A Certain Powerful Omnitrix 2 ( とある パワ の Omnitrix 2)

An Old Enemy Returns

That night Ben didn't remember when he was more nervous about expecting a visitor. The kind of nervousness he felt now was familiar with what Ben usually felt when he was battling an extremely powerful foe. The last time Ben had seen Tsuchimikado that serious was when Mikoto had been captured several months ago. But before then and after, Tsuchimikado had always acted like an easy going liar, even in the face of extreme danger. Whatever was enough to make Tsuchimikado discard his trademark grin had to be big...really big. Ben, Mikoto, and Kuroko were currently playing a game of 'finish all of Ben's homework so he doesn't have to do it for the rest of vacation'. Over the months, Mikoto and Kuroko had already seen plenty of Ben's transformations, so on the most part they knew almost as much as Ben when it came to the surveys. Kuroko had forced Ben to allow them to help so as to make sure that Ben would devote more of his time to relaxing over the rest of the week. The three of them were currently sitting against Mikoto's new giant Gekota doll. Mikoto was working on the 'non humanoid' section, Ben was doing the 'humanoid' section, while Kuroko had already finished the 'uncategorized' section which was much smaller, only being around 15 percent of the entire survey.

"Ben? Are you okay?" Mikoto was looking at Ben worriedly. "You've been having that nervous look for a while now."

Ben sighed. "I met Tsuchimikado at that toy store today, he said that he had something important to tell me. He's supposed to come to the hotel tonight."

Kuroko gave a furious growl. "But it's only the first day of your week off! Don't tell me he's going to drag you back into some crazy shenanigans before we've even had a chance to finish my itinerary!?"

Kuroko held out a piece of paper that had a list of vacation activities.

"You had a list?" Ben said with one eyebrow raised.

"Ben, Kuroko is right." Mikoto said. "You haven't gotten a break since we beat Albedo, you need this vacation. Plus-" Mikoto looked a little nervous this time. "I think Azmuth has something he needs to tell you too, if you get pulled into too things at once-"

"Azmuth is coming!? Since when!?" Ben looked a little bewildered.

"He showed up on the beach, he said he had some ba-.....I mean he said he had some news. The point is.. I think whatever we choose to get involved in we have to be careful.....you still need to rest Ben."

Ben looked at Mikoto. He could tell that she was just trying to protect him. She had been trying to do so ever since those events a few months ago. Every time Ben was surrounded by crazed reporters, Mikoto would use her esper powers to disable all the cameras and then she would scare the reporters off by shooting lightning from her bangs. And whenever she thought something was wrong, she would try to discreetly steer Ben away from it. Ben knew that Azmuth had once contacted Mikoto through telepathy back during the Radiowave incident, but to this day, he had no idea what the conversation had been between those two, and he didn't question it. But he had a feeling that it had something to do with Mikoto's recent protectiveness.

The door bell rang. Ben set down the papers he had been working on ('exactly what is Bloxx's size and weight?) and walked over to the door.

"That must be him."

Ben opened the door to one of the weirdest duos he had ever seen. Tsuchimikado stood right outside the door and on his shoulder stood Azmuth.

"Woah," Ben muttered. "We'll that's two birds killed with one stone."

"I'm afraid we are both here for the same reason." Azmuth said. "So it's just one bird."

Kuroko made a spluttering noise then said. "I'm going to get some juice."

Kuroko hurried off, obviously furious about how Tsuchimikado and Azmuth were both butting into their time off.

Ben sighed. "Why don't you guys come in."

Tsuchimikado continued to act extremely un-Tsuchimikado-like. Without even a grin of acknowledgement, he walked in with Azmuth sitting on his shoulder and promptly sat on one of the sofas.

"So Azmuth." Mikoto said in an attempt to break the suddenly icy atmosphere. "You and Tsuchimikado know each other?"

"Indeed, I've been in communication with him ever since that incident a few months back you see-"

"Vilgax is alive." Tsuchimikado interrupted.

"Tsuchimikado we talked about this, we have to be careful how we tell-" Azmuth began.

"No point delaying the truth, he'll have the same reaction anyways."

Ben could feel his fists clenching. Cold sweat began to come off his brow. "Did you just say that Vilgax is alive? WHAT THE HECK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

Azmuth gave Ben a sympathetic look and sighed. "He means that Vilgax, Conqueror of Ten Worlds, survived your last encounter. He is on this planet now."

"Wait!" Mikoto said. "You're telling us that the same guy that permanently maimed Ben's parents, obsessively pursued the Omnitrix, is back!?"

"No," Ben said furiously clenching and unclenching his fist. "I saw him die! I threw that monster into the sun for pete's sake!"

"No one is sure how Vilgax survived the heat of an entire star." Azmuth said. "But his ship has been seen in nearby systems, and from what witnesses tell us, he's formed an alliance with some humans. An unusual move considering his outright hatred of Homosapien kind."

"Recent reports from the Plumbers and agents within Academy City have confirmed sightings of those humans in particular." Tsuchimikado explained. "But Vilgax is still keeping himself well hidden, knowing him he'll probably wait until he finds somebody with which he has a personal score to settle before going out in the open."

"Good." Ben said with astonishing relish. "Then he'll come to me right!?"

"Ben! " Mikoto said a little shocked at seeing this side of her friend.

"He's a monster Mikoto, I can't just let that go!!"

"You will let it go!" Azmuth exclaimed angrily. "This is precisely why both me and Tsuchimikado have come, to tell you that this time...you need to stay out of it!"

Ben looked at Azmuth with utmost surprise. "But......Azmuth.....I...."

"This isn't an issue of whether you can take him out." Azmuth said. "You of all people have too much history with him and when you face an enemy like that, there is no way you will be able fight that enemy without hurting yourself in the end!"

"As I'm sure you kiddies know, the Daihensai is coming up." Tsuchimikado said. "The Plumbers and a secret sect in Antiskill will be forming a special task force to take Vilgax down. I know it's tough, but you two just need to sit this one out, enjoy the games, and hang out with your families."

"You expect me to-" Ben began angrily, but Azmuth gave Ben an extremely intense look and Ben closed his mouth.

"We have already designated a guard to be around you at all times during the Daihensai, they will be around to keep you safe as well as to keep you from interfering." Azmuth said grimly. "I am truly sorry Ben, but it is for the best."

Tsuchimikado got up with Azmuth still sitting on his shoulder. As they made to leave, Tsuchimikado turned back to look at Ben. "One more piece of advise Monster Kid, about that Ultimatrix function you got several months ago. If I were you, I would be seriously considering learning to use those Ultimate transformations. You never know when you might need a little extra power on your side."

With that said, Tsuchimikado left, closing the door behind him. After a few moments of silence Ben fell to his knees.

"This.............hurts." Ben said quietly.

Mikoto put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know."