Chapter 4: Hunted
On the border between Nevada and New Mexico, outside a small town, named Slaterville, Max Tennyson had set up a training course for Ben using old soda cans, tires, and boulders. Max was pulling on a rope setting everything in place. Ben stood in the middle of the training course while Gwen was sunbathing while putting on sunscreen.
"Remember, Ben. This is a training simulation decide which alien is the best for this situation." Max reminded the teenager as he nodded firmly.
"You got it, grandpa." Ben spun the dial on the watch as the faceplate shot upwards. Spinning through his alien playlist he landed on one and slammed his hand onto it becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben's body started hardening into magenta colored crystal. The left side of his arm and part of his body turned a red color while his right arm remained magenta while his right hand was red. Two large pink crystals were located on his back, a medium sized crystal layed on his right shoulder, and a smaller crystal below his right shoulder. His left arm was litered in crystals, four around his shoulder and three going down his forearm. Two were located on his chest, while two layed on his feet. Ben's face closed in on itself as it was covered in the crystals, his eyes were emerald. His face was magenta with a mix pink under his chin and above his eyes. A lone crystal took it's place on the top of his head, but it's color was different from the rest on his body, it was red like his body. The green and black hourglass badge appeared on his chest with a small red crystal and pink crystal attached to the badge, "CHROMASTONE!" The crystallized alien exclaimed.
"Going with Chromastone? I was thinking either Swampfire, Brainstorm, or maybe even Goop since you haven't tried him out, but let's see how you do as him." Max illustrated a bit surprised that his grandson chose Chromastone.
"It's a bit complicated, grandpa. Last I used Chromastone, I never got to fully understand what he was capable off. Now might be a better chance and plus there's always room for improvement." Chromastone explained as his grandpa nodded.
"I understand, well shall we begin?" Chromastone nodded as he started pulling levers on the contraption.
Chromastone gazed around as the old soda cans swung towards him. Wasting no time, his hand shot out and blasted a multicolored beam, watching as the can metaled from the heat of the blast. Two more dropped behind him, the crystals from his back fired two separate beams reducing it to a crisp.
"Excellent Ben, but focus up!" Max replied as he kept pulling different ropes on the contraption.
Chromastone closed his eyes as he tried to rely on his senses. He wasn't like SpiderMonkey, who had an additional sixth sense, but he didn't need it the crystals on his body were able to pinpoint exactly where the attacks could be coming from. On his left side a large tire swung towards him. Chromastone's eyes shot up as he thrusted both arms outwards and blasted the tire, reducing it into a heaping mess. More cans and tires swung at him, two crystals from his back levitated as they blasted individual beams of ultraviolet rays to keep from hitting him in the back.
Max watched in awe as Chromastone defeated every tire and can in sight, but Max wasn't done. He pulled a grey lever as a catapult sounded out shooting out multiple boulders. He thrusted both arms forward and applied more power into these blasts as he reduced them into pebbles. Chromastone sighed in relief as the two floating crystals wedged back into his back. Max was clapping happily.
"Well done, Ben." Max encouraged as Chromastone mentally smiled, "Why don't we move onto the next course?"
"Sounds good." Chromastone tapped his badge and was engulfed in another emerald light. In his place stood the red, white, and black manta ray that he named, "JETRAY!"
The manta ray launched into the sky, "Ready, when you are grandpa." Max nodded as the training course changed tremendously. There were small turrents that Jetray kinda wondered where he got them from.
"We're gonna be testing your reaction time, Ben." Max yelled as Jetray nodded. The small turrents immediately started opening fire on the manta ray alien. His horns covered his face as he went flying into the sky, dodging the rain of fire. Jetray with his enhanced eyesight, counted eight turrents.
Jetray raced throughout the sky dodging each laser fired at him, before returning the fire with his neuroshock blasts from his eyes. He destroyed two turrents, but kept dodging the lasers. Jetray closed his arms as he dropped towards the ground, he leaned left and right dodging the laser fire, before flipping around and sending out a neuroshock slice from his tail destroying another turrent. Jetray soon opened fire on the remaining turrents destroying them all. Jetray panted heavily as he looked around and saw all of them destroyed.
"Outstanding." He heard his grandpa reply.
Jetray raced towards the ground flipping onto the desert floor, "Thanks grandpa." His eccentric voice replied, "Anymore training or is this it for now?"
"That's it for now, outstanding Ben." Max smiled proud of his grandson.
"Yeah, good job for a total dweeb." Gwen remarked as Jetray's eyes shined brightly and shot her sunscreen as she was putting on more. The cream landed all over her body, "BEN!"
"Whoops, kinda slipped out." He replied gleefully as his badge started flashing red and was soon engulfed in a red light, "Besides you kinda deserve it for dying my hair pink." Ben shrugged.
Gwen said nothing as she was fuming with anger, but knew he was right. Max soon placed his hand on his grandson's shoulder, "That's enough, both of you."
"Sorry, grandpa." Ben replied.
"No worries, Ben, anyway let's get going. I wanna reach the city by sundown." Max replied as Ben nodded and soon started helping his cousin pack up.
Orbiting above the Earth, was a brown and orange warship. Inside the control room, stood three figures stood infront of the tank with a partially destroyed Vilgax. The crippled warlord gazed at the trio with scowl, "I've heard you three, are the best bounty hunters in the Galaxy. I require your services." He hissed in pain. The three bounty hunters gazed at one another before one stepped forward.
The hunter resembled a fiddler crab with a goldish brown-colored armor, a sideways mouth, four scythe-like legs and a large, powerful pincer for a left hand. Within the pincer was a power blaster combined with a chemical sprayer. When he goes underground by spinning his legs, he retracts his head down, making his neck disappear. He had orange lines running over his body and his eyes had the same color as the highlights of his pincer.
He pointed his large pincer hand at the tank, "What's in it for us squid breath?"
"Anything you desire." The warlord hissed.
The second bounty hunter spoke, "لماذا يجب ان نساعدك؟ ما الذي نطارده حتى؟"
In his armor, the hunters feet are hooved. He has purple pads covering his central joints, a belt, and four central lines on his helmet to provide outlines for his face, which are his eyes and mouth. When his black and pink mask is broken, it reveals an ugly, mutant, gray-yellow creature with pink and gray robotic eyes and four arms.
The metal krab gazed at him and soon translated, "He said why should we help you? What exactly are we hunting?"
"You'll be hunting down the cursed being who wields my Omnitrix." Vilgax spoke with venom laced in his voice. The third bounty hunter tensed when he heard what the Warlord wanted.
The third bounty hunter wore a shiny grey bodysuit that had a retractable black helmet resembling a pillbug, with a small green triangle visor on the front. The triangle shape of his visor was also on the center of his utility belt, and there were markings resembling it on either shoulder pad.
"Hunt down the being wielding the Omnitrix and whatever you wish is yours." Vilgax spoke narrowing his eyes at the three. Kraab, SixSix, and the third bounty nodded firmly.
"Consider it down." Kraab answered. The three soon left the control room and journeyed to their individual ships and blasted off towards Earth tracking the Omnitrix's usage.
Back on Earth, the Tennyson family were on there way to New Mexico when the RV started spurting out of control. Max tried to regain control of the motorhome when he stepped on the breaks. Ben and Gwen were confused on what was happening, when the Rust Bucket stopped. The trio gazed at each other before heading outside to gain a better view of the situation.
The door swung open, and Ben under the command of his grandpa got out first with his hand on the watch. He gazed around cautiously, before seeing an abandoned coal mine up ahead. Ben soon switched his view to the left before hearing his grandpa's voice.
"See anything, Ben?" Max called as the boy in question removed his hand from the watch, but didn't let his guard down.
"There's nothing out here, grandpa." Ben announced as his cousin and grandpa climbed out the RV.
"What was that?" Gwen asked curiously.
"I don't know, but whoever it was must be still around here." Max replied when something shiny caught his attention. He made his way over to the back tires of the Rust Bucket and inspecting it cautiously.
"What is it, grandpa?" Ben asked.
"Someone must know we're here." He replied as he pulled out a blue shard from the tire. He gazed back at the tire to see three more in the back and four in the one infront of it, "It's gonna take me some time to repair these tires."
"Why not let me help, grandpa. I'm sure with Humungousaur's strength and Big Chill's ice, I should have the tires repaired." Ben answered.
"That's kind of you, Ben, but I've got this covered. It'll take about an hour or so." Max replied.
"Alright, I'm gonna go check out that coal mine. I'll be back soon grandpa." Ben soon raced off towards the coal mine before Max gazed at Gwen.
"Go keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't get into trouble." Max advised as Gwen chuckled.
"Of course, gotta keep my cousin out of harms way." Gwen replied sarcastically as Max rolled his eyes.
"Pretty sure, he's been doing that for you." Max replied as Gwen groaned and raced after Ben, after Gwen left Max soon gazed back down at the crystallized shard in his hand. His grip soon tightened before a look of anger spread across his face, "Tetrax."
Ben arrived at the large abandoned coal mine, he gazed around in wonder never being this close to one before. He walked into a warehouse before hearing his cousin's voice, "Ben? Where are you?" Ben hopped into the darkness and quickly activated the watch and spun through the playlist before finding the one he wanted. He slammed his hand onto the faceplate before becoming engulfed in a flash of emerald light.
Ben felt his body dissolving, his flesh, bones, everything dissolved into an emerald green puddle of slime. A small grey device with green outlining the sides, resembling a UFO flew downwards picking up the humanoid pile of goo. His eyes were outlined black racing down his neck. On his chest floating around was his green and black hourglass badge, but it had three pegs one of the top and two on the sides located at the bottom, "GOOP!" The slime alien exclaimed. The humanoid pile of goo dropped to the ground and snaked away.
Gwen soon arrived at the coal mine gazing around for her cousin, "Ben? Where are you?" Her question was soon answered when she saw a flash of green light shine through the warehouse closeby. She walked over to the abandoned warehouse before seeing nothing, but darkness, "Ben? Are you in here?" The young teenager soon journeyed deeper into the warehouse gazing around. Up above the small UFO device flew by carrying a puddle of goo with it.
Gwen started getting chills, "Ben! This isn't funny anymore! Come out!" A splatter soon hit the floor, she turned around immediately before seeing a puddle of green slime, "Ben?" She walked forward before walking into the puddle, "Ew. What is this." She gapped in disgust before two black eyes greeted her.
"Boo." His high pitched voice echoed out sending the red haired teenager screaming in panic as the pile of goo laughed loudly. His antigravity projector appeared and scooped up the pile of goo into his humanoid form, "Gotcha."
"That's not funny, Ben." Gwen glared at the humanoid pile of slime.
"Yeah, but dying my hair was? I can see your sense of humor isn't like mine." Goop replied stifling a laugh.
"Shut up." She replied walking out the warehouse with Goop following behind. Before they could make it out the warehouse a large noise erupted behind them. Both Goop and Gwen turned around immediately to see a large dust cloud and what looked to be yellow glowing eyes.
The large machine soon came walking out the dust cloud before gazing at its target, "So you're the one with the Omnitrix?"
Goop gazed at Gwen before repeating the last word of his sentence, "Omnitrix? What's that?"
"Maybe it's the name of the watch." Gwen replied earning a small 'oh' from Goop.
"A Polymorph, on this planet? Such a let down. I'll be taking the Omnitrix, so hand it over." The robot Kraab lifted up its large pincer and pointed it at Goop.
"Sorry, to disappoint you metal mouth, but I'm not giving it to you." The Polymorph exclaimed before the bounty hunter blasted him. Goop went wide eyed as he looked down at the hole in his chest that was caused by the laser to see it close up immediately, "Oh thank God." He sighed in relief before it started firing at him repeatedly, "Gwen, run!" Goop instructed before the red head went running off.
Goop dissolved into a puddle before launching at the bounty hunter who launched off the ground and legs started spinning rapidly before burrowing into the ground. Goop's antigravity projector appeared once again below the pile of goo picking it back up into his humanoid form. Goop gazed around cautiously before Kraab launched above him shooting him repeatedly, the Polymorph soon dissolved into a puddle and snaking around the blasts before punching the bounty hunter. Kraab soon recoiled as Goop stood firm and ready when the bounty hunter glared at the Polymorph before thinking on how to take him down.
Goop wasn't about to let him gain the upper hand, so he blasted him with his acidic slime which the metal crustacean dodged with ease before seeing the wooden crates melt from the attack. A barrage of slime soon started shooting out of his hands as the bounty hunter dodged them all. Kraab was annoyed before he took notice of his antigravity projector, 'His weakness, is his projector.' When he tried attacking him the projector was always there moving for him.
With his sights set on the projector, Goop soon dodged a crate that was flung at him. With his window open, Kraab rushed for the projector, he grabbed it with his right hand before waving it victoriously, "Looks like I found your weakness, Polymorph." Kraab gloated as he gazed at the Polymorph who couldn't reform his body without it, "Say goodbye."
"I wouldn't be so sure on that." Goop replied as Kraab gazed at him through narrowed eyes before the projector activated its magnetic effect. The pegs on the Omnitrix badge floated upwards to the projector. Once in its grasp Goop soon reformed, "Surprise!"
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Kraab exclaimed, Goop soon punched the bounty hunter onto a lift before rushing over to a lever and pulling it sending the bounty hunter into the roof successfully trapping him. Just in the nick of time, his badge on his chest started flashing red and in a red light he reverted back to normal.
Without hesitation he raced off from the warehouse before finding Gwen hiding by the side entrance, "What happened to the giant insane robot?"
"I trapped him on a lift, don't think it's gonna hold for long. Let's grab, grandpa and get the hell outta here." Ben explained.
"Don't gotta tell me twice." Gwen exclaimed as the duo soon raced away from the coal mine back to the Rust Bucket that Max had finished fixing the tires.
"Ben, Gwen, just in time. Finished the tires." Max exclaimed.
"Grandpa we need to get outta here." Ben announced gazing around incase the giant robot crustacean appeared.
"Why? Did something happen?" Max asked.
"We'll explain on the road till then let's go!" Gwen yelled as both her and Ben jumped into the RV. Max worried about his two grandkids hopped in as well starting up the Rust Bucket and driving off.
Max gazed into the rear view mirror wondering what could have happened to them, "So what happened that has you two so on edge?"
"A giant robot crab attacked us." Gwen said.
"Yeah and he refered to the watch as the Omnitrix." Ben added. Max's eyes went wide, "Meaning he was after it."
"Don't worry, let's get far away from Slaterville." Max announced making the two cousins nodded firmly. As the RV drove through the desert, one of the bounty hunters was flying above them shooting at the RV.
Max swerved left and right, before regaining control as the bounty hunter flew ahead of them and started firing again making him swerve even harder, "Hang on!" He yelled before flooring the gas pedal and turning to the left hard.
"Let me help, grandpa." Ben yelled from the back.
Max was too busy tryna to avoid being blasted to hear him, "I can do this. Please let me help!" Ben yelled again.
Max drove faster trying to outrace the alien bounty hunter, "Fine. Go for it." Max replied as Ben nodded firmly and immediately activated the Omnitrix and spun through it before landing on one.
"Let's even the odds, shall we?" Ben opened the window by the booth and jumped out slamming his hand onto the Omnitrix's faceplate. Ben was soon engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben's body was soon wrapped tightly in vines. His feet soon took the appearance as roots, his hands up to his forearm were changed into a fiery orange yellowish color, his face was wrapped tightly in the vines as his eyes turned pure green, with his hair taking on the appearance of fire, orange in the back, yellow in the middle and red in the front. Orange yellowish leaves littered his shoulders with thorns from the vines covering his shoulders. The Omnitrix badge was wrapped tightly in the vines on his chest, "SWAMPFIRE! Was going for SpiderMonkey, but Swampfire works too." He exclaimed as his arm extended and wrapped itself to the roof of the RV and slingshotted himself upwards.
Swampfire's battle mask wrapped around his face before glaring at the bounty hunter, "Let's turn up the heat." He started swarming the bounty hunter with fireballs.
The bounty hunter, SixSix, fired lasers at him. Swampfire dodged the laser blasts. SixSix landed on the RV's roof before grabbing a sword from his back, "So a sword fight, huh?" The vines from his forearms extended. The tip of the vine sword was the same color of his forearms, as the length was covered in thorns. He gripped both make shift swords and stood ready for the bounty hunter.
And the battle was on, the alien hero and the bounty hunter clashed repeatedly. SixSix slashed through Swampfire's makeshift swords, but that didn't deter him because the swords soon regenerated again and again and again. SixSix soon slashed his right arm off. Swampfire roared in pain as he dropped his makeshift sword and dropped onto ground clutching his stump in pain.
SixSix advanced on the alien lifting his sword above his head, "هذه هي النهاية أيها الوغد" He slashed downwards taking Swampfire's other arm off.
Swampfire roared in pain as he backed up in fear. SixSix kept advancing on him as Swampfire soon grinned, "Heads up." SixSix soon stopped before gazing at him confused before Swampfire's right arm blasted out a turrent of flames pushing the bounty hunter away. The left arm picked up the make shift sword and slashed him in the leg. The arms soon shot outwards reattaching themselves to Swampfire's stumps, "Round two." After he said that, SixSix went flying off the front of the RV hitting the road infront of them.
Max seeing the bounty hunter in the middle of the road, floored it making sure he ran over the alien. Swampfire dropped back into the RV window, where the badge on his chest started flashing red and soon reverted back to normal, "Nice job, Ben."
"Thanks, I did get kinda worried. He sliced off both my arms, if it weren't for Swampfire's regeneration I'd be armless right now." Ben said.
"That's kinda scary to think about." Gwen answered.
"I know." Was all Ben said before a loud pop noise erupted into their ears as the Rust Bucket swerved left to right. Max hit the breaks immediately. Gwen fell into the booth as Ben hit the ground.
"Everyone okay?" Max asked as Ben replied rubbing his butt.
"I think so. How about you Gwen?" Ben looked over to his cousin who was putting her glasses back on.
"I'm alright, what did we hit?" Gwen questioned before they heard a large thump on the top of the RV, "Uh grandpa, I don't think we're alone."
Soon a bright orange light was cutting into the roof of the RV, "Everyone out!" Max ordered, as the trio rushed out the door and to see SixSix cutting a hole into the roof. Kraab bursted from the ground before glaring at the trio.
"There you are you worthless worm!" Kraab exclaimed angrily pointing his large pincer at the trio.
Max pointed to the coal mine entrance, "Quickly into the coal mine!" Max, Gwen, and Ben soon rushed towards the entrance dodging the laser beams aimed at them.
SixSix spoke aiming his rifles at Kraab, "التراجع عن قشريات متضخمة"
"I don't take orders from someone who can't even speak basic English." Kraab retorted
SixSix glared at Kraab before speaking once again, "ماذا عن بدلاً من قتال بعضنا البعض نسميها هدنة مؤقتة"
"Truce, huh? We split the reward 50-50?" Kraab asked as SixSix nodded as he lowered his rifle, "Alright, let's go capture that human meatbag."
SixSix activated his jetpack before launching into the air after them while Kraab burrowed into the ground. In the distance the third bounty hunter gazed emotionlessly at the duo before making his way into a different area of the coal mine.
Ben, Gwen, and Max raced deeper into the coal mine as they saw a lift at the end of the tunnel. Ben gazed over the side to see a bottomless pit.
"Hurry into the lift!" Max announced as he and Gwen raced over to the lift, but noticed Ben close the door after they got inside.
"Ben, what are you doing?! Get inside the lift!" Gwen yelled as he shook his head no.
"Benjamin, this is no time for games. Get inside the lift." Max said sternly.
"No grandpa. Their after me. I can't afford to keep putting you guys in danger. If it means saving my family then-" Ben gazed downwards as tears started streaming down his face, "I'll gladly lay down my life for you." He wiped his face before turning back towards the entrance where Kraab and SixSix appeared.
"No where to run now. I'll admit you've been the most elusive prey I've had, but now you're trapped and outnumbered. Now hand over the Omnitrix." Kraab spoke aiming his pincer at him.
"If you want the Omnitrix, you'll have to pry it from my cold dead body." Ben's gaze hardened as he activated the Omnitrix.
"والتي يمكن ترتيبها"
"And if we're talking numbers, I believe I hold the advantage." He grinned as he landed on a small hologram.
"Do you? It's two against one." Kraab answered.
"Let's even the odds, shall we?" Ben slammed his hand onto the dial and was engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben started shrinking and was soon engulfed in a white containment suit. A pair of headphones rested ontop of his head, with a grey visor with his emerald eyes shining behind them. The headphones were connected to a backpack on his back with the number 10 on it. On his legs resembled cassette tapes. On his forearms were grey bands with green sound holes in them. A large black line took up most of his face went down his face and towards his neck where it stopped. His fingers were black, as a black line encircled his knee and the bottom of his feet. On his shoulders were two black lines as they raced down his back and resumed around his waist and formed a giant black circle in the middle of his chest where his green and black hourglass badge resided, "ECHO ECHO!" The sound alien exclaimed as six Echo clones leaped from his body.
"I believe, I hold the advantage number wise." The prime Echo Echo chuckled.
"Just cause you changed into a Sonorosian, you believe you have the advantage?" Kraab chuckled menacingly.
"If this alien's species is a Sonorosian. Then you should be aware of its abilities." Echo Echo responded a smirk appearing on his face.
"Bring it!" Kraab started blasting the Echo clones as SixSix blasted into the air. Echo Echo made six more clones before the thirteen Echo's rushed the metal crustacean.
SixSix landed on the platform before shooting and slicing the Echoes, but they kept appearing in numbers. Kraab was being swarmed by the clones as they yelled in unison, "Got you, got you, got you, got you!"
"Get off me you overgrown duplicates!" Kraab exclaimed angrily. Before more Echoes looked around and nodded before a loud Sonic scream erupted from the small Sonorosian's clones.
Kraab was engulfed in the attack colliding with the wall as rubble collided ontop of him. While SixSix was being swarmed like Kraab, but the Echoes held onto his arms and was tampering with his jetpack as he was trying to blast lasers from his hands. They gazed at each other before nodding again a loud Sonic scream erupted from him hitting the bounty hunter hard as it screamed in pain, but couldn't cover his ears since he wore a helmet.
SixSix started firing randomly when one of the lasers collided with the lift's mechanism. Gwen and Max had worried looks as they felt the lift drop slightly then drop even more. Echo Echo gazed in fear as the lift started dropping.
"GRANDPA! GWEN!" The prime Echo Echo raced forward grabbing hold of the lifts cord. Kraab pushed the rubble off of himself before seeing the Sonorosian trying to save the old man and the girl. Echo Echo gritted in frustration as the lift kept dropping slightly pulling him along with it. He hit the edge of the platform before another Echo clone hopped out his body grabbing hold of the prime Echo's legs, soon more clones kept hopping out of the previous Echo Echo as they went tumbling over the cliff holding the last Echo up by there legs.
Kraab and SixSix soon got rid of the remaining Echoes before walking racing over to the platform. Echo Echo glanced over to see the bounty hunters racing towards them, "Guys, their coming? What are we gonna do?"
"Try and stall them." The previous Echo answered as the Echo holding them from dropping them over the platform. Echo Echo let out a sonic scream sending them backwards, but Kraab blasted the Echo in the chest as the Echo chain went tumbling into the pit.
"Fly down there and abduct the old man and the girl. Hurry." Kraab ordered as SixSix glared before flying down the pit grabbing hold of the cord to the lift before flying back up to the platform with Max and Gwen.
Echo Echo landed at the bottom of the coal mine, the badge on his chest started flashing red as he reverted back to normal. Ben groaned in pain as he heard Gwen screaming for help, "Grandpa...Gwen..." He was soon rendered unconscious.
The third Bounty Hunter had watched from above as the Sonorosian had overpowered both of the experienced hunters. Then his gaze hardened when SixSix blasted the lift with the boy's family inside soon he watched as the Echoes chained themselves to each other grabbing hold of lift. Then it went south as Kraab blasted the boy in his chest as he tumbled over the platform before SixSix grabbed hold of the lift and flew away with it.
"لماذا نحتاج إلى الرجل العجوز والفتاة"
"Because, he cares about these two. Knowing their in danger he'll come running. Believe me." Kraab replied as he gazed at both Max and Gwen Tennyson tied up.
The third bounty hunter had flew to the bottom of the pit and gazed around for the Sonorosian or the boy if he timed out. He soon came across the boys unconscious form before picking him up and carrying him away. It had been twenty minutes before Ben finally work up. Ben gazed around to find himself in a cave at the bottom of the pit.
"Are you awake?" The unknown voice asked, Ben sat up abruptly as he hissed in pain, massaging his shoulders, "Easy, kid, you took a nasty fall. If it wasn't for the Sonorosian hitting the ground, before you timed out, you'd be dead right now."
Ben gazed at the fire that the bounty hunter was poking at, "What about my family? Are they okay?"
The third bounty hunter said nothing before Ben gritted his teeth in anger, "They took them, didn't they?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry, kid." He replied solemnly.
Ben stood up, anger stitched onto his face as he stormed out of the cave before the bounty hunters voice stopped him, "Where are you going?"
"To rescue them, it's pretty obvious." Ben answered.
"You can't beat them, together. Their too powerful and they have your family as hostages to draw you out of hiding. They want the Omnitrix."
"I was able to subdue them thanks to Echo Echo's duplication ability. I'll figure something out, but right now my family needs me. If something happens to them, because of me, I'll never be able to live with myself. Besides they started it, and I'll be the one to end it." Ben stated before he began walking out the cave.
"I've seen the way you've handled those bounty hunters. Using a Polymorph against Kraab, then a Methanosian against SixSix and then using a Sonorosian to subdue them. Your using your brain instead of just using brute strength." He replied before Ben turned around raising an eyebrow.
"You know the species inside the watch?" Ben asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Indeed, the creator of the Omnitrix, came to me asking to put my DNA inside the device." He answered.
"Who are you?"
The bounty hunter removed his helmet revealing his face. He looked to be made out of crystals with yellow eyes, "My name is Tetrax Shard. Pleasure to meet you, Ben Tennyson."
"You know my name?" Ben asked a gasp escaping his lips.
"Let's just say, you've made a name for yourself. Now, I've got a plan to save your family." Tetrax answered as Ben turned around crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm listening."
Kraab and SixSix waited ontop of the Rust Bucket with Gwen and Max tied up below. The bounty hunters said nothing to each other as the desert wind soon started picking up. The bounty hunters kept their gazes on the storm as a silhouette was seen walking towards them.
"What'd I say?" Kraab replied in a mocking tone.
Ben came walking towards them in anger as he saw his grandpa and cousin tied up. He then gazed at the two bounty hunters who dropped infront of him.
"That's far enough, kid, now hand over the Omnitrix or else your family gets it." Kraab answered grabbing hold of a sword on his back and pointing it at them.
"Ben! Forget about us! Just run!" Max yelled.
"I can't do that, grandpa." Ben replied with a stern look on his face.
"Ben, you can't beat them both!" Gwen yelled, but Ben didn't move an inch.
"Let my family go, or else you'll regret it." Ben stated firmly.
"We'll regret it? I don't know how many times we have to tell you. It's two against one unless you plan on using the Sonorosian again, but remember we have your family as hostages."
SixSix pointed his rifles at him incase he made a swift transformation, but he didn't move a single step. He kept his gazed at both bounty hunters.
"Fine, I warned you." Ben replied simply before reaching behind his back for something. SixSix was about to blast him when Ben threw a flash grenade blinding the bounty hunter before Kraab tried blasting him.
Ben ducked under the laser beams as he started spinning through his playlist. Tetrax soon raced onto a hoverboard with a small gun firing at them.
"TRAITOR!" Kraab yelled, but he was too distracted that an emerald light flashed and standing in Ben's place was a crystallized alien.
"Send him my regards." Tetrax replied shooting SixSix in the chest.
"CHROMASTONE!" He yelled as he rushed forward when Kraab blasted him, but he was left shocked when the alien in question absorbed each attack. When he was within range, he slashed at him with his sword, but Chromastone had other plans, a multicolored energy elongated into his hand soon taking the appearance of an energy sword before the two collided in a quick flash.
The alien and the bounty hunter stood back to back neither looking at the other. Till a distinct arm fell from the air standing it's sword into the ground. Kraab yelled out in pain as it clutched it's arm as oil leaked from it. Chromastone's energy sword soon vanished as he then blasted the ultraviolet rays into the metal crustacean's back sending it forward into the ground. Chromostone wasted no time before racing forward, launching into the air and landing straight ontop of the bounty hunter punching it repeatedly.
Max and Gwen watched in fear as each strike sounded harder and harder then before and it seemed he was letting up anytime soon until Tetrax grabbed his arm, "Enough." He said.
Chromastone glared at him, before he gazed down at Kraab's mangled robotic body, "This was the prick who used my family as hostages."
"I know, Tennyson. Let him go, I'll take him away. Both of them and you won't see them anytime soon." Tetrax replied letting go of the shape shifters arm.
The crystallized alien sighed and nodded, "Okay." Their conversation was soon broken when the bounty hunter laughed in pain.
"You've...thought...you've...won...huh?" Kraab replied, " Enjoy...your...little...victory...because...soon...he'll...be...coming...for...you.."
Tetrax immediately knew who he was talking about, but Chromastone answered first, "Tell whoever you're working for if he wants the Omnitrix come down here and face me himself."
Tetrax went wide eyed as Chromastone walked towards his family before throwing another glare at Kraab, "I'll defeat him like I defeated you." He soon untied his cousin and grandpa before reverting back to normal.
"I'm proud of you, Ben." Max hugged Ben tightly.
"It's no problem, grandpa." Ben smiled happily as Gwen soon joined the hug.
"Sorry, for not believing in you."
"It's okay, it's to be expected. Two experienced bounty hunters against an inexperienced hero." Ben chuckled before Max slapped a hand onto his shoulder.
"I wouldn't say that."
Tetrax had walked over to them, "Tennyson's, I'll make sure Kraab and SixSix, don't bother you anytime soon. And sorry about the tire." He walked over to the Rust Bucket's front tire and encased it in diamonds, "That should hold it until your able to change it again."
"Thank you, Tetrax, I don't think I would have been able to win without." Ben answered.
"Nonesense, the way I saw you using the Omnitrix, makes me believe you're worthy to wield it. And here a going away present from me." He reached into his belt and pulled out a black rectangular object, "Take care Tennysons." He soon beamed away with Kraab and SixSix.
Ben gazed at the object in question until Gwen asked, "What is it?"
"Don't know." Ben shook it a few times before it morphed into a hoverboard, "No way!" He dropped it onto the ground and jumped onto it taking off into the air.
"How come he gets all the cool stuff?" Gwen asked in annoyance.
"I don't know, Gwen, but I have a feeling you'll be getting some interesting things in the near future aswell." Max patted her shoulder before climbing into the RV with Gwen, 'Kraab stated he was working for someone. But question is who?' Max thought, before hearing the cheers of his grandson, before shrugging the question off, 'Doesn't matter right now, let's just enjoy the moment.' The RV soon started up and drove off.
Ben felt the wind whipping against his face as he grinned in delight. He slid his left arm up before the Omnitrix popped upwards as a hologram appeared on the Omnitrix's faceplate, "IT'S HERO TIME!" Before becoming engulfed in an emerald light.