At the entrance to the police academy, the situation had already spiraled out of control.
A destroyed squad car was sent skidding across the ground as Rojo casually tossed it aside like it weighed nothing. Metal scraped loudly against the pavement before the vehicle finally came to a stop, flipped on its side and smoking. Rojo stood in the middle of the chaos, her mechanical frame humming as her glowing red eyes scanned the area.
Without hesitation, she raised her arms, and the turrets on her shoulders unfolded with a sharp mechanical click. A second later, streams of laser fire rained down on the academy building, blasting through walls, windows, and anything else in the way. Explosions echoed across the area as debris scattered in all directions, forcing nearby officers to take cover.
Then, out of nowhere, a blue and black blur streaked across the battlefield.
Rojo barely had time to react before she was hit multiple times in rapid succession, each strike landing with enough force to stagger her back slightly. The blur circled her once more before coming to a sudden stop, revealing XLR8 standing a short distance away.
He straightened up, rolling his shoulders as if warming up. "Looks like you got this party started without me."
Rojo didn't respond with words. Instead, she lunged forward and grabbed his leg mid-motion, catching him off guard. With a powerful swing, she slammed him straight into the ground, the impact cracking the pavement beneath him.
XLR8 grunted but reacted quickly, twisting his body and snapping his tail forward, striking her across the side. The hit forced her to loosen her grip just enough for him to break free, but before he could regain full momentum, she grabbed him again and hurled him across the area.
He crashed hard into a nearby squad car, denting the metal before slumping forward, momentarily dazed.
Rojo took a step forward, clearly enjoying herself now. "He wants his Omnitrixes, he can have them. This is getting fun."
Her shoulder turrets shifted again, locking into position.
XLR8 shook his head, pushing himself up as his visor lifted up. "Who's he supposed to be talking about?"
He didn't wait for an answer. In a flash, he was back on his feet and moving again, darting forward at high speed. He launched into a rapid series of kicks, each one striking Rojo in the chest before she could properly defend.
"One good kick deserves another!" he said, finishing with a stronger strike that forced her back a few steps. He snapped his visor back down as he prepared to continue.
Before either of them could move again, a loud rumbling cut through the noise.
Both of them turned just in time to see a military tank rolling into position, its cannon already aimed directly at Rojo.
There was a brief pause. Then the tank fired.
The blast hit Rojo head-on, erupting into a massive explosion that sent smoke and debris billowing outward. The ground shook from the impact, leaving behind a large crater where she had been standing.
XLR8 had already backed off at full speed, watching from a safe distance as the smoke slowly filled the area.
He tilted his head slightly. "Did it work?"
The tank rolled forward cautiously out from the smoke.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the tank suddenly lifted off the ground.
Rojo emerged from the smoke completely intact, holding the entire tank above her head like it weighed nothing at all. There wasn't even a visible scratch on her.
XLR8 stared for half a second. "I'll take that as a 'no.'"
"Nice try," Rojo said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "But Speedy's all mine."
The soldiers inside the tank scrambled out in a panic just before she hurled it forward. The massive vehicle flew through the air, crashing down and exploding behind XLR8 as he zipped out of the way at the last second.
He skidded to a stop, narrowing his gaze as he focused.
This time, instead of just relying on raw speed, he adjusted his stance slightly, recalling the way his partner fought as Fasttrack.
In an instant, he moved again.
XLR8 appeared right in front of Rojo and drove his fist into her face with a sharp, precise hit. Before she could react, he followed up with two more strikes in quick succession, each one landing cleanly. He then spun and delivered a powerful kick straight into her chest.
The force sent her sliding backward across the ground, tearing through debris before she finally stopped.
Rojo pushed herself back up slowly, her expression shifting into a smirk as her turrets adjusted once more.
"Not bad," she said. The turrets fired again without warning.
A concentrated blast of energy shot forward and struck XLR8 before he could fully evade, sending him flying backward across the battlefield. He skidded along the ground, sparks trailing behind him before he finally came to a stop.
The ambulance from the hospital pulled up hard at the edge of the academy grounds, tires screeching slightly before coming to a stop. The doors swung open and the paramedics jumped out, medical kits already in hand, scanning the chaos around them.
"Who needs help?"
Their question didn't last long. Just ahead, Rojo had XLR8 pinned in a crater she had practically carved into the pavement, slamming him down one last time before letting his body drop like he weighed nothing. The ground around them was cracked and smoking, and the sight alone was enough to make the medics hesitate.
Rojo slowly turned her head toward them, her glowing eyes locking on. The mechanical parts on her shoulders shifted slightly, letting out a low hum as she began walking in their direction.
That was all it took. The paramedics immediately backed off, then turned and ran without another word.
At that moment, Gwen rushed to the back of the ambulance and pulled the door open. Poking her head out, she saw XLR8 pushing himself up weakly, clearly shaken but still conscious. The moment he noticed her, he bolted forward.
"Gwen!"
He grabbed her without hesitation and zipped away from the open area, carrying her to a clearer spot farther from Rojo. Once they stopped, he lifted his visor, revealing his worried face underneath.
"What are you doing here?" he asked quickly.
Gwen gave him a look. "'It's better this way.' Sound familiar?"
Before XLR8 could respond, the Omnitrix on his chest started beeping loudly.
He froze. "So does that beeping!"
The transformation timed out almost immediately, and he reverted back to human mid-sentence, stumbling slightly as he caught his balance. He looked down at the watch, clearly not happy with the timing.
"Oh, just great! Come on!"
The two didn't waste another second. They took off running across the academy grounds, putting as much distance between themselves and Rojo as possible.
Behind them, Rojo straightened up and spotted their retreat. Her expression twisted into a grin as she began pursuing them again, her heavy footsteps cracking the ground beneath her.
Ben and Gwen ran toward the academy's obstacle course, jumping over hurdles and weaving through barriers. Rojo raised her turrets and fired, the laser blasts striking the ground around them and kicking up smoke and debris.
Using the smokescreen, the two ducked behind one of the course's barriers just as Rojo charged through the area, missing them completely as she continued forward.
They stayed low for a second, catching their breath.
"Ben, you can't run away from us!" Gwen said, clearly frustrated.
"Don't tell me what I can or can't do," Ben shot back. "This is my fight, my weird watch, not yours."
Gwen didn't back down. "Yeah, but you're my weird cousin."
Before Ben could respond, they both heard the familiar charging sound again. They looked up just in time to see that Rojo began firing at random.
"In here!"
They dashed into the nearby gym, pushing the doors open and slipping inside just before the blast hit outside. The building gave them at least a moment of cover.
Gwen's phone suddenly rang.
She blinked, then answered it. "Hello?"
There was a brief pause before she turned and handed it to Ben. "It's for you."
Ben took the phone cautiously. "Hello?"
On the other end, Max's voice came through clearly. Ben's expression immediately shifted.
"Grandpa, can we talk later? We've got an indestructible alien robot thing that none of my aliens can take out."
Max didn't miss a beat. "Ben, if you can't destroy it from the outside, take her out from the inside."
Ben paused, then his eyes widened slightly as the idea clicked.
"That's it! Thanks!"
He handed the phone back to Gwen, already thinking ahead.
Gwen smirked a little and tapped his chest. "Looks like you aren't better off without Grandpa either."
Ben glanced down at his Omnitrix, still stuck in recharge. He shook his wrist slightly, clearly annoyed.
"I really can't understand this thing. Why is the recharge time so slow when I actually need it?"
Gwen crossed her arms, thinking for a moment before speaking.
"Maybe it's not random," she said. "Think about it. Every time Evan is around to help, your Omnitrix takes forever to recharge. But when he's not, it's way faster."
Ben blinked, then started putting it together. "That… actually makes sense."
His expression shifted as memories lined up.
"Back when those boogie aliens were chasing us… and when I was dealing with Kevin…"
Gwen nodded. "Those are the times when Evan wasn't around to help, or willing to help. And your watch recharged much faster."
The two exchanged a look, both realizing the pattern at the same time.
Ben glanced back down at the Omnitrix, now looking at it a little differently.
"…So basically, when he's around, I'm on hard mode."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "No doofus. This meant that he is nearby and is probably taking action to help us right now."
...
Back outside, Rojo continued unleashing one laser blast after another, her turrets firing in rapid succession as beams tore across the academy grounds.
Each shot was powerful enough to rip through concrete and metal, but none of them reached their target. Every single blast was intercepted, drawn in, and completely absorbed by Feedback as if it was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
Energy crackled across his body, flowing smoothly through his antennae and down into his arms before being redirected. With a flick of his wrist, he fired that same energy back at her, forcing her to stagger.
"What's the matter?" Feedback said casually, taking a slow step forward, completely unfazed. "You were so confident just now."
"Stay back, freak!" Rojo snapped, firing again without hesitation.
The plug-like tip of Feedback's tail shifted forward and absorbed the blast midair before it could even reach him. Without breaking stride, he raised his hand and sent a focused surge of electricity straight back at her.
The attack hit cleanly, pushing her backward and forcing her to dig her feet into the ground to keep from falling.
Ben has already gathered his resolve and learn his lesson, Evan didn't see any reason not to help him now when he needed it.
Rojo clenched her teeth, frustration starting to show. When she fought Ben, she could endure it. She could take the hits, push through, and overwhelm him with sheer force. But this was different. This opponent didn't just resist her attacks, he turned them against her. Everything she did only made him stronger, and there wasn't a single opening she could exploit.
"You're one to talk," Feedback replied, launching another blast that knocked her off her feet and sent her rolling across the cracked pavement.
Before she could recover, the sound of engines filled the area. Several S.W.A.T. vehicles pulled up nearby, doors opening as armed officers quickly stepped out, weapons ready. They immediately took in the situation, destroyed surroundings, one hostile target, and an unknown figure standing against her.
They didn't know what Feedback was, but they knew Rojo was the threat.
Rojo noticed them too. Without hesitation, she aim her turrets toward the new arrivals and fired.
"Not on my watch," Feedback said, stepping in front of the blast and absorbing it instantly.
Electricity surged around his body again, before he redirected it in a stronger counterattack that slammed into Rojo and knocked her flat onto her back.
"Don't come close yet," Feedback added, glancing briefly at the S.W.A.T. team as they started to advance.
They hesitated, exchanging looks before their leader gave a small nod, signaling them to hold position.
Feedback walked up to Rojo, who was still trying to push herself up. Without giving her time to react, he placed his foot firmly on her stomach to pin her down. His tail and antennae extended forward, making direct contact with her cybernetic body.
"This won't hurt a bit," he said.
Energy surged immediately.
Rojo's body tensed as electricity coursed through her enhancements, her systems flickering under the strain. "Get off of me!" she scream, her voice breaking as her body twitched under the forced drain.
"Okay, I lied."
The process didn't take long. The red glow in her eyes faded, the metallic components began to shut down, and her armor started falling apart piece by piece. The mechanical enhancements lost power completely, dropping off her body and clattering uselessly onto the ground.
Within moments, she was back to normal.
Feedback stepped back, letting the last bits of energy dissipate as Rojo lay there, staring at her own hands in disbelief.
"I'm… normal."
"You were never normal to begin with," Feedback replied flatly.
Rojo's eyelid twitched in annoyance, her expression shifting quickly. "Look, I don't know what came over me. Come on, please, you gotta help me."
Her tone sounded sincere, but her eyes had already drifted to the side. Among the pile of deactivated tech, her old energy cannon was lying there.
She smirked slightly.
"I'm just a girl."
In one quick motion, she grabbed the cannon, spun back, and aimed it directly at Feedback.
Everyone: "..."
Even the S.W.A.T. team just stared, clearly not expecting that.
Feedback looked at her for a second, then tilted his head slightly.
"…Is this a new level of stupidity?"
Rojo pulled the trigger.
The blast fired straight at him, but it didn't get far. Feedback raised one hand and absorbed it instantly, the energy flowing into him like before. Without any hesitation, he stepped forward and delivered a clean, powerful right hook straight to her face.
She dropped immediately.
Feedback shook out his hand lightly, then stepped aside.
"She's all yours, officers."
The S.W.A.T. team moved in quickly, securing Rojo and placing her in handcuffs without any resistance.
As Feedback turned to leave, the team leader called out.
"Wait. Just what are you?"
Feedback paused, glancing back over his shoulder.
"I'm just a civilian giving a helping hand."
The man stayed quiet for a moment, then gave a firm nod. "Thank you for your contribution, good Samaritan."
Feedback tapped his Omnitrix. A golden flash erupted, and in the next instant, he shifted into Fasttrack. Without another word, he took off in a blue blur, disappearing down the street before the light had even fully faded.
The only thing he took with him was the discarded laser cannon, already planning to break it down later and put whatever parts were useful to better use.
...
The next day, Max finally checked out of the hospital, stepping out into the open air with a pair of crutches supporting him.
"Ah, good to get out of there and back on the road," he said with a small, satisfied smile.
Gwen stood nearby with her arms loosely crossed, glancing over at Ben before speaking. "Well, overall, this was a fun adventure," she said, her tone light but thoughtful. "We all learned something important. The only real downside was Grandpa ending up in the hospital."
Before the moment could stretch any further, the Rust Bucket's horn suddenly blared, loud and impatient, cutting through the air and making all three of them look up.
"Hurry up, old man," Stay Gold called out from the driver's seat, leaning halfway out the window with a casual grin. "Or I might just start driving off without you."
Max gave her a look, equal parts annoyed and familiar. "Couldn't you be a little more patient? I'm old and injured, remember?"
"Sounds like a skill issue," she shot back without missing a beat, tapping the steering wheel once like she was already getting bored of waiting.
Ben blinked, then looked between the RV and the person sitting in it. "Uh… why are there two Evans?"
He pointed up instinctively.
Evan was on top of the Rust Bucket, crouched near the roof rack, tightening the straps around a motorcycle he had secured up there. He gave the rope one last firm pull, making sure it wouldn't budge before glancing down briefly.
At the same time, Stay Gold was still sitting comfortably in the driver's seat below, looking nothing like she found the situation strange.
Max adjusted his grip on the crutches before answering. "The one in the driver's seat is Stay Gold, Evan's father." he said. "She is basically my son. That makes her your uncle."
Ben nodded slowly, processing that, then paused halfway through.
"Wait… then why are you calling him a she?"
Max didn't even hesitate. "It's complicated."
"Very," Gwen added, already used to this conversation going nowhere.
Ben looked between them, then back at Stay Gold, then up at Evan again, clearly deciding not to dig deeper into something he wasn't going to understand anytime soon.
"…Okay," he said finally, accepting it for now.
Up on the roof, Evan finished tying everything down, even putting a cover over it, and hopped off the side of the Rust Bucket, landing lightly before walking over without saying much. He gave the now covered motorcycle one last glance, then moved inside.
Max made his way up slowly, grumbling under his breath as he climbed in with his crutches.
"Careful there, Grandpa," Gwen said, moving to help steady him.
"I've handled worse," Max replied, though he didn't exactly refuse the help.
Once everyone was inside, Stay Gold leaned back in the seat, hands resting on the wheel like she had been driving it for years.
"Everyone in?" she asked casually.
"Yeah," Gwen answered, settling into her seat.
Ben dropped down beside her, still sneaking a glance at the front. "This is still weird."
Evan didn't comment, walking forward to the passenger side seat and sitting down beside Stay Gold.
"Good," Stay Gold said, turning the key. The Rust Bucket rumbled to life. "Let's get moving."
She pulled the RV out smoothly, merging back onto the road as if nothing unusual had happened at all.