CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: GREENBURG!

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"I admit I was a bit mad at Gwen for allowing this to happen to her, but what I hated seeing more was you getting her energy. Your death will be slow," Kevin said as the world grew dark in Mike's eyes.

"Kevin… please," a weak call was heard from Kevin's side as he turned to see Gwen reaching out.

"Yes, please! Listen to her, Kevin! You don't have to do this," Mike pleaded.

After a pause, Kevin dived down, leaving Gwen and Mike in the air.

"Here, let me help you," Mike said as he flew towards Gwen who was still in the air thanks to Kevin's ki telekinesis.

'THIS IS MY CHANCE! I wanted to keep you around as a power source for longer, but it seems I will have to take everything from you now!' Mike thought and grabbed Gwen's hand.

"...Mike," she muttered as she grabbed a hold of the hovering golden boy.

"What was that, dear Gwen?" Mike leaned forward.

"I... never liked you!" Gwen said, dealing a blow to Mike's confidence as she started getting her colour back. Life force flowed into her as the area lit up.

Kevin, on the other hand, stood over a collapsed Ben with his Omnitrix exposed. They were in the middle of a dilapidated power station, with broken machinery and flickering lights casting eerie shadows.

Anyone who knew Kevin could assume what was going to happen now, and they wouldn't be wrong...

...If it was still the same old Kevin.

Kevin reached for Ben's wrist as the dial on the Omnitrix rose and began spinning madly until a blue light was shown and soon turned back to green.

'Now safety measures have been put in place. I don't need another one of the Oren Empire race in here or their techniques or my cultivation methods! He probably has even more powerful aliens than before, I have to make sure to even the playing fields if or when we fight again. Tonight was a close one.' Kevin thought and slapped Ben lightly.

"Hey! You didn't have to hit me with a brick!" Ben said with groggy eyes.

"Don't 'hey' me! You are out here taking a nap while your cousin's life is at stake!" Kevin remarked.

"Don't make this about me, shouldn't you be..."

"There's no need. She can handle herself," Kevin smiled with folded arms and looked up.

The golden sparkling boy began to lose his golden shine and became sparkly instead.

"Gwen, stop! That's enough! Noooo!" Mike pleaded for dear life as even more life force and energy were drained from him.

By the time she was done, Mike looked like the girls who were drained of life-force energy as he collapsed on the floor.

Gwen ran into Kevin's arms with a sobbing face without tears.

"I am sorry, Kev. I am sorry for doubting you even after you told me everything that happened to you. I believe you, Kev!" Gwen said as she buried her face in his chest, pleading with him.

"Ugh! That smarts!" Ben massaged his head as the pain of Kevin's love tap began to ache.

Gnashing his teeth at the sight, Mike ordered the drained girls to give him more of their life force once more so he could escape. He couldn't take Gwen now that she knew how to counter him, and he certainly couldn't even if he was back at his full strength with Ben, Gwen, and Kevin against him.

The girls groggily walked towards Mike at his command as he smiled with open arms but was surprised at the girls attacking him. Somehow, they took back their life force, including the dark-skinned girl who came along and restored their colour and natural beauty as light exploded from Mike once more after yelling for help, throwing the girls back.

The girls quickly recovered and walked back to the collapsed Mike. Standing over him to observe his pitiable state, they left the power station. He looked like the shell of his former self, skeleton-like and defeated.

Ben left the hugging couple near him and walked to Mike, taking the plumber's badge Mike had fastened to his belt as a substitute buckle.

"No one treats my cousin like that! No one!.. Kevin." Ben said as he turned to Kevin, who made the badge float next to him and squeezed it without contact in the air like a soda can.

The team left and entered Kevin's car as he drove off.

"Listen, Kevin. I was wrong tonight. You were right. I shouldn't have trusted Mike just like that. I took his side over yours," Ben apologised to Kevin.

"And I couldn't even watch your back. I am sorry, Gwen," Ben said with remorse.

"It's okay, Ben. And me too, Kev. We just started going out and you opened up to me, but I still let you down. I am sorry, Kev," Gwen added.

To Kevin, the energy in his car was too low and remorseful. He didn't like it, but he appreciated the words of the Tennysons.

"Next time, let me just do the talking. You were clearly in a hurry to find your grandpa and the most desperate one here. We will find your grandpa, dead or alive," Kevin teased.

"KEVIN!" The Tennysons chorused together.

"Now that's better. I like that energy," Kevin said with a smile as he drove.

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In a different part of the galaxy, a massive control room buzzed with activity. Holographic displays and high-tech consoles filled the space, with various alien species working diligently. The room was dimly lit, save for the glow of screens and the ambient light from alien machinery.

"Sir, Sir, SIR!" A huge blue humanoid alien with antennas, wearing a combat outfit with weapons and a leashed, shaking Vulpimancer that looked like it had seen the stuff of its nightmares, burst into the control room.

A horned alien with red skin in a black suit bellowed, "Who the hell is that? Oh, Barney? What's the trouble?"

Barney was still catching his breath as he looked for a chair to sit in.

"WOULD SOMEONE GIVE THIS MAN A GLASS OF WATER?! GREENBURG!" Frank bellowed.

Greenburg, an alien who looked like Frank but with folded leather wings, rushed clumsily to a water dispenser.

"Don't hurt yourself, Greenburg! Geez, that guy. How did I even hire him? Melanie, how was he hired here again?" Frank asked Melanie, who turned to face him and then went back to typing on her desk.

"Friendly workspace, just like I asked for. You are getting a cut from your salary, Melanie! Only I can be condescending to me, you understand?!" Frank said and took a seat near Barney.

Greenburg managed to bring a cup of water for Barney, which Barney accepted quickly and drank.

"What? Are you waiting for thanks? Get his dog a bowl of water too! The poor thing's shaken in disbelief at your poor service, Greenburg!" Frank yelled at Greenburg, who ran to get a bowl for the Vulpimancer, resembling a wilder version of an alien Ben called Wildmutt.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Barney," Frank said, growing impatient with each passing second.

"I found something," Barney finally said.

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