Chapter Nineteen: Accident.

"mistakes happen so we can learn, without making mistakes, advancement as a species would've been impossible"

-emperorwolf

benson lay motionless, his clothing torn and tattered, kevin knelt at his side, holding his hand
"don't go, ben! please don't go!"
the fox's eyes opened slightly
"kevin... are you alright?"
"i'm fine... but the imprint's gone... and so're your powers."
"kevin... why are you the same size as me?"
the german shepherd whimpered, as a little yellow and white feline appeared on his shoulder
"you're... not quite right about that... ben..." she told him.
suddenly benson realised...
"oh... holy... Fuck..."

-ten hours earlier-
kevin stood in his school attire, yellow shirt with the school emblem, and a pair of shorts.
"whadda y'think?"
the little fox at his heel frowned "i think they're school clothes."
"ha ha, very funny..." he said sarcastically, then looked concerned "you sure you'll be fine?"
"kevin, stop worrying, just lock up, i'll be fine. go to school."
kevin crouched and patted his friend on the head.
"okay, fine." he stood and walked out the front door "see you in six hours, ben!"
the door closed and locked.

benson hopped up the stairs, climbed atop the table on the second floor, and resumed working on his bike.
he tore out the engine, which he'd mistakenly put in backwards. he then took a plasma cutter and removed the exhausts.
he put the engine in the right way, and put his tools down after he secured it.
he couldn't reattatch the heavier parts without kevin's help.
it had taken him at least thirty minutes to un-screwup his mistake. he accessed his laptop to find out how to fix the electronics, and buy parts to replace those that couldn't be repaired.
but before he was able to do any of that, he noticed a message.

"From: f#t$!r and m^%h(r
To: bpalmer@fakemail.com
CC: none.

Dear Benson, we're sorry for everything.
please forgive us.
from F & M."

"who the hell are 'f' and 'm'? and what are they talking about?"
his train of thought was interrupted as a loud crash rang out downstairs.
he quickly shut down his laptop and hid it.
he hid too, behind the fridge, just as a grey-cloaked man wearing a white mask floated up the stairs, followed by a blonde man wearing a white scarf.
"this is where the guy lives, draco. now, will i get Conduit?"
"you will recieve Conduit once we have found our target, and have him in our custody, Donnix."
benson clamped his muzzle shut with his paws to prevent an audiable gasp.
he had heard the name he dreaded, ever since the fire-user had attacked; Draco.
(oh no... kevin was right, i should've tagged along in his schoolbag...)
draco's head began to swivel, no doubt looking for him.
"donnix, use your frost sense to find him, he is not in my range of vision."
a cold air whipped into the building, and donnix looked straight at him.
(shit.)
benson was pulled from his hiding place by an unseen force, and hung in the air in front of draco.
"we finally meet, technomage."
"my name is BENSON!"
"i am already aware of this. donnix, you may leave, i will send cousin ethan when i am able"
donnix vanished.
a large amount of blunt force hit benson, and he began to pass out...
"finally, we will win..."

---

even without a connection to the order, collin had sensed draco's movement, but by the time he reached kevin's home, he was too late.
the trail had gone hours cold.
"dammit!"
he took out his cellphone, and called the police, specifically asking for ronaldo.
"sir, the chief of police is busy--"
"shut up and listen! there's been a break-in at his son's home!"
the voice on the other end became flustered and frantic "y-you're serious? okay, i call him, was anything stolen?"
"unfortunately, yes..."
ronaldo's urgent voice cracked through "what's happened? kevin's house's been broken into?"
"yes, sir, the only thing stolen was.... a certain orange fox that i believe you've met."
ronaldo growled angrily "WHAT?! this is a KIDNAPPING?!"
collin began running "yes sir, i reccomend you send a team here to investigate, but i think you should immediately head out and get kevin, he'll be a better help than most people, i'll gather up their other friends, but you've got to get kevin, quickly!"
ronaldo's voice sounded like he had started running, and was angrily barking orders "i see! meet me there, then!"
collin began running faster "i'll be the white wolf that looks like a ninja, now MOVE IT!" collin shouted, then hung up.
he had to hurry, he knew it would take at least four hours for draco to prepare, but there was no time to waste!!
he'd been over to see ethan, and had sealed his 'Conduit' power with a ninja technique, and then he'd sensed draco. (if i hadn't been over on the other side of the continent, i could've stopped him!)
he arrived at the school, just as a police cruiser screeched in.
collin howled when the chief exited the vehicle, alerting him to his presence.
"you're collin?"
collin nodded, then ran towards the entrance at high speed, followed by the giant.

---

kevin sat in study hall, reading up on mechanics.
(lets see... oh, so THAT'S how we're supposed to attatch that... it's kind funny, it's more like i'm building the most complicated model ever with him...)
there was a tap on his shoulder.
kevin turned in his seat to see carl smiling at him, syrus perched atop his head.
"you guys go here too?"
"yeah, we have for a month or so. we transferred from heartrows' academy" syrus replied
carl looked at the textbook "mechanics? why, i didn't see you on the class list?"
kevin smiled "it's to fix ben's bike, it kinda got crushed."
carl sat down next to him "oh, i see... that's gotta be expensive."
"worst thing is, it's all he had left of his grandparents."
syrus groaned "ooh... that's bad."
an announcement went over the speaker "will Kevin Ghast come to the general office? it's urgent."
kevin stood "what's this about?"
carl grabbed his arm "we're going, too, y'might need us!"
kevin didn't object, and they ran off to the office.

kevin's father greeted them, a white wolf stood on his shoulder.
"father? what's happened?"
carl and syrus stared "your dad...."
"...is chief of police?" the little otter finished.
kevin nodded
ronaldo hung his head "kevin, your house was broken into.... and your friend is missing"
kevin's eyes widened "ben's... missing?!"
"yes..." the wolf replied "i sen- uh... detected... draco's movement, likely thing; he waited until he was alone, then took his opertunity... a window was smashed, likely point of entry." the wolf hung his head "but... i arrived hours too late... it's my fault, i'm sorry."
kevin raised an eyebrow "how's it your fault?"
"i was on the other side of the world, investigating the source of darco's power."
syrus was confused "isn't it a henolin mutation?"
he shook his head "draco's father had power, long before the henolin mutations happened, it's likely that draco and his brother have similar powers, plus those gained by the mutation."
carl hummed in thought "hmmm... freaky."
ronaldo looked at kevin "any idea where he could've been taken?"
"no, father... we know little to nothing of his group..."
the wolf leapt from ronaldo's shoulder, all the way over to the despondent german shepherd's nose, surprising him "well, i know quite a lot, for instance, where their lair is!"
"really?! then let's get moving!"

evgeryone ran out to ronaldo's car, and he sped off, following collin's directions, as he proceeded to call for backup at the location collin described. all human, Buki and Giki officers on virada were ordered to assist in the fox's recovery from the well-known terrorists.

they arrived at the cavern entrance, there was an energy barrier up, from behind which, a faint green glow was shining.
the glow kevin knew all too well.
"oh... shit... dad, that glow's coming from-!"
"it's the technomage's light, isn't it?" he asked his son hurriedly.
collin leapt from the car, his face determined, although the officers thought he was a regular civilian.
"sir, please get awa-"
"SAVE IT! the only way you'll find him is by following me!"
ronaldo understood, and ordered that they do as collin asked.
collin donned his visor, causing his sword and gun to appear along with a new glossy black gi instead of his regular night-black metal armour.
"Neowolf is in the house!" he exclaimed, enjoying himself.
he pressed his paw to the barrier on the entrance, and made a prayer-like sign, then the entrance exploded.
"FOLLOW ME!" he bolted inside, followed by every officer, as the blast had blown a hole big enough for the giants to crawl inside.

collin activated his visor, tracking the fox's aura.
he led them down many passageways, using his ninja power to make some of the smaller passages larger with microexplosions, until they encountered a man in a black cloak.
"stop now, it's deathtime!" he said sadistically, drawing a hunting knife stained with red spatters.
collin glared "hold this guy off! i'll lead the others to the location!" he barked at the officers nearest him, taking kevin, ronaldo, syrus and carl deeper in.

behind them, gunshots rang out, followed by maniacal laughter, as they went deeper in.

finally they reached the epicentre, where draco and jack stood in front of a large metal crucifix, benson was attatched to it, and green lightning was arcing off him, into large tesla coils nearby.

"oh my, brother, it appears our guests have at last reached us."
jack adjusted his glasses "it seems so, draco."
benson's screaming drew everyone's attention, and kevin snarled "you BASTARDS!!"
collin drew his gun and katana "got that right." he too, snarled at the shays.
draco grabbed his own cloak, throwing it off to reveal pearl white armour beneath.
then he trew off his mask.

"it is finally time to reveal both my face, and 'the flame of the king' to the world!"
draco was in his early teens, he had a relatively normal face, except for a huge, terrifying, gruesome scar that took up the top left side of his head, his brown hair was a mess, and he had an evil smile on his face.
his eyes glowed a firey gold colour.

he thrust out his arm, and a shockwave pushed everyone back.
collin stood his ground, braving the forceful wave.
"so.. this.. is your power? Gravity?"
draco stopped, and sneered "very perceptive, yes, my power is the ability to control attractive and repulsive energies; i am Draco- the galactic dragon's wrath!"
jack's features distorted, fangs emerging, horn potruding, and his eyes regained their malevonent glow.
"fear the scribe of hell!" he threw his pen at them, piercing collin in the shoulder.
"AUGH!"
syrus panicked "what're we gonna do?!"
"THIS!" carl thrust his arm out, just narrowly missing jack with his fist.
kevin growled ferociously.
he prepared to leap...
just as the roof fell in, followed by a black cat and a large canine paw.
"bit much, don't you think Aeon?" ian dropped in, his arms and torso covered in bandages, but nonetheless standing.
he drew his gun, already channeling the angelfire.
"get down!"
he fired, hitting jack in the chest, and he burst into flames, screaming.
"next time, STAY in HELL!"
the black cloaked man fell in, a bullethole in his forehead.
then a rain of gunfire showered down onto draco from the entrance.
lily and amelia stood with the officers, clearly, they'd told them who the allies were.
"GRRRRAGH! curse you! I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THIS!"
a blast of black lightning erupted from draco, hitting everyone.
this was his other power.
they screamed in agony as the black electricity struck them

then, draco heard a low, gutteral growl come from behind him.
through his intense pain, benson had turned his rage upon draco. his eyes were an electric green.
"You'll... Regret... THAT!!!!"
the shackles burst off, the fox leapt from the crucifix, catching draco by surprise, his fist cracking against the mutated human's skull.
but he was still conected to the device, and it drained his technomagic... then it arced out to kevin, Draco and Jack, and green light flashed.

ronaldo awoke to find everyone sprawled out on the ground, Aeon's paw hung limp through the hole in the ceiling.
"kev..in? ... where ... where are you...son?"
a groan from next to him answered his question.
he turned his head to see his son had shielded the smaller allies from the blast with his paws.
draco groaned, and shakily stood.
"damn... you..." he thrust out his arm, but neither lightning, nor gravity launched at them.
"no..... way...." his eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
kevin's friends climbed out from behind his paws.
kevin painfully pushed himself up "where's... ben?"
everyone looked around, frantic.
and then, they noticed an orange footpaw beneath a pile of dust.

a LARGE one

"no... no way..."

benson lay motionless, his clothing torn and tattered, kevin knelt at his side, holding his hand
"don't go, ben! please don't go!"
their friends were all standing on kevin's shoulders.
the fox's eyes opened slightly
"kevin..." the fox moaned in pain "are you alright?"
"i'm fine... but the imprint's gone... what's his name... collin. collin checked... and so're your powers."
the fox's eyes narrowed
"kevin... why are you the same size as me?"
the german shepherd whimpered, as lily emerged into the fox's vision on kevin's shoulder
"you're... not quite right about that... ben..." she told him.
the reality of it all dawned on the fox.
"oh... holy... Fuck..." he whimpered "it's not... you who's changed... in size, it's... it's... it's... me... i'm a giant!!!"
jack stod in the distance, his clothing ruined and his glasses utterly smashed.
"no... our power... it backfired... it synchronised the fox with the dog!!" he shouted angrily.
lily dropped down onto benson's chest, and ran to his muzzle "oh gods, benny! are you okay?!"
"yes, lil..." he groaned "now... can somebody shut that howler up?" he joked, gesturing to jack.
ian stood, cracking his knuckles "i'll... handle it... who's gonna join me?"
"syrus revino and patrick khyber!" the duo exclaimed, getting up, angry.
collin stood "and i'll take care o' draco, if nobody else minds!"
ronaldo scoffed "as chief of police, i think 'I' should get first crack at him!"
Aeon smiled down from above "hey, let a shay-hunting veteran get a turn in that!"

an hour later, everyone was outside the entrance, being medically treated, draco and jack were covered in bumps and bruises from everyone's revenge earlier.
lily sat on benson's shoulder "so, ben... where does this leave...'us' at?" she asked nervously.
he winced as a sterilisation solution was applied to his wounds.
"what do... you mean?"
"well... how's this going to work?"
"are you... dumping me?"
she panicked "no no no! ... i'm just... not sure how you feel about me... now..." she said, reffering to benson's new size.
"oh... i see. well..." he thought about it "the only thing that's changed is my size, i still love you, lil. nothing can change that. ever." he told her reassuringly, tilting his head so he touched her small form.
she cried and hugged his face "thankyou, benny!"
he chuckled "no problem, lil!"

over at a smaller ambulance, amelia sat beside ian, as an avianist helped the doctors brace his wings, which had been broken by a falling boulder.
"wow... lil's lucky, isn't she? i can't see many guys being that kind."
ian winced as the doctor touched his broken black wing. "yeah, but ben's always been like that... always the good guy you never expect, not in this day and age."
"you'd know."
he sighed "ah, yes... that. well, i couldn't think of a new identity when i arrived, and i spent a few years getting to know about this world, during which time, ben's grandparents saved me from a collapsing mine. after that, i owed them. they promised me they'd never tell my secret, they were good people. it was them who suggested i go through schooling."
amelia nodded, smiling "alright, i get it."
she looked over at kevin, who was having his legs bandaged up.
he noticed her looking "hi down there."
kevin's father limped over, taking care to watch his tread.
"you certainly have some... interesting friends, son."
kevin hung his head "ben's lost everything but us... even his power... even the ability he NEEDS for his job."
"you mean particle-molecular fusion?"
kevin nodded "he can't get it back, either, it's like it was..."
"permanently deleted?"
kevin laughed at the irony of the words "yeah..."
"where're Aeon and patrick?"
kevin shrugged "i think they escaped injury... pretty sure they're helping... what's his name, collin? ...inverstigate the ruins down there, find out why they were harnessing ben's energy."
ronaldo nodded "i need to speak to them, if you'll excuse me."
ronaldo limped away.

benson sighed "guess my life's ruined, huh?" he said sadly "but... at least i've got you guys... right?"
"yeah!" came an uproar from the others.

benson smiled, he could always count on his friends, even at his new, gigantic size.
still, he'd never leave them, especially not his girlfriend, lily.

AUTHOR COMMENT
epic plot twist much?
:D
see you next chapter!