In the vast, boundless universe, a colossal steel warship floated silently in the void, its hull wrapped in an unknown crimson substance that shimmered faintly, like a slumbering beast awaiting awakening.
Inside the main command chamber, a large screen flickered to life, broadcasting scenes of Alien Heroes saving humanity. Every hero displayed bore a unique emblem on their chest.
Swampfire battling a Spinosaurus, Heatblast subduing a group of robbers—countless heroic acts played one after another.
"The Omnitrix... being used by some brat to play hero? Outrageous!" Vilgax trembled with fury, his small, glimmering eyes nearly blazing with fire.
The universe's most powerful weapon—its strategic value beyond calculation—was being wasted on such trivial Earthling nonsense. The thought alone made his blood boil.
"Master, shall we send more robots to Earth to seize the Omnitrix?" A thin, mechanical robot stepped forward, its metallic voice devoid of emotion.
"Prepare a vanguard unit," Vilgax hissed. "This time... I'll handle it myself."
A sinister gleam flashed across his beady green eyes.
"Yes, Master."
...
Under the bright full moon at eight o'clock that night, the group gathered after defeating the Insectoid Monster. Ms. Mia, the woman who had delivered the earlier speech, hosted a lavish banquet at one of Texas's most famous restaurants to thank Lucian for saving her life.
Grandpa Max initially declined, but Ms. Mia's gentle persistence eventually won him over. She explained that the dinner was meant to thank the two "young heroes" who had transformed, and she promised to keep their identities a secret.
During the chaos earlier, Ms. Mia had been left alone in the Rustbucket for too long, her nerves fraying. She finally got out to follow them—just in time to witness Heatblast revert to human form and see Big Chill battling the Insectoid.
Now, five people sat around a large table overflowing with delicacies: steamed lobster, golden crab, boiled abalone, bird's nest, shark fin soup—every dish gleamed with extravagance.
Grandpa Max scratched his head, clearly troubled. None of this was his kind of food.
Ben, on the other hand, was in heaven, devouring everything with enthusiasm and a mouth full of oil.
Gwen frowned slightly, her appetite fading as she watched the two sitting across from her.
At the table, the beautiful Ms. Mia sat beside Lucian, smiling warmly as she filled his plate. "Come on, eat more! You're still growing!"
Lucian chuckled awkwardly, unsure how to respond as the mood turned tense.
Annoyed, Gwen grabbed a chair and sat down beside her Cuz. She quickly picked several pieces of meat and dropped them into Lucian's bowl, then shot Mia a sharp look, almost as if declaring victory.
"What an adorable little girl," Ms. Mia said with a soft laugh, seemingly unbothered.
The table was a strange mix of smiles and tension. Only Ben seemed blissfully unaware, continuing to eat like a tornado, sweeping the table clean.
"So, handsome," Mia finally said, breaking the silence as she leaned closer to Lucian, looking him over curiously. "Other than that flying blue butterfly today, can you transform into anything else?"
"Sorry, no comment," Lucian replied flatly.
"Alright then." Mia shrugged playfully, her eyes twinkling. "How old are you? Got a girlfriend?"
"I—" Lucian began, but before he could finish—
"He doesn't!" Gwen interrupted sharply, frowning.
"Gwen, what's with you?" Ben asked, baffled, still munching on a spicy chicken drumstick. "She's being nice to us. Try showing some manners, nerd."
"All you do is eat, doofus!" Gwen snapped, clearly at her limit.
"Alright, Ben, just focus on your food," Grandpa Max said with a chuckle. He turned to Mia. "Thanks for the meal, but it's getting late. We should get going soon."
"Huh? So soon?" Mia looked surprised, then smiled. "Why not stay the night? I've already arranged rooms for you."
"Awesome! It's settled then!" Ben cheered, already imagining more free meals.
"No way!" Gwen and Grandpa Max said in unison.
"Oh, come on~"
Mia sighed softly, a touch of disappointment in her voice. "What a shame. I was hoping you'd stay a little longer so we could have some fun."
"We'd love to," Grandpa Max said with a polite grin, "but we really don't have the time."
He had no intention of spending his vacation stuck here any longer than necessary.
Lucian nodded, indicating he shared the same thoughts.
The group chatted idly, and before long, it was already ten o'clock at night.
Just as they stepped out of the restaurant, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the nearby highway.
A towering armored cash transport truck had been hit by a rocket-propelled grenade at its rear, bursting into a violent blaze. The massive vehicle spun sideways, skidding across the road and showering sparks in its wake.
The impact was tremendous, toppling several cars along its path. Sirens and explosions filled the air, shattering the peaceful night in an instant.
Dozens of masked thugs armed with heavy weapons roared up on modified motorcycles, braking sharply beside the wrecked truck.
They dismounted and opened fire wildly, sweeping the area with gunfire to drive away onlookers before looting the piles of cash inside.
As for the truck's driver, he had long since passed out from the repeated impacts.
Lucian and the others took cover inside the restaurant. Just before the thugs began shooting, he had pulled everyone in, narrowly avoiding the storm of bullets.
"What should we do? I'm so scared!" Mia clutched Lucian's arm tightly, her pretty face full of fear.
A soft warmth pressed against his arm.
Seeing this, Gwen bit her lip, seething. She wanted nothing more than to rush over and pry that woman's hands off her Cuz.
Lucian gently pulled his arm free and glanced at Ben, who was burping contentedly. "Hero time."
"Me!" Ben patted his stuffed belly and slipped quickly into the restroom.
"Lucian, aren't you going to help?" Mia asked curiously, eager to see him display his power again.
"Just a bunch of small fries. Ben can handle it," Lucian said calmly.
Whoosh!
A blue blur shot out from the restaurant, whipping up gusts of wind as it sped toward the highway.
"What the hell is that?!"
"Quick! Open fire!!"
...
Rat-a-tat-tat!
A brief volley of gunfire echoed outside, followed by several dull thuds—and then, silence.
"Looks like it's handled," Lucian said with a faint smile, turning toward the door.
Sure enough, all the thugs had been subdued. XLR8 had tied them together tightly, their weapons confiscated and crushed beneath his feet.
"Who~ is the big hero!" XLR8 shouted, raising his hands dramatically.
Moments later, local law enforcement arrived, collecting the dazed criminals.
After that brief interruption, the group returned to the Rustbucket, preparing to head out once more.
"I'll miss you, dear!" Mia said tenderly, gazing at Lucian.
Lucian's mouth twitched slightly. True to her Western charm, she was passionate and bold—but she wasn't his type.
"Wow, Cuz, why not just stay here and spend the rest of your life with Mia?" Ben teased with a mischievous grin.
"Ben, don't fool around," Grandpa Max said with a weary chuckle.
"No way," Gwen crossed her arms. "This place is boring as hell. If Cuz stayed here, he'd die of boredom."
"Goodbye," Lucian said, waving as he turned to step into the Rustbucket.
No—farewell forever.
Barring any miracles, they would never meet again.
Stay here? Then how could he ever grow stronger?
He could live out his days in comfort, perhaps—but that wasn't Lucian's way. He had finally gained the Omnitrix, and he wasn't about to waste that chance hiding away in some small corner of the world.
Under the dim moonlight, the Rustbucket started up once more, slowly driving into the distance.
Mia stood motionless, watching the vehicle fade into the horizon. Her voice wavered slightly.
"I hope we meet again..."