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[b]Location(s):[/b] Control Center, Paradox Engine.

[b]Mentions:[/b] Merlin [@ActRaiserTheReturned], Bruno Bucciarati [@Lewascan2], Terra [@Dead Cruiser], and Danny [@Crimson Flame]
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Hearing Danny say his part, being a world-renowned hero of his own that none of the rest have heard of, Ben couldn't help but sigh; which brought another brief wince of pain. [color=00a651]"Yeah, that just about sells me on it..."[/color] Though before he could continue, after helping the strangely dressed individual to his feet (or close enough to his feet), the lady who called herself Terra gave a smattering of questions, one of which Ben couldn't help but facepalm at. 

Maybe he couldn't exactly speak for Dan, but he could say for certain the old-timer, himself, and Bruno looked plenty human. [color=00a651]"Duh, we're human! What else would we be? Uh, although maybe I shouldn't talk there, hehe...."[/color] Ben responded, his tone shifting from annoyance to embarrassment quickly. Yeah, maybe calling himself 'just a human' wasn't exactly on the dot. Still, once he was certain the injured man was standing of his own volition, Ben turned his full attention to the Viltrumite. [color=00a651]"Yeah, I'm from Earth. Seems Danny is too, and I'm willing to bet our pal here is as well,"[/color] He jutted a thumb towards Bruno to indicate him. [color=00a651]"...Verdict's out on the old-timer though. But my guess is we aren't all exactly from the [i]same[/i] Earth....And yeah, for the record, not only am I fine..."[/color] His confidence and stancing belied the pain he was in; yep, something was definitely wrong. Did something get knocked out of place fighting Driscoll? That'd be his luck...

[color=00a651]"...But I'm totally a superhero. The intergalactic, butt-kicking kind."[/color] That grin of his had returned, giving off an air of arrogance...Though perhaps an earned amount. Before he could continue though, it seemed their friend found the strength to speak, as he gave his name and his thanks. All par for the course...

And then he yanked his hand away and licked his sweat. [color=00a651]"Ewww! What the heck'd you go and do that for?![/color] Bruno promptly gave him his answer. Honestly, the dude sounded nuts, and Ben knew his fair share of nutcases. But something about Bucciarati's eyes...They reminded him of grandpa Max's, determined and sharp. As much as he wanted to joke and snark about a dude who would lick up sweat, he couldn't help but take it seriously. 

When he saw him gasp from his burst of energy, Ben thought the dude was about to collapse, and nearly rushed in to help...Until his eyes caught sight of something behind him, propping up his exhausted body. He...Had no idea what to make of it, and honestly, there were already [i]way[/i] too many questions to answer. Later. 

His gaze turned directly to Ben, and for a brief moment he froze up, like when he was ten and Max was about to reprimand him for doing something stupid and selfish, but it soon dropped when he realized the topic of the conversation. [color=00a651]"Yeah, that...Well, first of all, I wouldn't call it compatible. I just sorta shoved it in hoping for the best."[/color] Ben turned his gaze to where he had probed in with the tail, and was surprised to see whatever damage he might've accrued with that move was nowhere to be seen. Sheesh, another piece of a puzzle...Shaking his head, the teen hero continued on. Taking a deep breath, he looked to the rest of the people present here. If they thought things were weird before, well....It was gonna get weirder. 

[color=00a651]"So, I sorta have experience with time travel, dimensional travel...That kinda stuff."[/color] He couldn't imagine the kind of reactions this would elicit from the others, but he pressed onwards. [color=00a651]"And since I know how [i]I[/i] ended up here, it gives me the feeling that, well...This could have something to do with one or the other? Or both?[/color] When he brought up the idea of it being both, he gave a long groan. [color=00a651]"I really hope it isn't both....But the point is, I think we're all from different dimensions. I have zero clue why we all got brought here, but..."[/color] Glancing around, Ben saw the screens begin to flicker to life, and the light of some sort of control board encircling the core brightening. [color=00a651]...I know who to dial up to get some answers. But hey, gramps?"[/color] Ben glanced over to Merlin, not looking angry or malicious...More peeved than anything. [color=00a651]"Don't do any dumb magic stuff on me again, alright?"[/color]

With that, the hero got to work. Pressing two fingers to a strange device on his wrist, a holographic circle popped up, and it seemed to cycle through a shocking number of strange icons. As he passed through the catalogue of alien lifeforms, they all could hear Ben muttering to himself now and again. 

[color=00a651]"No....Not that one....Sheesh, The Worst? Yeah, no....There!"[/color] Seemingly satisfied with his choice, he raised his fingers up, and what seemed to be the core of this peculiar contraption jutted up into the air, crackling briefly with green energy. Without hesitation, Ben made a practiced smack to the Omnitrix; one he had done hundreds of times, and as the emerald flash began to fade, one could start to hear the clinking of chitinous legs...


[hider=Brainstorm!]
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[/hider]

A new, but just as bizarre, creature stood where Ben once had; crab-like in nature, though its cranium seemed far too oversized, as the tightly set mouth curved into a small grin. [color=00a651]"Ah, yes! The superior intellect afforded to me as the highest caliber of the Cerebrocrustacean species shall make short work of this peculiar predicament we all have found ourselves interwoven into!"[/color] The voice had a notably British tone to it, and spoke quickly and eloquently as it skittered over to the controls, tapping a few keys on the console. Unbeknownst to the rest, mentally, holographic screens began to project into Brainstorm's mind, drawing a small [color=00a651]"Intriguing..."[/color] From the highly intelligent crustacean. 

Data flowed into his gigantic brain, but in spite of all his smarts, it was clear to the onlookers that whatever was going on, even this self-declared genius was feeling overwhelmed to an extent. [color=00a651]"Erm...I see, yes...Well...Aha!"[/color] Having some sort of breakthrough, Brainstorm turned his attention back to the group, but not before two slots opened in the lower compartments of the control board, jutting out two strange thin black rectangles, one of which the Cerebrocrustacean snatched up for his upcoming example...Though he struggled for a moment. Pincers make it tricky for precision grip, you know. 

[color=00a651]"Strangers, companions, and acquaintances! I call your attention to this, first and foremost."[/color] Bringing the rectangle into view, he grasped both ends of the contraption with his pincers, and as he pulled away, a holographic map came into focus, showing a massive, multi-level station of sorts. At first, there also seemed to be some gobbledy-gook written on it; a strange alien language none of them could hope to understand, or comprehend in reasonable time. Taking notice of that, Brainstorm looked a tad abashed. 

[color=00a651]"...Ahem! One moment, please."[/color] Turning away for a brief second, it could be disturbing to witness the top of Brainstorm's head open, revealing his gargantuan grey matter, which promptly began to precisely weave electricity into the device, slowly dismantling and reassembling it. By the time he returned and raised the map once more; this time with simple electrokinesis instead of his awkward claws, one word stood out amongst all of them, in the corner, in large print....

[color=00a651]"I would like to welcome all of you to the so-called [b]'Paradox Engine'[/b]."[/color]