[3] With Great Power…

Chapter 3: With Great Power...

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"You should have remained here like I told you to!" Grandpa's voice wasn't exactly a shout, but it carried that special kind of parental disappointment that somehow hit harder than yelling.

Grandpa Max paced back and forth in the narrow confines of the Rust Bucket, his face lined with worry and frustration. Gwen and I sat shoulder to shoulder in the small dining booth, both of us staring at our hands like scolded kindergartners.

"It could have been dangerous. Especially for Gwen. You become tough aliens that can beat people up, but what about her? Ben, you’re an adult now, you need to be more responsible!"

I kept my head low, genuinely ashamed. The adrenaline from the fight had worn off, leaving me with the sinking realization that I'd put Gwen in real danger. Those drones weren't toys – their lasers could have seriously hurt her. Or worse.

"I just wanted to check the area," I mumbled, not meeting his eyes. To my surprise, Gwen shifted beside me.

"It's fine, Grandpa," she said, her voice unexpectedly firm. "He protected me. Well, I did too, but that’s after the main fight ended. He kept much of his focus on me during the fight." She tucked a strand of orange hair behind her ear before continuing. "I never felt in danger. Leaving me here might have been more dangerous, instead.”

“Hmm…”

“At least, I think so. The drones shot lasers from the sky. If he left me alone, without him to defeat them, I wouldn't even have been able to reach them, and they’d have shot me."

I glanced at her, surprised by her defense. Our eyes met briefly, and she gave me a tiny shrug, as if to say, ‘Don't get used to it.’

Grandpa Max blinked, opened his mouth, and closed it again. Then, a slow smile spread across his weathered face. "Well, whatever. I'll look over this incident since you two seem to have grown closer thanks to it."

I grinned at him. "Thanks, Grandpa! And… sorry, I should have listened." I said, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “I’ll be more careful next time.”

He just patted my shoulder, his expression softening. "It’s alright. I'm glad you kept your cousin safe. But since things have come to this, and since I know how much you love superheroes..." He paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "How about we start training you?”

“What do you mean?” Gwen asked.

“Well, Ben should use these powers to save people. Since you two were attacked by such drones, there has to be an operator around. We should find it and beat the shit out of it, right?" He grinned, and both of us grinned back.

The Grandpa Max I knew never swore, but this one just dropped an s-bomb like it was nothing. Well, probably because we were much older. I liked this version of him.

"So, you're saying he should be a superhero?" Gwen asked, looking stupefied. "Like Spider-Man or the Fantastic Four? That’d be crazy…"

"Why not?" Grandpa shrugged. "He’s got the tools for it now. Might as well use them for something good. With Great Power..."

“Please don’t finish that sentence,” I interrupted him.

“Um…”

I couldn't help but wonder when Max would reveal his secret to us. Since Gwen and I were much older than in the original show, we'd notice stuff more quickly. He couldn't keep hiding his past for long. It interested me what his background would be here – did the Plumbers exist in this world?

Or was he just part of SHIELD? Perhaps he worked for SHIELD’s sister organization, SWORD, which operated in space? I didn't know.

Whatever the case, I was pumped. I wasn’t the best of people during my previous life, but I never thought of doing anything evil in this new one. I’d have to learn to master these powers anyway to protect myself from Vilgax and others, so why not push it up a gear and be a hero? The power to become a real superhero in a world that already had them filled me with excitement.

"So..." I glanced between Grandpa and Gwen. "Let’s go find the aliens already?"

****

The Rust Bucket screeched to a halt as Grandpa Max slammed on the brakes. Through the windshield, we could see people running, screaming, away from something massive stirring up dust and debris in the distance.

"What the hell is that?" Gwen pressed her face against the window, her ass wiggling behind, as she squinted at the chaos unfolding about half a block away.

Much of my attention was drawn to that fine piece of ass rather than the commotion. I had to shake my head fast, reminding myself of the blood between us.

“I’ll go check it out,” I said as I was already out the door, my heart hammering against my ribs. The watch on my wrist hummed with energy, fully recharged and ready. Grandpa and Gwen hustled behind me as we sprinted toward the commotion.

When we rounded the corner into the town square, I froze.

Towering over the fleeing crowd was something straight out of a sci-fi nightmare. It was a massive robot that stood nearly 40 feet tall. Its body was humanoid but with three insectoid legs that stabbed into the concrete with each step. Massive claws extended from its arms, glinting in the sunlight as it swiped at anything within reach.

"Holy fuck," I breathed.

"Language," Grandpa muttered automatically, though his eyes never left the mechanical monstrosity. "That's much bigger than the drones from last night."

As we watched, two smaller drones emerged from the giant robot's shoulders, immediately zooming off to terrorize people trying to escape.

"Ben," Grandpa said in a steady but urgent voice. “Those civilians need help now. Gwen and I will take care of the smaller problems."

I nodded, my fingers already working the Omnitrix dial. The display cycled through alien silhouettes as I turned it, looking for something strong enough to take on that thing. Looking for something perfect for this situation.

"Got it." I stopped on a familiar crystalline figure. Perfect for both defense and offense. My hand hovered over the watch face. This was my first real superhero moment – I couldn't screw it up.

I took a breath, then carefully pressed down on the dial, making sure not to slam it too hard and risk a misfire. Everything went bright.

The transformation washed over me in a flash of emerald light. My skin hardened and crystallized, spreading from my arm outward. My bones shifted, muscles restructured, and even my internal organs transformed into living crystals. I grew taller and broader, my entire body becoming a walking weapon of impenetrable diamond.

When the light faded, I stood nearly eight feet tall, my body gleaming in the sunlight.

"Diamondhead," I announced, my voice deeper and rougher in this form. "Time to see what you can do."

[Image Here]

I sprinted toward the center of the chaos, where the massive Mechadroid was tearing up the pavement with its claws. It had cornered a group of people against a storefront, its weapons systems powering up for a blast.

"Pick someone your own size!" I shouted, my crystalline body catching the light as I positioned myself between the robot and the civilians. It was funny saying that since I wasn't even half his leg’s size.

The Mechadroid's head swiveled toward me, and its optical sensors scanned my form before locking onto the Omnitrix symbol embedded in my chest. Its entire body pivoted, abandoning its previous targets in favor of me.

"That's right, buddy. I'm what you're after," I muttered, bracing myself.

I had zero experience with Diamondhead's powers, but I'd watched enough episodes to know the basics. This alien was tough, could generate and control crystals, and was perfect for absorbing and redirecting energy.

The Mechadroid's arm cannon glowed ominously, charging up. I had seconds to react. Instinctively, I stomped my foot hard against the ground, focusing my will through my body.

With a sound like breaking glass, a massive crystal wall erupted from the pavement just as the robot fired. The laser struck my barrier and ricocheted wildly – right into a parked car that exploded in a fireball.

"Dammit!" I growled. That could have hit someone. I needed to be more careful with the angles.

The Mechadroid advanced, its metal feet crushing concrete as it prepared to fire again. This time, I was ready. Before it could shoot, I stomped my foot again, harder this time, channeling more power through my crystalline form.

The ground beneath the robot trembled and then erupted. Massive diamond spikes shot upward in a perfect circle around the Mechadroid's legs, impaling its undercarriage.

The robot staggered, trying to regain its balance, but I wasn't done. With a shout of effort, I sent a second wave of crystals surging upward, this time targeting its core systems.

The diamonds pierced through metal and circuitry, tearing through the robot from below. Sparks flew as vital systems were severed, and with a mechanized howl, the Mechadroid's chest erupted in a spectacular explosion that sent metal shrapnel flying in all directions.

I instinctively created another diamond shield above the nearest civilians, protecting them from the falling debris. The robot's legs buckled as secondary explosions rippled through its frame, and it collapsed in a smoking heap of twisted metal.

The entire fight had lasted maybe thirty seconds.

I stood there, amazed at my own power. The diamond spikes I'd created glittered in the sunlight, surrounding the destroyed Mechadroid like some weird modern art installation.

The crowd, which had been cowering in fear moments before, erupted in cheers and applause. I spotted Grandpa Max and Gwen among them – Grandpa with an approving nod, Gwen with her mouth hanging open in amazement.

I couldn't help but grin, flexing my crystalline arms in their direction. The rush of victory surged through me. I'd just saved dozens of lives like a real superhero!

But reality kicked in quickly.

People were pulling out their phones, taking pictures and videos. I didn't need that kind of attention, not when we were supposed to be on a low-key camping trip.

With a final wave to the crowd, I sprinted away, my diamond legs carrying me quickly between buildings until I was out of sight.

I ducked behind a dumpster in an alley, waiting for the Omnitrix to time out, feeling like the coolest person alive.

“Oh, right.” I blinked, raising a finger and tapping the white part of the Omnitrix on my chest. It lit up bright green, and a moment later, I regained my human form. “I forgot I can just do that. Neat.”

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