New York

3rd POV

The Tennysons had arrived at a hotel in New York City. Grandpa Max is at the main desk, checking everyone in.

" Wow this hotel has everything, indoor pool, spa .... "

As Gwen reads and comments on all the amenities the hotel is offering, Max , however, reminds her that they will just stay there for 1 night. Not like canon were it was a money situation but because they would travel soon.

Meanwhile, Ben spots an area where they are featuring a new Sumo Slammer video game.

' Huh, I'm gonna add that to the shopping list.'

Ben thought.

Later

Ben's POV

" I got nothing to do."

I thought she was going to stay at the hotel she was gaping on about ....

Eh.

Me and Gwen end up in an arcade I saw on the corner.

I tries out one of the games, a base ball one , with a real bat ,but the game over appears even before he started.

' Damn 2006 games .... '

I could buy more coins but I'm not going to waste my money frivolously , So I complain to a nearby employee.

" This crap game ate my tokens."

But he just tells me to "play at your own risk", laughing as he walks away.

" This place's games are crap ! " I hiss .

" Your right ."

" Yeah , The only thing that stinks more than this place is him ...", saying this as I turn around, I freeze .

" Hahaha , nice one ."

There stood a thin and scrawny caucasian 11 year old boy with shoulder-length black hair, pale skin, and dark brown eyes with black-discolored marks around them , sorta like eye bags.He wore a torn black T-shirt, old black studded armbands, brown cargo pants, black knee-length shoes, and a padlock necklace.

Holy Shit.

Kevin F.u.c.k.i.n.g Eleven.

As a favor in return, he sends an energy surge with his hand into the machine, causing it to dispense all the tokens that were in it.

If that didn't prove that was him , I don't know what does .

" I got some ... special skills, " He brags .

Yeah , very special skills .

I stare at the coins without taking it as Gwen stares at my back .

" Thanks .... My name is Ben . Wanna hang out, " I say trying to act casual.

" Kevin. Yea - " he stops as he sees something behind me.

" Nah. Gotta bale," he says as he quickly walks away.

" He is soo trouble," Gwen states.

" Oh Absolutely, " I reply bluntly.

Gwen stares at me.

I transforms into XLR8, despite Gwen's protests.

SHOOOM !

WHOOSH !

The teenagers threaten to hurt Kevin for the destruction of their hangout. Before they started doing anything, I shows up, and beats them up at a rapid pace.

Later

Outside

" I can't believe you went alien ! "

Gwen complains to me about using the Omnitrix.

" I know, I know but that's how I gotta handle this ..." was my hesitant response.

" Gwendoline."

She instantly quites.

" Just trust me , " I silently plead.

She stares at me for a bit before signing.

" Alright. "

Kevin then shows up, clearly amazed by XLR8. I answer that XLR8 is a close friend ( Yeah , a real close friend), and Kevin offers Ben a tour of New York. Gwen reminds me that if he keeps up his act Max will be furious, but I need to do this so I follow Kevin. Gwen hesitantly walks off and leaves me, hopefully trusting me with this.

As they tour New York, I asks Kevin about his power despite my knowledge. Kevin says that he was born with it. He then explains how it works, and he's able to store and release any type of energy, whenever he wants.

" Can you absorp any form of energy , even matter ? " I trying to plant the idea.

He looks thoughtful.

Kevin then offers me to show where he lives.

Meanwhile, Gwen gets back to the RV, yet to only find Max angry and wondering where Ben has gone to. She is reluctant to answer his question.

3rd POV

Kevin leads Ben to his home, which is an abandoned subway station. Televisions are scattered about, along with a vending machine and an arcade machine. Ben then asks why the gang from earlier went in and attacked him, and Kevin explains that he trashed their hangout under the 39th Street Bridge. Kevin then says that he's alone, and he was abandoned by his parents.

It may be an old, underground subway, but I like his way of living and I'm just impressed that he was able to build his life like this on his own.

Now to set my plan in motion.

SHOOOM !

WHOOSH !

As XLR8, I instantly cleaned up and, using my galvanized nanotech to " Upgrade " everything .

Despite his amazement, Kevin just comments comments with a "huh".

Ok. I gotta be honest with you .

Why . The. Hell. Is everyone so chill with weird shit ?!? Like half of everyone just randomly accepted aliens being real and them being Superheroes. I mean it's not bad, and it's going to save me the time and money trying to get people to work with me but ... still weird.

Kevin starts to questions me about the watch. I explain to him how it functions ( which I skim over, got to keep some secrets ) and starts asks if he can see the other alien forms . After a brief switch from form to form , I make my gambit.

' I hope this works ', I think.

" In return for the favour in the arcade, here ."

I hand him a Mechamorph cube .

He hesitantly takes then it transforms .

" Whoa ! " Kevin exclaims as the mass of nanites cover his body .

His old clothes are replaced with a black standard plumber proto-armour , a sorta padded leotard with no sleeves ( Kevin 11,000 or rooters armour ).

It's much more than normal mechamorph armour, it feeds him a stable amount of energy to prevent the Osmosian energy induced madness and blocks mind control.

There half of Kevin's problems solved .

" Kevin, you're not a freak, you're part alien , part Osmosian. My Grandfather is part of a intergalactic paramilitary police force called the Plumbers and as a Honorary Plumber , I can deputise you . You and me , the baddest kids in the Galaxy, a force for good ."

"Soo ... partners ?"

I raise my hand to shake.

He stares for a while.

I don't realise I'm holding my breath.

He , finally , nods .

After he accepts that, and decides to form an alliance with me , we shakes hands.

Exchanging communications in case I need his help and access codes to C.L.E.R.I.C for any new information, I leave knowing I have a new ally.

Meanwhile, Max is furious over everything that I had disappeared without warning or a headsup .

Back in the RV, I apologizes for all the trouble he caused by going AWOL. Max accepts his apology.

" So , what happened to that Kevin guy?"

I turn to her and smile.

" We got a new plumber. "

Meanwhile, in the subway, Kevin could b seen testing his powers. It seems that the pulse with raw power , as he lights his hand with a without transforming. He then uses C.L.E.R.I.C to research the Plumbers, aliens and their crimes and one " Devin Levan " .