The massive beast created waves that slammed against the docks, civilians ran in fear as they tried to escape the enraged beast.
The Krakken slammed its large tentacles downwards, about to destroy some parts of the pier when suddenly.
*SWISH*
A flash of blue and black passed through and effortlessly grabbed the civilians one after another and placed them away from the dock.
As the creature zoomed back into the lake, he started to save the ones on the water. XLR8 placed the last civilian on the ground before looking at the giant aquatic alien.
'Weird, this thing isn't dumb and understands intentions yet it's not scannable by the Omnitrix. Speaking of which, it did allowed me to scan the Vampire from before on voice command but now isn't, weird.' XLR8.
Now, Ben knows the plot and therefore doesn't want to help Jonah or his crew but he also can't give anyone else a reason to kill the Krakken, the DC world is curious, if it's sentient it gets legal rights, if it's a mindless monster Superman can punch a hole through his chest… why did Ben just pictured a clown?
Just then, Ben noticed two figures swimming in the lake and saving/evacuating more of the civilians.
'The looks of that guy match with the pictures of Aquaman's sidekick: Aqualad. The girl I don't know but at least they're doing something. That makes my job somewhat different.' Ben thought as he saw the young heroes saving more lives.
Given that the other heroes were dealing with the rescue part, XLR8 can now focus on the real job of driving the Krakken away.
With another swift dash, XLR8 ran towards Jonah's ship and created a water tornado that repelled the Krakken away. The Krakken dove back into the lake, not giving up on her quest.
"Geesh, what could possibly make that thing this angry?" XLR8 asked aloud.
"I don't know, but thanks for the save." Jonah thanked XLR8.
Before he could say a word, the Krakken rose from the lake and grabbed one of the crates that was in Jonah's boat. In his desperation, Jonah lunged at the crate trying to save whatever is inside it.
XLR8, knowing better, pulled Jonah back and loosened the locks on the crates, allowing the Krakken to grab it and return to the lake.
"No! why did you do that?!" Jonah complained.
"Sorry bud, but whatever's on that crate ain't worth a life. Your welcome." XLR8 said with a raspier voice than usual as he ran into the horizon, ignoring the two Atlanteans.
"Who was that?" Tula asked Kaldur.
"No idea, but I bet the league may know." Kaldur.
He tapped on his communicator but something weird happened, he couldn't reach anyone from the Justice Leage or anyone for that matter.
"Something's jamming the signal." Kaldur.
"Should we fall back?" Tula.
"If we leave the creature be, it could go on another rampage that could extend unto the nearby city." Kaldur.
"What about that creature from earlier? Ally or foe?" Tula.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I've heard from the king to not engage it unless for self-defense. It also seem to be aiding us at drawing the creature away." Kaldur.
Both of them looked at the direction where Ben went, wondering who their mysterious ally was.
(Just to be clear, Ben's identity is secret to only those from the league. The rest know he exists but as a shapeshifter alien.)
*BEEEP BEEP BEEEEP BEEP*
'Right… damned watch.' XLR8 thought as he deaccelerated.
*BEE BOOP BOOOP BOO BOOO.... *
In a flash of red, Ben returned to his human form and walked by the edge of the lake.
'Aqualad and that fish girl are here… I wonder if they were tracking me or were here for the Krakken. I mean, a freaking sea monster is a hard thing to miss so… I wonder where I fit in all this.' Ben wondered.
Regardless of his thoughts, Ben kept walking searching for something, or more precisely… someone.
At the furthest side of the lake he saw Shaw fixing his boat from some minor damage that the Krakken caused. Shaw is currently camping; he has some fish cooking by the fire and water boiling on a pot.
Ben got closer to the fire and sat nonchalantly, catching Shaw's attention.
"What're you doing here lad?" Shaw asked in his usual gruff tone.
"Nothing, just vibing." Ben answered as he warmed himself near the fire.
"I don't like any pipsqueak company, go to your parents." Shaw kept working on his boat.
"Can't they're dead. Not from today mind you." Ben answered again as he helped himself a fish from the fire.
Shaw's antisocial demeanor almost falters before he shrugs and resumes his working.
"So, do you know what that thing was?" Ben.
"It's the Krakken, been chasing the damned beast my whole life. Crazy they called me but once I hunt it down I'll go down in history." Shaw.
"Cool. Quick question: How exactly are you planning to do that?" Ben.
"With a good harpoon shot and some elbow grease." Shaw answered.
Ben looked, a bit incredulous but that was to keep appearances, he predicted as much of an answer from Shaw.
They spent some more time doing nothing, like really, nothing. Ben like's Shaw's character, he was a grumpy ass softie written right. No backstory, no hidden intentions for atonement, he's just a temperamental fisherman that's a good person.
Ben noticed that Shaw has a Banjo and grabs it.
"Don't break it." Spoke Shaw as he finished fixing his boat and sat to eat the fish that Ben took off the fire.
Ben strummed some of the cords gently, he always wanted to learn how to play guitar but never had the time, now he has and maybe that's enough for a side-project.
"You're playing it wrong, kid." Shaw said as he finished his first fish.
"No one really taught me how to play; I don't even know the right names for the parts anyway." Ben.
"Why are you even here anyway?" Shaw.
"I'm Adventuring." Ben said with a grin.
Shaw looked a bit confused.
"I'm just trying to enjoy life as much as I can. I sometimes go to crowded places where adventure may happen." Ben.
"Well, ya can't stay here so beat it." Shaw stated as he went to the side to look for his harpoon.
When he looked back, Ben wasn't there anymore. Letting out an assured sigh he went to his boat and left, not noticing a stowaway inside of said boat.
(In the Pier)
Aqualad and Tula (currently using the identity of Aqua Girl) are helping the rest of the civilians to leave but the F.O.F. aren't too keen about doing so.
"What do you mean we have to leave? *Jonah said pissed* Do you have any idea about how many ecological shifts that creature is bringing this lake?"
"I understand, however, in the presence of such dangers we can't possibly allow any civilians remain here." Aqualad.
"What about that crazy guy Shaw? He's probably out there looking for that monster." Jonah.
"We'll look for Shaw once we've confirmed all civilians here have evacuated, which includes your group." Aqualad spoke firmly.
He didn't know why he couldn't contact the league, but he'll be damned if he fails his mentor, and king, in securing the civies.
Before Jonah could retort a notification pops on his phone. After some reading he sighs and signal his team to leave.
"Fine, we'll leave." Jonah "resigned" and started packing his equipment.
Clearly noticing that there was something off but didn't wanted to stretch the matter, Aqualad just nodded and stepped back as he looked at Jonah's team packing all of their equipment.
Once most of it was packed, Aqualad left with Tula to look for Shaw.
"So, that was off." Tula.
"Indeed, this can't be good." Aqualad.
"On the bright side, we can start the process here without any distractions." Tula.
"Almost, we have to take this, Mr. Shaw out of here as well." Aqualad.
"Life in the surface isn't easy, kinda lucky nothing major happens at sea." Tula.
"Lucky enough to have enemies like Black Manta and Ex-Prince Orm AKA: Ocean Master attacking us to try take the Throne of Atlantis from King Arthur." Aqualad answered with a hint of sarcasm alongside some playfulness.
"Speaking of luck, any of it contacting the king?" Tula.
"None, it's almost as if the signal isn't reaching…" That moment made Aqualad think for a moment.
"What?" Tula.
"We've been unable to use our communication devices ever since we've arrived. Even some of the civilians we've saved had the same issues, yet Jonah had just received a message." Aqualad.
"Weird. You think he has a good phone or something?" Tula.
"No. *Aqualad stops walking* We're using League technology; there's no way a simple phone can have better reception than what we have." Aqualad realized something.
He immediately ran towards Jonah's location but by the time they arrived they were too late. Jonah was nowhere to be seen and they couldn't track him.
"We lost them." Aqualad.
"Don't worry, whatever they're doing here must involve the lake, so long as we're here we'll find out what their goal is." Tula comforted Aqualad.
The son of Manta took a deep breath and started to think about their current situation.
'The prophecy of a monster destroying the world, alongside the changeling creature and now some unidentified individuals with high-end tech. if Robin were here he would've figured all this in minutes.' Aqualad looked at the lake.
"Regardless of the variables our roles here remain the same. We find the creature and ensure it never leaves the lake." Aqualad.
"What about Jonah and the shapeshifter?" Tula.
"Leave the changeling and we'll focus on Jonah if he remains here. Otherwise we'll focus on the task at hand." Aqualad.
"Which we'll complete how…?" Tula.
"Still a work in progress. Let's dive and find the creature while the area is clear." Aqualad.
Tula nodded and followed her fellow Atlantean as the two of them swam through the lake.
(At the same time)
Jonah was not having a good day.
He just finished printing the fake permits that gave him full control over the lake when the Krakken attacked, revealing itself to the world and therefore forcing Jonah and his team to use their Void Wave Projector, a device that can intercept communication devices' waves and block them by emitting a wave opposite to it.
(I just made that up sorry if it doesn't make sense, I'm trying to be creative here.)
A little something Jonah had snatched during his time working for Star Labs.
Speaking of which, time for some backstory.
Jonah was just your normal marine biologist in one of Star Labs facilities until one day he realized how much money he could make selling endangered species. He was accused of stealing company technology, the case went cold, he was released, then he was fired and now he's doing illegal hunting with a group of guys he met in Central City.
Yeah, it's not that deep, what we should focus on though is the fact that Jonah is here because he heard rumors of a lake monster in this place. Like any adventurous criminal that he is he went to check it out, lo and behold how his underwater cameras found the Krakken under this no-name lake.
Best thing? He found out that the creature has laid some eggs.
Imagine the amount of money he could obtain from selling giant sea behemoth eggs! But now the game has changed.
Originally, he was planning to use his fake authority to drive people away from the lake so that he and his team could retrieve the eggs and then book it before the media spread.
But now not only did he lost the single egg he managed to snatch, but even Aquaman's sidekick is around snooping where he shouldn't. if it weren't for the disruptor the Justice League would've already canned his ass for this.
"What should we do now boss?" Asked a nameless grunt.
"We'll relocate in the abandoned warehouse at the other side of the lake, the moment we arrive three of us will go and draw the beast in while the rest prepare the base." Jonah.
"What about the heroes, the weird fast guy and that old man Shaw?"
"Shaw is trash, we'll use him as leverage if we can. Not Aquaman and his girlfriend will get lead in their heads and we'll repeat for the fast bug-man." Jonah.
Soon enough he arrived at the warehouse and immediately set off in one of their boats with a small crew while the rest prepped everything else.
(Back with Shaw.)
The old timer is sailing through the misty swamp, armed with a lot of harpoons and oxygen tanks he was prepared to catch the Krakken.
"So… where are we going?"
Shaw looked back surprised and saw Ben looking at another sonar nonchalantly.
"What're you doing here!?" Shaw asked.
"Well, I kinda decided to sleep here and yeah, you kinda took off with me here." Ben.
"Why?!" Shaw.
"I dunno." Ben answered uninterested as he yawned again.
Shaw massaged his temples and sighed.
"Alright, here's the rules for my boat, don't touch anything, don't wear anything and don't eat anything here." Shaw.
"Aight." Ben nodded and sat on a nearby chair.
Shaw kept sailing until he reached the "heart" of the swamp, AKA the place he presumed the Krakken resides in.
He donned a diving suit, two Oxygen tanks and looked at Ben.
"Radios are down so I won't bother coming for help if something bad happens. Anything goes south and you book it." Shaw.
"Uh… I don't know how to ride this." Ben.
"Well, there's no time like the present to learn. *Shaw sits at the edge of the boat and takes a calming breath* Wish me luck kid." With that, Shaw let himself fall into the water, chasing after the Krakken.
Ben only looked at his spot and smirked.
"This old man is one ballsy son of a gun, hehe." Ben laughed as he started suiting himself up with a diving suit that conveniently is his size.
'And now, time to wait for some assholes.' Ben thought while he stood guard, waiting for Jonah and his crew.
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Hey guys, two chapters and it hasn't been a month?!
Shocking, I know.
Well, I'm mostly doing this because I made a mistake in the last chapter and instead of making a 100-word reasoning I decided to make a whole new chapter to explain the thing.
You know, if I pay for my mistakes at least you guys get something out of it.
Anyway, the mistake was regarding the Themyscirans and Atlanteans.
Well, Themyscirans are just humans blessed by the Gods with longevity, strength, superpowers, etc.
And Atlanteans are humans that mutated thanks to Poseidon's magic to breath underwater and all or something like that.
You see where I'm going?
Just as Ben can't transform into an Anodite because he's ¼ in his DNA, he also cannot process these DNA'S due to them being more of mutations to human DNA and surprise, surprise, Ben's human.
So, sorry, I just wasted your time for making some very good names on those two ☹.
While on the subject of the aliens, if there's some cool alien/s I've missed feel free to tell me which one so that I can add them in the next alien name poll (if there's even enough aliens that is).
On another note, some didn't liked Ben's hero name being "Prime" so, I'll leave this space open for you guys to go nuts, if I like the name I'll take it.
I like pleasing my readers, sometimes, so I'd be a blast if you guys would enjoy this story throughout.
That being said, Feedback is also appreciated no matter how harsh it is, unless you're a fucking troll whose only goal is to bust my balls but that's a separated problem, so feel free to write about any inconsistency or ideas you might have.
Last but not least, the names chosen won't be revealed until their respective chapters which will be named by something related to that alien and or Ben himself.
With all that out of the way, enjoy your next chapter since I've read both stories of Firestorm808 about Ben 10 (Although I liked his DC's more) I'm in such a fucking Ben 10 fire that I might, listen closely, MIGHT give you guys another chapter before this month ends.
Have a nice day/night and remember, if you can't imagine Batman caring for a child, then you're just thinking of the Punisher in a fun costume.
Something I'll fix in following chapters.