Chapter 1: I Don't Want to Be a Hero
The mountains were a lush, vibrant green under the summer sun. A canopy of leaves cast dappled shadows across the highway, and the warm air rolling through the open windows carried the unmistakable scent of sun-baked asphalt and distant pine.
An old, worn-out RV, affectionately known as the Rustbucket, rumbled down the road. Inside, a boy with black hair and blue eyes rested his chin on his hand, staring out the window at the blur of passing scenery with an air of deep boredom.
He looked to be about ten years old. His short black hair was a bit messy, and his sapphire-like eyes, set in a face that was already exquisitely handsome despite its youth, were particularly striking. But the most peculiar thing about him was the watch on his left wrist. It was a bulky, unconventional device that pulsed with a faint, steady blue light—the Another Omnitrix.
Klein Azeroth was, for lack of a better term, a transmigrator.
One moment, he was an ordinary young man about to start college. He'd closed his eyes for the night, and when he opened them again, he was standing on a deserted street in the middle of nowhere. His body had shrunk, as if he'd swallowed some kind of bizarre shrinking potion. He wasn't quite seven, but closer to nine.
None of that mattered, though. What truly mattered was the watch. When Klein's gaze fell upon his left wrist, an excitement so fierce it was almost painful seized him. He ignored his oversized clothes, which were threatening to slip right off his new, smaller frame, and tentatively touched the faceplate. A virtual ring of silhouettes materialized in the air.
'Damn,'he'd thought, a grin splitting his face.'It's the real deal!'
After living on his own for a while, surviving with the subtle help of his new device, Klein inevitably caught the attention of someone special. He was eventually found by Max Tennyson, who, seeing a young boy with an Omnitrix all alone, took him in without a second thought.
A full year had passed since that day. Being slightly older, Klein had gained a younger cousin and a younger… well, another younger cousin.
The female cousin was an orange-haired, green-eyed girl currently sitting across from him—Gwendolyn Tennyson. Gwen. She was smart, polite, and currently had a faint, unusual blush dusting her cheeks that made Klein feel a little helpless.
'Are kids these days really this precocious?'he mused.'She's only ten.'
His male cousin was the one they were currently on their way to pick up: Benjamin Kirby "Ben" Tennyson.
The Rustbucket continued its journey. Suddenly, Klein's pupils constricted, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Gwen, noticing his change in expression, followed his gaze.
"Dweeb, that is so embarrassing!" she groaned, burying her face in her hands.
There, hanging from a thick tree branch, were two boys. One was a stranger, but the other was unmistakably Ben Tennyson. They were both dangling by the elastic of their underwear.
"Ben, we're heading out," Max called cheerfully from the driver's seat, as if this were a perfectly normal sight.
"Uh, Grandpa! A little help here?" Ben yelped.
Max chuckled and helped Ben and the other boy—who didn't even warrant a name—down from the tree. Ben scrambled into the Rustbucket while the other kid vanished into the woods. No one particularly cared where he went.
"I was so looking forward to vacationing with you… You! What are you doing here?!" Ben's mood, which had been soaring, instantly plummeted. "Grandpa, why is she here?!"
"Please! Don't flatter yourself, Dweeb," Gwen shot back, crossing her arms. "I was forced into this, too! Someone convinced my mom that a road trip with him would be a 'great summer experience'."
She had been reluctant at first, but her attitude had shifted the moment she saw Klein was coming along. The thought of a perfect summer spent with her handsome older cousin had been a wonderful dream, only to be shattered by the arrival of the annoying dweeb.
"Grandpa, it couldn't be you… Klein! You're here too!" Ben's face lit up with genuine surprise. "Okay, even if I have to spend it with this giant dork, this summer might not be so bad after all."
Having been part of the family for a year, Klein knew both Ben and Gwen well. He got along with them, though his relationship with Gwen always felt a little… off, in a way that left him feeling slightly baffled.
"Hey! I already made my summer plans!" Gwen huffed, holding up a carefully crafted schedule. "I even color-coded it to prevent doing the same thing two days in a row. I'm happy to travel with you, Klein, but I refuse to spend three months with this dweeb!"
"I just thought spending summer vacation with you guys would be fun. Is there something wrong with that?" Max sighed, a weary smile on his face as the bickering continued. "I have a feeling this is going to be a very, very long summer."
The Rustbucket rumbled on, carrying its noisy cargo down the open road.
…
Night fell. In the slightly eerie quiet of the woods, Klein, Ben, and Gwen sat in camping chairs set up just outside the Rustbucket.
"Dinner's ready!" Max announced, emerging from the RV with a large bowl filled with still-moving insects.
"Grandpa! What is that?!" Ben cried, his face twisting in horror.
"Fresh, live mealworms," Max said proudly. "In some countries, they're considered a rare delicacy!"
"Ugh, I think that's beyond disgusting!" Gwen's face went pale.
"Well, if you don't like those, there's smoked sheep's tongue in the fridge."
"Grandpa, isn't there any normal food? Like burgers or something?" Ben pleaded, not ready to give up.
"Don't be silly. This summer is going to be a culinary adventure for your taste buds," Max declared. "I'll go get the sheep's tongue." He turned and went back inside the Rustbucket.
As soon as he was gone, Ben leaned in and whispered, "Alright, I've got half-eaten corn chips and a chocolate bar in my backpack. What do you guys have?"
"A few rice crackers and some fruit candy," Gwen replied, her voice low.
"Nothing," Klein said calmly. He reached into the bowl, picked up a wriggling mealworm, and tossed it into his mouth. After a year of being raised by Max Tennyson, he would have starved long ago if he couldn't stomach this kind of food.
"Eww… so gross. Klein, how can you eat that?" Ben asked, his face turning a shade of green.
"Klein, are you okay eating that? Is it edible? Do you feel sick?" Gwen asked, her voice laced with genuine concern.
"I'm used to it. Thanks, Gwen," Klein replied, nonchalantly grabbing another.
"You guys eat first, I'm going for a walk," Ben announced abruptly. He looked distinctly unwell, as if he were about to vomit, and staggered away into the depths of the forest.
"Okay, stay safe," Klein called after him simply.
It had been a long time since he'd watched the show before transmigrating, but he still remembered this part clearly. This was the night Ben found the Omnitrix.
Klein was all for it. He had absolutely no desire to be a hero. He didn't consider himself a particularly good person, and the idea of saving the world held zero appeal. But Grandpa Max knew he had the Another Omnitrix, so it was for the best that Ben got his own watch.
Let Ben be the big hero. Klein was perfectly content to sit back and watch.
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