CH 55: Hocus Pocus (E10)

(A/N: A few readers have asked for people's reactions towards Jen, but whose reaction do you want, exactly? The Tennysons of Alistair's universe, the media and normal people, or what?

By the way, chapters with Jen will be written after every episode is finished, and I'll give you the option for it to be smut or fluff! I think I know which my degenerate readers will pick, but we'll see.)

Alistair :"Maybe I'm the problem..."

Jen :"Baby-"

Alistair :"Nah, nevermind, that don't even sound right."

Jen :"..."

--------------------------

Yet another night, and another city to visit. The group had arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana, and were on a guided tour of a museum featuring magic and hocus pocus.

But this time, Shego and the pets hadn't tagged along. Shego wasn't one for museums, Tigris was as lazy as ever, and Zap wasn't even needed to be mentioned why.

Ben and Kevin were messing around with the masks, but making sure to not touch anything after several warnings.

While sucking on (my-) lollipop, Alistair looked at the book protected behind a glass in interest. He always knew that he was power hungry, and was aware of the book's power. But for some reason, he felt a special kind of attraction to the book. As if something deep, deep within him longed for it.

The old tour guide lady spoke up :"And behind this impenetrable glass is the recently discovered, and only known existing copy of the Archamada Book of Spells."

Gwen looked at it with excitement, and simultaneously explained with the guide :"It contains ancient witchcraft and rituals from the later sixteen hundreds."

Alistair was amused, but the guide, not much. To Gwen's disappointment, she spoke snidely :"Maybe you should work here, dear."

Ben jabbed her softly, whispering with a smirk :"Don't let mummy-face get to you, she's probably older than that spellbook."

As he imitated a mummy's pose in its grave, he managed to pull a laugh from her. But it was short lived, because the lighthearted moment was interrupted by everything rumbling, before everyone in the room was sent flying towards the ceiling, seemingly magically.

Panicked screams came from the people, but Alistair still nonchalantly enjoyed his lollipop with hands in his pockets. When he was in a leisure mood, nothing was pulling him out of it.

Stuck to the ceiling with everybody else, Max grunted :"Something tells me this isn't on the tour!"

Alistair smirked :"I'm pretty sure this place would be a lot more famous if it was, grandpa Max."

"Touche." He mumbled as a red smoke traveled through the skylight window and to the spellbook, before materializing into a gray skinned man in red robes. He held a staff with the carving of a bird skull and a metal ring that ran through its eyes, along with a sort of necklace equipped with 5 special stones.

As he appeared, Alistair's eyes, as if instinctively, moved to his magical items unintentionally. The same feeling of attraction, the same longing for the book, seemed to crave what the magician had. And he found himself licking his teeth hungrily.

Hex, the good old magician of the series, set his eyes on the locked book :"The Archamada book of Spells... all of its power shall soon be mine!"

He made an incantation :"Fah-Cah-Me-Doof!" Causing the carvings of the second right-most charm to glow in yellow, before the impenetrable glass shattered into pieces, and the book to float to levitate into his hand.

"Uhh, you two think this might be a good time to... you know," Kevin mumbled, before the mouth of Hex's staff glowed, and the people began to fall sharply :"Get into action?!?!"

Alistair smirked at the magician :"You want the book?! Get in line!" Before both him and Ben transformed :"(Vicetopus!)/XLR8!" His tentacles grabbed the people, before he crashed into the ground.

His durability prevented any harm, but that wasn't the case for the museum and its content that began to fall from the small earthquake. His eyes widened :"(Ben, grab the stuff!)"

"Got it!" Thankfully, XLR8 didn't argue. Opting to save the ancient items and letting Vicetopus sigh in relief :"(Alright, so maybe there could have been a better predator to pick.)"

Putting down the amazed/horrified people, he urged them to escape :"(Alright, get out of here, people! leave this to the professionals.)"

"Whoa, it's Predator and Savior!"

"It's really them! They're here to save us!"

"Look, it's Vicetopus and XLR8! They're in their alien forms!"

But of course, people being people, preferred to watch the show instead. Some even took out their phones and cameras. Much to Vicetopus's displeasure :"(Fuck off already! Do you want to die in the crossfire or something?! Ben, Kevin, get them out of here!)"

"On it!" The boys said, before Kevin grabbed onto XLR8's arm and began to absorb his DNA. Although uncomfortable, Ben had already gotten used to the feeling after their many trials until Kevin got the hang of it under Alistair's guidance. After all, having full knowledge of his abilities thanks to Nemetrix's features, he knew everything about how an Osmosian's powers worked as well.

Kevin's body began to change instantly, before fully turning into a Kineceleran. The two nodded at each other, before quickly taking everybody out. Max looked at Vicetopus seriously :"Al, be careful. You don't know what tricks he's got up his sleeve."

As he nodded, he and Gwen escaped as well. Vicetopus looked turned to Hex, sounding amused :"(Sorry, that book's not up for sale, unfortunately. You mind putting it back?)"

"Ah, Predator." Hex looked at him seriously :"The famous hero capable of transforming into alien beasts. I'll give you an advice, don't get in my way. Otherwise, don't blame me for taking your artifact as well."

"(Artifact? Hahahaha, dude, this is science, not magic.)" He snickered, causing Hex to growl. His second left-most charm activated as he chanted :"Bethi-Mordor-Natta!"

Flames erupted from his staff, setting the huge tapestry alight before it acted like it was alive, moving to fall on Vicetopus. Smirking, a red light enveloped him :"(Predator!)"

Before he sprinted towards and up the wall to gain the higher ground. Hex was relentless as shards of red crystals fired out from the staff before exploding at the moment of contact.

But against Predator's tough scales prepared to render Vulpimancers helpless, the small fireworks didn't even leave a scratch. Sticking to the wall with his claws, he let out a sinister screech of laughter before plunging his arm into the wall.

"GRAAAR!!" Gritting his teeth, he gathered his strength before ripping the giant wall down onto Hex with a loud growl. Eyes widened, bolts of electricity shot out of the Staff of Ages to destroy the wall.

But as the wall disappeared into pebbles, Predator appeared right behind it :"Graar!!" With a roar, he punched back Hex. Causing him to step back as he landed with a sinister smirk.

"Vile creature!!" Hex roared, his staff activating as Alistair snickered :"(Didn't like that? Then you're gonna love~ this!)" He quickly dodged the bolts of lightning one after another while attacking at every chance.

"Ahhh, you infuriating-" Hex roared, but was suddenly swept off his feet when Predator's tail crashed into his legs :"(Sorry, not into monologues!)" As Hex floated in midair horizontally, a punishing punch to the face by Predator slammed him right back into the ground.

Knocking him unconscious and sending one of the charms flying away, which didn't escape his attention. As Hex's unmoving body laid on the ground, with a broken nose and teeth that he would probably fix with magic, Ben and Kevin finally came back.

"So what did we miss?" Asked XLR8, and Predator smirked :"(Just about everything? So is everybody safe?)"

Kevin nodded :"Yeah, nobody got hurt."

"(Good.)" He nodded, before transforming back :'The police should be here anytime now to arrest him. You guys go wait for them, I'll keep an eye out so this guy doesn't pull a disappearing trick on us."

Nodding, they left as quickly as they came back. As Alistair stretched, his eyes were drawn to Hex's artifacts again :'What IS this feeling? It's like... like I'm looking at my favorite snack. As if it's some chili fries in front of me that I can't not eat.'

Gazing at them, he contemplated :'Should I just take them now? I was planning on taking them for myself anyway, since it would be such a waste to destroy them like in the original. But taking care of villains quickly is boring, so I was planning to amuse myself with them from now on.'

His desire twirled again and again in his heart, before he hummed :'Forget it. Since taking care of things is too boring, I'll let it play like the original.' Before smirking as he picked up the fallen charm :'And like the original, I'll be taking this one as well-'

But the moment he did, he felt something deep within him steer violently. His body froze for a moment, before he grabbed his chest with heavy pants :"Wha... what the hell?"

His heart beat with a new vigor. Vigor he had never felt. It was like it was going to beat out of his chest, along with his head that started pounding violently.

He gulped as he began sweating :'What's going on...?' Bringing up his shaky hand, he looked at the charm with wide eyes :'Something definitely isn't right here...'

(A/N: It's what you've been waiting for, fellas, ✨plot✨!)

-

Inside of the Rust Bucket, while Alistair was twirling the charm in his hand, Gwen seemed to be somewhat grumpy at Ben. It happened after Ben and Kevin basked in the attention of the cameras and news reporters.

"All I'm saying is that you don't exactly stop creeps all by yourselves, okay?" She complained :"I help save your sorry butts all the time, but does anybody notice me?"

Poor Kevin just sat out of the conversation, not wanting to get any negative points.

As she sat with a sour face, Ben attempted to calm her :"Hey, being a hero is not about getting attention." That earned him a few looks. Even from Zap of all people.

"What?" He frowned, but Gwen imitated him from before with the crowd of reporters :"Who's your hero?! Uh, hello?"

Max smiled :"I notice you, Gwen."

Gwen :"We're related, so that doesn't count."

Shego smirked :"Jealousy is an ugly thing, Gwen."

Ben :"That's right! No offense, but you throw trash cans and whatnot at the bad guys. That doesn't exactly make you a hero, unlike me."

The sight of Gwen nearly popping a vein from frustration nearly made Alistair chuckle, but he held it back.

Gwen :"Wake up! The only reason you're a big hero is because of that watch. If I found it instead of you, I'd be getting all the attention, and all the cool souvenirs!"

As she looked out the window in annoyance, Alistair spoke up :"Then why don't you learn a thing or two from Shego?"

When they turned to him, he continued :"Although Shego does have some powers, they're not the reason she was one of the most dangerous villains of earth, it was because of her skills. Maybe you can learn some things from her."

Shego grinned :"Geez, boss, thanks for the compliment."

Alistair smirked :"You're welcome. But it's the truth, Gwen. You don't have to have superpowers to take care of bad guys. Just look at Kim Possible. She doesn't have a single superpower, but look at how many villains she has fought."

"Hmm, that's true." Gwen hummed, before turning to Shego :"But will you really teach me, Shego?"

Shego shrugged with a smirk :"Sure I can in our free times. Can't let the boys huh all the spotlight now, can we?"

Gwen smiled brightly :"Thanks a lot, Shego! You're the best!"

Shego smirked :"I know, I know."

Alistair chuckled in amusement :"And if you have good progress, who knows, maybe I'll make you a gadget or two."

Gwen :"Really?!"

Alistair :"I said, if you make good progress. So you better work hard."

Gwen :"You got it! Thanks, you two!"

Alistair/Shego :"You're welcome."

He didn't like jealousy around him, and he did feel a bit guilty for taking what should have been hers for a bit, so this was nothing. And besides, she was going to be a big help to Ben in the future anyway, so why not help her progress early on.

"By the way..." Shego trailed off, catching his attention as she grinned mischievously :"Speaking of Kimmy, what happened to you and her? You know, after you got together with Jen."

He jerked, before groaning :"We don't talk about that."