[Galvantula]

London, 12:41 P.M

Diagon's coming had weakened the dimensional walls of Ben's universe. As the former avatar of the Old One himself Vilgax now knew everything that he knew about these weak spots that he could, in theory, bring about the end of Bellwood. From Gamou's research Vilgax learnt that when all 12 Horoscope Switches are used by one person then a warp gate formed from a dimensional hole can be used to go directly to just about anywhere in the universe. Of course the pull of such a feat would utterly destroy the surrounding arena but since this was Earth, a planet considered less than trash by some species, Vilgax really couldn't care less. Once he across the portal back to Vilgaxia he would then gather the rest of his fleet and drag Earth to its doom. But of course he needed to get to where these holes were and alter them to become warpgates. One such place was in London, and Vilgax was almost giddy about heading home after so long. Ben was a nuisance as always but with their new powers Driscoll and Zombozo were quite ready for their rematch with the grandson of Max Tennyson. Zombozo was now Dark Taurus, a minotaur with robotic arms, a laser sight over his missing eye, blue suspenders, and the Taurus constellation on the form's chest. Drill-like horns gutted out of his head and in his nose was a spiked ring. He stomped the ground hard, causing the road under him to wobble about, and the people on said road to scream and shout in terror. Oh, how Zombozo missed this! To hear the people run in fear at his coming and soil themselves just by looking at him! As both Dark Aries and Dark Taurus went about their business Vilgax prepared to use the 12 Switches to do his dark deed. If he was unable to do so then he had a backup plan in store. One can never be too careful with Ben Tennyson, now can they?

A half hour earlier on a Plumber training base in Earth's orbit

Julie was worried about what was happened to both her new friends and her admittedly oddball boyfriend Ben. Yuki, Erin, Ran and Tojiro were suffering from negative Cosmic Energy addition and Ben's cells were slowly dying from overuse of the Ultimatrix's Ultimate function. Albedo had never planned on using the Ultimatrix for as long as Ben had and never fully tested it for safety and any long term side effects. She silently cursed Albedo's name as Manny sat be her, looking as upset as she was. But he still wanted to cheer her up and she was thankful for his effects in doing so. "Hey, cheer up Julie. Ben's dealt with weirdo body issues before and he's always come on top. He's going to pull though, Jules. He's not one to go quietly into the good night" he told her.

But Julie was still not sure about Ben's chances of survival."Thank you Manny. I really do mean that but Ben never had to deal with a Omnitrix that was killing him from the inside. If only he gotten the Omnitrix he has on now sooner, none of this would be happening. I can't help but feel like this is my fault" she expressed to Manny. She looked like she would have no joy in her life again. Ben was, as much as her father told her otherwise, was the biggest part of her life and if he died then in a sense a part of her would die too. But Manny wouldn't let her sulk in her own misery. Ben and both Gentaro and JK needed her to keep the cheer up and if she was allowed to stew in her own sorrow then she was of no use to anyone.

"Julie, you know Ben ain't no saint. Remember how much he ticked everyone off with how much he loved being the big cheese of the universe? I think you were angrier than even Azmuth about how fat Ben's head had gotten. But he still knew that he had to be the hero to everyone who looks up to him. This life didn't choose Ben but he never backed down from a challenge and don't think that this is all your fault. Well it's not and you know it" he corrected the tennis player. "Besides don't you think he wants to come home to a beautiful girl that loves and cares for him? I know I would!" Manny cheerfully admitted to Julie. The young girl bushed at what he had told her as she never really thought of herself as that way before."But there's more to you than a pretty face. You're smart, resourceful, able to give Ben the business when he needs it better than even Kevin, plus you see Ben as a human being, not some alien freakshow. Trust me when I say that means more to Ben then he lets on but he really loves that part about you" Julie had heard the story about how Kai wanted Ben to stay as Benwolf forever so her can train him as pet and while she didn't share in Gwen's anger towards the selfish girl she knew that it would NEVER work out between those two. But now wasn't the time to sulk as Gen and JK needed them right now. 'Hopefully they're doing all right with all this and their friends will pull though this' Julie thought. If there was ever a time for a miracle, now was the perfect time for that.

Ben generally knew when things just weren't right with people exposed to odd energies and the case with his new friends was no different. While he getting a transfusion of blood to slow down or better yet, halt his genetic breakdown for a short time he felt that Gentaro needed a friendly ear right about now. "Look I know we don't know much about Cosmic Energy but Azmuth's smarter than most anybody in this universe and Emoto's there to help out. Look, I know you're worried but getting all upset over this isn't going to help them any faster" But Gentaro was the sort of person to wear his heart on his sleeve and he was still depressed over all of this.

"How can I relax? I've failed as a Kamen Rider and we still don't know if what your Azmuth is planning with work on them!" Gentaro cried out, fear resounding in his voice. But his fears about how the 'detoxing' were nothing to how worried we was for their state of mind. Higher science was never his field of expertise and if something was way over his head he had both Kengo and Yuki to help him out with that. But Kengo wasn't there and Yuki was poisoned by the dark energies of a Horoscope Switch, causing her to lash out at people randomly. Since the former Horoscopes in Ben's care were not fully capable of controlling themselves with negative CE in their bodies they had to restrained for their own good. Having to strap down people who he cared about, who were always happy to be around him, was almost too much for the happy go lucky boy to handle. JK tried to place a hand on his shoulder but Gen wasn't in the mood right now as he just put his hand back down and sat down by Ben to sulk.

"Gentaor-san, try to hold onto the hope that the others will pull though. Emoto is our friend and I'm sure he'll come up with something" JK comforted the Rider. Hearing that his friends were in the care of someone he could trust, albeit a person who was also a former Horoscope Switcher, helped calm him down. Just then Azmuth walked in with some bittersweet news for both Gen and Ben.

"The good news is after Emoto was willing to test the Cosmic Energy draining technology we are pleased to report that there will no side effects for those undergoing the treatment. However it does take some time to fully drain away all the Cosmic Energy from a person's body and regrettably the process is rather painfully. So you will need to come to the operating room and try to comfort the other before they begin treatment" Azmuth cleared his throat as this next bit was going to be hard to say, especially to Ben who the news affects the most out of all of them. "Ben... I've gone over you latest reading and so far I have found no way to stop your cellular degeneration. You will be dead within the next two months. I'm truly sorry about this Ben" Azmuth then deeply sighed as while his face didn't show it he was hurting inside from the emotional pain of what he told them about Ben's fate. It was unprofessional to get overly emotional over things like, but Azmuth didn't want to lose Ben as he thought of him like a grandson, though he would never admit it. Ben knew from all the times he's been with Azmuth that while he didn't seem like it he did care about people more than he lets on. But his life was never easy with all sort of criminals and warlords wanting to pervert his works into weapons of mass destruction, causing him to lose much of his good humor and making it hard for him to trust others easily.

Gen however was not happy about Ben's grim diagnostic. Bending down to Azmuth's level he wanted to let out all his fears and worries to him by he was unable to do so as he just cried out in sorrow. As JK picked him up Ben asked "Is he going to be OK?"

JK turned to where Ben was sitting and admitted "I don't really know anymore" as they both headed to where the others were.

It was perhaps the hardest thing Gentaro had ever done before. Luckily Erin and Ran were asleep right now, but the moments of bliss were cut off by a odd jerk every now and again. Sure this would cure them but having to hurt his friends to save them? That went against his code of conduct and it made him sick to his stomach just thinking about that. Both girls were sealed into a cylinder that was connected to what one could consider a high tech pump. Although they were sleeping peacefully it still pained Gen when the machine was turned on, draining away the negative Cosmic Energy that triggered their mutations and unfortunately causing them some distress. The process went on for ten minutes but to Gen and JK it seemed like a eternity. When it was done Erin and Ran had to be lead to a recovery station to recuperate from this, but to Gentaro's relief it was just laying down in a nice bed and getting waited on. The food could be nicer though but that's what one expects from a military base, even one in space run by aliens.

When it was Tojiro and Yuki's turn Ben wanted to help them out to where they needed to go. Of course that was easier said than done.

"I'm gonna rock and roll FOREVER! You can't stop my talent, you lameass basta-" Tojiro's shouts were blocked off thankfully by the soundproof nature of the cylinder he was placed in. JK couldn't stand to see the man that was his friend act out like this. Tojiro was always friendly and never bore any ill will toward anyone, even if he can be manipulative at times. Still it seemed like he calmed down enough to show him a note he made saying "When you're better we should practice some more. I thought about our old band back in middle school and while I don't want to go pro anymore I still want to rock out with you because you're my friend. " Tojiro gave JK a sincere smile and a hearty thumbs up as if to say "Of course! We rockers have to stay together, right?" JK then headed back to where Manny and Julie were with the others, feeling better about life now that there was a light in the darkness.

Yuki was able to go in without insentient to Gentaro's relief. But then was something she wanted to say before the cylinder was sealed. "Gen-chan, we've known each other for years now. We always have been the best of friends but lately I have been thinking about the good you did for everyone back home. I was so worried that Kengo-kun would get hurt fighting the Zodiarts but you were able to become Fourze and save him from that fate. In fact you were able to make so many friends that Amanogawa High School is a much better place because of what you've done for all the students there. " She was blushing because this next thing she wished to say was embarrassing but it needed to known now. But the cylinder was closed on her before she could say it. Hot tears were falling down her cheeks as Gentaor asked her kindly if she was alright but she could hear nothing though the glass. But then a odd little miracle happened right there and then. As it would turn out Yuki's tears were fogging up the cylinder. Seeing her chance she wrote something near and dear to her heart and hoped that Gentaro felt the same way as she did. On the tube she wrote "I love you" in Kanji on the condensation in the tube. Gentaro was so happy to hear or rather see that! He always was close to Yuki and hoped that she loved him as much as he did, but he was afraid that she might reject him. Plus his first love, Nadeshiko had her body destroyed by Foundation X so Gentaro was a little paranoid about letting people get that close to him again. But there it was, clear as day. Taking a piece of paper he wrote "I feel the same way you do" on it and showed it to the girl he cared about. But the bliss caused by their declaration of love was cut painfully short by a fit of rage caused by the dark energy in Yuki's body, causing her to scream and claw at the glass furiously.

While it wasn't really Yuki talking it did upset Gentaro a good deal. But as soon as it happened Yuki was herself again, very upset at herself for what she did, although it wasn't her fault. But Gentaro just smiled and placed a hand on the tube, letting her know that he loved her and that he would be by her side. He would never let his anger get the better of him ever again.

As Tojiro and Yuki drifted off to sleep as luck would have it in Ben's universe the alarm went off, hurting JK's ears. A holo-screen hummed to life and showed a map of all seven continents of Earth, with a flashing red dot on London. A smaller screen then blipped in from the dot and showed Gen and Ben that Vilgax was attacking the people of London, trying to get to somewhere important to him, but where and why? That didn't matter to Azmuth right now. What mattered was saving lives. "You mission is to stop Vilgax from gaining ground in London. Both Tojiro and Yuki will be monitored by Manny and Julie so focus on your mission. Don't fail these people" he told the two boy matter of factly. Ben was used to how Azmuth dealt with crises but Gentaro wasn't too pleased with Azmuth's bluntness. Having to drag the Rider out wasn't how he wanted to get him out before he said something he would regret, but it was the quickest way. Trust wasn't something Azmuth gave out freely and even harder to regain as Ben found out the hard way. Better Gen stay on his good side then deal with an unhappy Gavan.

Though the runway was cleared no ship could make it fast enough to get there on time. But Ben and Gen didn't need a Plumber ship. Though Gentaro has the Cosmic Switch it wasn't usable now since his freinds were not totally well and he unsure about how they're doing right now. But he had a backup Switch: The S-1 Rocket Switch Nadeshiko made for him before her passing. She wasn't dead as Gentaro knew but her physical body was converted to the SOLU Switch and then destroyed, regrettably by the hands of himself and Kamen Rider OOO. With the Mega Burgermeal Foodriod the propriety of the Club the S-1 Switch was the only thing he had left of her. He would treasure it forever but now he had no choice to call upon its powers. Setting it into the Fourze Driver he transformed into Fourze and activated the S-1 Switch, turning his white suit orange. Now as Rocket States, with the Gyro, Drill and Sheath Switches in the driver should he need them he brought the two Rocket Modules to life and flew down to where the action was as Ben, in the form of Cannonbolt flew close by him as they reentered the atmosphere.

From high up one could easily see London as Hell on Earth due to Vilgax's attack on its fair soils. Fires raged uncontrolled as the people fled away from his enforcers: Driscoll aka Dark Aries and Zombozo aka Dark Taurus. So far no one was able to halt their rampage as Vilgax stood on Big Ben, well aware of the irony of starting his revenge on a 'Ben' had all 12 Horoscope Switches flying overhead, ready to bring about the Dark Nebula and doom the citizens to a most painful death.

But his gloating was cut short by the flaming form of Cannonbolt as he reentered Earth's atmosphere, knocking Vilgax painfully down back to the ground below. As Cannonbolt cooled down and unfurled himself he smiled gently at the children there as they cheered Ben. Fourze soon landed by his side as Ben reverted to human form and the children were right up in Gentaro's face, wanting to know just who is Ben's new friend is.

Vilgax however soon got up even though he was a great deal of pain. "Save your photo shoots until you're sure your enemy is DEAD!" he boomed as he fired off a Ruby Ray blast and threw a spear at the two heroes. But they both were more than ready for his assault as Gentaro blew the spear away with Gyro's Module and Ben blocked the beam with NRG's suit.

Vilgax's woes were then noticed by D. Aries and D. Taurus. While Vilgax is far from their friend and in Driscoll's case his former enemy, they still had to help him out. After all he did give them the power to take revenge on Ben, didn't he not?

"Ah, dear Ben. I had such a lovely time here but I must be on my way now. But be sure to greet my two new apostles. They're just dying to meet you!" Without truly meaning the first thing he said but slyly referring to the fact that Driscoll and Zombozo could die from overusing their Switches Vilgax flew away, leaving the two Dark Horoscopes alone to face their enemies.

"I may be a minotaur now but you always were the one will a lot of Bull!" Dark Taurus spat out hatefully as he charged at NRG, trying to gore him but failing as Ben fired off a heat attack from the faceplate of NRG's armor. As D. Taurus stepped back, his chest sizzling from Ben's blast he couldn't help but make the observation that he's now "smoking hot" to Dark Aries's annoyance.

"Have at thee, slayer of heroes! I shall mount you head on my mantle as proof of my superiority!" Dark Aries gloated as he swung JASON, his sword at NRG but it was blocked off by Fourze's Drill Module, causing sparks to fly before he backed away.

Gen knew that their new Dark Horoscopes were stronger than anything he ever fought before and that Ben, unpopular with him as he was, still needed help. Taking out the S-1 Switch and plugging in Elec he then powered up into his golden form, Billy the Rod at his side.

"ELEC ON!"

As Fourze Elec States sword fought with Dark Aries he couldn't help but think back to Ryusei, his friend and rival, Kamen Rider Meteor. To think that he needed the powers of the Aries Zodiart to save his friend and that Emoto, the Virgo Zodiart, was helping him with that. A lot had happed to them all when they found Aries' Switcher, but odder still was now he was fighting his successor in a universe that was only a fictional world to him back home. But his lack of concentration on the battle was going to cost him and Ben knew it.

"HEY! Doofus, pay attention here! That's the Forever King you're fighting and he's still kinda mad at me for George's death" Ben shouted at the Rider. Gen wasn't pleased at Ben's bluntness, but he was thankful that he was warned fast enough to roll from a strike that would have taken off his head. As D. Aries attempted to stab Fourze he used Shield to stop his attack, to Driscoll's fury.

As NRG and D. Taurus wrestled with each other the London Bridge was starting to give way due to the damage it had taken during Vilgax's assault. As it was slowly falling apart the people on it were screaming in utter terror, too frightened to get off in time. "It looks like their party is going to go out to sea, but I can still shake things up a bit" Dark Taurus joked as he stomped the ground below him, causing a shockwave to knock three people over the sides to their deaths as the others were just thankfully knocked down. "AW! I think they don't want to dance anymore. But they do need to cool off and what better way than to go for swim?" Dark Taurus said as he laughed evilly.

Ben could stand no more of Dark Taurus's madness. As he went from NRG to Fourarms he began to punch the Horoscope with absolute fury. It's bad enough he killed people this day, but to laugh about it like it was nothing?! Ben could never forgive something so horrible. " I'm gonna turn you into tenderized beef!" he growled at Dark Taurus.

"Ah ah ah, you should know that if you mess with a bull, you get it HORNS!" as D. Taurus stabbed Fourarms' shoulders with his sharp horns. As blood leaked out of the wounds onto his green striped shirt Ben grabbed the horns with his lower arms and broke them off, causing Dark Taurus to howl in pain.

"Gee, thanks for the horns. But I don't really want em, although I did mess with ya!" as Fourzrms threw them over the London Bridge. While his tone was joking Ben's face was showing his true emotions. With a scowl he Big Clapped Dark Taurus's head, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Before he could regain his bearings Fourarms picked him up and started to spin him around. "Everyone get off the bridge now! I don't know how much longer it's gonna hold!" he warned the survivors as they finally ran off to safety. Ben really didn't want to do this but Dark Taurus left him no choice. The London Bridge was too far gone to save and he couldn't help but wonder if under all that Cosmic Energy was Zombozo, a foe that terrified him due to his Coulrophobia back when he 10 years old. But he wanted to know before he finished him off so he asked, "Is that you Zombozo?" The zombie clown started to laugh that creepy laugh of his and Ben knew it from the bottom of his heart: This is the same monster that tried to kill Gwen, who laughed when innocent people died earlier today. Ben knew for a long time that there was a death warrant out on Zombozo's head, but up until now he never wanted to really kill his enemies.

But things were different now. Now his enemies were willing to harm other people in other dimensions. They were now capable of destroying whatever they wanted to now with their new powers. As his grip on Dark Taurus tightened Zombozo knew that Ben was now willing to kill him. He cried out "PLEASE BEN, NO! I'm sorry about Gwen! I'm sorry about your poor, sweet mother! PLEASE DON"T KILL ME!" but his pleading was on deaf ears as Ben slammed his head down onto the Bridge, ending his life and his reign of terror once and for all. As Zombozo reverted to him normal form and evaporated to stardust Ben changed to Jetray and flew off the Bridged before it sank into the waters below.

As the people cheered Ben on for saving him he felt sick to his stomach. He never killed anyone before and it made him very upset. But still there was the thought that now no one else will suffer at Zombozo's hands ever again. Still in Jetray form Ben flew to where Fourze and Dark Aries were still fighting and it was looking bad for Gentaro. A bloody gash was on the arm that held Circle Modules and Gen was getting woozy from lack of blood, Driscoll would not let him be so he can heal with the Medical Module. Ben shot his eyebeams at D. Aries's back and he soon turned around to see Jetray flying just overhead.

"COWARD! You dare to strike a Knight in the back while he's in combat? You will die this day, Ben Tennyson!" as he changed Jason to Coppelius and started to blast out wave after wave of sand, hoping to catch the boy in a wave, but Gentaro knew that his sand attack would only send him to sleep. But he would not let D Aries get that chance at he slashed the tip off Coppelius, as Dark Aries switched to Supernova form and fired off orbs of energy at Fourze as he used Hopping to get onto a lamppost before prepping the Elec and Drill Switches for the finishing strike

"ELEC ON!"

"DRILL ON!"

"LIMIT BREAK!"

"Rider Lighting Drill Kick!"

As Fourze descended on Dark Aries, the Drill Module crackling with electricity he did a battle cry as the attack hit dead on, causing the Horoscope to blow up and Driscoll to return to human form. As Gen and Ben returned to normal Ben gave the Forever King this warning:

"Sir George died to give you and everyone else on Earth a life free from Diagon. I'll let you go this time but I want to let you know that George didn't die by hand. Diagon was his true killer. So if you can let everyone of your knight buddies know that I would be very grateful about that, OK?" Driscoll knew that he lost this day and gave Ben a curt "Thank you" before starting the long walk back to the main base of the Forever Knights.

All that fighting and the reenter stunt he pulled was too much for the ill Ben as he went on one knee and coughed up more blood. Gentaro ran to where he was and asked, "Ben! Are you alright? You should have never went with me. I should have been a better friend and fought them myself." But Ben just raised his hand and told him this:

"I knew that the life of a hero wasn't going to be easy. But just knowing that people are safe and sound, that they have a hero to look up to and keep them OK, is all the thanks I really need" Gentaro was moved to tears by his statement. It was becoming more and more clear that the dreams of both the Plumbers and the Kamen Riders weren't so different after all. But now he was feeling worse than ever before. He endangered his friends to attack a true hero and one who was dying on top of that. Worse still was the fact that he wasn't by Yuki's side right now. Although he knew she understands that it's Gentaro's job to protect people he still felt lousy about not being there with her right now.

As Gen was stewing in his own misery Ben placed a arm around the Rider. "Look, girls can be odd at times. But if there's anything that makes them happier than anything else, it's a man who puts others before themselves. You'll make a great boyfriend to her, dude" Ben comforted Gen. Gentaro was stunned that Ben knew about what he 'said' to Yuki, but he was pleased that Ben would support him in his new relationship. "People think I'm not paying attention, but I am" Ben slyly answered.

As they waited to be picked up Ben said," I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship"

Meanwhile...

Vilgax wasn't sad about Zombozo's death nor Driscolll's defection. He still had all 12 Switches and he still had his plan. When all 12 Dark Horoscopes were defeated he would be able to use them all to become the Circle Zodiarts, the one who shall have all the powers of the ecliptic constellations. "Soon" he thought to himself, "I shall rule over all!" He would let no one stop his quest, not Ben nor his odd little friend who claims to be 'everyone's friend'. Oh, how he waited for this day to come. Ben would die one way or the other and he would finally be overlord of all things! Laughing madly he raised his fist to his believed victory.