03x11 - Trade Off

[bunniefuu]

[ crash ]

[ rapid footsteps ]

Darkstar!

Just the creep
I've been looking for.

And now that you've
found me?

I'm gonna put you out
of my misery once and for all.

You're going back to
the Null Void, where you belong.

Stand still!

You got this beatdown coming!

I'd almost forgotten how
tedious you can be.

Pretty careless of you
to let me track you down!

Hardly careless.

Otherwise, I'd never have left a
trail so obvious,

even an imbecile
could follow it.

I wanted you to find me,
Kevin.

Both our lives depend on it.

If this is one of your
tricks...

I assure you I am
entirely sincere.

If I release you, will you at
least hear me out?

You got one minute.

Go!

My question is a simple one --

do you like being trapped in
your current hideous form?

About as much as you
like being a butt-ugly,

energy-sucking vampire.

No offense.

None taken.

For that is precisely my point.

What would you say if I told you
there was a way for both of us

to become normal again?

How?

I'll show you.

This is the Dominus Librium --

an ancient instrument of
extraordinary power

and decidedly alien origin.

Looks like an
oversized wishbone.

Legend has it that
the Librium

was actually a sophisticated
power conduit,

capable of transferring
extraordinary energies

from one vessel to another.

Thanks for the history
lesson.

But it's history no longer.

After a great deal of effort and
expense,

I have managed to track the
artifact to an isolated island

recently risen in
the South Pacific.

Losing interest.

You shouldn't,
because I believe this relic

can restore the two of us to
normal.

Not that I don't trust you,
which I don't,

but why are you telling
me all this?

Because, quite frankly,

I can't get to
the artifact alone.

I require your unique abilities
to retrieve the Librium,

and I am willing to trade you
the cure for your help.

Selfish motive.

At least that makes sense.

So, what say you?

Are you willing to momentarily
put aside our differences

in order to be cured?

Got a feeling I'm
gonna regret this, but...

okay.

I'm in.

Excellent.

And your friends,
the Tennysons?

They'll just have to get along
without me for a while.

Any luck?

Kevin's Plumber badge
isn't responding.

Try it again.

He should be here.

I'm not his babysitter,
Ben.

If he wants to ignore us,
that's his choice.

Fine.

Then he'll just have to miss all
the fun.

The Forever Knights aren't gonna
kick their own butts.

So, how do we get there
without Kevin's car?

Easy.

We improvise.

Jetray!

Onward and upward!

So, where are we --
Easter Island?

Actually, Rapa Nui is several
hundred miles from here.

This island has been submerged
for centuries.

A recent undersea upheaval
brought it to the surface.

Oh. So it's more like
"Groundhog Day" island.

Ugly suckers, aren't they?

Who are we to throw
stones?

Good point.

Let's get what we came for and
get out.

Tread carefully.

Those who built this temple did
not take kindly to trespassers.

This isn't the first
time I've done this, dude.

I know what I'm --

uh-oh.

This can't possibly be good.

We're getting outnumbered here!

Inside!

The statues are too large to
follow us.

Well, that was --

Whoa.

And there is
the prize we seek.

Impressive, isn't it?

You see now why I needed your
assistance?

Fine. I'll get it.

Man!

Smells like a monkey's
armpit up here!

Quickly!
The Librium!

Got it.

Let's get gone.

Oh, great.

[groaning ]

Unh!
Aah!

Unh!
Ungh!

Oof!

Are you all right?

Better than ever.

[ rumbling ]

This gizmo must have been
holding the place together.

Yaaah!

Get this crate airborne now!

[engine powering up]

No one will bother
us here.

It's time we put the artifact
to use.

You sure you know what
you're doing with that thing?

Absolutely.

It's designed to balance our
powers.

It allows me to absorb enough
energy

from you to make you
normal again,

while the influx of your energies
restores me to normal, as well,

effectively shutting down both our
powers permanently.

So, where's the "on"
switch?

Just take hold of
the opposite end of the Librium.

Do it!

Okay. Now what?

Now the magic happens.

[groaning ]

Can't you feel it?

The Librium is transferring your
excess energy into me.

[straining ]
It hurts!

[straining ]
Nothing...worth having...is
gained...without effort!

Wait!

Stop it!
Stop!

Aaaaaaaah!

[groaning ]

What part of
"Wait! Stop! No!"

Didn't you underst--

Huh?

M-my face.

I-I'm human again.

As I promised.

Can't morph,
can't absorb.

I'm -- I'm cured!

Now neither of us
can absorb energy.

We're free to get
on with our lives.

And I owe it all to you.

KEVIN:
Okay.

Sure.
You're wel--

[grunts ]

Our association is
hereby concluded.

It would be wise of you to never
again cross my path.

BEN:
Still no word from Kevin?

Not a peep.

I'm really starting to get
worried.

KEVIN:
About me?

I'm touched.

Kevin!

Where have you been?

What's with the black eye?

Is that supposed to make you
look tougher?

Oh.

I feel your skin.

You're not wearing your I.D.
mask.

Nope.

I'm back to human.

How'd you do it?

Gwen's been working on a cure
for months.

And I'm no closer than
when I started.

Hey, what can I say?

I, uh, wished upon
a star last night

and woke up this morning
my old gorgeous self.

See?

No transformation, no powers --

no nothing.

Really?

Hey, I'm better.

What else matters?

And that black eye
you're sporting?

[laughing ]
Oh.
That?

I was so excited to be a human
again, I, uh,

walked smack into an open door.

Hey, small price to pay,
huh?

KEVIN:
Yeah.
Right. Whatever.

So, we got any Plumber business
to take care of or what?

Don't we always?
Come on.

We'll fill you in on the way.

KEVIN:
So, the Forever Knights are at
it again, huh?

Yeah, we got to
the robbery too late.

They were already gone.

Not that anyone's
pointing fingers or anything.

Fine. Okay.

I should have been there.

GWEN:
Not so fast.

Without any powers,
you could get hurt in there.

You'd better wait here.

What?!
But I --

I mean it.

Great.

So now I'm just a chauffeur?

What happens when you two
finally get your licenses?

They're almost finished
loading.

If we're gonna do something,
it better be now.

Then I guess it's time
for...

[ beeping ]

...Big Chill?

[sighs ]
Never what I ask for.
Never.

I hate a cold reception.

KEVIN:
Hey, tin men!

That wasn't very chivalrous.

I thought I told you to
wait by the car!

Yeah, like that was
gonna happen.

Run away! Run away!

Time to put you
creeps on ice.

[engine sputtering ]

Good thing their engine
wouldn't start.

Trust me --

they weren't going anywhere
without their distributor cap.

Powered or not,
Kevin,

you're still an important part
of this team.

We need you.

Hey, Gwen.

What do you say, uh, to maybe a
movie or something later?

I can't.

Uh, I've got an...errand to run.

Okay.
Your loss.

You noticed that I'm really
good-looking again, right?

[engine revs ]

I'll see you later,
Kevin.

After I make sure you can live
with whatever it is you've done.

Michael's manna led me
to him like a beacon.

He's inside.
I can feel it.

Ah.
Lovely Gwen.

I've been expecting you.

I'll just bet you have.

Kevin's aura stinks of you.

Tell me what you did to him,
and maybe I'll go easy on you.

Tell you?

I'll be more than happy
to show you.

Kevin has the Dominus Librium to
thank for his current condition.

It absorbed his power and
transferred it to me.

I can no longer absorb energy on
my own,

but the artifact can
still do the job for me.

[gasps ]

[groaning ]

Finally, sweet Gwen.

Finally, all your power is going
to be mine.

[ ringing ]

Still no answer?

Nothing.

My calls go straight to
voicemail.

And she has her Plumber's badge
turned off,

so we can't track
her that way.

[speed-dialing ]

[ ringing ]

This is all my fault.

That Gwen had to run an
errand?

That she's gone to do
something stupid.

Okay, stop staring at me
like that.

You're creeping me out.

So talk.

Fine.

I made a deal with
Michael Morningstar, okay?

Gwen must have figured it out
somehow,

and now she's gone off
to find him.

You what?!

Then we'd better find her --

fast!

Fastest way to track her down is
as Jetray, so...

[ beep]

Echo Echo?!

That's getting old,
Ben -- seriously.

Tell me about it.

I'll split up, check all over
town for her, then --

No time. Hop in.

I think I know where she's
going.

[engine turns over]

[grunts ]

[ Echo Echoes grunting ]

Then what are we waiting for?

Go!

KEVIN:
You know,
you could have done that

before you got in
my ride.

[tires screech ]

[gasps ]

[groaning ]

N-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!

I knew you'd come
looking for me, lovely Gwen.

Kevin is too stupid not to have
let something slip.

KEVIN:
Hey!
I resent that!

You may look human again,
but deep down,

you're still the same miserable
creep.

Sticks and stones,
little man.

Haven't got any handy,

so you'll just have to settle
for...

Swampfire!

Hey, the Omnitrix got it right
this time.

Pat yourself on the
back later.

Gladly.

Hyah!

Thank you for giving
me your power, lovely Gwen.

It tastes...

delicious.

And while we're at it,
Benjamin,

suppose I take yours,
as well.

[gasps, groans ]

That's it, children.

Give me your power.

Give me all your power!

N-no!

N-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!

What do I do?

What can I do?

Without my powers,
I'm useless.

Hang on, Gwen!
I'm coming!

MICHAEL:
I wouldn't advise
that, Kevin.

The balance of energy through
the Dominus Librium is delicate.

If you interrupt the flow
in any way,

the consequences can be
catastrophic.

[groaning ]

I don't care!

Nothing matters as long
as Gwen is safe!

[weakly]
Kevin... don't.

Stop!

You'll ruin everything!

KEVIN:
Like you said,

"our association is hereby
concluded."

N-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!

[sighs ]

KEVIN:
[ moaning ]

Kevin, are you all --

[gasps ]

What? What's --
Oh.

Figured that might happen.

I'm so sorry.

If it wasn't for me --

No. Don't.

I did what I had to do.

And I'd do it again in a second.

DARKSTAR:
No!

Look!

Look what you've done to me!

You'll pay for this.

Someday, you will all pay!

Think we should go
after him?

Nah.

He won't be a thr*at to anyone
for a long time.

BEN:
[groaning ]

Where am I?

Kevin.

What happened to you?

Call it karma, kid,
and leave it at that.

Come on.

Let's go to Mr. Smoothy's.

First round's on me.