After leaving the arcade, XLR8 didn't venture far. He darted around a corner near the video game store and crouched in the shadows, waiting patiently until the familiar warning beep signaled the Omnitrix's timeout. His form shimmered and contracted, blue scales dissolving back into human flesh as Asher returned to his normal state.
He stretched his arms casually, working out the residual tingling sensation that always followed a transformation, then walked back toward the arcade entrance as though nothing unusual had happened.
"That alien guy was so handsome just now! He knocked everyone down at once! He looked like a cartoon superhero!"
"Hahaha, who's going to believe that? You probably just saw someone dressed up. Next you'll be telling us aliens are real!"
The arcade buzzed with animated discussions about XLR8's dramatic intervention. Newcomers expressed vocal disbelief while eyewitnesses insisted on what they'd seen, creating a lively atmosphere of debate and speculation.
Asher slipped through the crowd unnoticed, scanning for Ben.
"Asher!" Ben spotted him first, his expression a mixture of suppressed excitement and barely contained enthusiasm. He hurried over, lowering his voice to an urgent whisper. "That move you just pulled, the one where you instantly knocked everyone down, what was it called?"
Asher suppressed a smile at Ben's continued fascination with naming techniques. His young cousin still hadn't outgrown his enthusiasm for dramatic attack names, like a kid playing superheroes in the backyard.
"What name?" Asher said, keeping his voice casual as he placed a hand on his forehead in mock exasperation. "It was just a speed-based takedown. Nothing fancy."
The truth was simpler than Ben realized. Even without specialized training in his alien forms, Asher's natural physical coordination, combined with his martial arts foundation, enabled him to fully leverage each transformation's innate capabilities. That synergy produced results far beyond what most Omnitrix wielders could achieve.
This was the power of understanding the transformations themselves, not just activating them, but truly utilizing their full potential.
"By the way, we won all that money," Ben said, his tone shifting to something more cautious, almost guilty. He lowered his voice even further, glancing around as if afraid someone might overhear. "Do you want to use it to buy the new Sumo Slammer game?"
His question came out tentative, like a child asking permission for something he knew might be wrong.
Asher shook his head firmly. "Ben, we're donating that money. Those thugs stole it from innocent people. Even if we wanted to track down every single victim and return it individually, we'd never find them all. The best option is to donate it to a charitable organization that can put it to good use."
He kept his expression serious, watching Ben's face carefully.
"Oh... okay." Ben's shoulders slumped slightly, but he nodded in understanding. The disappointment was fleeting, he knew Asher was right.
"Did you see that?"
Kevin's voice cut through their conversation. He pushed through the dispersing crowd, his face alive with excitement and barely contained enthusiasm. "That super-fast guy was absolutely incredible! Did you see what he did to those punks?"
"Yeah, I thought so too!" Ben responded immediately, his earlier disappointment forgotten as he found common ground with Kevin. His face lit up with genuine enthusiasm.
Asher smiled politely on the surface, but internally his guard went up several notches. His hand, the one wearing the Omnitrix, slipped casually into his pocket, fingers curling protectively around the device.
He knew exactly what Kevin was capable of. The boy could absorb DNA directly from Omnitrix wielders, temporarily gaining access to alien transformations. In the original timeline, Kevin had become "Kevin 11" by absorbing samples from Ben's aliens, creating a twisted amalgamation of powers.
Asher had no intention of letting Kevin get that opportunity.
"One day, I'm going to be just as powerful as him," Kevin continued, his voice taking on an edge of dark determination. He slowly opened his palm, and crackling blue electricity danced across his fingers, jumping between his knuckles like miniature lightning bolts. His expression grew shadowed, almost predatory. "We both have superpowers. I can become that strong too!"
The way he said it sent a chill down Asher's spine. There was something unsettling in Kevin's tone, an undercurrent of resentment and barely suppressed rage that went beyond simple admiration.
Asher felt a spike of wariness pierce through his thoughts.
"Kevin, it's almost lunchtime and we need to head back," Asher said smoothly, his face adopting an expression of genuine regret. "It's been great meeting you, but unfortunately we can only come back in the afternoon. Will you still be around then?"
"Doesn't matter to me," Kevin replied with a careless shrug. His expression shifted to something darker, more vulnerable. "I'm always in this general area anyway. Alleys, warehouses, under bridges, basically anywhere the sun doesn't reach, that's where people like me live."
He said it matter-of-factly, without self-pity, as though sleeping rough was simply an accepted fact of his existence.
The casual revelation hit Asher harder than he'd expected. This was Kevin's reality, a homeless child living in the shadows, surviving on the streets through theft and his powers.
"I see." Asher filed away that information carefully, committing the locations to memory. He nodded slowly. "Kevin, I'll come find you when I have time, alright?"
"Yeah, sure! See you later!"
Kevin readily agreed, the dangerous edge to his personality melting back into his usual street-smart casualness. Whatever darkness lurked beneath the surface remained hidden for now, buried deep where others couldn't see it.
Asher and Ben said their goodbyes and headed to the arcade's front counter. They exchanged their remaining tokens for cash, pocketing the bills and coins before walking back toward their hotel.
Along the way, almost as if fate had arranged it, Asher spotted a charity organization collecting donations on the street corner. Without hesitation, he walked over and donated the entire amount they'd recovered from the thugs.
The sum was substantial enough that the volunteers asked several questions about its source. After a brief explanation about recovering stolen money, Asher finally extracted himself and rejoined Ben and Gwen for the walk back to the hotel.
When they entered the hotel lobby, Asher glanced at the ornate clock mounted on the wall.
Eleven o'clock in the morning, exactly.
His stomach rumbled audibly, a hollow ache spreading through his midsection. "I'm starving," he muttered, pressing a hand against his abdomen. "I wonder what they're serving for lunch today."
A tantalizing aroma drifted from the hotel kitchen into the main lobby, the unmistakable scent of seafood mingling with cooked vegetables and seasoned meats. The main dishes smelled rich and savory, making Asher's mouth water involuntarily.
What made matters worse was the restaurant adjacent to the lobby. The spacious dining area was packed with guests enjoying a lavish buffet spread, helping themselves to an impressive variety of dishes.
The sight made Asher's feet slow to a near-halt, his body practically rooted to the spot by hunger.
"Why don't we just stay and eat now?" Ben suggested hopefully, his own stomach growling in sympathetic protest. His eager expression matched Asher's internal struggle. "We can go up and tell Grandpa afterward so he doesn't worry."
"No, let's tell Grandpa first," Asher countered, though it took genuine willpower to resist the temptation. "Otherwise he'll start worrying about where we are. We can come back down together and eat as a family."
He physically turned away from the restaurant, heading toward the hotel elevators instead.
The gesture required more self-control than he wanted to admit.
By coincidence, one of the elevators was already descending toward the ground floor.
The doors slid open with a soft ding.
An older man stepped out, dressed in a vibrant Hawaiian shirt decorated with red floral patterns. Despite his age, he carried himself with the solid build and confident posture of someone who'd stayed physically active his whole life. His face radiated warmth and energy.
"Grandpa!" Asher's face broke into a surprised smile. After recovering from his initial shock, he called out with genuine pleasure.
"Asher, Ben!" Max Tennyson grinned broadly, his eyes crinkling with affection as he wrapped his right arm around Asher and grabbed Ben with his left, pulling both boys into a companionable embrace. "You two have perfect timing. I was just coming down to grab some lunch. Well, there's no point going upstairs now, let's head straight to the buffet!"
He shepherded them toward the restaurant entrance with cheerful efficiency.
Max also extended his arm toward Gwen, but she smiled and politely declined the embrace with a slight shake of her head, choosing to walk alongside them instead.
The gesture spoke volumes about Gwen's growing maturity, she was entering that age where public displays of affection from grandparents felt slightly embarrassing, even if she loved Max dearly.
The meal that followed was deeply satisfying.
Asher ate with genuine appreciation, savoring each dish. The hotel's chefs clearly knew their craft, every item was prepared to perfection, from the perfectly grilled seafood to the tender, seasoned BBQ and Grilled meats and fresh vegetable sides.
After approximately ten minutes of steady eating, Asher finally pushed back from the table, about seventy percent full. He wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin, dabbing at the corners carefully before setting it aside.
"Grandpa, eat slowly and enjoy yourself," he said, rising from his seat. "I just remembered there's something I need to take care of. I'll be back soon."
The thought of Kevin had been nagging at the back of his mind throughout the entire meal. He couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to address the situation sooner rather than later.
Besides, there was a strategic element to consider: he couldn't eat too much if he planned on moving around extensively afterward. A completely full stomach would only slow him down.
"Asher, be careful out there," Max said with genuine concern, though he nodded his approval. In his eyes, Asher had effectively matured beyond his years, no longer a child who needed constant supervision, but a responsible young man capable of handling himself.
"I want to come too!" Ben immediately stood up, ready to follow Asher wherever he was going.
"Ben, Gwen, I can't take you this time. I'm sorry." Asher placed a gentle but firm hand on Ben's shoulder, easing him back into his seat. "But I promise you, I'll be back very quickly, and we'll spend the entire afternoon together doing whatever you want. Deal?"
After offering the compromise and reassuring both cousins, he quickly made his exit before they could protest further.
Gwen watched his retreating figure thoughtfully. She seemed to remember something Asher had mentioned earlier, and a look of understanding crossed her face. Rather than calling him back or asking questions, she simply helped Asher keep his promise by keeping quiet.
Sometimes silence was the most supportive thing you could offer.
After leaving the hotel, Asher quickly located a small rental bicycle stand nearby. He borrowed one of the compact bikes and pedaled swiftly through the surrounding streets, retracing the route near the arcade.
He checked the corners and alleyways first, then expanded his search pattern to include nearby warehouses and the areas beneath highway overpasses.
Eventually, after nearly fifteen minutes of searching, he spotted Kevin's distinctive silhouette in a narrow alley.
However, the scene that greeted him made his blood run cold.
Kevin stood with his back to the alley entrance, blocking the only shaft of sunlight that penetrated the shadowed space. Several children, one or two years younger than Kevin himself, cowered against the alley's far wall, their faces tight with fear.
Kevin's expression was vicious, almost feral. "Hand over all the money you've got on you," he snarled, his voice carrying an unmistakable threat. "Hand it over right now, or I'll take it from your pockets myself!"
He was using the exact same tactics as the thugs from earlier, intimidation, threats, and the implied promise of violence if his victims didn't comply.
He was robbing these kids the same way he'd been robbed himself.
"Kevin."
Asher's voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife, cold and sharp.
The temperature in the alley seemed to drop several degrees.
"Huh?" Kevin's head whipped around at the sound. When he recognized Asher standing at the alley entrance, his expression underwent a rapid series of changes, surprise, confusion, then a calculated attempt at innocence that didn't quite reach his eyes.
A fake smile stretched across Kevin's face as he tried to play it off. "Oh, it's you, Asher! My good friend!" His tone was overly friendly, almost mocking. "How about it? Want to help me out here?"