Ding! Congratulations to the host on a successful registration!
Reward received: Common White - Individual Alien Transformation Strength enhancement, 5% power increase!
"Apply the enhancement to the four arms," Asher decided immediately.
The Tetramand's limbs, and indeed his entire muscular frame, could feel the subtle surge of enhanced power flowing through his body. Compared to his initial transformation, he was already significantly stronger!
Maybe Dr. Animo creating ancient creatures isn't such a bad thing after all, Four Arms mused with growing confidence. More powerful enemies means more opportunities for registration, and that means I'll be even better prepared when Vilgax makes his next move.
"That weirdo's finally gone," Max said, wiping the sweat from his brow with visible relief as he surveyed the damaged pet section.
Ben and Gwen cautiously emerged from their hiding place behind an overturned display rack and approached the towering Four Arms with a mixture of awe and nervousness. This was the first time they had seen an alien transformation up close in broad daylight!
To be honest, the sheer size and presence of the twelve-foot warrior was somewhat intimidating, even knowing it was their cousin.
"This alien hero has four arms, why don't we just call him Four Arms!" Ben suggested enthusiastically, throwing practice punches in the air as he admired the transformation. His excitement matched his canonical personality perfectly.
"Four Arms... I like that name," the Tetramand replied with a genuine smile, nodding in agreement. The simple, direct name suited his straightforward nature.
"Is there some kind of super-intelligent alien that looks like a tiny genius?" Gwen asked with scientific curiosity, her analytical mind already wondering about the full scope of the Omnitrix's abilities.
"Maybe other transformations have something like that," Four Arms replied with deliberate mystery, maintaining a puzzled expression.
At that moment, the employees and security guards who had been hiding during the chaos finally emerged from their various hiding places, their faces filled with gratitude and relief.
The mall manager, a middle-aged man in a rumpled business suit, approached Four Arms with obvious reverence. "Thank you very much," he said earnestly. "Without your intervention, this place would have been completely destroyed. You not only saved our shop, but probably our lives."
"Don't mention it," Four Arms replied with characteristic humility, shrugging his massive shoulders. "Just doing what anyone would do."
"Please, if there's anything we can do to repay you, just ask," the manager humbly insisted. "It's the least we can do after all you've done for us."
"No, it really isn't," Four Arms started to refuse automatically, but his words died in his throat as his eyes fell on the Sumo Slammer trading card display near the cash register.
The display had somehow survived the chaos, and Ben's earlier disappointment at not getting his cards suddenly came rushing back to him.
After a few seconds of thought, Four Arms raised a massive finger and pointed to the trading card section, then gestured to Ben. "Actually, there is one small thing. Could you give this kid a Sumo Slammer gold card?"
Ben's eyes widened in shock and delight as he stared at Four Arms in utter amazement. He couldn't believe that his cousin had remembered something so seemingly trivial in the midst of such chaos.
"I'd be happy to arrange that," the manager immediately agreed with a warm smile.
A few minutes later, several employees pulled a rare holographic Sumo Slammer card from their inventory and presented it to Ben with the ceremony befitting such a valuable collectible.
Meanwhile, Four Arms felt the familiar warning beeps from his chest as the Omnitrix's time limit approached. He quickly made his way to a secluded corner of the shop where the transformation could be completed in private.
Flash!
When Asher emerged from behind the overturned bookshelf, he was back in his normal ten-year-old form, the red Omnitrix clearly visible on his wrist.
"Thank you, Asher!" Ben rushed over with the gold card in his hands, his face beaming with happiness. "This is really the best present anyone has ever given me!"
"It's nothing," Asher replied with a warm smile, genuinely pleased to see his cousin so happy. "That's what friends do for each other."
"Yeah!" Ben declared fervently, lifting his arm to wrap it around Asher's shoulder in a gesture of brotherhood. "We're definitely best friends!"
I'm sorry I ended up with the Omnitrix instead of you, Ben, Asher thought with a mixture of guilt and determination. But I promise I'll make sure you get to be a part of this adventure, too.
"Where did that big alien go?" the manager asked, looking around in confusion with several other employees. "And who are these kids?"
"The checkout system was destroyed in the battle," Max noted pragmatically, looking at their abandoned shopping cart full of supplies. "How exactly are we supposed to pay for our groceries?"
The manager's generous spirit immediately kicked in. "Please, sir, after the way you helped fight off that madman, consider everything a compliment! It's the least we can do."
"Awesome!" Ben and Gwen cheered in unison.
Max looked a little embarrassed by the offer. "Are you sure that's okay? We really don't need any special treatment."
"I insist," the manager said firmly.
"Wait a minute," Gwen interjected, suddenly darting to a nearby shelf to grab a large bag of premium parrot food. "I need to add this to our haul."
"No problem," the manager assured her, not bothered by an extra item after all they'd been through.
"Gwen, what do you need birdseed for?" Asher asked with genuine curiosity.
Gwen winked at him with a mischievous expression. "You'll find out soon enough," she said mysteriously.
After spending another ten to fifteen minutes gathering their supplies and saying goodbye to the grateful staff, the four Tennysons loaded everything into the Rust Bucket and prepared to continue their pursuit.
As soon as Max got behind the wheel and buckled up, his expression became serious and determined.
Gwen and Asher exchanged knowing glances, both sensing what their grandfather was thinking.
"We have to find Dr. Animo," Max announced grimly. "We can't let him keep creating dangerous mutant creatures to terrorize innocent people."
"But Grandpa," Asher pointed out, looking through the RV's windows at the empty streets around them, "we have no idea which way he went."
"He said something about getting ancient creatures to deal with Asher," Ben recalled, his memory proving surprisingly helpful. "Right before he flew off on that giant bird."
"Ancient creatures?" Asher's mind immediately began to race with possibilities. In the original timeline, Dr. Animo had targeted the local natural history museum for its collection of prehistoric specimens. "Does anyone have a laptop? I need to look up the map of this city and see what facilities might be of interest to a mad scientist."
Gwen brightened immediately. "I brought mine! And that parrot food I grabbed? Dr. Animo will probably need to keep that giant bird of his well fed if he wants to maintain control over it."
"Smart thinking," Max said approvingly as he started the Rust Bucket's engine. "This is the kind of strategic planning that could give us the edge we need."
As they pulled out of the mall's parking lot, Asher felt the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. Dr. Animo was just the beginning; there would be many more threats to face, and each one would test not only his alien powers, but also his ability to protect the people he cared about.
The summer proved to be far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined, but Asher was ready for whatever came next.