Chapter Text
SZ: *giggles excitedly*oh this is gonna be so much fun~~!
GT: *not there*
Z0: Oh they're giddy...ones so giddy he plum vanished
SZ: Oh we are...we own nothing aside from original content, so BEGIN!
GT: *a massive crate of TNT appears and detonates*
*KRA-KA-KABOOOOM~!*
"Ah...can't...move…" a female figure groaned as they were moved from a battlefield, the sounds of explosions being heard as the figure's body sparked.
"Hang in there...we'll get you fixed up a-"
"No...I..I can still…" the figure began before a massive spark surged through their body, "Ahh!"
"No you cannot...not in your condition. If you try in your stat...I'm afraid you'll go into the Big Sleep…"
"Has that..ever...st-" the figure began before they slumped.
"I am sorry...but I cannot allow that. For now...rest." the one carrying the figure sighed before looking out at the battlefield, "...I just pray no one makes this nightmare happen again…"
"Wait...so what's the name of this place we're heading to?" Ben asked as he and the girls were within the ProtoTRUK, Rook piloting it as it flew through the skies.
"Termorton, a town located within California," Tsubaki answered
"I see...why?" Ben asked again as he cycled his Omnitrix a few times to see if anything new showed up after scanning a new alien.
"Yeah Tsubaki...why?" Makoto asked in suspicion.
"Well...we have some vacation days, and I figured we could use this opportunity to explore it," Tsubaki explained.
"...I dunno…"
"From what I recall, they do have one of the original Mr Smoothy's locations there," Rook added, earning Ben's attention, "And they do have some flavors that are no longer available."
"Why didn't you say so!? Land this bird, partner!" Ben cheered.
"That fast!?" Makoto gawked.
"I am a simple man! Of simple pleasures!" he smiled, not paying attention to the Omnitrix roster as it turned off.
"Seriously?!"
"Oh what? Like you don't have that feeling?"
"I do...but mostly with parfaits and all you can eat buffets!" Makoto argued before blinking, "...Say Tsubaki, y-"
"No."
"You didn't let me finish~!"
"I already know you're going to ask about the latter, so no."
"Mmm~"
"It's a shame Kevin and Gwen couldn't join us…" Noel spoke.
"True, but Gwendolyne was ready to head back once Kevin finished the car," Kajun stated, looking at a book she had on her.
"Plus Makoto is feeling better, so it'll give her some time to readjust herself..." Mai added before shuddering, "I remember what happened last time she was locked up in her room for a week…"
"I will try not to punch people into space!" Makoto saluted sarcastically, "Also I wasn't that bad…"
"You mentally scarred a member of the student council," Tsubaki deadpanned.
"Well he shouldn't have banned parfaits for 'being too cold and sweet!'" Makoto argued.
"They sound like a jerk." Ben added.
"Right!" Makoto shouted, "Doesn't help he was one of those rich douchebags with one of those snooty girlfriends."
"...how snooty we talking?"
"You know. The kind that go 'Oh~hohohohohoho~!'"
"Oh…" Ben realized, "Yeah sounds like he had it coming."
"Don't agree with her." Tsubaki sighed.
"Can you deny it…?" Ben countered, making her glare at him, "Point Tennyson~" he cheered.
"...Rook? Once we land in Tremorton, you and Makoto will be looking after Ben while the rest of us explore the town."
"Hah?!" Ben gawked.
"Consider it punishment for destroying that weather machine without fully hearing what those Weatherbots were going to warn you…" Tsubaki stated.
"How was I supposed to know it would cause a class 5 hurricane?!"
"..."
"...Okay. I'll admit...kinda my fault…" Ben chuckled sheepishly at the stern glare she gave him, "Oh fine...I'll try not to ruin the town." he declared, shooting his hands up in defeat, "But the moment some monster or random super villain shows up, I get dibs!"
"...Just try and keep damage to a minimum…" Tsubaki sighed, "Otherwise you'll just give Harangue fuel to use against you…"
"Oh…" Ben began before pondering that for a second, recalling all the 'footage' Harangue used on him before to make him look like the bad guy, "...Fair enough...this Mr. Smoothy's better be worth it though."
"It is exactly worth it!" Ben beamed as he, rook, and Makoto sat in a booth, a few smoothies surrounding the male brunette as he took a drink of one.
"Are you sure you will be able to drink all of those?" Rook asked.
"Dude...it's me…" Ben smirked as he took a sip, "Ahh...seriously, why doesn't Mr. Smoothy's make them like this anymore?!"
"Mmmm," Makoto shrugged, drinking her own, "Though I will agree with ya. These smoothies taste how they should in terms of flavors...and I love it!"
"Well of course, little miss Bearcat! Nothing but the finest of ingredients here!" the man behind the counter laughed, "Not unlike the Mr. Smoothy's of today with some of their artificial ingredients."
"...what does 'Bearcat' mean?" Makoto whispered to Ben.
"I think it's 1920 or 1930's slang for a fiery woman," Ben answered.
"...Just when I think I've learned about Earth's odd sayings…" Rook muttered.
"Slang evolves over time, Rook." Makoto added.
"It's easier for you to focus on just modern slang." Ben added, "We'll explain anything else."
"I do not understand Earth." Rook sighed.
"Your world don't make a whole lot of sense either Rook." Makoto countered, "But enough about that. Let's just enjoy our vacation."
"What do you think Tsubaki and the other girls are doing?" Ben asked.
"Who knows?" Makoto shrugged, "Probably looking around the mall here or exploring some historical sites or something."
"And now to grill Rook." Ben smiled.
"I am sorry?" Rook blinked as the two smirked evilly, "Oh no…"
"Oh yes…"
"...Look! Someone who hates smoothies and parfaits!" Rook shouted as he pointed behind Ben.
"Yeah...like we're falling for that," Makoto deadpanned.
"Rook, Vreedles!" Ben pointed, making Rook panic and turned around to aim his ProtoTool, "And that's how it's done."
"...Do not ever joke like that again…" Rook frowned as he put his weapon away.
"And I promise I will. Now...what are we really doing here?" Ben sighed.
"We have already told you…" he muttered.
"Makoto...the stuff from Grandpa Max." Ben snapped his fingers as she pulled out a bag of some amber colored fruit. Rook's eyes widened seeing it.
"Is...is that…"
"Yep...fruit from your planet. Special delivery to Mr Bauhman. Last supply for the month." Makoto smirked.
"..."
"So here's the deal….you tell us, and we give it to you…" Ben offered with a coy grin, "
"...Do not let Tsubaki know I told you this," Rook frowned a bit, "I fear what she will do to me if she found out I let the secret out."
"We pr-"
"And do not cross your fingers," Rook added, "I may not be as knowledgeable at Earth customs as you two are, but I do know that is a sign people are lying."
"Fine...we won't let her find out."
"Good. Now..the real reason we are here is…" Rook began.
"A mystery?" Noel blinked as she, Mai, and Kajun looked at Tsubaki as the four girls walked along the sidewalk, passing b a few houses.
"Yes. Me and Rook have been looking into it for some time now," Tsubaki nodded, "You see, there's a house here that's possibly haunted...we weren't sure if they were true, but while you girls were busy checking out one of the stores…"
"I had to stop Kajun from looking at the robot display," Mai spoke up.
"Again, apologies...they just looked so authentic," Kajun apologized.
"...As I was saying, while you were busy, I've learned more rumors about the haunted house we are…"
"H-haunted….?" Noel repeated, gulping nervously as she shot behind Mai.
"...Yes," Tsubaki sighed, "And please...stop interrupting me."
"...Gomen. P...please continue."
"Thank you," Tsubaki nodded, "Now then...as I was saying, the haunted house we are heading for, it was once owned by a Dr. Wakeman, one of the top leading scientists of robotics in the 1920s. Rumor has it people can hear a faint humming sound coming from the house."
"Humming...like...a person...or a machine?" Noel asked shaking.
"Not sure," Tsubaki answered, "So I was thinking we could investigate it...you know like old times."
"...Wait. Does this mean…?" Mai began.
"Yes. It's time for Team Remix Heart to come out of retirement...minus Makoto for now."
"Phew…" Mai sighed in relief at that last part, 'Thank goodness...last thing I need is her scare-groping me...'
"...Well this should be a pleasant experience then," Kajun noted with a small smile, "So how far are we from the house?"
"We should be here...now." Tsubaki said stopping, making her friends stumble to stop and not trip over each other.
The four stood before a large three story house, the dark grey paint chipped from age as a few windows were broken or cracked. The foliage around the front lawn was either overgrown, or bare of any leaves...most likely due to no one being able to take care or water them. Even the glass roof on top was chipped and cracked Overall...it almost looked more like a haunted mansion than a house.
'...Yeah. So glad Makoto's not here to scare grope me…' Mai thought.
"...W-we're going in there, aren't we?" Noel nervously asked.
"Of course," Tsubaki nodded as she approached the front door, "It's not any different from when we explored the school late at night for the mysteries involving around it."
"True," Kajun agreed as she followed after the red head, Mai and a nervous Noel following behind.
"I'm not sure about this…" Noel muttered.
"It's just an old house. I bet the noise is some old machines that belonged to the woman who lived here, still turning on and off." Kajun argued logically.
"Most likely," Tsubaki nodded in agreement, peeking through an opening in the front door's glass window as she looked inside, "...Things seem normal enough…" she muttered as she reached for the handle and turned it, letting the door opened up, "..its unlocked."
"Most likely due to the lock being broken from rust or time catching up with it," Mai guessed as Tsubaki cautiously opened the door.
As the four walked inside, Noel staying behind Mai since Makoto wasn't around, they looked around the place. Much like the outside, the painting covering the walls inside was chipped from age with cobwebs covering the various pieces of broken furniture around the house while dust heavily covered the stairs leading to the next floor. Another thing they took notice was the various robot parts that laid out around the floor, broken and rusted.
"..." Noel squeaked a bit, noticing how some of the robots seemed...bug-like in terms of appearance.
"...Interesting…" Kajun whispered, moving towards one of the robots while writing down on a notepads, "Some of these robots seem more...advanced for something created in the 1920s...and yet..." she used her pen to poke at one of the bug-like aliens, "Some of these seem...alien in nature."
"But...why are they here?" Mai asked.
"Most likely? They invaded Earth and attempted to attack Dr. Wakeman's home" Tsubaki guessed before pulling her badge out, "Rook, are you available?"
=Yes. Makoto and Ben are trying the local arcade= Rook answered =Do you need anything?=
"Yes. Do you know anything about robotic-bug like aliens?" Tsubaki asked as she knelt down towards one of the aliens, "Specifically...ones that almost resemble scarabs."
=Hmm...one race does come to mind, but the files I have read on them were old, so I could not read much about them= Rook answered.
"What were they called?"
=The Cluster=
"Oh...well that's not a scary name…" Noel muttered her voice squeaking.
"..Is that all?"
=All I could get was their name, and their former Empress' name...Vexus...but all info on her was...=
=Yo Rook! What are you doing?!= Ben's voice called from the background.
=Oh I am running a search for Tsubaki=
=Wait...are they….AH! Are they solving mysteries without me!?= Makoto snapped as the sound of Rook gruting where heard =How could you! I thought we were friends, sisters!?=
"Makoto...I didn't want you to come because…"
=Because why?!=
=How is she making herself cry…= Ben asked.
"...Haunted house..." Tsubaki deadpanned.
=...oh….= Makoto paled at that =...On second thought nevermind. Have fun=
=Wait...you're scared of h...=
=I have a rational fear of spooky stuff at times!=
=You are a woman of many complex emotional layers ain't ya?= Ben muttered.
=Oh like you're one to talk, Mr 'afraid of peacocks'!= Makoto argued.
=Who told you!?=
=No one...but I did see you flinch when a picture of one showed up in that nature documentary Tsubaki had me watch while I was in recovery=
=You need to forget…= Diamondhead spoke.
"Wait...peacocks...so...like how Tsubaki is afraid of Pandas?" Mai blinked.
"I keep telling you pandas are evil!" Tsubaki snapped as she stomped the floor, causing a loud creaking sound, "..."
"...Please tell me that was an old piece of furniture…" Noel nervously begged.
"...I don't think…" Mai began before the floor caved in on all four girls as they fell into the room below, "Ahh!"
=Girls?! Girls are you alright?!= Makoto asked, worry heavy in her voice.
=Well...we're tracking them= Diamondhead sighed =To the haunted house!=
=Understood= Rook nodded as the communicator went off.
"...Ow…" Mai groaned as she got up, the bluenette in a small dogpile of herself and her friends, "That...was unpleasant…"
"I'm sorry. That...was my mistake…" Tsubaki sighed, underneath the pile with Noel on top.
"It's fine…" Kajun said as they managed to undo the pile and got up.
"...Where...are we?" Noel pondered as she took notice of the area, nothing that it looked...almost like a lab of sorts.
"...Oh no…" Mai whispered, noticing a gleam in Kajun's eyes before zooming off.
"Oh my goodness! So many blueprints for new robot models! And-Oh! A global tracking system? Oh such amazing things! And to think..this was all made in the 1920s!" Kajun beamed, zipping around the lab as she examined each and every part of it, "Dr. Wakeman was quite ahead of her time, it seems!"
"That seems...impossible," Mai noted.
"Impressive?" Noel added.
"No...very interesting…" Kajun whispered in glee, "Oh...to imagine what sort of secrets this lab could hold…"
"Kajun, calm down. I know this is amazing, but we need to…" Tsubaki began before her hand brushed against something, "?" She turned to see a fairly large pod, colored in silver-white and light blue as a shadowed figure was seen within.
"...Hmm…" Kajun pondered as she moved close to the pod, "Interesting… This appears to be a recharge station of sorts...but might also function as a sleeping chamber used for recovery…"
"...What...do you think is inside?" Noel asked, trying to look into the pod's window.
"It looks human…" Kajun noted, leaning forward.
"A person is in there? Is it a cryo pod?" Mai asked.
"Most likely," Tsubaki noted.
"...Should...should we open it?" Noel asked, "I'm...kinda worried about who's inside."
"I would most likely not advise it," Tsubaki stated, "If it is a cryo pod...whoever is in there will most likely be shocked from everything our era has."
"But...we can't leave them in there...what if they also need help? We can move them into Rook's truck and take them for medical help." Noel argued, "But you also make a point...which makes it conflicting…"
"...It is rather conflicting…" Mai admitted, "...Kajun, what do you….Kajun?"
"...It seems...robotic in nature…"
"...Kajun, no…" Tsubaki began.
"...The science...oh the science in learning what it could be~!"
"Ahh!" the three freaked as Kajun headed for a nearby console.
"Stop her!" Tsubaki quickly ordered.
"If I do this, then m-" Kajun began before Mai and Tsubaki grabbed her, "Mmm...let go!"
"Kajun no!"
"But...but the science~!"
"Kajun, you are an adult woman! Act like it!" Tsubaki snapped.
"Not physically…" she argued simply.
"Even still! You can't just...You're usually more composed than this!" Mai argued.
"True, but when there is something new and interesting before me, I...I have the urge to examine each and every part of it and learn all I can about it."
"Um...minna?" Noel began, noticing something happening with the pod.
"Yes, but now is not the time for Science mode to flare up!" Tsubaki argued, "Did you not hear what I said about whoever is in that pod might go into shock?!"
"Minna.."
"But what if the being inside is in need of help? Only by investigating can we tell for sure!" Kajun argued as she tried to get closer to the pod as Tsubaki and Mai held her back.
"Minna…"
"Yes, that is true, but what is more important?! Their mental state or their physical state?!" Tsubaki argued.
"Plus we…" Mai began.
"MINNA!" Noel shouted, earning their attention, "Th-the pod is opening."
"...Huh?" the three blinked.
=Recovery complete. Shutting off stasis mode=
The girls tensed as the pod began to open, mist seeping out as the front began to split, revealing the figure within. The figure appeared to be a robot of sorts, designed to look like a teenage girl that was roughly 6.6 feet, or 2.01 meters, in height. Her body was primarily a pristine white metal with teal lips. She had two teal triangular 'pigtails' connected to the top of her head by a pair of white screws with teal 'hair' on her head. Her body was covered in teal armor resembling a crop top, miniskirt, and a pair of boots with white heels. The palms of her hands sported a teal circle in the center of them while a teal bolt acted as a belly button. Multiple cables were connected to her body before disconnecting and retracting into the pod, letting the exposed panels slide back into place on her figure.
"...A...a robot girl?" Mai blinked.
"It said recovery complete...was...it damaged?" Kajun pondered, stepping forward.
"Kajun, careful," Tsubaki advised, "We don't know what she could be capable of."
Kajun nodded as she stepped forward, cautiously examining the robotic being before them, "...Interesting…she's so well detailed…it's as if her face is...well real. She could more than likely emote and express… A machine with emotion...Dr. Wakeman must have went all out with her… I wonder what…?"
"Ugh...not so loud, mom…" the robotic girl groaned, making the girls tense as she yawned, opening her eyes slowly to let her see as she moved out of the pod, "Did Tuck get into the lab again…?"
"..." Noel was about to say something before Tsubaki quickly covered her mouth, "?!"
"Oh dear...maybe Mai had a point…" Kajun realized, Tsubaki developing a livid look as she moved her hands in an attempt to throttle her.
"...Wait. Who…" the robot girl began as she opened her eyes fully, letting her see the four before her, "..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Okay...that's not creepy at all…" Makoto whispered as she, Ben, and Rook stood before the house the girls were in, "And...you said you tracked them here...right Rook?"
"That is correct."
"...Honestly I was expecting something w-" Ben began.
"AHHH!-!-!-!-!"
"KYA!-!-!-!-!-!"
"AH!" Makoto cried, jumping into Ben's arms at the screaming.
"I was not ready for this!" he cried, falling over.
"...We better head inside," Rook stated as he pulled his weapon out, "Hopefully the girls are alright."
"They better be!" Makoto exclaimed.
"...Makoto, Ben cannot breath."
"Huh?" Makoto blinked before looking down, seeing his face covered in her chest once more "...Oops. Did it again…" she whispered as she moved off him.
"Bah! Again?!" Ben exclaimed once he breathed in some air.
"Well it's not like it's on purpose!"
"Well I'm starting to think it is!"
"...Oh brother…" Rook facepalmed before a laser shot blasted through the roof, "?!"
"N-now calm down! I'm s-ahh!" Tsubaki yelped as she ducked under a laser shot.
"Who are you?! What are you doing in my house?!" the robot girl demanded, her arms taking the form of blasters as she aimed at them, "What did you do with my mom?! ...You're not with Vexus, are you?!"
"I don't know who that is! I was dragged to this scary place by my friends who insist on doing scary things! And now I'm being blasted by a girl who looks like a robot and I just want to go to a corner and cry that this is my life!" Noel shouted all in one breath, tears welling in her eyes.
"...Okay. Now I...oh geez…" the robot girl whispered as she put her blasters away, "Now I feel kinda bad…"
"It was our fault…" Kajun muttered.
"OURS!?" Tsubaki snapped.
"Maybe...mine…" she corrected, "I...really can't control myself at times…"
"We're sorry!" Mai cried in panic with Noel.
"...It...it's fine really. Just...You took me by surprise is all…" the robot girl sighed, "Jumpin' jimminies, this sure ain't a darb. Making a cancelled stamp start to cry...ugh. Now I'm feeling like a right Mrs. Grundy..."
'...What did she say?' most of them thought.
"...Oh! By the way, I'm Jenny and...and…" the robot girl began before noticing the condition of the lab, "...What...happened to my mom's lab?! It's all zozzled! Oop!" she covered her mouth, a blue glow appearing on her cheeks as she looked around, "Oh, I really hope she didn't hear me say that. Artificial taste buds are not the bee's knees when soap's involved." she looked at the girls, "None of you were on a toot, were you?" she blinked and her eyes glowed, "No. Not a toot, though the readings from two of you are giving my processors the feeling of being half-seas over. ...Don't tell her I said that either." she blinked and her eyes were back to normal before she gasped, "Jumpin' jimminies! He's still out there! Uh...You gals stay down here. You'll be safe. I…"
She turned around and deployed a pair of jet wings with engines on the ends from her back, but before she could take off, a rope's end hit the floor. She looked up in time to see Rook sliding down on it, followed by Makoto...though the Beastkin was shivering the entire time just lightly.
"Spooky house...spooky spooky house…" Makoto whispered.
"You have said that fifteen times since we have begun this descent," Rook noted.
"It's a spooky house of scariness! Sue me!" Makoto snapped.
"Oh! Ma…" Noel began.
"Invaders at this time?!" Jenny exclaimed before her left arm turned into a blaster, "Go chase yourselves! Get to cover while I deal with these two!"
"?!" Rook tensed in surprise before pulling out his ProtoTool in its blaster mode, "Ma'am, I suggest you put down your wea-!"
"Move!" Makoto exclaimed as she pushed him out of the way of a laser blast.
"You ain't gonna be bumping off anyone while I'm around!" Jenny declared, retracting her wings as she charged at them.
"Ahh! Wait, don't...!" Mai began before Makoto quickly grabbed the charging robot girl.
"Listen. I don't know what's going on, but we're not invaders or anything! We're Pl-WOAH!" Makoto yelped when she was suddenly tossed over Jenny's shoulder and crashed into a table.
"I should warn you, but I've got the strength of a million and seventy men," Jenny warned, "But considering there's a crisis above you're taking advantage of? That's all you're getting." her right fist expanded and became armored with spikes on the knuckles before she swung it at Makoto, "HI-YAH!"
"Woah nelly!" Makoto yelped as she quickly rolled out of the way, "...Okay first off; that's cool. Second; What crisis?!"
"We do not know of this crisis you are talking about," Rook added before frowning a bit, "Also we are Plumbers. If there was a crisis, we…"
"Plumbers...really?" Jenny deadpanned as she retracted her fist, "Pull the other leg, aliens. Now you've got five seconds to scram or this won't be the cat's pajamas for either of you!"
"...P...pull the other...cat's paja…" Rook blinked before groaning, "Why must Earth's slang be so difficult, no matter the time period?!"
"Time travelling aliens? Aw geez. Now ain't this just swanky?" Jenny muttered, "Alright, five seconds gone, now…" her left foot expanded to several times its original size and swung it at the two, "SCRAM!"
"Is she literally giving us the boot?!" Makoto gawked as they barely avoided the foot.
"That is not a boot! ...More slang?!" Rook exclaimed in exasperation, "I need to invest in books on this!"
"Yeesh. What's got Rook so angry?" Ben's voice spoke from above.
"Past slang he…" Makoto began before ducking under a stretching punch, "Okay...while that's cool, please stop!"
"Yes please stop this. This is all a big misu-" Tsubaki began before a green flash went off, '...No no no...please don't come down here, Ben…'
Jenny swung another punch at Makoto only for a wall of diamonds to block her blow, "What the…?"
"I leave them alone for barely two hours and it ends up with killer robots," Diamondhead noted, his hands on the wall before he looked over his shoulder at Makoto and Rook, "We're all in agreement that Kajun is to blame?"
"Why go straight to h-okay, I see your point," Makoto admitted, "Yeesh, barely two weeks and you've got a good grasp on how she works."
"Considering I woke up one night to her sleep-drawing on my body and actually taking notes on spots that made me react? Yeah."
"...She did that to you too, huh…?" Mai asked with a sigh, "I...can kinda relate."
"...I have a curious mind. You c-" Kajun began.
"Now there are ones made of diamonds? What is wrong with outer space?" Jenny growled before her pigtails combined into a drill and dug underneath the ground, 'Sorry, mom. I'll fix this after I deal with these guys!'
"And she can change her pigtails into a drill? What is this? Tengen Toppa?" Diamondhead pondered.
"Oh my god! Someone finally s-" Makoto began before Jenny burst from the ground and tackled into Diamondhead, the two going right through the hole in the ceiling, "..."
"Oh dear…" Noel whispered.
"Okay, what happened down here and who are we to be annoyed with?" Rook asked, walking around the wall of diamond.
"Kajun," Tsubaki, Mai, and even Noel pointed at Kajun.
"...Really Noel?" Kajun sighed.
"S-sorry, Kajun. You...really should've controlled yourself," Noel stated.
"..."
"As for what happened…" Tsubaki began as she pointed at the pod Jenny was in, "We found the pod Jenny-the robot girl currently fighting with Ben-was in, and debated whether we should've released her or not...the latter mostly due to how she could react to the current year."
"Well considering how she reacted to Rook and me, apparently the 20s were pretty anti-alien," Makoto noted.
"...I think I might know why…" Kajun spoke, earning their attention, "Tsubaki, recall what you had Rook look into?"
"The Cluster and their leader Vexus? I do yes...why?"
"Given how Jenny asked if we had worked for the latter...I am to assume she is partially responsible for Earth being anti-alien in the 1920s," Kajun noted as she picked up one of the blueprints, "Her creator as well. The description in the note on here mentioned them."
"I see…" Tsubaki noted, "...Rook, what else did you find on them?"
"Nothing. The files describing both the Cluster and Vexus were damaged."
"...Why not ask Magister Tennyson?" Noel asked before a faint explosion went off upstairs.
"...After we help Ben and try and reason with Jenny, good idea," Tsubaki nodded.
"GH?!" Diamondhead grunted as he was sent skidding back form a punch from Jenny, nearly crashing into some old furniture upstairs, "...Okay I have to admit, you're good…"
"I would thank you...but I am annoyed at that 'killer robot' comment you made towards me," Jenny frowned, "I am not a killer robot!"
"Call 'em as I see 'em, toots," Diamondhead replied.
"I am not a toot! I don't even consume alcohol!" Jenny snapped before swinging another punch before kicking Diamondhead with a foot, managing to crack his blocking arm a little.
"Yeesh, that's a strong kick," Diamondhead noted, looking at the crack before tapping his emblem and replaced himself with FourArms, "So let's see how good you can take it!"
"Huh?!" Jenny gawked before FourArms slammed her in the face with an uppercut, sending her crashing through the ceiling before she came back down and making another hole, "...You..you can transform?!"
"Yup! And I…"
"You work for Vexus, don't you?!"
"Who now?" FourArms blinked before a missile crashed into him, exploding on impact, "Gah!"
"Don't try and pull the wool over my eyes…" Jenny frowned as she lowered her arm, "A transforming invader sounds like something Vexus would do."
"I don't even know who that is!" FourArms snapped from the smoke before a green flash went off and Jenny was knocked off her legs and then slammed through a wall by XLR8, "Seriously, this is getting whack."
"I'd rather not deal with alien lingo," Jenny growled, poking her head out of the hole before deploying skates from her feet as rockets appeared on the backs of her pigtails, "Hope you're ready because I'm gonna take you for a ride!"
"Oh now you're starting to copy m-" XLR8 began before he was tackled by Jenny, the robot girl grabbing onto his tail as she dragged him along, "Gah! Watch the tail!"
"Not unless you tell me what Vexus is planning!"
"Again, I don't know who that is!"
"Stop trying to pull my leg! Vexus is the galaxy's most dangerous alien and she's been trying to take over Earth for years!"
"So? I've fought Vilgax, and he's way more dangerous than this Vexus chick!" XLR8 replied before Jenny slammed him into the ground, "Gah! Okay...enough with the tail!" he tapped his Omnitrix and Big Chill took his place, "Why don't you calm down and chill?" he demanded while phasing through her, encasing the robot in a block of ice, "Heh-heh. See what I did there?"
"Yeah...not funny…" Jenny deadpanned from within the ice, "And I've met bad guys who had more wordplay than that."
"Oh now that's just cold."
"Then why don't I heat things up?" Jenny asked as the tips of her pigtails began to glow before firing lasers, shattering the ice containing her and hitting Big Chill, knocking him into another wall.
"...Oh...you can do that, too…" Big Chill groaned as he climbed up, "...Not bad for a killer robot…"
"Again, I am not a killer robot! My name is Jenny, or as your leader Vexus likes to call me, XJ9!" Jenny argued.
"I keep telling you I don't even know who she is, and I don't serve her!" Big Chill argued before Jenny motioned to him, "...Why are you...wait. Was…was she bug-themed in some sense?" he gave her a deadpan look, "Don't just lump aliens together like that."
"You're the one who's lumping robots with being killers!"
"Not all robots; just you," Big Chill replied before turning transparent barely in time to avoid a buzzsaw that had once been her hand, leaving her blade frozen over with ice, "How many gadgets are inside of you, anyway?"
"Enough to handle evil invaders like you, especially i-"
"Don't say it!" Big Chill snapped, making her jump ,"I think we got off on the wrong foot. I am not an invader or work for this Vexus lady you keep mentioning. In fact...why would I work with a bad guy?! I've saved the universe! Multiple times!"
"Then how come I've never heard of you, hmm?" Jenny retorted.
"...Aw great. Another time traveller," Big Chill sighed before shouting, "Makoto! I am blaming you!"
"Why me?!" Makoto's voice exclaimed.
"Opening!" Jenny roared, now sporting six arms all holding a large sword that she used to slash at Big Chill, who turned intangible once more and let them slice through a post behind him into six pieces...causing the building to start shaking.
"...That was the support beam, wasn't it?" Big Chill asked.
"...Oops…" Jenny whispered, paling a bit, 'Oh I am in deep trouble now!'
Big Chill tapped the Omnitrix once more, becoming Diamondhead again, "I got it!" he slammed his hands on the ground, quickly forming two crystal pillars from the floor to the ceiling and caused the shaking to stop, "Whew. Was worried for a…" the Omnitrix timed out, leaving Ben in his place, "...second. ...I hate the time limit. Really, I do."
"..." Jenny just stood there, blinking a bit as she stared at him.
"...Look...I…" Ben began.
"Y...you're...human?"
"Of course I'm human," Ben replied.
"You dress weird, too," Jenny admitted.
"Hey! This is the latest style, thank you," Ben snorted.
"Since when?"
"Uh...since ever! ...Oh wait, you're most likely from the future s-"
"Wait…" Jenny held her hands up, "I'm not from the future. Aren't you the one from the future with those two aliens in the l-oh shoot! They're still down there!"
"If you're worried about Tsubaki, Mai, Noel, and Kajun then don't. All of them are my teammates," Ben noted, "Well...only Rook is my partner. The rest are my apprentices that Grandpa pulled some strings with."
"...Huh?"
"Yeah...we're the good guys."
"...Huh?!" Jenny gawked before shaking her head, "Wait. Since when did the Skyway Patrol recruit aliens?!"
"The who now?" Ben raised a brow.
"The Skyway Patrol! They…well...they really aren't keen on me…" Jenny admitted, "Then again...they mostly focused on filing paperwork than actual patrolling."
"They sounded boring…" Ben bluntly admitted.
"Most of the time, yeah," Jenny replied before blinking a few times as she looked at the undamaged areas of the room they were in, "Cobwebs? Is...is that mold and wood rot?"
"...uh...yeah…" Ben replied, "I mean...it is a haunted house...right?"
"...Haunted?" Jenny repeated before turning to frown at Ben, "This is my home."
=Oh! Found a master blueprint!= Kajun chirped from the communicator in the Omnitrix =XJ Series Model Number 9. Hm. Seems the name 'Jenny' was scribbled under it in a corner=
=Kajun, seriously, stop messing with things in here!= Makoto barked.
"Must have turned on the communicator in one of their badges," Ben noted, about to turn it off.
=Ah, it seems she was built in 1915 after eight other attempts. Amazing! Over a hundred years old yet she seems more like she was recently taken off the proverbial production line= Kajun noted.
"A hu...a what?!" Jenny gawked before her pigtails turned into satellite dishes that spun around, "What? There...There's no explosions...no heavy metal stomps...no ripping metal apart and minor explosions inside of furnaces designed to melt weaponry…Did…did we win?"
=Um...i-is this wire supposed to be exposed?= Noel asked.
=Hm? Ah, that explains some things= Kajun noted =When we fell through the ceiling, the debris landed on this, completing the circuit this wire was supposed to make=
=What was it supposed to do?= Rook questioned.
=I believe it was in charge of her pod's timer= Kajun guessed =Since it was damaged, the timer must have just been put on pause and with it being out of normal sight, no one would have noticed it. She must have meant to spend only a few days in here, not several decades like she has=
"Decades?" Jenny asked, getting a bad feeling in her systems as she slowly turned towards Ben, "...Hey. What…year is it?"
=...Please tell me someone didn't leave their badge on…= Tsubaki sighed.
=What?= the others asked.
=Oh shoot! Mine's on! Dang it! Kajun bumping me outta the wa-CLICK!= the communicator shut off in the middle of Makoto's panic.
"...Hoo b-" Ben began before Jenny grabbed him.
"Please tell me! What year is this?!"
"Hey whoa...whoa...calm just calm down for a second…" Ben began as he held his hands up, "From what I understand, you woke up expecting it to be the 1920's...I'm sorry to say it's been awhile since you...went to sleep. You've been asleep for about 90 plus years. We are closing in on the 2020's soon...in about 8 years or so, but still..."
"...What…?" Jenny whispered, her eyes wide as she let him go, "...But...but that's…I've been asleep..for over 90 years?!"
"It would seem so."
"Then...Mom, Brad, Tuck, Sheldon...everyone I know…" Jenny whispered before she rushed for the front door and ran outside. As she did, she noticed how the houses around the block look more..styled and modern, the cars more sleek, and some people passing by while looking at some black tablets. She then turned around and noticed the condition of her house, "...Oh...it's true..."
"Look I'm sorry." Ben spoke up walking out, "I blame certain people for causing all this!" he hissed at the house as his team sheepishly hid inside, "Oh no...this time I get to be upset! Tsubaki, this is all your fault for even dragging us here!"
"HAHAHA! You...you're the one getting yelled at for once!" Makoto laughed, rocking on her tail as she pointed at Tsubaki.
"...Yes...I will admit..this is my fault…" Tsubaki sighed, taking a deep breath, "And I was hoping to avoid this scenario, but Kajun had to be curious…"
"Yeah well you're supposed to stop her!" Ben threw his hands into the air, "Now look what you did! Both of you! Oh I know Mai and Noel are innocent. They always are!"
"It's true." Makoto chuckled.
"Call Grandpa Max and see if he can help fill in the blanks here." he ordered.
"We were already planning on calling him after we helped you," Tsubaki admitted.
"Regardless! Call him! NOW!"
"Ahh! Y-yes sir!" Tsubaki yelped in surprise as she saluted.
"So...you can be a leader." Rook noted.
"Not now partner…" Ben sighed.
"Still it is amazing such high level technology could be made so far in Earth's past. XJ-9 is clearly Level 10 or above technology. Possibly even Level 15."
"Rook not now…" Mai whispered to him.
"Why? I…" Rook began before Mai motioned to a shaking Jenny as she fell to her knees, "..Oh…"
"Mom...everyone I knew...they…" Jenny whispered, tears starting to well in her eyes as her hands shook, "They're all gone…"
"...Oh dear," Noel whispered as she rushed over to help comfort the robotic girl.
"...Way to go, Tsubaki…" Makoto frowned at her friend.
"I…"
"Oh no. You don't get to scold me or try and argue. This time it's your fault," Makoto stated before whispering to her, "Also yeah...real good way to start your little project."
"?!...How…"
"Rook spilled the beans, but not important right now."
"Rook…" she complained.
"They coerced me...I am but a weak man…" he sighed.
"One fruit from home and he spilled like a punctured swimming pool." Makoto smirked.
"...Ugh. I would argue and scold you both, but..again, this is my fault…" Tsubaki admitted, "For now...let's contact Magister Tennyson."
"Good...oh and you better hope Ben doesn't have a punishment in mind~"
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Tsubaki deadpanned.
"I've never won against you in this stuff...let me have it, 'cause your rarely goof up this badly." Makoto smirked putting her hands on her hips, "Focus on fixing your mess, young lady." she taunted tilting her head up as her tail swished around slightly.
"...Fine…"
Elsewhere, deep in the middle of a large field, a figure could be seen as they were working on something...something...large.
"Yes...soon you will be finished," the figure whispered, "For too long have I suffered at dealing with the weak technology of today...soon the people will realize their mistake as I remind them the strength of the past! And you, my rare find…" they tapped the object they were working on, "Oh you will make it so things like 'wifi' and 'computer laptops' are obsolete...so that the past may flourish again!"
=I see…= Max noted on Tsubaki's communicator, the group back at the ProtoTRUK with Noel and Mai currently comforting the still sullen Jenny.
"It's entirely my fault…" Tsubaki admitted, "I...I really should've had a better eye on Kajun…"
=Ah it's alright Tsubaki. I can't tell you how many times Ben and Gwen did the same kind of shenanigans as kids. I myself am even guilty of losing track of myself, but moving on. We indeed did find files on this Nora Wakeman. Not long after those events of the 20s-30s, she was recruited to the earliest Plumber Earth division, she personally designed the base system up at Mt. Rushmore=
"Mom did?" Jenny asked, hearing her mother's name.
=You must be Jenny. Well I'm happy to say your mother lived a good life. Why your friend Bradley was even one of the top agents among us when he got recruited, still was for a good while when I was getting my start as a rookie! See the Plumbers absorbed many of the assets left behind by the Skyway Patrol when they went under. We just never followed their paperwork system. Good thing too...oof. From what I hear, it was like torture from the worst pits of hell=
"Yeah that sounds like them," Jenny noted.
"Wait...if they went on to become the foundation for the Earth Plumbers, why didn't we have...you know, files on Jenny?" Ben asked.
=I'd assume Ms. Wakeman wanted to keep her secret, not wanting to let the world know her daughter is probably one of the world's most advanced pieces of technology a couple dozen decades ahead of anything in the world. Also I'd assume she for the longest time figured Jenny never waking up was a mistake on her part, and as such tried not to make noticeable deal of it=
"That would most likely explain why there was barely any files on the Cluster and Vexus," Rook noted.
"And this was so long ago. I'd wager most folks who find any news papers or files assume it was fictional." Ben added, "The old Earth Plumbers focused on containing the alien existence from normal folks after all."
"...Vexus was different," Jenny spoke with a frown, "No matter how many times she lost...even after losing her throne on Cluster Prime, she wouldn't go down or be contained."
"Yeesh. Vexus was that bad huh?" Makoto asked.
"Sounds like Vilgax before we finally locked him up in the Megamax cell." Ben sighed.
"...Another invader?" Jenny guessed before shaking her head, "Sorry...just...I can't get over the fact there's aliens living here on Earth, and help defend it."
"Big galaxy...big universe...not every alien's bad, just like not every human or robot is good or bad." Ben argued, "You are legitimately the first robot that hasn't tried to kill me or cut off my Omnitrix." he motioned to the watch, "Wait. Does Robucket count as an alien or robot?" Ben asked Rook who shrugged.
"...Yeah...you have a lot to catch up on," Makoto deadpanned as she looked at Jenny.
"I know. I mean...jumpin' jiminies, so much has changed…" Jenny admitted before noticing a person walking by looking at their phone, "...Though I don't get why people are looking at those weird small tablet things."
"Those are phones," Mai explained.
"Really?" Jenny blinked, "But...where are the cords? How do people dial in someone's number if there's nothing to press and turn?"
"You know how your hair turns into a satellite dish?" Ben asked, earning a slight nod from her, "It's like a super scaled down version of that. Plus connection to the internet, a world wide electronic information storage and communication system."
"Surprise...the entire Universe has a GIANT scaled version of it!" Makoto added.
"It's a little overwhelming we know." Noel added, "And...we are from the future, it's a long story...very long."
"Also surprise...world is no better another 100 plus years from now." Makoto sighed.
"...Why…?" Jenny began.
"It's...best you don't ask…" Mai sighed.
"A problem we hope doesn't happen this time around." Ben smiled, "Look I get this is a lot, I mean imagine how it feels to learn your grandfather is the world's greatest intergalactic police officer and your grandma was an alien!" he laughed, "Ah having your world turned upside down is something I'm totally use to."
"Some of us are still technically getting used to it," Makoto admitted.
"Though one of us…" Mai began as she looked over at Kajun, who was busy looking through multiple notes and blueprints, "Adapted rather quickly."
"Hmm?" she blinked, looking up from them.
"Fair warning, if you see a gleam in her eye...run," Makoto warned.
"Why? She seems like a normal girl to me. Honestly reminds me of mom when she had a big research project going..."
"She's got a crazy mad scientist hidden under that normal facade," Makoto whispered.
"She's not entirely wrong…" Mai added, "Once she has her eyes set on something, she won't stop until she learns every aspect of it."
"Stop it," Tsubaki said, slapping Kajun's hand away from the Omnitrix, "One marvel of science at a time!"
"Fine…" Kajun muttered as she went back to the blueprints.
"See?" Makoto deadpanned.
"Eh heh...noted," Jenny noted as she scooted a bit further away from Kajun.
"What are you gonna do now, Jenny?" Noel asked.
"I'm not sure. This is a lot to take in…" she sighed, "What can I do? Go back to my original daily routine? I mean...what use am I in this day and age?"
"I don't know; you gave me a run for my money," Ben smiled, "Still plenty of weirdos and wackos trying to cause trouble from what I've seen."
"Wait, really?" Jenny blinked, "There's...still bad guys in this time?"
"Yup. Just a few days ago we dealt with a bunch of weather controlling robots that feed on negative emotions," Makoto answered.
"And Fistrick, a human alien weapon smuggler who steals from aliens and repurposes their technology into weapons for profit." Ben added, "Oh and then Animo, my second mortal nemesis who has control over animals...and mutates them into horrific monsters to try and kill me with wacky gimmicked schemes."
"What was that last bit?" Jenny asked in surprise.
"According to the Plumber database, Ben has faced easily over a hundred characters that can be categorized as these so called 'Super Villains', many still in prison now. Others however escape regularly." Rook spoke looking at his scanner gadget as it displayed a list of villains Ben has put away over the years, "Others are...immortal?"
"The Vreedles…" Ben explained, "They get blown up...A lot!"
"I...I thought..wow. And I thought most of the villains in my time were weird…" Jenny admitted.
"Eh...only a rare few are really bad news, most of which are more typical work," Ben shrugged, "But hey...that's how it goes in my life."
"Just watch what you say. It might feed into his ego," Makoto whispered to Jenny.
"Hey…" Ben crossed his arms.
"What? I'm just teasing."
"Look out! A ghost!"
"EEK!" Makoto screamed as she jumped on top of the ProtoTRUK, "WHERE?!"
"Uh-huh…" Ben smirked.
"...Not funny…" Makoto frowned as she hopped back down.
"It was kinda funny." Ben smiled.
"Look out! A peacock!"
"Yeah...like I'm falling for that," Ben smirked.
"D'oh...you…!" Makoto seethed.
"...Should...should I be concerned?" Jenny whispered to Mai and Noel, "I've seen weirder couples before in my time, b-"
"We're not a couple!" Ben and Makoto exclaimed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
"We just let them live in denial," Noel sighed.
"Noellie!?" Makoto gasped in fake insult.
"She does make a point," Rook added.
"Dude!" Ben exclaimed.
"I get the feeling I should stop talking," Rook chuckled.
"Please...and for the record, we are not a couple! Why would I wanna be with Ms. Anti-Fun?!"
"A-wait...I'M ANTI-FUN?!" Makoto exclaimed.
"Well someone has to be out of the two of you…" Kajun muttered, taken away from her research by Makoto's outburst.
"I am so not anti-fun!" Makoto argued, "I only tease him and make sure his head doesn't get big from his ego!"
"I don't have an e-"
"Oh ho yes you do! Every chance you get, you have to remind everyone you saved the universe multiple times!"
"Because I have!" he argued.
"Oh...I get it now," Jenny realized as she backed away with the others.
"Yeah…." Mai slowly nodded.
"This is normal…" Noel added, "We just let them yell themselves out 'till they get sleepy."
"Wait. That actually happened?" Jenny blinked.
"We once caught them arguing after playing a video game se…" Mai began before noticing the confused look on the robot girl's face, "...Right...robot from the 1920s…We may need to get you a guide for 2012..."
"We got lots of stuff to help," Noel smiled.
"...I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Jenny noted before smiling a bit, "Besides, I want to see how much Tremorton has changed. I bet everything must be really the bee's knees now."
"But...bees do not...UGH!" Rook groaned as he threw his hands up into the air, "Yet another confusing Earth slang from the past!"
"Rook...go take a seat…" Noel patted his shoulder, "It might be better for you that way."
"...Good idea…" Rook sighed.
"And we start with the library...because of course," Ben deadpanned.
"There was a second great war?!" Jenny gawked, looking up from a history book, "I was barely three when the first one ended!"
"Shh!" multiple people nearby sushed before resuming their own readings.
"Oops...sorry," Jenny whispered, her cheeks glowing blue.
"Ooh, these are interesting recipes," Noel noted, looking in a cookbook, "Though I don't think we have marinated mealworms back home."
"We don't," Makoto immediately replied.
"Mmm...Oh. Maybe Mr. Baumann might know where to pick some up."
"Ah nuts…" Makoto muttered.
"I'm in California...and someone's talking about marinated mealworms…" Ben noted before sighing, "If we were in a campground, it'd be my first day of summer vacation when I was ten."
"So 'bee's knees' means something is very interesting," Rook muttered, looking at a book of slang from the 1920s.
"We're trying to get him to understand Earth slang," Makoto whispered to Jenny.
"We found some reels of old papers from the twenties," Mai noted as she and Tsubaki walked over.
"Though the majority of the ones Jenny was in were under 'J' for 'Joke articles,'" Tsubaki admitted, "You really caused a robot riot involving amusement park automatons?"
"I...didn't really know all the facts," Jenny admitted, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, "Huh...I wonder how Wizzly World is like today."
"It closed around the late forties and the land was bought by Walt Disney," Kajun replied, still looking at blueprints, "In its place is Disney World."
"Really?" Jenny asked, "...Oh! Wasn't he behind Oswald the Lucky Rabbit? Boy, that must be the bee's knees, having a rabbit for a theme park mascot."
"Os-who-now?" Ben asked.
"You know, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The…wait. He's not the mascot? ...Nobody has ever heard of him? He was a big thing back in 1927," Jenny explained, "I just loved going to petting pantry to see his little cartoons."
"More than likely, the company Mr. Disney worked under to produced them own the rights to Oswald," Tsubaki noted, "The one cartoon character everyone thinks of now a days whenever you say 'Walt Disney' is Mickey Mouse."
Kajun typed on her tablet before raising a brow, "Ah. Well, I think we have a way to introduce Jenny to video games. Apparently, two years ago, Disney made a game involving a certain mouse...and a certain rabbit."
"Really?!" Jenny gasped before she was shushed once more, "...sorry." Kajun handed the tablet over to Jenny, "Epic Mickey. Well that's just jake."
"How did you not know that, Ben?" Makoto asked, "Us girls and Rook have valid excuses. What's yours?"
"I was dealing with investigating DNAliens and the Highbreed in 2010," Ben argued, "And if it came out during the time I was grounded, I didn't have access to the internet due to the grounding."
"What did you do?" Jenny asked.
"Eh, got into a fight with a Highbreed and ended up with a black eye. Scared mom and dad since they had actually been in the area and saw me transform and fighting the Highbreed," Ben explained, "I had to repair a wall in my room when I left to do it again because if I didn't then I'd be going against everything they taught me." he chuckled, "Dad's still got that blaster he used on the Highbreed on the mantle."
"Wait that was real!?" Makoto gawked, "I thought it was art!"
"Nope. Real as your tail," Ben smirked.
"I wanted to shoot it!" she cried out loudly, "It looked really cool! No fair~!"
"SHH!"
"...Sorry…" Makoto whispered, her ears drooping a bit.
"Wow the world is really different." Jenny went on, flipping through using her computer mind to process the information faster, "Huh 50's seems to be when things stopped looking familiar."
"I have always wondered why human culture changes so much every decade." Rook pondered.
"Things change as time goes by, including people," Ben shrugged.
"Not on my home planet." Rook argued, "It never does…" he sighed.
"Who wants to go to Rook's home planet one day?" Ben asked.
"I want to see the little Revonnan kids with tails!" Makoto happily declared.
"Hm?" Noel blinked in interest at that.
"Oh yeah. Turns out Rook's species, Revonnahganders, have tails when they're kids." Makoto explained.
"..." Noel took a moment to imagine that, "We must go…"
"Hai!" Makoto beamed before she was hushed again, "...sorry."
"You both just want to cuddle little Revonnahgangers don't you?" Tsubaki asked.
"...we do~" the two whined a bit.
"...are they really that cute?" Jenny asked out of curiosity."
"Rook has a picture of his family!" Makoto smiled.
"When did…" Rook blinked looking at the pouch on his armor where he held his wallet and noticed it opened, "I do not even want to know…"
"See he has two little siblings, both with tails!" Makoto cheered holding up a picture of a family with Rook in a cadet uniform in the center, "Try to ignore his cranky dad…" she chuckled.
"That...is for the best," Rook agreed.
"...They're adorable…" Jenny whispered in glee as she looked at the two kids in the picture.
"Sadly this is not up to date, my youngest sister has already had her naming ceremony, and lost her bi'nthak." Rook explained.
"Naming ceremony?" Noel blinked.
"When a Revonnahgander comes of age, and their bi'nthak falls off, they are allowed to pick their name." Rook explained.
"Wait...you don't have a name till puberty?" Makoto blinked.
"We do not, no."
"So...what do you call each other when your little kids?" Makoto asked.
"Typically young one, grey tail, little sister or brother, or if you are my sister Shar, you call the young ones brats…" he muttered.
"Sounds like normal things to call a younger sibling…" Makoto muttered, "...Typically out of anger, but still."
"I mean at least you get to pick your own name...what kid wouldn't love that!" Ben laughed.
"I named myself...granted it took some time convincing mom to let me call myself Jenny." Jenny admitted.
"I imagine any kid wants a normal name rather than what their weird name their parents originally gave them." Makoto muttered, "Some people don't get lucky and get good names from their folks."
"She gets it." Jenny smiled.
"I mean if you ever tried for a secret Identity stick, you could just use XJ-9 as your superhero name." Ben joked.
"This from the boy who named an alien X, L, R, 8." Makoto sighed.
"Why you gotta take cheap shots…?" he asked.
"Why? I'm not allowed to tease?" Makoto smirked.
"Well you could stand to be more clever," he countered, making her gasp in fake insult.
"How...dare you sir!" Makoto 'exclaimed' as she playfully slapped him with her tail.
"Why is this so enticing…?" Jenny asked as she and Noel watched them intently.
"Oh, we have much to show you." Noel smiled.
"Well seems Noel has bonded with Jenny." Mai noted.
"Seems so," Tsubaki noted, "And to be honest...I'm relieved."
"Hmm?" Mai blinked a that.
"I was afraid she wouldn't adapt well in our current time, but…" Tsubaki paused as she smiled a bit, looking at Jenny and noel talking with each other while giving a light giggle now and again, "I'm glad she's able to make friends here."
"And so Tsubaki's big goof up doesn't lead to more intense ramifications." Makoto gloated, earning a stink eye, "I'm doing this till me or Ben goof up and status quo is restored."
"Give it till the end of the day." Ben chuckled.
"Oh please. What's the worst that could happen?"
"..."
"...AHH! I JINXED IT!" Makoto freaked.
"I thought you knew of this!?" Ben panicked.
"You made me jinx it!"
"How's it my fault?!"
"You had to say 'give it until the end of the day!'"
"Honestly you two, you're in a…" Kajun began before the ground shook for a moment, "..."
"And Tsubaki is back to having the moral high ground." Mai muttered, having fallen over from the tremor.
"Not now, Mai," Tsubaki sighed as she stood up, "You, Noel, and Kajun head back to the ProtoTRUK. We'll handle whatever's approaching the town."
"Understood."
"Anything I can do to help?" Jenny asked.
"Wanna save people and potentially kick bad guy butt into a jail cell?" Ben smirked.
"If my home town is in danger, you better believe I do," Jenny smirked back.
"Cool. Then you're with team Kick butt!" Makoto smirked.
"Just be careful, Jenny," Noel advised as Mai helped Kajun out of her seat.
"Oh relax. How bad could they be?"
"Steampunk robots…" Ben spoke as they walked out to see what was happening, "Retro…" as sure enough large humanoid robots of bronze metal with steam popping out of pipes on their backs were walking around and attacking anything technologically advanced.
"So...new bad guy then?" Makoto guessed.
"I guess so." Ben shrugged.
"I feel this is irony…" Jenny muttered, "I wake up and a bad guy who uses robots shows up...come on."
"Oh how I hate ironic timing…" Tsubaki sighed, "But...what caused the…" she paused as the ground shook again, "tremor!?"
"Subterranean drilling machine?" Ben asked as he cycled through his aliens, "But we'll get to that first things first! It's hero time!" he smirked slapping the Omnitrix. The green wave washed over him as he changed into Swampfire, "Alright!" he smirked igniting his hands as he rushed and began punching the robots, "Finally the one I picked!"
"Why…" Makoto complained, pinching her nose, "So smelly…" she gagged.
"I've...had a lot of practice with this one!" he grunted, tearing through a robot with his punch. He then tossed some seed pods, making vines spring up and capture several of them, "Practice like you wouldn't believe…" he smirked blasting a stream of fire that melted some of the robots.
"I can see that," Jenny noted as she fired a few laser shots from her hands, hitting some of the steam-powered robots as they fell over, "Still...why steam-powered? I mean..it's impressive, but...doesn't that…"
"That does not concern you, ya weak modern piece of scrap!" a new voice spoke.
"Sc...scrap?!" Jenny exclaimed as she and the others turned to who said that, seeing a man in some sort of steam-punk attire blended with a gentleman's outfit complete with large top hat, cuffs on his sleeves, and tie; he also sported orange hair with mutton chops and a very bushy mustache.
"Yes. I call you that because you are not powered by the fuel of the past!" the man declared as he gripped his cane, "I will show this modern world the true power of my steam powered machines, so says I...Steam Smythe!"
"...uh...don't you mean Smith?" Swampfire asked.
"No Smythe! With a 'Y'!
"Alright chill dude…" Swampfire complained as he punched a robot tearing it in half with his super strength, "You and your steam punks don't stand a chance here anyway!" he smirked charging up another fireball in his hand.
"You would think so, but I have yet to show you my trump card!" Steam Smyth laughed, "You see, a couple of weeks ago, I found something rather interesting while looking through my mail."
"An e-mail?" Makoto guessed.
"No. Snail mail."
"...Snails can deliver mail?" Rook blinked.
"No Rook. It's what people refer to mail delivered by the postman."
"I do not understand why they are called snails…" Rook muttered.
"Its...just...an expression for how slow it takes to send things that way!" Swampfire grunted blasting several robots.
"Oh…"
"It's fine. I...really don't get it myself…" Jenny muttered, "I mean, do people still g-"
"Will you let me finish?!" Steam Smyth snapped, "Hmph...honestly the youth of today, absorbed into ignoring their elders and focusing on their 'IPads', their 'video games', and their 'Facebook'."
"...so that's what you're up to," Tsubaki frowned a bit, "You're trying to rid the world of modern technology."
"Well of course!" Steam Smyth declared, "Which is why I state this! During the coming weeks, I have been busy preparing this relic of the past, one that will not only remind people how strong steam truly is, but how devastating this nightmare once was!"
"Oh really? And what is this 'nightmare' called anyway?" Swampfire asked as he crossed his arms.
"It goes by one simple name...one that once struck fear into the hearts of men...the Armagedroid!"
"?!" Jenny's eyes widened in horror at that, "No..y...you didn't…"
"Oh crud…" Swampfire sighed, grabbing a robot by its head and melting it with his flames.
"Yes. You are right to be afraid…"
"That's…bad right?" Makoto asked.
"The Armagedroid was easily the most dangerous machine in the 1920s, a level 20 tech...if not higher," Rook frowned as he aimed his ProtoTool at Steam Smyth, "And you said you recreated it?"
"So...you remade a robot...with Armagedon in its name...wow you are one dumb genius." Swampfire spoke, forming another fireball.
"You will not say that once I have it unleash a magnetic blast so strong, it'll wipe out all technology on the planet," Steam Smyth smirked, "That way...people will have to rely on steam-powered technology once more."
"You...you're all kinds of loopy!" Jenny snapped, "The world was nearly destroyed by that thing! It...It nearly put me into the deep sleep had my mom not saved me!"
"And that's where the red flags become crimson," Makoto whispered as she pulled her tonfa out.
"Yeah, we'll just dismantle your toy before you can do any damage!" Swampfire declared pointing at Steam Smythe.
"Heh...Well my dear boy…" Steam Smyth began as he flipped the top of his cane, revealing a button, "I'd like to see you try…"
With that he pressed it, causing the ground to rumble as the group nearly fell over. It was then they noticed a massive shadow covering the entire area...no. More like covering the entire town. Standing or rather floating above them was a huge silver humanoid giant of a robot. Its body was made of large segments of metal combined together into limbs and a torso. It's stomach opened to reveal a glowing furnace that heated up the air around it before closing. Its faintly human like face looked down as glowing red eyes shone.
"HOLY~!" Makoto began as the figure stood over them. Frighteningly so, as the giant looked down towards them.
"Oh man…" Swampfire sighed, flashing back to Ben, "Come on Omnitrix...help me out this once...Way big!" he pleaded selecting the image of the alien he wanted.
"Wait what...what was that?" Steam Smythe asked, seeing the flash, "What monstrosity is that watch?"
"The Omnitrix is the most powerful tool in the universe!" Ben declared not turning to him, "And it's meant to do one thing...kick bad guy tail!" he spoke, "Come on Way Big...ah...where are you!" he complained cycling through all his aliens quickly as he could, "This is what I get for having over 50 aliens by now!"
"Well hurry up! This..this is just overkill!" Makoto exclaimed as she shook him.
"Don't you think I'm trying!"
"Magister Tennyson, this is Tsubaki Yayoi!" Tsubaki spoke into her communicator, "We have a Code red! I repeat! A code Red! Someone has recreated the Armaged…!"
"Enough! No matter what you may bring, it will not stop me!" Steam Smyth declared before pointing hsi cane at the group, "Armagedroid, destroy them!"
"Gh?!" the group tensed as they braced themselves to dodge. However...nothing seemed to happen.
"...huh?" Makoto blinked.
"...I said...destroy them, Armagedroid!" Steam Smyth ordered once more, only for nothing to happen, "..."
"...He….he's just standing there…menacingly…doing nothing," Makoto noted, "Did...did it run out of steam?"
"No...the Armagedroid has a self running engine," Jenny explained, "...Something must be up."
"Come on, you blasted piece of machinery, work!" Steam Smyth snapped, rapidly pressing teh button, "I did not waste weeks rebuilding you and refitting you with a new core to not do anything!"
"What was he even meant to do?" Ben asked.
"Destroy all weapons…" Jenny explained.
"He hasn't registered anything we have as weapons…" Ben realized. Makoto quickly retracted her tonfa at that point.
"Yes...none of us have shown him weapons to destroy," Rook realized, "Meaning as long as none of us deploy anything he sees as a weapon...he will not attack!"
"..If...that's true, and he intended to use it to destroy modern technology…" Tsubaki began, "...Did..you take out the part that registers it to do that?"
"Well of course. How else was I supposed to integrate the steam powering it and the core that brings him life?" Steam Smyth huffed.
"You...you realize you just made it stupid and unable to do anything…" Ben pointed out.
"It's more or less just a giant intimidating robot that doesn't know what to do." Makoto added.
"Yes...while impressive that you reconstructed it...your short sight in that decision is quite...sad." Rook sighed.
"Same old dummy super villains…" Jenny sighed, "Can't even make a simple fix without messing up one important thing."
"I...you...I...but…" Steam Smyth muttered, "But...It...took me weeks to rebuild!"
"Yeah...and the last person who rebuilt it made it really menacing," Jenny deadpanned.
"Who rebuilt it last?"
"Vexus, but she…" Jenny paused before her eyes widened, "?!"
"...False alarm. Th-" Tsubaki began before Jenny took her badge, 'What the?!"
"Mr. Tennyson, can I ask you something real quick?" Jenny asked, worry heavy in her voice.
=What's wrong?=
"Before I was put into that pod, did...anyone ever find Vexus after the battle?"
=Vexus...the Cluster's former Queen...no. She was labeled as MIA and hasn't appeared since=
"...Jenny...why did you ask that?" Makoto cautiously asked.
"...Hey!" Jenny shouted at Steam Smyth, making him jump a bit, "This core you used to help reactivate the Armagedroid...what did it look like?!"
"...I...I am unsure. It...oddly looked like a cocoon mixed with a sarcophagus of sorts."
"...and...where did you find it exactly?"
"Amongst the parts I had found."
"...That's how she escaped…." Jenny whispered with wide eyes.
"Seriously, Jen-chan, you're freaking me o-" Makoto began before a feminine chuckle filled the air, "?!"
The Armagedroid seemed to sputter and twitch for a moment, its eyes going in and out as its chest began to glow ominously. Without a moment's notice, something burst from its chest before zipping down, the steam-powered engine powering the giant machine being sliced in two as it began to fall backwards, falling into pieces as it did. Before the others could react, the figure blurred past them and picked up Smyth by his shirt.
"Gh?! Wh...what is…?!"
"Hmmm hmm hmm...well well, so this is who I have to thank for reawakening me…" the figure noted in a female voice.
"...Vexus…" Jenny whispered, worry heavy in her voice as she looked at the figure.
The figure was tall and designed to resemble a feminine humanoid beetle of sorts. Her body was primarily dark green in color with pitch black stripes on her legs, her heeled feet, and covered the entirety of above her chest minus her head and five-clawed hands, exposing the yellow-green metal they were made of. Her optics were triangular in shape with black slits in them resembling feral eyes with black markings under them that became spirals at the bottoms at the far ends of the bottom half of her optics. Adorning her yellow-green head was a dark-green headdress resembling an Egyptian ruler's headdress mixed with long hair that ended just above her knees. A pale-yellow orb rested on her forehead with two long black antennae growing out at the sides of the orb.
"Oh man…." Ben spoke just as shocked.
"Ahh...it feels great to be out in the open once again…" Vexus sighed a bit, moving her neck around a bit before taking a look around, "And oh my...the Earth certainly has changed since my time...so full of...technology…"
"R...release me, you...you...who are you?!" Steam Smyth demanded.
"Hmm?" Vexus blinked as she turned to the group...and saw Jenny glaring at her, "...well now. It seems you're here as well, XJ9," she grinned as she dropped Smythe, "To be honest, I had hoped you became scrap after what happened all those years ago, but I'm rather glad you didn't, Jennifer."
"Vexus...why are you still active...why don't you just quit!?" Jenny snapped, flying up to be at eye level.
"Oh Jennifer dear, I thought you knew me better," Vexus chuckled as she placed a finger on Jenny's chin, "I...never give up," she smirked before flicking her fingers on the robot girl's forehead, sending her crashing right into a car.
"Well...that's not good." Ben spoke.
"Hmm?" Vexus took a look at the group Jenny was with, "Oh? Humans and aliens...working together?" Well..this truly is an interesting year to be in. Let me guess, you're the next generation of the Skyway Patrol?"
"Please…" Ben smirked, slapping the Omnitrix as he changed into Chromastone, "They wish they were half as awesome as me!"
"What...was...that?" Vexus paused to realize what just happened.
"Look out! Laser to the face!" Chromastone shouted before blasting her, sending her flying into a building.
"...Well…" Vexus began as she floated out of the building, dusting herself off, "That just happened."
"I might have underestimated her toughness…" Chromastone muttered before tensing, Vexus now before him.
"Interesting...a flesh wearer that can transform into a Crystalsapien…" Vexus noted before looking at the Omnitrix symbol on his chest, Well...here's the how. Galvan technology...huh. Didn't think those little ego-filled frogs would share their technology with a human."
"I'm special. I'm the guy who stopped Vilgax, the High Breed, Aggregor, and Dagon the Destroyer," he spoke, jumping back as he charged up his fists with prismatic energy.
"Cute," Vexus smirked a bit, "But still, technology...is technology afterall."
"Huh? What's that supposed t-" Chromastone began before Vexus flew up to him and lightly tapped the Omnitrix, making him instantly revert back to Ben with the watch in recharge mode, "...did...did you just hack my Omnitrix?!"
"Oh no no. More like I...coerced it."
"...Technopathy," Tsubaki realized.
"Techno-what?" Makoto blinked at that.
"The ability to control technology," Rook answered before his eyes widened, "Oh dear…"
"Now you see...why she's so dangerous?" Jenny grunted as she climbed out of the car wreckage.
"Wait. If she can control tech, why isn't she trying to brainwash you?" Makoto asked in concern as she helped her up, "I figured that would be her first move."
"Liquids snap me out of her control kinda easily," Jenny replied, "That and short-circuiting."
"Good to know!" Makoto gave a simple thumbs up.
"This hasn't happened since Vilgax could hack the old prototype…" Ben muttered, messing with his Omnitrix.
"So that removes our tech from the equation," Tsubaki noted, looking at her sword and shield while Rook glanced at his ProtoTool.
"That is fine," Rook noted as he assumed a stance.
"Gr...you…" Smythe growled out, trying to get out of the net as he glared at Vexus, "Don't you just ignore me, especially after what you did to my Armagedroid!"
"Huh...Oh, that one's still moving...surprisingly resilient for an unsightly sack of flesh and bone," Vexus only gave a passing glance, "I'm afraid I have more pressing matters then repaying you for awakening me." she moved to the side, avoiding a punch from Rook before avoiding a hook from Makoto and delivered a kick to them both, sending them crashing into the car wreckage, "Neither of you are that matter."
"Yes!" Ben smirked, the Omnitrix turning back on as he slapped it and morphed into Big Chill, "Okay...let's try this again, lady!" he spoke before blasting an ice beam from his hand.
"A Necrofriggian form as well? Times indeed have changed," Vexus noted before firing green lasers from her eyes, colliding with Big Chill's ice beam.
"Yeah, but I know your trick now...you need to touch," Big Chill smirked, turning intangible just as she lunged to tap the Omnitrix again, "Too bad so sad." he mocked, breathing an ice breath that froze her feet to the ground, "Jenny!" he shouted, phasing into the ground just as a giant fist struck Vexus and sending her flying down the street, "And it's a home run!" Big Chill laughed, floating up out of the ground.
"...Hmm," Vexus gave a slight chuckle, readjusting her body midair as she skidded along the ground, "Clever. To think a flesh wearer would earn my slight interest...if not just a slight pinch."
"Ooh cocky...Like I haven't dealt with this schtick before," Big Chill spoke standing next to Jenny, "Let's just get to the part where we hit you until we feel like we've gotten all our issues out." he spoke, forming a spiked ball of ice over his hands like boxing gloves, "What do you say Jen...got some issues to work out by punching an old nemesis?"
"Considering all she's done? You bet," Jenny replied, panels sliding in her expanded fists to let drills emerge from them.
"You picked a bad day to suddenly revive...now you got two world saving heroes to humiliate ya," Big Chill smirked.
"Actually, I believe this is a perfect day to return," Vexus replied before snapping her claws as the orb floating above her head turned red, "Minions."
"Minions? Yeah, right. You got kicked off your own home planet," Jenny replied, "What minions do you ha…" the steam-powered robots turned their heads to her and Big Chill, "...Oh."
"Ah nerts…" Big Chill sighed, "She's learned about Wifi…"
"Less talky; more smashy!" Jenny replied as the two began punching out the Steam-bots, demolishing them.
"..." Vexus frowned slightly as she looked over at Smythe, "Your creations are poorly crafted...subpar at best."
"S...subpar?! They are powered by steam a-!" Smythe began.
"Ah...everyone's trying to be retro...freakin' hipsters…" Big Chill sighed, uppercutting a robot's head off.
"Just goes to show ya how..." Makoto began before one of t/he robots grabbed her tail, "?!" she gave it a look, "Did you just grab my tail?"
"Uh-oh. They grabbed the tail," Mai noted from the ProtoTRUK.
"Did you just grab my tail?"
"Shouldn't have done that," Mai continued.
"Did you just grab my tail?!"
"Now they're in for it," Mai rolled her eyes before Makoto grabbed the robot, ripped off its grabbing arm, and threw it at several others before jumping on them and smashing them with a strong punch that dented the ground.
"Only my friends and family can grab my tail without being pummeled!" Makoto barked.
"Don't touch the tail," Big Chill spoke as he launched icicles like spears, skewering many robots at once.
"Noted," Jenny added as she punched a pair of robots from both sides.
"Ugh...Honestly, even now it's hard to get good help…" Vexus sighed before she noticed the ProtoTRUK, "...Well now…"
"?! ...She isn't…" Tsubaki whispered with wide eyes, "...Mai, Kajun, Noel! Get out of there now!"
"E-Eh?" Noel pondered.
"Ben...do what you do best!" Makoto panicked.
"NO! Do not do what you do best!" Rook panicked in realization.
"It's for the better good partner...it must be done." Big Chill spoke dramatically as he slapped the Omnitrix and turned into Jury Rigg, "Break! Break! Break!" he shouted, lunging ahead and jumping off several robots before landing and climbing inside the ProtoTRUK.
"What a-" Mai began before Vexus was instantly before the ProtoTRUK, "Ahh!"
"No you don't!" Jury Rigg shouted, popping out of the AC vent, "Ahahahaha!" he laughed, climbing back inside as the truck began shaking. After a few moments of shaking the truck...just fell apart piece by piece, leaving everyone sitting in seats with the cabin falling apart to pieces on the road, "Broken~" Jury Rigg sighed in content, sitting inside a tire.
"My Truck!" Rook panicked.
"It's better than the crazy technopath alien queen taking control of it!" Makoto argued.
"Rrrgh! You insufferable little Planchaküle!" Vexus snarled.
"Gesundheit!" he laughed as he started jumping away from her attempts to snatch him, "Nah-nah-nah!" he taunted, jumping around her, "Your mother was a rusty toaster!" he cheered, climbing up a street light, "And your dad was a rejected barcode scanner!"
"Wait...this is a perfect form for fighting her!" Makoto realized, "Jury Rigg can take apart any tech! Hey! Juryrigg, break her!"
"Break?" he blinked looking at Vexus as his eyes became stars, "BREAK! BREAK!" he cheered, pulling out tools from thin air as a mischievous look formed on his face.
"Oh scrap," Vexus realized, barely avoiding his lunge.
"BREAK! BREAK! BREAK! GAHAHAHAHAHA~!" Juryrigg cackled, chasing her around.
"Um...What did he turn into?" Jenny asked.
"A Planchaküle," Rook explained, "They are considered some of the greatest mechanics and builders in the galaxy."
"Come back here so I can break you!" Juryrigg cheered, chasing Vexus.
"YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
"Hide Jenny!" Makoto hissed to the other girls, "We started him on this road. Can't be too careful."
"...Oh!" Noel realized before she and Mai quickly grabbed Jenny, making her yelp in surprise as they quickly hid her behind them.
"Seems her race fears them…" Mai noted.
"I'd imagine the ultimate technological dismantlers are scary to techno organisms," Tsubaki offered her theory.
"Very much so it seems," Kajun noted, noticing the light panicked look on Vexus' face as she avoided Juryrigg's lunges.
"Gah!" Vexus yelped as she floated up, barely avoiding another lunge, "Grr...This is getting ridiculous! Get him…!"
"Break!" Juryrigg cackled as he tried to jump for her again.
"...Get that thing away from me!" Vexus demanded as she floated higher to stay away from him, "How to deal with this?" she looked around before spotting the abandoned Wakeman home, "Ah. Perfect. Hey! You want to break something?"
"Break! Break! Break! Break! Break!"
"It's right over here!" Vexus called, flying off towards the house.
"?! No!" Jenny shouted as she flew off after her.
"Jenny no!" Noel gasped as she ran after her.
"Yoo-hoo~! Over here~!" Vexus waved before the door.
"Breakbreakbreakbreak~!" Juryrigg cackled as he lunged at her, only for Vexus to move out of the way and let him crash through the door.
"What is wrong with him?!" Makoto gawked.
"Unfortunately...if they focus too much on one part of their abilities, they tend to fall into a trance of either breaking everything or fixing everything," Rook explained.
"What?!" Jenny gasped as she landed, about to run for the house before Noel grabbed her, "L-let me go…!"
"But if you go in there, you'll…" Noel began.
"I don't care! I...I don't want to lose what's left of my home!" Jenny argued.
"Quite the conundrum, isn't it Jennifer?" Vexus asked as she stood by and watched as a window broke from the remains of a chair that had been ripped to pieces, "If you enter, then you may very well be dismantled." part of the roof was blown off from the remains of a kitchen sink, "But if you don't, then your home is gone for good."
"Jury Rigg! Stop breaking...FIX!" Makoto shouted.
"Fix?" his head popped out of the chimney, "FIX!" he cheered jumping back down.
"Fix?" Vexus repeated before tensing, "No...do not fix! Break!"
"Break?!"
"No fix!" Makoto shouted.
"Break!"
"Fix!" Makoto and Jenny shouted.
"Oh…" Jury Rigg groaned, his eyes spiraling as he stumbled out of the house, "You girls are driving me crazycrazycrazycrazy~!" he declared, falling on his face, "I pass out now...blarg…" he groaned as his tongue rolled out of his mouth.
"Phew…" the girls sighed in relief before they were blasted by Vexus' eye lasers, "GAH!"
"Well I didn't hurt XJ-9 much, so that's a disappointment. But on the pro list...thanks to you brats that thing's not gonna dismantle me." Vexus sighed, walking towards the downed heroes, "I'd love nothing more then to destroy you right here, right now, Jennifer...but...oh...that wouldn't hurt you nearly as much as what I have planned. You took my world from me...all I worked hard to make mine...Now I'm going to take your world from you," she taunted, lifting a hand up and tapping where Jenny's nose would be, "And thanks to how much your planet has advanced...oh...it'll be oh so much easier."
"...I'll make sure it doesn't happen," Jenny frowned.
"Ahh...and there's that defiant nature of yours…" Vexus grinned, "It's a shame you weren't born on Cluster Prime..You would've been a good daughter...not unlike Vega, who should've done as she was told to do."
"Says the former queen who stole the golden chips of everyone on her home planet," Jenny countered.
"She did what?" Makoto asked.
"She stole the computer chips of her own people, preventing them from functioning properly...and framed me for it."
"...Oh you're just outright lucky lady, you know that?" Makoto glowered at Vexus.
"What? She took it all away from me...but what goes around...comes around." she smiled while extending wings and floating up, "Oh...I will enjoy taking your silly little mudball of a planet from you...just like you took my world from me. I don't even think I really hate these humans...it's just the best way to hurt you." she laughed, flying up higher, "We'll meet again soon, my dear,"
"Hold it! You…!" Rook began as he aimed his ProtoTool.
"No, Rook. She'll turn it around on you," Tsubaki stated.
"What?" he asked as the barrel flipped over and produced a taser prod, "Oh…" he realized before throwing it down just before it could shock him, "That is...annoying."
"...Vexus…" Tsubaki whispered as she looked up, "What a truly dangerous foe…We need to inform Magister Tennyson what's going on."
"I fixed the plumbing!" Jury Rigg declared from inside the house.
"Oh crud, he's still stuck like that!" Makoto realized, rushing in to get him.
"Are we sure Ben has no better alien to help with this?" Rook asked.
"I'm not sure," Mai replied, "I've barely seen twelve of them."
"Ah! Stand still yo-Ew~! He licked me!"
"Lemme fix!"
"No! Time out already!"
"Fixfixfixfixfix!"
"Wait, what is th-" Makoto began.
*BOING~*
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Makoto screamed as she was shot out of the hole in the roof and landed before them, "...ow..."
"He's going to fix everything in there?" Jenny asked.
"Correct," Rook answered.
"That's...good, right?" Jenny asked before her arm extended and grabbed Steam Smythe just as he was about to round a corner, "So...what do we do with this alarm clock?"
"..." the girls, minus Noel who was checking on Makoto, looked at Rook.
"Well, he attempted to utilize a recognized WMD to create havok, assaulted officers of the law with automatons powered by steam, revitalized a highly dangerous criminal, and attempted to flee the scene of a crime," Rook listed, "I do believe that he will be placed into a cell as soon as Plumbers arrive to take him in and receive a situation report." he held up several sheets of paper, "I made a copy of all the pages in that book of 'slang' from the 1920s."
"Ahh. I s-"
"Done!" Juryrigg beamed as he hopped out, the Omnitrix timing out as he changed back to Ben, "Hoo...that ruckered me out..."
"Mmm…" Makoto gave a muffled groan, her face still in the ground before she pulled herself up, "Pah! Ugh...got grassy taste in my mouth…"
"Eh heh...sorry," Ben sheepishly chuckled.
"So...it's really all fixed in there?" Jenny asked as she approached the door.
"It is...hopefully to what you remember," Ben answered as Jenny opened the door.
GT: Hoo boy...This won't end well.
SZ: No it will not...And guess what? This is just part 1!
GT: Yep. 2 parter!
SZ: Mm hmm...but you'll have to wait and see what happens in part 2, so...read and review!
GT: Toodles!