Ben 10 (Reader insert)

Merry Christmas

Traveling down the highway in the overheating Rust Bucket, I struggled to stay conscious. It was hard with the air conditioner not even blowing cold air, just more hot on top of the already steaming heat the desert provided. Leaning back in the booth seat, I groaned, fanning myself half-heartedly with a hand.

"We are in the middle of the middle of nowhere." Gwen groaned from the back. Sitting on the couch that double as a bed beside Ben. Both looking like fish out of water, dried and waiting to be cooked.

The redhead looked at the thermostat that rest beside her head. Blinking green eyes slowly to try and focus on the number.

Ben piping up in a whining complaint to his grandfather. "Grandpa, can't you crank up the ac?"

"I'm afraid it's at maximum right now." Grandpa Max said, sounding to jolly and energetic for the heatwave we were suffering through. "We'll stop at the next gas station."

All three of us rose up in shock, shouting together. "We'll be grilled cheese by then!"

Ben lifted the watch up, fed up with the limited cool air. "That's it, time to go small to get cool." In a flash of green light, Ben was now Gray Matter. He flipped his way up to the roof, where the air conditioner rested, and dove inside it. The smart alien's mutterings spilling out as he worked.

"Okay, recalibrate the three on evaporation cycle. Spin the expansion valves, and reline these condenser coils."

I drifted over to Gwen, hopeful that the ac would work and I could catch the first steady stream. The redhead leaning forward in her seat in matching excitement. "Finally, a chance for winter in summer." I mumbled to myself.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Gwen asked.

Ignoring his cousin, Gray Matter called out to us, "One more second and it's ice cube city-"

Something popped from within, smoke flooding in the R.V. Grandpa Max was forced to pull over so that we could get out. All of us coughing and wheezing under the burning sun.

"This doesn't look good." Gray Matter cried from on top Gwen's head. Having landed their in our rush to get out. "Guess that didn't go as planned, huh?" He mumbled guiltily.

Gwen's gasp cut off any further conversation. Drawing our groups attention to where she was looking off deeper into the desert. A door, with two large guards that looked like nutcrackers, sat nestled among the red rocks.

"What's that doing in the middle of the desert?" Ben asked.

"Better yet, what is it?" I added.

Gwen took hold of her grandfather's arm, tugging it with childish excitement. "Grandpa, can we check it out? Please."

"Sure, don't sweat it." The elder laughed at his own joke as we sent him glares. "Sorry. Just couldn't help myself."

Heading off deeper into the desert, making sure to let the elder trail behind the three of us so there weren't any more puns, we arrived at the door. Which had looked smaller from a distance, but now towered over the four of us easily. It was all Christmas themed on top of that, strange for the middle of the nowhere in a summer bound desert.

"Giant toy soldiers? In Death Valley?" Gwen questioned more to herself than us.

Grandpa Max hummed in thought. Exclaiming a high 'ah-ha' when he found the answer he was searching his brain for. "There must have been one of those holiday theme parks here. They probably packed up and left and forgot this thing."

"But isn't this a bad place to put a theme park?" I asked.

"Not necessarily."

The door creaked open, a blast of cold air rolling over us. The chill very much welcome after the heat of the desert.