Ben's heart pounded in his chest. The massive frog-like creature, the broken glass, the chaos—it all felt strangely familiar. But it was the woman perched atop the beast that truly caught his attention. She had crazed eyes and disheveled brown hair with a streak of white.
Animo? Ben thought, his mind racing. But the Dr. Animo he remembered from the show was an elderly man, not this young, intense woman. What is going on?
Gwen grabbed Ben's arm. "What is that thing?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of fear and excitement.
"I don't know," Ben replied, his eyes locked on the woman. "But I don't think it's friendly."
Max pushed them behind an aisle, his Plumber instincts kicking in. "Stay here," he instructed. "I'll see what's going on."
Max started to approach the creature cautiously when the woman gave a [SCREECH].
"Silence, simpletons!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the store. "I am Dr. Lucy Jannet Animo, and this is just the beginning!"
Lucy Jannet Animo hopped off the Mutant Frog and strode towards the back of the store. Her gaze set on the pet section. Ben knew he had to act fast.
He turned to Gwen. "Stay with Grandpa Max. Make sure he doesn't do anything crazy."
"Hey!" Max interjected, but Ben ignored him.
Ben darted through the aisles, careful to avoid being seen by the frog or Lucy Jannet. He peered around the corner, just in time to see Lucy reach into a cage containing hamsters. On her head was a strange device. The thing looked like a rusted cattle prod with wires and tubes attached.
She pressed the device against one of the hamsters. The animal squeaked, then began to convulse. Its fur stood on end, its eyes bulging. The creature grew in size, its teeth sharp. It broke free of the cage and became a crazed monster.
Lucy grabbed a birdcage. She turned it towards the device. The parrot let out a panicked [CHIRP]. The same horrifying change took place. Feathers turned into razor-sharp barbs, and beaks became vicious weapons.
Okay, it's definitely Animo, or Animo's daughter Ben thought.
Lucy released the mutated hamster and parrot into the store. They wreaked havoc, sending customers running and screaming. The Mutant Frog joined the fray, its long tongue snatching at anything that moved.
Ben ducked behind a shelf, activating the Omnitrix. He scrolled through the options, landing on a familiar face. "Wildgirl, let's go!"
With a flash of fuchsia, Wildgirl materialized beside him, her orange fur bristling with energy. She turned to Ben and nuzzled him affectionately. [GROWLS]
"No time for snuggles, girl," Ben said, patting her head. "It's Hero time!"
Wildgirl perked up at his words, her eyes widening with excitement. [GRUNTS] She crouched low, ready for action.
Lucy threw her head back and laughed, her voice echoing with manic glee. "Behold, the dawn of a new era! An era where science reigns supreme, and those who scorned my father will pay the price!"
The mutated hamster, now standing at 4 ft, scurried through the aisles, biting and clawing at anything in its path. Customers screamed and scrambled for cover as the creature wreaked further chaos. Shelves toppled, sending cans and boxes crashing to the floor.
Ben pointed at the oversized rodent. "Hey, Hammy!" he shouted, trying to get its attention. "Over here, you overgrown furball!"
The Mutant Hamster shifted its attention. Its eight eyes, a disturbing cluster of varying sizes, fixed on Ben. Saliva dripped from its fangs. It scurried after him, its claws scraping against the tiled ground.
Ben bolted. He weaved through the wreckage, shelves of soda and snacks a blur. The Hamster kept pace, surprisingly agile for its bulk. Ben glanced back. The thing was gaining.
"Is that all you got, fuzzball?" Ben yelled, taunting the creature. "My goldfish are scarier than you!"
The hamster rushed forward, a brown blur of teeth and claws.
"Ben, watch out!" Gwen shouted, her voice a mix of panic and urgency.
"Ben!" Max yelled.
Ben remained calm, his gaze locked on the charging creature. Just as the Hamster was about to collide, Ben gave a signal.
Wildgirl exploded into action. She launched herself sideways, tackling the Mutant Hamster with tremendous force. The Hamster was sent sprawling, tumbling into a display of paper towels.
Wildgirl didn't relent. She pounced on top of the dazed creature, slamming her fists.
Each blow shook the store. The hamster squealed in pain, its mutated form proving no match for Wildgirl's strength and ferocity.
Finally, the Mutant Hamster ceased struggling. It lay still, unconscious. Wildgirl stood, chest heaving.
Ben grinned, approaching Wildgirl. "Good job, girl!" he said, patting her head. Wildgirl leaned into his touch. [PURRS]
Gwen and Max rushed over, their faces etched with concern.
"Are you okay, Ben?" Gwen asked, checking him for injuries.
"I'm fine, Gwen," Ben replied. "Thanks to Wildgirl." He gave Wildgirl another affectionate pat. "She handled that overgrown rat like a pro."
Seeing her creation defeated, Lucy erupted in anger. "No! This can't be!" Her face twisted with fury as she glared at Ben. "You think you've won? You can't stop me! No one can!"
Lucy leaped onto the Mutant Parrot, its sharpened feathers ruffling. The parrot screeched and then with a powerful flap of its wings it broke through the skylight. Glass rained down as Lucy and the bird soared into the afternoon sky.
The Mutant Frog, no longer under Lucy's direct control, [CROAKS] in confusion, then hopped after her mistress. It smashed through the front windows, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
A chorus of cheers erupted from the remaining shoppers. "He did it!" one man shouted, pumping his fist.
"Thank you!" a woman called out, clutching her child close.
"Who is that… thing?" another whispered, eyeing Wildgirl with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Is she a mutant?"
Ben wheeled around. "We have to go after her."
Gwen grabbed his arm. "Are you crazy? You saw what she did!"
Max put a hand on Gwen's shoulder. "He's right. We can't let her go."
"But—"
"I have the Omnitrix, and I have Wildgirl," Ben stated, with newfound determination. "We can handle this."
Gwen reluctantly nodded. Max nodded back. He could see the resolve in Ben's eyes. He knew there was no changing his mind.
"Alright, let's go," Max said.
They hurried toward the Rustbucket. The vehicle sped off in pursuit.
Max gripped the steering wheel. The Rustbucket swerved through traffic, following the trail of destruction left by the giant amphibian. "Ah, just like the good old days, before I retired," he mused, a touch of nostalgia in his voice.
Gwen, hunched over her laptop in the passenger seat, looked up, confusion creasing her features. "You were a plumber, right, Grandpa? What kind are you?"
Max chuckled, his eyes fixed on the road. "Uh, a darn good one." He was doing his best to stay mum on his past. Ben knew what kind of worker Max actually was, but he remained silent, allowing his grandpa to skirt the truth.
"So, who exactly is this Dr. Animo?" Max inquired, trying to steer the conversation away from his career.
Gwen finished her research. Her fingers tapped furiously on the keyboard. "Alright, so Lucy Jannet Animo… She's the daughter of Aloysius James Animo. He was a researcher in veterinary science and, get this, a former Oscorp employee."
"Oscorp?" Ben asked.
Gwen nodded, eyes still glued to the screen. "Yeah, but it turns out, he was doing all these twisted genetic experiments where he was mutating animals, and when he didn't win some big prize, 'The Verities Award,' he flipped out." She paused, scrolling through the data. "So, yeah, Aloysius James Animo had a daughter named Lucy Jannet Animo. She must have picked up where her father left off."
The Rustbucket raced through the city, but Max shook his head. "I lost sight of her. She could be anywhere."
"It's cool, Grandpa," Ben said, a confident smirk spreading across his face. "I know exactly where she's going."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, looking up from the laptop. "Oh, yeah? And where's that, oh-wise-one?"
"The Natural History Museum," Ben stated matter-of-factly.
…
The Rustbucket screeched to a halt outside the Natural History Museum. A gaping hole marked the building's facade. Ben, Max, and Gwen exchanged glances before rushing inside.
"Stay close," Max cautioned, his Plumber instincts kicking in.
They entered the exhibit hall, stepping over shattered glass and dislodged displays. Ahead, Lucy Jannet Animo stood before a towering exhibit of a mammoth skeleton, her Transmodulator humming ominously.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Lucy said, her voice laced with disdain as she turned to face them. "I hate persistence."
"Your little science experiments are over, Lucy," Ben declared, stepping forward. "Give it up before someone gets hurt."
Lucy scoffed, adjusting her goggles. "Oh, but it's only just begun. The world will finally recognize the genius of the Animo name!" She raised the Transmodulator, a manic glint in her eyes. "And it all starts with a little…reanimation."
Lucy twisted the dial on the Transmodulator, aiming it at the mammoth skeleton. A beam of crimson energy shot out, engulfing the ancient bones. The skeleton rattled violently, the bones knitting together with unnatural speed. The mammoth skeleton [RUMBLES] as the bones begin to take shape. Muscles and tissue regenerated around the bones.
Ben grinned. He knew just the alien for this job. He activated the Omnitrix. In a flash of pink light, the device timed out. It was 4Arms time.
The pink light subsided, revealing 4Arms, a formidable Tetramand warrior. Her red skin glistened under the museum's lights, her four yellow eyes alert and focused. Long dark brown hair was tied into a ponytail, held by a metallic cuff. The prototype Omnitrix symbol was emblazoned on her upper right shoulder. She wore a dark blue bodysuit with a vertical white stripe running across her chest and matching fingerless gloves on each hand.
Lucy gasped, her eyes widening behind her goggles. "What is that thing?"
Gwen stared in amazement. "Ben, who is she?"
Ben smirked, crossing his arms. "Everyone, meet 4Arms. 4Arms, meet everyone."
4Arms turned her attention to Ben's companions, her expression softening slightly. "Greetings, Gwendolyn, Maxwell Tennyson. It is an honor."
Lucy seized the opportunity, darting deeper into the museum. "Fools! You'll never catch me!"
Ben faced 4Arms. "Can you handle this, 4Arms?"
4Arms cracked her knuckles, a confident smirk spreading across her face. "Benjamin, it would be my pleasure. I was born to fight."
Ben nodded to Max and Gwen. "Let's go after Animo. 4Arms, try not to destroy the museum, okay?"
With a determined look, Ben, Gwen, and Max took off to the direction Lucy went.
4Arms focused on the reanimated mammoth, which was now fully formed and thrashing about, its tusks gleaming menacingly.
"Alright, peanuts," 4Arms said, her tone filled with excitement. "Let's wrestle!"
The mammoth let out a [ROAR], charging at 4Arms with earth-shaking force. 4Arms stood her ground, planting her feet firmly as the beast hurtled toward her. At the last moment, she sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the mammoth's tusks. She retaliated with a flurry of punches, each blow landing with a resounding [THUD] against the mammoth's thick hide.
The mammoth, enraged, swung its trunk, knocking 4Arms off balance. She stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding a follow-up attack. The mammoth pressed its advantage, stomping its massive feet and sending tremors through the exhibit hall. 4Arms leaped back, dodging the crushing blows.
"Impressive display of strength," 4Arms admitted, wiping sweat from her forehead with one of her four hands. "You are a worthy opponent."
The mammoth trumpeted in response, its eyes fixated on 4Arms. It lowered its head, preparing for another charge. 4Arms braced herself, ready to meet the mammoth head-on. As the mammoth charged, 4Arms timed her move perfectly. She leaped forward, using her four arms to grab hold of the mammoth's trunk.
With a mighty heave, 4Arms exerted her incredible strength. She swung the mammoth around like a ragdoll, building momentum with each rotation. The air [WHISTLED] as the mammoth spun, its legs flailing helplessly. With a final, earth-shattering [CRACK], 4Arms released her grip, sending the mammoth hurtling through the museum's wall.
The mammoth sailed through the air, crashing into the outside world with a deafening [CRASH]. Dust and debris rained down as a gaping hole was left in the museum's facade. 4Arms stood panting, her chest heaving, but a triumphant grin stretched across her face.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz