When and Where is the series premiere and first episode of Age of the Timewalkers.
Age of the Timewalkers | |
Season 1, Episode 1 | |
Air date | 4-29-20 |
Written by | Jetrashipper |
Directed by | Jetrashipper |
Episode Guide | |
Previous N/A |
Next AOTT, Episode 2: Down the Burrow |
Synopsis[]
After failing the entrance exam to the Plumbers Academy, Ben and Courtney stumble upon a new destiny by chance.
Plot[]
Ben is sleeping in one summer day when Courtney gives him a wake-up call and reminds him that they're late for the Plumber's entrance exam they've both been looking forward to ever since the Eon crisis. They rush to his grandpa's plumbing store on Courtney's MoPed and run into him down in HQ, where he lets them know they're late and instructs them to get ready. As they make their way there, Courtney expresses how much of a disadvantage it puts them at just for being late, but Ben comforts her by saying that her overthinking is the only thing that's holding her back and that she should just be confident in her first decisions. The teens then join the lineup with the rest of the to-be cadets, where they meet their overseer for the exam, Magister Xiomara, no-nonsense Tetramand who chews the cadets out.
After a 500-lap long warm-up around the training arena, Courtney points out that she and Ben just couldn't be built for the Plumber life, which sparks up an argument between them over if it's their only shot at a bright future or not. The exam then begins under the instructions to take down several monsters attacking a city set alone. Everything goes fairly smoothly, up until the point Ben gets cornered by two monsters. Courtney swings in and they take them down together, but not without reprimands from Xiomara afterwards. Courtney fights back against her criticisms, saying that being a hero is all about teamwork, which Xiomara obviously seems to be against. This eventually gets her kicked out of the ranks. Ben passes, but he turns it down to stand up for Courtney, which ends with BOTH of them getting banned from taking the exam again, cutting off their future as Plumbers for good.
The next day, Ben visits a crestfallen Courtney where she's cleaning her garage, telling her that he hopes he can find something else special in life to share with her, comforting her and restoring their friendship. He offers to help so they can hang out at Mr. Smoothy's later, but as they're working, Courtney discovers a strange crystal embedded in the brick wall of her garage. Upon removing it, it tears open a glowing portal, seemingly going to nowhere. The episode ends with the teens getting sucked inside while everything remains unmoved, as if nothing happened to begin with.
Characters[]
Main:[]
Supporting:[]
- Max Tennyson
Minor:[]
- Xiomara
- Talpaedan Cadet
- Pyronite Cadet
- Orthopterran Cadet
- Majister Wyatt
Episode[]
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[Zoom-in shot of the Tennyson house. Cut to Ben's bedroom, showing Ben Tennyson fast asleep in his bed, snoring rather comedically when his phone rings. He messily stumbles around for it, knocking a few things off his bedside dresser in the process. He lazily opens one eye to check the contact and sees a PFP of him and Courtney as 10-year-olds posing for the camera. He hits the answer button and turns his face to face the phone entirely.]
Ben: Hello...?
Courtney: *in a suspiciously sweet tone* G'morning, buddy! How's your day going?
Ben: *lazily* Well, I WAS planning on sleeping at least half of it away, so can you make this quick? I just got comfy...
Courtney: Cool, cool...you, uh...you wanna know what I'm doing today?
Ben: Not particularly. But, I suspect that wasn't a real ques-
Courtney: *yells into the phone* I WAS PREPPING FOR OUR GODDAMN PLUMBER'S ENTRANCE EXAM!
[Courtney's sudden shout causes Ben to flinch away from his phone. His startled face begins to degrade into a mixture of annoyance and boredom as Courtney rants on.]
Courtney: We've been waiting for this day for MONTHS now! How the heck could you just casually forget about something as huge and life-changing as this? It's our chance to become actual heroes and get that something more out of life we've always wanted! It took your grandpa politic-levels of debating just to allow us to take the written exam! Twelve Magisters were literally on the verge of STRANGLING us when you asked if Magister Patelliday was a carp with legs!
Ben: *lazily* Oh. Well, that's a thing. But, I mean, he managed to convince the other Magisters and it all worked out, so hey! Silver lining.
Courtney: Okay, what the hell is wrong with you?! You're way too...mellow.
Ben: Well, I had some time to kill last night, so I figured I'd power-level my Sumotar for a bit by taking a crack at the Ghost Ship Level to de-stress. Word of advice: wearing beards does NOT help you pass it.
Courtney: Wait a minute...did you spend last night playing Sumo Slammers again?! I can't believe this! YOU'RE the one who insisted we couldn't pass this chance up when we found out your grandpa was a part of an intergalactic police force, and now you're just-!
[Ben sits up as Courtney is ranting once more.]
Ben: Courtney, Courtney, look, okay, I get it. You've been having a cruddy morning so far. You're stressed out, seven Magisters didn't want to give us a shot-
Courtney: *annoyed* TWELVE.
Ben: Not the point. We're in the clear now. So they got a little angry with us when we first met. And whose fault was that?
Courtney: *indignantly* YOURS!
Ben: That's right: no one's. So why don't you just hang up, lie down, relax, and watch the stars?
Courtney: What stars?! Bedrooms have ceilings, you know!
Ben: Only if you're looking with your eyes.
[There is a prolonged silence before Courtney finally speaks up again in a dangerous tone.]
Courtney: Ben, what time is it?
[Ben checks his phone's clock, still not understanding the situation.]
Ben: Uh, 5:45 AM? A little excessively early, don't you think?
Courtney: And at what time are we supposed to report at the Plumbers HQ?
Ben: 6:00 AM?
Courtney: *slightly aggravated* And HOW long does it take to get to your grandpa's plumbing store from here?
[Ben hesitates for a moment before it finally clicks.]
Ben: . . .O_O. Oh, no-
[Cut to outside of the Tennyson house, where Courtney holds her phone to her ear, looking annoyed, sitting on a MoPed, and wearing a helmet. The faint thudding of loud footsteps descending the stairs can be heard from inside the house. Moments later, a frantic Ben bursts out the door, hoodie halfway on and hair tangled and messy. He hops on one leg towards Courtney's MoPed, still pulling on his cargo pants. He trips on the pant leg and falls flat on his face inches away, grunting in pain.]
Ben: *faintly* Ow...
[Courtney grabs Ben's wrist and hauls him aboard, already starting to drive off.]
Courtney: Get on, Doofus, we'll have to go into overdrive to make it on time!
[The two drive away as the camera pans up to view the barely rising sun.]
~Theme~
[Scene fades in to Ben rubbing his sore nose with one hand while clutching Courtney's shoulder with the other, eyes pinched.]
Ben: Ugh...who wakes up at five in the morning anyways?
Courtney: I don't know, who plays video games in the dead of night right BEFORE five in the morning?
Ben: ...That sounded kind of shady. Are you throwing sha--*GLOMP*
[Ben is cut off as Courtney shoves a bacon-and-egg sandwich into his mouth without turning around.]
Courtney: Here. You're lucky I brought breakfast on the go.
[Ben pulls the sandwich out of his mouth, chewing a little bit before tasting something that reddens his face and causes his tongue to smoke.]
Ben: Ah-ah-AH! HOT!!
Courtney: Oh, good, I was hoping the hot sauce would wake you up a bit. We can't risk sleeping on our soon-to-be job.
[Ben digs a water bottle out of Courtney's bag as she talks without her looking and chugs the entire thing down, successfully cooling him off. He pants a little, relieved.]
Ben: Blegh...has anyone ever told you that you're a cunning and dangerous person?
Courtney: On a daily basis. But truth be told, you wouldn't survive a day without this "cunning and dangerous" person. Heck, you'd be sleeping through the practical exam right now if I hadn't chased you out of bed.
Ben: ...That's fair.
|
[Ben and Courtney rush into the store, tossing their helmets aside as they enter.]
Ben: Grandpa? Hello?
Courtney: Hmm...weird...he said in the back room of his plumbing store, but no one's here. Maybe he's also late?
[The duo walk behind the counter to a back room, where all they find is a crusty bathroom with a single toilet. They both grimace in disgust.]
Ben: I don't think Grandpa Max would miss something he fought so hard to give to us. Maybe the entrance to the Plumber HQ is hidden.
Courtney: Hidden where? The toilet? Because I am NOT flushing myself down that thing.
[Ben finally looks up and notices the chain hanging from the ceiling.]
Ben: ...Huh. That's weird. It looks like a flusher, but it's not connected to the toilet at all. I wonder...
[Ben reaches up and pulls the flusher, where nothing happens at first. Then, after a moment's hesitation, the toilet starts to bubble a little. Courtney stares down at the toilet bowl with nervous eyes.]
Courtney: Please don't explode, please don't explode-!
[The floor then cuts a circle around the two and drops into the floor. Unprepared, the two teens hold each other, screaming with their eyes shut the entire way down. The elevator takes them down to the Plumber HQ, where Grandpa Max waits for them at the bottom of the shaft. The elevator doors open, revealing the still-screaming teens. Grandpa Max clears his throat, getting Ben's attention. He opens one eye, notices his grandpa standing there, then quickly pokes Courtney's face to get her to open her eyes as well. She does so, also noticing Grandpa Max, then her screaming fades to silence, both teens giving Grandpa Max an embarrassed smile. Ben releases Courtney and scratches the back of his neck shyly.]
Ben: Eh-hehe...hi, Grandpa ^^;
Max: You two are late, I hope you know.
Courtney: I-I mean, not exactly, we got here at six on the dot! Isn't that on time?
Max: The EXAM starts at six. So unless you got here with Plumber armor under your clothes, you're late. Hop to it, kids!
[Ben and Courtney step out of the elevator, watching Grandpa Max walk off.]
Courtney: Huh...guess your granddad's a different person underground.
Ben: Eh, I wouldn't worry too much. We both know he can't go easy on us today.
Courtney: Haha, yeah, gre--no, that's GREAT. On top of that, I miscalculated what time we needed to get here by and we're already late, despite our efforts. This is a WONDERFUL start, just PEACHY!
[Ben's takes Courtney's shoulder in an effort to calm her.]
Ben: Whoa, whoa! Courtney! Quit being so hysterical.
Courtney: Hysterical? Who's hysterical? I'M not hysterical, I'm completely calm! We're just running late for one of the biggest opportunities of our lives, NO BIGGIE!
Ben: See, that's the problem with your thinking. You're always overthinking and worrying about what might happen. You've got to learn to be confident, Courtney.
Courtney: Confident? I'm plenty confident! I've gotten us through more situations and soccer matches than you can count!
Ben: Yeah, after spending literal HOURS planning for them. But we don't have that kind of time here. In a dangerous situation, you only have mere seconds to think, or no time at all. Part of being confident is being able to just go for it.
Courtney: That sounds more like impulse than it does confidence.
Ben: Well, as long as you can tell the difference, you're good to go!
Courtney: *bends her brow* I...guess.
[The teens suddenly get buried under Plumber suits.]
Patelliday: There! Put those on and meet your instructor in the training deck at 0500.
[Ben and Courtney stick their heads out from under the pile and glance at Patelliday in confusion, then at each other.]
Patelliday: *snaps* That means NOW, cadets, NOW!
[Ben and Courtney jump up at the command and rush off to their respective locker rooms. Ben stops for a moment before entering the boy's locker room.]
Ben: Well...see you on the flipside, Dingus.
Courtney: Same to you, Doofus.
|
[A line of cadets, including Ben and Courtney, stand straight as Magister Xiomara, a Tetramand female, strides back and forth between them.]
Xiomara: Alright, listen up, GRUBS, because I'm only going to say this once. The Plumbers are no place for bed-wetters and weaklings, so if you need to take a bathroom break in your big-boy pants, either keep it to yourself or go find an Earth plumber and get lost. Bet you all think you're Plumber material, don't you?
Cadets: Yes, Ma'am!
Xiomara: Think you got what it takes to keep up with the elites of the galaxy?
Cadets: Yes, Ma'am!
Xiomara: Got the guts to face what dangers lie in the universe's darkest folds?
Cadets: Yes, Ma'am!
[Xiomara stops pacing and turns to the cadets, a false smile on her face.]
Xiomara: Well, then, let me be the first to tell you:
[Xiomara leans into their faces and shouts with enough force to blow their hair back.]
Xiomara: YOU'RE WRONG!
[Xiomara continues her pacing.]
Xiomara: If you had what it took, you'd already BE a Plumber! Right now, you don't even have what it takes to be a fighter on this mudball PLANET!
[Xiomara gets in the face of a male Talpaedan cadet, whose bolts are shaking.]
Xiomara: Still think you're something SPECIAL, kid?
Talpaedan Cadet: *gulps* N-No, ma'am...
[Xiomara confronts a Pyronite cadet next.]
Xiomara: Think you're hot stuff, hot-shot?
[The Pyronite cadet shrinks down into her Plumber armor.]
Pyronite Cadet: Not me...
[Xiomara backs off and catches Ben in her line of sight. She strides over to him, leaning down to face him head-on.]
Xiomara: And here we have Magister Tennyson's little brat. You think this'll be easier for you just because you're the grandson of one of our overachievers?
[Ben stares ahead with a straight face.]
Ben: No, ma'am. I'll earn my own place, ma'am.
Xiomara: *narrows her eyes* We'll see about that, little boy.
[Xiomara then spots Courtney, who is caught staring defensively down at her reprimands to her friend. She quickly faces ahead upon catching Xiomara's eye, but she walks up to Courtney nonetheless, circling her curiously.]
Xiomara: Well, now, what have we here? Got ourselves another meatbag on our team now, do we?
[Xiomara gets in Courtney's face, sneering vindictively.]
Xiomara: You look like you're the worst cadet out of the whole bunch. I bet you won't even last the full day!
Courtney: *smirks* Try me, ma'am.
[The other two Magisters in the room give each other worried looks while the cadets begin to whisper amongst themselves. Ben cocks his head at Courtney in a "what the hell are you doing?!" manner.]
Xiomara: What's that, newbie? Is that a challenge I hear?
[Courtney starts to realize what she just said, the confidence from before draining with just one stare.]
Courtney: *nervously* Uh...
Xiomara: So, you DO want a chance to prove yourself, huh? Well, now's your chance.
[Xiomara gestures to the whole cadet team.]
Xiomara: Give me 500 laps! ALL of you!
[The cadets groan and complain as Ben facepalms.]
Xiomara: *thunders* NOW!
[The cadets are scared into submission, immediately taking off in a run around the training deck. Ben jogs up next to Courtney.]
Ben: What the heck was THAT all about?
Courtney: What? You told me to be more confident, so when she got up in my face, I did that!
Ben: There's a fine line between confidence and blatant RUDENESS, Courtney!
Courtney: Oh, c'mon! If all your advice is gonna do is cloud my judgment, then keep it to yourself next time!
[Courtney jogs ahead, leaving Ben to growl in frustration to himself as she overtakes him.]
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[The cadets finish their 500th lap, exhausted and winded. Some have already collapsed while others are crawling to the finish line. A few even lean on the walls with their knees shaking. Ben and Courtney are off in the corner, also sweating up a storm. Xiomara storms in, unmoved by the exhaustion of her troop.]
Xiomara: What are you lot doing lying around?! What is this, naptime at preschool?!
[A timid magister walks up behind her, trying to calm her.]
Magister: N-Now, now, Xiomara, the cadets are just resting a bit. They just ran 500 laps around our biggest training ring. You can't push too hard, you know.
[Xiomara wheels on her coworker, somehow looking even more furious than before.]
Xiomara: What do you mean, "can't push too hard"?! If these wimps are ever going to get a move on in their careers as Plumbers, we need to whip them into shape!
[Xiomara grabs the wrist of a nearby cadet and hauls them up and off their feet, shouting in their face as they dangle from her hand.]
Xiomara: Get up, you lazy lumps! It's time for the test!
[Ben and Courtney cringe as their fellow cadets drag themselves into a line after Xiomara.]
Ben: Out of all the magisters who could've given us a test, it just HAD to be a four-armed drill sergeant?
Courtney: Maybe it's just the fatigue talking, but I'm starting to think the Plumber career isn't the future for us...
[Ben sits up, shocked by Courtney's sudden doubt.]
Ben: What? You're kidding, right? Don't tell me you're bailing already!
Courtney: But this is ridiculous! At what time will we have to run 500 laps while chasing an alien criminal?!
[Ben angrily gets in Courtney's face.]
Ben: Maybe you should've thought of that before talking back to our troop leader!
[Courtney returns the stare, nose-to-nose with Ben in anger.]
Courtney: Yeah, following YOUR cruddy advice!
Ben: Before this, we were nothing but a couple of soccer jocks! Now, we have the chance to become real heroes WITHOUT piggybacking on a magic alien watch, and you're saying being a Plumber isn't the way to go?
[Courtney softens up a little, backing off and scratching the back of her neck uncomfortably.]
Courtney: Geez, Ben, that whole ordeal with the alternate versions of yourself was so long ago...
[Ben takes a deep breath, recomposing himself, and stands up.]
Ben: Look, all I'm saying is that this is the goal we've been working for, the "something more" we've always talked about. If we can pass this entrance exam, we'll achieve what we've been after for so long!
[Courtney also stands, giving her friend an unsure look.]
Courtney: ..."Us", Ben? Or just you?
[Ben turns to face Courtney's confrontation.]
Ben: ...What?
Courtney: I don't know about you, but...I've always been happy with the run-of-the-mill life we've been living. Maybe you find it boring, but a quiet life is better than one full of danger and impending doom, isn't it?
Ben: Seriously?? Then why were you so panicky this morning?
Courtney: I just wanted to support you! Sure, this Plumber stuff is cool, but is a little extra excitement in life really worth the risk?
Ben: Are you listening to yourself?! You sound like you don't want to be a hero!
Courtney: That's not it, I-
[Xiomara sticks her head back through the door, interrupting their conversation.]
Xiomara: Hey, meatbags! You've got five seconds to get your butts over here with the rest of your troop or you'll be spending the next hour running more laps while they become Plumbers!
[Ben looks over and salutes.]
Ben: Yes, ma'am. We'll be right there.
[Xiomara slinks back into the doorway. Ben leaves Courtney behind and starts for the door, but not before delivering one last statement, not even turning to look back at her.]
Ben: *mumbles* At least your counterparts weren't such cowards.
[Courtney looks stung by Ben's words, but doesn't reply, instead hanging her head and begrudgingly following him.]
~Eyecatch Intermission~
[The scene transits to a cityscape set, where the cadets stand in a line as Xiomara paces back and forth.]
Xiomara: Alright, maggots, it's do or die from here. As a Plumber, all you have to work with, no matter what, are your wits and your skill. There are monsters wreaking havoc on this makeshift town and it's your job to put a stop to it. The exam ends when all the monsters have been cleared out or when I call time. What's more, you can have no assistance whatsoever. You pass or fail on your own.
[The cadets glance at each other nervously, wondering what she could mean by that. Ben, however, nods in agreement, his face steely with determination. Courtney leans over in line and tries to catch her friend's eye, but he turns away pointedly, still angry with her over their argument.]
Xiomara: Alright, now let's see some hustle out there!
[The roars of a monster in the distance sound, and the cadets turn and get ready to move out. Xiomara retreats to a nearby observation deck with the other Magisters, Max included, and pulls out a microphone connected to the speaker system.]
Xiomara: Ready? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand...MOVE OUT!
[The cadets run into the town set and scatter once they hit the first intersection. Ben heads down an alley and makes his way up a fire escape to reach the roof of the building. Courtney, going in another direction, makes a break for the source of destruction. Their fellow cadets are shown doing their own individual approaches, no two cadets working together. The Magisters above watch with a careful eye.]
Max: So, who do you think is going to succeed in beating the monsters and passing the exam?
Xiomara: Only those who hold their own will be worthy of being a Plumber. Depending on others is a waste of energy and time.
Max: ...I'm not so sure about that, Xiomara.
Xiomara: No? Well, you run your troop the way you want to, and I will run mine the way successful Plumbers do.
[Max stares at Xiomara for a while, then looks back down at the action, where the havoc continues. Back down on the cityscape set, Courtney is busy trying to track down one of the monsters. She finally approaches one, which is busy gobbling up a line of parked cars. She carefully draws her gun and aims for the back of its neck.]
Courtney: Hokay, big guy...be a good monster and stay still...
[Before Courtney can pull the trigger, the Pyronite cadet from before tosses a fireball out of nowhere, sending the monster into temporary confusion before jumping in on the scene and finishing it off. Courtney's jaw gaps open in disbelief, then closes in realization.]
Courtney: *annoyed* Nice.
[Meanwhile, Ben is off in another sector, still on high ground. He finds a new monster stomping around and chasing civilian dummies. He drops down a floor and gets ready to pounce when the monster suddenly disappears below ground.]
Ben: What the-?!
[Ben looks twice to see the Talapedan cadet from before emerge out of the newly-created hole, revealing that it was him who caved in the ground below the monster. He runs off, Ben shaking a fist after him.]
Ben: Hey! That one was mine!
[The cadet runs off, leaving Ben to heave a patient sigh.]
Ben: No, no, this is alright...it's fine! Beginner's luck.
[Scene switches to another cadet stealing a monster kill from Ben.]
Ben: *slightly annoyed* Serendipitous seconds.
[Scene switches to ANOTHER cadet stealing a kill from Ben, who is now more annoyed.]
Ben: *more annoyed* Third time's the charm.
[Scene switches back to Courtney, who weaves her way expertly around the surrounding buildings. A monster suddenly rounds the corner, growling angrily.]
Courtney: Oh, hello! So it's a fight you want, huh? Then it's a fight you'll-!
[Courtney is cut off as the monster is suddenly pounced on by a Orthopterran cadet.]
Courtney: ...get...from someone else. -.- Why do I feel like it's going to continue like this from here on out?
[Courtney reluctantly backs off and runs away to find another monster.]
Courtney: If things keep up like this, I might not pass at all! Hope Ben's having better luck...
[Meanwhile, back with Ben...]
Ben: I am having the WORST luck! Won't a monster just attack me already instead of waiting to get JUMPED by some other stupid cadet?!
[Right on cue, a monster breathes behind him from where it had been stealthily approaching him. Ben's pupils shrink as he cautiously turns to look behind him and face a roar of the loudest proportions. He tries to shake it off and stares defiantly back up at the monster.]
Ben: Finally! Alright, bring it on, ugly! It's hero ti-
[Ben goes to slap his wrist, but stops mid-catchphrase when he slaps nothing but skin.]
Ben: O_O; Oh...somehow, I completely forgot about that...
[Ben then remembers the gun on his back and draws it.]
Ben: Oh well, guess I'm going to have to go old-school! ...Uh...how do I use this again?
[The monster snarls and bites the gun out of Ben's hand, crushing it in one bite.]
Ben: *laughs nervously* M-My...what big teeth you have...?
[The monster attempts to crush Ben with a gigantic foot, to which he dodges and runs for it.]
Ben: Why do situations like this always end with me running for my life?!
[Ben rounds a corner and heads up another fire escape to catch his breath.]
Ben: Okay...okay, pull yourself together, Tennyson. You can do this. You were BUILT for this. You were DESTINED to be a hero. If I took down a time-traveling crackpot version of myself and a human version of Chtulu, then what trouble can one monster be?
[Ben's self-pep talk is interrupted by a different monster peering around the corner and spotting him.]
Ben: O_O; ...Yeah, two monsters might do it...
[Meanwhile, Courtney runs in and sees two monsters with their heads wedged between two buildings, clawing at something.]
Courtney: Yes! Found some! And not another cadet in sight! Maybe I CAN do this after all!
Ben: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
[Courtney freezes up as she recognizes the voice. One of the monsters pull Ben out from between the buildings, holding him at arm's length. He's unarmed and struggling to get free. Courtney looks distressed, looking back and forth between the second monster, who's still digging around in between the buildings and vulnerable to attack and the monster that has Ben. The Magisters watch from the spectators box.]
Max: Ben!
Xiomara: *tsk-tsk* Guess your grandson just didn't have it in him. At least his little girlfriend will end up being worth something, even if that monster is kind of handing it to her.
[Xiomara pulls up a walkie-talkie.]
Xiomara: Charge up the tasers and rein in the monster. We're done he-
Courtney: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Xiomara: What in Khoros' name-?!
[Courtney runs in, gun drawn, rushing up the first monster's back and shooting it in the head, causing it to drop Ben. He plummets into empty air for a few scary moments, but Courtney catapult's off the monster's face and catches him, sending them both through the window of another building.]
Ben: *coughs* Ugh...Courtney? What are you doing?!
[Courtney nudges her head towards some nearby coiled power lines, already reloading her gun.]
Courtney: Grab some of those power lines and focus on that second monster! I'll take care of his friend.
[Courtney jumps out of the building, leaving Ben with no choice but to obey. He grabs a few coils, which prove to be heavier than he expected.]
Ben: *oof* Alright then...let's try this!
[Courtney skids back down onto the street and fires a few more shots at the first monster's face.]
Courtney: Hey, you! Your mother was a salamander!
[The monster growls and swats at Courtney, narrowly missing as she runs underneath its legs. Meanwhile, Ben is busy weaving a small web of power lines between the two buildings the second monster is sniffing around in.]
Ben: That should do it. Courtney! Lead the other one over here!
Courtney: Got it!
[Courtney makes a break for the power line web, where the first monster is only too happy to follow. She runs into the alley, barely able to dodge the monster's swipes at her. However, with each attempt, it gets more tangled in the power line web until it's totally trapped. The second monster notices and lifts its head, only to get stuck as well. Now both monsters are stuck. Courtney makes her way up the building to meet Ben, who is already waiting for her by the breaker. He places his hand on the "on" switch.]
Ben: Ready?
[Courtney also places her hand on the switch.]
Courtney: *smiles* Ready.
[The two friends face their angered enemies.]
Ben & Courtney: Contact!
[The two pull down the switch, activating the power and shocking both monsters out of commission. The Magisters in the spectator's box seem impressed, Max especially, but Xiomara looks livid with rage. She picks up the microphone.]
Xiomara: All cadets report to the starting line! NOW!!
[Ben and Courtney look up to receive the announcement.]
Ben: Uh, she sounded kind of angry.
Courtney: She ALWAYS sounds angry. I don't think it's anything to worry about.
Ben: I dunno, that wasn't typical drill-sergeant angry...that was legit Tetramandian rage.
Courtney: What was that you said at the beginning of this whole thing? *winks* Have a little confidence, Doofus.
[Ben can't help but smile back at her.]
Ben: Yeah...we're probably fine. Maybe she's going to praise us for being able to take down TWO monsters while everyone else only got one! I bet she'll march right up to us and say-
[Scene abruptly cuts back to the starting line, where Xiomara shouts in their faces.]
Xiomara: That was the most chicken-hearted, gutless, weak-kneed display of paper-tigering I've ever seen!
Ben: O_O...Okay, so it was a little different than what I expected.
Courtney: Must've bought a thesaurus or something JUST for that insult...
Xiomara: I SPECIFICALLY said that you can have no assistance whatsoever! Or was all the yellow COTTON in your ears blocking that part out?!
Courtney: We thought you meant from the other MAGISTERS! What could POSSIBLY make us think you meant our own teammates?!
Xiomara: If you're going to be a Plumber, you have to be able to stand your own ground! If you can't do that, you're letting the entire troop down!
Courtney: Being a Plumber means being there for your team! And that's EXACTLY what I just did!
Xiomara: Yeah?! Well, where was that noble little act of yours when OTHERS were attacking the monsters? Didn't seem too eager to help them, now did you? Or were you seeking out your fellow meatbag fool of yours just because you knew he couldn't handle it on his own?!
Courtney: Ben is the bravest, smartest, most amazing boy I've ever known in my life. And if you can't see the potential he has to become a hero just because he's a human, then YOU'RE the fool!
[Everyone gasps, almost in complete unison. Ben stares on in complete shock, absolutely touched. Xiomara, however, narrows her eyes coldly.]
Xiomara: Oh, I can see his potential to be a Plumber, alright. A shame I can't say the same for you.
Max: Xiomara?
Xiomara: This kind of insubordination is not tolerated in the Plumber ranks! You're out of the field, meatbag. Now pack up and go home.
[Courtney's face melts from defiance to disappointment, then despondence. Her head slightly hangs and she leaves. Xiomara scoffs as she passes by.]
Xiomara: Just like I thought: wouldn't even last the full day.
[Ben stares after her sadly, not believing this is the ending Courtney deserved.]
Xiomara: Now as for YOU, Tennyson. While I still say receiving some unauthorized help isn't plum-ruck, I will admit that your skills could be useful. Adapting and using other ways than a gun to take down not one threat, but two? That's rather impressive for a greenie like yourself. I'd say there IS something to you after all.
Ben: Meaning...?
Xiomara: *nods* Welcome to the Academy, Tennyson.
[For a moment, Ben smiles, hardly daring to believe it. But one last glance at Courtney changes his mind.]
Ben: ...No.
[Xiomara stares him down.]
Xiomara: Pardon?
[Ben strides past Xiomara to catch up to Courtney, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.]
Ben: As much as I'd like to take all the credits for stopping those things, I couldn't have done it alone. Courtney was the one who came up with the plan. If anyone around here is brave, smart, or amazing...it's her.
[Courtney smiles back at her friend, touched at his loyalty. Xiomara looks annoyed for a split-second, but she cracks a false smile.]
Xiomara: Well, then, how about we do this instead?
[She leans down to meet them, then shouts at full force.]
Xiomara: You're BOTH cut from the Plumbers!
Ben: ...S-Sorry, could you repeat that? ^^;
[Scene abruptly cuts to Ben and Courtney being thrown out of the store. Max walks out after Xiomara to help them.]
Max: Xiomara, this is such an overreaction! They passed the test fair and square, and you're just going to cut them for speaking up for each other?
Xiomara: They were a part of MY troop. We agreed to your terms of letting them take the exam as long as you agreed to ours. And THAT was that I oversee it and I decide whether they pass or fail! And as of now, I decree that NEITHER of these worthless whelps will become Plumbers! EVER!
[Xiomara slams the door on the three of them, leaving them all outside. Ben gets to his feet and goes to his grandfather's side.]
Ben: Grandpa, this isn't fair! Can't you do something about this? You're also a Magister!
[Max looks over at Ben sadly.]
Max: I'm...sorry, Ben, but there's nothing I can do. Xiomara had full control over your troop. Unless she changes her mind, I don't think you two will be allowed to take the exam again...
[Ben faces the ground sadly, defeated. He then sighs deeply and gets to his feet.]
Ben: Well, I guess that's it, then...at least we tried, right, Courtney?
[Ben turns to face Courtney, but she is no longer there. He glances around, looking for her.]
Ben: ...Courtney?
[The rumble of a small engine can be heard. Ben looks up the road to see Courtney's retreating back, driving her MoPed down the road, alone. Ben stares after her sadly as Max walks up next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.]
Max: ...Need a ride home?
Ben: *sighs* Yeah...
|
[Courtney is sweeping in her garage. She looks tired and crestfallen, wishing she had something better to do. She's so deep in her thoughts, she slips on a stray grease patch and falls, the broom clattering a little way off. She growls in frustration and rolls onto her back, scrunching her fists into her face. She remains like that for a bit before hearing footsteps.]
Courtney: *glumly* I'm not done yet, Dad, just give me another hour...
?: Need some help, Dingus?
[Courtney opens her eyes to see Ben standing above her, holding the broom out to her. She's at first happy to see him, but memories of yesterday overtake the happiness. She sits up to face him, and begrudgingly takes the broom without speaking to him.]
Ben: ...You okay? I haven't seen you in a week.
Courtney: I've been busy.
Ben: With what?
Courtney: Oh, y'know, the usual. Moping, sulking, crushing our dreams into a messy pulp...
Ben: Oh, please tell me you're not blaming yourself for the exam last week.
Courtney: I don't know why YOU'RE not blaming me! I thought I was helping, but I bombed everything for us! For YOU! This whole Plumber thing was your only chance at becoming that hero you always wanted to be and finding something more in life! I mean...!
[Courtney faces the floor, her voice growing soft.]
Courtney: Why would you throw that all away for some coward like me?
[Ben realizes that Courtney overheard him the other day, and seems to regret it looking back. He looks away with a small sigh to himself.]
Ben: Courtney, I-I'm sorry about what I said about you earlier. I was being selfish. You were pushing so hard just so I could be happy and...I acted like a jerk.
[Courtney slightly looks up.]
Ben: I've always wanted to find something special for myself ever since I was a kid. And...maybe if I can't find it today, I'll find it some other day. And when that day comes...I'd rather be with you.
[Courtney looks at at last, comforted.]
Courtney: Pffff-haha...that's sweet, Tennyson. But you're still a total doofus for quitting for my sake.
Ben: *smiles* Still a dingus.
[The two hug, all troubles made up. Ben stands, pulling Courtney up with him.]
Ben: You wanna go hang out at Mr Smoothy's after we finish up here?
Courtney: Yeah...I think that sounds like a nice way to decompress.
[A little while later, Ben and Courtney are still working on the garage, nearly done. Courtney is lifting a huge box onto a shelf while Ben holds the chair she stands on steady.]
Courtney: Alright, I think this is the last one. Aaaaaaand--*oof*! Got it!
Ben: Sweet! We ready to go?
[Courtney wipes her sweaty bangs when a sparkle in the wall catches her eye.]
Courtney: Yeah, sure! Just let me...huh?
[Courtney looks back at the wall to see a shiny piece of something stuck in the bricks of the wall behind the garage. Slightly confused, she goes up on her tiptoes to get a better look.]
Ben: Courtney? Whatcha doing up there, bud?
Courtney: Just give me a second, Ben! I think there's something back here!
[Courtney reaches out to the shiny object and manages to grab it, but it's good as stuck in the wall. She pulls, trying to get it out, but to no avail. Below, the chair begins to creak, making Ben a bit nervous.]
Ben: Uh...Courtney?
Courtney: One moment!
[Courtney gives the shiny object one final tug and it suddenly sparks, finally coming free. But she leans too far back in surprise, and the chair splinters in Ben's hands, causing her to fall.]
Ben: Hey, watch it-!
Courtney: AGH!
[Thinking fast, Ben quickly dives under Courtney and catches her in the nick of time, holding her up bridal style as a quartz crystal tumbles to the floor and skitters a little way off from them. Ben breathes a momentous sigh of relief before realizing he's still holding Courtney in his arms. Blushing madly, he quickly places her on her feet.]
Ben: S-Sorry! O////O Are you okay?
Courtney: Yeah, I'm fine, but...what was that?
[The teens direct their attention to the crystal, which lies on the floor, pulsing and glowing.]
Ben: It's...just a rock.
Courtney: Do rocks normally pulse?
Ben: I don't think so...
[Ben cautiously draws near to the crystal and pokes it. It sparks once again, shocking him a little and making him step back. But it does nothing afterwards.]
Courtney: Huh...guess that didn't do anythi-
[The crystal suddenly starts floating in midair. As Ben and Courtney back up a safe distance, the crystal begins spinning, growing bigger and bigger until its spinning arc forms a portal.]
Courtney: I take it back! That did something! It DEFINITELY did something!
[The portal begins to swirl, seemingly pulling in nothing, but Ben and Courtney find themselves struggling against the pull.]
Ben: What?! What's going on?!
Courtney: We need to get out of here! Quick, try to make it to the garage door!
[The two try to pull themselves along the wall and to the door into Courtney's house, but the suction of the portal, almost on cue, increases its pressure. In a faulty misstep, the same grease patch from before catches Courtney off-guard and she slips, tumbling towards the portal.]
Ben: Courtney!!
[Ben reaches out and manages to grab her wrist just in time, struggling to keep the portal from pulling her in. But the force becomes ever stronger.]
Courtney: Ben, I'm slipping!
Ben: Just hang on! Don't let go!
[Courtney's grip steadily slides out of Ben's, but in an act of desperation, Ben releases the shelf with his free hand to use both to grab Courtney, releasing him from his only anchor and sucking both of them into the portal. The garage remains undisturbed, as if nothing ever happened.]
~END OF EPISODE 1~
Events[]
Major:[]
- Ben and Courtney fail the Plumbers exam, cutting off their future as Plumbers.
- Ben and Courtney discover the mysterious crystal and get teleported to the Temps.
Minor:[]
- This episode reveals that Courtney has a MoPed scooter, indicating that she may be their mode of transportation in the material world.
Trivia[]
- As most series premieres are, this episode is the longest in the franchise, with its 1 hour long screentime.
- This premiere is based off of the prequel of Ben 10: Reboot Revolution, No Watch, No Problem!, written by Ultra3000 and Aaronbill3.