[Canterlot Stationway]

Scott was unsure as to where he was going, but he had faith that the royals wouldn't screw him over, especially after he saved their asses. Wherever he was going, apparently transport had been arranged to get him there, and though he was already on the way, he didn't really appreciate being escorted by several guards to where he needed to go.

He got several stares of disgust, plenty looks of horror, and on occasion, somepony would try to throw something at him. He knew that some ponies weren't gonna be happy, even after he saved their entire race from total extinction, or enslavement, but by this point, he was starting to see a rather uncomfortable form of familiarity in these ponies. The way they were irate about being saved, it almost reminded them of the Forever Knights.

Scott ducked his head, noticing that a horseshoe was tossed at him, and Scott let a bit of his leniency slip. He stopped in place, looking at the people who were being angry, and the guards stopped as well, looking nervous. "I see how it is, you'd rather die by an alien than have your lives and city be saved by one. That's one odd form of logic to your bigotry, but hey, whatever floats your boat. It's not like your princesses asked me personally to stop said threat from putting your entire species on the extinct species list, or to make sure you weren't conquered and turned into a bunch of slaves, or anything! Never knew pompous rich-folk would rather die in chains than live free without them." Scott remarked.

A few of the ponies continued to boo and get aggressive with the human, some have even tried stepping forth to get closer and take things to a physical brawl. Had it not been for the guards stepping in, or Technorg, who noticed the commotion, things would've gotten a lot hairier. Scott continued to walk away, and soon enough, Technorg followed suite.

Scott dusted himself off and began to twist the dial on the Altnetrix, cycling between Bombadier and Smudge, his Lenopan form. "Two transformations, and very little to work with. Can't say this is the worst day of my life, but it's certainly not in my top 20 best days, either. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll figure out a way to unlock more transformations. I know there's another method, but I don't even know if this bootleg comes with that feature... then again, this is based off of the old incomplete schematics back in '06, so maybe--"

"Human, did you hit your head during the fight? You're talking nonsense, and the guards are staring at you." Technorg interrupted.

Scott looked up at Technorg, who walked beside him. He looked back at the guards, giving him confused and questionable stares. Scott sighed. "I'm alright, just assessing the situation. I'm also trying to figure out how I'm going to gain more transformations. I have access to a Vreedle and a Lenopan, I have a fifth of my arsenal, and the other four-fifths are essentially not here. I know the original was rumored to have over one-million samples within it, but there's no telling what I'll unlock in this thing, since it was connected to the definitive model before I ended up here. I still need to figure out why it was connected to it, though, nothing good could've come of that if Vilgax got his slimy hands on it," Scott continued to fiddle with the dial. "Plus, the original Omnitrix had a bunch of different codes that could be accessed, but again, those were rumors I've only heard. If the Altnetrix is based on the same schematics as the original prototype, even if they were incomplete, maybe this has some codes worth unlocking, and making my stay here much easier for me, and for those around me." Scott explained.

Technorg leaned down, tapping the dial slightly. Scott was about to panic, but nothing happened... well, not at first. The Altnetrix did seem to recognize the Detrovite's touch, and for a brief moment, the hourglass changed into the diamond shape halfway, creating some kind of DNA Helix shape. The green color it usually sported was now beaming with a pale yellow color. The core spun around as the device began to whir, only to soon stop, returning the icon to the usual hourglass shape, and sporting the green color it had a moment ago.

[Familiar DNA Sample acquired. Scanning in-progress. All functions will be unavailable to ensure the sample is not corrupted or damaged. Please stand by.] The Altnetrix chirped.

Scott frowned, but at least he had an idea on what he was working with now. "Okay, so it didn't do the whole ranged-scanning thing that the new device could supposedly do, but the interface is practically identical to the newer models. What an interesting blend of past and future ideas, even if it's gonna be tedious to get a full playlist going. Here's to hoping I get lucky, and face some greedy bastards trying to grab this thing, certainly makes it easier for me." Scott states, seeming more annoyed rather than satisfied.

Technorg looks down, seeing that Scott was nearing his supposed transport. A dark blue chariot with two more of those bat-pony creatures at the front, waiting patiently. "Apologies, human. I didn't think it would do anything, now it seems I've made things more difficult for you, more so than I initially thought." Technorg stated.

Scott raised an eyebrow, seeming confused. "Hey, don't beat yourself up, Technorg. Neither of us know the full extent of this bootleg's capabilities, so you're not to blame, and neither am I. Besides, look on the bright side, once the sample has been recognized and added to the current playlist, we can see how my new Detrovite transformation works, maybe with a sparring match or two. Doesn't that sound good?" Scott reassured.

Technorg, though relieved, still feels a bit bad. "Relax, big guy. Why don't you go on your way, and I'll take care of this. I gotta go anyway, take care of yourself out there." Scott stated, moving towards the chariot.

Technorg watches as the human sits down in the chariot, and soon goes on his way, walking through the lower Canterlot district as the chariot soon takes to the skies.

[Elsewhere...]

Deep beneath the surface, the inner machinations of a dark, damp, and derelict lab begin to whir to life, pistons and gears moving in ways they didn't seem to move before, numerous thick cobwebs and bits of vines and overgrowth fell to the floor, a surge of light shining through what looked like crystals, chiseled and sculpted into the shape of computer screens. In the center of the room, was a large pod, with something equally as dangerous inside.

"Synthroid charging station has successfully rebooted. Plumber ID tracker installed, counter-measures implemented. Awakening Synthroid Model 800.101 from Hypersleep Protocol." A broken, disembodied digital voice spoke out.

Within the pod, something began to stir. Whatever was inside, it began to pound on the door, slowly, but effectively making dents. The more it punched the metal door keeping it within, the more the door began to give way. Soon enough, the door was sent flying into the console, and the beast within stepped forth. It looked essentially humanoid in its body shape, but the way it looked, it was clearly otherworldly. It was this black slender figure, was prominently robust in its upper body, a few mechanical panels were exposed along its forearms, wearing a grey belt, as well as having a large red circle in the midst of the panel on its chest. Its face was more terrifying, just a metal plate in the shape of a face, with those small, piercing, yet unforgettable red eyes.

"Synthroid Model 800.101, congratulations on your survival. The creator is currently out at the moment, but the original mission has not been changed. Recently, a plumber ID was located, specifically ten kilometers west of our location. You know why you were created, and you know what must be done. Terminate the Plumber, and ensure that he, nor any other plumber operatives, will find us." The voice stated.

The Synthroid nodded. "Understood. Activating... Judgement DayInitiative." The Synthroid remarked, its voice low, warped and soulless.

The Synthroid marched towards another set of metal doors, prying them open easily. The Synthroid soon vanished into the shroud of lingering shadows, ready to complete its goal.

A few hours had passed since Scott's departure from Canterlot, and it's been a peaceful transition so far. The chariot moved at a very brisk, but manageable pace. The guards were earth ponies, so in Scott's eyes, they were used to hauling around heavy equipment, or supplies of any kind. He didn't personally think he weighed that much, or exceeded it, but was willing to encourage the guards to take a couple breaks, just to ensure they don't pull something. All the while, the Altnetrix was still sampling Technorg's DNA, showing the icon slowly loading.

If Scott had anything to complain about though, it was the Altnetrix's processing speed. 'Jeez, I've used dial-up internet that goes faster than this... I just need to have patience, and I'll have to pick my battles carefully. Can't run the risk of putting someone in danger,' Scott then felt another thought or two form in his head. 'Actually, now that I think about it, how do I even keep these equestrians from erupting into a panic, or explain to them that I'm not an enemy?! Either I'm overthinking this, and the princesses thought about this beforehand, or the moment I end up where I need to be, I'll have to either fight through civilians, or run like my life depends on it.' Scott thought, a look of stress and regret forming across his face.

"So, hooman... did I say that right, hooman? How do you pronounce the name of your species?" Scott snapped back to reality and looked at one of the guards. He looked younger than the rest of the guards he saw, but Scott could deduce that he was a new recruit, a new blood, as Gilhil once referred to him. Though he was still a pale white pegasus with a blue mane, the only difference between this stallion and the other guards was that he was the same strange bat-creature as Nocturned, judging by the slit pupils in his eyes and the bat wings. His eyes were a cyan color, something that also surprised Scott. "I just want you to know that we'll be nearing Ponyville in a matter of hours. Furthermore, I'm sure Princess Luna didn't have enough time to inform you, but she has given you the chance to assign one of the guards as your personal guide, that way you won't get lost, or easily ambushed by any incoming threats." The stallion explained.

Scott nodded. "Thanks, uh..." Scott soon realized that he wasn't gonna be able to remember a portion of these ponies' names, and felt a bit worried.

The stallion smiled patiently. "Private Zapp, at your service, sir." The stallion introduced with a salute. Scott eyed the stallion, knowing that something about this stallion reminded him of something about himself. It was his eagerness to do his job, but he didn't have the issues that Scott had developed during the job itself. 'The simpler times, Scott. Simpler times...' he thought to himself.

Scott nodded, hoping he'd remember his name. "Well Zapp, for your information, you pronounce human like hyoo-muhn, practice that for a couple days, inform your guard friends about it, and you'll eventually get used to it," Zapp nodded in approval, returning his view to the front. As Scott continued to examine the Altnetrix, he then heard a high-pitched whistling noise, as well as a slow rumbling boom echo out. Scott looked up, and the guards stopped moving, noticing the sound, as well. "I don't suppose any of you would know anything about that, would ya?" Scott asked.

The guards shook their heads, confirming that they knew next to nothing. "Either it was a sonic rainboom, or an enemy attack. Either way, we have our orders! Protect the hooman and escort him to the location!" One of the guards stated, raising a golden spear in a defensive stance.

Zapp gulped, looking nervous as he pulled a small golden dagger out from under his armor. Scott was surprised, but not for long. The high-pitched noise and the low rumbling began to mix together into a low bellowing explosive cacophony of thunder. Before anyone could say anything, a figure landed right in front of them, revealing itself to be the Synthroid. The guards jumped back, readying their weapons, all while Zapp was starting to frantically look around, his eyes were filled with fear.

Scott got up from his seat as he focused his attention on the Synthroid. "Haven't seen one of these up close before," Scott stepped past the guards as the Synthroid made eye-contact with the human. The guards wanted to protest, but the human was already face-to-face with the Synthroid that landed right beside the cart. "How long has this Synthroid been here, and more importantly, what the hell woke it up?" Scott wondered, curiously eyeing the man-shaped machine.

Scott reached a hand out to the Synthroid, only for it to immediately grab Scott by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up. Its eyes glowed a vibrant red as a beam of light cascaded over Scott's face. "Identity confirmed. Scott Baristo, Plumber Cadet. Human. Judgement Day Initiative has entered Phase 1." The Synthroid stated.

Before Scott could question what was happening, he was suddenly chucked to the ground, with the Synthroid walking towards him. Scott quickly got back to his feet and activated the Altnetrix, selecting Smudge's icon. "Listen up, robotboy, you really don't wanna tussle with me! As of now, you're not dealing with the average Plumber Operative anymore, so let's just calm those servos you got and-" The human's words fell flat as the Synthroid continued its approach. "Why did I think that was going to work, I just need to fight!" Scott reprimanded himself, pushing the Altnetrix's core down.

Unfortunately, he wasn't enveloped in a flash of light, but instead, was met with a type of broken buzzer sound. [ERROR. That function is unavailable. Detrovite DNA Sample has not been fully processed. Please stand by.] The Altnetrix informed.

Scott grunted as he started to back away from the Synthroid. "Ok, that's on me. I should've expected that," Scott started to back up as the Synthroid got closer. "I don't suppose you'd like to introduce yourself, would ya?" Scott asked.

As the Synthroid continued its approach, the guards had run towards it, jamming their golden weapons against the back of the Synthroid's body. While they did manage to leave a few dents, none of them actually punctured the metal. As expected, the Synthroid turned around and swung its arms at the guards, snapping the golden spears in half with a swipe of its hand. This shocked the guards, causing them to back away as the Synthroid focused its attention on them.

Scott ran forward, grabbing one of the snapped off golden spear tips as he brandished it as a weapon. Scott jumped onto the Synthroid's back, and repeatedly jammed the golden spear tip into the side of the Synthroid's head, making a lot of dents in the cranial area of the machine. The Synthroid tried to fight back and disrupt the onslaught, and managed to grab hold of the Altnetrix, causing a series of noises to emanate from the device.

Scott groaned. "Hey, find your own bootleg, this one's already taken!" Scott thrusted the golden spear tip into the back of the Synthroid's head, finally managing to puncture the metal and jam it out on the other end. The Synthroid let go of the Altnetrix, revealing the same pale yellow DNA Helix shape. "I know you wanted all of me, but for you, be glad I was generous enough to give you the tip!" Scott quipped, jumping off the Synthroid as he ran back to the chariot.

The head of the Synthroid began to spark and crackle, all while the Synthroid began to deactivate and collapse to the floor. Scott took a breath and sighed, looking back at Zapp, who had hidden behind the chariot. "Hey, you alright? Not used to that kind of action, are ya?" Scott asked.

Zapp came out of hiding, getting a look of disappointment and disapproval from the other guards. Scott, on the other hand, just held a hand out, expecting the bat-like pony to take it. Zapp steadily took the hand in his hoof and was pulled back onto the rest of them, standing tall, but ashamed. "Many apologies, I wasn't prepared for such a threat. You managed to handle yourself quite well, but even then, I should've tried to assist the guards." Zapp stated, looking sheepish.

Scott chuckled. "Classic rookie behavior. You think you'll be ready for a moment like this, but in reality, when it finally happens, you either are ready, you freeze up, or you run away and hide. I'd say you made a valiant effort, as did the other guards," The ponies just seemed confused. "I know what it's like to be in your position. To feel like you should be ready to take on anything and everything, but no one's truly ready, because something can change the whole scenario, and the initial game plan will be forced to change on the fly. Whether you fight, run, or hide, all of those are valid responses." Scott reassured.

Zapp hung his head low, and Scott seemed pretty dissatisfied. "Okay, how's about I tell you a story, a story that better explains how I felt in your position, and how I was able to better prepare for it later. I'll tell you all about it on our way to this location I'm supposed to be taken to, alright?" Scott offered.

One of the guards, a pale white unicorn, walked forward, a skeptical expression on his face. "What could you possibly tell us that relates to the sudden ambush that just happened?" the guard asked.

Scott smirked. "How about one of the first times I ever saw my hero in-person, fighting against a friend that sacrificed his sanity for the better of all?" Scott suggested. The guards were curious as to what that could've pertained to, and Zapp, though he still felt ashamed, was curious himself about the story itself.

Scott hopped back into his seat and cleared his throat. "It all started back in my youth. I was still fairly shaken up by the trauma I had been through, witnessing a bunch of unknown creatures murder my folks... Little did I know, on one specific day, the day all academy students finally graduate, things had become complicated outside of the academy walls, as of late..." Scott started.

[Ben 10 Dimension, 3 years & 2 weeks ago...]
[Plumber Academy, Graduation Day]

A twelve year-old Scott splashes some water on his face, only to comb a small spiked up piece of his hair back down. He walked away from the mirror and dressed into his usual attire. A white camo-patterned t-shirt, black cargo pants, steel-toed boots, and hooking up a plumber badge to the chest area of his shirt, tapping it as it activated.

"It was an ordinary day, but unlike any other, it was graduation day. It had been two years since I lost my folks, and being around a bunch of people who only cared about being a Plumber for the benefits wasn't exactly a good way of keeping my own morale high. I remember working hard, wanting to prove myself that I could make the cut and be a plumber that was worth his salt. My mates weren't exactly optimistic of a kid as young as I making it in an unforgiving world, but they knew I had what it takes, and it made some of them pretty furious."

Scott moved throughout the halls, saluting his elders whenever he could. Scott made his way into the training area, seeing most of his mates standing in-line, and he was prepared to join them. As he did, they were handed five papers each, along with a pencil and eraser.

"For context, the only way an academy student can prove they have what it takes to be a part of the Plumbers, they have to take two different tests. One of them is a written exam, consisting of five pages, each one consisting of 20 questions, 10 questions on each side of the pages, rounding up to 100 questions. No one was sure if they had what it took to get through the written exam, but I was pretty optimistic about my chances. Once the written exam was over, a number of students would be sent out of the room, signifying that they failed the exam, and wouldn't be graduating this year. There was around thirty-eight academy students in that room, and only five of us were left to take the second portion of the graduation test."

As the last few students finished their tests, thirty-three of the students had left. Some were angry, some were in tears, others were more calm and optimistic than the ones who looked utterly depressed.

Scott stood by four of his high-ranking mates. The Vreedle Brothers, Octagon and Rhomboid, they enrolled to make their father proud, and hope to get more out of life by joining in on the side of 'the long arms of the law'. It was almost hard to believe that they had turned over a new leaf, and still kept to that change. Tack, a blue-skinned humanoid alien with large black eyes, pointy ears and a black mohawk. Supposedly, he wanted the chance to meet Ben Tennyson, something that he and Tack shared in passing conversation. Scott hadn't heard from or seen Tack since graduation. Then, there was him. Rook Blonko, a Revonnahgander that was a long way from home. Even for a pre-teen of his species, Rook was tall. Not as tall as the Vreedle brothers, but tall nonetheless. He joined the Plumbers to make the galaxy a better place, something that Scott could easily respect. Scott had a lot more to respect about Rook Blonko when he found out he became Ben's partner. Though they never talked much, they were familiar with each other during their time at the academy.

"Since it was only five of us that were moving on, they wanted to make the occasion a bit more grand. With some coaxing, and a lot of hard work, they were able to bring in one of Ben's allies to demonstrate as a threat. Little did they know that he wasn't in the best place mentally when they found him."

Scott and his mates looked down at the floor, seeing it raise. What they saw had shocked them beyond compare.

On the raised platform was this giant creature. It looked like a horrible mix of a bunch of different alien species. The only odd thing anyone could recognize about the creature was its jet black hair and the torn up jeans that struggled to fit on its body.

"The instructor for the test, Magister Coronach, had managed to coax what was supposedly Kevin Levin, into coming to the academy, proclaiming that a pal of his, named Argit, was hiding out there. If he complied to help with the test, then Argit was his to do as he pleases with. If not, he'll be attacked with lethal force. It was downright terrible, especially since everyone knew what happened to Osmosians in this kind of state. The power they absorb deteriorates their mind at a rapid rate, and it drives them mad. Kevin had undergone such a mutation before as a child, and thanks to the help of someone, he was able to change back to normal. It was honestly impressive to know that was even possible, but in that moment, it didn't seem like Kevin wanted to be fixed of whatever caused his newest mutation."

Scott, Tack, Rook, Octagon and Rhomboid shuddered, unsure of how they'd be able to graduate from this test. Kevin roared out in an aggressive manner, seeming almost like a mindless animal, hating the restrictive nature of its chains. Soon enough, Magister Coronach was swatted away, sent flying into a wall and falling onto a bunch of boxes. Kevin phased through the chains that restrained him, and spewed a stream of fire down at the recruits.

They all dodged out of the way, and immediately made a break for the weapons. They each grabbed a weapon they were best-equipped to use, and started to open fire on the amalgamized Kevin. Kevin groaned and suddenly made a clone of himself, and it phased through the ground, leaving the real Kevin to deal with the graduates.

"We were all scared. Kevin escaped his restraints, can't really say I blame him for wanting out, but he was now a danger to the entire academy, as well as to us. The whole academy was put on lockdown, and we were trapped in that room with a monster. It was clear to me that our weapons had no effect on it, and I found out why when it shot out a bunch of rainbow colored laser beams from its eyes. It absorbed the energy from our attacks and fired it all back at us. I ended up taking shelter behind a few boxes while Tack tried to find a way to escape. Rhomboid and Octagon, along with Rook, continued to keep Kevin's attention on them. I felt weak, mainly because in-comparison to the amalgam monster that was running around causing havoc and attacking my mates, I felt as if there was nothing I could do."

As everything broke into chaos, one of the doors was ripped open and slammed into Kevin at high-velocity speeds, knocking the amalgamized Kevin back. Everyone looked towards the door, seeing a large rocky creature with a strange glowing core in its stomach. It wore black shorts with a white belt, and it had the Omnitrix's badge within the center of the glowing core. This was the alien that Ben recently called Gravattack.

"Almost as if there was a higher power, listening to our plight, Ben Tennyson came in to stop Kevin from wreaking havoc. If Ben hadn't managed to step in when he did, we would've died that day. It was an eye-opening experience, one that has helped me push forward and fight the most dangerous battles I've ever tackled in my lifetime after that fateful day. We were all soldiers in that very moment, fighting and trying our best, no matter what the response to the situation was."

Scott adjusted himself in his seat as the guards kept facing forward, still listening to the human's story. "Long story short, every choice you make as a soldier, is a valid choice. If you need to make a tactical retreat, then it must be done if the current tactic isn't working. If you must fight, then you must win that fight, or know when to admit that you've lost, and do a tactical retreat. If you feel that you must hide, that's alright too. Hiding can give you the advantage of surprise, as long as your enemy can't find you," Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "In conclusion, there's no right or wrong way to be a soldier. As long as you don't kill innocents, no matter what race, gender or species they are, you're doing something right." Scott stated.

The guards were speechless and impressed. They were also skeptical to the human's story being true, but on the off-chance that it was all facts and no embellishment, the guards were starting to recognize that they were escorting, what they'd consider the closest comparison to a seasoned veteran, that came from another world. "So, there's just all-powerful hoomans and space-faring monsters that work together to protect others? Sounds like a fantasy, with all due respect." One of the guards remarked.

Scott smirked. "Says the one who's working with bat-winged ponies. Back where I come from, Unicorns, Pegasi, and whatever your princesses are, they don't exist. Think about that before calling someone else's typical Tuesday a fantasy, pal." Scott remarked, chuckling as he leaned back in his seat.

Zapp looked back at the human, who was rather intrigued by Scott's story. "So, what happened after you graduated and became one of these 'Plumbers', as you call them?" Zapp inquired.

Scott sighed. "Well, it was a strange and rather grim set of circumstances that followed. Kevin was still lost to his mutation, and eventually escaped, then a lot of stuff happened afterwards. Eventually, it all lead up and culminated to a stand-off between best friends. My idol, the very inspiration I had to become a Plumber, Ben Tennyson, going against his best friend, a former enemy who could mimic Ben's powers and do some equally crazy stuff, Kevin Levin. Ben, at the time, was equipped with a device called the Ultimatrix. It was a lot like the Omnitrix, only it had a special function that could amplify his transformations to a whole nother level," Zapp was clinging on to every word Scott was talking about, impressed and entertained by the story itself. "Ben had the power to put Kevin down for good, but at the end of the day, it was still his best friend, his mind was just deteriorating because of all that power he absorbed, just to stop a whole other threat prior, but that's a story for another day. The story ends with Kevin being fixed and returned back to his normal self, the two make amends, and their bond became stronger than ever." Scott explained.

Zapp looked forward, thoroughly entertained by Scott's story. "Wow, sounds like being a Plumber is a lot more exciting than just being a royal guard." Zapp stated.

Scott smiled for a moment, until he felt an odd feeling pulse through him. It wasn't pride, it wasn't cheer, it wasn't anger, he didn't feel fearful, he was stumped as to what exactly he was feeling. Scott eventually looked back at where the Synthroid was laying, only to go wide-eyed as it started running towards the chariot. "On your guard, soldiers, we're not done!" Scott hopped out of his seat as he rolled onto the ground, only to be met by the Synthroid punching him away, making the human's body skid across the ground. "Damn, hits like a tank!" Scott remarked, getting up to his feet.

The Synthroid approached Scott, letting its red eyes shine down on the human. "Beginning phase 2 of Judgement Day Initiative." The Synthroid announced, grabbing Scott by the neck as it lifted him up off the ground.

The guards were terrified, solely because they thought the robotic creature had been taken care of. Scott felt the Synthroid squeezing his neck, which was making breathing a lot harder than it needed to be. Soon enough, the Altnetrix suddenly flashed its usual turquoise light, showing one new alien icon. [Scan complete. Detrovite DNA Sample has been restored to Playlist 1-A. Uncatalogued DNA Sample acquired, Scanning In-Progress. All functions have been reactivated.] The Altnetrix chirped.

Scott quickly reached for the Altnetrix, popping the core up as he tried to transform. In a swift move, there was a sickening squelch that came from the Synthroid itself. Scott's body went limp, and the guards were in a state of panic. Before anything could happen, the Synthroid looked back at the Equestrians, and began to approach them, dropping Scott's body to the ground, unaware of the fact that Scott's body was becoming purple in hue. "Plumber threat has been neutralized. Worldwide Termination can begin." The Synthroid announced.

Before the Synthroid could try laying a finger on any of the guards, a mound of purple sludge started wrapping around its torso, only to then pick the Synthroid up, and repeatedly bash it against the ground. Behind the Synthroid, was Scott's Lenopan form. "Alright, now ya pissed me off! Here's some mud in your circuits, rust bucket! Feel the wrath of Smudge!" Smudge slammed the Synthroid onto the ground, knocking most of the limbs on its body loose, the alien robot was trying to fight back and break free, but nothing seemed to be working. Smudge then encased the Synthroid in a bubble of gunk and tossed it away, letting it crash onto a spot in the big open field. "Now that's dirty fighting!" Smudge quipped.

The guards were speechless, they had no words as to what just happened, but it was clear that the fight was still too far from finished. The muck-stained remnants of the Synthroid barely managed to pick itself up, hobbling on one leg as it attempted to approach the alien-powered Plumber. Smudge then transformed its arms into large spiked maces, glaring at the persistent robotic menace that continued to try and attack. "Man, they still make them like how they used to, huh, falling apart at the seams and still itching to get blood on their hands. What's the point in continuing this fight, especially when you're falling apart!" Smudge remarked.

The Synthroid continued to hobble towards the transformed Plumber, reaching its busted and split open mechanical hand out. A large beam of light cascaded over Smudge, almost like the Synthroid was scanning him. The beam of light moved over the Lenopan's body a few times, only to then stop at the Altnetrix. The Synthroid started to rumble and spark, causing Smudge to raise his guard up. The Synthroid started to spout out ineligible sounds and gibberish, then started to collapse right then and there, but not before speaking its final message. "Error. Paradox in objective sequencing detected. Terminate Plumber threat... Protect Altered Omnimatrix... A fatal error has occurred. Can't protect plumbers, threat to creator. Can't destroy Altered Omnimatrix, would go against creator's programming... A conclusion cannot be reached, activating memory wipe; Activating self-destruct..." The Synthroid spoke.

Smudge was confused at first, but before he could inquire as to what the Synthroid was talking about, the Synthroid's body was starting to glow a vibrant red, and a heat unlike no other was radiating from the robotic specimen. Smudge wasn't entirely sure what the Synthroid's self-destruct was going to do, let alone how far its range was gonna be, but he quickly coated his slimy body over the Synthroid itself, only to look over at the guards. "Get out of here, now! This thing's gonna blow!! I'll contain the explosion however I can, but you need to get out of its range! Find shelter nearby, if you must!!" Smudge called out.

The guards were unsure as to what exactly they should do, but they ran anyway, fearing the worse, all except Private Zapp, who stood his ground, watching the alien hero risk his life. Before anything could be said or done, a large earth-shaking explosion erupted from the Synthroid, tearing it to pieces, and sending globs of Smudge flying everywhere. The explosion tore a few trees out from the ground and flung them a few miles away, left cracks in various hills in the area, even creating a smoking crater at the epicenter of the blast. As viscous purple gunk rained down, it all slowly started to pull together, slowly reforming Smudge back into his original form. Zapp approached the transformed Plumber, and in a flash of white light, Scott was transformed back into his normal self, and the Plumber took a knee.

Scott's eyes widened as he slowly composed himself, realizing that for a moment, he was quite literally blown to bits. He could've been dead if he had transformed into anything else, but that didn't concern the cadet, not really. What concerned him was what the Synthroid said before it decided to take itself out. 'Protect the Altnetrix, kill the Plumbers, that's concerning, then again, I never thought I'd see the day that a Synthroid would be programmed to protect something... it said that the Altnetrix wasn't allowed to be destroyed, otherwise it'd go against the ones and zeroes that its creator told it so. Did whoever it was that made that Synthroid... also make the Altnetrix? How... and why?' Scott thought, looking at the dismantled, smoldering scrap pile that remained of the Synthroid. Scott sighed, seeming disappointed. 'I probably could've handled that better, maybe disable it before it wiped its memory. Could've had something genuinely useful in its files, but that's stupid of me to think it'd be that easy, to think I'd be that lucky, for that matter, to find answers immediately... such is the life of I, Cadet Baristo. I'll figure something out, but for now, I shouldn't be wasting anymore time. Better to get to this place now, than to deal with that Synthroid again.' Scott thought to himself, looking down at the Altnetrix, a bit dissuaded by its white hourglass as it recharged.

Zapp lightly tapped Scott's shoulder, which made the Plumber flinch and back up a bit, only to recognize that it was Private Zapp. "A-Apologies, hyuumon! I-I noticed that you were taking a knee. Are you alright, are you injured? Your brain didn't die, did it?!" Zapp panicked.

Scott sighed, and gave a thumbs up. "I'm alright, Private, just thinking about what just happened, is all... Look, we've dawdled enough because of that murderous rust bucket, and now we might be late. Let's get the chariot and move forward. I'll explain all I can on the way there, everything I can make sense of, at least." Scott ordered, getting back on his feet as he walked in the direction of where the stallions ran, all while Zapp followed his lead.

[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Earth]

Pillars of smoke rose into the air as a collapsed building started to become a smoldering pile of ash, waste, and dwindling embers. Ben Tennyson, along with Kevin Levin, were on the scene, watching as a wrinkly green-skinned man with mechanical goggles, long and ragged white hair and wore what looked like a Rhino suit made out of spare parts, was escorted into the back of a Plumber-licensed vehicle. "I'll get you, Ben Tennyson! Heed the words of Dr. Animo!!" Animo exclaimed, the doors of the vehicle closed on him, and he was driven away.

Kevin yawned and let the asphalt coating on his body crumble away, as Ben dialed in an alien, walking away from the scene. "Got somewhere to be, Tennyson? Usually you'd take your time to let Animo go on about some monologue he has for his latest scheme," Ben didn't reply and got ready to transform. Kevin raised an eyebrow and ran towards Ben. Before the hero could transform, Kevin grabbed his arm and looked down at his best friend. "Alright, spill it, dude, you're being weird. What's going on?" Kevin asked.

Ben pulled his hand away and sighed. "I ran into Paradox a few days ago. I sent out a mass text about the project to you, Gwendolyn, and Rook, and as I was waiting for your responses, Paradox just showed up." Ben stated.

Kevin chuckles, seeming reassured. "Of course, I should've figured. So, is Paradox gonna help us, or is he just as cryptic as he was when we saw him last?" Kevin asked.

Ben didn't seem to be responsive to Kevin's question, not at first. Ben closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. "Something clearly wasn't right. When he showed up out of the blue, I didn't feel the same sense of safety I felt when he showed up in our previous encounters, I felt like I was in danger," Kevin seemed confused, but the look on Ben's face said everything he needed to know. "Paradox looked like he went through hell. His labcoat was in tatters, stained in reds, greens, sometimes even grays. His goggles were cracked, like they had been through a number of cataclysms before showing signs of wear and tear, one of the lens was practically gone. He didn't have that big gauntlet anymore, his cane was broken in two, and his face... he looked like he was on the verge of a psychotic break!" Ben explained.

Kevin looked at Ben with a skeptical look in his eye. "We're talking about the same Paradox, right? The cryptic know-all and seen-all labcoat wearing dude from the sixties, the guy who sent us back in time to save his friend from becoming a time-decaying monster, the guy who got us to Alien X's home? That Paradox?" Kevin inquired.

Ben scowled at Kevin, practically in disbelief that Kevin wasn't convinced. "Do you seriously want me to use Stem-Squid and make you relive what I went through?" Ben rebutted.

Kevin was surprised, but not at all intimidated. "Look, if you're telling the truth, it couldn't've been Paradox that you ran into. For all you know, it could've been Eon in disguise." Kevin remarked.

Ben stood firm. "Why go through all that trouble, when Eon's been one for the direct approach? Sure, he'll hide his face every now and then, but I know that was Paradox... I don't know what happened to him, but he snapped when I declined his offer for help," Kevin was confused even more, but now he was equally as intrigued. "He knew who we were looking for, and even knew where exactly to find him, said he was familiar with such a world, but he was clearly not safe to be around, let alone accept his help in that state. When I denied his assistance, his demeanor changed on a dime, like he was dropping an act." Ben explained.

Kevin looked around, then back at Ben. "How so?" Kevin asked.

Ben sighed. "In his own words, I was the second Ben Tennyson that refused to let him help. He said he wasn't sure why this was happening, and then he threatened to destroy the universe that we're trying to get to, just because he was angry that I wanted him to take a break. Paradox left me no choice but to transform into Alien X, right then and there," Kevin was astonished, but Ben kept talking. "He tried to trap me in frozen time, but Alien X was always strong enough to counter any of Paradox's tricks. He claimed he wasn't the bad guy, but that didn't justify the murderous intent that radiated off of him, even before he got aggressive. Eventually, he back-pedaled, letting me have my way, but when he left, he warned me that he'd always be watching, and told me to watch my back. I've been trying to keep myself busy, getting my hero work done as soon as possible, just so I can relax and worry about the project. Something clearly isn't right with Paradox, and it might complicate things from here on out." Ben explained.

Kevin wasn't sure how to respond to any of that information, but if Ben saw that Paradox was becoming a problem, then clearly this was going to be an issue they needed to remedy. Kevin sighed and looked at his best friend. "Then what's the plan, Ben?" Kevin asked.

Ben dialed in the alien he was going to transform into, and as Ben pressed the core down, he was transformed into a sleek, thin, tall, yet surprisingly robust cyan colored demon-like humanoid that had four eyes that were entirely green, had red eyes, slit pupils and sharp fangs. It had long white hair, three black and white striped horns that jutted out from Ben's head, a squared jaw, pointy ears, a scruffy and wispy white tuft of hair on his chin, two fingers and a thumb on each hand that was connected to long, thin, gangly, but slightly buff arms, two-toed feet attached to long, gangly and slightly buff legs, a demon tail, and seemed to wear what looked like a black collared suit-jacket outfit with a green V that stopped at a white belt, where the Omnitrix was placed in the middle of. His arm sleeves seemed to end with white and green stripes, as did the spandex pants that covered the alien's legs.

The demon-like alien smiled and looked down at Kevin. "We are going to continue as planned, until Paradox decides to show himself again. Once he does, we're going to spring a trap of our own, and Dereleaper is our best bet to make sure it all pans out in our favor." Dereleaper explained.

Kevin thought about the idea, and figured things couldn't get any worse, so he nods and grabs hold of the tall alien's arm. "Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go get Gwen and fill her in." Kevin remarked.

Dereleaper and Kevin soon vanished in a puff of dark green smoke, completely unaware of the hidden individual hiding amidst the rubble of the previous fight. The figure glares and starts to retreat further into the pile, as if it was buying time.

[Ponyville Outskirts]

The guards, Private Zapp and Scott finally manage to find each other again, only to notice that they were right next to a large handcrafted wooden sign on the side of the path. It was bright, colorful, everything Scott wasn't expecting on a typical road sign. Scott stepped forward and read the sign aloud, trying to see if any of the ponies react. "'Ponyville, 3 miles ahead!' Is that where we're headed?" Scout asked.

The guards nodded, seeming confused. "Yes, but it would seem that the princesses have underestimated you, along with your capabilities. Ponyville's a great place, don't get me wrong, but why in Tartarus would they send someone like you to such an uneventful and boring place like this?!" Scott looked over to the guards, then noticed Private Zapp, who seemed just as confused as his fellow soldiers. "Based on the stories you told, Cloudsdale sounds more your speed!" One of the guards remarked.

Scott put a finger to his chin and examined the sign closely, but didn't seem to find anything to be skeptical or suspicious of. "While I'm not familiar with a place called "Cloudsdale", I'm sure your royals had a reason for sending me to this place. I'm not exactly a native to your world, so it probably makes the most sense for me to be in a smaller and less-populated environment, for the sake of not ruining their fancy and upper class city of Canterlot, next time an alien threat makes its rounds," The guards paused for a moment and started to take the human's words into consideration. Scott looked to the sky, noticing the blue sky becoming more and more orange as the sun began to set. "Either that, or your favorite princess isn't exactly fond of other creatures that don't walk on all fours, and have hooves. Not like it matters, we're miles away from Canterlot, and it'd be pointless to go back and ask. I say we stay the course, and hopefully we'll make it to this "Ponyville" before the sun completely sets." Scott remarked.

The guards nodded, and as Scott got back in his seat on the chariot, he suddenly realized what he was doing. He was commanding soldiers, and they were listening. Scott felt an odd sense of well-deserved pride, as well as an uncomfortable and unfamiliar sense of rebelliousness. He was just a Cadet, yet he's the one making the decisions, taking charge in conflict, risking his life for those he barely even knew. He knew he was far beyond the rookie he used to be when he became an official Plumber, but he was still just a Cadet, a Cadet who followed the rules, only stepping out of line when he sought justice for those who were being given the short end of the stick.

Scott stared at the setting sun as it disappeared amidst the tree line, feeling split on how he was going to tackle all of this on his own. The human was the only Plumber in Equestria, and the only gear he had was his badge, his wits and the Altnetrix.

The Altnetrix, it brought him here, but it can't take him back to the world that he unintentionally left behind... Scott isn't sure how he's gonna figure any of this out, but he's gonna hope that when he gets to Ponyville, he can speak with the mayor and get an idea on what it is he'll be able to do.

Scott sighed as the chariot continued to move down the forested path, and he closed his eyes, putting his hands together. 'Ma, pops... If you can hear me, give me the strength, the patience, and the perseverance I need to get through this. Lord knows I'm gonna need it.' Scott thought.

Author's Note

Miss me?

It's been a few months since this story was updated, all for good reason, mind you. I had a near-terminal case of writer's block for this story, but now that's come to pass, and I'm ready to keep telling Scott Baristo's story.

Figured I'd allow for the Omnitrix to steadily keep acquiring alien DNA throughout Scott's encounters with alien life in Equestria, not only letting him familiarize himself with what alien life is still thriving in a magical place like this, but by also giving him more options to defend himself and protect others who come across dangerous aliens, monsters, or other types of mythical/extraterrestrial creatures and entities.

For those who still follow this story and the other stories I have yet to update, I'm genuinely sorry it took this long. I'll update them when I get the chance.

Speaking of updates, now Kevin's been informed of Paradox's sudden mood shift. With both Ben and Kevin on the same page (for now), Ben's plan to find Scott is gonna be difficult with Paradox watching them.

Also, fun fact, I felt like expanding on the possible aliens this Ben might've unlocked that Ben Prime hasn't got access to, even if it's just the one new alien introduced in this story.

Dereleaper is the Omnitrix's DNA Sample of a Nokkurtzø from Synertia. This alien species is exclusive to this
story's version of Ben Tennyson.

Pryokinesis, resistance to fire, night vision, prehensile tail, camouflage capabilities, teleportation, enhanced acrobatic reflexes and hand-to-hand combat prowess, Dereleaper is an alien Ben can always depend on when in a tight situation. He may have the looks of a hellspawn, but he's got the heart and soul of an angel as he takes down his foes. Combined with Dereleaper's unique medical skills, he's truly an angel of hope underneath his demonic apparel.

(I based Dereleaper off of Nightcrawler from Marvel, as well as the Imp Demons from Helluva Boss. Both are already demon-esque, with one being a race of demons, and the other is a mutant with a demon-like appearance, an alien race based off of the two that keeps to the demon inspiration was the best solution. Ben already has an alien based on Ultraman, so I see no harm in this.)

Finally, I also wanted to give Scott some development regarding his role as a simple Cadet amongst the Plumbers. And by Development, I mean the start of his development. Scott, in terms of being a leader of sorts, as well as a superhero in his own right, he's out-of-his-depth, more-so than usual.

It's gonna take him a bit of time for him to get used to the following:

1) Being stuck in another world with no way back to his own.

2) Being the only member of his species.

3) Being stuck with a bootleg Omnitrix, most likely till the day he keels over.

Hopefully Scotty boy can figure out how any of this is gonna work out for him, otherwise it might just kill him when he least expects it.