Asher's words carried weight.
"Ben, when I transformed into Upgrade, I realized something important about the crab monster's body parts. They're incredibly durable, many times stronger than those worthless trash robots Vilgax sends after us," Asher explained, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I want to keep those parts. When I'm building stuff down the road, those components could be perfect for creating something truly protective like armor."
This was the armor Asher wanted to prepare for Ben.
The concept was similar to Iron Man's armor, though this was just the preliminary stage of his plan. He needed to collect parts from every robot they defeated, salvaging the worthwhile pieces and turning waste into treasure. These components would serve as his personal parts library.
Of course, not just any trash would do. He wasn't interested in those pathetic drones Vilgax sent by the dozens. At minimum, he needed parts from someone like Kraab, otherwise the resulting armor would crumble at the slightest touch.
"I can already imagine it," Ben said dreamily, clasping his hands together as his eyes went distant. "I'm standing on top of some highly anticipated building, accepting the screams and cheers from all my fans below. Then I open my steel mask and reveal..." He struck a dramatic pose. "It's me, Ben Tennyson!"
"Please, Ben, can you stop daydreaming for five seconds?" Gwen's sharp tone shattered his fantasy like glass. "You still have snot running down your nose."
"Nerd! Nobody asked you!" Ben shot back, his face flushing red as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "You don't even talk, everybody's gonna think you're a mute!"
Despite the bickering, everyone pitched in to move Kraab's heavy wreckage to the garage beneath the Rust Bucket. The cybernetic mercenary's remains were incredibly heavy, but the RV handled the extra weight without complaint. The reinforced chassis bore the burden easily.
'Only a Plumber's vehicle could manage this,' Asher thought with appreciation.
Back inside the Rust Bucket, Asher dropped heavily onto his bed, his back pressing against the cool wall. The sensation was exceptionally relaxing. "Finally, we can leave this godforsaken place where even birds won't go." (TN: I was tempted to change it to where birds don't shit, but he's talking with his family, that would be inappropriate)
"Seriously," Gwen yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "Our experience was thrilling and exciting, sure, but the journey itself was incredibly boring. Nothing but empty desert for miles."
"Don't worry," Max said from the driver's seat, starting the engine with a familiar rumble. He glanced back at them with mysterious enthusiasm. "The place we're going next isn't boring at all. Think of it more like a paradise tour."
"An Amusement Park?" Asher's expression didn't change much. He could already imagine crowds of screaming children everywhere. Not exactly his idea of paradise.
Ben, on the other hand, practically vibrated with excitement. He was extremely interested in Amusement Parks and kept pestering Max with questions about which one they were visiting. But Max enjoyed keeping the suspense, stubbornly refusing to reveal any details.
After the Rust Bucket reached a rest stop, Max prepared a relatively normal dinner for once. Everyone ate gratefully before falling asleep peacefully. The next morning, they continued their journey toward Mirage Paradise Amusement Park.
Meanwhile, in the cold depths of space, events were unfolding that would have dire consequences for Asher and his family.
The massive viewscreen aboard Vilgax's warship flickered to life, displaying external monitoring footage.
An aircraft carrying Tetrax swept past the Chimerian Hammer at tremendous speed, moving toward the distance like a flash of light through the cosmos. Within moments, it vanished from view entirely.
"TRAITOR!!!"
Vilgax's low roar echoed throughout the command hall. His fury was absolute. The warlord's massive hands clenched into fists as rage consumed him.
He believed Tetrax had escaped with the Omnitrix.
"Lord Vilgax," the red robot reported nervously, data streaming across its optical sensors. "Our locator shows the Omnitrix is not with the mercenary. It's still on Earth."
The confirmation did little to calm Vilgax's temper.
"What about the other two mercenaries?" Vilgax asked coldly, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "You said they needed additional payment. Have they completed the mission?"
"One shows no signal response at all," the red robot replied with obvious fear. "The other has a weak signal response, as if half-dead."
The implications hung heavy in the air. It was hard to imagine what kind of devastating battle had occurred on Earth. These two war machines, formidable enough to conquer worlds, had been defeated so thoroughly.
While neither could compare to Lord Vilgax himself, they were among the best mercenaries in the galaxy.
"It seems this human's strength is greater than we initially estimated," Vilgax said, a rare expression of solemnity crossing his features. His tentacles writhed with agitation. "The Omnitrix... I will obtain it. At all costs."
Back on Earth, the sky had fallen into peaceful darkness.
Night.
As Asher and the others slept, time passed quickly.
When Asher opened his eyes again, morning light was already filtering through the Rust Bucket's windows. He rubbed his eyes and climbed down from his bed skillfully, moving carefully to avoid making any sound. Then he brushed his teeth and washed his face quietly.
He was the first one up, as usual.
With everyone still asleep, Asher took the opportunity to make himself useful. He retrieved boxes of eggs and simple ingredients from the refrigerator, setting them out on the small counter.
Ten minutes later, delicious aromas began filling the RV.
"Mmm... what smells so good?"
"What's that smell?" Gwen and Ben mumbled in their sleep, their noses twitching as they unconsciously inhaled the wonderful scents wafting through the air.
Suddenly, both of them snapped awake almost simultaneously. They looked toward the living area with wide eyes.
Asher had opened one of the RV's windows, placed a portable stove on the extended counter, and was busy cooking. He cracked eggs with practiced ease, stirring fried eggs and ham sausages with skill. The aroma was mouthwatering, filling the entire space with warmth.
Simple ingredients, but the result was irresistibly appealing.
"It's been so long since I've eaten normal food," Ben said sadly, clutching his most precious Sumo Slammers card against his chest like it might offer comfort.
"Ben, I actually agree with you for once," Gwen admitted, setting aside their usual rivalry.
"You're all up?" Asher said casually, plating the fried eggs and ham. He placed them one by one on the empty seats. "Let's eat together."
Four plates total, one for each of them.
Even Max had been awakened by the enticing scent, his face showing mild confusion as he emerged from the driver's compartment.
The three quickly got up, washed their faces, brushed their teeth, and hurried to their seats. They enjoyed the warm breakfast together, the family atmosphere almost tangible in the cozy space.
"Asher, I didn't know you could make such delicious breakfast," Gwen praised between bites, her usual sarcasm replaced with genuine appreciation.
"I'm always home alone, so I had to learn how to cook for myself," Asher said matter-of-factly. "Not just fried eggs either. I can make many other dishes too. If you want, I'll invite you all to try them sometime."
A hint of regret crossed Gwen's face. She'd momentarily forgotten that Asher had no parents and few friends beyond their small family circle. Only the few people sitting around this table were his relatives.
Maybe that's why Asher cared so deeply about family connections.
It was probably also his years of independence that had shaped his remarkably calm and mature character.
Even Ben silently clenched his fists under the table, thinking fiercely: Asher, you're my best friend. Whoever tries to take your Omnitrix, I'll beat them up!
He paused, reconsidering. 'Well, maybe they can have my Sumo Slammers cards if they really want them. But nobody's taking the Omnitrix!'
After breakfast ended, Ben volunteered enthusiastically to take out the garbage. Max settled into the driver's seat and prepared to get them back on the road. Asher picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth clean, and sat down. Only Gwen remained at the table.
Gwen did the same, but somehow she'd missed wiping the oil stain next to her mouth. The smudge stood out awkwardly against her face.
"I'll throw these away first," Gwen said, picking up several plates with both hands. She stood up, preparing to leave.
"Wait, Gwen!" Asher quickly stopped her, pulling several napkins from the tissue dispenser with his right hand. He'd intended to hand them to her, but realized she was holding plates in both hands and couldn't take them.
"What's wrong?" Gwen asked, looking at Asher with curiosity.
Forget it, Asher thought. I'll just help her directly.
He wasn't the type to waste time on awkward exchanges. Asher reached out with his right hand, squeezing the napkin between his fingers, and gently wiped the spot next to Gwen's mouth.
Time seemed to stretch.
Gwen watched everything unfold as if in slow motion. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, drowning out all other sounds. Even her face turned noticeably red, a blush spreading across her cheeks like sunrise.
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