Chapter 36: The Weakest Alien X? Enter Pesky Dust
"So, Paradox," Klein began, his voice flat, "you really do have some… unique hobbies, don't you?"
He stared blankly at their new surroundings. Paradox had just guided him through a swirling, grandiose portal that crackled with temporal energy—only for them to emerge onto a park bench a mere fifty feet from where they'd started.
Klein was ninety-nine percent certain the time-walker just wanted to show off.
"Now, don't be like that," Paradox said with an unconcerned shrug, his smile never wavering. "At least we saved a few steps."
"I thought you were taking me directly to this person you mentioned," Klein said, propping his head on his hand with a long-suffering sigh.
"That's because he's about to appear right here," Paradox explained, picking up the half-finished slushie he'd left on the bench. He took a casual sip. "We just need to wait."
…
Night fell, blanketing the park in shades of indigo and charcoal. The streetlights flickered on, casting long, distorted shadows across the grass.
"So, where is this person you mentioned?" Klein's patience, already a finite resource, was wearing dangerously thin. "We've been sitting on this bench for hours!"
He was beginning to seriously reconsider the wisdom of trusting anything that came out of Paradox's mouth.
"Ah, well, you know…" Paradox shifted, suddenly looking a little awkward under Klein's deadpan stare. "As a time traveler, my concept of 'a little while' can be a bit… different from yours." He quickly pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Look over there."
His finger was aimed at the unmistakable silhouette of the Rustbucket, parked not far away. The Tennyson trio—Grandpa Max, Ben, and Gwen—were bustling around a small campfire, preparing dinner.
"Of course I know what's over there," Klein grumbled. "We've been watching them for hours. I'm starting to feel like a stalker."
He pointedly refused to look. He'd been staring at them for so long, on guard for the sudden attack Paradox had promised, that he was starting to question his own sanity. Had he become as much of a weirdo as the man sitting next to him?
'Sorry, Ben,'he thought with a grimace.'I never thought I'd say this, but I'm getting sick of looking at you.'
"Here he comes!" Paradox's voice suddenly sharpened with excitement.
"What's coming? Can't you just—" Klein lifted his head, ready to deliver another sarcastic retort, but the words died in his throat. He followed Paradox's gaze and his eyes widened. "Holy crap."
A shimmering, light-purple tear in reality had opened just a few yards from the Tennyson's campsite. From within stepped an Alien X. But this wasn't just any Celestialsapien. This one was adorned with an Omnitrix on its chest. And another on its shoulder. And another on its forearm. In fact, its star-dusted body was covered in them.
The multi-Omnitrix Alien X raised a hand, its voice a discordant chorus that echoed across the park. It pointed directly at Gwen. "Omnitrix. Give it to me."
Gwen, however, didn't flinch. Perhaps some of Klein's nonchalant bravado had rubbed off on her. She raised her own left wrist, shaking it tauntingly. "You want this? Come and get it!"
In a flash of green light, she transformed into the towering, crystalline form of Diamondhead.
The rogue Alien X vanished in a flicker of distorted space, reappearing instantly before her, hand outstretched to strike. But…
'Alien X. Motion to attack. Agreed. Motion passed.'
Boom.
The universe screamed.
In the split second before the attacker could touch Gwen, another Alien X materialized between them. Klein's own transformation was a silent, absolute presence. He raised a single, star-filled fist and threw a punch.
The impact wasn't a sound; it was the cessation of all sound. The world didn't just shake; it ceased to exist. Starting from the point of contact on the multi-Omnitrix Alien X, reality itself fractured like glass. Stars, galaxies, and the very fabric of spacetime splintered into an infinite void.
Klein's Alien X floated in the silent emptiness, looking at the shattered cosmos with a sense of genuine confusion.
"Dead? He was that weak?"
He glanced at his fist, then raised his other hand, palm up. A soft, light-gray ring of energy expanded from his palm, washing over the broken pieces of existence.
The universe began to reassemble. Or rather, time was being rewound. Klein was simply resetting everything to the moment before his punch had annihilated it.
'Technically, I destroyed the universe,'Klein's consciousness mused from within the cosmic being.'But I also saved it. So that makes me a savior, right?'
Reality snapped back into place. The park, the Tennysons, the campfire—all were restored. The multi-Omnitrix Alien X reappeared, its attack frozen in time. Before it could even register what had happened, a star-dusted hand clamped around its neck.
With a dismissive wave of his other hand, Klein's Alien X willed the dozens of Omnitrixes to simply… detach. They clattered to the ground in a heap of green and gray metal. The cosmic form of the attacker dissolved, revealing a scruffy, middle-aged man with a full, unkempt beard and hollow eyes.
A casual flick of the wrist, and a set of shimmering energy handcuffs materialized, snapping shut around the man's wrists.
The transformation receded, and Klein stood there in his human form, looking down at the pile of watches. He turned to Paradox, who was now strolling over with that infuriatingly placid smile. "Paradox. What the hell is going on?"
Before the time-walker could answer, Grandpa Max stepped forward, his face a mask of disbelief and horror as he stared at the captured man.
"Ben… is that you?"
The scruffy man flinched at the name but didn't answer, just snorted and turned his head away with a bitter sneer.
"You're Ben?" Gwen, now back in her human form, looked at the haggard man with wide, incredulous eyes.
"You're… me!" Ben Tennyson's jaw was on the floor, his mind struggling to process the sight of his own broken, older self.
"Paradox…" Klein's gaze was sharp, demanding answers.
"Hmm…" The time-walker stroked his chin. "I can't say I know the specifics. But I have a feeling you'll find a way to figure it out, won't you?" He gave Klein a knowing, meaningful smile.
Klein stared back, a muscle twitching in his jaw. The old fox was playing games again, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. With a resigned sigh, he tapped the Another Omnitrix.
A flash of bluish-purple light, and in his place hovered a small, blue-green creature with delicate wings and large, curious eyes—a pixie straight out of a fairy tale.
Pesky Dust fluttered over to the captive Ben. Waving a tiny hand, he sprinkled a fine, sparkling powder over the man's head. The scruffy Ben's eyes immediately glazed over, and his head slumped as he fell into a deep, dream-like state.
Within the dreamscape crafted by Pesky Dust, the scene shifted.
Klein and the scruffy Ben were sitting at the counter of a dimly lit bar, long after closing time. The older Ben slammed his glass down, sloshing amber liquid over the side.
He began to speak, his voice thick with years of resentment and grief, pouring out his story to the dream-Klein beside him. "Grandpa and Gwen… they didn't believe me. Not really. They didn't think I could defeat Vilgax on my own. It made me realize I had to act alone, that their safety was a liability."
His knuckles were white around his glass. "But they still found me. They followed me into the final battle… and because of that, I lost them. They died because of me." He looked up, his eyes burning with a mad, desperate light. "Why? Why am I the only one who has to lose everything that matters? I'm not reconciled to it! If I can't have what I cherish… then I'll make sure every other Ben loses what he cherishes, too!"
Klein's dream-form said nothing, but his real consciousness, observing through Pesky Dust, was unimpressed. 'You've completely lost your mind, haven't you? And by 'cherished things,' you mean the Omnitrix? The problem is, pal, the Omnitrix in this universe doesn't even belong to Ben.'
Back in the real world, Pesky Dust's wings fluttered as he telepathically relayed the entire dream-confession to the stunned onlookers.
A moment later, another bluish-purple flash, and Klein was human again.
"Alright, Paradox," he said, his tone all business. "What do we do with this pile of Omnitrixes? And… this Ben."
If it had been anyone else, Klein wouldn't have bothered asking. But this was a version of Ben Tennyson, and that complicated things.
"I will see to it these devices are returned to their proper owners," Paradox said, gesturing to the heap of watches on the grass. "As for this Ben… I believe there is someone who will be very willing to teach him a personal lesson." His eyes glinted, and he glanced at the scruffy Ben, who was just beginning to stir.
With a flick of his wrist, Paradox opened another swirling portal. "Well then, shall we? I'll send you back to your own universe now." He gave a little bow and stepped through.
Klein nodded to the Tennysons and followed him.
Just as he was about to cross the threshold, a voice called out from behind him. "Klein!"
He paused and turned back to see Gwen watching him, her expression a mixture of gratitude and curiosity.
He offered her a small, rare smile. "Try to keep him out of trouble," he said, nodding towards her cousin.
Then, without another word, he stepped into the portal, and it vanished behind him.
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