章 16: Trouble at the Hotel
"I can't apologize enough for what we've caused," Max said, sincerely addressing the mayor as the town was being cleaned up, the Megawatts now safely contained.
"It's fine. Besides, although we lost our biggest attraction, we've acquired a new one that will soon be raking 'em in," the mayor replied, gesturing to the Megawatts encased in a giant light bulb. "And those diamonds we salvaged will keep us afloat for a while."
"It's funny how those monsters ended up helping us," he added. Fred had been using illusions to keep their involvement a secret.
"Haha..." The gang laughed awkwardly, trying to avoid further suspicion.
"Anyway, we'll be leaving now," Max said, leading the group back to the rust bucket.
As they drove off to their next destination, Max announced, "We'll stay here for the night." They pulled up to a lavish hotel.
"Woah, really?" Gwen exclaimed, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the grand building. "Will we really be staying here?"
"Don't get too used to it. We're only staying for the night," Max reminded them. But Gwen's excitement didn't wane.
"This place is amazing. I'll have to treat myself to things like this when this is over," Fred mused, gazing up at the hotel.
"Hoo," Ben marveled, spotting a Sumo Slammers advertising board in the gaming section. He ran over to test it out but was stopped by a security guard.
"Pass?" the security guard asked, blocking his entry.
"Uh... I didn't bring it with me, but it's cool, I'm one of the game pros," Ben stuttered, trying to sound convincing.
"No pass, no entry," the guard stated firmly, sending Ben back to the others, dejected.
"Ben, I know what you're thinking. No sneaking in there," Max warned as they headed to their rooms.
But Ben had other plans. He waited until they were out of sight, then turned into Ghostfreak and snuck back to play the new Sumo Slammers game.
As they reached the elevator, Max noticed Ben's absence. Turning around, he saw only Gwen and Fred behind him. Fred, lost in his own world, walked straight into the unopened elevator doors with a thud. "Ouch."
"Is something the matter?" Fred asked, noticing Max's enraged expression. He looked around, realizing Ben was missing. "Oh," he said, understanding that Ben was likely up to his usual antics.
Before they could go search for him, a security guard approached them. "Don't tell me..." Max groaned. The guard led them back to the check-in desk, where another guard was detaining Ben.
After a round of formalities and explanations, they found themselves being kicked out of the hotel.
Max's eyes narrowed with a mix of frustration and disappointment as they all piled back into the rust bucket. He took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure.
"Ben, this has got to stop. You can't keep sneaking off and causing trouble. We're a team, and we need to act like one."
Ben crossed his arms, glaring defiantly. "I just wanted to play the game, okay? What's the big deal?"
"The big deal is that every time you do something reckless, it puts everyone in danger," Max replied sternly.
"That's not fair! I can handle myself just fine," Ben shot back, his voice rising. "I'm the one with the Omnitrix, remember?"
Max's patience was wearing thin. "Yes, and with great power comes great responsibility. You need to think about the consequences of your actions."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before," Ben muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Ben," Max said, his tone softer but firm. "This isn't a joke. How can I trust you, if you always do things like this."
"Why are you're always on my case," Ben retorted, his defiance unwavering.
Gwen and Fred exchanged concerned glances, knowing this wasn't going to be resolved easily. They all knew Ben meant well, but his impulsiveness was a challenge. With tension lingering in the air, they set off again, hoping for a smoother ride ahead.
"Ben, that watch is not a toy for you to misuse," Max said sternly, his eyes hard with frustration.
"Umm, excuse me, I've used it like a hundred times for good. Why can't I use it to treat myself once in a while? I don't see you telling off Fred about him using his powers," Ben shot back, his voice defensive.
Max sighed, trying to keep his patience. "I'm not talking about how many times you've used it, Ben. And I'm not on Fred's case because he's not sneaking into places illegally just to play games."
"Psshh, it's not like it was a big deal," Ben responded, leaning on his hand with a dismissive air.
"To you, it wasn't. All you care about is yourself," Max replied sharply. "That attitude of yours won't lead you anywhere. You're banned from Sumo Slammers stuff for two weeks."
"That's not fair!" Ben shouted, slamming his hands on the table in anger.
"Neither is being kicked out of a four-star hotel I've already paid for!" Max retorted, his voice rising to match Ben's.
"Fine. Take it out of my allowance," Ben snapped.
"Wait, you don't get an allowance," Gwen interjected, only to be silenced by both Max and Ben.
"Stay out of it," they said simultaneously, making her retreat.
"I'll just keep playing my games," Fred muttered, not wanting to get involved as he sat in the front seat.
"This is my vacation too! You can't always tell me what to do. This is my watch, it's stuck on my hand. You're not my dad!" Ben retaliated, his words hitting Max hard.
"Well... I'm not your father but... I am your guardian during this trip," Max responded, stuttering slightly, thrown off by Ben's words.
"Haaa. I'm going back to the hotel to see if I can get my money back," Max said, needing some air as he stepped out of the rust bucket and headed to the hotel.
Ben stormed out too, looking for some fresh air. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" Gwen called, following behind him.
"Should I follow them?" Fred pondered, left alone in the rust bucket. "This reminds me, soon it will be time for that meeting," he thought, getting up. "Now that I think about it, I'm kinda looking forward to it," he muttered, following along behind Ben and Gwen.
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