Suddenly, Scott was returned to normal. He still hovered in the air, unaware of what has been happening. The device then responded again.

[Fail-Safe Protocol succeeded. User preservation has been accomplished. User diagnosis has been completed.] The device chirped.

Vilgax growled. "I won't be ignored! Hand over the Omnitrix, human! Now!!" Vilgax commanded.

Scott didn't respond, but instead, the device on his wrist, gave another response. The device cycled back and forth between two black icons of a humanoid shape, and an amorphous sludge creature. It did this for a solid minute and a half, only to then return to its inactive mode.

[Attempts to sync with Primus have failed. Attempts to sync with Prime Omnimatrix Unit have failed. Diagnostics show no problems with internal or external software and hardware. Attempts to contact creator have failed. Current setting is already occupied with Omnimatrix unit wielder.]

Scott slowly began to come back to reality. He felt weird, it was like he died, feeling nothing. But then, he suddenly felt life constantly shift through his body, and it felt as if he was brought back from the dead. He felt a familiar soreness in every part of the left side of his body, but nothing felt broken, or in pain. In an ironic way, it felt unfamiliar.

Scott noticed one thing, the fact that no ground was beneath his feet, yet he didn't seem to move. His eyes snapped open, filled with terror and confusion. "What the hell is going on?!" Scott exclaimed.

Vilgax growled, roaring out in a fit of rage. "I've had enough of these blasphemous games! If you won't listen, then I'll take it by force!" Vilgax roared out.

Before Scott could try to defend himself, the device that attached itself to him began to glow. Scott looked back at Vilgax, whose eyes were glowing a bright red. "He's gonna shoot me out of the air, and I can't move! Why did I even bother trying to go on vacation if this was gonna happen! I love my job and all, even with how chaotic it can get, but stuff like this? It's too much! I want to get out of here, I don't care where!" Scott exclaimed, panicking as Vilgax fired off one more laser blast from his eyes.

It was weird, it was like the world had begun to slow down, all except for Scott. He looked down, seeing Ben and his friends running in, trying to stop Vilgax. He saw the bright red beams getting closer and closer, all the while, the brightness around the watch got to the point where Scott couldn't tell how close the beams were getting.

As Scott closed his eyes and braced himself for the end, the device on his wrist reacted and began to glow brighter. [User Request has been Acknowledged. Activating: Displacement Protocol...]

Scott was confused, but he was more terrified. 'Displacement Protocol? What's that supposed to do?' He thought.

A bright flash of light enveloped him. Scott saw the world he once knew devolve into a wormhole full of vibrant colors and hard to look at patterns. It felt as if his body was being flung every which way, but it also felt completely still and stiff. He wanted to scream out, but with how his body felt, combined with the speed he was being flung at, it was already hard enough to keep a coherent thought together.

Scott managed to muster out one scream. A scream that would haunt even him to his dying day. The whole world went white, and Scott eventually lost consciousness.





[Equestria Outskirts; 2 months before the Summer Sun Celebration]

A portal of white light opened up, and from above, Scott's unconscious body crashed right into the soft grass-covered ground, within a small and secluded wooded area. The portal in the sky above immediately closed, indicating that this was a one-way trip. Scott's body remained motionless, all while the sunset finally came down, and Scott would end up alone, within the cover of night.
> And then There Were... 2? Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ben 10 Dimension]

Everyone was at a loss for words, all except for Vilgax, who seemed to both marvel, and be irritated by his handiwork as he was arrested, and hauled out by the plumbers. He killed the earthling that stood in his way, but at the same time, he also destroyed the knock-off Omnitrix device he needed. Scott was nowhere to be seen, but the blackened segments on the wall as that burst of light instantaneously erupted; it was a terrifying implication, but that was all that could be considered.

Gwen raised her hand, letting a glowing pink aura shine as she tried to find something. From out of the wreckage of his temporarily collapsed tomb, was a busted and severely damaged Plumber's badge, and a phone, with its flashlight still on. Gwen frowned, and turned to Ben, who was now wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, and green sweatpants. He seemed lost in thought. "Ben, all I could find was a busted badge, and a phone. I'll send them both back to R&D, hopefully Blukic and Driba can figure out what went wrong. But, this might be a bit... pointless." Gwen stated, looking concerned.

Kevin walked over, kneeling down as Ben hovers the watch over something, noticing that the shapeshifting alien hero was in his own little world, and it did not seem like a happy place to be. At first glance, there isn't anything there, but Ben, he was trying to use the Omnitrix to find that other Omnitrix device. Unfortunately, he's been at this for hours, and hasn't found any trace of the signal. "If I can find that signal, we can try to pinpoint it and track him down. I just need that signal, that's all I need." Ben told himself, oblivious to his best friend's presence.

'Who am I kidding. That guy got himself caught in a lot of trouble. I can only imagine, and shudder at what kind of horrid fate that kid is going through. I should've used Alien X right from the start. I have full access to his power, his strength, all without restriction... why didn't I use it?' Ben thought, a sense of shame washing over him.

Gwen walked over and put a hand on her cousin's shoulder, causing him to snap back to reality and look at her. "C'mon Ben, Grandpa wants to talk about the situation further." Gwen said quietly.

Ben frowned, gritting his teeth as he stood up. Ben didn't utter another word, but he did end up changing into XLR8, speeding away from the scene at blistering speeds.




[???]

A field of wheat flows in a calming breeze. Scott carefully walks through the field, hearing the crunching of tiny rocks beneath his feet. The sun shined down as he continued to walk, knowing he would eventually end up right where he's supposed to be.

Everything feels, almost relaxing. The way the wind calming blows by, the smell of fresh air invading his lungs, he felt at peace. He saw a farm house in the near distance, it was familiar, all too familiar. As if the wind was its own entity, Scott heard a faint whisper in the breeze.

'Find me, Scotty. Find me.' the whisper pleaded.

Curious, Scott felt compelled to go forward, a small smile forming on his face. He walked towards the house, feeling a sense of calm, as well as a twinge of unease. Scott increased his speed, moving just a bit faster. The air around him did not change a bit, it felt too familiar to change... and yet, that sense of unease, it began to slowly grow.

Scott ended up on the porch of the house. It looked brand-new, like it was just built. The nails that kept the wooden boards in place, they aren't worn out, or rusted beyond compare. The wooden planks looked freshly cut and beautiful, as if whoever made this house, put everything they had into making it. Their sweat, their tears... their blood.

A strange smell soon permeated Scott's nostrils. It was sweet, too sweet. It was a sickly sweet smell, like he was in a candy store with the freshest goods. He wanted to take a long whiff of that smell, despite its sickly sweet aroma being too much, it reminded him of a better time, a simpler time. Unfortunately, there was another set of flavors in that sweet aroma, flavors that couldn't go unnoticed for long.

Iron. The smell of metal being welded together, cut into pieces, reduced down to a fiery liquidous magma, or reduced down into shavings. The smell reminded him of a few colors, colors that told him what exactly happened here. Black and Red came to mind, but there was still one more smell. It hurt to think about it, and it made his stomach churn. The sickly sweet smell, it slowly started to go stale, and then that unidentified smell could finally be figured out.

Decay. Scott picked up on this smell several times before. The stench of death, the rot, it began to cut through and overwhelm the sickly sweet smell, and it amplified the iron smell, too. Scott grimaced, knowing why this farm house was so familiar. It was the final resting place for his mother and father, the home he was raised in before their untimely end.

Scott noticed the sky, the warm and comforting sunset was now gone. In its place were several dark stormy clouds, each one with a tint of green to its gloomy palette, rumbling with thunder, the flashing light of what seemed to be lightning, sparking and dancing amidst the clouds. Scott didn't know what was happening, but if there was one place he knew he could go, when it looked like a storm was coming... he had to get low.

Scott ran around the house, noticing it become more splintered, grayed, withered, damaged, and decrepit. The wind began to pick up, no longer seeming comforting and calm, but became another warning of the storm coming his way. He turned the corner, seeing a pair of cellar doors, blocked off by a sticky green resin. Scott pulled at the doors, trying to brute force his way in, but the resin was gonna be quite the problem.

Scott turned around, only to jump out of surprise. He took noticed of a man he never saw before, one that wore his face. He seemed disappointed, angry, unhappy. He looked at Scott, gritting his teeth so hard, blood began to pool on his bottom lip. Scott was about to run, but soon found out that the man was already right near him, face to face. Scott felt his hands gripping on his wrists tightly. They felt cold, like he had been dead for a long, long time.

The man stared Scott down, seeing the confusion, shock, and fear in his face. He took a deep breath and stared right into Scott's eyes.

'WAKE UP!!' The man shouted.

He felt the venom, the vitriol in his words. The force behind his shout, it was enough to feel like he was trying to shout the skin off his body. Scott tried to break free from the man's grasp, but a flash of light soon struck him.




[Equestria Outskirts]

Scott's eyes snapped open, he felt a sudden rush of unwavering terror course through his body. Scott looked around, noticing the small wooded clearing he was in, as well as the morning sun shining down upon him. Scott tried to calm himself down, steady his breathing. He looked around, noticing a few small animals, ranging from a couple birds, a squirrel, as well as a small snake. Scott looked at himself, wondering if he was alright. He then noticed the Omnitrix-like device that was still fixated onto his wrist. The hourglass glowed a bright turquoise color.

Scott's eyes went wide, and a loud, shrill scream of panic echoed out from the clearing. Scott was screaming as he frantically flailed his arm around, struggling to remove the device from his body. "Get off me!! Back to the box of scrap parts from which you were conceived!!" Scott screamed, smacking the device against a giant rock.

[User Request Denied. Genetic Bond is already in progress.] The device chirped.

Scott got even more frantic. "Cancel! Cancel the bond, I am not one for commitment, and that sounds like too much!" Scott cried out, pulling at the device as hard as he could.

[User Request Denied. Do not panic, if you have any questions, feel free to refer to this unit's designation and state your inquiry.] The device chirped.

Scott stopped pulling and glared down at the device fixated to him. 'I know I should probably be excited, now I really am just like Ben. I have one of these things stuck to me now, and it's insistent that it stays stuck to me... Well, I guess if this thing is willing to answer my questions, this might be my chance to get answers. Let's try to reign in the panic, and not get too aggressive, Scott... you still need to get back home.' Scott thought.

His glare began to lessen, and he decided to play along. He sighed, rubbing his eyes as he began the questioning process. "Ok, you strange-lookin' bootleg hero watch, I'll play your game. What's your designation?" Scott asked.

[This Unit is designated, by its creator, as the 'perfect' recreation to the original Omnimatrix Unit, based around a set of incomplete blueprints dating back to 2006. This unit's creator designated this Omnimatrix unit, as the Altnetrix. Through meticulous trial and error, this unit's creator was to attempt creating more of this unit after successful trials, shipping them out anonymously across various galaxies to numerous criminal benefactors. This unit was shut down years ago, but not before activating the Displacement Protocol.] The device chirped.

'Altnetrix? And people have the nerve to complain about Ben's names for his aliens, sheesh...' Scott thought, a look of confusion forming on his face.

Scott straightened up and focused. "Ok. Altnetrix, right? What did the Displacement Protocol do, exactly?" Scott asked, curious as to know the answer. The device remained silent for a few seconds, but then it spoke once more.

[The Displacement Protocol, programmed in by this unit's creator, was to ensure that in the case of the fail-safe succeeding, but the threat is still prevalent, and the user is outpowered and outmatched, the Displacement protocol utilizes the energy it builds up overtime, then discharges it to randomly 'Displace' the user and sends them to another world, in or out of our foreseeable universe. Unfortunately, this protocol never got much field testing, and when it did, it never worked in proper succession. My calculations suggest that it would only work if the user needs an escape, and considering the Chimera's attempt on the life of this unit's new user, the Displacement Protocol was activated to ensure your safety.] The Altnetrix explained.

Scott was... well, he didn't know how to actually feel about that, or about anything that happened the other day. "Altnetrix, is there a way to get back to where I was before? If so, how? If not, why can't I go back?" Scott inquired.

[Unfortunately, the answer is no to both User inquiries. It's unclear as to why, but some systems within this unit have been restricted and locked behind safeguards after the first, and most likely, the only successful display of the Displacement Protocol. Any attempts to connect to the Extranet have essentially failed, signifying that data will have to be gathered manually.] The Altnetrix explained. Scott's anger subsided, but a sense of loneliness and isolation was now prevalent. Scott processed this information slowly, but it all still hit him hard, like a semi-truck going down hill at full speed.

Scott felt horrible, but he couldn't explain why. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have anything to go back to. The farm he grew up on, he had to sell for money he'd need later down the line. His parents were murdered, and he wasn't exactly close with anyone in particular, in or outside of work, so he doubted that anyone would know he was still alive, and somewhere else. The only thing he had left to lose was his job as a Plumber, and though he hated being called right when he's about to use his vacation days, he always loved helping people, no matter how small or drastically huge the problem was.

Scott looked down at the device, feeling a wet stinging sensation in his eyes. His lip was starting to quiver, and his stomach started to hurt, it felt as if his stomach was tied in knots, and brined in bleach for decades without end. "So... I'm stranded somewhere I don't recognize, I'm all alone, and there's no going back to the world I used to know?" Scott asked, his breathing becoming slow and shaky.

[Affirmative.] The Altnetrix confirms.

Scott gritted his teeth, his breathing became heavy and sharp, tears streamed down his face. He grabbed hold of the grass beneath him, ripping it out of the ground. He slammed his fists into the ground, devastated. He screamed as loud as he could, a mixture of sobs and aggressive fits of rage and anguish as he continued to drive his fists towards the ground, dirt and soil begin to stain his knuckles.


***



[A few Hours Later...]


Scott was slumped up against a huge rock, steadily trying to compose himself from the fit he had, despite feeling pretty pissed off about his situation. "With all of this bad news, you might as well tell me I've got cancer, too. Just rub more salt in the wound, don't even make it edible, just take a whole salt deposit and jam the whole thing into my wounds, why don't ya!" Scott angrily exclaimed.

[Your anger is quite potent. You could make an Appoplexian cower with how much aggression you keep within.] The Altnetrix remarked.

Scott took a deep breath, and held it for a moment. Scott slowly exhaled, and sighed. He sniffed and wiped his eyes, looking down at the device. "Well, I guess I'll get to the inevitable questions, then," Scott climbed on the rock, sitting on it as he looked at the Altnetrix. "Altnetrix, since you're still an Omnitrix-like... thing, does that mean you can turn me into other alien species, like the original can?" Scott asked.

[Yes. The creator of this unit had a goal during this unit's conceptualization. It was a bit different from Azmuth's original vision, but can be seen as the same, to an extent. The creator's primary goal was to show that there is more to a species besides what evolution had in store to make them either formidable warriors, or just common extraterrestrials with very little to offer. Much like the Omnimatrix unit that came before this unit, this unit can also transform the user into the prime example of any species. However, there is a complication.]

Scott raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly does this complication entail?" Scott asked cautiously.

[This unit, when it was last activated, had access to the entire library of the original Omnitrix's 1,000,912 DNA Samples. Specifically, alien species that Ben Tennyson either hadn't unlocked yet, encountered, or has encountered and never thought to check. However, upon reactivation after seven years of inactive use, this unit's systems have gotten a substantial update. This unit's less than secure link to both Primus, and Benjamin Tennyson's Omnimatrix unit, had been severed. This unit was only able to save two DNA samples and lock them in as default transformations. It's possible some remnant data and DNA for other species lingers within this unit's genetic repository, but this could take time to confirm or deny.]

Scott, despite being very confused, and more than a little suspicious to why this thing had a less than secure link to Primus and Ben's watch, but he wasn't gonna question it, not now. He doesn't know what this world has to offer in terms of dangerous threats, and if they end up attacking, he'll be glad he has two transformations to use, rather than none at all. "Taking everything you said into consideration, I am skeptical, and suspicious. However, I'm stuck with you, and I don't know of the potential dangers this place has to offer, so I'll take any transformations, rather than none at all." Scott stated.

[User input acknowledged.] The Altnetrix confirmed.

Scott pressed the button on the bottom. He watched the hourglass form into a diamond shape, displaying a robust human-shaped icon. "Well, no better time than to give this a try. I'll have to familiarize myself with these forms anyway," Scott pushed the button again, causing the core to pop up. Scott put a finger on it and lightly pushed, seeming nervous, excited, and hesitant. "Here goes nothing." Scott stated, pushing the core back into place. A green light soon enveloped him, and he began to change.




Scott watched as his skin bulged and turned gray, feeling his muscles bulk up and become a bit hairier, the increase in muscle traversed upward to his head. He closed his eyes, only to open them again, now shining green. His brown hair became black and shiny, and he felt his body warp and alter itself. He got taller, more robust. His jaw became a bit more square, all while his clothes began to change and alter around him too. His shirt felt tighter around his new body, now becoming a black t-shirt with white detailing at the end of his sleeves and his collar. He wore a pair of white jeans with dark gray metal cuffs, with black boots, decorated with a bit of white detailing. He had black wristbands, accentuated by a single white stripe on each one. The Altnetrix's badge was located on his chest. The alien smirked and let out a loud rousing cheer as he stood proud, crossing his arms as the flash of light died down.




Scott looked himself over, impressed, but also mildly bothered by what he became. Where he was around five foot six in his human form, this new form was taller than he was previously. Seven feet tall, robust and broad-shouldered. Scott walked through the brush, noticing a small stream nearby. He walks over, noticing his new square-jawed, gray-skinned transformation. His eyes widened in surprise. "I'm a goddamn Vreedle!" The alien yelled out. His voice was deep and had a not-so-subtle southern twain.

[Transformation sequence complete. Vreedle DNA Sample has been properly catalogued in database.] The Altnetrix stated.

Scott looked himself over, looking at the reflection of his transformed state. "I wonder if I should give these forms names. Then again, I don't wanna keep calling this one Decagon, or whatever. If I'm gonna name these, they have to be unique," The alien walked in one direction, following the stream. "Now, considering I heard a rumor that Ben's Vreedle form would be an expert with explosives, it only makes sense to figure out if this one does the same. But if it is, and I end up destroyin' something I know I probably shouldn't have, I'm gonna be in a heaping helping of trouble. What would be the safest option, especially if explosives are a prime conce-"

The sound of metal giving way and the snapping of wood breaking echoed out. "Gah!! Oh, for the love of Celestia!!" A woman cried out angrily. From the sound of it, she was pretty agitated.

'Oh that didn't sound good. I better move and investigate.' Scott thought, moving through the brush to get to the source of the noise.


***


After a quick minute of looking, the transformed Scott moves through the brush, only to duck down behind some huge bushes. He pokes his head up, ready to call out and offer his assistance, until his words get caught in his throat, and he beholds a rather odd sight.

Downhill was a set of train tracks. On the side of those train tracks was a well-tilled path, and along that path, a wooden wagon had collapsed into pieces. The woman who cried out, was technically a woman, but they were not human, that was certain. The Vreedle saw a pony, and they definitely didn't look like a normal pony either.

The woman was a mare, a pony with an orange coat, and three red apples on her flank. She had a blonde mane tied back with a red bandana. She looked rather nice looking, even if she was a bit agitated, most likely because of the heat and the collapsed wagon that must've belonged to her.

The mare looked like she was about to become red in the face. "When ah get back to tha farm, ah swear on mah life, Braeburn is gonna up and get it for messin' with this damn wagon! Next time I see 'im, I'm gonna make him run all the way back to Appleloosa!" The mare hollered, repeatedly kicking what remained of the wagon with her hindlegs. The mare then went around, looking for something. Didn't take long for Scott to notice the crates and barrels full of apples. "Ahm gonna wring that colt's neck out, I swear! How in fuckin' tarnation am ah supposed to get to Canterlot now!? Ah have a farm to keep afloat, dammit!" The mare shouted.

The Vreedle kept his head down, looking rather intimidated. 'I don't know why, but I'm gonna go down there, and offer some help. Really hoping this doesn't come back to bite me.' He thought.

The Vreedle stood tall, moving around the bush he hid around. Before he could let the pony know he was around, he ended up tripping over an exposed tree root. The Vreedle yelped, which did end up getting the mare's attention, only for her to look on in shock, and confusion, as the gray-skinned humanoid creature tumbled down the hill, eventually landing face first into the railroad tracks, landing with a thud. 'Major note... watch where you step before going downhill.' The Vreedle thought.

The mare was quite confused, though this wasn't the first time someone showed up out of nowhere, and their face ended up smacking into metal. 'Already my day's gettin' worse. Better find out what this is, otherwise I'm doomed anyway.' The mare thought, slowly trotting towards the human-shaped creature that lay on the ground.

The Vreedle eventually did get to his knees, feeling the sheer pain in his face from coming into contact with steel. "Fer once, I'm hella glad I don't have a nose. I think I woulda busted it open the moment it came into contact with steel," The Vreedle rubbed his face as he tried to gather his bearings. He groaned and turned to face the mare, seeing her look unamused, but equally curious. "Uh... howdy. I hope you don't mind, but I was in the bushes, listenin' in, I'm real sorry about your situation." The Vreedle explained.

The mare silently squinted her eyes at the Vreedle, she let her eyes wander up and down the alien's physique, and before he knew what happened, the mare smiled. "No need to be sorry, it can't be helped. That ol' wagon was gonna collapse at some point anyhow, and the moment my stubborn cousin starts messin' with it, of course it collapses when a delivery needs to be made." The mare remarked.

The Vreedle stood up and looked over at the broken wagon. He knew that he wanted to help remedy the situation, but it's only after looking at the wagon himself, that he's gotten an idea. "If you don't mind, miss..."  The Vreedle started.

"Applejack, sugarcube. My name's Applejack." The mare introduced.

The Vreedle nodded. "Well, miss Applejack, I would like to lend you some help. You seem like a busy mare, and you seem to have someplace to be, so maybe we can help each other out." The Vreedle suggested.

Applejack looked up at the towering figure, skeptical of his claim. "I appreciate the offer, but what do you know about wagons? Forgive me if this is rude of me to say, but you don't look like the kind of individual that knows what they're doing." Applejack stated.

The Vreedle winced at those words, but he had to admit, somehow, he did know something about messing with stuff. "I give you my word, miss. If I can't fix your wagon, I'll gladly help you get your supplies to wherever the next destination is. I cross my heart, hope to die." The Vreedle reassured, smiling from ear to ear.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at the creature, but then she looked over at the immobile mess of a heap that her wagon had collapsed into. As much as Applejack was hating to admit, she was in a bind and needed money, and the wagon's collapse did not help with any of that. On top of all that, she was not fond of asking for help, she was prideful in doing everything herself... this, however, was a special case. Even if it meant her pride took a backseat, and got knocked down a peg, she still had to provide for the farm, above all else.

Applejack sighed, as if she had been defeated. She let a small smile form on her muzzle as she looked up at the creature. "Alrighty then. I don't want to argue and waste more time than what's already passed, so I'm trustin' you on this. Don't make me regret accepting your help, now." Applejack stated.

The mare stepped back, sitting on the ground a couple feet away. With the task now given to the Vreedle, they stepped forward and began examining the wagon, a worried expression on his face. 'I offered to help fix her wagon, and I don't have any tools. Really hoping I can fix this with my bare hands, otherwise I'm in trouble.' The Vreedle thought.


***


Up above the clouds, two stallions with wings looked down to the ground. They both had pristine white coats, and were well-equipped with golden spears and golden armor. "Spot anything yet?" One of the stallions asked.

The other stallion frowned. "Nothing yet. What about you?"  They asked.

The stallion motioned for the other to look where he was, and as they did, they did spot something unfamiliar. Something that could only be identified as different, unseen, alien, or... monstrous. Down below, a robust gray human-shaped creature was currently observing the wreckage of a wagon. "That looks like that old wagon that comes to and from Ponyville, don't it? I bet that orange mare is making another expensive delivery to Canterlot." The stallion remarked.

The other stallion frowned. "So what the hell is that thing near the cart? That thing don't look like a pony, what's it even doing?" The stallion asked.

From where they were perched, the gray figure seemed to be looking for something around the collapsed wagon. It was only till now that they saw Applejack sitting a couple feet away, watching the creature try and figure things out. "You don't think it's a robbery, do ya?" The stallion asked.

The other stallion flapped his wings, keeping himself in the air. "Let's go down and take care of this, just in case." The stallion stated.

The stallion flew down towards the area of commotion, as did the other stallion. Either this was gonna go well, or this was going to bite someone in the sack later.


***


The Vreedle stopped fiddling around, wiping a bit of sweat off his brow, and eventually did come to a conclusion. The wagon couldn't be fixed, but that didn't mean he couldn't offer any additional sense of help. He looked over to Applejack and waved her over, but as she did, the sound of a low droning beep started to blare out from the Altnetrix.

They were both caught off-guard by the sound, but The Vreedle definitely had an idea as to what exactly was happening. He was out of time, and he was about to turn back. "Oh no!" The Vreedle exclaimed. A blinding white flash of light enveloped him, and as it died down, Scott was turned back into his normal human self.

Scott and Applejack looked at each other, both of them surprised and unsure of what could be said in that moment. Scott's mind raced, all while a look of irritation and fury was slowly starting to form in the mare's face. "Listen, I know how this must look, but there's really nothing to worry about. This is the real me, what you saw was--"

Scott didn't have time to finish his statement until two orange legs immediately struck him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him as a pained wheeze left his gaping mouth. His eyes went wide out of shock, seeing that Applejack turned around, and slammed her hindlegs into him. Scott tried to find the words, but all he could feel was something rushing up his throat. He tried to move, but the pain was too great.

Scott fell to his knees, until he finally uttered a set of words that felt like a good summary of what happened yesterday, and what happened just now. "H-How many times... am I gonna get beat... for helping people!?" Scott wheezed out, clutching his stomach.

Applejack stared him down, towering over his body. "Help? That's a likely cover story. Shoulda known you were a changeling, they hide in plain sight and attack ya when yer most vulnerable, and they can disguise themselves! Ta think, ya had me fooled! Not today, you overgrown bug, ya can't lie to an apple!" Applejack snarled.

Scott took a deep breath and tried to say something, until the sound of something landing made itself known. Scott couldn't move, and by the time whatever was rushing up his throat, he spit it out, seeing red stain the dirt. Before Scott could try and move, something tough and metallic smacked against his head, knocking him out cold.
> And then There Were... 2? Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[???]

Scott laid on the ground, his body ached like something just hit him in the gut at a hundred miles per hour, all in the span of a nanosecond. He quickly got back up to his feet, feeling a jolting sensation coursing through him, like electricity. He looked around, the farm house was in a state of ruin, yet the sweet, and stomach churning scent of candy, iron and decay could still be found in the air, yet it was now accompanied by two new aromas.

Apples. The smell of a crisp, ripe, juicy apple, whether it was eaten as is, baked into a pie, turned into juice, roasted over an open flame, or stuck on a stick and paired with various meats, an apple always tasted much better after a long and hard day's work. Scott couldn't remember the last time he ate an apple, it had been a few years. Scott's mood suddenly began to sour, remembering why he felt such a devastating pain in his stomach, all because of an orange mare with three red apples on her ass. It was an odd thought that came to him, even when he remembered what his job entailed, but he tried to forget about it, for now.

The second smell was all too familiar, it reminded him a lot of Christmas. Cinnamon. A common ingredient in certain recipes, apple pie being a prominent example. It was such a familiar scent, yet it was foreign to him. It was a dry smell, so dry that the air around him began to become warm and arid, all while small flakes of cinnamon began to kick up in the air. Just by breathing it in, he felt as if his throat was on fire. Scott ran away, leaving the destroyed and ruined farm house behind him, only to trip, fumbling to the ground.

He looked around, noticing that the wheat field had suddenly looked flattened, like a stampede of something came on through, trampling everything in its wake and ruining the yield that the crop would've eventually brought. He felt a fire burning inside him, one that truly hated seeing such hard work and effort be ruined in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, something came to him, thoughts of the first Christmas he ever spent without his parents, training extra hard and pushing himself to be better. It was the only time that the academy students had time off, to enjoy the holidays and unwind a bit. Scott though, he remembered everything he did on that day so vividly, to think he had been there for a year, and at the age of ten, he finally broke down.

The look on his face became melancholic, yet so very angry. He woke up, knowing what the day was. He made his bed, took a shower, got dressed and then ate. The instructors stated that today was an off-day, a time to pack up and leave for the holidays, to celebrate with family. Scott wasn't as enthused as everyone else, so he did go back to his room, and looked at the punching bag that hung in the corner. Scott's emotions boiled within him, and he attempted to vent his frustrations, beating on the bag as much as he could. Scott remembered that for the first time since he got to the academy, he cried himself to sleep, spending the holidays alone at the academy.

Scott sighed, sulking as he kept his head near the ground, his expression changed from anger and melancholy, to one of sorrow, acceptance and sadness. The dark stormy clouds had soon disappeared, allowing for a dark, star-littered night sky to shine down. The moon shined bright, almost as if to cast a spotlight on the human, allowing him a chance to speak. Scott got to his knees, a look of longing glimmered poorly in his eyes. A strange feeling of calm and dread washed over him, only for a small pitiable smile to form on his face.

"I guess I got too used to the feeling of loneliness on that day, it would explain why I don't have any friends, but also the need to have at least one. But, it makes sense. Paying my final respects to my folks, that was all I wanted to do for Christmas, every frickin' year, but something always came up and pulled me away, now, I'll never get that chance to pay them properly," Scott slowly got to his feet, staring up at the moon, noticing the image of some kind of unicorn-like figure imprinted into the moon itself. He stared up at the glowing orb, looking visibly more and more upset.

Scott balled his hands into fists, feeling the stinging sensation in his eyes as tears poured down his cheeks. "I'm stranded in a strange world, I got kicked in the stomach by some talking orange pony, just because I was trying to help, and I don't even know what's happening now. I just feel sick, I feel pain, not just the physical stuff, either. I've been assaulted, I died, got assaulted again, my parents were murdered, I can't even go back home, and I think I'm gonna die again! It's like the world is laughing at me, and I'm at my limit! If the world had teeth, I would've punched them all down its throat, spat in its face, then told it to fuck off! Can I get a sign that the universe is ready to spare some mercy for me?!" Scott cried out to the heavens above, the anguish in his voice breaks and echoes across the air, causing the whole place to suddenly go dead silent.

"Interesting," A quizzical female voice echoed around him. He couldn't see anyone, or anything, just the remains of the farm house in the distance, and the trampled wheat field that spanned as far as the eye could see. "I've never seen a creature such as you before, but it would appear my powers of traversing dreams can still be of use, even on the dreams of... whatever it is you are, biped." The voice echoed.

Scott couldn't tell where the voice was coming from, but soon, the moon began to shine even brighter, the light was almost as blinding as the sun on a summer's day without a cloud in the sky. A blackened silhouette appeared in the middle of the moon's blinding light. Scott rubbed his eyes, noticing that the light was finally beginning to dim substantially. He looked at the silhouette, only to be incredibly surprised, and thoroughly confused.

The silhouette was shaped like an equine, only much taller and thinner than the mare he had met previously. She had a dark purple coat, with a black splotch and smaller black dots on her flank, with a red crescent moon in the middle of said splotch. She had a bit of tuft to their coat, making it look puffier. She had a dark blue mane and tail, colored with a darker and lighter shade of blue, allowing what looked like very bright light blue stars to shine in her mane and tail. He had a bat-like accessory adorned on her head, with a small white crescent moon on her forehead. Her coat didn't seem to completely reach over her hooves like the orange mare's did, allowing her uncovered purple hooves to be shown.

Scott raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly was happening, but remembered what he assumed this mare said about dreams. This was all a dream? No, it couldn't be, despite how bizarre the environment was, how everything felt so ethereal, it felt so real. The smells, the sights, the memories he put aside that came back to him, all of it felt real.

Scott fell back, sitting on the ground as he met the pony's gaze, her dark teal eyes shining bright within she shadow she cast, seeing her look down at him with a smile. "Greetings, you must be the foreigner that fell through that strange rift, aren't you?" She asked. Scott was at a loss for words, unsure of if this was a real interaction. Scott slowly nodded his head in an approving motion, and the mare got closer. "Fantastic, and rather fascinating, too. I never thought I'd be the first to witness a lifeform not native to our world. You look like you came from another planet, or someplace else further out. Pray tell, creature, dost thou have a name, and what all have you experienced thus far of our world?" The mare inquired.

Scott was truly at a loss for words, but this was the second polite interaction he's had with the natives of this world, and he intended to make it last as long as he could. If this was a dream, and this mare was somehow communicating with him through his mind, then he was gonna make this conversation last till he wakes up. Scott scrambled to his feet, dusting the dirt, dust and wheat off his clothes. "I am Scott Baristo, I'm an agent of the Plumbers, and no, not the ones that specialize in plumbing or fixing toiletries. We are an intergalactic force that defends the galaxy from extraterrestrial and supernatural threats and forces. My rank is Cadet, a rank I've upheld for a whole year, and it may not mean much if I've been rendered unable of venturing back home. If you're to refer to me, then you may refer to me simply as 'Scott', if that's what you so wish, mysterious dream-invading mare." Scott introduced, knowing fully well how insane he must've sounded.

A concerned and uncertain expression formed on his face, to which the mare stifled a chuckle. The mare looked quite impressed, though she did seem pretty tickled by the human's explanation. "Quite the explanation, and quite the resume. From the sounds of it, you seem like a military-bound individual, am I right?" The mare inquired.

'I suppose that's one way of looking at it, the Plumbers are kind of a more space military type of group, with all that crazy alien gear they got, rather than being space cops. What kind of cop would roll up to the scene of a crime in a tank!?' Scott thought, dusting himself off as he looked the mare up and down, unsure of what to refer to them as. "Forgive me if it's a bit impolite of me to ask, but what's your name, if you don't mind me asking?" Scott asked.

The mare looked a bit surprised, her cheeks becoming a light shade of lavender as she laughed. "Oh, my apologies! I completely forgot about my introduction! What a silly mare, I am!" The mare cleared her throat, then made her eyes glow white, any trace of her pupils or the dark teal color was replaced by a blinding white void. "I am Luna! One of the princesses of Equestria, princess of the night and savior of dreams!" Luna proclaimed, her voice booming loud and stunning the young man effectively. "If you so choose, refer to me as Luna, or Princess, if you prefer formal interactions. Just not Lulu, that nickname is tied to embarrassing memories." Luna stated.

Scott took a minute, hoping his ears weren't gonna burst, and thankfully he was fine. "I suppose that's fair. I didn't think I'd be speaking to a princess, though. I guess since you're here, maybe you can assist me with the issue of a misunderstanding?" Scott asked.

Luna raised an eyebrow, curious as to what issue could've arisen. "What kind of misunderstanding?" Luna inquired.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Some time this morning, I had finally woken up and found myself in... what was your world called again, Equestria? I found myself here. I don't know how to explain this without sounding crazy, but I'm not your average human. If anything, it's because of the watch that's attached to me, that makes me quite the anomaly. Apparently, much like changelings, I have the ability to transform myself into other creatures, becoming more capable than I am in my normal form, the one you see before you, and able to utilize powers and abilities I once considered to be a fantasy." Scott explained.

Luna was surprised, as well as confused and suspicious, but Scott continued. "Back in my world, I came across a species of creatures resembling horse flies. They had magic, they supposedly could, and proved true to disguise themselves as anything, or anyone. I met three, or if you can believe it, six of them back where I came from, and it wasn't pretty. They called themselves changelings, the three I first met killed my parents, and the other three, were surprisingly understanding," Scott could tell by Luna's face, she was shocked, then appalled, then disgusted, then angered, and then stopped at confused.

Scott couldn't tell which emotion was worse, but he continued. "That orange mare I met previously today, I think her name was Applejack?" Luna's eyes widen, a sense of familiarity came to her. Scott took note of her reaction, but focused on continuing his side of the story. "She seemed to know what changelings were, and seemed pretty irate about them. I guess that explains why I'm unconscious and dreaming, and why she kicked the hell out of me earlier. She assumed I was a changeling, but from how she spoke about them, I tried to reassure her that I wasn't a danger, that she wasn't in any trouble, or in a dangerous situation, but she clearly wasn't having it," Luna was processing the information slowly, seeming almost worried, but she seemed to be in disbelief. Scott watched the mare's body language, and could tell that she seemed familiar with the pony who assaulted him.

'For once, my training is paying off. I've still got a bad feeling about this, though. Better be careful and play it safe with what I say next, lest I somehow end up knocked out again, and end up in a deeper state of unconsciousness. I may never wake again if I say something wrong.' Scott thought cautiously.

He cleared his throat, getting the mare's attention. "Anyhow, I doubt that matters in the now. It wasn't until I felt something small, metallic and blunt knock me on the back of my head, a little bit after Applejack knocked the wind, and a bit of blood out of me. I woke up, seeing that I've been brought back here, memories old and new are coming to me, it's like my life is flashing before my eyes, but only through bits and pieces," Scott was about to say something else, until another storm began to roll in.

Scott sighed, disappointed by the lightning strikes that began to strike the ground, lighting up and setting the wheat ablaze. "Unfortunately, I think this is all the time we have for our chat, Princess, it was a pleasure to meet you... at least, I think we met, still not sure about this dream stuff. As of now, I don't know where my body is currently, but I'm hoping I don't wake up in a cell. It's not a crime to help people, especially when their livelihoods are put at risk, I was trying to help in any way I could, with what little I knew. I'd try looking for that Applejack lady, she might know what happened to me after I got knocked out, though I highly doubt you'll get a solid answer. Said she was going somewhere called Canterlot, so maybe you'll find her there. In case you do, tell her that Scott Baristo, the human she kicked in the gut, hopes she got to her destination alright, and is keeping her family safe." Scott stated.

Luna absorbed the information, clearly unsure of what to make of the situation, but it wasn't long until a lightning strike landed right beside Scott, revealing the man that looked like him, glaring daggers at him. The man grabbed Scott by the throat and held him in place. It was odd at first, but Scott didn't try to fight back. Luna tried though, but to her own surprise, she passed right through the man that held Scott in place, as if he were either a phantom, or an apparition.

Scott closed his eyes, seeing the bright flash of light coming down towards him. He gritted his teeth and braced himself for the hit, and the flash of light struck him.





[Canterlot Dungeon; 1 Month Later...]

Scott snapped his eyes wide open, now awake, and reeling from a sudden pain in his stomach. His throat felt dry, and his stomach was beyond empty. He felt as if he was on his last legs, and he couldn't even feel the ground beneath his feet. He felt cuffs around his wrists, he weakly looked up and noticed his hands were chained, and he was left hanging in place. He noticed several trays full of food that looked like it had gone bad, or spoiled for the last few weeks.

Scott gritted his teeth and mentally cursed himself. 'I woke up in a cell, and by the looks of it, they left food here for me, and knew I wouldn't be able to get any of it. They starved me while I was unconscious, go figure. The colorful ponies are more psychotic than they look.' Scott thought to himself.

"LET US OUT, NOW!! WE'VE BEEN DOWN HERE FOR TOO LONG, THIS IS BARBARIC! TECHNORG WILL NOT BE PUT IN ANOTHER PRISON FOR SOMEONE'S ENTERTAINMENT, NOR WILL THE HUMAN!! A HUMAN SAVED TECHNORG'S LIFE FROM ETERNAL SERVITUDE, AND GAVE TECHNORG A SECOND CHANCE!! IT WILL NOT GO SQUANDERED IN A PUNY CELL!!" A loud thundering voice roared out.

In one cell, a very muscular dark orange-skinned humanoid creature with two horns growing out of his chin, apparently named Technorg, was yelling at a white stallion, who seemed to not be intimidated. Technorg had yellow eyes, sharp teeth-like lips, a strap around his torso, grey metallic pants with black lower legs, and a large broken metal stump in place of his left hand. He was also equipped with a cybernetic implant covering his left shoulder and pectoral.

The stallion readied his golden staff, ready to stab the hulking orange behemoth, until another creature began to get aggressive. The other one looked like a thin, withering black blob, with dull violet patterns on its body. It looked very effeminate in its body shape, but it was clearly another creature, angry for its imprisonment.

The blob seemed to sneer at the guard. "One of these days, these foul equine creatures will know pain and destruction unlike any other! Once I get my hands on some technology from this world, you equines will beg for my mercy!" The entity remarked, his voice sounded venomous, yet synthetic as it warped with every syllable.

The stallion was about to get ready for an attack, until suddenly, the sound of two individuals descending the stairs echoed out. The prisoners flinched and straightened themselves up, as did the guard, a bead of sweat moving at agonizing slow speeds down his face as he stood at attention. The stallion turned to the staircase, and upon seeing who it was, the guard was mortified, but also relieved as he gave a salute.

Two ponies towered above the guard. One was Princess Luna, the other, her eldest, and more strict sister. Princess Celestia.

Celestia's coat shined like white gold, her red and yellow mane was short and curled at the front, the patterns burning like a calm and controlled flame. Her tail looked like a cascading and luscious show of fire, red and yellow styled and tying together to look like a tail. Her horn was long and slender, and her frame, bigger and a bit wider than Luna's. She wore some kind or ornamental black head piece, similar to Luna's bat accessory, only it more resembles blackened horns with gray stripes. She also had a black neck piece with light gray stripes and a yellow diamond in the center.

The guard was shuddering in place, terrified to meet Celestia's gaze. "I assume this is the room the foreigner has been held within, the foreigner my sister has informed me of?" Celestia asked, an emotionless scowl forming across her face, causing the guard to heave.

The guard nodded. "I assume you also treated him like a normal prisoner, making sure he was dealt with whenever?" Celestia asked, clearly expecting an answer from the mortified guard.

The guard did not answer, and seemed as if he was hiding something. Celestia leaned down and stared the guard in his eyes, the stallion was close to tears, his lip quivering, he knew the answer to her question, but dared not answer out of fear.

Celestia closed her eyes and moved her head back up, then looked at Luna. "Check the foreigner. If he's as you described, then he has a side of the story we did not get from the guards who brought him here, or the daughter of Bright Mac that claimed numerous times that it was all a misunderstanding. You have an hour to figure out if he's truly what he claims to be, and to figure out why he's here. If the information is satisfactory, he shall be set free and given the royal pardon. If not, he will rot in that cell till he provides information." Celestia ordered.

Luna was taken aback, but she quickly made her way to the door, to which the guard unlocked, and Luna slipped inside as the door shut behind her.


***


Within the darkness, Scott's body, now thinner and deprived of proper nutrients, vitamins and proteins, surrounded by untouched spoiled food that had been sitting out for weeks. Luna gulped and noticed Scott's gaze was fixated on her, it was like he was staring at something from a dream.

Luna cleared her throat and approached the human, who dangled in place. "Greetings, are you Scott Baristo?" Luna inquired.

Scott nodded his head in approval, albeit it was with very little strength. Luna winced, noticing just how frail he looked. In the mind, Scott looked fine a month ago, but being unconscious, asleep for a whole month, in a world he wasn't familiar with, he was essentially not sure himself if he could eat or consume anything they brought him.

Luna slowly got closer, getting a closer look at Scott himself. From under his right cuff, the Altnetrix was attached, and Luna decided to ask another question. "You claimed you could transform, and you say you aren't a changeling. Is that device truly responsible for your capability to transform?" Luna asked.

Scott nodded yes, though he clearly looked as if he was about to collapse back into unconsciousness once more. Luna's hooves were tied, and clearly something had to be done. "Sister! Set him free for the time being, he needs nourishment! He looks as if he hasn't eaten in weeks! There's untouched spoiled food littered around, how is someone supposed to eat if their hands are restrained, and they are dangling in the middle of the air?!" Luna exclaimed, her voice ricocheting off the walls.

Scott felt himself wake up a fair bit, just hearing princess Luna yelling. Scott weakly tried to pull his hands out of the cuffs, but while his hands and wrists were incredibly slippery, due to sweat, he still couldn't slip free. Scott was practically drenched in sweat, and he had no real way of knowing how to get out. He could've transformed if he could free the Altnetrix from the cuff, but he had an odd feeling that trying to brute force an escape, would most likely land him in much hotter waters than he was already submerged in.

Before he could keep thinking on that, the light to the hallway soon shined bright. Scott was already weakened and weary, and he felt as if he's not eaten in decades. Celestia and the guard stepped in, the guard looked more scared of Celestia than of Scott's current condition, and Celestia was just surprised, not a single word came to mind when she saw the human's visage in front of her eyes. "Please... so hungry..." Scott muttered quietly, his voice dry and raspy.

A set of keys were levitated to the cuffs, unlocking them in slow succession. His body fell with a hollow thump, and he groaned. Luna quickly moved forward, moving the human onto her back. Scott felt several kinds of weak, and while it did bother him, he knew it was because he was human. Sure, a human could go for a month or two without eating, but factoring in the lack of water and hydration, it was a miracle that Scott wasn't dead again. Luna quickly moved the human onto her back, and ran out of the room and back up the flight of stairs.

Celestia seemed to approve of these actions, but she definitely didn't like the looks of that human. Not because he was different, far from it, but if the claim that he can transform himself is true, and he's not one of the changelings, something might have to be done, whether her sister approves of it or not. "I fear that change is coming, much sooner than anticipated. While my sister tends to that... human, I'll once again be handling my royal duties." Celestia stated.

In a flash of magical light, Celestia had vanished without a trace. The guard took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves, but it was all too clear to him, that he was gonna be in some serious trouble later.






[Several Hours Later...]


[Royal Guestroom]

Scott laid in a neatly-made bed, unconscious and unmoving. He felt brittle, he felt as if he was devouring himself without doing anything, like his own body was trying to drain moisture from the blood in his body, or from his brain just to sustain itself. Before Scott could accept that he was going to die again, he suddenly felt a freezing cold liquid pour into his mouth. Tasted like mint, but it burned his mouth like fire, not that he had the strength to do anything about it, anyway.

Before Scott knew what happened, another liquid had been poured into his mouth. It tasted like sour grapes, but went down smooth, like a spoonful of honey. He felt a tingling sensation throughout his body, and while he was still weak, he began to feel the weakness in his body less and less. Scott's eyes slowly fluttered open, and instead of the small, dark and disgusting dungeon he initially woke up in, he found himself within a large, but still fairly small room. The bed he was in, it looked lavish, and pretty expensive.

Scott sighed. 'I think I've either died and ended up in rich people heaven, this is Hell's waiting room, or I'm inside a very big castle... The first and last options are very likely to be true, but I'd be pretty surprised if the second option held any water.' Scott let a small smile form on his face as he sat up, noticing a slight chill run up his spine. He hugged himself, keeping the purple blanket on him as he shuddered. 'Oohh! It's cold in here, even with my... w-with my... wait, where's my--' Scott looked under the blanket, his eyes going wide as he noticed himself.

Aside from still being in a pair of black boxers, he might as well have been buck-naked. Scott uncovered himself, noticing his upper body, and his slightly thinner physique. Scott wasn't a beefy dude to begin with, but he was pretty average, even with his extensive work out routine, but he didn't think he'd end up thinner than he already was. His legs had gotten a bit thinner as well, but still had some muscle to them. Scott scrambled out of bed and looked around frantically, trying to find his clothes. As he was looking, he didn't notice the door opening as someone walked inside.

Scott was trying hard to not panic, especially since his training hasn't prepared him for something like this. Even if it had, he'd find it oddly specific to begin with. Scott looked down at his wrist, noticing the Altnetrix was still on his wrist. "Ok, so this watch is still with me... this hasn't been me hallucinating in post-mortem, and I'm not sure if that's better or worse. Safe to say, this whole world, and its native species, have caught me off-guard, and I need to get out of here, but I need my clothes back, this is indecent. Do these ponies have spaceships? I can only hope, because--"

"Um... excuse me?" A courteous voice interrupted him. Scott froze as he slowly turned around, seeing a bright gray mare with a unicorn horn, a faded velvet mane, and was dressed in a maid's outfit. "Is this a bad time, monsieur?" The mare asked, trying to avert her gaze.

Scott was in disbelief, and was still very much confused. 'This is officially one of the strangest days, if not the worst day of my life.' Scott thought, a look of embarrassment forming on his face. His face was getting red, and he really needed a moment to figure this out. But, he still needed his clothes. He focused his attention on the mare, who seemed equally as embarrassed as he was. "Question, was I wearing my clothes when I ended up here, or did I lose them and I've just been in denial?" Scott asked.

The mare cleared her throat, using her magic as she set some familiar looking folded clothes on the bedside. "My apologies for barging in, I assumed you'd still be asleep. The princess of the night has taken quite a liking to something like you, usually she stays in her room, or is kept by her sister's side at all times. Once she told the staff of your condition, she had us working around the clock to ensure you were nursed back to your prime." The mare explained.

Scott quickly grabbed the clothes and immediately put them on, covering up his near-nude physique in the only clothes he had. The mare looked at the device on the human's wrist. "I'd also like to apologize if your device wasn't removed. We initially wanted to make sure that everything was off so we could come to a better estimate, but princess Luna instructed us that the device stays on, lest we increase risk of failure to your recovery." The mare explained.

Scott looked down at the mare, smiling. "I guess it's a good thing you listened to your princess. This thing saved me from death once before, and I didn't want to find out if it could do that again, but since I'm alive, and you didn't see anything weird happening to me, I'll assume I'm safe from the clutches of death... for now," Scott was about ready to leave, but he still felt the smooth cold marble on the palms of his feet. "Oh! Shoot, I almost forgot! I need my shoes!" Scott remarked.

The mare looked sheepish, showing Scott his shoes, only to reveal that they were mangled and broken beyond repair. Scott was surprised, confused, and oddly concerned. "So sorry, monsieur, but we tried everything to clean your footwear, but they did not survive the cleaning process. The clothes you wear, however, they survived just barely. They were torn a fair bit, but with some magical assistance, your clothes have been mended with a thread of golden silk, and thoroughly stitched and repaired with a crystal needle. 'Only the best' as our former ruler used to say." The mare stated.

Scott looked at his shirt and pants, but he noticed no stitch marks, let alone any golden thread sticking out amongst the dark colors. It had to be magic, but he then got to wondering if they used magic on the Altnetrix. Considering he heard a rumor a couple years back, that the original Omnitrix didn't react well to magic, he was gonna have to be extra cautious.

Scott cleared his throat and began to walk towards the door again. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I need to find a way back home. I have a job to do, and while it's evidently clear that aliens are also in this world, I'm not too confident in my chances of survival, even with royal intervention on my side. So, I bid you, adieu, little maid pony! Thanks for fixing my threads, though! Once I figure out your currency, I'll be back to pay you substantially!" Scott remarked.

Scott opened the door, and before he could walk out, he felt a hoof collide with his face, sending him flying back into the room, and crashing into a wall. Scott slid down to the ground and groaned out in pain, as well as irritation. "Why!? Why does a random act of kindness just equate to getting smacked around every time?! What the hell is seriously wrong with this place!?" Scott exclaimed, holding a hand over his face.

The mare winced as she looked to the door. The mare that walked through was a dark magenta mare with yellow eyes and slit pupils. They were clad in armor, colored in black, white, and red. They had dark purple bat-like wings on their side, and their mane and tail were colored in the same manner. The mare bared what looked like fangs, and immediately tried to lunge at Scott. Before he could fight back, the maid smacked the armor-clad mare, which in-turn got their attention.

The armor clad bat mare hissed and leered at the maid, who didn't seem very happy with the situation. "You blasted Chiropthestrian, what is wrong with you!? Do you seek death, or are you just naturally thick-skulled?!" The mare chastised.

The bat mare hissed. "How dare you interfere! I was told that we had a strange creature in one of the guest rooms. I came to save your Faust-damn life, and you dare call me thick-skulled!? That is a monster, not a wayward soul in need of pity." The bat mare hissed.

The maid smacked her hoof against the bat mare's head numerous times. "The princess wanted us to make sure he was alive and had proper nourishment, and you're about to make the last few hours of hard work seem like they're all for naught! The princesses would have your helmet, and your head for such a blatant attack!" The maid continued to chastise.

"You both are half-right, and half-wrong," Scott interjected. Scott rubbed his face and gritted his teeth as he activated the Altnetrix, selecting the icon of an amorphous goo-like creature. "I may be a different species from you, but I'm no monster. I can just change into them, get your facts straight," The bat mare did not like that response and got into a stance. "But, you are right on one thing... I'm not the one who's gonna need pity in the next few minutes. We can do this the easy and negotiable way, or we can do this hard, stupid and violent way. You sure you wanna solve this with violence, batsy?" Scott remarked with a smug grin, priming the Altnetrix for transformation.

The bat mare hissed as they charged at the human. Scott was about to push the core down, until the bat mare was enveloped in a magical red aura. Scott looked around the bat mare, which was inches away from his face, and saw Celestia. The bat mare was turned around, and she was now the one at someone's mercy. Celestia looked at the human, who seemed to be back on his feet, which was a promising turn for progress. His side of the story might just be acquirable after all.

Celestia glared at the bat mare, seeing the fear in her eyes. "I'd appreciate it, if you didn't attack them and put them under again. I'm telling you this once, and only once. That's your first, and final warning, Nocturned. Do I make myself clear?" Celestia asked, her tone of voice low, but spine-chilling, especially with that glare. Scott knew it wasn't directed at him, but already he felt a shuddering chill go down his spine.

The bat mare nodded her head, and was soon released from her magical grasp. "Now, apologize and escort him to the throne room ASAP. My sister, him and I have important things to discuss, regarding his sudden appearance, and the apparent assault and acts of wrongful imprisonment that must be acknowledged, and dealt with accordingly." Celestia stated.

Before Scott could ask a question of any kind, Celestia had left the room. Scott frowned at this, but soon saw the bat mare, what he assumed was the horse equivalent of kneeling before someone. "My humblest apologies, creature. I assure you, this won't happen again. Please, accept my apology." The mare apologized.

'This place is crazy, but I guess it's better than being invaded by the Incurseans, crazy war-hungry frog bastards...' Scott thought. He looked down and kneeled before the mare. "I, Scott Baristo, formally accept your apology, miss Nocturned, I presume that's your name, am I wrong?" Scott inquired.

"I am Nocturned, yes, captain of the Night Guard," Nocturned introduced. "Come, the princesses obviously request an audience with you, which is quite rare... the princesses haven't requested the audience of anyone, pony or not, for the last three-to-five centuries. You must be a special case, if princess Luna stuck her neck out for you." Nocturned stated.

'Special is definitely one way to put it, but it's not the word I'd use. Here's to hoping I can finally get answers, and maybe find a way to get back home.' Scott thought to himself, following Nocturned out the door. 'I wonder, though... what's been going on back in my world?' He solemnly thought.





[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Four Months after Scott's supposed demise...]

Several individuals stand on the side walk. Five of them are Ben Tennyson and his allies, along with several other human, humanoid-shaped, or straight up aliens in plumber uniforms are looking down at a memorial. A picture of Scott is framed and set up on a stand, along with several assortments of white, green and blue flowers. The mood was grim, silent, like the whole place lost its voice.

Ben stepped forward, placing a faded gold sumo slammer card right next to the frame, as well as an outdated plumber's badge, one that resembled the Omnitrix's appearance when Ben became an alien. Kevin stepped forward, setting an unopened can of soda, as well as a car key on the other side of said frame. There was something written on Scott's picture.

"Let me spell it out for ya, pally. Okay? Grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brotha, do you know what I do? I do my best, like everyone else. Haven't had a break yet, and knowing my luck, I hope I never do. Someone has to answer the call, even in trying times, you gotta move on." -Scott Baristo

A man stepped forward, standing aside the memorial.

It was Magister Prior Gilhil, readying a speech written on a piece of paper. "This quote, Scott Baristo would tell that to himself every time he woke up in the academy, it bugged the hell out of everyone who bunked near him. Scott Baristo, what could any of us say about him? He wasn't close with anybody, he greatly admired the work of our own Ben Tennyson, and usually showed up to work, not happy, but determined," Gilhil sighed. "Scott Baristo, orphaned at the age of nine, was always pushing himself to do his best, even on his worst days. As a child, he was hot-headed, motivated to keep moving, as to not end up like his late parental figures. As a teenager, he was just as reckless, and it's a crying shame he never got further in his life, but what I believe, is that he went out on his own terms. He went out like a hero, doing all that he could."

The numerous individuals, they stayed silent, as did Ben Tennyson and his team. Ben held his head down low, much lower than everyone else's, a twinge of shame forming on the hero's face at that last statement.

"He went out doing what was right, standing against Vilgax. Not many can make such a claim, or achieve such a feat of bravery, it's a shame he's not around, he has deserved a bit of time off the force for such an act. You can argue that he died with an unfulfilled life, or a life that ended too soon, but to me, I think he got the break he's been wanting for a long time. I don't say these things without meaning, folks, I was there to pick that boy up when he had fallen down. I asked him once, what he wanted to be, or who he wanted to be more like, when he was older, and more capable of handling himself. At the time, he was silent, most likely processing everything that occurred during the end of his parents' lives. I believe, at the time, he had an answer, an unorthodox and rather silly answer, but a selfless and inspiring answer all the same."

Gilhil went silent for a moment, everyone stayed silent, though Ben Tennyson had vanished amongst the ever-expanding crowd, his head held lower than ever before.

"He wanted to be a hero, to save lives, no matter what had to be done to do it. Specifically I never condoned the idea of heroes, at the time back then, Ben Tennyson's secret was just revealed to the public, and the kid must've seen the news broadcast the night before everything changed. He wanted to be like Ben Tennyson, to do what's right, to keep fighting, even when the odds were against you. I hope you realize you did good kid, just wish you didn't have to die so young." Gilhil folded the paper, tucking it into one of his utility pockets and walks back to his spot, standing in silence.

Soon enough, the crowd began to disperse, and only then, did a flash of green light shine out, revealing a bipedal red manta ray with a white harness on its chest, and black shorts. This transformation, was what Ben called Jetray. Jetray, before anyone could get his attention, had launched himself into the air at blistering speeds, causing a sonic boom to ring out.

Before anyone had time to register what happened, Jetray had already exited Earth's atmosphere, and was flying through the vacuum of space. 'I'll find you, one way, or another. I failed you once, kid, I won't do it again. You're out there, somewhere, and sooner or later, I'll find ya, and I'll get you back home.' Jetray thought.
> And then There Were... 2? Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Throne Room]

Celestia sat on a throne, adorned in gold and encrusted with various jewels. It seemed to glisten in the most fantastical way once the sun's rays bounced off it. Luna seemed to have a throne of her own, though it looked to be made out of stone. It looked really well-chiseled, if that were the case, but the numerous white stars painted onto it, as well as the black throw pillow placed on the seat, it looked almost... well, terrible isn't the word that came to Scott's mind, though it easily showed him that it's likely everyone here had a favorite princess, and that princess was Celestia.

Luna looked uncomfortable, and Scott did not blame her. If he had to sit on a throne made of stone every day, and people still favored someone else, he'd be uncomfortable too. "Well... that's a, rather... uh... shiny throne ya got, princess Celestia, I can see my glaring flaws staring back at me in every gem!" Scott stated.

Celestia nodded. "I take great pride in making sure everything's up to the royal standard, but my throne is not the subject of today's conversation, foreigner." Celestia stated.

Scott nodded and looked around, the throne room was much smaller than he initially thought it would be. He was expecting a room that defied physics, a room as grand as its rulers, but it was rather, plain. Say for Celestia's expensive throne, and Luna's throne of stone. "I'm well aware of the subject, I'm just hoping this doesn't become a re-occurring trend." Scott remarked.

Celestia nodded. "Let's get this underway, then. Guards! Send her in, she's waited long enough!" Celestia called out. A couple guards saluted the princess and opened up a set of golden double doors, allowing Applejack, the mare that kicked him square in the gut, to walk in. She trotted across the floor, just as enamored by the throne room as he was, but she kept her focus on him, a look of guilt and determination painted on her face. "Applejack, daughter of Bright Mac, You met this human a month ago, is that right?" Celestia asked.

Scott was stunned at Celestia's words. Scott looked himself over, seeming surprised. 'A month? I was knocked out, deprived of food, water, sunlight and movement, and locked within a dark, disgusting, damp and humid cell, for a whole month?! How am I alive, how do I even have any semblance of strength to move, fight back, speak, or even comprehend a single thought?! I should look like a shriveled up prune right now! I should look like how a Highbreed looks when they've been stranded on a planet comprised of only dry-ice and sand!' Scott thought, bewildered by the time that passed.

Applejack looked at Scott, seeing him in quite the state of surprise, watching him checking his body, almost as if logic was thrown out the window, and snapped its neck upon landing. Applejack smiled and chuckled, snapping Scott out of his bewilderment and soon stopped, realizing he must've looked foolish. "Ya must be mighty confused on what's happenin', huh partner?" Applejack asked.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, you're not wrong. I didn't think I was out cold for a month, but then again, I survived whatever the hell brought me to your world, so I can't be too bothered. Anyways, I might be walking around fine and dandy now, but don't think for a second I'm not mad about the sudden attack you did to me! Seriously, is lending a hand, offering help, and helping thy neighbor seriously punishable to be locked in a dungeon or something, or was that day a month ago just the exception?!" Scott remarked.

Applejack smiled nervously, until that smile eventually faded. "Alright, I'm willin' to admit, that was a rash decision, and it got ya thrown in the slammer, that's my fault. I wanna say I'm sorry, and let bygones be bygones. But, that's why I'm here, it wasn't fair for ya to be punished, especially after what I was told by Princess Luna. I followed those feather-brained guards back to Canterlot, and, well it took me a while on hoof, but they took ya to the castle with ease. I tried to get inside, to explain that it was a misunderstanding, a bit of an error on my part, but these guards don't listen. It wasn't until Princess Luna asked me to stay and get my side of the story, that I knew this was the best course of action. Hope ya didn't starve down there." Applejack explained.

Scott scowled at that. "Knocked unconscious, for a whole month, I woke up hours ago, lady. How the hell was I supposed to eat, especially when my hands were cuffed, I was hung up like holiday decorations, and the food was put OUT OF MY REACH on purpose!?" Scott exclaimed, his voice reaching out through the entire room. Applejack winced, but she had to be honest with herself, she'd be just as irate, and just as pissed as he was, if that happened to her. "I'm hangry and I just got assaulted again minutes ago by some Vladat-pony hybrid creature, I'm not having a good time at the moment." Scott remarked.

Luna got off her throne and trotted downwards to stand next to Applejack. "I believe Scott wanted me to pass a message along to you, in case of an unexpected passing. He was hoping you were keeping your family safe, and that you made it to Canterlot alright," Applejack was confused by such a message, and Scott was about to explain, until Luna continued. "Judging by the side of Applejack's story, she assumed you had less than kosher or appropriate intentions, and that was after you had transformed back into your default state of being. Beforehand, is a different story, there's two sides that have yet to be heard. Depending on if these stories correlate properly with their information, no charges will be made, and you both will walk free." Luna decreed.

Scott sighed, and began to explain his story, from the moment his parents were murdered by strange changeling-esque creatures, to regaling the ponies of the heroic exploits of Ben Tennyson and his team. By the time he got to the mission that left him stranded in Equestria, he told the tale of how he even ended up in Equestria in the first place, recounting the feeling of a slow, painless, but conscious state of death, being brought back to life, and the feeling of being flung through reality, the dimensions shifting every which way, till it all stops and he ends up in a small clearing right next to the path Applejack would be on. Even showing the Altnetrix to Applejack and the Princesses.

He explained, in the best way he could, that it was a bootleg/inferior version of the original Omnitrix Ben had, the one that allowed him to turn into aliens and such. The princesses were quite impressed with how Ben Tennyson, a human, at the age of 10, had been able to save his universe well into adulthood, it was impressive, as well as concerning. Applejack looked at Scott, and for once, she could tell he was telling the truth, despite how insane it all sounded. She wasn't sure how to feel about the whole 'alien' thing, the changeling accusation made sense, but aliens?! That also explained that funky watch on his wrist, which she didn't pay much attention to upon first glance.

Applejack slowly, but surely explained her day long before she crossed paths with Scott, up to the point where her wagon came to pieces. Scott could account for everything and fact-check when he could, piecing the story together the best they could.

Scott looked at the Altnetrix, scrolling to the amorphous sludge-like creature, and decided to mentally prepare himself for what this could be like. "Applejack saw me as a Vreedle, and it's been a month since I last used this thing, so hopefully, by trying to transform again, it won't backfire." Scott stated carefully.

Luna stood in front of Applejack, all while Celestia stared curiously at the device. Scott took a deep breath and sighed as he pushed the core down, enveloping himself once more in a flash of green light as he began to change.




Scott's body felt like it was undergoing pins and needles, all while a strange purple sludge began to flow throughout his body. Soon enough, his body began to melt and merge with the sludge, causing everything to feel sticky, gooey, malleable, and most importantly of all, intact. Scott didn't gain any muscle, but he felt stronger than he did before. A pair of green orbs shine on what seems to be a head, and a mouth began to open, murky and melting as the creature swirled and shifted. A black collar formed on the creature's neck area, with white detailing along the ends, and the Altnetrix's emblem formed on the middle of the collar. The sludge made a gurgling roar-like sound as the flash of light died down.




As  the light died down, the ponies stared in shock. The sludge like creature looked rather thick, the purple gunk that made up its body constantly shifted around as Scott looked at his new form. "Huh, I'm a Lenopan," Scott raised one of his hands, watching it form into a mace. He smiled and laughed like a kid on Christmas morning. "Oh man, this is all kinds of cool, if not absolutely strange." Scott stated, his voice was low in tone, constantly bubbling and gurgling between syllables. Soon enough, the Altnetrix soon chirped to life.

[Transformation sequence complete. Lenopan DNA sample has been properly catalogued in database.] The Altnetrix notified.

"Ok, I'm definitely gonna have to name this one something good! Never saw Ben Tennyson turn into one of these before, I'm surprised he never tried. One of his cousin's half-Lenopan, for crying out loud!" The Lenopan remarked, seeming more and more intrigued.

The ponies watched on as the sapient sludge creature continued to shape its body into various things, even going as far as to shape itself into Scott's human form, albeit very different. He now wore a black and white necklace, with the Altnetrix dangling right off it, a pair of white shorts with black detailing, black fingerless gloves, as well as white and black sneakers. "This is awesome! I've never once felt anything like this. I admit, I feel a bit denser than normal, it's like my body's made of silly putty and wet cement, but I'm not complaining! This is fantastic, I can see why Ben Tennyson always puts his trust into this thing, now! This is quite the experience!" Scott remarked, allowing himself to return to his original amorphous sludge-like form.

Celestia noticed the carpet becoming darker under the sludge creature, and grimaced. "It's a bit messy, that's something we can certainly agree on. In any case, we'll need to figure something out. A human, with the power to shapeshift into creatures unheard of by pony-kind, could become quite the danger. You've been taking this news rather well, Scott Baristo, maybe at one point, we could learn more about your world, just to try and figure things out," Scott nodded his slimey and viscous head. "For now, you must be famished after a month of little to no proper nutrition, am I correct?" Celestia inquired.

Scott's slimey smile spread so far across his face. "I'm practically starving, I could go for a buffet right now. I'm not sure what your policy is on meat consumption, but if you got meat, I'll gladly eat that too. Gotta get back into shape, I'm thinner than I was a month ago." Scott confirmed.

While the ponies did wince at the idea of meat being consumed, they did all seem to remember something, and went along with it. "I'll inform the chefs to prepare some, if we have it. Do you have a preference?" Celestia asked.

"As long as it isn't a horse, pony, or something as sapient as you or me, then no, princess, I have no preference... well, scratch that, I'll gladly take some chicken, if ya got it." Scott confirmed.

Celestia took a deep breath and nodded. "Luna, lead these two to the dining area, I'll send word down to the kitchen. Oh, and mister Baristo?" Scott looked back at Celestia. "In the future, try to refrain from using this 'Lenopan' form within the castle, it's leaving a bit of a mess." Celestia stated, pointing to the obvious darkening stain in the carpet, and the sludge trail he left behind. In a flash of magical light, she was gone.

Luna began to move in one direction, all while Applejack and Scott followed behind. Thankfully, the sound of a low droning beep started to blare out from the Altnetrix, and since Applejack was familiar with the sound it made, she was able to put two and two together, and knows that the device he used is running out of power. In a blinding flash of white light, Scott was turned back into his normal human self, and he was thankful, it was time to eat like a king... or like a starving hyperactive man-child, he'll figure it out once he gets his meal.





[Canterlot Dungeon]

The aliens sit in their cells, time passes by like sand in an hourglass. For the first time in a long time, they had been silent, still, motionless in confinement. They barely had time to process what happened hours ago, prior to the smaller princess running out, with the human saddled on her back. None of it seemed right, but at the same time, maybe it was a wake-up call. They all did notice something familiar about the human, specifically the green hourglass emblem he sported that was on the watch he wore. It was a brief moment, but they saw what must've been the Omnitrix.

The guards were uneasy, they always had to hear the aliens talk and rant on about how one day they'll be free again, but that day never came for the past few years, now that they weren't talking or ranting, the guards felt that today, might be the day that everything gets turned inside out, and flipped upside down.

Technorg sat in his cell, legs crossed, his large body frame taking up most of the space in his cell. He sat and thought back to the sight, the sight of the hourglass emblem he saw so long ago, on a watch, worn by a ten-year-old boy, being bullied by some atrocious amalgamized freak of nature. 'Ben Tennyson... you saved Technorg and everyone else from Slix Vigma's gladiatorial prison, now it is Technorg's turn to return the favor. No prison will hold Technorg again, nor will it ever hold Ben Tennyson.' Technorg thought.

The blob creature merely sat on their dingy little bed, silently pondering to themselves. 'The Omnitrix... so, Azmuth was able to finish the device after all, that's an interesting development. Looks a bit different from the original schematics, but nonetheless, at least he finished it... to which, this might just be my chance to escape this place. With the Omnitrix in my grasp, these equines will need a new definition of 'Hell' by the time I'm done. But how to get ahold of it in an easy and stealthy fashion, that's the real question... I'll think of something, I may be a Galvanic Mechamorph, but I still have tricks up my sleeve.' The Mechamorph thought to itself.

The mechamorph let their body relax, allowing a part of their self to be separated from his being. The separate piece shuddered, and formed into a small, but almost identical version of the mechamorph it spawned from. The mechamorph pointed to the window of his cell, causing the smaller mechamorph to start climbing out. "Go forward, my surrogate. Collect the technology of this world, and free your progenitor from this prison. This world will know hell, like no one has known before, and they will all cower and bow before me... so says I, Automate!" The mechamorph instructed.

The smaller mechamorph nodded, going through the bars as it landed on the ground, slithering into a few bushes. Automate lounged on their bed, waiting as it looked to the wall, the wall that kept them and Technorg in separate cells. "Soon... The Omnitrix will be mine, and when it is, I'll finally be able to get out of here, and if there's no way back to Galvan B, this world will be mine to rule," Automate looked at the square holes in the gate that contained them, then shifted their gaze at the guards. There were more of them, and two of them was hauling off a large spikey mace end, one that belonged to the Detrovite in the cell next door. Automate had no mouth, but it's safe to say, they were smiling, and it consisted of a solely sinister plan. "Time to finally leave this place. It's been... long enough." Automate remarked.

A unicorn stallion pushed the cart by the cell, and Automate made their move. Without warning, Automate forced their blobulous body against the gate, allowing parts of their being to push through the holes, bits and pieces fell to the outer side of the hall, all while the rest of them kept its physical form, slowly but surely escaping the cell. The guard stopped, shocked at what the creature was doing, and assumed it was a display of self-mutilation, until their body began to reform from the pieces that fell to the ground. Parts of them moved under the gate, building their physical body back up, but the other parts were threaded through a hole, increasing the process of rebuilding themselves on the outside of the cell.

The guard stopped and called a few of the others to his side, and while they were hesitant of the problem that was escalating, they did have a job to do. They stood around the mechamorph as its physical form was finally reformed into completion, and without so much as a warning, or an errant twitch, Automate lunged forward at the large mace end, melding their hands over it as the piece of tech began to wither and decay. Technorg tried to hide himself as much as he could, watching the only semblance of defense that was stripped from him, being withered and destroyed by the mechamorph. He had never seen the mechamorph do such a thing before, but it was clear that today was a special day, a day that would mean everything changes, forever.

Automate removed their hands, and noticed the guards, aiming their spears in their direction. "I see the cavalry wishes to be pulverized. Fantastic, I was in need of 
some brave volunteers, anyway." Automate remarked.

The stallions readied themselves, staring the creature down. "If you know what's good for you, you will stand down and go back in your cell." One of the guards warned.

Automate let out a chuckle, their synthesized laughter echoed throughout the dungeon block, and though the guards stood their ground, the artificial creature's laugh sent chills down their spine. Automate looked at the guards, and quickly pieced together that this wasn't some kind of joke, let alone a bluff. "Oh, you're serious? You're actually going to try and stop me from leaving? Cute," Automate's left hand soon began to warp and change, becoming the mace end he had presumably destroyed, now crackling with a violet energy, protruding large energy spikes from every angle. The guards were shocked, as was Technorg, and Automate stared right at those who stood in his way. "Let's see how long it takes for you to regret your choices." Automate sneered.

The guards yelled out and charged at the mechamorph, spears drawn and ready to fight. Automate swung the mace at Technorg's cell, tearing the bars down with a single strike. He then flung the mace right at the stallions, knocking a few of them right across the hall. He maneuvered around the stallions, avoiding their attacks with minimal effort and slamming them to the other side of the hall, then he started rounding up their staffs and shattered them to pieces with his mace. "How ridiculous, you ponies use such a flimsy material for your weapons, but with the right mixture of metals," Automate grabbed hold of the broken spears, pocketing them inside of his body. "Gold can be quite the resounding resource. Now, who wishes to meet their end first?" Automate asked.

Automate moved forward, looking down at one of the guards, their helmet was off, and they were downright terrified. They swallowed and gritted their teeth, looking like they were on the verge of tears. "I worship the Sun and Moon, and I pray they eclipse your pitiful attempts to overthrow their might!" The guard refuted.

Automate walked forward and raised the mace, and without hesitation, brought the mace down, and a sickening crunch was all that could be heard. The stallion fell limp, and their body was thrown haphazardly into Automate's cell. A huge splotch of crimson liquid stained the mace, but soon flicked the crimson red across the walls, all while the stallions were rendered incapable of stopping the mechamorph as it slowly approached them. Technorg had faced many a tough opponent, but this mechamorph seemed less like a warrior, and more like a monster with a chip on its shoulder.

Technorg slowly left the confines of his cell, and as the mechamorph raised the mace towards the stallions, Technorg left, making his way up the staircase. He tried to block out the sickening cacophony of crunches that echoed from the dungeon floor, but it was devastating. 'Must find Ben Tennyson. Technorg must find Ben Tennyson.' Technorg thought to himself.





[Dining Hall]

After a fair bit of moving around, Luna finally found a set of doors she was looking for. "Here we are, the dining hall. I apologize if it took longer than anticipated to find the room, I'm more used to teleporting around with magic... magic, that I unfortunately don't have anymore." Luna remarked.

Scott raised an eyebrow at that last bit, but decided to say nothing about it. "Here's to hoping the table was set during our trek, I'm ready to consume this buffet like it's a balanced breakfast!" Scott remarked.

Applejack rubbed her stomach, feeling it slowly going empty. "Ah gotta agree, I don't think I could turn down a bit ah meat at this point, I'm gettin' hungrier than a ornery tape-worm!" Applejack stated.

Slowly, princess Luna opened the doors, showing off a large room, with a larger table, stretching from one end of the room, to nearly the other end. Several chairs were lined and set up appropriately, all while the table was covered by his huge white decorative cloth. "You two may take your seats, I'm sure the chefs will be on their way soon." Luna reassured.

Scott made his way to the halfway point of the table, and sat down. Applejack sat right across from him, and Luna was a few seats down from the both of them. The three of them sat in uncertain silence, so Scott decided to ask a question that's been brought to the forefront of his mind. "So, this might be a bit weird for me to ask, but  how did you do that dream stuff, princess?" Scott asked.

Luna did not respond. Scott let her remark about her no longer having magic ring out through his head, and the more he thought about it, the more he tried to think on the logistic possibilities as to how she could look into, let alone enter his dreams, without magic. "Do you truly need magic to go into my dreams, or are you a natural-user of Somnokinesis?" Scott inquired. Again, the princess did not respond, but she did give Scott a confused look. "Somnokinesis is essentially the superpower of Sleep Manipulation, sometimes that can involve the concept of dreams." Scott explained.

Luna sighed. Applejack looked at Scott, unsure as to what he's getting at. "You seem like a chatty type, partner. How come you're questionin' the princess?" Applejack asked, seeming uncertain to Scott's intention.

Scott realized what exactly he was doing, and mentally kicked himself in the face. "I'm not trying to be rude, let me be clear. I'm just trying to figure out as much as I can, if I truly am stuck here. I don't want to believe it, and I still don't want to imagine the idea of me going home, as an impossible quest. I guess I'm trying to make the effort to understand," Scott gestured to the princess, meeting her gaze. "She's not some magical unicorn, she has no horn, and she's no pegasus either, she has no wings. She mentioned something about not having magic anymore, and she said she was a 'savior of dreams', and I'm curious if that has anything to do with the lack of wings and horn." Scott explained.

Luna held her head down, though she didn't seem upset from what Scott or Applejack could perceive. Luna looked back at Scott, stood up and turned her back to him, showing off the mark on her flank. A red crescent moon, amidst a splotch of blackness. "Do you see this mark, Scott Baristo?" Scott slowly nodded. "This mark, it's known as a Cutie Mark, it's what defines my purpose in life. Everypony has a cutie mark that defines what they're meant to do in life." Luna stated.

Scott tried to not question how that worked, but then thought on everything else with that knowledge. Suddenly, some things started to make sense, and he looked over at Applejack, who seemed reserved.

Scott looked back at the princess, noticing her walk closer. "My purpose, it's to guard and preserve the innocence and safety that a dream can bring, battling the nightmares, keeping them at bay as my subjects get a good night sleep. I used to be much like my sister, an Alicorn. I once embodied the magic of all three pony tribes, and each and every time I traversed the dream realm, kept away the nightmares, and gave words of wisdom to the subjects that required my aide, I've come to realize how futile and fleeting it was to be an Alicorn," Luna stood in front of Scott, her eyes locked onto his, all while he was unsure of what was about to happen.

Luna stared into his eyes, which ran a chill up and down his spine. "Can you imagine it, an almost god-like creature with power beyond it's own comprehension? It wasn't my place to use that celestial power. My sister, however, thought my worry to be trivial and nonsense. She frequently used her power to move the sun, bringing forth the sunrise, and the solar rays needed for farmers to grow their crops. All while I used my power to bring about a beautiful night. It was all I could do, but I didn't like having such power at my grasp, needless of the situation. It's why I chose to pass my power, along with my status as an alicorn, to Celestia. After a long time of returning to my earth pony roots, I soon found my way back to the dream realm, able to channel my magic through nature and continue my duty as the savior of dreams." Luna explained.

Scott took a deep breath and let this information sink in. He sighed, trying to think of a proper response, but he couldn't. He did hear rumors of one of Ben's transformations, Alien X, being one of, if not the strongest transformation he had. Literal omnipotence, able to do anything and everything, all with the caveat of debating on the proper use for such power. Scott was thankful he didn't end up with that transformation, otherwise, nothing would get done, or he might end up stuck.

'For a world of magical talking pastel-colored ponies, this truly did catch me off-guard. I'll have to figure this out in my own time. Then again, I wonder if I can turn into one of them. It may not be a good idea, since they are magical creatures, but at least I'll be able to come to a better understanding of these equestrian lifeforms.' Scott thought.

Before Scott could say something, the sound of loud footsteps echoed. They were heavy, it was like a giant was wandering the halls, though the room did not shake. They got closer, and closer, echoing louder as they seemed to get closer. "I don't know why, but I get the feeling that something's gonna disrupt the meal... and it hasn't even gotten here, yet!" Scott remarked.

Scott stood up, and the doors on the other side of the room burst open, as did several large chunks of the wall. Scott backed up, reaching for the Altnetrix, until a big, muscular, and orange thing came charging at him. "Aw crap!" Scott exclaimed. He tried to get out of the way, but was soon caught by the orange mass of muscle. It soon came to a stop, with Applejack and Luna staring at the creature in awe. Technorg held Scott in his arms, all while Scott tried to get himself free. "This has to be the worst month of my life, and I almost got devoured by an Ormerowon once!" Scott exclaimed, squirming to get free.

Technorg looked down at Scott, smiling. "Fear not, Ben Tennyson, Technorg's life may not belong to you anymore, but Technorg will return the favor in-kind, to repay you for freeing Technorg from the enslavement of Slix Vigma," Technorg looked at the two mares, noticing the tension in the room. "Technorg will start with these two ponies, they must be your oppressors." Technorg stated, leering at the ponies.

Scott, freed his arms and activated the Altnetrix, selecting the icon he needed. "Pal, I'm giving you one chance to put me down, and let me explain, because if you don't, by authority of the Plumbers, under the Casey-Kelly Accords, I'll have to put you under arrest for assaulting an officer of galactic law!" Scott warned.

Technorg raised an eyebrow. "You've become a Plumber? I'm impressed, you've become a formidable force for good, Ben Tennyson. You'll have to regale Technorg of the battles you've won once we've escaped." Technorg praised with a smile.

Scott was clearly not happy. 'This guy's not listening, I just warned him that I'd arrest him, and he's calling me Ben Tennyson? I don't look a damn thing like him! Besides, I'm not like him in any way, and it's time I showed how I'm different.' Scott thought.

Scott pushed down the core and in a flash of green light, Scott had transformed into his new Lenopan form. "That's it, I'm gonna put some dirt in your eye!" The Lenopan then thrusted both its arms up into Technorg's face, obscuring it with the sludge-like substance. Technorg let go and the Lenopan got in front of the mares. "Now, let's see if you can learn the difference between a hero, and a trained plumber cadet!" The Lenopan snarked, forming his arms into mallets.

Technorg finally removed the mud from his face, and seemed surprised, and attempted a civil response. "We can fight and compare strength later, Ben Tennyson. For now, we must leave, they'll overwhelm us if we don't move now." Technorg remarked.

The Lenopan scowled. "I'm not Ben Tennyson, you dim-witted Detrovite! Where did you even come from!? I was under the impression that this world was strictly full of magical creatures." The Lenopan questioned, giving a skeptical look towards the princess.

Technorg was shocked, but soon recognized something. Something about the way the badge on the sludgepuppy looked, it did not seem familiar, like he initially thought. "Then... Ben Tennyson, he has passed?" Technorg questioned, seeming somber. "Technorg was here for too long... Should've fought harder to escape, shouldn't have given up so easily." Technorg groveled.

The Lenopan was practically at a loss for words, and couldn't hold back his frustration. "First of all, Ben Tennyson would've been dead, if I didn't risk my life standing against the towering prick that is Vilgax! Second, according to most records, Ben only ever mentioned fighting a Detrovite criminal named Vulkanus, who's been causing trouble on Earth! How is it that you know about Ben Tennyson, when you have never come up in Plumber Records before?! Why and how are you even here!? Who are you!?" The Lenopan exclaimed out of frustration.

The room was quiet, and as Technorg let the Lenopan's words sink in, the sound of several gasps echoed through the room. Luna and Applejack turned to see the royal chefs, cautiously entering the dining room, as did a few guards, who were just as concerned about the situation as anyone else would be. "Princess Luna, we received word from your sister that we had a meat-eater to feed in this feast, is this true? Also, forgive me if I'm overstepping, but what's happening here?" One of the chefs inquired.

Luna sighed. "My loyal subjects, please do not be scared. I assure you, this situation is under control... it is under control, isn't it, mister Baristo?" Luna asked, shifting her gaze towards the crowd of ponies, then back to the Lenopan, uncertain of her own claim.

The Lenopan remained motionless for a moment, then slowly moved towards Technorg. Once the Lenopan was close enough, the Altnetrix began to beep, flashing in rapid succession as the Lenopan was enveloped in a flash of white light, transforming Scott back into his normal self. Scott knew very well he wasn't Ben, as much as he wanted to be, but he couldn't, in good conscience, fight someone without knowing the facts. With how Technorg spoke about Ben, he made it seem like he owed him his life, something that didn't seem to bode well, or make sense to the displaced plumber. He remembered wanting all the facts pertaining to his first run-in with the changelings at age nine, but got nothing remotely close, until he ran into Exos and his brothers, and how different they were from the changelings he first encountered. How long would it be until he's provided with the answers he's been searching for?

Scott thought for a moment, then sighed and tapped Technorg's shoulder, causing Technorg to look up at him. Before Scott could say anything, however, the distant sounds of screaming began to echo out. Scott was getting frustrated again and looked back at Technorg. "Was there any other alien lifeform with you?" Scott asked.

Technorg nodded. "Automate, a Galvanic Mechamorph that can be upgraded when he absorbs technology. It's why I was hoping to escape, he recently acquired my mace, and is now on a killing spree. He freed me, but that does not mean I follow his cruel methods of retribution. Technorg's a warrior, a noble, and honorable gladiatorial champion, not a blood-spilling tyrant machine." Technorg explained.

Scott's blood ran cold, and a memory came back to him. The black and red creature, the one that attacked and stole something, and almost conquered Galvan Prime, it had a similar ability. It could upgrade itself with the tech it acquired, but there was another mechamorph with such a condition? How is that possible? Scott tried to steady his breathing, feeling his body shudder. "A mechamorph that doesn't upgrade tech, but the tech upgrades him? It's that rogue mechamorph, Malware, all over again! Ben had trouble with Malware before, and I only caught glimpses of the damn thing, that's a dangerous individual!" Scott tried to activate the Altnetrix again, but it seemed to be recharging. "Oh, that's just great. Mental note, don't immediately rely on the Altnetrix, solve a problem the old-fashioned way first, then rely on the super powers." Scott grumbled.

Applejack stepped forward. "Can you explain what in tarnation is goin' on?" Applejack asked, seeming thoroughly thrown out of the loop. "Ya make it sound like Equestria's in danger, or something." Applejack remarked.

Scott looked Applejack in the eye, a sense of dread and panic surged through him. "That's because it is in danger! As long as this 'Automate' individual is running around, no one's safe! I can only hope one single piece of alien tech is all he can find, lest everything goes further into chaos!" Scott stated gravely. "Why is he even trying to destroy Equestria anyway?" Scott wondered.

Technorg stood up, clearing his throat. "The mechamorph isn't going to destroy this land, not immediately. He's going to try and conquer it. He already has several dead ponies on his body count, there's nothing we can do to stop him. What's worse, is that if he gets his hand on the Omnitrix, all is lost." Technorg explained.

Scott gritted his teeth and felt angry, nearly as angry when he got called in for that job a month ago, the same one that lead to him being stuck here. "Well, good thing I don't have the Omnitrix, I got the Altnetrix instead. Let's see how bad I can piss off a walking sack of nanites, knowing he got his ass kicked by someone with a bootleg version of the most powerful peace-keeping alien device in the universe." Scott stated walking towards the door.

"Now hold on an apple pluckin' second!" Applejack yelled out. Scott looked back, seeing the orange mare look irate. "Yer not goin' out there, not on yer own! I don't know a lick of anything about these mechanic-morph things, or aliens, and what have you, but ah know I'm not gonna let ya go out there, just so you can get beat again! Ah am goin' with ya, whether ya like it, 'er not!" Applejack firmly stated, now standing in Scott's way.

Technorg walked over and kneeled down to Scott. "Scott Baristo, you spared Technorg from being imprisoned, and you're willing to face impossible odds, just to save a world that you don't originate from. You may not be Ben Tennyson, but you have his spirit, his drive to do good wherever he can. Technorg will fight with you, not just to earn freedom, but to prove that we are not each other's enemies." Technorg stated.

Scott was about to say something, until he felt princess Luna's hoof on his arm. She looked concerned, but her eyes were burning with a passion for fighting and combat, all in the name of justice. "Do not count me out either, Scott Baristo. I know you've only just met me, as well as Applejack, and this giant creature who has volunteered for a chance at redemption, but I see it as a sign. One should never fight a battle such as this, especially at this scale, all on their own. They'll do more harm than the good they intended to create." Luna stated.

Scott looked around, a sense of warmth could be felt in chest. Either it was a fuzzy feeling, knowing he had allies to help him fight, or it was heart burn. Scott assumed it the latter, due to a lack of proper nutrients in his body, and faced the three individuals. Scott took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to keep his composure. A stoic and determined expression formed on his face, a glint of light flickered in his eyes. "Well, I don't have any power to decree this as a Cadet, but for this moment in time, you are deputized agents of the Plumbers. Now, here are the facts as I understand them, so listen up," Scott started.

"One, this world is in danger, more danger than you could ever fathom existing in decades, and I won't stand by to let that thing have its way, not like how Malware almost conquered Galvan Prime a few years back! Two, this may not be my home, my world, my dimension, my universe, I basically don't belong here... but, I'll fight like I always have, to protect and serve, to put my life on the line for those who need it! Three, and this is crucial, I've been desperate for a break, I've stocked up on vacation days like I'm stocking up food for the end of the world, for crying out loud! But, sometimes you have to make sacrifices, and I'm far from done making all of mine! Is that understood!?" Scott declared.

Scott could feel the blood pumping through his body, the adrenaline coursing through him at record-breaking speeds, he felt like he was back in his element, and a small smile formed across his face. For a moment, he felt like he was back on top of things, and this was just another job. Sure, Ben Tennyson, and the rest of the plumbers weren't here to provide support, but at least he was there, the only plumber on the planet. For as long as he was here, any problems in this world, extraterrestrial, or supernatural, that was in his job description.

Technorg nodded, forming his right hand into a fist. Applejack and Luna nodded, and that was all the confirmation Scott needed. "Good, I don't need to repeat myself. Technorg, you'll go ahead of us and try to stall for time, you've been in his presence for much longer than I have, so you've got an advantage. Princess, I think it'll be in our best interest if you rally whatever guards you've got on-duty, and prepare for a fight, we'll need all ha- hooves, on deck for this." Scott ordered.

Technorg nodded, running out of the room and through a wall. Luna simply nodded and ran back the way they initially came from. "What about me?" Applejack piped up. "What's my part in this?" she questioned.

Scott's smile never faded. "We're gonna get you a weapon, just to be cautious. Once you've got a weapon, we're going straight to Automate, and cutting him down to size." Scott explained.

Applejack reached into her satchel, pulling out a woodcutter's axe, and began brandishing it like a staff. Scott was rather surprised, but since he knew this couldn't go wrong, in the metaphorical sense, it did seem like they were ready. "Alright then, let's go destroy an automated system of mass destruction!" Scott declared, hearing a sound come from the Altnetrix, signifying that it returned to full charge.





[Canterlot Market]

It was mass hysteria. Where some ponies were dead in the streets, bludgeoned into red paste, others were too injured to flee, and the rare few made it out alive, but not without the mental scars. Automate swayed slowly down the path, allowing several thin tendrils to spawn from their back and lurch outward to the stands. Much to Automate's displeasure, there wasn't any significant tech that they could acquire, not even from some stand that was dressed to the nines with technological marvels made of gears and crystals. Automate was getting furious, raising their mace to the sky again, until they heard a loud set of lumbering footsteps. The mechamorph turned around, seeing Technorg coming towards them.

"Ahh, finally come to your senses, Detrovite? Are you here to join me, or to stop me?" Automate questioned.

Technorg kept calm. "We don't have to do this, Ben Tennyson can take us home. He has gained access to power beyond both of us, and has promised us to take us back with him. He fetched me to retrieve you, so that we may leave this world behind." Technorg lied.

Automate was not listening, at first, but the prospect of finally going home did hit close to the mechamorph. "Even with the many dead men and women that lay before me, the blood that is now caking within my circuits, I can't imagine Azmuth would be pleased." Automate remarked.

Technorg slowly approached. "Ben Tennyson knows of your condition. A mechamorph back home, named Malware, had the same imperfections as you, but he lost himself to the carnage he wrought. You can come back from this, everything will be fine, we just need to leave." Technorg stated, putting a hand on the mechamorph's shoulder.

Automate, without a moment's hesitation, quickly swung their mace at Technorg, sending him back a fair distance. Technorg got up, rubbing his jaw as the mechamorph ran forward to strike another blow. Technorg blocked the attack and tried to counter, but was soon struck in the gut and was delivered a powerful uppercut by Automate, staggering Technorg as he tried to keep himself in the fight.

"You always were a persistent and powerful fighter, Technorg. A shame you'll die protecting these equestrian vermin!" Automate remarked.

Technorg ran forward, punching and kicking the mechamorph as hard as he could, but Automate would constantly create wristguards to lessen the damage done. Technorg was fighting as hard as he did back when he was a champion on Slix Vigma's ship, but it didn't seem to be enough. Unlike Automate, Technorg was getting exhausted. Automate took a moment and slammed the mace into Technorg's stomach, knocking the wind out of the Detrovite. With a few more well-placed hits, Automate had essentially put Technorg on the defensive, but Technorg couldn't keep up with Automate's sudden burst of speed, and the power behind the mechamorph's attacks, it was becoming too much for Technorg to handle.

Technorg fell backwards to the ground, battered and bruised, trying to move but can't. Automate raised their mace, ready to finish the fight. "It's a shame, really, I needed a right-hand man to do the dirtier work, but you just sauntered off as I took care of business. I guess neither of us are going home, and you know what? I like that, quite a lot… this world will be mine to rule, and once I get the Omnitrix, I'll conquer this world, find my way back to our old world, then conquer it too! Ben Tennyson is stuck here with us, so he won't be able to stop me if he tried," Technorg tried to move, but it was clear to him, he was about to die. "Any last words before I send you off to the ethereal void of nothingness?" Automate asked.

"I got three, you artificial freak!" A voice called out. Automate looked forward, seeing Scott in the distant, with Applejack by his side. "It's Hero Time!" Scott exclaimed, running towards Automate. Scott quickly activated the Altnetrix and pushed the core down, transforming into his Vreedle form.

Automate wasn't ready for that, but was soon hit with a barrage of punches. Automate tried to anticipate the Vreedle's movements, but found himself getting beat, battered, and knocked around. The Vreedle pushed his fist through the mechamorph, and though it did nothing, it left Automate distracted as the Vreedle jumped and slammed the flat side of his feet into Automate, sending it back a fair distance.

The Vreedle walked over to Technorg, pulling the Detrovite back onto his feet. "I reckon we might wanna figure out how to keep this sucker in one place, and ensure he stays there. Anyone know how to make an Electromagnetic Field?" The Vreedle asked.

"There is very limited technology in this world, but you're welcome to try," Technorg got up and moved past the Vreedle. Applejack ran towards the mechamorph, readying the axe she held in her mouth. "We'll distract for as long as we can. Good luck, Scott Baristo." Technorg stated, running back into the fight.

The Vreedle cautiously moved about, looking at several pieces of dismantled gadgets, shattered crystals, and what-have-you that littered the ground. Something did come to the Vreedle's mind, the thought of an explosion that could shut down Automate, and keep the whole kingdom in one piece, it sounded like a promising venture, but it was easier said and thought of, rather than done.

The Vreedle scoffed, seeming incredibly bothered by the impossible odds. "I'm in trouble. How in tarnation am I gonna craft an EMP out of shiny rocks, busted scrap, and a bunch... of junk... Wait a god damn minute," The Vreedle quickly scooped up some of the scrap, shattered crystals, as well as a few gears that weren't too busted up, and ducked down behind one of the stands. The Vreedle carefully looked at the stuff he collected, and he felt it all coming to him, like a sudden burst of inspiration just shot through his head. The Vreedle smirked and nodded slowly, seeming satisfied with whatever idea just popped into his head. "Alright, I see what I'm workin' with now! This'll help a ton for findin' out a name for this feller, too!" The Vreedle remarked.

Back with Technorg and Applejack, they were giving Automate a fair bit of trouble, but it clearly wasn't doing much. Automate was truly at a disadvantage, noting that the axe Applejack had, he couldn't absorb it or upgrade himself with it. He tried to take the rest of Technorg's arm, but Technorg was being extra careful, making sure to keep his distance as the mechamorph tried to find a way to make himself stronger. Soon enough, though, things were getting exhausting, but Automate was clearly still capable.

Applejack gritted her teeth and stamped the ground. "This varmint's slippery, like a wet bar of soap soaked in grease! I can't hit them!" Applejack remarked, frustrated by the mechamorph's continued evasion. The sweat drenching her face was making things hard to see, and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep her axe up. "That human better have some kind of plan, we're runnin' out of stamina 'ere!" Applejack stated, her breathing was becoming exasperated.

Automate swung wildly, knocking the Detrovite and the pony back, causing them to crash and skid against the wall. They collapsed, and as Automate moved forward, he saw the Vreedle marching forward, clutching two strange contraptions in his hands. Applejack and Technorg looked at the Vreedle, seeing him smile was reassuring, but also confusing. "I'll take it from here, you lot go back to the castle." The Vreedle stated.

Applejack wanted to say something and object, but The Vreedle just looked at her, almost in a knowing way. "Don't worry, if anything happens, I'll bounce back. It always happened during most missions I've had on the job, and off the books. If aliens haven't killed me yet, I doubt they will now, especially not some carbon copycat takin' Malware's schtick." The Vreedle reassured, or tried to.

Automate stood still, watching the Vreedle approach him, clutching a couple items in each of his hands. "And I see you made a horrible mistake, assuming I'm anything like that broken pile of wasted life code. Where others called him a subspecies, I am the true picture of what a mechamorph subspecies is capable of! Now, kindly die by my hands!" Automate blustered.

Applejack slowly got to her hooves, but she was too weak to move. All she could do was duck behind a nearby stand, abandoned in the midst of the chaos. "Ah hope this odd little plan of yours works partner, otherwise all of Equestria's gettin' sent up the creek." Applejack muttered to herself.





[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Galvan Prime]

Jetray flies down onto the planet, landing onto the ground carefully as he transforms back into Ben. Before any of the Galvan residents could properly see the alien hero, he was carefully, but immediately sprinting towards the huge tower, the one sporting the same hourglass emblem as his watch. He tried to be careful, as to not hurt anyone, or break anything, and was dead-set on getting some help, help that only the creator of the Omnitrix could give him.

Ben entered the building, immediately activating the Omnitrix again, transforming into a ghostly form, one that was a pale off-white color with a single green eye, dressed in gray cuffs and green chains, with the Omnitrix being fixated onto the ghostly creature's chest, holding those chains together. Ben called this form, Ghostfreak. Ghostfreak made no time for pleasantries as he phased through the floors, moving upwards as he made his way to the top.

Ghostfreak stopped moving upwards and moved forward, coming across a huge metal door, once again brandishing the same emblem that the Omnitrix had. Ghostfreak tapped the Omnitrix and transformed himself back into Ben, and walked inside as the doors opened up for him. The lab was filled with numerous Galvan, each one working overtime on various machines and running calculations on various smaller machines. Ben was more fixated on one Galvan, one that looked older than the rest, the Galvan he needed to see.

The Galvan had various whisker-like tendrils growing from their face, and the armored robes he wore, colored in black and green, held together by pieces of silver metal, he was called the first thinker for a reason, and that reason has given him more than his fair share of grief and mayhem. The various Galvan watched as Ben walked up to the esteemed Galvan, who seemed unaware of his presence. Ben crouched down and opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the esteemed Galvan.

The Galvan turned around and looked at Ben, unimpressed. "Benjamin Tennyson, I assume your friends, as well as your grandfather's here with you?" The Galvan inquired.

Ben frowned. "I'm here on my own accord, and I come alone, Azmuth. Let's cut our usual back and forth for the moment and get to why I'm here. I need your help, I need to find someone who's gone missing." Ben stated.

Azmuth looked at Ben, mildly puzzled. "You need my help, not with anything pertaining to the Omnitrix, but for a missing person's case? I'd much rather work on the Omnitrix than waste my resources on someone not worth my time. Go and ask Chadzmuth, that's more in-line with his profession than it is mine." Azmuth stated.

Ben gritted his teeth, his expression became more like that of agitation. "Azmuth, this is more in-line with your work than you think. After all, Vilgax wouldn't've been involved in all of this if someone didn't make another copy of your Omnitrix, something he wanted for himself, most likely for his latest scheme! That bootleg Omnitrix got strapped to a kid, and that kid was a plumber cadet, they, along with that bootleg, are gone without a trace!" Silence soon filled the room, with Azmuth seeming surprised, but also seemed to be filled with an emotion that he couldn't quite name. "Everyone thinks they're dead, but I don't buy it, they're out there in the universe, somewhere, and they don't have the means to get back here! That bootleg is still an Omnitrix, and that watch is your responsibility, so kindly take me serious about this, and help me find them!" Ben argued, his voice rising in volume.

Azmuth stared at Ben, seeing the grit, the determination, the will to do what's right, something he saw back when he first met him as a boy. However, he did also see a burning sense of shame, something he saw when Ben Tennyson relinquished the Omnitrix to be in Vilgax's hands a few years back.

Azmuth mulled over on everything Ben had said, and couldn't help but wonder. "It's not the Nemetrix, is it? Albedo didn't somehow lose the Ultimatrix either?" Azmuth asked, wanting to confirm.

Ben shook his head, his agitation slowly dissipating. "It wasn't either of them. It was some kind of mock-version of the prototype you made all that time ago. It had one white tube, two buttons, and a black dial. It looked like someone gave up mid-way on completing a replica of the prototype, but it seemed too intentional." Ben explained, trying to describe the bootleg Omnitrix device the best he could.

Azmuth closed his eyes and tried to think hard about such a device, and while he could easily imagine something like that, something with shoddy craftsmanship, but excellent detail specifically, it was a rather odd combination of details. "And you said that they disappeared without a trace?" Azmuth asked.

Ben nodded. "There was a lot going on at the time. That cadet saved me from being turned into paste, but I think it cost him his life. When that bootleg ended up on him, in some way or another, that watch must've had a fail-safe, like how the Definitive Omnitrix does. It must've saved him, but then they vanished before anything could be done. I tried countless times to try and find that watch's energy signature, but everything I tried came up as a failure. Gwen even got a hold of his badge, as well as his phone, but even with two items to track, she couldn't find anything." Ben explained, a sense of shame washing over him again.

Azmuth walked over to Ben and began to examine the Omnitrix. "Seems like you've been busy, very busy," Azmuth cycled through the Omnitrix's various transformations, only to soon come across Wallflyer's icon. "Well, this is quite the discovery. I wasn't expecting to see such a magic-rich species today, especially within the Omnitrix. That would explain the complications you've been having with locating this missing cadet, as well as that Omnitrix knock-off that he ended up stuck with, the natural flux of magic this creature has is causing minor hiccups in the Omnitrix's system, no wonder your efforts have been fruitless. Where did you get the sample for this transformation, if I may ask?" Azmuth inquired.

Ben raised an eyebrow and noticed Wallflyer's icon. "Oh, you mean the Changeling? There were these bipedal horse-fly alien dudes that the cadet knew, in one bad way, and in another surprising turn of events. I'll have to send you a copy of his personal files, you can judge for yourself when you read it. I hadn't seen anything like them, and apparently neither did the Omnitrix. Wallflyer can shapeshift with the use of magic, fly, and eat emotions. I'm not even gonna lie, that last power sounds so interesting, even if it sounds very ridiculous." Ben remarked, a small smile forming on his face.

Azmuth looked to the six green square patterns on the side of the Omnitrix, and began to press on them in a sequential order. The Omnitrix brought up a hologram of Wallflyer, and Azmuth moved the icon over to a separate terminal. The terminal whirred and came to life as Azmuth typed away, numerous holographic screens spawned around him and Ben, all the while several images of a dark, decrepit and near-lifeless world were shown. "Okay, that's terrifying, what is that place?" Ben asked, a little surprised by the wasteland he saw in the images.

Azmuth scratched his chin and looked towards Ben. "This is apparently their home planet. Equus-IVG. I'm not sure where this could be, as the data indicates that it's within your Milky Way Galaxy. I also find that to be impossible, as I've never seen or heard of a planet such as this," Azmuth looked back at the terminal, typing something in as it shuts down. "One theory I do have, however, is that the Omnitrix bootleg the cadet is stuck with, it unintentionally brought these Changelings to our world, and vice-versa, it brought your cadet to their home world by mistake. I'm uncertain if he's still alive, but perhaps this is a chance to learn something, something I've been meaning to learn for a while. I'll give the Omnitrix an update I've been meaning to give for a while now, and this is the perfect time for it." Azmuth remarked in a cryptic fashion.

Ben looked puzzled, raising an eyebrow as Azmuth walked over to a small holographic keypad, typing away as he pressed one final button, causing the Omnitrix to flash green, then glow with a pink-ish light. "A new update has been installed. Arcane Protocol has been properly integrated within Omnitrix system. Changeling DNA Sample has been categorized in the Sorcerer Playlist." The Omnitrix indicated.

Ben was surprised, but still confused. "I've been wanting to give the Omnitrix that update a long time ago, especially after the incident that made me into a To'Kustar. This will allow the Omnitrix to properly gain the samples of magical creatures, and treat their magic-based abilities as biological traits, rather than foreign or malicious data that can cause unforeseen glitches in the Omnitrix's programming. Now, go find that boy and give me some data to work with!" Azmuth stated.

Ben snapped out of his surprised state and nodded. In a flash of light, Ben transformed into Ghostfreak and phased out of the nearby window, only to transform into Jetray, and fly back into space.

Azmuth looked to the other Galvan that had watched everything transpire, and merely smiled. "It's alright everyone, this is just another normal day for Galvan Prime. Everyone take a break and think about what you saw, we have a lot of work to do." Azmuth remarked.





[Canterlot Streets]

The Vreedle charged forward, roaring out an aggressive guttural yell as he and Automate fought. They brawled hard, the severity of the situation made them feel like they were fighting for eternity. The Vreedle knew his punches were connecting and causing the mechamorph to stagger, but physical strength was obviously not the play here, and he knew that, he was trying to stall, or keep the mechamorph's attention on him.

The two soon ended up in the quiet and empty streets of Canterlot, and the Vreedle soon stopped punching and immediately started running to the grassy plains. "C'mon, you freaky piece of scrap! Ya want the Omnitrix, don't cha? Then come try and take it!" The Vreedle called out, taunting the Mechamorph as it gave chase.

Automate roared out in frustration, giving chase to the transformed plumber. The Vreedle reached into his pocket and pulled out the thing he made, smirking as he came to a stop, standing amidst a lush grassy green field. Automate didn't stop running, but the Vreedle was hoping for exactly that. In a quick move, he thrust his hand forward, pushing and burying the thing he created inside of Automate, then rolled to the side, hearing the Altnetrix's timer begin to reach its end. "You fool, you tried to blow me to smithereens!? You only doomed this world further! Once I get ahold of the Omnitrix, you and this backwater world will finally know what it's like to be imprisoned!" Automate blustered.

The Vreedle smirked, and soon burst out in a fit of laughter. Automate was taken aback by the sudden reaction. "You're laughing? I'm on the verge of victory, victory that will mean the enslavement, the entrapment, and the complete terraforming of this planet and its moon to make into my own empire, and you're laughing!? Have you gone mad, Ben Tennyson?!" Automate remarked.

The Vreedle got up, just as he was enveloped in a flash of white light, and revealed Scott Baristo. "Sorry to burst your mechanical bubble, paly, but I'm not Ben Tennyson, and this isn't the Omnitrix. You've been had, you got played like a fiddle, and without you even knowing, I cut your strings and threw them in an incinerator! Feel free to try and absorb that bomb I lodged into your body, I doubt it'll help you, though." Scott remarked.

Automate did try to absorb the bomb, but nothing happened. It was still stuck to them, practically stuck within them. They tried to remove it and absorb it again, but couldn't. "What... what is this!? It's a bomb, consisting of technology! Why can't I absorb it, what did you do!? Answer me, you pitiful human!" Automate demanded.

Scott smiled. "Simple. I wasn't exactly sure what my Vreedle form could do, but explosives seem to be quite the familiar topic. If I had to guess, I used Bombadier to cobble together some of the stuff you couldn't add to your nanite-body. It was too primitive, and judging by the crystals, you most likely don't react well to magic, so this ought to be fun, in a strange circumstantial way," Scott pulled out the trigger for the bomb, resting his thumb gently on the button.

Automate stared at the human, seeing the trigger in his hands brought him to a stop. "Ya know, I should be scared for what I'm about to do, but I have so much on my plate that I need to figure out already, and dealing with a rogue mechamorph is not on the list of things I need to deal with. So, forgive me when I say, that I don't need some rogue, psychotic mechamorph causing trouble for good people that did nothing to warrant your rage, or sudden mass-murder spree! Prepare to be at the epicenter for the first magical EMP, and don't worry, if I ever find a way back home, I'll make sure there's a nice electro-magnetic cell waiting for you when you wake up again." Scott remarked.

Automate lunged at Scott, and Scott, without a moment's hesitation, rolled out of the way and clicked the button, causing the bomb lodged in Automate's chest area to begin glowing. Scott looked at Automate, smirking. "Hasta la vista!" Scott said with a smug grin, running away from Automate at full sprint, right towards the kingdom of Canterlot.

Automate tried to give chase, but soon felt the bomb sparking. The mechamorph tried to remove the bomb, but it was practically stuck to him. Automate roared out, crying out in a rage, but also out of terror. They tried to tear their self open to remove the bomb, but their nanites continued to close up the wounds they inflicted on themselves. "Curse you, Scott Baristo! One day, I will return, and your Omnitrix device will be mine! You will rue the day you got one over on me!!" Automate exclaimed out in a rage.

A bright flash soon encompassed Automate, their final scream of horror dying out amidst the sparkling and crackling explosion of light. Electrical sparks crackled throughout the sky, attracting the attention of nearby pegasi as the light soon died down. Automate was still in the same place he stood, trying to rip himself open, only for it to fail. His body was now comprised of a red stone-like material, and it covered his body entirely, as if he was turned into a statue.

Scott looked back at Automate's stone body, then looked towards the castle. "Well, that's one problem solved. I better talk to the princesses and let them know the issue's been resolved." Scott told himself.

Scott ran through the streets, all while Automate's statue rested in the field, motionless and devoid of any signs of life.





[Throne Room]

Several guards had been gathered, tons of them lined up as Scott burst through the door. Scott was about to speak, until his words were caught in his throat, bearing witness to a truly saddening sight. A few caskets were now present in the room, each with a picture of a fallen guard, or a fallen citizen on each cover. Celestia and Luna looked towards Scott, and he stepped forward, the air was thick with tension, and though he hated the very thought, he felt as if this could've been prevented, maybe if he knew sooner, he could've stopped things before they escalated.

Scott stepped in-between the princesses, closing his eyes as he attempted to hold himself back. "I'm sincerely sorry for your loss, your Highnesses. I know the Plumbers have suffered great losses in the past, there was a certain time where death was like a plague, and nothing could stop it. It was a purge, a purge created by a nasty group of people known as the Forever Knights," Celestia and Luna looked down at Scott, a sense of sadness and dread coursed through him. "Innocent humans and aliens lost their lives in that incident, but with Ben Tennyson's help, it's through knowing that we're still here, we'll keep going for them, even when they're long gone, and someday, we'll avenge them. That's how I looked at it, and not many liked or shared my perspective, mainly for how grim it was, but justice comes for those who think themselves above it, and Automate thought themselves above everything." Scott iterated.

Celestia reached a hoof out, placing it on his shoulder, as did Luna. "Hardships are a part of life, Scott Baristo. I fear that with the sudden attack and escape of this 'Automate' monster, his defeat will be a calling card to more dangerous individuals in the future. I have no right to ask you this, as you are not one of my subjects, but I fear that Equestria might be in more danger than previously prophesized," Celestia looked to Luna, and they both knelt down to Scott. "Scott Baristo, wielder of the device you call the Altnetrix, will you stay in Equestria, just for a little while longer, and keep the realm safe from these Extraterrestrial threats?" Celestia asked.

Scott was hesitant to answer that question, but knew it was gonna be quite the regret to hold on his shoulders if he left, especially since they were counting on him. The human sighed and looked to the Altnetrix. "I'd like to discuss this with a couple other parties before I make my final decision, is that alright?" Scott asked.

Celestia and Luna nodded. "Do you have any possible candidates for discussion?" Luna inquired.

Scott thought about it, and did have a couple individuals in mind.





[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Baumann's Market]

By the time Ben had gone back to Earth, nightfall had draped over Bellwood, and he was about to finally get his answer on Scott's disappearance. Ben walked into the back, and moved over to where Scott had vanished. He fiddled around with the Omnitrix and soon waved it around, finally picking up something. "Unknown Omni-Energy signature detected." The Omnitrix chirped.

"Can you track it?" Ben inquired.

"Scanning..." The Omnitrix began to whir, letting a bright green scanner move across the room. The scanner moved back and forth, constantly collecting samples of the residual energy in the area. The scanner soon dissipated and the Omnitrix blinked. "Scan complete. Unknown Omni-Energy signature has traversed this dimension, and into a parallel dimension tied to another universe." The Omnitrix chirped.

Ben was shocked and surprised, but was at least relieved that he was alive. "Can you give me the numeral designation for the dimension?" Ben inquired.

"ERROR. Dimensional location cannot be accurately pin-pointed. Unknown energy influx seems to be conflicting with recent update to Omnitrix systems." The Omnitrix chirped.

Ben was confused, but at least he has a proper idea for what has transpired now. 'So, the cadet's in another dimension, tied to another universe. That certainly narrows down the search in my home dimension, but that casts an even wider net, a bit too wide than I'd like to admit. Don't worry, Scott, we'll find you.' Ben thought.
> And then There Were... 2? Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Throne Room]

Scott quietly moved throughout the halls, trying to remain quiet as he gripped a piece of paper in his hand. He walked by a few guards, noticing their stoic, yet solemn expressions. It was nerve-wracking, but at least he had a choice, ready to be made and deliberated on extensively. Scott stopped in front of a pair of giant golden doors, and sighed. He looked down at the paper in his hands, and then looked to the Altnetrix.

Scott sighed. 'God, give me strength.' Scott thought.

Scott walked up to the doors and opened them up, noticing the princesses. They sat on their respective thrones, and they soon had their eyes fixated on him. Scott swallowed and entered, kneeling before the princesses, his mind wracked with distress. "Scott Baristo, did you come to a conclusive choice?" Celestia asked.

Scott nodded, not uttering a single word. He looked down at the paper, a look of uncertainty forming across his face.






(Two-and-a-half Hours Earlier...)


[Royal Courtroom]

Scott sat in his seat, pencil and paper at the ready as he gazed at the three individuals he believed had the best judgement, in one way or another. In truth, Scott didn't know anyone in this world who could give him sound, logical and reasonable advice. Applejack, the stranger from the road. Nocturned, a guard doing her job. Technorg, an alien gladiator turned prisoner and temporary hero. 'I'm so fucked.' Scott thought.

Scott cleared his throat and looked at the three individuals he selected. "I'm sure you three are curious as to why I called you here in this room, especially after the horrors that Automate had wrought upon innocent lives, correct?" Scott asked.

Applejack nodded. "What's this all about, partner? Clearly somethin' important is on the line, considerin' this is a room fer pencil-pushin' politicians." Applejack assumed.

"Technorg agrees with the pony. The air in this room is tense, thick with uncertainty and importance, though it does share some familiarity to the debate chambers back on Technorg's homeworld." Technorg agreed, looking around the room.

Nocturned sat up, their armor was essentially off for the time being, leaving them draped in some dark blue robes. "I'm not sure why you called me here, but I personally believe my presence will not be needed. Was never a fan of politics anyhow, so feel free to state your peace, I guess." Nocturned remarked.

Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. "I'm don't have to sugarcoat this, then, already this is a better start than I hoped," The three individuals look to Scott, noticing a pencil and paper in his hands. He wrote something down and soon passed it amidst the three that sat before him, showing two options.

Accept or Decline.

Technorg stared at the options and was confused. "Accept... or Decline? Technorg does not understand." Technorg said.

Nocturned looked to Scott, confused as the paper was passed to her. She was just as confused, if not dumbfounded, by the bareness and simplicity of the vote. "I've heard of political votes being less bare bones than this. Does the word 'Elaborate' exist where you come from?" Nocturned remarked.

Applejack looked at the paper, and could hardly believe how true the Detrovite and the bat-pony's words were. "Partner, what exactly are we votin' for?" Applejack inquired.

Scott was silent for a moment, but soon cleared his throat, ready to speak as clearly as he could. "Princess Celestia has informed me that Automate is truly no longer a threat to Equestria, for now. However, she's scared by the idea of Automate's defeat being a calling card, specifically for those who believe that Equestria's the place to be to cause havoc on a galactic scale. She's worried, incredibly and rightfully so. Automate clearly wasn't afraid to get a bit of blood on his compiled nanites if he had to." Scott then raised the Altnetrix upwards, showing it to the three. An expression of sadness and determination was painted on Scott's face, a mixture of two emotions he hadn't felt at once before.

The human took a deep breath, and sighed as he straightened up. "Even before Automate's defeat, they had every chance to strip the Altnetrix from me and gain the power that would ultimately determine that your world would've been in some serious danger, but they were too caught up in their own hubris and it gave me the chance to exploit it. I want to make things clear, Equestria, according to Celestia's own words, might be in more danger than what was, and I quote, "Prophesized". I don't know what she's on about, but I feel a sense of confliction between two parts of me. On one side, I want to go back home, back where I belong. Yet, on the other side, I can't, in good-conscience, leave this place, knowing aliens are here, and may try to cause problems for those who don't even know or even might be aware that they might be amongst them," Scott took another deep breath and thought for a moment, almost as if he was carefully picking his words. "That's why you three are here, one way or another, whether the first encounter was pleasant or downright horrible, you've met me and seen not even the bare minimum of what I can do. I seek your opinions, and your vote on the matter. Do I accept Celestia's offer and try to keep your realm safe from alien threats, or do I decline and find a way home?" Scott explained, taking a breath as he sat back down in his chair.

Silence echoed through the room and looks of surprise and shock came from the two ponies in the room. Technorg, however, seemed perfectly aware of what his answer was now, taking the paper and making his vote. "Technorg has made his vote. Technorg wishes for you to stay. The way Technorg sees it, this world, if left to its own devices with aliens running around unabated, will fall. This world does not have Ben Tennyson, so with you around, you can ensure this world will be safe, so that it can flourish and show off its true potential." Technorg explained.

Scott was surprised by Technorg's answer, but kept his composure. The paper was passed to Nocturned, who was still shocked at the human's explanation. Nocturned took the pencil and marked down her answer. "You've got guts, human, I'll give you that. So, don't take it personally when I say it'd be embarrassing, infuriating and disheartening, to see a capable soldier such as yourself, blatantly disregard his duty to protect and serve. Princess Luna spoke to me after Celestia got onto me about our first encounter, it was some time after you and these two took to the ground and fought the monster yourselves," Scott raised an eyebrow. Nocturned sighed, seeming annoyed. "The princess told me, in her own words, that you were a capable soldier, a soldier who had seen things that have no right to being as crazy, or as plausibly true, as they sound. In my own personal opinion, the royal guard, as well as the Night guard, could benefit to learn a few things from a soldier such as yourself, especially after such a devastating loss. I get it, this isn't your home, you're essentially an outcast amongst all of pony kind, much like the big hulking orange orc over here, but you still fought to save our world from that creature. Ask yourself, human. What's stopping you from doing all that again?" Nocturned inquired.

Scott nodded, and watched the paper be passed to Applejack. Applejack looked down at the paper and took the pencil into her mouth, maneuvering the pencil to mark her answer. "Partner, don't take this the wrong way, I know ya probably wanna get back to wherever it is you came from, believe me, had it been me in your situation, home would be the first thing on my mind, no doubt about it. But, I feel like it'd be in yer best interest to stay. I don't know a whole lot about ya, but you were willin' to stay and fight to save Equestria, even after a couple bad first-impressions could've essentially led ya to leave without another word, and then Equestria would've been shipped up shit's creek in a boat riddled with holes, and all without paddles. If the princesses are worried 'bout more of 'em, that's a sign that usually means, your talents aren't gonna be squandered. From what the big feller's sayin', somepony back where you came from, is some powerful individual. If the princesses think they don't stand a chance, who do we rely on to deal with these types of threats, if the princesses can't handle it?" Applejack asked.

Scott was torn, but did feel a warm feeling inside him, though it was just for a moment. 'If I leave and more aliens show up, and they're less than friendly, I might as well have pony blood on my hands. The entire population of an entire species, dead, all because I left them defenseless. But, I still have a job to do... but, wouldn't I technically be shirking my responsibilities by not lending a hand? When did my job get so complicated!?' Scott thought.

Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. He took the piece of paper, got up from his seat, and moved towards the door that led to the hall. "Thank you all for casting your vote... I'll let the royals know of the final decision." Scott turned back and saw them looking at him. "You're free to go about your usual business and what have you." Scott stated, walking out of the room, the door closing behind him.






(Present Day)


[Throne Room]

"Scott Baristo, did you come to a conclusive choice?" Celestia asked.

Scott looked down at the piece of paper. A look of uncertainty formed on his face, but that soon faded as he took out a pencil and marked his own vote onto it. He looked it over, and though he felt as if a pit fell into his stomach, he knew he was making the right choice.

Scott looked up at the princesses, noticing the two of them looking at him, expecting an answer. He also noticed two other ponies that looked unfamiliar to him. One was a lavender purple unicorn mare, her body decorated with darker purple stripe-like patterns. The other was, supposedly, an older mare. She was taller than the purple pony, but had a more slender physique, was also a unicorn, but had a black mane and shimmering green eyes.

Scott shook his head and brought his focus back to the topic at hand. "Your highnesses, a conclusion has been reached, and..." Scott began to trail off, looking back down at the paper. He saw the results clear as day, and knew he had to. Four to Zero, in favor of staying. He felt off, he didn't know why he felt so uncertain, so excited, yet so unprepared, but he felt an unfamiliar smile form on his face, and he raised his face to the princesses, letting them see his expression. "It's a unanimous vote, in favor for my continued/extended stay in your realm. I don't know how long I'll be in your realm, but for as long as I'm here, I swear to you, nothing extraterrestrial will cause more destruction, or needless carnage, in your kingdom from here on out. I'll try my best, and give it all I got, if that's alright with you." Scott declared.

Celestia and Luna smiled, and the two other unicorns seemed to beam with a sense of shared appreciation. "Excellent news. I hope you don't mind, but we took some liberty of buying some unused property, and setting it up appropriately for you. Only the necessities and whatever may assist you with your basic dietary needs, and we've also stocked a few shelves with the most up-to-date books about Equestria, just so you can get a basic idea on what you might be in for." Luna explained.

Scott smiled, something that was feeling more and more familiar to him. "I appreciate such a forthright action, but I get the feeling that the residents of this high-class place, Canterlot, was it? I don't think they'll appreciate, let alone approve of your decision to let some non-equine creature with shapeshifting capabilities and otherworldly origins live amongst them in such a rich, stuck-up, upper class paradise. Excuse my disrespect, I mean no harm, let alone any offense." Scott stated.

Celestia snickered, but soon composed herself. "Your idea of disrespect is rather accurate to some of Canterlot's finest nobles, Scott Baristo, but that's nothing new to us. No harm, no foul, as they say. Hence why we're pleased to announce, that your new temporary homestead is not in Canterlot." Celestia reassured.

Scott was relieved, but also confused. "If it's not here, then where exactly am I taking up residence?" Scott inquired.

Celestia winked. "You'll see. I've arranged some special transport to get you there, and I've informed the mayor of your situation, so you'll have to expect them to drop by and visit, she loves to see fresh faces, especially when they're of the kinder sort." Celestia stated.





[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Earth]

Ben walked down the street, typing up a mass text as the starry night sky shines down, the deep and dark, yet illustrious blue-violet night sky in contrast to the various stars twinkling amidst the darkness.

Ben sent the text and put his phone in his pocket, listening to the chirping sounds of crickets, and watching several cars pass him by. "Okay, so the text was sent, now I just gotta wait for a reply. In the mean time, crime has been a bit slow, almost too slow. I'll grab a quick coffee, and be on my way, see if I can scope out anything unusual." Ben remarked.

Ben stopped and turned to his left, seeing a coffee shop right nearby. He walked up to the front door and was about to go inside, until suddenly, everything seemed to stop. Ben seemed to stop in place as well, but was clearly ready to throw down. He whipped around, ready to transform into an alien, until he went wide-eyed, seeing a familiar face... with an unfamiliar sense of dread coursing through him.

"Hello there, Benjamin. Lovely night for a stroll, isn't it?" A man called out. He sounded so familiar, he looked exactly like him, so why did Ben suddenly feel less safe?

Ben stared at a man in a tattered, torn, and thoroughly stained white lab coat. The stains ranged from a pale red, to sometimes pure gray and a sickly green. The goggles around his neck were cracked, worn-out, showed signs of wear and tear, and one of the lenses were basically gone. The gauntlet that he usually had, was now nowhere to be seen. His cane was also snapped in half, and he was clutching onto the upper half of it tightly. Ben looked the man in the face, seeing a calm, yet vaguely irate look in his twitching eyes. He had a calm, unnerving smile, and the slicked-back, well-kept black hair, it was now beginning to look very messy.

Ben simply stared, and could only utter a single word. Not with appreciation and acknowledgement, but with concern, and unknowingly phrased it as a question. "Paradox?" Ben cautiously asked.

The man said nothing, but his smile seemed to become more and more unnerving. Something was clearly wrong, and Ben knew it. Paradox knew it, yet he asked a question, his calm voice no longer matching the almost psychotically calm expression on the man's face. "I hear you're looking for someone, a plumber, vanished without a trace, presumed dead. I can take you there, to him, to that other universe outside our own. You could say I'm quite, 'familiar' with such a universe, so to speak. What say you, Ben Tennyson? Shall I offer my assistance to you, and help you in the matter?" Paradox offered, offering his hand for a handshake.

Ben couldn't place why Paradox was making him feel so odd, like he was in the midst of a universe-sized crisis, but he knew he had to decline. "Uh, I'm okay. I've got a plan, and I figured it'd be best to just give you a break from dealing with me." Ben lied, trying to come up with a proper excuse.

Paradox's unnerving smile faded, leaving him with a wide-eyed frown. Time was still not continuing, and almost immediately, Ben scrolled through the Omnitrix and landed on the alien he was ashamed of not using sooner. Alien X. Even as Ben laid his eyes on the icon of one of his most powerful alien transformations, and got ready to transform... he still felt a sense of dread.

"You know, you're the second Ben Tennyson to refuse my help, and after all I've done for you, this is how you repay me, by denying my aide?! This is the second time this has happened, and I'm not exactly sure why this is happening. You are looking for the boy known as, Scott Baristo, correct? Perhaps I should just go visit him, and tell him that his world is moving on just fine without him and had been disowned by his hero, or maybe I'll give him a proper reason to not try and refuse my aide when I offer it on a silver platter, by eradicating the universe he's stuck in!" Paradox's voice roared out, echoing around Ben in a rage.

Out of options, he immediately slammed down the core, and transformed into the selected alien. One of his strongest forms.

The alien stood tall, humanoid in shape. It had three eyes. Two normal ones, and one that was turned sideways, and placed in the midst of his forehead. He had two horn-like protrusions coming out of his head. His body was a black mass of space, decorated in stars. He wore a pair of white and green gauntlets, even dawning a pair of gloves that covered his six-fingered hands. He wore green and white armor all across his body, and the Omnitrix was fastened to the alien's chest piece.

Paradox was no longer in-sight, but he was clearly still around. "Really, you're going to use the Celestialsapien? I forced you to turn back once, what makes you think I won't do it again, hm? What did you hope to accomplish with this?" Paradox wondered, mocking the star-clad entity.

Alien X said nothing, but he did end up snapping both of his fingers, and smashed the ground with his fist, causing some type of transparent mirror-glass stuff to shatter, letting time resume. Paradox groaned, seeming rather annoyed. "Of course, I forgot you have unlimited access to the full-power of a Celestialsapien, how could I forget!? Nevertheless, you're clearly unappreciative when a familiar face offers you some help. I'm not the bad guy, Benjamin! Fine, have it your way, Benjamin Tennyson, but mark my words. I'll always be watching, and you better watch your back." Paradox warned.

Alien X tapped the Omnitrix, transforming Ben back to normal, though he was clearly shook up. Ben, without a moment's hesitation, began to run, going full-sprint down the road, rushing past people with a look of fear in his eyes, and a sense of dread in his heart.

Ben couldn't think about anything else, not even the response he got to his mass text. All he could think about, was the dread. 'What the hell was that, and what the hell was his problem!?' Ben thought, keeping up the full-sprint as he ran, unaware of the streetlights flickering and glowing green as he passes by.