Ignorance

"Alright, it's about time we get started. First up, Heatblast," Max said, calling for Ben and Gwen to come closer.

"Finally, I was getting bored over here," Ben said, turning the dial and slamming it down. He transformed into the Pyronite. "Oh yeah, it's time to turn up the heat," he said, standing confidently.

"The goal is simple. In this obstacle course, you have to control your heat powers and make sure not to burn any of the green-painted objects. The blue ones you can burn, and the red ones represent people. You'll also run into drones that will shoot stunning lasers at you, so be careful," Max explained as Ben got ready.

"What about Fred?" Ben asked.

"Well, I thought about it and..." Max began, but Fred stepped up, turning into Water Hazard.

"I'll be the main bad guy. Protect the green balls within the allotted time," Fred said, clenching his fist.

"And I'll provide commentary on your performance," Max added, sitting by a control panel for the course. Gwen sat next to him, in charge of the drones. All in all, the training was about to start.

With a green flare, Gwen signaled the beginning of the course. Ben, as Heatblast, started at the beginning of the course, running through and hurling fireballs at any blue objects he saw.

"This is just like a video game," he said with a smile.

"Ben, focus," Max remarked, seeing Ben acting recklessly. He then signaled Gwen to release the drones targeting Ben.

"You'll have to try harder than that," Ben said, avoiding the drones' advances and blasting them out of the air. But as he went on with the course, Fred approached, striking Ben from behind with pressured water.

"Attacks from behind are so uncool," Ben said as he got up. "Time for payback," he said as the fight continued. They went through the other aliens after the watch cooled down, with Max providing Ben with tips on how to better use his aliens. But Ben only got cockier as they went on.

"Alright. Now it's time for Diamondhead," Ben said as the watch turned green again.

"Hmm, then I'll go with... Ah!" Fred said, thinking for a minute before turning into Echo Echo. "I don't think an obstacle course will be necessary for this," Fred said as Echo Echo.

"Feeling overconfident, are we now?" Ben remarked.

Ben transformed into Diamondhead, his body shimmering with crystalline armor. "Alright, let's see what you've got, Fred," he said, his voice filled with determination.

Fred, now as Echo Echo, split into multiple clones, each one ready to take on Diamondhead. "Don't underestimate me, Ben. Let's see if you can handle this," Fred replied, his voice echoing from all directions.

The training ground was set, and the two faced off. Diamondhead charged forward, his crystalline fists ready to strike. Echo Echo clones scattered, their high-pitched sonic waves aimed at disorienting Ben.

"Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that!" Ben shouted, creating a diamond shield to block the sonic waves. He then launched diamond shards at the clones, shattering a few of them.

Fred's clones regrouped, their voices harmonizing to create a powerful sonic blast. The ground trembled as the sound waves hit Diamondhead, causing him to stagger.

"Not bad, Fred, but I'm just getting started!" Ben said, recovering quickly. He slammed his fists into the ground, creating a wave of diamond spikes that surged towards the Echo Echo clones.

Fred's clones jumped and dodged, but a few were caught by the spikes and dissipated. "You're good, Ben, but let's see how you handle this!" Fred said, his remaining clones intensifying their sonic attacks.

As the battle continued, it seemed like a tie, with both sides holding their ground. However, Ben started gaining the upper hand, his confidence growing with each successful hit. "I've got you now, Fred!" he declared, launching a barrage of diamond shards.

But then, things took a turn. The Echo Echo clones began to overpower Ben, their sonic waves growing stronger and more precise. Diamondhead's crystalline form started to crack under the relentless sound waves.

"What's happening?" Ben muttered, struggling to maintain his form. The realization hit him—Diamondhead was weak against sound.

Fred seized the opportunity, his Echo Echo clones surrounding Ben and unleashing a final, powerful sonic blast. Diamondhead fell to his knees, unable to withstand the attack.

"Looks like I win this round," Fred said, his voice echoing triumphantly.

Ben reverted back to his human form, panting heavily. "I can't believe I lost," he said, frustration evident in his voice.

Max stepped forward, his expression serious. "Ben, you lost because you were too overconfident. You didn't realize that your aliens also have weaknesses, and those can be exploited by your enemies," he lectured. "It's important to understand not just your capabilities, but also your enemies' moves."

Ben pouted ignoring Max's words. "I won't lose next time," he said, determination returning to his eyes.

Fred also returned to his normal form, offering Ben a supportive smile. "We'll keep training and get stronger together," he said.

Max clapped his hands, signaling the end of the session. "Great job, both of you. This will be the end of our training session for now"

Max continued to scold Ben, his frustration evident. "Ben, this is exactly what I was talking about. You need to be more responsible with your powers. One mistake like this could put us all in danger."

Ben's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. "I get it, okay? I'm not perfect!" he shouted, storming off into the desert.

"Ben, wait!" Gwen called after him, but he didn't stop. She sighed and turned to Max. "I'll go check on him," she said, running after Ben.

Fred stayed behind to help Max with the Rust Bucket. "Let's see what we can do to fix this," he said, pulling out some tools from his pocket dimension.

Max nodded, appreciating the help. "Thanks, Fred. Let's get this sorted out."

Meanwhile, Gwen caught up with Ben, who was sitting on a rock, fuming. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked gently.

Back at the Rust Bucket, Fred and Max were making progress. "Looks like we just need to patch up this leak and we'll be good to go," Fred said, handing Max a tool.

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