The abomination wasn't going anywhere, he made sure of that.

It had been a nightmare to put down that thing, but now it wouldn't be an annoyance anymore. To him, or Ben.

The hybrid heaved as the power he stole was taken away, using him as a way to fuel the DNA resources Vilgax was harvesting. He was in a daze, unaware of what was going on around him, where he was or that Vilgax had been glaring at him during the whole trip. He wasn't awake, he wasn't asleep, he was just... lost, out there.

His mind was a mess, he could hardly put two and two together. All he felt was bitterness, anger, humiliation. But he was too tired, too lost to make anything out of those feelings, to figure out why he felt like that, to even think about what he felt.

It would've been easier to just let it go, to just drop what was still holding him conscious and to fall asleep. He couldn't even remember what he was holding on to, what made him so vengeful, so determined to break out and destroy everything. But Kevin Levin wasn't like that.

Even in his state, he wouldn't drop it. He was responsible for his own misery, he carried all of those faults, and he'd recognize it for nothing, not even inner peace. He was dooming himself to suffering.

Vilgax observed as the tubes came out of Kevin's body, siphoning the energy from the Omnitrix he absorbed. This wasn't so bad after all, maybe his bioid army would not go to waste with this creature in his possession.

All he'd need was a device, the Omnitrix or something similar enough, to command the power he wanted properly. He didn't doubt Ben might be reluctant helping him with that, but he wasn't going to force his son to give up the Omnitrix, it was the last thing they needed at the moment.

The warlord would wait until he and his son met again to discuss the fate of the Omnitrix. Which would be very soon, considering Ben's guards requested to see him.

He was surprised Ben had wanted to see him so soon after their last meeting. Maybe his son had finally made up his mind about this planet... or maybe something happened to him and he needed his father's help. He doubted it was true, Ben was a very capable boy, and a resourceful warrior, so if it wasn't that, it must've been important. Or at least, important enough that he knew he couldn't rely on Max Tennyson for assistance.

What was that old man even doing to Ben? Whatever "honorable Plumber", "hero of Earth" he had been before, the way Ben so easily turned against Max and went to his side instead would make one think Max hadn't been treating the young human properly. Not that Vilgax was complaining about his son trusting him, but he wouldn't be too patient with Tennyson if Ben had suffered in his hands.

Especially considering Max Tennyson was responsible for all the pain he had been through all these years... Vilgax was itching for payback, getting even with the old bastard for what he had to go through. Only he knew what monster was hiding behind that innocent, seemingly kind and selfless face. He knew how well the Plumber could be deceptive, he had experienced it for a long time...

And soon enough, Ben would see it too.

..............................................................................................................................

"This is so wild!" said Ben, in a Nosedeenian form.

He had taken the time to talk about his past (mis)adventures with Sixsix and Kraab while waiting for his father to come back. Surely, it was a blast to learn the yellow Megawhatts inside Sparksville's giant rubber-band ball, who now lived inside a giant light bulb, were indeed aliens like Gwen assumed they were. And they had DNA, which meant... here comes Buzzshock!

It was still a bad idea to use electricity near water, but Ben still had his fun flying around the place at the speed of light (or rather, electricity).

Since he didn't know other species beside the Limax and the weird alien mushrooms from Camp Opinicon, he couldn't turn into other stuff since he didn't know other aliens. They told him that, since the Omnitrix was meant for an adult, it was expected the wearer already knew plenty alien species to turn into. And since Ben was a kid and lacked experience as well as knowledge, all he could do was turn into stuff he already saw before.

It was a bit upsetting for the boy to still have limits when he got Master Control over the watch, which made him even more excited to see Vilgax again. He couldn't wait for the man to show him what other stuff he could be, what secrets lied within the Omnitrix, what else he could do now that he had total control and how he could use it to be a better hero.

And most of all, he wanted to see his dad's face when he'd show him his Chimeran form.

There was however something confusing. Ben could turn into any alien form and back to his human self by will, but not his Chimeran form, and vice versa. He could go alien by simply thinking it, but if he was human, he had to hit the Omnitrix's dial to become an alien. Likewise, he could switch aliens as a Chimeran, but he had to hit the dial to go human.

He wondered why the Omnitrix still looked like a watch on his wrist in that form. Maybe it had something to do with being Vilgax's son, which reminded Ben of another thing that had been bothering him for a while, and that his guards couldn't answer: why was he human?

How come Vilgax, a squid alien man, had someone that looked perfectly human as a son? Did he turn human after leaving Vilgaxia? Was he a mutant? Was his mother, his biological mother, a human? It was unlikely, considering he was told by numerous people that Vilgax hated humans with a passion, though nobody told him why. Probably Max's fault, but from what he was told, they've been at it before he was even born.

It was so weird knowing this new body was not only his, but also something he could've possibly had, instead of being human. When he switched between being human and a Chimera Sui Generis (that was a mouthful), unlike with his other aliens where he felt some form of stretch, he barely felt a difference, it was all natural to him. Being a Chimeran was a second nature for him.

He did feel different when practicing his moves however. He couldn't make his arms bigger (apparently, Vilgax's robotic enhancements were the cause of that, it wasn't a power he naturally had), but he could jump at great heights, land on his feet with no damage whatsoever, hang onto a surface with his claws, and when trying to give a few punches and kicks, while it wasn't all that different from his human form, his moves were quicker and a bit stronger.

If Vilgax showed him how to be as strong as him, Ben felt he would be capable of stopping any threat, protecting everyone from any bad guy who dared trying to fight him.

He also noticed something else that made this form different from others. Aside from the fact that he still looked like a kid, only a bit taller, his alien birthmark was still present, something that his other alien forms didn't have, he checked.

He was a bit bummed he couldn't go take a swim, now that the water seemed a lot more appealing. Chimerans had another form they called their "true form", a giant squid form that could breathe under water and had an enormous level of strength, but it could only be accessed through some types of water, one of which was abundant on Earth and covered about 70% of it. In other words, unless Kraab and Sixsix could find a boat big and solid enough to fish him after he became bigger, he shouldn't make things difficult for them and should stay on land.

As he went down to lay on the grass, reverting into his Chimeran form, he wondered what he'd do after today. He needed to follow Gwen and Max again, and he didn't want to confront either about his argument with Max. There was no way they'd let him come back without an apology or without making things even more difficult between the three of them, he had to hear them lecturing him, put restrictions on the Omnitrix, not letting him get dessert or another way to punish him for his behavior.

He frowned at the thought of having them boss him around. He was a more experienced, more powerful and better hero now, yet they still treated him like he was the same helpless kid he was at the beginning of summer. He almost wanted to go see them now, show them what kind of hero he became...

But he knew that would only cause trouble for him, for Vilgax, for Sixsix and Kraab, and for them. It annoyed him that he was being denied all this fun, all this power just because he was a kid, because they didn't see him as more than just... Ben. He changed over the summer, it was about time they understood that.

He blinked as he heard a familiar noise. It sounded like a reaction engine, one that belonged to a spaceship Ben now knew well. Turning around to look at the field behind him, he grinned as he recognized the Chimerian Hammer, seeing it land on the green grass below.

He couldn't wait to show Vilgax what he could do! The man would be so delighted to see all the possibilities opened to Ben, to them both.

"Your father Lord Vilgax has arrived, young Master." said Kraab.

"Yeah. He's gonna be so glad to see me like this!" Ben giggled, jumping in place. "But wait, guys. I got an idea..."

Both Bounty Hunters got closer to hear what Ben had in mind this time. This kid surely wasn't anything they were used to.

..............................................................................................................................

The place Ben had chosen for the meeting point was appealing compared to most Earthly views, Vilgax had to admit.

The waterfalls seemed inviting, and the waters looked clean, unlike what most of this planet's population did with its water. It wasn't as clean and beautiful as the ones on Vilgaxia, but it was still something.

Had it not been for his injuries to heal and for his inability to swim on this planet without changing to his true form, he would've gladly took his son to the water. Things would be so much easier if he could spend time with Ben without having to worry about the Plumbers meddling, but this was Ben's choice to make.

His ship was now parked on land, he let the hatch open, allowing his son and his guards to enter. Their message had been sudden and unexpected, this was the first time they were the ones contacting him. All he was told was that he needed to come to Earth as soon as possible. If the two hunters he hired failed to protect Ben...

Where was Ben?

"Where is my son?" he hissed.

Sixsix and Kraab were standing next to each other, looking slightly nervous from their postures.

"Well?"

There was a green flash behind them, and they stepped aside, revealing XLR8, an eager grin on the blue alien's face.

"Surprise!" said the young alien.

"There you are." said Vilgax, his features and voice softening.

XLR8 ran up to Vilgax, running around him in circle. The warlord was amused his son had that much energy and excitement to see him again, he hadn't had the occasion to see Ben act his age much since... since he lost him.

"I got something to show you!" said XLR8, stopping in front of his father.

Vilgax raised a brow. Did Ben find a new feature within the Omnitrix? This child was full of surprises.

"Wait for it..." said XLR8. There was another flash of green, and Ben was gone.

"Ben? Benjamin, where are you?" said Vilgax. There was slight worry in his voice, he didn't know what Ben meant to do.

He felt something close to his face and saw a blur. He was about to swat it away, until he saw a Galvan on his respirator. "Right here!"

The Galvan jumped, and the Omnitrix on his back glowed green, before he turned into a Lepidopterran, a form Vilgax recognized well.

"Tada!" said Stinkfly, flying above.

"You, you..."

"I got Master Control!" he proudly declared, landing back on his feet as Wildmutt and transforming into Buzzshock. "I also got me some new guys!" he switched to Tenten and Shell-Shock in a flash. "Whaddya say?" If Vilgax's mouth was visible, he would've given Ben the proudest smile he could manage.

"Congratulations, Ben. You did it." The Bounty Hunters tilted their head at the amount of emotion their employer, Vilgax, was showing. "You've progressed far beyond all my expectations. You have full control over the Omnitrix, you know the right thing to do whenever I see you in action, you managed in only a few months something I could never do in years. Ben, I'm... I'm proud of you."

The young alien was obviously embarrassed by the compliment, scratching the back of his hard-shelled head, but he stopped Vilgax from getting closer and initiating a hug, leaving his father confused.

"Wait." he said. "I, I got another thing to show you. But, don't freak out, okay?"

Vilgax stared at Ben. He had another surprise for him? And Vilgax thought he was the one who would surprise his son with his latest capture...

Shell-Shock closed his eyes, and there was another flash of green. Vilgax saw Ben's silhouette get smaller, shorter. His human clothing was forming, but there was something unusual. Ben didn't look like he was changing to his human form, but the Omnitrix was putting itself on his wrist again while transforming. His head shape was different, he only had four fingers, his skin was becoming green...

Then Vilgax saw.

When the light faded, a young Chimera Sui Generis, with the same pure green eyes he swore to protect, was there, looking at him with a flustered look.

Ben wasn't sure he thought this through well. Would Vilgax like this form? Would he be happy to see him as a Chimeran too? Or would he be disappointed that Ben didn't look as impressive as his other forms? Vilgax showed interest mostly in his powers and achievements this far, would he accept this new alien?

Vilgax was silent. He hadn't expected this, he didn't think he would ever see Ben, his son, his human son, as one of his own. This was unprecedented for him, he never thought he'd see this happening with everything that surrounded Benjamin's birth.

So, without a second thought, he opened his arms wide.

"Come to me, little one."

Ben jumped in his father's arms, pressing himself against his chest. The man laughed with him, and for the first time in a decade, Vilgax's voice was devoid of anger, spite or frustration.

For the first time in his life, he felt his son was giving him all his trust, and he would end the world if it meant keeping it. He patted the boy's head, holding him close in an embrace.

..............................................................................................................................

Gwen took the bowls from the table, charged with doing the dishes.

Normally, it was Ben's turn, but he left after his latest burnout. He should hurry up and come back if he didn't want Max to worry. Or maybe that was his goal, she didn't know what Ben was thinking at the moment.

Sometimes, she wondered what was going on inside that kid's head. First, he's unmanageable, then he becomes easy to scare, then he becomes affectionate with her as if he didn't hate her, then when he returns to being a walking snot machine, suddenly he isn't as laid-back as he used to be.

She almost couldn't recognize her cousin when he was like that. He obviously had a bad experience with whatever Vilgax did to torture him, but Vilgax was dead as he said, and Ben was now blaming their grandpa for it.

She heard of anger management, unhealthy coping mechanisms and other psychological junk, but if that was what Ben had, either he needed help or a snap back to reality. Either way, he and Max needed to talk.

They couldn't solve this Tennyson family problem by staying mad at each other forever. Max was sitting at the table, looking focused on something, probably his past.

She knew she couldn't force him or Ben to fix everything, but it felt so bad to be... useless, left out in this situation. Normally, she'd stick with Ben to get him out of trouble and reason with him, but he left. It annoyed her that she depended on him coming back, but she had no other choice.

Right now, she was the only one neither Max or Ben were passing their feelings at, too busy arguing with each other instead. When summer would end, she wasn't sure what going home would feel like anymore.

"Grandpa, Ben left his pudding and his snot bowl."

"Hm?" Max looked up. "Oh. Leave him some leftovers, it's almost lunchtime."

"Okay." she sighed.

Then, she had an idea.

Ben was too ahead of himself lately, he needed guidance. But if he didn't want it, then he needed to relax. So what's better to relax than a little prank?

"You know what? I'll leave him my pudding, I feel he deserves it more than me."

"Hm? That's... nice of you."

She rolled her eyes at his passive tone, it felt like he was forcing himself to talk. They were in for a long day, especially with the way Ben left.

The way Ben left, it almost felt like he didn't want to come back, and wouldn't.

..............................................................................................................................

The hybrid felt no change coming by, only anger resurfacing, before briefly fading away again.

He hadn't noticed the warlord leaving, he hadn't noticed him coming back. He hadn't noticed his mocking, he hadn't noticed the silence. He perceived nothing.

He hadn't noticed the ship landed, he hadn't noticed there was someone else. He hadn't noticed he was being looked at, and he didn't realize Ben was there. Not that either's state made him recognizable.

"...Kevin..."

Ben looked in confusion at the amalgamated being held prisoner before him.

"How did you find him? I thought he was inside a wrestling ship in pieces." asked Ben.

"He contacted me. I was looking for him, he was also looking for me. He thought for one second I would be willing to harm you. Clearly he doesn't know who you are, though it is for the best."

"Wow... What is he doing like this?"

"Since his body has fully merged with the Omnitrix's energy, he became what that device was meant to be: an infinite resource of energy and powers from species across the galaxy."

Ben looked in disbelief. This... this was Kevin's fate?

The mutant that had caused him that much problems, that tried to hurt him and his family... this was how he ended.

"You actually caught him... You know, I wasn't sure if the cops could handle him. Hex had Charmcaster to help him, Animo got a lot of animal mutants to help him escape from prison, but Kevin is a walking tank of power, my powers. I don't know how I could get rid of him without you."

"Are you okay, Ben? You look troubled."

"Sorry..." he apologized. "I got a lot of stuff going on all at the same time today, I didn't think Kevin finally being stopped would be one of them. But... thank you."

The boy smiled, though his father knew there was something wrong. Ben didn't look entirely relieved, like something was still bothering him.

"Hey, uh, could you go back with Sixsix and Kraab for a sec? I, I need to rethink about this whole thing."

Vilgax hummed, uncertain Ben would be okay. He didn't question Ben's decision however. "Hmm, very well. Are you sure you'll find a way back on your own?"

Ben pouted. "I can come back without your help, thanks." 'I know this thing is huge, but I don't need help or a map to know where to go.'

With a chuckle, Vilgax left his son alone, letting him muse