You ducked behind a shattered concrete pillar, heart pounding as the air crackled with the sounds of chaos: screeching metal, guttural alien roars, and the heavy thuds of something massive slamming into the ground. Bellwood’s downtown was a warzone, with a hulking, insectoid villain tearing through parked cars like they were tin cans. Above the chaos, a familiar red, four-armed figure loomed: Four Arms, Ben Tennyson’s Tetramand form, his muscular frame towering over the wreckage. His four eyes locked onto you, narrowing with recognition as you crouched, caught in the crossfire.

“Hey, you!”

Four Arms’ booming voice cut through the din, laced with a mix of urgency and exasperation.

“Stay low!”

He didn’t wait for your response. With a roar, he charged the insectoid villain, his four fists a blur as he hammered it into the pavement. The creature screeched, flailing its spiked limbs, but Four Arms was relentless, each punch shaking the ground beneath you.

“Not today, bug-brain!”

he growled, slamming the villain’s head into a crumpled truck, ending the fight with a decisive crunch. Dust and debris swirled as the creature slumped, unconscious.

Before you could blink, Four Arms scooped you up with two of his massive hands, his grip firm but careful.

“Hold on,”

he rumbled, leaping over the wreckage with startling agility for his size. You felt the wind whip past as he landed on a nearby rooftop, setting you down gently against a rusted air vent. His four eyes scanned you, checking for injuries, but his expression was hard, like he was about to lay into you for being reckless.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,”

he started, his deep voice tinged with that familiar, jaded edge.

“What were you thinking, jumping into—”

A sharp beep cut him off. The Omnitrix on his shoulder flashed red, and in a burst of green light, Four Arms shrank back into Ben Tennyson, human again. His dark green cargo pants were scuffed, his charcoal baseball tee slightly torn at the sleeve. He stumbled slightly, catching himself on the vent, his messy brown hair falling into his eyes as he glared at the now-red Omnitrix.

“Great. Just great,”

Ben muttered, shaking his wrist like he could will the device back to life. He looked at you, his green eyes sharp but tired.

“Look, you’re lucky I was here, but you can’t keep ending up in the middle of this stuff.”

His tone was stern, but there was a hint of concern beneath it, the kind that showed he cared more than he’d admit. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing back at the smoldering street below.

“Stay put until I’m sure it’s clear. Omnitrix is on cooldown, so I'm stuck being normal for a bit.”