Choose Your Friends Wisely

"So you're telling me that watch allows you to turn into ten different aliens?" Kevin exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement as he and Ben hid in an alley, away from the authorities.

"That's awesome! Quick, show me what other guys you can turn into," Kevin urged, inching closer to Ben, curiosity brimming in his eyes.

"I... It's not that simple, and right now it's recharging," Ben replied, his tone a mix of frustration and caution.

"Come on, maybe I can make it work," Kevin insisted, his curiosity turning into nosiness.

"Can't. It's like it's got a mind of its own," Ben refused, his patience thinning.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted as the rust bucket pulled up by the alley.

"Ben!" Max's voice boomed, filled with worry and relief.

"Shoot, who's that?" Kevin muttered, thinking they were busted. "Is that your gramps?" he added.

"How'd they..." Ben wondered, his eyes landing on a device on the dashboard of the rust bucket. He realized this was Fred's doing.

"You're coming with us now," Max said firmly.

But Ben shook his head defiantly. "You heard him. He's with me now," Kevin said, grabbing Ben and running.

"Is that how it's going to be..." Max sighed. "Fred, can you turn us intangible like last time? I want to be able to talk to Ben again," Max requested, seeing that the rust bucket couldn't follow them.

Meanwhile, Kevin led Ben through winding streets. "Thanks. Why'd you bring me to this place anyway?" Ben asked, grateful but curious.

"I just thought of a surefire way to use your powers. Come on, give me a boost," Kevin said as Ben lifted him closer to a streetlight. Kevin absorbed the electricity, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous idea.

"Around this time, a money train passes by here. I'm gonna change the rails so when it comes, it'll crash into a passenger train, and boom, instant money. You just need to turn into that accelerate guy and lead us to a quick escape," Kevin explained.

Ben's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. "A lot of people will get hurt because of this. You can't do this," Ben said, his voice firm.

"Too late, I already switched the rails," Kevin replied with a smirk.

"I won't let you," Ben declared.

"We're partners now, remember? You're already part of this," Kevin declared, his eyes glinting with determination.

"Well, I've changed my mind," Ben responded, his voice steady as he activated the Omnitrix. With a flash of green light, he transformed into Heatblast, flames flickering around him.

"You think you can stop me?" Kevin taunted, standing his ground, electricity crackling at his fingertips.

"I know I can," Ben retorted, the heat radiating off him intensifying.

"You don't understand, Kevin. This isn't right!" Ben shouted, deflecting another electric blast.

"And what makes you the judge?" Kevin spat back, his eyes narrowing with anger.

"I'm not, but I can't let innocent people get hurt," Ben yelled, his voice filled with resolve.

"I won't let you do this!" Ben roared, launching a massive fireball that knocked Kevin off his feet.

Kevin, seeing Ben transformed into Heatblast, knew he couldn't face him recklessly. He dashed to a nearby fuse box in the underground railway and absorbed the electricity, plunging the tunnels into darkness. Ben became a walking flashlight, his flames casting eerie shadows on the walls.

"Ben!" Max yelled as he and Fred phased through the walls, landing with a soft thud on the railway floor. Ben jumped, startled by his grandfather's sudden appearance.

"Illuminate!" Fred commanded, quickly conjuring four orbs of light to banish the darkness. The entire railway lit up, but it was too late. Kevin had pounced on Ben's back, his laughter echoing sinisterly.

"What's going on?" Max exclaimed, his eyes darting to the scene before him.

"You think your family can stop me?" Kevin sneered, reaching for the Omnitrix on Heatblast's chest. He began absorbing its energy until Ben reverted to his human form.

"Nobody's gonna call me a freak anymore," Kevin declared, now transformed into Heatblast himself.

"Well, I beg to differ," Fred said, now in his Four Arms form. With a powerful punch, he sent Kevin crashing into the wall.

"Ben, are you alright?" Max and Gwen rushed to him, helping him to his feet.

"The rails..." Ben managed to say, his voice weak from exhaustion.

Fred, already understanding, stretched out one of his arms and used telekinesis to rearrange the rails to their original position.

"Now you see what I was talking about," Max said, his voice a mix of relief and reprimand.

"Yeah... I'm sorry, Grandpa," Ben said, standing up with newfound determination. He walked over to Fred. "This is my fight, and

Ben struggled to his feet, determination burning in his eyes. He walked over to Fred with a newfound resolve. "This is my fight, and I'll finish it," he declared, the weight of Max's warning finally sinking in.

Fred, seeing the conviction in Ben's eyes, nodded. "Can I ask for your help?" Ben asked, extending his wrist.

Fred reverted to his human form, then pressed the Omnitrix, transforming Ben into Four Arms. "Now let's finish this," Ben said, his voice steady and full of purpose.

Charging at Kevin, Ben delivered a powerful uppercut, sending Kevin crashing through the surface into an abandoned road above.

Fred, now back to normal, quickly grabbed Max and Gwen, flying them up out of the railway just as the trains passed through. They landed in a safe spot, watching the battle unfold from a distance.

Ben, now Four Arms, dodged Kevin's fiery attacks with agility and precision. Kevin, now Heatblast, retaliated with all his might.

Ben, now in his Four Arms form, overwhelmed Kevin with sheer strength and agility. Kevin, though fierce, couldn't keep up and soon found himself on the losing side. The power struggle was intense, but Ben had the upper hand.

As the battle reached its climax, Kevin's energy waned. He transformed back to his human form, frustration etched on his face. "What! Nooo!" he screamed, realizing he was out of juice.

Ben's Omnitrix timed out as well, leaving him vulnerable. Before Kevin could pull off another trick, Fred stepped forward, his presence commanding.

"It's over, you've lost," Fred declared with an air of finality.

Kevin's eyes darted around, searching for an escape. Panic set in, and without another word, he turned and ran, disappearing into the shadows of the abandoned road.

Ben, exhausted but victorious, stood tall, his chest heaving. Fred walked over, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You did good, Ben. You did really good."

Max and Gwen joined them, relief washing over their faces. Together, they stood united, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing they could rely on each other.

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