A Hero's Origins
By TheAlienBrony22

Stalked

Reinrassic's ship, continues to orbit the Earth. Inside the ship, on a levitating platform in a gladiatorial arena-like chamber, two spotlights shine on two bounty hunters. The first is lean, but surprisingly robust. It looked like a half-human/half-crustacean dressed in a kind of martial arts gi, flexing its large muscular arms and snapping its big meaty lobster claws freely; The second was smaller, more cold and calculating. A feminine figure clad in a thin but surprisingly durable full-body suit of armor, colored in black, gray and yellow.

"Begin the audition, lesser vermin." Reinrassic's voice echoed out through a speaker.

The second hunter immediately fires up a jetpack and lands in a circle of smaller genodromes. She pulls a small blaster from a compartment on her suit and shoots a few down. A few fire back; she rolls out of the way and fires small dart-sized explosives from her wrist in retaliation. She pulls a small rocket out of another compartment for another cluster of drones, as well as more parasite-ridden individuals, armed with strange melee weapons that crackled with electricity. The first bounty hunter jumps down to join, pounding one on his way down, grabbing another with a massive claw and using them as a projectile against another. Two more of the drones rush him; he catches one with his claws and rips it in two, then slams the two halves into the other drone, only to then chuck it at the armed individuals, causing them to drop their weapons and flee. A platform opens up on the ceiling, and a gigantic genodrome falls to the floor, ready to fire at the two.

The two hunters looked at each other and nodded, rushing towards the genodrome as it fires a laser blast. When the smoke clears, they're completely unharmed. Without a moment to lose, the second hunter flies into the droid's chest and punches right through it. The first hunter folds back the metal plates on its legs and starts to spew a thick green foam from its mouth, causing the inner machinations of the genodrome to start erupting into flames, then it exploded. Robot pieces fall to the ground, and a video screen of Reinrassic in his recovery tank appears inside the room.

"Rather impressive, for such lesser lifeforms. You both are hired," The video feed changes to a static image of the Omnitrix. "Your objective - is to retrieve the Omnitrix. The one who succeeds collects the reward. Do not disappoint me." Reinrassic instructed.

The two hunters saluted their injured benefactor and walked into one singular pod, jettisoning it from Reinrassic's ship as it falls towards Earth.

The RV was pulled over to the side of the road, and a small wispy trail of smoke was going out the window. Inside, there was a hot skillet, and a wire rack on the stove, getting hot as a few foods cooked on them, all while Luna carefully watched intently, smiling. "You two hungry? I'm making breakfast!" Luna called out.

From the back part of the RV, a curtain was pulled back, revealing Sunset and Chance. Sunset shuffled her feet across the floor and sat down on her side of the booth, while Chance fell to the floor, tiredly crawling to his side of the booth. The teens looked exhausted, downright drained of any energy they had the past couple days.

Luna noticed their odd behavior and decreased the heat on the stove top, turning to face them. "What's wrong, you two? You don't seem like you got up on the right side of the bed this morning." Luna inquired.

Chance grumbled and sneered. "It was another nightmare, nothing special, since it's the same damn one," Chance got up and walked to the coffee pot, grabbing the biggest cup he could find in the cupboard and wasted no time in preparing it, as if through muscle memory, despite his exhaustion. He pours the coffee, adds several scoops of sugar, grabs chocolate syrup from the fridge and squeezes a fair bit into the cup, adds more milk than expected, and stirs till its to his liking. He grabs the cup, tosses the spoon in the sink and sits back down. "It's almost like a twisted joke, if you think about it. You'd think with how peaceful I've been able to sleep these past few days, despite everything that's happened that should say otherwise, the nightmares would've finally gotten the hint and shoved off, but no! They persist and become a problem, like that one guy in the club trying to pick up chicks and won't take no for an answer. Only I'm the one who feels personally harassed, and no one's helping." Chance remarks, taking big gulps of his coffee.

Sunset groggily yawns and gets up, grabbing the cereal she got from the MegaMart and poured herself a bowl, then pours milk into it. Sunset sits down and starts to eat. "I also had a bit of a difficult time sleeping. It was like the horrible things I've done just keep screaming at me, preventing me from having an easy night of rest. I wouldn't call it a nightmare, but it was definitely hard to get some proper consecutive hours of sleep, especially with that going on." Sunset remarked, taking another bite of her cereal.

Luna looked down at the two, they both looked so out of it, and yet, they were still aware of the world around them. Luna turned back to the stuff she had been cooking. There were pineapple slices grilling on the wire rack, and chunks of sliced banana covered in some kind of pink batter, cooking away in the skillet. Luna looked back at the two, and simply smiled. "Well, would something new lift your spirits, like, breakfast?" Luna asked.

Chance perked up a bit, but while he didn't meet her gaze, he was clearly intrigued. That, or willing to play along, despite how exhausted he was. "What'd you have in mind?" Chance asked, his face still buried in his coffee cup.

Luna grabbed a couple tongs and turned the pineapple slices over, showing the sweet-scented brown wire marks grilled into it. She then reached over and pulled out a bratwurst, cutting it open as she laid it onto the wire rack, increasing the heat back to what it was before. She used the same tongs to turn the battered banana chunks over and let the batter fry a bit longer. She plucked some of the other battered banana chunks and set them on a plate, only to lightly sprinkle powdered sugar on top of them. "Both of you, try only one. Breakfast will be ready before you know it." Luna stated, moving the plate of pink dough-y banana chunks in between them.

The pair looked down at the cutesy little bite-sized treats, and cautiously took one each, and popped them in their mouths, chewing carefully. The pair of them were actually pretty surprised with how good it tasted. "Huh, fruity, yet not overly sweet. Actually kinda bitter, but I think that's just the grease not agreeing with powdered sugar." Sunset remarked, swallowing down the treat.

Chance simply shrugged, a content smile on his face. "It's like some kind of fruit candy, but wrapped in a pillow-y pink pancake. I couldn't give a care in the world about the grease, this tastes good! It's not even melting in my mouth, it's still a bit mushy, like a banana should be, but it's clearly been softened up by the grease, something I can definitely appreciate." Chance remarked, swallowing down the treat.

Luna, keeping her eyes on her cooking, simply smiled. "I'm glad you both like it. You can have more after breakfast, and speaking of which," Luna flipped something over and examined it for a moment before setting it on the plate, revealing one half of the bratwurst, now grilled and lightly covered in melted butter, several cut up pieces of the grilled pineapple slices, and a glass of pineapple juice. "Chance, your breakfast is ready. I figured you'd need a bit more fruits in your diet." Luna remarked, setting the plate and glass in front of him.

Chance looked at the food on his plate, and nearly didn't know what he was looking at. Chance grabbed one of the slices of grilled pineapple, and was almost surprised to know it had the same kind of dry texture as a raisin. He was hesitant, but he quickly popped the piece into his mouth and started to chew. He felt pretty dumb when he realized it actually tasted good. "Not as juicy as an actual slice of pineapple, but it's just as good," Chance grabbed the bratwurst with his hands and wholeheartedly took a large bite out of it, a snapping pop sounded out as Chance continued to indulge in the food on his plate. "I could, and will definitely eat this if it was prepared like this each time. I'm not a picky eater, but this might change my tune." Chance remarked, smiling as he kept on eating.

Luna's smile never faltered as she sat a plate down in front of Sunset. It consisted of numerous fruits, grilled and stuck together on some kind of stick, with a rich, yet thick golden glaze on top. "Sunset, this was always Celestia's favorite when we were children. It's a honey glazed fruit kebab, it's sweet, it's cooked, and it helps ensure you get fruits into your body." Luna said.

Sunset grabbed the kebab and started chewing away at chunks of skewered apple and oranges, enjoying how sweet it was, despite it being her breakfast. "I get the feeling that sugar for breakfast is not the best idea, but then again, I am off my diet, and I do like fruit skewers." Sunset remarked, pulling off a honey-coated grape and popping it into her mouth.

Luna kept smiling as she sat down with them, holding her own cup of coffee. "I take it you both like the breakfasts I prepared for you?" Luna asked.

Chance nodded, already finishing off the last of the pineapple slices, and guzzling down the juice. "Probably the most peaceful breakfast I've ever eaten and experienced in my life," Chance smiled as he leaned back in his seat. "But man oh man, I'm stuffed. There's a first time for everything, and I guess today's that day. I guess I haven't had the time to just sit down and eat a whole meal. Usually the foods I consume are just what I need, a side, and something to wash it down." Chance remarked.

Sunset plucked off the last couple fruits and popped them into her mouth like they were bite-sized candies. She swallowed them down and set the fruitless skewer on her plate, lightly nudging it aside. "This was great. You must've been a chef at some point, because this is good." Sunset stated.

Chance smiled and ate the last of the bratwurst, licking his lips to get at the butter on his face. "Seriously, how'd you know how to make this?" Chance asked, wiping his face with a napkin.

Luna's smile never faltered, but she didn't hesitate on her words. "It's a skill I gained from a life I left behind. You'd be surprised how cutthroat the most simple of professions can be, and how more-so they are now. Keep that in mind, just in-case that info comes in handy." Luna explained, sipping on her coffee.

Chance raised an eyebrow, then looked at Sunset, who was a bit surprised with the answer itself. Chance simply shrugged, got up and placed the plate in the sink. He stretched his arms upward and sat back down in the booth. "So, what exactly is this life you left behind? Is it your time as a Plumber?" Chance asked.

Luna nearly choked on her coffee, all while Sunset was silently trying to tell Chance to change the subject. Chance didn't do so, and Luna's reaction was all the confirmation he and Sunset needed. Her time as a 'plumber' had to mean something else, and she was clearly hiding something. Luna may assume she's covering her tracks, but in reality, Chance and Sunset are seeing another side to their vice principal bleed out and become more prevalent. "Chance, it's nothing you need to worry about. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually appreciative that you're taking an interest, to try and strengthen our relationship, but that's a tad too personal to be talked about right now." Luna stated, trying to keep herself calm.

Chance stared skeptically at Luna, then simply moved back and shrugged. "Well, figured I'd ask anyway. I'm sure you'll tell us something eventually, just as long as it's not too little, too late," Chance pulled out a small handheld device and clicked it on, playing some kind of video game. "If you wanna talk about anything, even if it's the slightest bit fucked up, let me know and I'll give you my full attention. If not, then I'll be on my bed, playing an old game my dad had growing up. Figured it'd be better off in my hands, than to leave it in my room, just for those junkies get their filthy grubby hands on anything else my dad left behind, just to pawn it for drug money." Chance stated, getting up and moving to the back of the RV.

Sunset looked back at Chance as he vanished behind the door, fixating his gaze on the game. "I think I'll go and see what he's playing, see if I can learn more about him." Sunset remarked, hopping over the booth and walking to the back of the RV.

Luna simply shrugged, sighing a breath of relief as she resumed sipping on her coffee. 'At least they'll be in each other's company. I can only hope that they won't get on each other's nerves, but Celestia and I didn't always get along either... When did my life as a Plumber get so complicated all of a sudden?' Luna thought.

Several miles back where the RV had turned off a couple days ago, Sugilite continues to track down the Omnitrix, only to stop when his tracker points to a can that's been drained of all its contents, even the minerals within its aluminum shell. Just as he reaches for it, the second hunter snatches it with an extendible grabbing appendage, all while speaking some kind of strange language.

The first hunter leaps from the tree tops and onto the asphalt road, cracking it beneath his sharp jagged feet. "Your guess is as good as mine sistah, I thought that bigot only hired the two of us to collect the Omnitrix, if I'm remembering things correctly." The crustaceous humanoid creature remarked, cracking his claws.

Sugilite, without a moment's hesitation, formed his hand into a crystallized blade and thrust it forward, trying to attack the crab creature. This didn't work in his favor as the crustaceous humanoid backed away, only to counter with a jump kick, knocking Sugilite back. Sugilite was quick to get back on his feet and fired several shards of crystals at the crustaceous creature, only for it to tank the hits as the crystals shattered against its pecs.

The second hunter speaks again, only for its strange language to be all that can be heard. The crustaceous looked back at his compatriot. "Yeah, as much as it irks me to say, you're right, wasting our time and energy on this Quartzian piece of garbage isn't gonna get us closer to the reward," The crustaceous creature focuses back on Sugilite. "You're getting off real easy today, pal, so we'll give you an introduction, and a warning. We are Lobbstar and Twenty-One, and we aren't messin' around. Next time you see us, we'll be known as the dynamic duo who found the Omnitrix. Do us a favor if you value your life, and stay away from us, or it's curtains for you. Remember the names of the ones who decided to spare you. We won't be so merciful if you interfere in our business." Lobbstar warned.

Lobbster leaps up and aims his claws at the ground, spinning himself very fast as he punctures the ground, acting like a drill and burrowing into the asphalt. Twenty-One sneers and seems to say something in that same strange language, only to fly away with her jetpack. Sugilite sneered and looked at the can, and a small opening on his helmet glowed, scanning the can. "This can was drained of its sugary contents, as well as any mineral stability from the can itself. The Omnitrix has access to Culicidopterran DNA, so I'm at least on the right track... unfortunately, now I have two more problems to take care of. Hopefully I'll find the one who found the device before they do." Sugilite analyzed.

As the RV moved down the road, Chance casually laid back on the top bunk, playing the game as his small pixelated character roamed through the grass, and soon enough, a battle commenced, transitioning from the blocky and colorful overworld to a more detailed battle scene. A small golden retriever with a lit matchstick for a tail, fire and froth coming out of its mouth with a crazed look in its eyes stared and let out a bark, all while its sprite shuddered. "Huh, a wild Matchpup! What luck, I needed a fire-type for the next station!" Chance remarked with a smile.

Sunset poked her head out. "Ya know, I never took you for a monster-collector fan. You always struck me as someone who was more into Sumo Slammers," Chance jumped and scrambled to keep the console in his hands. Chance sighed and looked to his right, seeing Sunset looking at the game from an awkward angle. "Guess I was wrong, not that you talk a lot about yourself, anyway." Sunset remarked.

Chance frowned and scooted away from Sunset. "If you wanted to watch me play, coulda said so. Besides, I like the Pocket Quest series much more than a bunch of samurai warriors, just because it isn't my style of play. Pocket Quest is a cutesy monster-taming game with lore so complex and dark, you'd think it was the grandfather of all those dark and edgy games trying to be artsy and easy to understand nowadays, only that artsy tortured shit is utter garbage, where as it's done right in this game." Chance explained.

Sunset looked down at the small but vibrantly bright screen, showing that Chance's character had thrown out a vibrant hexagon-shaped sphere, unveiling a large blue ogre-like creature with metal spikes jutting out of its body and vibrant purple bulbs sprouting on its body. "So, I haven't played these games before, what is it, and what exactly are these things?" Sunset asked, sitting next to the boy who continued to play, eyeing the screen intently.

Chance stopped for a moment and looked at her. "You mean to tell me, that Shimmercode, doesn't know a damn thing about the Pocket Quest series?" Chance asked, seeming surprised, if not offended by the idea that she was unfamiliar with the game.

Sunset's eyebrow remained raised at his offer. "It was never on my radar before. Could you tell me more?" Sunset asked.

Chance smiled. "I'll think about it, but for now, let's just talk a bit," Chance found himself back in the overworld and saved the game. Once the game notified him that the save was successful, he turned the game off and put it back in his pocket. "What's got you so interested all of a sudden?" Chance asked.

Sunset shrugged her shoulders. "You clearly have an interest in games, and this is the first time I've seen you have a game in your hands, and it's a Virtual Boy, of all things! I guess since we share that in common, aside from both of us having powers, I want to get to know you better, as my way of making up for not believing you during the 'Chupacabra' situation. Besides, I may as well find things in common with the only other person around my age, rather than only interact when danger comes knocking." Sunset explained.

Chance sighed and while his smile hadn't faltered, he was still a bit uncertain. "Well, if you want to learn about me, I should learn more about you too, it's the law of equivalent exchange. Tit for Tat, eye for an eye, take a penny, give a penny, you get what I mean." Chance remarked.

Sunset nodded. "It's a deal. So, let's start off with something easy before we work up to the hard-hitting stuff," Sunset thought hard about what to ask, then something did come to her. "What's your favorite color?" Sunset asked.

Chance sighed. "Green, and not the kind of green that's on the watch. I'm talking dark green, the kind of green that's more like mint, but deeper in hue. That's personally my favorite color. Green is usually the color associated with the sin of Envy, and it kinda lines up with how I always envied a better life, a better outcome. In a way, I guess something finally came of my envy, now I just need to figure out the rest." Chance explained.

Sunset was surprised by his answer, but not deterred. "Interesting option. I've always been a fan of red and yellow, the two colors associated with a roaring fire. I always loved how fires burned, despite the destruction a flame can cause if left unchecked, it's honestly beautiful. Ironically enough, it reminds me of a simpler time back home, where I burned my brightest, and still couldn't make the cut." Sunset remarked solemnly, smiling a bit.

It was Chance's turn to be surprised, almost enamored by Sunset's response. He was at a loss for words, but that didn't stop him from finding words to say. "Wow... that's incredibly sad, and yet, appropriately poetic." Chance complimented.

Sunset closed her eyes and sighed. "There are times where I wish I could go home, but I always fear that the day I do, everything's going to go up in flames, and I'll be accused of striking the match." Sunset confessed.

Chance let out a dry and stifled chuckle and sighed. "Yeah, I know the feeling. There are days where I wish I was back in Missouri, and to this day I still wonder what's going on back with the people I used to know... but then I look at this watch stuck to me, it's apparently called the Omnitrix I think, and I can't help but feel like they wouldn't look at me the same way they used to, it'd be like actually discovering aliens living in Roswell," Sunset looks at him and sees a tear forming in his eye. "It's almost kinda funny, you know? Out of the many years I've suffered, living with a couple crack-pot junkies and steadily losing my grip on reality, it's the magic and alien stuff that's somehow kept me from drifting away in the wind. I'd like to think that if I didn't take this offer to get as far from those nut-cases as possible, I'd end up just as crazy, if not more. That's what actually kinda scares me, ending up like them and meeting the same fate." Chance confessed.

Sunset and Chance sat in silence, letting everything they said ruminate for the time being. They looked at each other, and a small smile started to creep up both their lips. The two of them soon erupted into a cacophony of laughter, the pair of them held their sides as the laughter just poured out of them. Chance sat up, trying to catch his breath, still laughing at the whole situation. Sunset couldn't help but be on her back, holding her sides for dear life as she kept laughing. Soon enough, their laughter petered out, and the two were reduced to just chuckling.

Chance sighed and looked at Sunset. "Oh man, that didn't last for a whole second!" Chance remarked, starting to snicker uncontrollably.

Sunset slowly fell into a giggling fit as she tried to compose herself. "I feel like you're partially to blame for that, dude, I just stoked the embers." Sunset said, struggling to stop herself from giggling.

The two of them finally calmed down for the moment, looking at each other with goofy grins on their faces. "We're in for a world of hurt, I can feel it." Chance remarked, a snicker escaping his lips.

Sunset sighed and pat Chance's shoulder. "Knowing what we've been through already, I won't doubt you on that. But, whatever happens, we'll face it together, no matter how bad it seems." Sunset remarked.

Chance nodded and got up, stretching back as he dusted himself off. "Anything else you wanna know?" Chance asked.

Sunset did have something to ask, but even then, she wasn't sure what kind of answer she was gonna get. "Yeah, why did you buy a soda from a gas station vending machine yesterday, only to then use Fumesquito to drink the soda, as well as the can? You could've drank it like a normal person, yet you resorted to using one of your aliens. Why?" Sunset asked.

Chance was about to give an answer, but then soon realized he had no proper answer. "Well, this is a first, I actually don't know. Maybe Fumesquito was just on the brain at the time, and figured I'd try drinking a normal drink as one of my aliens, just to test for possible weaknesses," Sunset looked skeptical at Chance's claim, but the dumbfounded expression on his face said it all. He actually didn't know why he did it. "Lemme just say, on the record, Aluminum-Cherry Cola is the most straight-nasty thing I've ever tasted. It's like someone distilled blood that was too rich in iron into some cherry cola-flavored cough syrup! I'm not drinking soda as Fumesquito ever again for as long as I live, I promise you that." Chance remarked, just gagging at the very idea.

Soon enough, the RV started to splutter and buck, only to come to an abrupt stop, knocking the two teens off-balance and onto the floor. "Hey, VP, is that you at the wheel, or did we get cast for the sequel of 'Driving Batshit Crazy'?!" Chance yelled out.

Luna opened the curtain, seeing the two teens on the ground. She seemed worried, but strangely calm at the same time. "You two may want to get some fresh air, something went wrong with the RV." Luna stated.

The two teens step out of the RV, only to then notice that they were on an old dirt road, covered up and obscured by pine trees. Upon further inspection, they were in what looked like an abandoned little town, small log cabins took up space in specific parts on either side of the dirt road, yet the sun never peered through the pine needles.

Chance looked around and seemed genuinely confused about his surroundings. "Hey Sunset, I don't think we're in the United States anymore, this looks more like the Shire," Chance approached one of the nearby cabins and looked into the windows, seeing nothing but darkness within it. "Seems like no one's home." Chance remarked.

Sunset pulled out her phone and took a picture of the cabin, then typed away as she seemed to find something. "No one's been here for a long while. My IntelliMap app says this was an old pilgrim settlement known as Knöledgge. Incorporated in 1836 when it was speculated that the caves near the settlement were rich in resources and gold, but soon enough the mine was bled dry of all it had to give, and the inhabitants that lived here vanished without a trace, with the remnants of their civilization being all that's left to support the idea that they even existed." Sunset explained, reading off the information from her phone.

Chance looked at the other cabins in the distance, and shrugged. "Well shit, every day's a school day." Chance remarked, chuckling slightly.

"Aha!! I found the problem!" Luna called out.

Sunset and Chance quickly run back to the RV, seeing Luna take her head out of the RV's hood, several black smudges painted her cheeks as she looked to the teens. "As it would turn out," Luna held up a busted tube that was dripping, it also had a knife-like cut on the outside of the rubber covering. "A leaky fuel line. I'll patch it up, should be an easy fix till we get to the next town." Luna stated.

Sunset and Chance looked at each other, then back at the dripping tube. "Maybe I can give you a hand," Chance starts to twist the dial on the Omnitrix. "Maybe Riptile. No, Crime Detector would be a better option!" Chance suggested.

Luna put a hand over the Omnitrix, causing Chance to stop messing with the watch. Chance looked up, seeing Luna's patient and appreciative smile. "I think I can handle this on my own, but I do appreciate the assist," Chance's arm fell back to his side. "Why don't you two explore this quiet little town? It's not like you'll run into trouble all the way out here." Luna suggested.

Chance frowned. "If I had a nickel for every time you said that and trouble came our way no matter what, I think I'd have four, maybe five quarters. Which isn't a lot, but it's starting to sound real damning that it's happened four-to-five times already." Chance remarked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked over to the cabin he was peering into before.

Sunset reached out to get his attention, but he was a bit too far for her to physically reach. "I'm gonna make sure he doesn't get into trouble, or in this case, attempt to keep him out of trouble." Sunset remarked, running after her alien-powered friend.

Luna sighed and grabbed a rag from her pocket, wiping the sweat from her brow as she continued to work on fixing the fuel line.

Chance looks into the window, trying desperately to find something of interest, if there was anything at all. Sunset stops beside him and sees him staring into the building. "Man, this place is barren. You'd think they'd have something, but I don't think they even had candlelight here." Chance remarked.

Without a moment's hesitation, Chance grabbed the door's handle and turned it, pushing his way inside as he was met by cobwebs and thick clouds of dust that reeked of mildew. Chance backed up and started to cough and hack, all while Sunset turned on the flashlight function on her phone, illuminating the interior. The cabin was a mess, almost as if a struggle occurred. The bedframe was snapped in half, the mattress was mauled to pieces, there were even specks of a dried red substance caked onto the wall. Torn up clothes and discarded buckle shoes too withered for salvaging were scattered across the small space, and almost immediately, Sunset backed out of the doorway and closed the door, once again concealing the carnage under the cover of darkness.

Chance shuddered. "Okay, that was gruesomely detailed. Starting to think these people didn't actually vanish without a trace, because if they did, there wouldn't be signs of a struggle or dried up spots of blood caked onto the walls. Something or someone was out for blood, and I don't want to think about what that means for us." Chance remarked, keeping his guard up.

Sunset sighed and looked down at the ground, only to notice a stray piece of cloth was stuck to her shoe. She grimaced and yelped, nearly falling backwards as she grabbed the cloth and tore it from her shoe. "Gross! This place is a crime scene." Sunset remarked, tossing the scrap of cloth at the window, shuddering as it stuck to the glass effortlessly.

Chance slowly backed away from the cabin, pulling Sunset in the same direction. "A crime scene for fairy tale creatures, maybe." Chance rebutted. Sunset and Chance kept moving forward staying close together, unaware of the set of eyes that were focused on them, or more specifically, the Omnitrix.

Chance and Sunset kept walking along the dirt road, and started to notice something strange about the cabins. The further they went along, the more destroyed, unstable and dilapidated the cabins became. "Okay, really hoping we aren't walking into a trap, that's the last thing we need right now. This place is creepy enough!" Chance remarked cautiously.

Chance and Sunset took another couple steps further, until they felt the ground start to shift beneath their feet. the two of them quickly backed away, only for Lobbstar to erupt from the ground and stand triumphant.

Lobbstar stretched his body out and looked down at the teens. "Heya, any chance you two have seen something called The Omnitrix anywhere?" Lobbstar asked, walking towards the teens slowly.

Chance gritted his teeth as Sunset grabbed her geode tightly. "C-Can't say we have. Who wants to know?" Sunset asked, trying to play dumb.

Lobbstar smiled, showing all of his sharp teeth. "Just someone who's lookin' to make it big and get rich." He vaguely answered.

Chance turned around to look behind them, only to flinch as he tapped Sunset's shoulder. Sunset turned around, seeing Twenty-One standing behind them, pointing two strange gun-shaped weapons at them. "Something tells me those aren't standard issue 9 millimeter pistols." Chance remarked.

Lobbstar chuckled. "Indeed, they are not. That's Twenty-One, my associate. I'll ask again, since research shows that you humans can be pretty slow-minded. Do you know of the Omnitrix, or not?" Lobbstar inquired.

Chance knew there wasn't a way to get out of this one. Even if he and Sunset answered no, what was to stop them from searching them, only to see the Omnitrix strapped onto his wrist. 'The things I do to keep a promise.' Chance thought, gritting his teeth as a smirk formed on his face. Chance brought the Omnitrix up and pressed the button, popping the core up. He twisted the dial hastily, but did keep track of what icon he was selecting. Before the hunters could do anything, let alone react, Chance stopped and found the alien he was looking for. "Let's say, as a hypothetical, we do. What's so special about it?" Chance inquired.

Lobbstar looked at Twenty-One and gestured for her to make a move on the boy. She complied and rushed towards him. Chance pressed down on the core and was enveloped in a green flash of light. Twenty-One struck the boy, but as the flash of light died down, it was revealed that the boy transformed into Vitaguar, and the strike she landed didn't seem to do that much damage. "Nice try, lass, but lemme show you buggers how it's bloody done!" Vitaguar remarked, flashing a toothy golden grin.

Vitaguar wrapped his tail around Twenty-One's neck and flung her into one of the cabins, then started to wield his tail like a mace, letting golden spikes protrude from the tip of the tail. Vitaguar wasted no time in lunging forward towards Twenty-One, swinging his tail mace around as he enacted his frontal assault. Twenty-One was quick to get back on her feet and evade the alien hero as best she could, only to fire her guns at the creature, which did nothing but irritate the alien more.

Sunset was evading Lobbstar's hefty strikes as best she could, then got the idea to leap onto his back and grab the back of his head. "Sleep!" Sunset exclaimed, trying to hang on to the crustaceous creature.

Lobbstar didn't seem to be getting tired, and finally managed to grab the girl and toss her aside, sending her sliding along the grass and brush. Lobbstar looked back at Twenty-One and Vitaguar's fight, and started charging at the alien hero, readying his claws. Vitaguar snarled and leapt upwards, letting Lobbstar tackle into Twenty-One, causing both of them to fall to the ground as Vitaguar slams his mace onto Lobbstar's head, earning a stifled grunt from his foe as he slumped over.

Vitaguar rushed over to Sunset and quickly picked her up in his arms, running back in the direction of the RV. Lobbstar and Twenty-One stirred for the moment, and then slowly got back up, both of them equally pissed. Twenty-One said something in her language, and Lobbstar couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, sounds like a plan to me. We rip that damn kid's ribcage open and filet him, then we give that bigot the Omnitrix and collect our pay. fifty-fifty, as we agreed." Lobbstar reiterated.

As Vitaguar continues to run away with Sunset in his arms, he's unaware of Sugilite in the distance, hiding in the trees, watching and hiding in plain sight. "Barbaric, as expected of humans." Sugilite remarked.

Luna walks out of the RV, now clad in a white t-shirt and jeans, beads of sweat trickled down her face as she pocketed a rag stained in numerous black splotches, all while holding a lemonade in her hands. "Well, the fuel line's fixed. I wonder how it got cut in the first place," Luna sipped her lemonade, but soon noticed Vitaguar rushing towards her, with Sunset in his arms. Luna's eyes went wide as she nearly spat her lemonade all over the ground. Vitaguar came to a stop as the Omnitrix started beeping, and in a flash of red light, Chance was returned to his normal form. "What happened?!" Luna asked.

Chance was trying to catch his breath, but stopped for the moment to take a breather. "Oh you know, the usual. We were looking around the cabins and got attacked by two strange-ass aliens. One of them is in armor, armed to the teeth, and the other's a lobster that looks like he knows Kung-Fu. Long story short, they're after the Omnitrix, they even called it exactly that, like that messed up lady did back in Jaxton when that parasite was on her!" Chance bluntly explained.

Luna felt her blood run cold, and soon enough, the three of them got into the RV, got in their seats and soon sped off, trying to get back on the main roads. Sugilite dropped down from the trees and stared at the RV getting further and further away. "Now's my chance, but I have to be fast!" Sugilite reached into one of his compartments and pulled out a circular rectangle, tossing it up as it expanded into some kind of bright blue hoverboard. "SS, log number zero-zero-four. I have confirmation that the Omnitrix is in the possession of a human youth, as well as confirmation that he's being mentored, or chaperoned, by a Plumber operative. Seems he learned the name of the device from one of the DNAliens here on Earth, and has now currently encountered the Sotoraggian and the strange crustaceous creature that it's allied itself with. I must move fast and get to the Omnitrix before these hunters do, it must not fall into Reinrassic's hands! This is Sugilite Shard, signing off. End log." Sugilite stated.

Sugilite hopped onto the hoverboard and sped off towards the RV's direction, all while Twenty-One and Lobbstar are moving off the path, their sights still fixated on getting the Omnitrix.

The RV pulls out of the dark and obscured dirt road and starts to speed up on the main road, trying to make as much distance between them and the aliens that attacked.

Chance had set Sunset in one of the booth seats and covered her up in a blanket, all while looking outside the window, trying to keep an eye out. "No sign of that crazy weapon lady and her lobster friend yet, but they better not show up again anyway, if they know what's good for them-!" Chance was then interrupted by the sound of something landing on the roof of the vehicle. Suddenly, a circular bladesaw starts cutting open the ceiling. "Oh man, this is why I don't trust hitchhikers!" Chance groaned, grabbing a knife from the drawer, gripping it tightly.

Twenty-One tears open the ceiling and peers inside; She backs their head away once Chance swings the knife, almost getting it close to her helmet. "I don't know who you are, or what you think you're doing, but you try comin' in here, fair warning to you that you'll get a free shanking, whether you asked for it, or not!!" Chance berated, holding the knife firmly in his hand.

Twenty-One starts to reach for Chance, causing Chance to retaliate by dodging her attempts and then stabbing her arm, only to be surprised when the knife bends upon coming into contact with her armor. Chance's eyes widened and he chucked the knife into the sink, only to grab her arm and try to land a punch, only to instead punch the ceiling and get a small but very painful cut on his knuckle. Luna slams the brakes, and while Twenty-One and Chance lose their grip on each other, Twenty-One falls off the back of the RV. Luna grits her teeth, her eyes full of fire as she shifts the RV into reverse, and slams on the gas, causing Chance to stumble a bit as the RV backs up onto Twenty-One, running her over. Luna smirks for a moment, but that smirk leaves her when they stop right then and there.

Sunset starts to slowly wake up, all while Luna and Chance get out and sees the tires are all deflated, having been covered with spikes. Twenty-One starts getting up and mutters something in her language, which isn't comprehended by either of the trio. Quickly searching for some cover, Max points to a ranger tower in the distance. "Hurry, get up there!" Luna instructed.

Chance saw Sunset slowly walk out, only for her to go wide-eyed as he carries her out and starts running, and Luna follows close behind. The trio, sans Sunset, run into the forest, passing through gaps in the trees and jumping over fallen logs as they see the ranger tower in-sight. Before Twenty-One can chase them, a few sudden tremors interrupt her. Their source, Lobbstar, erupts from the ground. Sugilite races past the both of them, going straight for the trio.

Lobbstar groans and burrows back into the ground, following after the trio and Sugilite as they navigate the forest.

Within the depths of the forest, the trio steers a corner and stop to catch their breath, with Sunset being set back on the ground so she can assess the situation. Chance slowly peers around the corner. He can see the ranger tower much better from where he is, though it's still gonna be quite the run. "Whew, the coast is clear, for now!" Chance reassured.

Before either of them could catch their breath, Sugilite appears, floating in front of them on his hoverboard. Luna and Sunset pointed behind him, and Chance felt like he knew what he was gonna see. "One of them's right behind me, aren't they?" Chance asked, earning a nod of approval from the two girls.

Chance turned around, and though he didn't recognize this guy, he knew something was familiar about him. "I'm a big enough man to admit when I'm wrong, but I don't like being right in these kinds of circumstances!" Chance remarked.

"You're the earthling that found the Omnitrix, I presume?" Chance didn't answer, instead he glanced at the Omnitrix, seeing that it was still red. "You're weary and cautious, like a soldier trying to pass himself off as a member of the opposing side. You must be a soldier, but someone so young seems a bit inexperienced." Sugilite remarked.

Chance felt a hitch in his breathing, and stepped back. "Who are you, what do you want, and are those two crazies with you?" Chance asked.

Before Sugilite could answer, Lobbstar erupted from the ground and got in-between Sugilite and the trio. "The Omnitrix! Hand it over!" Lobbstar demanded.

Luna throws a nearby rock at Lobbstar, who crushes it in one of his claws instantly. The trio, running low on options, run away towards the ranger tower, with Lobbstar chasing after them, and Sugilite trying to slow Lobbstar down. Chance taps on the button repeatedly, desperately trying to get the Omnitrix to do something. "Come on, Omnitrix! Do something, anything! Just get us out of this mess!" Chance pleaded.

They avoid Lobbstar as he collides with a boulder, and Sugilite tries to trap Lobbstar in a crystal prison, only for him to break through it like it was nothing. The trio get through the brush and into the clearing, noticing that the tower didn't have any stairs. "Now what?" Sunset asked.

Luna looked around, and noticed that there was an elevator. "We 'get a lift'." Luna remarked, directing her students to the elevator.

Chance and Sunset get in, while Luna presses the button for the top floor, yet she doesn't get in. As the small door closes, the two teens start to worry. Lobbstar has nearly caught up to them, but Sugilite has jumped off his hoverboard and pocketed it as he slams his fists into Lobbstar. "You are some of the most pathetic excuses for prey I've ever had the displeasure of hunting down!" Lobbstar roared out.

The elevator starts to rise, and Luna hastily jumps and grabs hold of the bottom, climbing her way up and back inside, only to be met by Chance and Sunset helping her up and hugging her. "If I keep going at this rate, I'll need to get some exercise tapes to stay in shape." Luna remarked, smiling.

Lobbstar looks upward and starts to attack the tower's legs, shaking the building as the elevator continues its ascent. The trio hold on for dear life, but the shaking suddenly stops. Twenty-One finally appears on the scene and starts to slap and reprimand Lobbstar in her language. "Whoa! Big talk for a damn gearhead, princess! You didn't have to make it personal!" Lobbstar remarked.

Twenty-One kicks Lobbstar aside and flies up after the trio, readying a few rockets. Sunset peers below the elevator and sees Twenty-One coming right for them. "We got company, and it's closing in!" Sunset announced.

Luna gritted her teeth. "We need a plan. Do you two have any ideas?" Luna asked.

Chance saw a green glow beneath his vision and saw the Omnitrix was back to full-charge, Chance smirked and pushed the button, cycling to Armethyst's icon. "Yeah, I got a plan. Give these freaks a taste of their own medicine, alien-to-alien! I'll distract them while you guys hold down the fort up-top!" Chance stated, pressing down on the Omnitrix's core, enveloping himself in a flash of green light as he underwent his transformation.

Luna went wide-eyed. "No, mister Marsten! That's just what they want!" Luna warned, but it was too late.

Chance's arm was immediately starting to cover itself in amethyst crystals, then they started to encompass his head. His head started to chisel into a thin rectangular prism shape, all while his eyes glossed over becoming purely white, and merging into one singular white dot. His body got tougher, taller and leaner, all while his shirt formed into a segmented white and black suit, with the Omnitrix forming on his right pectoral.

He formed his left hand into a blade, and let a vibrant rainbow energy flow into his right, and he jumped into a battle ready pose, and lunged forward.

Chance, now transformed into Armethyst, leaps out of the elevator and tackles Twenty-One out of the sky and back down to the ground, punching and blasting her as they fell.

Luna looked down in shock and bewilderment. "Chance!!" Luna exclaimed.

Armethyst and Twenty-One both get some distance and land feet first on the ground, while the elevator finally reaches the top. "Chance, hurry and get back up here! Come on!" Sunset yelled out.

Armethyst looked up at them. "Quit wasting time, and do what you have to do! I'll catch up, I just need to put some dents in this berserk soda machine!" Armethyst called out, balling his hands into fists as he gets ready to fight.

Armethyst prepares to fight, but to his surprise, Lobbstar grabs him from behind and smashes him against the tower's leg, shaking the building. Armethyst groans and starts getting angry, only to blast a ball of rainbow energy at Lobbstar, causing him to slide back and stagger. While they walk toward him, Armethyst rushes the two bounty hunters. Armethyst slams his fist into Lobbstar's gut, cracking a portion of his front shell and knocking the air out of Lobbstar's lungs. He starts to throw several fast punches and kicks at Twenty-One, but she manages to place a small device on his head, and it explodes, sending him back into the tower's leg.

Twenty-One starts walking to the alien hero, eager to claim the reward, but Lobbstar holds her back. "Back off, turret-tits! That reward's mine!" Lobbstar firmly stated.

Twenty-One grunted and said something in her language, which seemed to get under Lobbstar's skin. "You did not just say that about my mother-!" Before the arguing could go any further, a metal ball falls to the ground at their feet and releases a gas that knocks the two of them out. A few feet away from them is Sugilite, who fired the gas grenade. Armethyst slowly gets back up to his feet, but soon sees Sugilite standing before him on his hoverboard. He flies over to Armethyst, picking him up and dusting him off, only to then carry him away from the tower, going back to the direction of Knöledgge.

Sunset was crouched down, trying to calm herself down, but Luna, she just stared as Sugilite carried her student away. "Of course the Quartzian had to come along." Luna remarked.

Sunset was a bit shaken, but that didn't stop her from looking at Luna, a surprised and almost concerned expression forming on her face. 'Did she just... what is she hiding?' Sunset thought, curious and concerned by what the answer to that question could be.

Once they got through the forest and back into Knöledgge, Sugilite places Armethyst on the ground. "Billions of beings on this planet, and the Omnitrix winds doesn't up on the wrist of a qualified plumber, but instead onto the wrist of a powerless teenager who has the semblance of a fallen soldier. Can't say you were my first pick, but beggars can't be choosers in these desperate times." Sugilite stated.

Armethyst gets back on his feet, keeping his guard up as he slowly backs away. "Well, I didn't get the chance to tell your buddies this, but the Omnitrix doesn't come off. I've tried, and believe me, this thing is basically a part of me, by this point." Armethyst stated.

Sugilite groaned and grabbed Armethyst, pulling him close. "Of COURSE it doesn't. The Omnitrix's power utilizes alien DNA, which binds to the host's own genetic structure," Sugilite let Armethyst go and turned his back. "It cannot be simply removed like - taking off a hat!" Sugilite explained.

Armethyst shot a blast at Sugilite, but was surprised when the attack connected, but didn't do anything. Sugilite turned around and slugged Armethyst across the face, sending the alien hero flying into one of the cabins, causing it to collapse into a pile of wood.

Sugilite floated towards Armethyst, watching the alien hero dig himself out of the rubble. "Your choice of warriors is based SOLELY on brute strength, without regard for any strategy. Do you ever pause to consider your actions at all?" Sugilite questioned.

Armethyst was now getting pretty angry, and stood up. "Yes, I do! When I decided to use Vitaguar on that crab freak, I knew that my cat-like reflexes would pay off, despite my bones being made of gold! There was more thought with turning into Armethyst! I know this guy is durable, and any energy attacks that come my way, I can absorb them and throw 'em right back! If a piece of me breaks off, I can just regenerate, no harm no foul!" Armethyst explained.

Sugilite sighed, seeming disappointed. "Is that seriously all you consider when choosing the power of ten different alien species!?" Sugilite reprimanded.

Armethyst slugged Sugilite and shoved him back. "That's just one example, douchebag! Besides, I kick more than my share of alien butt! I've done a lot of good with this thing so far! I haven't once done anything that would warrant me to be questioned on why I have these powers!" Armethyst remarked.

Sugilite groaned. "-Such as your recent success at the tower with the bounty hunters." Sugilite stated sarcastically.

Armethyst was getting irritated. "It was one slip-up, ya fuckin' perfectionist!" Armethyst cursed, throwing another punch towards Sugilite, only for it to be countered.

Armethyst's arm was held behind his back and twisted, the sound of his crystal body cracking started to echo out. "You were moments away from losing your life - and the Omnitrix," Sugilite shoved Armethyst away and started to punch and beat on Armethyst, not giving the alien hero a chance to counter or defend. "Victory should've been swift and effortless, but instead, the Omnitrix is seen as your toy for amusement. When in reality, it's the most powerful weapon in the galaxy. The key to an epic war between good and evil." Sugilite explained.

Armethyst collapsed to the ground, rubbing his face, feeling the cracks regenerate. "Yeah, then whose side are you on?" Armethyst asked.

Sugilite chuckled. "You're still alive, aren't you?" Sugilite answered.

Armethyst was now very confused. "You're telling me you're the good guy?!" Armethyst asked.

Sugilite nodded. "My mission was to make sure the Omnitrix came into capable hands. I've been on your planet for fifteen, most-likely sixteen of your Earth years, hiding amongst the populous of your kind, waiting for the day the Omnitrix is delivered by an old acquaintance of mine. But, since things have gone completely wrong, and the Omnitrix came into your possession, forgive me when I say that the mission has changed. I'll have to train you, and show you how to scratch beyond the surface of the Omnitrix's potential. You won't be able to do that on your homeplanet, Earther." Sugilite explained.

Armethyst's eye widened, immediately realizing what Sugilite was saying, and he wasn't down with that idea. "No way, pal! I'm not getting off this planet, even if you weren't wailing on me a second ago!" Armethyst argued.

Sugilite sighed. "Unfortunately, it's not your choice." Sugilite stated.

Armethyst punched Sugilite away, sending him back a good couple feet. "It is now...!" Armethyst rushes forward and tackles Sugilite, causing him to fall off his hoverboard. Sugilite was starting to get aggravated and grabs Armethyst by the face, then throws him off of him and gets back up. "You're not taking me off planet, not today, not tomorrow, not in a million years, not ever!!" Armethyst exclaimed angrily.

Sugilite grunts and rushes forward, surprising Armethyst as Sugilite forms his arms into crystal blades. He slashes and chips away at pieces of Armethyst, only to then blast him back with a beam of rainbow energy, sending him sliding along the dirt road. "It's especially disturbing how little you know of this alien's strengths and weaknesses. You barely scratched the surface of its potential!" Sugilite berated.

Armethyst groaned and slowly got back up, though he was clearly getting dazed. "Yeah? So what makes you such an expert?" Armethyst asked, his body slowly shaking.

Sugilite's helmet slides open and reveals a face almost identical to Armethyst's; although his crystals have a more vibrant reddish hue and he has one singular yellow-orange eye. Armethyst finally realizes that this is another member of Armethyst's species. "O-oh! Well... uh, that explains a lot!" Armethyst remarked awkwardly.

Sugilite stood firm, looking down at the transformed human. "I am Sugilite Shard. I am a noble Quartzian warrior, and from what I've seen and heard thus far, you are too inexperienced to utilize the Omnitrix's power properly." Sugilite introduced.

Armethyst got up as the Omnitrix started timing out, and in a flash of red light, Chance was transformed back into his normal self. "We've wasted enough time. Give me one good reason why I should even consider letting you keep the most powerful device in the galaxy!" Sugilite ordered.

Chance was silent for a moment, he didn't know what to say. He hated to admit that for a couple points, Sugilite was right, but not in the ways he thought he was. Chance debated on his answer, even looking to the Omnitrix for some form of epiphany, but all he saw was his reflection in the red hourglass... then something came to him. Chance gritted his teeth and glared at Sugilite as he took a deep breath. "You're right, but not in the way you think you are. You don't know me, you don't know what I've already been through, and I'm talking about the times I nearly lost my life before I found this stupid watch! The fact that I've been in a better mindscape, surrounded by better people, the fact that what I'm doing is making a difference, no matter how small, proves that I've taken this seriously." Chance stated, stepping forward towards the Quartzian warrior.

Sugilite looked down at the human, curious as to what he was trying to pull. "Let me put this in simpler terms for you to understand, you smoothed-out walking geode! I'm no soldier, but I'll keep fighting like one, till my last dying breath, to protect the ones I care about and to fight for those who can't. you taking the watch, that won't stop me from being a hero. If I'm bleeding, I'll cover it up. If I die, I'll walk it off. I already had to face a bunch of freaky ass parasites back in Jaxton, and I'm not scared of you, or your other two psycho hunter buddies. You want the watch, the Omnitrix, right? Bring my dad back to life and fix my family situation, then you can have it." Chance stated, a determined yet stubborn expression formed on his face.

Sugilite seemed confused for the moment, but for the moment, Sugilite saw the burning fury, the rage, the lamenting grief that smoldered like persistent embers in the teen's eyes. Sugilite stepped back for a moment, seeing the teen's expression lessen. "Yeah, now you realize that neither of us are gonna get what we want. You want the Omnitrix to go to someone you think is more qualified, and I want a normal and happy life again. Neither of us are gonna get what we want, and that pisses you off just as much as it pisses me off, doesn't it?" Chance asked.

Sugilite's eye widened, and soon enough, it was clear what was happening. Sugilite opened his mouth to say something, until Twenty-One came crashing into Sugilite, knocking him off-balance. Sugilite and Chance watched as Twenty-One landed right next to Lobbstar, who had Luna and Sunset trapped in his claws.

Sugilite reached for his hoverboard, only to realize he no longer had it. Twenty-One pulled his hoverboard out from behind her back, and Lobbstar was grinning from ear-to-ear. "Looking for THIS?! You're not getting off this backwater planet with the Omnitrix," Lobbstar looked at the ladies he had in his claws, then back at Chance. "And just to be sure..." Lobbstar started to squeeze them both, causing both Luna and Sunset to cry out in pain. Chance's eyes went wide, a sense of fear, and unyielding rage was bubbling within him, and as much as he tried to get the Omnitrix to work, it was still in the red. "What's it gonna be, a couple of stupid earth breeders or the brat that wields the Omnitrix?" Lobbstar bartered.

The two groups stand off in the setting sun, and the forested area starts to get darker. Sugilite looks at Chance, seeing him stretching his body out, as if he means to fight. Twenty-One holds her weapons close to Luna and Sunset's faces. Chance sprints towards the left side, and Lobbstar has Twenty-One tie Luna and Sunset to one of the trees, only to try and burrow towards Chance. Sugilite interferes and fires several amplified crystal shards at Lobbstar, distracting him and blowing a few small holes in his shell.

Chance charges straight at Twenty-One, and she equips her circular saw, revving it up as she seems to stare Chance down, despite him continuing his advancements. Chance put his hands up and swung his fists a few times at Twenty-One, only to barely dodge the saw when she tried to slice his face open. Chance grabbed Twenty-One's helmet and tried to put her in a head lock, but suddenly felt the saw cut into his shoulder for a moment, causing him to let out a guttural groan, the agony in his voice made it so easy to tell he was in pain, but that didn't stop him from retaliating. Despite the blood dripping down his back, he slammed his knee into Twenty-One's stomach several times, then smacked her head against the same pole Sunset was tied to, causing the Sotoraggian to stagger in a daze, dropping her saw.

Chance put his right hand on his left shoulder, feeling the sticky wetness of red steadily pouring out of his wound. Chance was starting to get dizzy, but he felt the adrenaline pumping through him, he knew he couldn't stop now, otherwise it's lights out. Twenty-One speaks something out in her language, which causes Lobbstar to swat Sugilite away and focus his attention on the wounded alien hero. "Don't blow a gasket, 'mecha-munch', I know what I'm doing! C'mere you soon-to-be amputee!" Lobbstar lunged at Chance, but despite Chance's pain and steadily decreasing blood cell count, he was barely able to roll out of the way and attempt to run towards what looked like an abandoned church. "Oh sure, pray to your pathetic human god for my mercy! Count your last few hours out, you little bastard!" Lobbstar exclaimed.

Chance rushes into the church, closing the door and barring it shut, only to notice a number of human skeletons in the rows. They all had moss and roots growing on top of their bones, and despite how much Chance wanted to comment on it, he knew he had to hide and dial up an alien before he passed out. Chance hid in one of the confessional booths nearby, and looked at the Omnitrix, seeing its bright green glow was enough to let him form one more smile.

The sound of Lobbstar trying to break down the door was enough to snap Chance back to reality. He pressed the button, and the Omnitrix's dial first lands on Riptile. Chance thinks back to what Sugilite told him.

"Your choice of warriors is based SOLELY on brute strength, without regard for any strategy. Do you ever pause to consider your actions at all?"

'Prove him wrong, prove to him that you do think about your actions. You know which one you need to use right now.' Chance mentally told himself.

Chance winced and twisted the dial past Zombrex, Jump-Kick, and Crime Detector. The church doors collapse and desecrate a few of the skeletons nearby, and Lobbstar looks around, only to behold a flash of green light emerge from one of the confessionals. "Come to confess your sins before you perish, brat?!" Lobbstar called out.

There was no response, so Lobbstar tore the confessional off the ground, only to see Fumesquito immediately jab his proboscis into his shell, and immediately started to drink. Lobbstar tried to pry the bug's nose-mouth thing out of its shell, but it was clearly not giving up. "GET - OFF - ME, YOU LOUSY BUG...!" Lobbstar cried out.

Fumesquito retracted its proboscis and Lobbstar thought he was in the clear, until a very potent seafood-scented gas enveloped him, causing him to wheeze, cough and hack like he came down with a contagious disease. Lobbstar could only scream and twitch as his body started to work against him, the muscles in his body started to bunch up, and parts of him started to ache, and then feel like pure and utter agony. Lobbstar eventually fell over, paralyzed entirely and rendered immobile on the church's floor. "How's that for an amputee, you stupid seafood dinner?!" Fumesquito remarked, flying out of the building.

Sunset and Luna look at the saw, and notice that Sugilite is keeping Twenty-One busy. Luna manages to grab it, and carefully positions it before she slowly activates it, cutting through the steel wire binds that were placed around their legs and ankles. Once Luna was free, she immediately started on getting Sunset free.

Sugilite was wasting no time in letting his punches do all the damage he can put out, even if her armor was cushioning some of the blows. Twenty-One backed up and pulled out her gun-shaped weapon, firing numerous bright red energy pellets at Sugilite, only for the energy to be absorbed right into his body. Sugilite smirked, and then felt something poke into his crystallized body, draining the energy he absorbed. He looked up and saw Fumesquito, and he seemed relieved that the boy was alive. "Sorry, still weak from the cut..." Fumesquito weakly buzzed out.

The insect alien started to glow with a vibrant rainbow energy, and spewed out a mix of a vibrant multi-colored mist, and a thick multi-colored nectar at the Sotoraggian. Twenty-One tried to evade the attack, but was eventually drenched in both the mist and nectar, and her armor started to lock up. She screamed out in her alien language, and in an instant, she fell over, stiff as a board, fully paralyzed and covered in vibrant colored goo.

Sugilite was surprised, but still thoroughly impressed. "So, still wanna take the Omnitrix off my hands, big man?" Fumesquito asked coyly.

Sugilite smiled and chuckled. "Pretty smart, that's some serious outside the box thinking... for a human." Sugilite commented. Fumesquito nodded, taking the compliment.

After a few minutes of lugging Lobbstar's heavy body towards Twenty-One, Sugilite then uses a device to deploy a small flying cube. It travels to where Lobbstar and Twenty-One are laying, grows to engulf them, then shrinks back to its original size, and them along with it. Fumesquito times out as Sugilite places the cube in his pocket. "That should be everything. I'm gonna head back to the Black Eye Galaxy and get these two detained proper, let the Galactic Enforcers deal with them. Don't assume this'll be the last time we meet either, Chance Marsten. I'll return as soon as I am able, training is something you still need!" Sugilite stated.

Chance smirked. "Don't be afraid to drop by if you wanna catch these hands, Sugilite. These hands are rated E for everyone, aliens included!" Sugilite smiled at that, until Chance suddenly realized something. "Wait, are you gonna let me keep this?" Chance asked, raising the Omnitrix for Sugilite to see.

Sugilite smirked. "It's in good hands until then," Sugilite looked towards the two ladies and smiled. "Nice to see the boy's also in good hands, not just the Omnitrix. Hey, why don't you take this off my hands, I won't be needing it. This may be of some use in the meantime." Sugilite stated, handing Sunset his hoverboard.

Sunset was surprised, and simply stared in awe as she ogled the hoverboard. "Are you serious?! I-I don't know what to say!" Sunset smiled as she examined it, but then a thought came to her. "Wait, is this your only mode of transportation? I would've figured you would need this to get off the planet." Sunset inquired.

Sugilite smiled. "That's what we in my line of business call 'Selective Disinformation'! It's very useful on odd jobs like these." Sugilite explained.

Sunset looked puzzled for a moment, only to then realize what he actually meant. "He lied. Figures." Sunset remarked, rolling her eyes as she continued to ogle her new hoverboard.

Sugilite takes a few steps forward. He pulls out a device from his belt; his helmet slides back over his face; and he presses the device, teleporting him away. The trio looked at the spot where Sugilite stood for a couple moments, and then the sound of wolves howling in the distance snapped them back to reality. "Well, I hope you both learned something from all this." Luna said.

Chance smiled, nodding his head. "I learned that from here on out, to not get comfortable. Clearly there's something going on out in space, and with what happened back in Jaxton, I'm convinced that training might be the way I have to go, just to make sure I'm getting stronger, and to make sure that I don't inflate my ego when it comes to my powers, and the attention my alien forms might get." Chance stated.

Sunset smiled nervously. "I certainly learned something out of all of this. Secrets are like a virus, they spread like wildfire, whether you like it or not." Sunset remarked, looking cautiously at Luna.

Chance seemed confused, but decided to shrug it off for now. The trio quickly made their way back to the RV before it got any darker, knowing very well that they'd be stuck on the side of the road for the next day or three just to get the tires fixed.

Back on the warship, Reinrassic and a DNAlien servant watch a feed of Earth: a spec of light exits the planet and shoots off into space. "Betrayed by those lesser creatures..." Reinrassic growled venomously.

The DNAlien taps on a pad, and looks toward the alien in the healing chamber. "My liege, sensors indicate that the Omnitrix is not with the mercenaries. The one who wields the Omnitrix has clearly proven themselves to be either a rare prodigal case amongst their kind, or a Plumber operative." The DNAlien reported.

Reinrassic let out a labored sigh. "It would appear the backwater creature who possesses the Omnitrix - is as clever as it is fierce. I'm almost impressed, but I shall not be denied." Reinrassic declared sinisterly.

Author's Note

That was my version of 'Hunted'. Didn't want to re-hash the whole concept of the episode, so I made it more-so about how the dangers and threats the trio will be facing are gonna be much more hectic and destructive. Also, I renamed the episode to 'Stalked' because it just made sense.

As they say, A hunter will stalk its prey, and wait for the perfect moment to strike.

I also wanted to show Sunset and Chance try to interact and get to know each other a bit better, but you can critique me on how I attempted it.

Fun fact, the idea of an abandoned pilgrim settlement, as seen in this episode where it takes place, it's my own version of Slaterville from the Classic Series.

I also felt like Sunset wasn't getting enough love, so I decided to let her get Sugilite's hoverboard. And from here on out, Chance, Sunset and Luna are gonna be extra wary of those they encounter, and have more incentive to train.

Whether it's Chance and his alien forms, or Sunset and her equestrian magic, they're gonna want to be at the top of their game.

Hope you enjoyed this episode, I know I enjoyed writing it. Don't be afraid to comment down what you think of the story so far, I can take criticism, y'know.