Chapter Text
Ben bent over the seat of the Prototruck, his head lolling through the empty space. His hair brushed the edge of the mudflaps, dragging through the dirty sleet crusted on them. He cringed, pulling himself up slightly.
Rook was wrapping up an arrest while Gwen and Kevin dealt with the wreckage from the car chase. Someone had gotten the bright idea to pull off a bank heist across the street from where the Ben 10 was staying.
Naturally. Because the universe wouldn’t let Ben go one day without some dumbass deciding to put people in danger.
Besides, it wasn’t like Ben had been necessary. It had been Gwen who had noticed the robbery, and Kevin who had radioed for backup when the thieves jumped into their car in an attempt to flee. Rook had just yanked Ben out of their bed and dragged him down to the Prototruck. He hadn’t even gotten to turn into anything cool!
Rook had just ordered him to drive before hauling himself out of the window to take aim at the tires of the fleeing cars. Sure, keeping them from spinning out or rolling over had been helpful, but it would have been better if Ben had actually, you know, been in the driver’s seat.
But, whatever, it was fine. Not every fight required the Omnitrix. Ben could deal with a little boredom. Besides, there was a way bigger problem with this whole robbery and car chase.
“Aren’t we supposed to be on vacation?” Ben whined, kicking at the sun visor on the prototruck.
“Yes,” Rook said pleasantly. “But that does not mean we can shirk our responsibilities as Plumbers just because we are on vacation.”
“Yeah, but still.” Ben flopped over onto his stomach, not caring about the sleet soaking into his hair anymore. As he did so, his eye caught a glimpse of white stucco. “No way. Is that…Store 23? I didn’t know Hokestar visited Kylmyss.”
Rook glanced up. “It would appear so.” There was silence for a moment. Then, Rook sighed. “Go. I can handle the arrests.”
“Great.” Ben flipped over onto his feet and jogged over to the store. “You want your usual?”
“No. Order for me off the secret menu.”
“Ooh, feeling adventurous are we? I got you, I got you.” Ben pushed open the door with his heel. “See you in a minute, Rook!”
“Do not get sucked into another dimension while you are in there!”
“No promises!”
Warm air enveloped him as he stepped inside, the sounds of Plumber and work-related chaos fading away as the door swung shut behind him. Ben took a moment to drink in the fluorescent lights and the smell of smoothies before approaching the counter.
“Professor Hokestar, hey!”
“Ah, Benjamin Tennyson. A pleasure to see you again. And remind me which one you are?”
“I think Paradox called me Ben Prime? I never remember. There was so much else going on when all us Bens met up.”
“Ah, yes, yes, Ben Prime. It’s been quite a while.”
“Yeah, I haven’t seen you on Earth in a while. What are you doing on Kylmyss?”
“I thought I would attempt to expand into new markets. And what of yourself? What brings you to such a frigid planet? I was under the impression that humans did not care for temperatures this cold?”
Ben laughed. “Yeah, humans do stupid stuff in pursuit of fun all the time.”
“Ah, so is it pleasure that brings you here?”
“Yup! Universal roadtrip! I mean, technically, I’m on Kylmyss to see my kids, but seeing this place was on Rook’s bucket list so we would’ve stopped here anyways.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful. Shall I prepare smoothies for your children alongside your usual order, then?”
“Nah. They set off for their own adventure yesterday. I was supposed to head out for Appoplexia this morning, but some idiot decided it was a good idea to rob a bank right in front of the hotel where I was staying. Ended up having to deal with it. It really killed the vibe, y’know? I could really use a smoothie to reset.”
“Of course. One grape smoothie coming up! And will your partner be having his usual?”
“Nah. Said he wanted something off the secret menu. Surprise him.”
Professor Hokestar bowed and disappeared into the back of the store. Behind Ben, the bell rang as someone else stepped in. Probably Rook or Kevin.
Ben tapped his fingers against the edge of the counter. That got boring quickly. So, he began examining some of the many projects that Hokestar had left lying behind. Most of it flew over his head. But one device he recognized.
“Yo, is this a new interdimensional generator?”
“Very astute observation.”
Ben froze. He knew that voice.
“I would not have expected you to recognize it,” the voice continued. “Hello Ben.”
“Albedo.” Ben whirled to face his copy, his hand hovering over the Omnitrix dial. He paused when he was greeted not with a scrawny ten-year-old, but rather a freshly seventeen Albedo. Ben’s nose scrunched in confusion “How the hell did you turn into a teenager again?”
“Please, Tennyson. I’m intelligent enough to rival Azmuth. It was only a matter of time before I managed to undo such a mundane prison as inhabiting a child’s body.”
“So, what, you’re here to kill me?”
“What else could I possibly be here for?”
Ben shrugged. “A smoothie and chili fries. Hokestar makes a really good carrot and kale smoothie. You seem like you’d be into health foods.”
“I had forgotten how irritating your banter is. But no matter. After today, I will no longer have to deal with your nonsense.”
With that, Albedo lunged.
Ben ducked as Albedo’s momentum sent him stumbling into the counter. He kicked, foot catching Albedo in the ribs. Albedo grunted as his chin hit the linoleum.
Ben moved to pin him down, but Albedo grabbed his sleeve and used his momentum to flip him. The air in Ben’s lungs rushed out with a wheeze.
The counter dug into his spine. His right arm was pinned, but his Omnitrix arm was still free.
He kneed Albedo in the stomach and shoved him back a few inches.
“Gah, you miscreant!”
It was enough. Ben managed to pop up the dial of the Omnitrix. It didn’t matter what alien he got, he just needed-
Albedo’s fist slammed into his nose.
“What was that for?!”
“Well, if you would just stay still!”
Albedo seized his wrist once again, slamming it against the countertop and attempting to pin his Omnitrix arm.
Ben grit his teeth, trying to keep his arm free. Then, his eye caught on the Omnitrix dial. It was still up. He grinned and slammed the back of his wrist down.
Only, he didn’t hit the counter. He hit the interdimensional field generator. And he didn’t transform.
There was silence for a moment. Then, Albedo’s eyes widened in fear. “What did you just-”
The store filled with the sound of feedback, electricity dancing off the Omnitrix and filling the store with bright green light. Ben yelped as pain lanced up his arm from the Omnitrix.
“You fool!” Albedo yelled. “You’ve damaged the regulator! We could end up anywhere!”
Ben wasn’t paying much attention to that, though. He was too busy focusing on the burning sensation at the base of his spine, pulling him in four different directions.
Then, with a pop, Store 23 disappeared around them, and he and Albedo were falling through nothingness. Ben flailed, trying to gain his bearings. He reached for Albedo without thinking, pulling his double closer, slamming into…something as he did so.
A scraping sound echoed through the nothingness, odd and distorted. Pressure built in Ben’s skull as the sound echoed louder and louder. Around them the nothingness shifted, colors and sounds blurred around them, forming a kaleidoscope of nonsense. And still, they were falling.
Until they weren’t.
Ben hit the ground with a dull thud, his head pounding. Distantly, he could hear the sounds of traffic and could see Albedo standing over him. But already, his vision was turning black around the edges. His head really did hurt.
“What have you done this time, Tennyson?”
And with that, Ben collapsed, unconscious.