It's been a few days since Albedo and Sunny met up. The white-haired teen was still laying low considering what his next move would be. His mind has been on Sunny lately and what she said to him. Her words echoed in his head as he tried to make a move on Ben and his allies. He lay on a couch he stole from a couple of homeless people. It was comfortable better than a prison cell.
Why is it that her face keeps popping up in his head? Her smile, her long hair, and her... no, no need to go that far. What was wrong with him.
"Is this what humans called hormones? Disgusting, an urge to mate is laughable. I'm a Galvan I don't have time to play these games!" He yelled out throwing his arms in the air.
He looked at the new clothing he got from her. It was better than the jacket of course. His lips formed a small smile the more he looked at it.
'What's this feeling in my chest?' He asked himself but shook it off. For now, he needs to plan his attack but the lingering question is...
"Do I want to keep this revenge scheme going?"
---
On the other hand, Sunny misses the white-haired teen having no one to talk to really. He was the first person she ever really enjoyed having a chat with. She kept his old red jacket for reason's of course but can't seem to get him out of his mind lately.
It was still earlier for her to go to work. She turned in her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Wondering if she'll meet him again.
Sunny sighs, "This day better be interesting..."
---
At Plumber Headquarters under Max's Plumbing, Ben and Rook made their way to the control room where Magister Tennyson stood waiting.
"Grandpa, you wanted to see us?" Ben asked concerned with his partner next to him. "What seems to be the problem, Magister Tennyson?" Rook asked folding his arms.
The elderly man turned and faced his grandson and partner. He had a serious look on his face. Someone wasn't happy.
"I did here take a look," Max said and an alien Plumber tapped on the keyboard and a camera feed from the theaters showed up. It showed Sunny Tennyson with some in a red cloak hoodie.
"Why are you showing us, Sunny?" Ben asked and Rook looked at his partner with a confused expression.
"Who is Sunny? All I see is Gwendolyn with different hair color and clothes," Rook said looking at the camera feed. To him, it was Gwendolyn Tennyson but to Ben and Magister Tennyson it was someone by the name of Sunny.
"Oh, yeah, I guess you don't know about our crazy family," Ben joked as Max glared at him. "Her name is Sunny Tennyson and she's our cousin. I think second cousin cause she and Gwen aren't sister in any way," Ben explained and Rook made an 'O' sound with his mouth.
"So if Gwendolyn is Lucky Girl then she is Unlucky Girl, correct?" Rook asked understanding the situation.
"Yeah, but she doesn't call herself that, and besides..." Ben turned to the camera feed and his expression softened up, "I haven't seen her in a while hope she's doing okay at least," Ben said knowing that she may have tried to hurt Gwen in the past but family is family no matter what and Max enjoys his family.
"Are you two done now?" Max asked, he doesn't look happy. What did Sunny do to piss him of all people? For all, he knows Sunny doesn't like him very much.
"Sorry, Grandpa you were saying," The brunette apologized to him. Max gave out a sigh and points to the video feed.
"The person with Sunny is Albedo," With that Ben's eyes widened and Rook raised a brow in confusion yet again. Before Ben could ask his question Max interrupted him, "We don't know what they did together. From the video feed, all we saw is then talking and watching a movie the same movie you two were watching."
With that Ben was shocked. What was Albedo doing with Sunny? Was he trying to get information out of her somehow? But why would she go out with him? The more he thought about the harder was it to come to an answer.
Rook on the other hand was thinking what would Albedo a Galvan of his stature want with a human woman who resembles Gwen heavily.
"What do you us to do about it, Magister?" Rook asked finally breaking Ben out of his thoughts as well.
"I don't particularly like Sunny but if she knows where Albedo is then we have to ask her," Max said with a heavy sigh.
Sunny was vastly different from Ben and Gwen. Her attitude by far was something Max couldn't stand at one point. So Verdona took her out of his hands and she was taught how to use her powers but got kicked out of Anodyne and was brought back to Earth. Now she's living a carefree life it so he thought.
"I don't want any of my Grandchildren to be involved with a person like Albedo," Max said making himself loud and clear for Ben and Rook to hear, "Even if she has harmed Gwen in the past she isn't a criminal."
"Don't worry, Grandpa were on it," Ben said in his usual happy tone with a grin. "Come on Rook let's go!" Rook looked at Ben running to the truck. He looked at Max and nodded his head at him.
"We will try our best, Magister Tennyson," He told him and made his way to the truck.
Max gave out a sigh and turned to the video feed seeing Sunny happily talking to one of the universe's dangerous criminals. Vilgax being above him of course. Maybe this was for the best.
---
Sunny looked at herself in the mirror wearing long pants, a short sleeve purple shirt, black shoes, and Albedo red jacket, of course. Her hair was left loose as she didn't want to have time to braid it in. She grabbed her phone along with her bag and keys, making her way to the door.
Upon opening the door she saw her brunette shape-shifting hero cousin and a blue cat alien wearing armor. It was Ben and Rook.
"Hey, Sunny it's been forever am I right?" Ben said nervously. Honestly, he didn't know why he said that.
"Hi, Ben," She greeted with little effort and looked at his partner, "And you are?"
"Rook Blonko and you are Sunny Tennyson, correct," She nodded her head at his question knowing that Ben just greeted her.
"What do you want? I'm gonna be late for work," She said annoyed.
She doesn't want Ben and especially Gwen near her or else she'll lose it but when she is with Albedo it's different. That's why when she heard little Gwenny was away to college to came back to Bellwood and got a job near a local cafe. The money is good and the people hitting on her were insects in her presence.
"We just wanna ask about that," Ben said pointing to the red jacket that she wearing. She looked down and knew what this was about.
"A jacket? So what didn't you have one?" She asked irritated and Ben shook his head no. "That's not what I mean, Sunny."
Before Ben could ask again Rook beat him to it. His partner was taking this spotlight, alright.
"We just want to know where Albedo is, Miss Tennyson." He said and she had a disgusted look on her face being addressed as Miss Tennyson.
"First, call me Sunny. Second, I don't know where the little Galvan is," She glared at them telling them she ain't lying.
"So why his jacket? Did he sleepover?" Ben asked and her cheeks tinted pink as the mention of the white-haired teen sleeping over. She shook the thoughts out of her head.
"No, I gave him something new to wear. It should be much better actually," She admitted halfheartedly.
"I see, well then thank you for your time," Rook said and began leaving. Ben looked shocked at this and followed behind him but not before yelling out to his cousin.
"If you see him call me!"
She scoffed at this. Why would she call him? The two aren't close, to begin with.
Outside of Sunny's apartment, building Albedo can be seen standing at the entrance contemplating with himself. He's been standing there for a few minutes now and he was nervous for some reason.
'Why I am nervous!? This is so human disease that I've caught!'
He heard a voice from inside the building and saw Ben and Rook coming outside but they haven't noticed him yet.
Thinking quickly Albedo transformed in a flash of red light. His body is slim and resembles a large purple salamander with darker purple camo-esque spots all over his body and a short tail. He wears a slime-shaped fin on the back of his helmet that has three triangular colored lenses all of which are red. He also has four fingers in each hand and three toes.
He quickly turns invisible and stands near the wall.
"Do you think, Sunny is lying about where Albedo is?" He heard Rook asking his question to the one whose DNA he has. Ben Tennyson.
"No she isn't," Ben said throwing his hands behind his head, "And even if she did I doubt we can get her to talk."
He has a point there, Sunny is a powerful Anodite and she can rival even Gwen when she isn't pissed or ticked off. Ben does have an alien to deal with her magic but she wouldn't give him a chance to transform. Thinking about it now, Sunny is what Gwen would have been if she did train with Verdona.
"I guess we should call, Magister Tennyson and tell him what we found," Rook began entering his truck. "Which was nothing really," Ben finished putting his seat belt on. Rook started the truck and began driving.
Looking at the truck driving away Albedo overheard what they were talking about. He just scoffs at this. His still invisible form moved the door was Sunny came out in a hurry actual. She muttered to herself about stupid cousins and how she hated them. Albedo followed after her of course keeping up with ease. He made sure to avoid unnecessary distractions.
Finally, she stopped at the cafe she was working at, 'Magenta Cafe' it says in the sign.
'What the heck? Who in their right mind named it that?' He asked himself and saw Sunny entering it.
"Sorry, I'm late I had some idiotic people blocking my way," She said to her boss and manager.
"It's fine, grab an apron and begin taking orders. Looks like we're gonna be busy for the next few hours," Her boss told her and she nodded her head.
She went to the back room grabbed an apron and placed the red jacket in her locker. She made sure to fold it neatly. Once her apron was on she went to work.
Albedo stood outside and watched from the window– like a stalker I might add. Despite knowing that she is an all-powerful Anodtite who can do anything she wants with her power. She is instead working and getting paid like a normal person.
The way she worked, taking everybody's order, and talking nicely to each of her customers made him forget who she was and saw what she wanted to do. Live a normal life without revenge.
---
After taking the last customer's order the cafe was now in peace. She liked how busy it usually gets. She was never one for the goody two shoes but enjoyed talking to the customers. Granted a few of them tried to hit on her but it didn't work as usual. Right now she was leaning against the counter in the middle of the cafe perfectly calm and at peace.
Until a certain white-haired teen walked in and took his seat at the corner.
---
Albedo had his hoodie on and seated himself at the corner of the cafe with his back to the people. He honestly didn't know why he enters this place.
"May I take your order?" A voice asked him. A voice he is all too familiar with. He turned his head slightly up and saw Sunny holding a notepad and pen in hand.
She placed the menu on the table for him to browse. He opened it and saw what they had to offer. It wasn't bad considering that the only Earth food he has eating is Chili Fries and that was junk food. But since there wasn't gonna be any Chili Fries here and ordered what Tennyson would order.
"A double cheeseburger with extra fries on the side and a chocolate milkshake," He said and handed the menu to her. She wrote everything down and took it.
"Thanks, now just wait for your order, sir," She said with a wink and it caught him off guard. His heart skipped a beat for some reason.
'Probably these hormones, yeah, let's go with that.'
He waited for his order to arrive as Sunny placed his drink on the table. He didn't bother with saying his thanks. He took a sip of it and let out an irritated sigh.
'Why am I here?'
---
"Here you go, Sir!" She said happily placing his food on the table. A delicious cheeseburger with double cheese, extra fries like he asked for. Albedo looked at the food as his stomach growled for them.
Sunny then took her seat across him and placed her hands under her chin.
"Well, eat up," She said with a cheeky grin. Her dark blue eyes staring at him with interest. "Since you like Chili Fries so much I want to see you enjoying something else," She said with a hint of seduction in her voice making him blush a little but soon fades away.
Albedo said nothing and began eating. He just hoped this would fill his hunger. He grabbed the burger and then ate like there was no tomorrow. The purple-haired girl could only smile seeing her friend enjoying himself.
Albedo swallowed the last piece of burger making his stomach fill, for now. He burped loudly and grabbed a napkin and wiped his face. Once finished he looked at her with his usual blank expression.
"How was it?" She asked, a hint of interest in her voice. Albedo rolled his eyes at her, "I prefer Chili Fries but the burger did its job for now," He told her and leaned back in his seat.
"Glad to hear it now," She said with a serious tone, "Were you following me?" That question got him thinking. Him! Of all people! It made him mad to even think about it.
"To tell the truth I was," Her ears perked up and she grinned at his response, "I don't know why I did it. I was at your apartment but then I heard Tennyson's voice and hid. Then I followed you here," He gestured to the cafe and looked around. A small family was enjoying themselves laughing happily.
"What were you doing at my apartment?"
Albedo thought again. He was bored mostly, his plans were going on were and his mind was constantly showing him her face left and right. Maybe it was loneliness or his hormones speaking out to him, whatever you call it.
"I guess my feet dragged me to you," He said softly letting her hear him. He looking down with a tint of pink on his cheeks. Her eyes widened hearing this.
"Let me get this straight, the self-proclaimed smartest Galvan guessed that his feet dragged him here?" She smiled widely at this. Albedo softly scoffed at this.
"It's this human meat bag that's making me feel like this!" He said angrily but calms himself down. "Why live like this?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why live like this knowing that you have the power that can rival cosmic beings. You can make a whole planet of species bow at your feet! So tell me why?"
She was stunned hearing him. She didn't expect to hear that from him of all people. Now that she's thinking about it. After her break up with her ex-boyfriend she just wanted to live and experience what it's like being human and not an energy being. All her life she wanted to prove to her Grandma that she can become the best Anodite but she didn't want that. So when she learned how Albedo was so hell-bent on revenge she saw a little of herself in him.
"Maybe it's cause I'm finally my own person and not someone else," She said and looked out the window. Albedo looked up at her as she continues, "My family doesn't like me and I get it. I've been a problem child since I was little and when I discovered who I am the trouble seems to follow me everywhere I go. I guess what I'm trying to say is, living a peaceful life without a care in the world is the best thing ever."
Albedo was stunned by her short telling of her past. He didn't know what to say. Guess being in Azmuth's shadow has made him want to prove himself as well but it failed in the end. Nothing he did was ever right since that day. The day his life changed forever.
Maybe if he didn't go through with it? What if he listened and helped Azmuth build the Omnitrix then none of this would have happened! What's this feeling he's getting.
He sighs and looks up at the ceiling. 'Is this what they call regret? It's painful to think of it...'
Both evil counterparts have something they regret. And yet here they are sitting in a cafe across from one another. From different planets and species yet have gone through the same treatment.
He looked at his right hand where his Ultimatrix rested on the back of his hand. He went to such great lengths to build it. To stabilize his DNA and he was still on Earth. For what reason though? Revenge? But all his plans failed. What more can he do?
She looked at her reflection and saw nothing but Gwen. The two are cousins but they share the same face as if they were twins. Fate is a cruel thing. She tried to change her looks to something stay doesn't scream, Gwendolyn Tennyson. What more can she do?
Both of them let out a heavy sigh the atmosphere changing to that of a sad one. Neither of them knew this would happen.
She looked at Albedo who was still staring at the device on his right hand. It looks like he was thinking long and hard about what to decide.
"Hey, Albedo," She called out to him and he looked at her, "I'm gonna be done with my shift in a few minutes mind waiting for me till I'm done?" She asked him nicely which was a first.
"Sure," He said with a small smile that got the dark purple-haired teen to blush a little. "I-I'll get going," She stood up and went back to work. He watched as she leaves his table and tends to the other customers.
---
Albedo stood outside the Cafe waiting for Sunny. His hood was up, his face looking down at the ground and his hands in his pockets.
"Hey!" He heard and looked up seeing Sunny wearing his red jacket. She had a smile on her face.
"You seem happy, Anodite," He points out. "Really? Maybe it's cause a certain someone visited me at work," She said teasing him a bit. He lightly scoffs at this.
"Let's go already," He said and grabbed her hand without warning. "H-Hey! Not so rough! Save that for later," Albedo blushed at her comment. She was seducing him, he knows it.
'Flirting... is what they call it right? How should I respond do it?'
He thought about it but it lead him to mate with her. His cheeks turn red at the thought of it. He shook it off.
'I'm a Galvan, not a human meat bag!'
He kept dragging her until he felt his cloak being tugged by someone. He looked behind him and saw Sunny with a bright smile.
"What is it?" He asked without a second thought. She rolled her eyes at his attitude, "Where are you taking me, Albedo? I don't mind if you took me back to my home," She said with a grin.
"But can you let go of my hand?" She asked nicely and he did. 'What a strong grip,' She pointed out and massaged her wrist a little. She turned to him and saw that he was looking the other way.
He was been acting strange. Appearing at her apartment building, following her to her work and now dragging her to who knows where. It was like he wanted to do something to get his mind away from everything. Then without warning, she asked something the teen himself was wondering as well.
"Did you miss me?"
Albedo looked at her with his eye's widened. He was flabbergasted, to say the least. If this was true then that would explain his action to appear before her. He hasn't been the same since they first met. Granted he hasn't been the same since his DNA was altered. Now that he was 'human' he didn't expect something like this to happen.
He opened his mouth slightly to answer her but.
"Albedo!" An all too familiar voice called him out. He quickly turned and saw Tennyson running up to him. In a flash of red light, Albedo transforms.
Albedo now resembled a velociraptor. He has black orbs on his feet and wears a black cone-like helmet. He has a tail with five red stripes on it a red turtleneck-like shirt. He also has claws on each hand.
"Catch me if you can, Tennyson!" He said and quickly picks up Sunny bridal style and runs away in a blue blur.
"Ben, after him, quick!" Rook said and ran to the truck. "Don't worry, I'm on it!" Ben dialed his Omnitrix placing two fingers in the faceplate. He scrolled through his aliens and found one. The faceplate pops up and the core pops up and he quickly slams it down.
In a flash of green light, he turned into the same alien as Albedo. He sped towards the Ultimatrix user trying to catch up.
Albedo quickly made his way to Sunny's apartment and dropped her off placing her gently on the ground.
"Stay here," He said and turned around attempting to run but was stopped by her.
"I'm helping," She announced and Albedo shook his head, "No, this is my problem, not yours."
"He's my idiot cousin so it is my problem."
"No, you have a life. A life that doesn't need this chaos," He said but Sunny slammed her fist into his chest sending him into a fall.
"I'm not some defenseless girl that needs saving, Albedo!" In a flash of red light, Albedo returned to human form.
He groans in pain and places a hand in his chest, "That hurt you know," He said and walked up to her.
"And in case you didn't tell, I'm a criminal, and they're looking for me! Not for you, so stay here."
"And if I refuse? I can help, you know," She made a point. Without her help, he would still be a 10-year-old boy. He scoffed at her point.
"Would you throw away your normal life for someone you barely know?" He asked seriously looking into her eyes. She didn't answer immediately. Albedo took this as her answer and transformed again into Negative XLR8.
"That's what I thought, stay here," He said and blitzed his way outside to find Tennyson leaving Sunny stunned.
Of course, she would but she froze when he asked that question.
'I would... I would do it if it means we can be together a bit more...'
Meanwhile, XLR8 was blitzing through the city looking for his evil twin. It had been a few minutes since he ran away with Sunny. When he saw that he was a bit concerned but not really. He let out a sigh as he turned to the left but was flung into a wall.
"Oww, what was that," He asked rhetorically looking up seeing Albedo in his XLR8 form. "So you finally decided to show up, Albedo. Has hanging out with Sunny made you soft?"
"Let's see if I'm soft after beating you to a pulp," He growled and transformed into an Evolved Vaxasaurian.
He stood large his, he has greyish-tan skin, his spikes are yellowish-brown, and his shoulder sport armor plating. His overall appearance is techno-organic, almost like a cyborg. He has exposed metallic tubes on his skin and black veins on his skin. He wears the Ultimatrix symbol on his chest.
He let out a powerful roar and aimed his fists at Ben. It transformed into a four-barrel missile launcher.
"Uh oh."
Albedo fired bone fragmented missiles at Ben who evaded it by speeding towards his left. He saw this and turned his body to face Ben who evaded all the missiles.
"You can't dodge forever, Tennyson!"
"Watch me, Albedo!"
Ben transformed in a flash of light. He now has yellow and black fur along with grey fingers and toes. Two bolts in the side of his wrists, green eyes with black pupils, and yellow lightning bolt-shaped horns. The Omnitrix is located on his green and white belt.
He fired a bolt of electricity from his hands hitting Albedo in his chest sending him staggering back. He grunted in pain and fired more bone fragments at him. Shocksquatch dodged it and launched himself at the large Vaxasaurian.
He brought up his fist and let it flow with yellow electricity and punched Albedo in the face shocking him in the process. He yelled out in pain but quickly grabbed his fist. He then threw him into a nearby window shattering the glass. The people inside ran seeing him.
Albedo brought his hands up and aimed at him but someone started blasting him. He turned his head and saw Rook holding his Proto-Tool in hand.
"Surrender peaceful, Albedo! We do not want to cause unnecessary damage!" Albedo didn't listen to the Plumber and fired at him.
Rook lowered his weapon as he saw the bone fragments coming his way. He ducked away as the missiles destroyed the road and damaged his truck.
"No! My Proto-Truck!" He yelled out knowing that he just got it repaired after their last mission.
In a flash of light, Albedo turned into his Ultimate form: Ultimate Albedo. An Evolved Galvan that resembles a villain from Marvel.
He fired a red laser at him hitting him dead center sending him flying into a car.
Shocksquatch then jumped up into the air launching himself at Albedo with both fists together generating electricity from them.
"Eat this!" He yelled out and slammed his fist down at him but it never connected as Albedo made a force field blocking his attack.
"Primitive human. You take me for a fool?" He asked and looked at Ben. Suddenly a red outline surrounded him suspended him in mid-air. "I could end it here, Tennyson, it would be so easy," He said and closed his little hand crushing Ben under his telepathic control.
"Ugh!" He groaned in pain but looked at him, "Sorry I don't feel like dying today," He grinned, and in a flash of light, he transformed again. The evolved Galvan covered his eyes, his concentration gets interrupted letting go of Ben.
He now has a black body with one green eye in the middle, two antennae, a tail with round plugs on their tips, four-fingered hands, and feet with two front toes. His chest is green along with gold battery bolts on his shoulders, arms, and hips.
Albedo opens his eyes and fired a blast of energy at him but Feedback used his antennas and absorbed it. He grinned at the sigh and blasted it back at him.
He dodged to the right and kept firing at him while Ben absorbed and fired back. It went on for a while until Albedo released a pulse of red energy from his Galvan body. Feedback jumped over the pulse of energy and fired at him hitting him on his head.
Albedo recovered quickly and charged up another blast but a pink barrier surrounded him. He looked at who the one was and saw Gwendolyn in her lucky girl form.
"No!" He cried out but Gwen pulled her hands over her head. The barrier followed her movements as it then slammed him into the ground creating a small crater.
"Thanks, Lucky Girl," Feedback gave a thumbs up at his cousin who returned the gesture with a smile.
Albedo stood up from the crater in his human form. He got up but felt a gun being pointed at his back.
"As I said earlier: Surrender peacefully, Albedo," Rook said holding his Proto-Tool aimed at his back. Albedo did as the Plumber ask and held up his hand. "By the order of the Plumbers you are under arrest," He announced and got out cuffs.
"Just shoot him and be done for," A voice told him. Rook looked to his side and saw Kevin Levin approaching him, "He's trouble and he'll keep going back to bite us, mainly Tennyson."
Rook shook his head, "That is not Plumber protocol. It would be against what I stand for as a Plumber. To kill an unarmed man is not right," He said and his eyes went back to Albedo.
"Fine," Kevin muttered a bit disappointing.
"Hey, Rook make sure he doesn't have anything under his sleeve!" He heard Ben warning him.
"It is alright, I have it–!?" Rook was blasted by a purple energy sphere launching him towards Kevin who caught him.
"Gotcha!" Both Kevin and Rook were surprised at the newcomer. Even Albedo was surprised.
"You fool! Why did you come here?!" He asked Sunny who then made a barrier around the two. She made her way to him and healed any wounds he might have had. "Answer the question, Sunny. Why?!"
"I don't know," She said and placed a hand on his face, "I guess my feet dragged me here," She smiled at him while he scoffed at her joke.
"That's not funny," He muttered under his breathe.
"Sunny!"
Both evil twins looked at the voice calling out to her. It was Gwen and she seemed pissed along with Ben– who was now human again.
"Sorry, cuz, looks like I've got myself into trouble again," She announced jokingly.
"Give us, Albedo, Sunny," Gwen said with a hint of anger in her voice. Her fist glowed pink.
"I'm afraid not," She said coyly and crossed her arms, "I'm going to borrow him for a while." Upon hearing this Albedo shot up with anger.
"I am not someone's property!" He yelled out in anger next to her. Sunny with a smirk placed a finger on his lips.
"Not yet, anyway," She winked at him. Albedo blushed at the comment and stayed quiet.
Everyone present didn't know what just unfold before then but they knew it was something they need to stop.
"Sunny, I'm not telling again, I'm–"
"Sorry, Gwen but this is goodbye for now," Sunny snapped her fingers and the two of them vanished in dark purple light.
They looked at the spot that they were just before as Ben groaned, Gwen pissed, Rook confused, and Kevin wanting to barf.
"Grandpa's not gonna like this."