"..." Speech

'...' Quote

'Hi' Thought

"Learn your place!" Inner Moka through Rosario

Feedback=Christian

Positive Feedback=Zack

Prime Feedback = Ben

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Christian, Dashslicer, Ultimate Crabdozer, Upgraded Atomix, the ideas for Ironmonger's, Shadowstreak' species, Bloodstalker, Dreamwalker, Icepick, Ultimate Diamondhead, Frizard, Ultimate Ironmonger, Ultimate Root Shark, Featherblade and Ultimate Tyrannopede. Everything else belongs to their creators.

Please don't forget to fav and follow and leave a review. I won't know how to improve if no one leaves comments. Even if you don't like the chapter, just leave a review. Criticism is a big part of the creative process.

Alien Watch in a Monster School

The Frogs of War: Part 1

Yokai School Festival Day 3 – Halloween.

In the early morning, a sole figure strode through the wreckage of the once-great Yokai Academy. The fires had died out some time ago, allowing for the true extent of the damage to be seen. An eerie silence had fallen over what should have been a great day filled with laughter and friends.

The headmaster came to a stop at the remains of the bell tower. In front of him, the bell itself lay. He looked solemnly at the design depicting three powerful figures going into battle against a terrifying monster.

Letting out a sad sigh, he turned to look at the rest of the debris. Brick and wood lay as far as the eye could see. The attack on the academy had been far too destructive. As the first rays of the morning sun shone through what remained of the school, he knew there was no way to rebuild in such a short time.

"They certainly tore up the place," the robed man mused, thinking back to the strange beasts that had been roaming the grounds only hours before. "Now how should we handle this?"

"What do you mean closed?"

"I mean it's closed, Kurumu," Ruby said, handing her a closure notice. Around them, many of the other students were having similar conversations. They were stood outside the school gates which had been locked by a large chain.

"Can I see?" Christian asked, taking the paper from Kurumu. Moka and Mizore leaned in over his shoulder to read too.

"Temporary closure," the snow woman readout. "Due to damage to the school grounds and buildings, Yokai Academy will close for repairs. During this time, students will return to their homes and refrain from any unauthorised activity."

The teen passed around the notice to the rest of his friends so that everyone could see for themselves.

"It doesn't have a date on it either," Zack stated. "It could be closed for months."

"Go home?" Kurumu cried. "Christian, does this mean you're going back to the human world?" Before the teen could answer, Kurumu had already leapt at him, wrapping her arms around him with the grip of a vice. It was almost as if she was afraid that if she let go, he would vanish into mid-air.

"Kurumu, let go! You're making a scene!" Christian cried as he tried unsuccessfully to pry the girl off.

"Noooo! If I can't see you, how will I survive?"

"The same way you have every other day! Besides, I need to go back anyway!" He had been planning a trip back to Bellwood anyway. Khyber was still trapped within the Rust Bucket's holding cell and the Nemetrix needed to go back into Plumber storage."

"But…" Kurumu tried.

"We can still talk to each other though," Lala chipped in. From her purse, she produced several strange, cylindrical devices and handed them out. "If we use these, we can keep in contact."

"What are they?" Yukari asked, examining the device in her hand.

"I call them Mr Talk-Kun!" Lala said excitedly. "It allows us to talk over long distances."

"So, they're phones," Mizore said.

"Well… yes… but with this, we can even talk if one of us is in space," Lala said, a small bead of sweat falling down her brow.

"So, it's a space phone," Kurumu surmised.

Lala looked like she was about to say something before turning and dejectedly looking away, mumbling to herself.

"No, Lala! We really like them! Please don't be sad!" Moka said, trying to cheer her up.

"All jokes aside, these are nice," Christian interjected.

"It was kind of you," Zack said, walking over and resting a hand upon her shoulder.

"So, what should we do now?" Yukari asked.

"We pack… and we go home," Christian said sadly. "There's not a lot else to do."

The group lowered their heads, saddened by how events had turned out. "Can't we come with you?" Kurumu asked.

"It probably wouldn't be wise," Christian said. "Zack, Lala and I have to return to Bellwood. Won't your parents be worried if you don't go home?"

"Yeah… I know. I still wish that we could spend a bit more time together," Kurumu said dejectedly.

As the others let out a heavy sigh, Lala's eyes widened, and a smile appeared on her face. As the group said their goodbyes, the Devilukean girl opened her new invention and began typing away.

For the last hour, Christian had been getting ready to leave. For twenty minutes, he quietly gathered his belongings. Outside of clothes, school supplies and Plumber gear, he didn't own a lot.

The next ten minutes were spent making a report to Max. He came clean about what had happened. How he had received Icarus's note, gone after him, almost died, Khyber's attack and finally how he was coming home.

The twenty were spent being yelled at by Max for insubordination, leaving his post and basically just being an arrogant ass. He couldn't say he didn't deserve it. Once Max was done yelling, he asked one simple question.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired. Angry. Afraid," Christian said honestly. "He was right there, Max. As clear as I see you. I thought I could take him… but…"

"Your transformations are strong, Christian, but they don't make you invincible. It's a lesson Ben learned a long time ago. I'm glad you're alive. You can give me a full briefing once you're back. Also, you'll be on latrine duty until further notice."

"Really?"

"Your actions have consequences," Max said sternly. "We'll see you soon. Get back as soon as you can."

The call cut out and Christian let out a groan.

Scratching the back of his head, Christian put away his laptop. Picking up his bags, he walked towards the door and took one last look at the room that had been his home for the last year.

"I'll see you soon."

Turning out the lights, he left the dorm room.

Many of the other students were leaving as well. Buses were coming to return them home. On some level, he would have liked to see the Bus Driver again. However, he had his own ride.

As he left the building, he spotted a head of pink hair waiting by the fountain between the two dorms. She was looking away from him, a pink and silver suitcase resting at her feet. As he looked at her, a small smile spread across his face.

"Want some company?"

Moka turned, a smile lighting her lips.

"Oh, hey there," she said happily. Her eyes flicked to his bags. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, all packed up. And yourself."

"I didn't have much, I was done quickly."

"How come you're still here then?"

"I'm meeting up with the girls," she said. "We're going to exchange addresses before we get on the buses."

"Oh cool, tell them I said goodbye."

"I will don't worry," Moka said.

A comfortable silence fell over the two as they tried to work out what to say to the other. The two had been together the longest out of the group and there was so much that had been left unsaid between them.

"Do you remember the first time we sat here?" Christian asked.

"Yep. It was right at the beginning of the year, right?"

"Yeah. Hard to believe how far we've come since then."

"It almost feels like six years rather than one." The two shared a laugh as they began to reminisce about their time at the academy. As they continued to talk, the pair's eyes met, and their cheeks reddened.

"Hey, Christian? Do you remember last month… when… you know…"

"Huh… what are you talking about?"

Moka's face turned a brighter shade of red as she looked down at her feet. "You know… What you said at the hospital. And our discussion afterwards."

"Oh…" It finally dawned on him. His confession in the hospital.

"We agreed we wouldn't talk about it until everything was over," Moka continued. "Now that it is…"

"What's going on here?"

The two teens froze as they turned to see Mizore behind them, in the fountain. She was standing atop a sheet of ice that kept her dry.

"Mizore, you're here," Moka said, a little dejectedly.

"This was where we were supposed to meet, right?" the snow queen replied. "I'm glad you're here as well, Christian. I wanted to see you before you left."

"It's good to see you too, Mizore. I'm gonna miss you over the break."

"Likewise. Think of me whenever you get lonely. I know I'll think of you."

Christian laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Right… okay then. Anyway, I've gotta get going. I'll catch both of you after the break."

"See you soon," Mizore said with a smile.

"Absolutely. Keep in touch." Giving the girls a wave, Christian walked off. "Another moment ruined…" he said under his breath. It didn't occur to him at the time, but Moka hadn't said goodbye.

Zack was already there when he arrived, securing a few crates of equipment ready for the ride home.

"Hey! You doing alright?" Christian asked as he entered the ship.

"Just finishing up. Did you know about the girls meeting up?" Zack asked, dusting off his hands.

"I just found out from Moka. I suppose they just wanted one last hurrah."

"It had better be a quick one. They could miss their buses otherwise." Zack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Our prisoner still isn't talking." The two looked over to the corner of the ship where the still form of Khyber was trapped behind a wall of unbreakable glass. He was still in the Bio-Wolf armour. His eyes remained closed, ignoring the teens.

"I wouldn't expect him to. His pride has taken a bit of a hit and he's trapped in a prison of his own making. Besides, I doubt he has anything to say to us. Hey, do you know what Yami is going to do during the break?"

"She said she was going to explore Earth. See what other things the planet has to offer."

"As long as she doesn't get herself into trouble, I'm happy."

The two teens continued to go about their business, prepping the ship for flight. Just as they were finishing, Lala walked up the ramp pushing a large crate on top of a hover trolley.

"Heya!" she cried happily as she brought the box to rest beside the DV-8

"What on earth do you have in there?" Christian asked. "That thing is massive."

"What? All my inventions are in here. How else would I carry them?"

"Aren't they normally stored on your phone though?" Zack asked.

"It doesn't have an infinite amount of space, y' know," the girl replied with a laugh. "C'mon! Let's get this ship moving!" Not answering any more questions, the girl rushed ahead into the cockpit, leaving the two confused teens to follow in her wake.

The three sat down with Christian taking the controls. After doing all pre-flight checks, the Vidatrix teen ignited the engines, and the Rustbucket took to the air.

"Activating cloaking," Zack said, pressing a few buttons on the console.

While he could not see it himself, Christian knew that the green outer shell of the ship was fading into the blue of the sky as it disappeared from view. Ascending higher into the air, the three got a view of the ruins of Yokai Academy.

It had been their home for some time now. It would be sad to go. Hopefully, though, the repairs would be quick, and they would be back soon. With a sad smile, the Vidatrix teen placed a hand to the glass of the ship.

"See you soon," he said. Turning the ship around, it shot into the air and the three friends began their long journey home.

"Do you think it's safe?"

"I don't know. It's been an hour. But if Boobzilla doesn't get her foot out of my face, I'm gonna blow a gasket."

"Oh, shut it, Pancakes!"

"Calm down you guys, we could get caught."

"How did I get caught up in this again?"

"Gah! I can't take this anymore. I've gotta get out of here!"

"Kurumu, no!"

The box of the crate was pushed open as the blue-haired succubus pulled her way out into the cargo bay.

"Woo! That is so much better!" she said happily as she stretched the kinks out of her back.

"Kurumu, you're gonna get us caught!" Moka said in a hushed tone as she too poked her head out of the box.

"Moka, normally I'd side with you, but in this case, I've got to agree with Kurumu. I've got to get out of this thing." Pulling herself out, Yukari joined Kurumu out in the open. One by one, Ruby, Mizore and Moka joined them out in the open.

"This isn't right. Lala said we should stay hidden."

"What are they going to do now? Turn around?" Mizore asked.

"Yeah Moka," Yukari chimed. "Besides, what

"Hey Zack, how secure is Khyber in his cell?" Christian asked.

"Pretty tightly. Why?"

"Well, the school's out, right? Why not have some fun on the ride," he said with a smirk, tapping on the controls.

"Hell yeah! That sounds awesome!"

"Um, I don't know. Could be dangerous. Maybe we should just play it safe," Lala said with uncharacteristic uncertainty. For some reason, she looked back to the cargo bay doors.

"It would take a bomb to breach that glass," Christian said. "Besides after everything he's done, Khyber deserves to be… shaken up a little."

As the girls looked around their surroundings, the ship suddenly lurched to the side, causing them to fall to the side as they lost their footing.

"What's happening!" Yukari screamed.

"The ship must be under attack!" Ruby concluded.

The ship spun, throwing the girls around the hanger as they struggled to find common ground.

"Ahhhh!"

"I'm not liking my first time in a ship!" Yukari cried.

"We should have stayed in the box!" Kurumu said, trying unsuccessfully to use her wings to steady herself.

"Woo hoo!" Christian cried as he began spiralling the ship. "Tell you what, with what's probably going to happen to me when we get to the base, I'm gonna enjoy this to the fullest!"

"Do another spin!" Zack cried out excitedly.

"Guys, we really should stop!" Lala cried.

"Why?"

"Yeah, Lala, I thought you'd enjoy this," Zack said.

"And normally I would… but…"

"But what?"

"The girls are on board!"

Christian instantly levelled out the ship and switched on the autopilot before turning to the pinkette. "What?" he asked with fake calm.

"Umm… the girls are on the ship…" she replied, shrinking away.

Christian and Zack turned to each other before getting up and rushing to the cargo bay. There, they found the five girls in a heap in the middle of the bay. Each one was groaning as they tried to stop their head spinning.

Moka was the first to marginally recover. She looked up to see the two boys and gave them an embarrassed smile.

"Uh… surprise…"

"I can't believe you snuck on board," Christian groaned. After discovering their stowaways, the group returned to the cockpit where Zack took the controls while Christian talked to the girls. "What about your families? Aren't they going to panic when you don't come home?"

"But we wanted to go with you," Kurumu said. "The year ended so suddenly, and we wanted to spend a little more time with you."
"Some of us have also never been on a plane before," Mizore added. "We thought it would be a good experience."

Christian let out another groan as he massaged his eyes before turning to Ruby who was looking away with guilt. "And what about you? Aren't you helping with the school repairs?"

"I was given some time off for assisting in the matter with Hokuto and the attack yesterday," the older witch said. "Besides, it looked like you all were doing something fun."

"There's no harm in letting them come with us, is there Chris?" Lala asked.

"He has a point, Lala," Zack said from the controls. "This could go wrong. What if something happens and we can't get them home?"

"Like that'll happen," Lala scoffed, dismissing their concerns with a wave of her hand.

"Please, Christian," Moka pleaded, stepping to the front of the girls. "Can we just stay for a week or so. We promise we won't get in the way."

The Vidatrix teen looked at the girls' pleading faces and his walls crumbled. "Fine… One week. But you've got to let your families know you're here."

"Woohoo!" the girls cheered as Christian turned and sat down next to Zack.

"You realise you're probably going to regret this, right?" the doppelganger teen said.

"Yep."

A few hours later, the Rustbucket was flying over Bellwood. Mizore, Yukari and Ruby were fascinated by the sight, having never been abroad before. Moka and Kurumu, who had seen it before, provided the others with a few interesting facts from their last trip.

"Welcome to Bellwood everyone," Christian said. "Stow your tray tables because we're coming in for a landing."

The ship continued to fly until it reached a hill overlooking the city. Slowly, the ship descended upon a small clearing. Just before they touched down, the ground opened to reveal a long metal shaft. The ship came to land on a launch pad surrounded by other angular ships and tanks.

"Woah…" Yukari gasped. "This is so cool!"

"The base runs under Bellwood," Zack explained. "Here they monitor alien threats to the planet. There are branches all over but this one deals with the major ones. There is a lot of alien activity around Bellwood."

"I wonder why?" Kurumu remarked, thinking of a certain messy brown-haired teen. As the ship finally touched the ground, the group came out into a bustling hangar filled with alien life going about their business.

"This is incredible!" Yukari beamed. "All of this is sooo cool!"

Christian smiled as he watched the young witch look in every direction at the vast array alien life and technology. The others seemed to be as equally amazed as they stared at just how vast the base was.

"I heard you were coming back."

The teen turned to see none other than Ben Tennyson walking towards him. His hair was still messy, but he had forgone his normal clothes for a streamlined green, white and black uniform reminiscent of the garments his alien forms used. Over the uniform was a white jacket with green trim resembling his original. Under his arm was his riding helmet, complete with obscured visor.

"Ben! It's good to see you," Christian said as he gave the teen a high five. "How was your trip to Revonnah?"

"Oh, you know, saw the sights, stopped an Incursean invasion, freed the locals, the usual. Got a cool new alien out of the deal as well."

"Really, sweet! You'll have to show me sometime. What's with the uniform?"

"Had a few close calls recently. Recently, when me and Rook go on patrol, I've been wearing this thing to conceal my identity." As the two shared a laugh, the original Omnitrix teen looked around at the gawking members of the Newspaper Club. Christian noticed that his eyes seemed to linger on a certain bluenette. "I see you brought back some friends."

"Hehe, it wasn't exactly planned."

"Did you have to bring her though?"

"Hey! I heard that!"

As if on cue, Kurumu marched over to the messy-haired brunette and pointed a finger into his chest. "I see you haven't learned any manners."

"And I see you're as hot-headed as ever!" Ben countered.

The two proceeded to argue, much to the discomfort of the rest of the group. "What's the deal between those two?" Mizore asked.

"I'll tell you later," Moka said, chuckling nervously as she remembered the first meeting between the two teens. Ben had tripped into Kurumu's bosom, leaving the bluenette with a great dislike of the teen.

The argument continued for a few more moments before Christian let out a cough, distracting the two of them. "So anyway, I think we should talk to Magister Tennyson. We've got a prisoner and I need to arrange some accommodation for these guys."

"Oh yeah, you caught Khyber. I still owe the guy for what he did to my leg." For a moment, a look of pain and anger flashed across the teen's face as he clutched his right leg. He quickly shook it off though. "Grandpa is in the main hub. I'll have someone send Khyber over to holding."

"Cheers man. I'll catch you later," Christian said cheerfully as he and the girls walked past.

"Definitely. We can catch up over a smoothie or something. Me and Rook are heading out, so I'll need something afterwards to cure the boredom. Nothing really happens these days." With a wave, the Omnitrix teen walked off to the other side of the hanger where his partner was undoubtedly waiting for him, fiddling with his Omnitrix as he walked. As he left, Kurumu blew a raspberry in his direction before walking off in a huff.

"Anyway, shall we get moving?" Christian asked the rest of the group.

"You guys go ahead," Zack suddenly cut in. He and Lala were standing just off from everyone else. The Doppelganger teen had his arm around the alien pinkette, and both wore sappy smiles on their faces. "Me and Lala are going to have a look around Bellwood."

"So, you're leaving me with the report while you go on a date?" Christian dubiously called after Zack as he began walking away.

"Yep, you owe us that much," Zack called back with a laugh.

Christian wanted to reply but found himself unable due to the truth in the statement. "Yeah I guess I do," he groaned. Turning back to the girls, he gestured towards the elevator on the far side of the hangar. "Shall we go?"

The group came up in the elevator to the main hub. It was a large room that was surrounded by computer screens. Plumbers were going about their business. In the centre of it all, Max Tennyson was talking to a pink furred, gorilla-like Plumber wearing a visor over his eyes.

"Keep an eye on it, Morty," the older man said. "It may be nothing but alert me if it gets any closer." The man's darted to the side, seeing the group as they got closer. "Ah, you're here. But why have you brought your friends with you?"

"It wasn't planned sir," Christian said with a heavy sigh. "I was hoping that there would be a chance you could organise some lodgings for them for a week or so."
"Unfortunately, we don't have any space here at the base with the recruits that are coming in. They will have to stay with you."

Christian had been afraid of that. He really did not want to go back to his house. Especially since he knew who would be waiting for him. "Great…"

"As for you girls, I ask that while you are here, you don't cause disturbances. There have been far too many close calls recently and the public has been coming dangerously close to discovering the existence of aliens and Ben's identity. That blowhard Will Harangue has somehow managed to link all of Ben's forms are one person."

"So that's why he was wearing the uniform," Kurumu mused.

"Anyway, it's good to have you back, Christian," Max said. "You'll need to leave a report then you can have the rest of the day off. Come Friday, you'll be cleaning every bathroom in the base."

"Yes sir," the Vidatrix teen said with his head down. The elder man walked away to talk to other Plumbers, leaving the Newspaper Club to their own devices. Turning back to the others, Christian smiled at them. "Sorry guys, I'm going to have to go and make this report. Will you guys be okay?"

"I want to have a look around!" Yukari cried enthusiastically. "You know... if that's alright."

"I can show you around," Kurumu said. "I still remember my way around from last time."

"That's probably not a good idea," Moka interjected quickly.

"Yeah, I'll get someone to show you around." After a quick look, he beckoned for a rather small, gerbil-like alien with a bushy moustache. "Hey, Jerry! Could you show my friends around, please?" The plumber gave him a thumbs up before beckoning for the girls to follow him.

"Will you be okay, Christian?" Moka asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Go ahead. I'll catch you all in a bit." Christian gave them a wave as the five girls went off on their tour. The Vidatrix teen turned to head to the Plumber Office. "I already miss Yokai," he sighed. "Some homecoming… At least nothing else could go wrong."

"So, where do you want to go?" Zack asked as he and Lala traversed the busy streets of Bellwood. He was glad that he hadn't borrowed the DV-8 from Christian as the roads were packed with cars. As they walked along the sidewalk hand in hand, they revelled in each other's company. Lala had changed into a frilly green dress that hugged her figure and complimented her curves nicely. Zack felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

"Well, I'm a bit hungry. How about some of those chilli fries Ben was talking about the last time we were here?" Lala said.

"Sure. If I remember correctly, there's a Burger Shack just down the street from here."

"Let's go then!" Lala cried excitedly as she began dragging Zack down the street giggling.

The two were quick to arrive. Whilst Zack got the food, Lala found them some seats outside. The doppelganger teen came out to find her sitting at a bench overlooking the main road.

"Here you go, milady," Zack said, placing a heaping hot bowl of the delicious fries in front of her before sitting down across from the pinkette.

"Why, thank you, sir," she said with a giggle, hungrily gazing down at her food before digging in.

Zack dug in too. He could see why Ben liked them. The fries were crispy on the edges whilst the middle had soaked up the delicious sauce that tickled the taste buds. The kick of salt from the cheese also only served to enhance the flavour. He only wished he had a root beer to help wash it down.

"So, Zack," Lala began, snapping the doppelganger out of his reverie, "what do you want to do with our break?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're going to have all this free time. We should do something."

"You mean like a trip?" Zack asked, taking another few bites of his fries.

"Maybe, but I was actually thinking something simpler. Oh! With the other girls here, we could have a party!"

"That would be nice."

"It's just that, I've never spent time like this before. I want to make as many memories with you guys as possible. Especially with you." The two turned red as they turned their attention back to their food.

"Well, you know I feel the same way. I want to spend-" Before he could finish, Zack found himself cut off by the sound of Lala's phone.

"Sorry!" Lala quickly went to turn off the device. However, she stopped when she saw the caller I.D. "It's my dad. I'm sorry but I should take this."

"Go ahead," the doppelganger teen said as he returned to his food.

"Hey Dad, how are you? … Wait what?"

As Lala talked, Zack went to take another bite of his food when there was a sudden tremor. It was light and barely noticeable, but he'd heard the accompanying boom.

"What was…" he rose from his seat to look in the direction of the noise when a certain devilukean screamed. "Lala! What's wrong?"

The pinkette looked at him, eyes puffy and tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "Zack… I need to go home…"

"Done," Christian said with a sigh of relief, sending off his report from the computer. It had taken a little longer than he expected but he had managed to record everything that had happened over the last three days.

As he was about to go and find the girls when the base's alarm began to blare. Christian ran out into the corridor to see Plumber operatives running to their stations. "What's happening?" the teen asked an arachnichimp running by.

"Somethings happened in Undertown! The aliens blew a hole in the road and all the humans can see them!" The plumber quickly ran off to fulfil his duty, leaving Christian motionless in the corridor.

Christian's heart sank. The secret was out in the open! If that was true, Bellwood and soon the world would know the existence of aliens. And the monster community would see it too? "No, I can think about that later." Shaking his head, the teen quickly made his way to the comms centre.

When he entered, the centre was in disarray. Bathed in red, the Plumber were gathered around a massive screen showing a bird's eye view of Bellwood. Taking to the sky were hundreds of different ships. Each speeding high into the atmosphere as if the lives of the pilots depended on it.

"Why is this happening?" Max shouted from the front of the crowd. "This seems like an evacuation."

"Sir, Ben and Rook are at the scene. We have footage and sound from the Proto-TRUK's dashcam."

"Bring it up."

The screen changed to show Ben in uniform, standing in front of a gaping hole in the ground, alien ships still streaming out. One green ship was struggling to make it into the air, probably due to being loaded down by all the driver's possessions. The alien himself was purple and in a white spacesuit, with a glass dome helmet over his face.

The alien looked towards Ben, allowing for the plumber to see the unbridled fear in the alien's eyes.

"The Incurseans are coming! The Incurseans are coming!"

With those words, the Plumber Base was awash with alarm. Max immediately began to bark orders at the lingering agents. "Get to battle stations! Prep the tanks! Prep the ships! Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to war!"

Christian felt numb. People passed by him with little notice, for they had their own tasks to do.

A war. Another war. It seemed fighting was all he'd been doing lately. First Kuyo, then Hokuto, Khyber and now this. Would it ever end?

Zack and Lala had come back some time ago. Both seemed utterly distraught. They hadn't said a word since, and Christian didn't feel it his place to intrude.

Soon after that, the girls had come to find him. They were full of questions as to what was happening, who the Incurseans were and what they were going to do? They were worried. They had come to spend a little more time with him and now they were being dragged into this.

"Guys, I don't have all the answers for you. However, I can tell you one thing. The Incurseans are a war-obsessed race of frog people. Their homeworld was destroyed a millennia ago, now they go around conquering everyone else's. The Incursean empire spans a great portion of the galaxy. They don't recognise the Plumber Authority either. You guys should go home while you can. If you stay, you'll only get caught up in a fight you shouldn't be a part of."

The girls shared a look. Their eyes spoke of the worry they were feeling, however, none of them made a move to leave.

"Are you staying?" Mizore asked.

"I have to. I'm a soldier," Christian said solemnly.

"Then we're staying too," Kurumu declared.

"No, you can't-"

"We're not letting you leave us again," Moka stated.

"If you're fighting, we will as well," Yukari said with far more conviction than a twelve-year-old should have.

"But-"

"No buts," Ruby interrupted.

"We're not letting you fight on your own again," Kurumu said adamantly.

"If you're going to fight, we all will," Moka finished as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "After everything you've done for us, do you really think we would ever let you fight alone."

No words could leave him. Christian was stunned. Here he was worried about the war and their only concern was that we wouldn't be alone. Before he could reply, the group heard the muffled sobs of Lala as she tried to hide in Zack's shoulder.

"Lala? What's wrong?" Yukari asked.

"Y-You guys… I-I can't help you…" Lala managed to say.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"I'm being forced to go home," she said. "For hundreds of years, the Devilukean and Incursean Empires have had a treaty not to interfere with the other's invasion plans. With their invasion plans, my presence on Earth violates the treaty. I need to leave, or there will be a galactic war."

Silence once again fell upon the group, Lala's sobs being the only thing to fill the quiet. Finally, Yukari walked over and hugged the alien pinkette. "Are you really leaving?"

"I have too. If I don't, so many people will die…"

"And are you okay with this?" Yukari asked Zack.

"Of course not," the teen said. "But there isn't a lot of choice."

"Are you going to go with her?" Christian asked.

"No. Earth is my home. I need to protect it." His grip on Lala tightened. Both worried that it would be the last time they held the other.

"Hey, don't be sad. With all of us working together, those Incurseans don't stand a chance!" Kurumu cried.

"You'll be back in no time!" Yukari agreed.

"When do you have to go?" Christian asked.

"Soon. Zastin will be here in a few minutes to pick me up. We need to get out before the Plumbers set up the planetary shield."

As if on cue, someone cleared their voice. The group turned to see Zastin standing like an omen of death. "Are you ready, Princess Lala?"

"Just one moment…" The princess turned to Zack and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "Stay safe."

"Always. I'll see you in no time."

Lala managed a small smile before walking over to Zastin. With one last wave, the two walked off in the direction of the hangar. As soon as she was out of sight, Zack sank back down with his head in his hands.

"Hey, don't worry Zack," Kurumu said. "Let's go to that computer room thing and see what Ben's grandpa has got to say."

The doppelganger teen was silent for a moment before giving a small nod. "Sure. Let's go." He rose and slowly walked in the direction of the comms centre, closely followed by most of the club, leaving two lingering behind.

As the Vidatrix teen made to follow, he felt someone grab his hand. "Christian… Can I talk to you for a minute?" Moka asked, her head down.

"Um, sure, what's up?"

"I just wanted to say…" Despite her hesitation, it seemed like there was something on her mind. She struggled for a few more moments before sighing and shaking her head. "Never mind. Just promise that you'll stay safe so we can all make it out of this together. I… I don't want to lose you."

A small smile spread across Christian's face as he gave her a two-fingered salute. "Yes ma'am. And for the record, I don't want to lose you either."

Moka gave him a bright smile before walking on ahead.

'I can't catch a break,' Christian groaned at another moment ruined as he watched he go.

Christian and Moka joined the others in the comms centre. There, they found Max and Rook staring at a new report on the big screen on the main wall.

"What's going on here?" Christian asked, stepping to the front of the group.

"Ah, Christian, it is good to see you again," Rook said.

"You too," Christian replied, shaking the Plumber's hand. "But seriously, why are you watching the news?"

"Ben's making a statement to the public," Max stated.

"He's doing what?" All heads turned to the screen where Ben, still in his uniform from earlier, complete with his helmet to obscure his identity, was standing at a podium in front of a crowd of reporters and civilians.

"Why is Ben on TV?" Kurumu asked.

"He's trying to calm the people," Max explained. "Everyone saw the citizens of Undertown flee. As such, the underground city itself was exposed. The fact aliens have been living beneath the streets has people terrified. Using our sway with the mayor, we managed to call a press conference. While no one knows who he is, Ben's superhero persona is a recognised figure in the community. He's been tasked with trying to calm the people. Not that Harangue is making it easy for him."

"And the Incurseans?" Christian asked.

"We managed to get the planetary shield up in time," Max said. "But it won't take long for them to breakthrough."

At that moment, surrounding the planet, thousands of Incursean battleships were parked, waiting for the order to begin their assault on the planet. Unfortunately for them, the planet was capsuled within a hard light, green barrier that no doubt the Plumbers had established to keep them out.

At the helm of his command ship, Emperor Milleous, the light of the Incursean Empire, conqueror of billions, yadda, yadda, yadda, sat in his throne with his fat green fingers entwined.

He always savoured this part. The calm before the storm where he could see the world that would soon be his. And this world would bring him extreme satisfaction. He could easily destroy the planet, but to take it as his own would be much more beneficial to him. As well as an insult to Ben Tennyson.

To think, a single human would bring him and his empire so much trouble. Even his eldest daughter, Attea, had been bested by the hero known as Ben 10.

He did not regret bringing her out of stasis. Her tactical knowledge, cunning and ruthlessness had been great assets to his conquest. However, she still possessed her greed. He knew she was planning against him. Always looking for an opportunity to usurp him and take command. It made him proud in a way. He had been just a little older than her when he killed his father, poisoning him in his sleep.

However, he would not allow her to. It was why she was on her own personal vessel rather than on the command ship. She would lead the attack. He trusted her to get the job done. That way, she couldn't stab him in the back in the confusion. And if she died in the process, he had hundreds of other children in line to take the throne, all in stasis with their mother.

"Excuse me, my lord," one of his toadies called. "We are ready to transmit."

"Excellent," the emperor mused with a grin, pressing a button on his throne to open communications for his address. "Attention, Earthling scum," his voice rang out. "Surrender your planet at once, and swear allegiance to me, Emperor Milleous! Or, and I'm kinda hopin' you go for this option, face certain annihilation at the overwhelming might of the glorious Incursean armada!"

The emperor waited for a few moments, expecting a retort to be sent, perhaps even a surrender. However, nothing happened. No reply was sent. A croak escaped his lips as the silence persisted. "Why do they not respond?"

"Hello? Planetary shield blocking all communication," Attea spoke over the intercom. "Conquer worlds much?"

The emperor's eyes narrowed. How dare the Earthlings block his communication. He smashed his fist down upon the arm of his throne. "Keep pounding that shield until you bust through!" he ordered.

At once, the smaller Incursean fighters began ramming the shield. Each one was armed with small disrupters on their front. As the ships continued to attack the energy shield, small cracks began to form on its surface.

"Good…" Milleous cackled as he watched his forces attack. His vision then turned to a screen showing Attea and the Cerebrocrustacean scientist, Dr Psychobos. "And Attea, daughter of mine, you watch that mouth of yours unless you would rather find yourself on prisoner inventory detail!"

This was possibly Ben's greatest challenge to date. In front of him was an army, ready to rip him to shreds, and this time he couldn't use his fists to solve the problem. As he stood at the top of a podium, hundreds of people stared back at him, each one scared and confused. Some even threw rotten fruit and garbage at him.

He couldn't blame them.

The alien evacuation had thrown everyone for a loop. If he couldn't calm them down now, then they could get hurt when the Incurseans inevitably broke through the shield. Just the thought of it caused him to nervously fiddle with the Omnitrix behind his back.

And of course, stoking the flames of fear was none other than Will Harangue. The tall man had decided to wear slimming black suit and tie despite the burning summer heat. His short brown hair was beginning to grey at the sides, as much as he tried to hide it and his eyes gleamed like a joker pulling a trick.

For months, the news host had been leading a media campaign against the alien heroes saving the city and the masked man who commonly appeared around them. He'd painted them as menaces. The front line of an invasion. Oh, what he would say after this. Even now, as he tried to calm the people, Harangue was harassing him.

"Mister masked man, the people demand answers! Tell us! Are you the front of an alien invasion! Are you out to destroy humanity? Or merely enslave it?"

"Hey now, just wait a moment-" Ben tried to say.

"On a scale of one to ten, one being global apocalypse, and ten being complete obliteration of the space-time continuum, how dangerous is this alien population?"

"Look, please will you just listen to me!" Ben pleaded. "The people of Undertown are not a threat to the human population. They are just decent folks trying to make a living. They have never caused you disruption before and they won't in the future."

"And why should the people trust you?" Harangue pushed. "You wear a mask and seemingly have the ability to transform into an army of dangerous alien threats. Why should people listen to you?"

Why should they listen to him? As much as Ben hated to admit it, Harangue was right. Even if he had been saving the earth for years, he didn't take responsibility for the destruction that could be left in his wake. Sure, he helped people in the moment, but after that, he'd move on to fight the next threat or grab a smoothie. It was up to the hard-working people of Bellwood to clean up the debris. The Plumbers helped, of course, but even then, Ben wasn't involved with the efforts.

The people were scared, and he was the only one who had answers. They needed someone they could trust. One of their own who knew about the issue they were facing. Not a mask, but the identity behind it.

With a sigh, Ben rose his hands. This would cause problems in the long run. His family would need to be protected. However, Ben knew, at this moment, this was the right thing to do. He removed his helmet and a collective gasp escaped the crowd.

"My name is Ben Tennyson. And I have been fighting for this planet since I was ten years old."

"What is he doing?" Rook gasped. The Plumber base was once again in uproar. Everyone had seen Ben reveal his identity on live television. The shock had left many speechless.

"What he has to," Max replied. Unlike everyone else, the old man watched the screen with pride. While he knew the implication this would bring, he was happy that now the people would know the hardships Ben had gone through to help them, and finally get some of the recognition he deserved.

"But Magister-" Rook tried to counter.

"Ben did the right thing. He realised that the situation is bigger than himself and took the risk to calm people."

"His secret identity though… he just sacrificed it…" Kurumu said quietly. "What about his family?"

"We'll take care of that," Max said with a reassuring smile. He turned towards two human operatives standing by. "Get a detail on Ben's house. Make sure no surprises are coming their way." The agents gave a salute before running off towards the hangar. Max then turned back to the screen, watching as Ben continued to speak. "You've come a long way, Ben."

"Max!" Christian suddenly cried. "The planetary shield, the Incurseans are almost through!"

The crowd was in an uproar. They were asking questions about his age, who he was and how he got his powers. Ben knew this would happen. Even Harangue had been left speechless for once. He knew he needed to press on. Still, his nerves were getting to him. Even now he was still playing with the Omnitrix controls.

"Look, my work allows me to step into the skin of countless aliens. And I've always used their abilities to save this planet and its people. I hope that if we can come together-" Ben was cut off as suddenly the Omnitrix began to furiously beep.

"RANDOMISER FUNCTION ACTIVATED." The beeping grew as Ben moved his arm to look at the device.

"Randomiser function? What's th-?"

Before he could finish, the Omnitrix activated and Ben found himself engulfed in a flash of emerald light. Suddenly, he was towering over the people of Bellwood, a familiar sense of power flowing through him. As he lost his footing, Ben realised he had been transformed into Way Big.

He had no time to think. The transformed teen fell against a building behind him, causing massive damage and making a large sign fall from the roof towards the scared crowd below.

"No!" Prime Way Big cried. He acted quickly, catching the sign before it could crush any of the people below. 'Why did I transform?' he thought. 'This can't get any worse.'

Putting the sign safely to the side, he turned back to the people with his hands up in apology.

"Sorry, my bad," he boomed. "Everything's fine now, see?" As if to prove him wrong, the Omnitrix once again began to beep.

There was another green flash and suddenly, he was falling. However, he was no longer Way Big. Ben felt heavy, like he was trying to move a large safe. "What the?" he screamed as he fell, his voice now possessing a thick Russian accent. He quickly realised he was now NRG, a radioactive alien made of pure energy inside an oven-like armour to protect those around him.

As Prime NRG hit the ground, he inadvertently fired a large, radioactive blast that destroyed an apartment in the building across from the gathering, igniting a fire in the block. Causing many people to panic in alarm.

"No, no, no!" Prime NRG cried as he saw the destruction he had accidentally caused.

As a result of the crash, NRG's armour cracked open, allowing for his true form to escape and fly into the air. He looked like a being made of glowing red energy wearing green and black bracers over his body.

He flew across until he was floating just above the crowd and tried to give them his best smile. "It was an accident, I swear!" he cried out. "You are still perfectly safe around aliens! Although, you may want to back away from the radiat-" Again, the Omnitrix began to beep.

Ben felt himself change again. His body becoming a red shell with barnacles growing out of it. He had changed into Water Hazard. A form that definitely could not fly.

"Oh man…" the transformed teen groaned as he plummeted like a rock.

"What's happening to Ben?" Kurumu asked.

"I don't know," Max replied, but it can't be good. On the screen, Prime Water Hazard had just landed on top of Harangue and was now putting out the fire he had caused.

"Magister, the situation has just gotten worse," Rook said. "The Incurseans have broken through!"

All eyes turned to the screen to see several small Incursean fighters entering the atmosphere.

"Battle stations everyone!" Max cried before turning to Christian and Zack. "You two, go and give Ben support. We'll be with you as soon as we can."

"On it!" both boys cried. Simultaneously, they both transformed in a flash of green and blue into XLR8 and dashed for the exit.

The girls went to follow them when Max got in the way. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"We can help," Moka said.

"Not right now. You don't know the threat they are facing. Plus, if anyone sees you, you run the risk of revealing the existence of monsters."

"But-!"

"If you want to help, go and get some suits from the armoury. I'm sure that before long, the battle will be brought here."

The Plumber base had many hidden entrances that led into the city. The two kinecelerans were there within a minute. Both were stunned by the vast amount of ships soaring above, raining down death upon the unsuspecting citizens.

"Save the civilians!" XLR8 told the doppelganger teen. "I'll find Ben!"

His friend gave him a nod before dashing off in another direction towards the screams of the innocent. XLR8 continued moving forward, using his speed to scale the side of a building to get a better look at his surroundings. It was horrifying.

The city was on fire. Buildings were crumbling and the frightened screams of the innocents filled the air as they fled in terror.

"Oh, man… How could they do this?" he said. In the distance, there was an explosion. XLR8 turned to see one of the Incursean ships fall out of the sky, a figure jumping off it to safety with three more fighters following. "Figures he'd be in the thick of it."

Jumping over the side of the building, the kineceleran pressed on the Vidatrix symbol and transformed. He became a red, manta ray-like alien with black outlines on his face and yellow horns. Under his arms was a yellow patagia that extended like wings.

"Jetray!"

The transformed teen flew across the skyline. One or two ships tried to get in his way. A well placed neuroshock blast to their thrusters and they went down like stones. As he approached Ben, the transformed teen saw that he was now a mummy-like alien desperately trying to cling atop of an Incursean ship.

"Ben! Are you okay?" the manta ray-like called out.

"Christian? Getaway! Something's wrong with the Omnitrix! If we're still linked-!" As soon as he spoke, the Vidatrix began to beep.

"VIDATRIX CORE HAS SYNCED WITH OMNITRIX. RANDOMISER FUNCTION ENGAGED."

"What the-" Before he could finish, the Vidatrix suddenly began to beep. There was a bright flash and suddenly, the Vidatrix teen was falling. As he plummeted, Christian felt heavy. Looking at his arms, he saw large bulbs of yellow armour atop of white and black skin.

"Cannonbolt?"

He crashed into the road below, creating a crater where he landed. He lay there for a few moments, groaning as Incursean ships descended upon him.

"Do not move!" a voice played through the intercom. It was high pitched and had a thick Brooklyn accent. "Surrender to the glory of the Incursean Empire!"

"Yeah right," Cannonbolt said as he rose to his feet. "Like I'd give up." Once again, the Vidatrix began to beep. There was a flash suddenly the transformed teen shrank.

Grey skin, green jumpsuit, a sudden boost in intelligence. "Grey Matter?" he said with a sigh. "Why did it have to be Grey Matter?"

"Hey, where did he go?" The Incursean forces began to bicker amongst themselves. Grey Matter was too small for them to see on their scanners. Using the moment, the tiny alien escaped into a crevice between two skyscrapers.

"Why is this happening?" he asked. "The Vidatrix said something about a randomiser. That must be the reason for these quick alien changes. The Vidatrix must have synced with Ben's Omnitrix and then activated the function itself." The Vidatrix beeped once more.

Suddenly the teen found himself wedged between the two buildings as his body became too big to fit within the space. "Uh, Gravattack? Just from one extreme to the other."

"We've relocated the target!"

Out of the corner of his eye, the rocky alien noticed an incursion fighter hovering by the opening of the alley. "Oh, come on…"

Acting quickly, Gravattack threw out his hand, translucent energy forming around it. Using his powers, he increased the fighter's weight tenfold. The fighter crashed to the ground just as the Vidatrix began to beep again.

Gravattack shrank down as four wings burst from his back and his body became blue and black.

"Big Chill? Nice." Turning intangible, the Necrofriggian retreated through a wall and found himself in the middle of a shop. Away from danger, he let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, a chance to cool off. I hope Blukic and Driba can fix this." Knowing he could change at any moment, the Necrofriggian quickly began phasing through the walls of several buildings trying to find a place where he could lay low long enough to get some help. He managed to pass through three different shops and two apartment buildings before the Vidatrix finally timed out, leaving him in his unarmed human form.

The Vidatrix was now in recharge mode but he could still contact Plumber command. "The is Hawke to base, I need an immediate pickup. Something's happening to the Vidatrix. I keep randomly transforming and I stuck in the middle of a battlefield."

The Vidatrix comms crackled briefly before Max's voice played through. "Christian, we have a lock on your position. We've sent you something to pick you up. It should be with you shortly. Don't worry about Ben and Zack, they're already back here."

On cue, Christian heard the familiar rev of an engine come from outside. Rushing out, the Plumber teen found the DV-8 waiting for him by the pavement. As his biker suit engulfed him, the teen revved the engine and set off down the street back towards the base. As he reached the main road, there was a sudden boom.

He looked up just as several Incursean frigates descended from the sky. Giant rectangular ships soared across the sky, dropping large, circular, wheel-like tanks that began demolishing parts of the city. To top it all off, his radio suddenly burst to life and the deep voice of Emperor Milleous played through.

"Attention Earth persons! This is your conqueror speaking! Lord Emperor Milleous, destroyer of galaxies, warrior without peer, light of the Incursean Empire of which you are about to become the latest unwilling member. Resistance is futile but encouraged for it amuses me."

Christian's eyes narrowed, a fit of deep anger rising within him as the transmission ended. "Prepare to be amused," he growled as he entered the Plumber base.

"So, what's wrong with it?" Ben asked.

"Just give us a minute," Blukic said as he messed with the Omnitrix controls.

"Uh, c'mon!" Ben groaned as he leaned back into his chair.

Christian and he were once again sat opposite each other as Blukic and Driba worked on resetting their watches. However, as expected with the technicians, they weren't making much headway. The moment both teens had made it back to the base, they had been whisked down to the lab. Above them, the Plumbers were finishing their preparations to go to war. And personally, Ben was looking forward to joining them in the fight. He wanted to get back at the frogs for what they did to his city.

When Rook had brought Ben back, Max had told him about how the Incurseans had first targeted the Plumber's communication array. They were cut off from all other Plumbers in the sector and couldn't call for back up. It just meant it would be a harder fight from here.

Christian had been rather quiet since he arrived. Ben could understand why. The teen had never been one to back down from bullies. And now that his city and friends were threatened, he was desperate to get back out there.

The teen's friends were waiting at the side, minus Zack who was helping with the preparations. All of them were once again wearing a red variation of the Plumber armour. Each one streamlined to provide the best amount of movement and protection to them.

They were understandably worried about the whole situation. Moka had made a real fuss over Christian when he came back. It was cute. Must have been nice to be surrounded by so many beautiful girls. Even if one of them was a pain in the ass.

That said, Kurumu had been surprisingly nice when Rook brought him back. She'd checked up on him and even gone down with him to the lab before the others joined. Guess she could be kind when she wanted to be.

"Are they going to be okay?" Yukari asked, bringing Ben out of his musings.

"I do believe we have discovered the problem," Driba said, causing the others to sigh with relief.

"The randomiser function's been activated," Blukic declared.

A collective groan escaped the group at the answer.

"Yeah, I guessed that when it said, 'randomiser function activated'!" Ben cried.

"Then our work here is done," Blukic said as both galvans wiped their hands and began to walk away.

"Hey, hang on!" Christian blocked their path with his arm. "Can you fix it or not?"

"Most definitely," Driba said.

Grabbing a spanner from the side, Blukic rushed over to Ben and smashed the tool against the Omnitrix face. The device gave a few beeps but that was it. The two technicians gave the watch a wary look before looking up at the Plumber teen.

"I'm going to reverse my initial remark to most definitely not."

"Wait, so they're just going to randomly change form, every time they transform?" Moka asked.

"It's a randomiser function," Blukic remarked sarcastically.

"Uh, the human attention span," Driba groaned.

"Thanks. You've been a big help," Christian said sarcastically. The group let out a collective sigh as the two transforming teens rose from their chairs.

"So, what now?" Kurumu asked.

"You two can't very well fight like that," Ruby said.

"We don't have a choice," Ben said. "The world is in danger. If we don't stop the Incurseans, no one will."

"It's our duty. You know we can't back down," Christian said.

"Christian, by now, we know you won't back down from helping people," Moka said. "And Ben, you're too good a person not to back down."

"We'll help you in any way we can," Yukari said happily.

"Friends help each other," Mizore added.

"Even if they get on our nerves to no end," Kurumu said, glaring at Ben.

"You put it so nicely," the Omnitrix teen said sarcastically.

"Hey, guys!" The group turned to see Zack sticking his head around the door of the lab. "We should head upstairs. Magister T has a battle plan."

The group found Max briefing other Plumber agents in the hanger bay. Lined one by one were Plumber fighters and tanks, ready to go out into battle. Even Max's personal ship, a white and green boat-like craft with two boosters on the side, The Skipper was ready for the fight. Christian couldn't help but notice that near all plumber agents were present.

"With our limited recourses, are only hope is to launch an all-out assault on Emperor Milleous's flagship. If we can cut off the Incursean's communications, we stand a chance of neutralising the entire armada in the confusion."

It was a solid plan. Also, with the Incursean leader in custody, it was more than likely the rest of his armada would fall into disarray, making it all the easier to take them out. Ben seemed to think so too as he walked forward to the front of the group.

"I want in," he declared proudly.

"You're going to sit this one out, Ben," Max said before turning to the rest of the teens. "You too, Christian. With your watches on the fritz, we don't even know if they will recharge, let alone work properly. Stay here and help monitor Incursean movements to better co-ordinate our movements. Zack, as the only one who can still freely transform, I want you in Bellwood, helping the ground team take out the Incursean presence in the city. Alpha and beta teams, move out!"

At once, the Plumber agents began moving to their assigned vehicles, leaving only, Ben and the Newspaper Club behind. The group was about to make their way to the elevator when Ben stopped Christian.

"Hey, dude, you know I can't just stay here, right?"

Christian raised a quizzical brow and looked over to where Rook was making last-second preparations to the Proto-TRUK. The cockpit door was still open and begging for a stowaway to sneak on board.

"Do what you have to do," Christian said. "Leave it to us to hold down the fort here."

Ben gave an appreciative nod. Before he could move off though, he was stopped by Kurumu, who had overheard the brief exchange. "Hey, hero boy. Good luck."

Ben seemed shocked by the compliment but returned the sentiment with a wide smile. "Thanks. Make sure your safe when I get back. Don't want anything happening to you. Uh… to all of you." With that, the teen turned and ran over to Rook's ship, sneaking on board just as the door closed.

The two watched the ships fly into battle before turning towards the elevator. "So, Ben then. That's a turn."

"Shut up," Kurumu said quietly as the elevator doors closed.

Above the skies of Bellwood, Princess Attea's personal starfighter moved slowly over the rooftops. Attea was on the edge of her seat. Twice she had almost finished Tennyson and both times he managed to allude her through sheer dumb luck.

However, fortune favours the bold, and Attea was bold. Even now, the plumbers were falling into her trap. In years to come, songs would be sung of her victory today. Oh, it would be sweeter than the most succulent fly. In the reflection of her computer monitor, she straightened her purple cap and slightly loosened the white scarf around the neck of her purple flight suit. She wanted to look her best for her victory.

"My lady, it is time," Psychobos said.

As the good doctor said, several beacons appeared on her map, one after the other. Leaving the sanctity of their base had revealed its location to her.

"There you are. Call in the troop carrier. I want that base."

The base shook as the tanks on the outside continued to fire. The Newspaper Club stood in the middle of the op centre. Yukari and Ruby had situated herself by the main plumber computer, watching the battle from the cameras around the city. Kurumu and Mizore were inspecting the energy rifles they had been given.

Christian, however, was standing by the side, watching everyone as they silently tried to fill the void whilst the fighting was done. Holstered at his sides were two pistols the Plumbers had given him alongside a new uniform.

Questions burned in his mind. How was the assault team doing? Had Ben been discovered? How was Zack doing on the surface?

His hands clenched into fists as he shook with silent rage. He wanted to be out there. He needed to be out there. Even without the Vidatrix working properly, he knew he could help. But then his friends would be vulnerable here. Besides themselves, there was a small team of agents watching over the base. However, if they got in…

"Hey, chin up," Moka said, walking over to his side and squeezing his hand. "Ben and the others will sort this out. We'll win, just like we always do."

"I hope so," Christian said, flashing her a small smile. "I really hope so." Suddenly, the control room became engulfed in red light as an alarm began to blare.

"There's been a breach!" Yukari cried.

"Put the base on red alert!" Christian cried, running over to the main computer. On the screen was security footage showing the Incursean forces coming in through the hanger. "Alert! The base has been breached! Repeat, Incursean forces have breached the hanger bay! Prepare for attack!"

Turning, he saw his friends staring at him. "What do we do?" Kurumu asked.

"We're taking the base back. Be careful though, they won't be taking prisoners. Use your powers if you need to," Christian warned. "We can win this if we work together."

"Right!" the girls chimed.

Christian nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Let's go then."

"Keep firing!" Zack cried, now dressed in black and red armour; which looked cool but could use improvement, as Plumber tanks launched salvo after salvo at the Incursean ships and rolling tanks. However, none of their attacks seemed to be doing any damage.

Changing into P. Feedback, he fired a large beam towards the sky. However, his electric blasts did little to no damage against the superior weapons. "There's just no end to them."

"I hope Max and the others are doing better than us," Magister Patelliday said from beside him.

"It's not over yet," P. Feedback growled. "We've got to keep trying!"

"Blast him!" Attea screamed as her honour guard shot another unfortunate Plumber trying to find cover. Psychobos at her side, the pair strolled through the corridors of the Plumber base with little to no resistance. "This is too easy."

"Indeed," Psychobos agreed. "Compared to my last visit, the security of this stronghold, and I use that term loosely, is surprisingly lacking."

The two came to the entrance to the laboratory. A nearby soldier was quick to place an explosive. After a few moments, the door was blown off its hinges and Attea's forces swarmed the room. The princess scanned the messy space. Despite the strewn, half-finished gadgets, it seemed deserted. However, there was a partially open footlocker that would be perfect to hide in. Grinning, the princess flew open the doors, but there was no one inside.

"NO! He's supposed to be here! Find Tennyson! Bring him to me alive!"

"Sorry, Ben's not here. Can we help you?"

The Incurseans turned to see a group of six humans standing by the entrance of the lab each draped in armour. One man and five women, although one of them looked like a child. Each one had a different hairstyle and colour. Two of them, ridiculously, were holding glowing sticks at the incursions. Three had Plumber rifles whilst the girl with spiky purple hair had icy claws formed around her hands.

The male's armour was different from the others. His armour was different than the others. He wore a black, Kevlar suit with red trim and combat boots. Over the suit was a white leather jacket with the Plumber peace symbol on the centre of his chest. His straight brown hair almost fell over his dark eyes. In his hands were two silver energy pistols. He smiled before an obscured, reflective helmet formed over his head.

"Fire!" the teen cried. As one, the three humans holding guns began shooting. Green and red plasma filled the air as the Incurseans jumped for cover behind the workspaces of the lab.

"I thought the base was supposed to have minimal protection!" Attea screamed at Dr Psychobos.

"There are only six of those vermin. And besides, why are you worried? They are clearly rookies, otherwise, they wouldn't have fired as one."

"Heh, I suppose your right." As the attack inevitably paused so the Plumbers could reload, Attea reached over the workspace and began firing her pistol, causing the six teens to hide at the sides of the corridor.

"What are you waiting for?" Attea cried at her so-called warriors. "Shoot back!"

Her guard got to work, jumping from their hiding spots and approaching the doorway.

"Fall back! Mizore, we need a wall!" the male voice shouted.

Suddenly, the air became cold as an icy blue trail spread from the floor to the doorway. Suddenly, a think layer of ice sprang up, sealing the exit and trapping the Incurseans inside.

"What the? They were humans, how could they do that?" Attea asked.

"Perhaps they are of alien parentage," Psychobos assumed. "There are some humans who develop the abilities of their makers. I assume it relates to how adaptive their D.N.A can be."

"Well, either way, I want this wall gone. Now!" Attea screamed as the Incursion guard placed another explosive on the wall. "Call in a second transport! I want more troops."

"Back to the op centre! We can form a defence there!" Christian cried as the Newspaper Club ran back down the corridor. As they ran, the Vidatrix teen kept looking back. He knew Mizore's wall wouldn't last long. Even if Attea was leading the assault, there were other invaders in the base. Now and then, they came across a few Incurseans patrolling the halls. A swift blast from one of their weapons knocked the soldiers out.

The elevator was at the end of the hall. They got there just as they heard an explosion back down the hall. "Let's go already!" Kurumu cried.

The doors began closing just as the Incurseans came into view. Christian managed to get in two shots to fend them off before the doors closed. "Is everyone okay?" the teen asked, deactivating his helmet as they rose.

"Shaken but otherwise okay," Moka replied.

"It's a shame they got out so quickly," Ruby said. "It could have given us some time to make a new strategy."

"Life is rarely so convenient," Yukari remarked.

The elevator opened back into the main hub. Christian was quick to go over to the scanner and check communication. "This is Plumber base to the attack forces alpha and beta. Incursean forces have invaded the base. We need immediate backup."

The screen fizzled for a moment until Zack, as P. Diamondhead, appeared on the screen. "Sorry, Bro, wish I could help you out but-" He was forced to stop as an energy beam shot just past his head, causing an explosion that forced the Petrosapien to cover his face.

"Incurseans have broken through our front line!" Patelliday cried.

"Fight them back!" P. Diamondhead cried before the transmission cut out.

"Zack!" Christian cried again.

The screen fizzled again to show the angry and devastated face of Max Tennyson. "Christian, is that you?"

"Yes Max, I read you. We need help, the base has been invaded."

"We can't help you. The battle up here has taken a turn for the worse. Rook and Ben… they're gone."

"Gone? You don't mean…?"

Max's silence was all the answer Christian needed. His heart sank as he lowered his head. "No…"

"That can't be true!" Kurumu cried. "That ass is too stubborn to die."

"They went out as heroes, trying to take down Milleous's flagship. However, we have no way of sending you help."

"Understood," Christian said with a sigh. "We'll manage oh our own." The transmission cut out and the Vidatrix teen was left at the controls with his head down. "I can't believe they're gone."

"We can't stop now," Ruby said. "If we let the Incurseans win then their sacrifice will have been for nothing."

"Christian, if we work together, we can get through this," Moka said.

"We've been through tougher before," Kurumu agreed.

"Not like this though," Christian said. Everyone was being so optimistic. The past year had given them all confidence in themselves and their abilities. But he knew better. The Incursions weren't like Khyber's predators. They were trained, intelligent and ruthless. They had done this thousands of times on countless planets. If Ben was gone then there was little hope.

Moka looked like she was going to say something when the alarm once again went off. The computer monitor showed another Incursean troop carrier fast approaching. "More of them?" Yukari wailed.

"They're coming up in the lift too," Mizore said, pointing to the elevator that was already back at the lab level.

"We don't have the ammunition to take on that many," Ruby said.

"We don't have a lot of choice then. We need to make it to the tactical armoury unit," Christian said, unholstering his pistols. "Head down that corridor and take a right. I'll be right behind you."

The girls gave him a nod before running off. Christian waited for them to go before turning and shooting the main computer. The blast caused it to explode, rendering the main systems of the base inoperable. Communications would still work though. "That should stop them for a while," Christian said to himself before turning towards the elevator as it opened to reveal Attea and her troops.

"Get that Plumber!" the princess screamed as her forces began firing.

Christian managed to jump out of the way just before the blasts could hit them. As he made to run, he fired two shots, both striking and stunning an Incursean. From there, he ran after his friends with the rest of the enemy in hot pursuit.

Attea ignored the retreating Plumber, letting her forces deal with him as she made her way to the main console. As it sparked and crackled, she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "The Plumber destroyed the main controls. We can't use the weapons systems."

"We don't need their pitiful weapons," Psychobos said, approaching the console. "All we require are their communications systems and the Plumber attack patterns." The mutant crab what was left of the controls and began typing with his misshapen pincers. "Ah, here they are. I'm uploading the plans to Incursean network. Now the Plumbers have no surprises."

Attea grinned as she cracked her neck. "Excellent. Show me the battle above." Psychobos was quick to comply. However, what appeared shocked Attea. Four of the Incursean frigates were firing upon the flagship her father was on. "What's happening up there?" Attea cried. "Open communications!"

Once again, the mad doctor complied, and the main hub was filled with the sound of her panicked father. "Cease fire! Ceasefire!" he cried. "I said cease-" There was strange sound on the line, like a crunch as her father briefly paused.

"Do not cease fire!" a high-pitched voice cried that Attea knew was not her father. "Plumbers have infiltrated all Incursean ships. Shoot first, ask questions later. Trust no one! Including me! Lord Emperor Milleous, light of the – ah, forget it!" The communication cut out, leaving the Incursean forces in disarray.

"What do we do?"

"What happened to the Emperor?"

"Who's in command?"

Suddenly, a devious idea popped into Attea's head. If she were lucky, all her problems could be taken out in one fell swoop. Pressing down on the receiver, she said, "This is General Attea; Princess, scion and teen supreme of the deathless Incursean Empire. I'm taking command. And I say fire on the flagship! It's what daddy would have wanted."

Christian ducked around the corner just before he was blasted by the Incursean guard. He continued to run, desperate to meet up with his friends. As the enemy forces came around the bend, Christian let out two shots which struck the first Incursean in the chest, sending him flying back into the others.

"Christian, over here!" Moka cried from up ahead. She and Mizore were leaning out of a room, waiting for him to catch up.

"Duck!" Mizore cried as she flung shuriken made of ice out from her hand. Christian quickly dropped to the ground, sliding under the sharp weapons as they flew past, striking another Incursean's helmet and causing the alien to stumble back, giving Christian just enough time to reach the room and seal the door.

"That'll hold them, right?" Yukari asked.

"Not for long," Christian said as he looked around the room. It was rather large and spacious. On each wall were two circular hatches with small terminals next to each one.

"What are we going to do?" Kurumu asked. "You said this was an armoury. Where are the weapons?"

"There are none," Christian said solemnly.

"What? Then what is this place? Why did you say we were getting weapons?" Kurumu asked.

"These are escape pods. We're getting out of here." Christian moved over to one of the hatches and began typing in co-ordinates. As one, the two hatches on that side opened.

"We're abandoning the base?" Moka asked. "But what about the Incurseans?"

"There are too many of them to fight with just the six of us. It makes more sense to reconvene with the others and plan an effective counter strike from there. We've lost this battle, but the war can still be won." As he spoke, the girls walked over to the open pods. Inside each pod were only two seats with not a lot of space in between.

"They're a bit small," Ruby remarked.

"These pods can only hold a limited number of people so we will have to go in twos," Christian explained. "Yukari and Ruby, you take the first pod. Kurumu and Mizore, you guys go next. Moka and I will follow afterwards."

"But what about the others? We still can't contact them," Yukari said.

"Each of the pods has a communication relay inside. We can contact them when we land." He finished up typing on the console and gestured towards the first pod. "Right, the pod should land in the forest just outside of Bellwood. The Incurseans won't be able to find us there."

"Are you sure this is the only way?" Moka asked.

They suddenly heard a large slam on the door of the room. Outside, they could hear the Incurseans gather.

"The door is sealed!"

"Cut it open!"

"As you can see, we don't have a lot of time," Christian said urgently. "It's time to go. Yukari, Ruby, get in. You'll be perfectly safe."

The two girls shared a look before they entered the pod. Sitting across from each other, they strapped themselves in and glanced back at the Vidatrix teen. "You'll definitely be behind us?" Yukari asked.

"We won't be long," Christian said with a smile. "Stay safe." With that, he closed the pod and it immediately shot out of the base to safety. The Vidatrix teen immediately began setting up the next pod. "Kurumu, Mizore, you guys are next."

The pair were hesitant but entered the pod nonetheless. "You had better be right behind us," Kurumu said.

"This all means nothing if we don't make it out together," Mizore added.

"Don't worry, you guys will be fine," he said with a reassuring smile. "Take care." Once again, the hatch closed, and the pod was sent out safely towards the woods after Yukari and Ruby. "Okay, now it's our turn." As he went to turn around, Christian heard a very distinctive and familiar click. "What are you doing?"

The teen turned to see Moka pointing her rifle at him. Her eyes were filled with determination and a disappointed frown tugged at her lips. "Christian, I know what you're doing."

"I don't know-"

"Don't lie to me!" Moka cried. Her hands were shaking. The barrel of the weapon trembled as the pinkette tried to keep a brave face. "You're planning to sacrifice yourself for us!"

Christian's eyes narrowed as he noticed the light red glow emanating from the hem of her armour.

"So, your inner self worked it out," he said with a sigh.

"We both did. We've known you longer than anyone. We know you would never let us get hurt. But also, that we would never leave you if we didn't have a choice. I bet you chose this room specifically because the escape pods are so small."

"Well, that and it's the closest to the main hub. Destination is key when choosing an escape route after all," Christian said with a shrug.

"Stop joking! I know you're just trying to distract me!" Moka cried. "We're getting in that pod together. We're meeting with the others together and we will survive. Together!"

"We can't do that, Moka," Christian said sadly. "The pods will record the coordinates. If I don't stay behind and destroy the terminals, then the Incurseans will know where you are and come after you. I refuse to let that happen." He looked behind the pinkette at the door. Even now the Incurseans were using something to burn a hole through. A low sizzle permeated the room as the frogs got ever closer to reaching them. "I can stay behind and give you time to escape."

"But the Vidatrix…"

"I'll work something out, trust me." Slowly, he reached out his hand and moved the barrel aside. "I can get out of here. As long as the watch gives me Swampfire or Gutrot, I can use the Incursean's heightened sense of smell against them."

"You can turn into dozens of aliens. What are the chances you get even one of them?"

"I'll just have to be lucky." Moving the weapon aside, Christian walked over to the other wall and activated the third pod. "Its time for you to go. The frogs will be through any second."

Moka looked apprehensive. She didn't move. Knowing she needed a little push, Christian reached out his hand. "Trust me, Moka. Everything will be fine."

"I just want you to be safe," Moka said quietly.

"I will be. Now go."

Moka took one step inside the pod before pausing. She turned and leaned forward, stealing a kiss from the Plumber teen. It took him a moment to realise what she was doing. One electric second stretched into a thousand. As the girl pulled away, the two shared a brief smile. "I wish we had done that earlier," Moka said.

"Me too."

The hatch closed and Moka approached the glass and mouthed three distinct words. While Christian couldn't hear her, he knew what she had said.

"I love you too," he said as the pod was fired from the base. Now alone, he turned and shot both consoles in the room, erasing the log history whilst rendering the final escape pod inoperable.

The Incursean forces were almost through the door. A few more seconds and all hell would break loose. Christian's eyes turned to the Vidatrix. His steadfast companion in his journey to this moment. Sure, it was a little different from when his journey started, but so was he. Even now, when it wasn't working properly, he knew it would help him give his friends enough time to escape.

There were precious seconds left. Pulling out his phone, he rang the number of Zack's communicator. Unfortunately, he didn't pick up. "Zack, it's Christian. Plumber base has been overrun. The girls are safe. I'll send you their coordinates in a second. But first, there's something I need you to do." For the next few moments, Christian left Zack with an array with instructions. "I believe in you, my friend. Keep the others safe. Save the world. Goodbye."

After having his suit regenerate his helmet, the teen activated the Vidatrix. The core immediately popped open, leaving no room for selection. The randomiser was still functioning. "Here we go," he said as the last of the door was cut through.

As the metal door came down, Christian charged forward, pressing down on the core. In a moment, he felt light and acrobatic as he leapt forward with his feet forward. As he crashed into the first Incursean, he saw the blue fur and animalistic paws he now possessed. He could also feel the extra set of arms that were now at his sides.

"Spidermonkey!" he cried as he knocked three Incurseans out into the hallway. Sticking to the wall, the arachnichimp used shot out a glob of webbing that quickly sealed the three downed warriors to the ground. Turning his head, he saw that the entire corridor was full of Incursean warrior. The Incurseans took one look at the Vidatrix symbol on his chest and gasped.

"It's Tennyson!"

"How'd he get here? I thought he was on the flagship."

It seemed they thought he was Ben. He could use that to his advantage. "I'm a monkey of many talents. Who's first?"

The Incurseans paused as they murmured amongst themselves. In the moment of confusion, The Vidatrix began to beep, signalling the next transformation. Spidermonkey dropped to the ground just as he changed again. He shrank in size and yet felt a powerful force of power come from within.

"Echo Echooooo!"

The force of the tiny alien's scream knocked back the Incursean forces against the far wall. The Sonorosian continued his assault until the Vidatrix once again began to beep. "Come. On. Swampfire!"

In a flash, the alien grew taller. Looking down at his hands, he saw that he now possessed blue and black quill-like fur and a sudden rush of excitement. "Fasttrack will work," the alien said to himself, flexing his fists.

"He's changed again!"

Fasttrack turned to see another army (a group of frogs is called an army, right?) of Incursean troops come around the corner. With a smile, Fasttrack got to work, rushing towards the troops and pulling the pins from each of the grenades on their belts. He then ran ahead, enjoying the series of explosions that were left in his wake.

Fasttrack continued to run until he reached the main hub. There, he found Attea and Dr Psychobos waiting for him. "Attea!"

"Tennyson? No, that's not possible," the princess mused.

"Indeed," Psychobos agreed. "We know he was on your father's ship. Could this possibly be a second Omnitrix user?"

Before Fasttrack could answer, the Vidatrix beeped. The speedster transformed instantly. After the customary flash of green light, the transformed teen looked down at his hands to see they bore resemblance to his human form. However, the familiar feeling of coolness told him that he had transformed into Icepick. There was no time to waste. He'd transformed too many times already. The Vidatrix couldn't have much power left.

"It doesn't matter who I am. You're leaving now!" Taking a move from Mizore's playbook, Icepick formed ice around hands in the shape of claws and leapt towards the alien princess.

Just as he was about to take a swipe, he was shocked by a blast that struck his side. Screaming in pain, he fell to the ground, purple arcs of electricity flowing from him.

"You dolt! Did you forget my presence!" Psychobos cried with sick satisfaction as he ceased his attack.

"Good work, Psychobos." Attea walked over to the down teen and kicked him while he was down. "You must be someone new. Tennyson never would have been so careless."

"I'll admit, I am having an off day." Turning, Icepick threw out a shard of ice.

"Ah!" Attea cried as she fell back.

Pushing the attack, Icepick began to generate more shards to throw when the Vidatrix beeped again. Instantly, he transformed before he could finish the job.

As the light faded, the teen found that he had once again shrunk in height. Attea and Psychobos now towered over him. Over his lips was something fat and hairy and he felt the sudden urge to eat cheese.

"I say, Mole-Stache? This was the last form I expected to change into," he said with a thick British accent. The gerbil-like alien's moustache grew, taking the shape of two fists. "Well, have at thee!"

The small alien charged forth, easily battering Attea aside as he made his way to the mad doctor.

Psychobos tried to shoot a blast of electricity at him, but Mole-Stache was able to block the attack with one side of his moustache. "This form may be ridiculous, but it does have its advantages," the alien said as he smacked the evil doctor around the side of the shell.

"Oof! You will pay for that you rodent!" Psychobos growled.

"I dare you to try, you-" the Vidatrix began flashing red and suddenly, the teen found himself reverted into his human form.

"No, not now!" Christian cried as Attea approached him from behind.

"Put your hands up, Plumber. With your watch outta juice, there's no way you can beat us now."

"But please do keep fighting," Psychobos dared as his cranium opened to reveal his brain crackling with electricity. "I would very much enjoy frying you to a crisp."

"I surrender." With a low growl, Christian raised his arms into the air. His dissatisfaction was hidden behind the visor of his helmet as Attea removed his pistols from his side. With a grin, Attea placed large handcuffs over Christian's wrists, stopping him from using the Vidatrix.

"That should hold you," the princess cackled before turning to the screen of the main hub. On it, it showed a large object falling into Earth's atmosphere. "It seems daddy is falling out of the sky. Prep my ship, Psychobos. Let's go and check the wreckage."

Moka's pod crashed into the forest outside of Bellwood. There she found the rest of her friends already waiting for her.

"Moka!" Yukari cried happily. "Huh? Where's Christian?"

"Are you crying?" Kurumu asked.

"Christian isn't coming," Moka said solemnly. "He stayed behind so that the Incursions couldn't follow."

"No! Why does he always do this?" Kurumu cried angrily. "If we had worked together-"

"Then we would have been captured too," Mizore interrupted. "I don't like this any more than you do. But if we had stayed, no one would have gotten away."

"Yeah but-"

"There are no buts, Kurumu!" Moka cried, her bravery swelling. "Christian gave himself up to protect us. We need to find Zack and think of a way to rescue him!"

Suddenly, there was an explosion from above. The girls looked up to see a giant, square ship falling from the sky.

"That must be the Incursion flagship," Ruby assumed.

"But it's falling on the city!" Yukari cried. "Hundreds will be killed!"

Almost as if to answer their prayers, there was a roar as a large, metallic dragon flew across the skyline towards the falling ship.

"It's Zack!" Moka cried.

The girls watched as P. U. Grimlock tackled the left side of the ship and began pushing it with all his might. With the titan's great and formidable strength, slowly, the flagship began to move away from the city.

"He's doing it!" Kurumu cried excitedly.

"Um, guys…"

"He can't be doing it alone," Moka said. "The ship is too big."

"Guys…"

"Someone must be steering it on the inside then," Mizore remarked.

"GUYS!" Yukari cried loudly. "It's coming this way!"

The girls shared a look before turning and running away from the falling starship. The group tried running to the east as the ship's shadow fell over them, missing the group as it fell over a hill, crash landing in a large stretch of land close to the city limits.

The girls came to the edge of the hill and looked down upon the wreckage with awe. Above them P.U. Grimlock was circling the area, undoubtedly waiting to see who would come crawling out.

"ZACK!" Moka called out, waving her arms to try and make herself seen. "Over here!" After a few moments, it became clear the transformed teen couldn't see them. "Yukari, send up a flare."

"On it." Thrusting her wand into the air, the young witch produced a bright blue light. Thankfully, this time, it seemed to catch the mechanical dragon's attention.

In a swift movement, he dived towards them and landed on the hill, quickly reverting into his human form. Moka had to admit, his armour was fairly impressive. It was streamlined and seemed designed to take more hits than the standard Plumber gear she had seen. Maybe it was something Zack had made with his powers?

"What are you guys doing here?" Zack asked. "And where's Christian?"

The girls looked down solemnly. "The base was overrun," Kurumu said sadly. "Christian stayed behind so that we could escape."

"No! We have to go back and help him!" Zack cried, blue aura already beginning to spread from his body.

"We can't do that," Mizore said, calming him down. "There were too many of them. If we were to go back, we'd just be overwhelmed. Ben is dead too. He and Rook sacrificed themselves to attack the flagship."

The group fell silent as they tried to think of what they could do. However, at that moment, their attention was averted by a series of Plumber and Incursean ships flying overhead.

"What's going on?" Moka asked.

Zack headed to the edge of the hill and looked down upon the wreckage. "I think there are people down there. Something's going down."

"I'll send out a raven," Ruby said, raising her wand and conjuring a winged familiar to her side. "We'll be able to take a peek at what's going on."

Ruby's familiar took to the air, flying down towards the broken ship. Through its eyes, a vision appeared from Ruby's wand, showing Max and Princess Attea facing each other with their weapons drawn. Thanks to Ruby's magic, they were also able to hear what the two were saying.

"Surrender!" the two cried. Neither did.

"I'm afraid we have you outnumbered," Max said, gesturing to the four Plumber ships floating above.

"Look a little higher," Attea said with a grin. As she said, six Incursean fighters were hovering above the Plumber's vessels, each one ready to attack on command. "Now who's outnumbered?"

"Call off your ships, Attea," A familiar voice said from the side. The image changed to show none other than Ben and Rook standing by the wreckage of the Flagship, an extremely fat Incursean in handcuffs and regal armour standing between them. "Or say goodbye to daddy."

"It's Ben!" Kurumu cried, almost happily. "He's alive!"

"Rook is too," Mizore observed.

Moka was frowning though. Attea seemed undeterred. In fact, she was grinning. "Go ahead," she said cockily. "But we'll have to execute our hostage as well."

Walking down the ramp of Attea's personal ship was Dr Psychobos. Chained to his right claw was a very familiar figure. Even with his helmet still on, the Newspaper Club members easily recognised their friend.

"Christian!" they cried, a mixture of relief and worry in their voices.

"We have your little Plumber friend," Attea said smugly. "If you don't return my father, I'll kill him right now."

"Ben, it's good to see you're okay but don't listen to her!" Christian cried. "I'm not important! If you keep hold of Milleous, then you can put a stop to their invasion!"

"But…"

"You should listen to her, hero," Milleous said, his grin matching his daughter's. "Attea is known to be quite trigger happy. So, let me tell you what's gonna happen. You're gonna let me go. Then you're gonna leave this planet and never come back."

"And why would I do that?" Ben asked dubiously.

At that moment, Psychobos produced a small remote and pressed a button. Suddenly, from within Bellwood, a purple beam of light shot into the sky. Its light was so bright that it could be seen for miles.

"That's coming from the Plumber base," Zack gasped.

"They must have left something there during the invasion," Yukari remarked.

"Guys, look up!" Mizore cried in uncharacteristic fear.

The group looked up to see a giant figure fall from the sky. It fell directly in front of the Plumber and Incursean forces where everyone was able to get a good look at the monstrosity that had fallen upon them.

It easily dwarfed everything around them as it stood up at its full height. It let out an evil scream as the titan stood at its full height, allowing for its grey, black and purple skin to be seen. While it was distinctly more feminine that what they had previously seen, the group also recognised this creature.

"That's a Way Big!" Moka cried in fear.

"At least there's only one," Kurumu said reassuringly.

Suddenly, more screams filled the sky. The group looked up again to see several of the Incursean frigates open their bases to allow dozens of evil Way Bigs to fall upon the Earth. Each was monstrous in appearance, looking mutated and partially deceased. Some were almost skeletal whilst others had enormous red sacks of goo growing from their bodies. However, they shared the same colour palette as the first. Their eyes all burned red with hate. One by one, the mutated titans began walking towards Bellwood, ready to bring great destruction.

"No…" Moka whispered in terror.

"There's so many of them," Mizore gasped.

"There's no way we can fight that many…" Zack said in shock.

Their vision returned to the images being portrayed from Ruby's wand where the Plumbers were looking just as shocked as the rest of them. On Ben's face, they saw something they never thought possible. Defeat.

Victoriously, Milleous leaned over to the Omnitrix teen. "I see you anywhere near this system, and I mean anywhere; my mutated To'kustar pets will destroy everyone and everything you ever cared about!"

"No!" Ben said, still defiant in the face of defeat.

Unfortunately, much to the group's surprise, Max walked over and placed a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Ben, you have to go."

"Grandpa, no! I can't let them win! I never let Vilgax win! Or Aggregor! Or-"

"Ben," Max tried to interrupt, his face sullen.

"I've never backed down! I'm not about to back down now!"

"Ben! I already thought I lost you once today. At least this way I'll know you're alive."

The two shared a look, their eyes solemn as they both realised that it had to happen. "Fine," Ben relented.

"Send this guy too," Attea cut in, pointing to the captive Christian.

"Why?" Milleous asked.

"This guy has an Omnitrix," Attea said, brandishing the device on Christian's wrist. "He could be trouble if he sticks around. We should send him into space with Tennyson."

"Daughter of mine, you have a devious and clever mind. We shall send him into exile as well."

"No!" Ben cried. "You have me. Let Christian go!"

"Sorry kid but you ain't calling the shots here. Besides, I would have thought you'd want the company."

"No!" Moka screamed. As the image from Ruby's wand fizzled out, the last thing they saw of their friends was their crestfallen heads. "We have to go and save them!" she cried. "We can't let them be sent away." She made to run down the hill only to be stopped by Zack. "Let me go!"

"Moka, calm down! We can't do anything for them right now!" Zack cried as he tried to stop the struggling pinkette. "We will see them again. But first, we need to regroup. There are still people we can turn to."

"But…"

"Moka, we need to go," Ruby said as soothingly as she could. "We can't do anything here."

And so, albeit reluctantly, the group turned and ran. But not before Moka and Kurumu cast one last look back towards the wreckage of the flagship.

The Incurseans had brought them both to the centre of town. They wanted to make a spectacle out of the Plumbers' defeat. Christian let out a low growl as Attea put the finishing touches to his mandibles.

Both he and Ben had been placed inside of pods only large enough to fit one person. While their pods were connected through a tube that allowed them to talk, they were still separate from one another. Their arms were connected to walls by cuffs, keeping their arms away from their Omnitrices.

"You won't win," Christian spat as Attea finished. "There will always be someone to fight against you."

The princess didn't bat an eye. She looked into his visor, for they had not bothered to remove his helmet, and smiled. "Then they will lose too. You're nothing like Tennyson. You're not even special. You're just a kid with a fancy watch."

Christian had no retort. Lowering his head, he waited as Attea finished her work and returned to her father. Harangue, having assumed the role of voice person for the Incurseans said a little speech about how the Earth's benevolent new leaders were sending away two of the planet's greatest villains. But he didn't care.

As the Plumbers were put on display being arrested, Christian thought of his parents, who he would never have the opportunity to avenge them.

As Milleous pushed the button, closing their pods, he thought of his friends in the Newspaper Club. He prayed they would survive this ordeal and find a way home. Hopefully, Zack had gotten his message and would be able to pull out a miracle.

Finally, as he and Ben were launched from their home into the endless vacuum of space, his thoughts turned to Moka. His closest friend. The woman he loved.

"I wish things could have been different," he said under his breath, thinking of all the times they had spent together. The good and the bad. Their first kiss played in his mind and a small, solemn smile tugged at his lips. "Goodbye, Moka. I love you."

On a rooftop a little way away from the ceremony, Moka, Rook, Zack and the rest of the Newspaper Club watched as their friends were sent into space.

"There is nothing we can do now," Rook said.

"So, what do we do now?" Yukari asked.

"We do what they would have done," Moka said, her eyes so fierce that if it weren't for her pink hair, the others may have mistaken her for her inner self. "We fight back."

And there we go. Only one chapter left now. I hope you enjoyed the first half of the finale. I certainly enjoyed writing it. I'll get started on the next chapter right away, only one more left now.

Please don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts. I would love to know what you think. I hope everyone is staying safe out there and I'll see you next time.