The Rustbucket rattled down the streets of New York City, leaving the swooning woman behind. Max, who was driving, turned to Ben.
"How'd the suit feel out there, Ben?" Max asked, glancing at his nephew.
"It felt great, Grandpa Max. I can do a lot more as a hero now, even without the Omnitrix!" Ben exclaimed.
"Glad to hear it, Ben," Max replied.
"I just hope you're not becoming reliant on it. Your technique is still sloppy."
Ben looked at the setting sun and grinned. A rush coursed through him. He stopped a few more petty crimes on the way back. The Omni-Exo made quick work of a mugging, a jewelry heist, and even a cat stuck in a tree. With a press of a button, the magnetic soles let him scale the skyscraper.
This is too easy, Ben mused. He hadn't even scratched the surface of what he could do. He hadn't even needed to summon one of the girls.
[Ben] "Hey, Gwen?" Ben asked. "Anything bigger happening tonight? I feel like I'm just picking up litter."
Gwen tapped away at her tablet, her expression thoughtful. The Rustbucket took a sharp turn, causing Max to grunt. Gwen looked up, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
[Gwen] "Actually, yeah. There's a bank robbery in progress downtown. Witnesses say it looks like it might be a supervillain."
"Supervillain, huh?" Ben said, rubbing his chin.
Finally, a real challenge, Ben thought.
"Coordinates?" Ben asked.
[Gwen] "42nd and Lex. Get going, doofus. And be careful."
Ben grinned. "That's what I'm talking about!"
Max pulled over near a fire hydrant, letting Ben out. Before Ben could make a move, Max grabbed his shoulder.
"Ben, remember what I said. Don't get reckless."
"I got it, Grandpa. Just going to scope it out," Ben promised.
Ben activated his magnetic boots and shot a hand towards a nearby building. He propelled himself up, grabbing onto the ledge and hoisting himself onto the roof. With a running start, he leaped to the next building, landing with a soft thud.
He continued his rooftop sprint, the Omni-Exo absorbing the impact of each landing. He felt weightless, almost like he was flying. In a few minutes, he was at 42nd and Lex.
He peered over the edge of the building. Below, a swarm of police cars surrounded the First National Bank, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Officers stood behind their vehicles, weapons drawn.
A figure burst through the bank doors, bags overflowing with cash slung over his shoulders.
The guy wore a quilted yellow jumpsuit with brown padding. His face was hidden behind a yellow mask with horizontal slits for eyes. Bulky gauntlets covered his wrists, each with hexagonal emitters.
Wait, is that...? Ben thought.
He remembered the guy from Spider-Man comics. Herman Schultz, aka Shocker. Not exactly a heavy hitter in the supervillain world. More like a mid-tier baddie with a bad fashion sense. Ben smirked, his confidence rising.
This guy? Ben thought. I got this.
Below, one of the police officers yelled, "Shocker, surrender now! Drop the money and put your hands in the air!"
Shocker let out a harsh laugh, the sound echoing through the street.
"You think I'm scared of you flatfoots?" Shocker yelled back. "I'm just getting started!"
Without warning, Shocker raised his gauntlets and unleashed a barrage of seismic blasts. The police cars shuddered and crumpled, alarms screaming. Officers dove for cover, scattering like bowling pins. A blast hit the pavement near one officer, sending him flying.
"Whoa," Ben exclaimed. "Guess he's not messing around."
He knew it was time to stop the guy. Ben activated the stealth system. He bent light, blending into the background. He dropped off the roof, landing behind Shocker. The element of surprise was his best weapon.
Ben shot forward, grabbing Shocker's shoulders and slamming him into a crumpled police car.
"Who are you?!"
"The new hero in town," Ben quipped. "Call me Omni!"
[Gwen] "Omni? Really? Couldn't you come up with a better name?"
"Dweeb," Ben retorted, rolling his eyes. He focused on Shocker, who was now regaining his footing.
"I don't care who you are! That cheap shot will be your last!"
Shocker raised his gauntlets. Energy crackled around the hexagonal emitters. He unleashed a series of seismic blasts. The ground trembled as the shock hit.
Ben used the Omni-Exo's agility. He darted to the left, narrowly avoiding a blast that vaporized the remains of a police car. He weaved between the energy, anticipating his rhythmic attack sequences. Ben slid under another attack. Okay, this guy is a little tougher than I thought.
He decided to test out the suit's offensive capabilities. Time for some sonic disruption! Ben raised his gauntlets, focusing energy. He unleashed a focused sonic blast. The wave shot through the air, colliding with Shocker.
Shocker staggered back, clutching his head.
"What the—?!" Shocker yelled.
"Sonic Blasts!" Ben yelled. "Nice, right?"
"You're going to regret that, kid!"
Shocker fired another seismic blast, but this time, it was different. Instead of a focused beam, the energy spread.
The attack hit Ben, sending him careening backward. The Omni-Exo absorbed some of the impact, but not all. He crashed through the windshield of a nearby sedan. Glass shattered, raining down on him.
"Ouch," Ben groaned.
He pushed himself out of the wreckage, wincing. The Omni-Exo was dented and scratched, but still functional. He activated the diagnostics system.
[Omni-Exo]: "Armor integrity: 72%. Sonic emitter: offline. Stealth system: compromised."
"Guess I'm going to need some backup," Ben muttered, glancing at the villain.
He raised his left arm, and activated the Omnitrix. The faceplate popped up, displaying the silhouettes of his summons. He swiped through them, trying to decide who would be most effective. Shocker was still unleashing seismic blasts. Civilians were in danger. He needed someone who could move fast, and pack a punch. He slammed down on the faceplate.
A bright, pink light erupted around Ben. The energy subsided. Standing before him was Update. Her form was liquid metal. She was humanoid in shape, with a black exterior crisscrossed by glowing purple stripes. The stripes resembled circuitry, pulsing with energy. In place of eyes, a single purple circle sat on her head, framed by tiny eyelashes. It shifted, displaying different emoticons.
"Update, reporting for duty," Update stated.
"State primary task," Update said, her emoticon shifting to a question mark.
"That guy," Ben said, pointing at Shocker. "He's hurting people, so you need to stop him."
Update's circle focused on Shocker, analyzing him. Her circle then displayed a check mark. "Task accepted. Engaging hostile."
Update then moved toward a nearby sedan. With a rush, her body liquefied. She flowed over the vehicle, encasing it in her metallic grip. The sedan transformed, its exterior shifting to match her color scheme. Black metal replaced the factory paint, and lines pulsed with purple energy. The wheels morphed into rugged, off-road tires. A purple circle flashed on the hood.
As a Galvanic Mechamorph-Human Hybrid, Update had the power to merge with and enhance technology. Her nanite-based physiology allowed her to reshape and boost machines.
With a surge of power, Update created a massive battering ram. It extended from the front of the car. The battering ram was a solid mass of black metal. Purple electricity crackled around it. Update accelerated, plowing through debris. She aimed directly at Shocker.
Shocker, distracted by the sudden transformation of the car, had little time to react. The enhanced vehicle collided with him. The impact sent Shocker hurtling through the air. He crashed through a storefront window.
"Excellent work, Update!" Ben exclaimed.
Shocker, now spitting glass shards, roared in fury. He raised his gauntlets, targeting the vehicle Update possessed. "You think that tin can can stop me? Think again, kid!"
With a shout, Shocker unleashed a massive seismic blast. The force hit the enhanced vehicle head-on. It lifted into the air. The tires spun uselessly.
Ben realized the danger. "Update, eject! Now!" Ben yelled.
Without hesitation, Update followed his orders. The metallic form of her released the sedan and splattered onto the street like spilled ink.
The sedan, now free of Update's control, continued its trajectory. A moment later, a [BOOM] shook the street as it exploded in a fiery ball of shrapnel.
Shocker laughed, a maniacal sound that grated on Ben's ears. "That's how you deal with garbage! Now, where were we?"
Before Shocker could unleash another seismic burst, a streak of white shot past Ben. A web attached to both of Shocker's gauntlets and yanked him upward.
Ben watched in surprise as Shocker dangled from the web line, flailing his arms. He turned to see Spider-Man perched atop a nearby building.
"Herman," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm, "just came out of prison and already robbing banks, I see."
Shocker thrashed against the webbing, his face reddening behind the yellow mask. "Shut up, Web-head!" he yelled. "This is none of your business!"
"Everything's my business when you're shooting up the neighborhood," Spider-Man quipped back, adjusting his stance on the rooftop. "Besides, you know I love a good reunion tour."
Shocker strained against the webbing. With a shout, he released a concentrated vibration. The web snapped. Landing hard, he aimed at the web-slinger.
"You want some too, Spider-Man?" Shocker yelled, firing seismic bursts.
Spider-Man, nimble as ever, backflipped. He dodged the attacks and landed near Ben and Update.
"Well, this is a surprise," Spider-Man said, adjusting his mask. "Didn't expect to see any new faces on this side of town." He paused and looked at Ben. "Hey, nice suit!" He glanced at Update, his expression unreadable. "And who's your friend?"
Ben straightened, puffing out his chest. "I'm Omni, and this is Update. She's an, uh, alien partner."
Update tilted her head. "Greetings, Spider-Man. I am Update. I am at your service."
Spider-Man raised an eyebrow, impressed. "An alien? Cool."
Without warning, Shocker launched another wave, aiming at the trio.
"Look out!" Ben shouted.
Spider-Man reacted instantly, shooting a web to swing to safety. Acting just as quickly, Update pulled Ben towards her, her metallic body shielding him from the worst of the blast.
"I am going to crush you all!" Shocker roared, frustration coloring his voice.
"Is that a promise, or are you just making things up now?" Ben shouted.
"I have dealt with worse villains than you, Shocker. You need to pick better battles," Spider-Man quipped back.
Ben turned to Update. "I am going to need an Update," Ben declared.
With a nod, Update surged forward, her black and purple circuitry flowing over the Omni-Exo suit. The armor shifted and changed, the smooth metal now etched with glowing lines. The chest emblem pulsed with purple light, and the gauntlets morphed, taking on a more angular design with hexagonal ports that mirrored Update's circuitry pattern.
Spider-Man watched in amusement. "Cool trick. Is that like, a symbiotic relationship? I had one of those once. Didn't end well."
Shocker, face red, shouted. "Will you two just SHUT UP?!"
Ignoring Shocker's outburst, Ben tested the updated armor. The hexagonal ports on his gauntlets pulsed with energy. He raised his hands, firing a controlled burst of sonic energy, enhanced by Update. The blast struck the ground near Shocker's feet, sending a ripple of force through the pavement.
Spider-Man swung forward, shooting a web at Shocker's legs, tripping him. "The new kids get the new tech! You know, back in my day, we had to build everything ourselves. Now you kids just get it handed to you!"
Shocker, tangled in the webbing, struggled to free himself. "I hate you, Spider-Man! I HATE YOU!"
"Hate is a strong word, Herman," Spider-Man replied, dodging seismic blasts. "I prefer to think of it as a professional rivalry."
Taking advantage of Shocker's distraction, Ben shot forward, grabbing Shocker's wrist. "Update, get those gauntlets!"
Without hesitation, Update surged forward. She stretched her metallic tendrils, flowing over Shocker's arms. She pulled at the Vibro-Gauntlets, her grip sure. With a final tug, she ripped the gauntlets free from Shocker's grasp. The gauntlets fused to Ben's Omni-Exo, now fully integrated with his systems.
Shocker stared, mouth agape. "What the—?!"
Ben flexed his hands, admiring the new additions. "Thanks for the upgrade, Shocker," Ben quipped, a smirk on his face. "I always wanted to try these out!"
Spider-Man shot forward. He webbed Shocker's feet to the ground, and upper torso, limiting Shocker's movement.. "Alright, Omni, you wanna finish this, or do you need help?"
"I got this," Ben declared. He raised his gauntlets, energy crackling around them. With a final surge of power, Ben unleashed a concentrated seismic burst. The force of the blast slammed into Shocker, enhanced by Update's unique physiology. Shocker's eyes rolled back. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
"Nice work, Omni!" Spider-Man exclaimed, giving him a thumbs-up. "You and your, uh, alien partner make a pretty good team."
"Thanks," Ben said, grinning. "You weren't so bad yourself, Web-Head."
"Hey, I try," Spider-Man replied, striking a pose. "Just doing my part to keep the streets safe. Although, I could use some help next time."
"Name the time and place. Omni will be there," Ben declared, flexing his fingers.
"Great to hear, Omni! Hopefully, I'll see you around soon. New York could always use another hero!" Spider-Man shot a web, swinging away.
Ben watched Spider-Man disappear between the buildings.
I can't believe I just met Spider-Man, Ben thought, a wide smile plastered across his face. He turned to Update. "You see that? That was amazing!"
"Analysis. I contributed a 65% performance rating in this engagement, while you contributed a 35% rating. Therefore, I request an evaluation of my efforts," Update requested. "Rate my performance on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the optimal score."
"A 5? No way! You were at least a 10!" Ben exclaimed.
"Negative. '10' is not an allowed value. Please provide a rating between 1 and 5," Update stated, the purple circle on her head flashing.
"Okay, okay... you were a 5. Definitely a 5," Ben said.
"Affirmative. Rating recorded," Update said.
"Alright, let's head back to the Rustbucket," Ben stated. "I can't wait to tell Grandpa Max and Gwen everything."
When Ben returned, he couldn't contain his excitement. He burst through the door of the RV, nearly tripping over the welcome mat. Max was at the wheel. Gwen sat at the small table.
"You will not believe what just happened!" Ben shouted.
"What? Did you finally figure out how to use a turn signal?" Gwen asked, her eyes glued to her tablet.
"No! I fought Shocker!" Ben said, his voice high-pitched. "And I won! Well, Spider-Man helped, but still! It was so cool! Update and I made a great team, and-"
Ben narrates his expeirence.
"—he webbed him up like a Christmas present! And Update enhanced my suit! It was seriously awesome!"
Max chuckled, glancing at Ben through the rearview mirror. "Sounds like you had yourself quite the time, Ben," Max said.
"Time? It was the best! I've got to get out there more often," Ben responded. "I need to do it again!"
Gwen finally looked up from her tablet, a smirk playing on her lips. "Just try not to wreck the whole city while you're at it, okay?
"Alright, alright, I got it," Ben replied.
Max checked his watch. "Well, it's getting late. Time to head back to the mansion."
The Rustbucket rumbled back to the mansion. Ben felt a sense of accomplishment. It's been a good first night as a hero. He couldn't wait for the next adventure, and to see what the future held.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz