My head was throbbing, my shoulders were sore, wrists heavy, and a chill was biting against my skin. Consciousness slowly returned to me as I could actually begin to think instead of feeling the many bruises across my body.
Hurt, I'm really hurt and the only thing that could have done that was-
The memory surged the fight through me as I became aware of what had happened. Instantly I winced, regretting the quick action but regretting my lack of caution even more. I was laying in a bare cell made with unfamiliar metal that gleamed with dread all around me. A single light above casted the bare minimum of lighting over me, highlighting the thick cuffs that were casted over my left arm with a chain restraining my right wrist to it.
In front of me, I couldn't tell what was beyond the sparking red rays that made up the wall/door. I could only guess how much I would not want to touch it.
Trying to take note of anything good, I was grateful to be alive, free to move around, and most grateful for the fact that if there was a strange contraption covering most of my left forearm including my hand it meant I still had the omnitrix.
"Ghost Freak." I stated, but no change occurred. Despite having master control, whatever this was prevented all my access to the watch.
Ok, that wasn't great but maybe the power of plot convenience existed. I'm not sure how exactly this world worked, but if it kept throwing Ben's villains at me then it had to give me a way to face them despite the harsh odds…..at least that's what I was telling myself because I could see no way out.
I began to pace, thinking despite my swelling headache for something, anything I could actually do. Tetrax, he was my best bet but I still don't know why he actually fought me as well. Did he think I wasn't a good fit for the omnitrix and tried to take it himself? Maybe, but he didn't outright attack Ben right?
If I knew my life would depend on knowing every frame of a cartoon I would have watched it religiously, but no, I just had to work with what I could scrounge up from my school days. Sitting down, I decided I could try replaying the encounter in my mind, what I had faced versus what happened in the show.
There were few similarities, but too many unknowns. Each thought only brought up a dozen questions and I had no way to get answered. Time passed slowly, or quickly, I couldn't tell because I had no watch or even a window.
Eventually, just as I had nearly gone insane for a fourth time, a sharp hiss somewhere outside my cell startled me. Heavy footsteps began to approach, my body wishing to retreat and hide but there was nowhere to go.
I was only partially relieved to see Tetrax standing before me, but I still had no idea what he had intended for me. His mask kept his emotions hidden from me, and the silence was haunting. I'm not sure it was wise but I spoke up with the best questions I could think of.
"Are we on Vilgax's ship?"
He didn't answer, merely continued to stare at me like he wasn't sure how to treat me either.
This was a big risk, but I needed to know if he was my ally. "Are you really going to turn the omnitrix over to him?"
"Over my dead body." He grumbled with resolve, the alien's voice speaking out through a small speaker built into his helmet. "But why should I let you keep it?"
Why? Well for starters I'm in the main characters body and unless he has a way to bring Ben back and send me home I'm not giving it to anybody. "Because no one suspects a child to have the universe's most powerful weapon."
He let out a short huff, chuff? It was hard to tell through that voice filter of his and the fact that I couldn't see his face.
Before our interrogation could continue the door hissed again, and a who I could only guess was Six Six spoke a garbled language in anger towards Tetrax.
"Vilgax already declared you would claim the bounty. I can't do anything about that." The diamond skinned man spoke before walking off. Please don't go Tetrax, you are literally my only hope right now.
"Gah! I needed it more than this ugly mug." Kraab came skittering into view, damaged armor with sections missing with an occasional spark around the joints. "Do you know how much it's going to take to replace my cranial plate alone?"
There was something he dragged next to him with his one 'functional' arm. Before I could get a good look he tossed it through the ray shields (what I'll call them for now) for it to flop next to me and let out a groan.
Kevin?! He's here too? Why did they pick this kid up?
"Vilgax wouldn't pay me for the other human, OR ANY OF MY REPAIR FEES!"
Tough luck jerk, if I knew how much it would piss you off I would have gone for more than the armor. Scowling at the bounty hunters, I knelt down next to Kevin who looked relatively ok with just a light layer of dust on him. Looking closer he was actually much dirtier than that, but it had been collecting for a while. Sweat and food stains on his clothes, fingernails blackened by grime, and his hair greasier than a frying pan.
When was the last time he took a bath?
A loud clang next to the shielded doorway jolted me, looking back towards the imposing alone I had thoroughly wrecked, towered over me. I wasn't in a powerful alien form now, I was a human child.
"I hope Vilgax takes his sweet time digging the omnitrix out of your body." Kraab hissed before walking away, Six Six soon following. That all but confirmed it, I was in Vilgax's ship. At what point was he healed? Was he still confined to his medical tank or was he ready to claim the watch?
I didn't know if his ship was in orbit or tucked away in a forest that Max and Gwen could get to. Tetrax was doing, something, and hopefully it would help me.
I needed help, and so did Kevin who was laying knocked out next to me. An unrestrained Kevin.
"Hey." I used my one free(ish) hand to nudge him, a short whine escaping him. Good, he wasn't too hurt. "I need you to wake up."
With a low annoyed groan, Kevin's sorely stirred before wiping a hand over his scowling face. "Buzz off…..wait."
Now he was actually waking up, Kevin snapping his gaze to me, my restraints, and the cell around us.
"Ah crap I finally got caught." The boy sat up, nursing the bruise hidden behind his hair. "Did the cops say what they brought me in for?"
"I wish it was the police." I answered as I gauged how I could appeal to his interests. It was in both of our benefit to escape but he would need to know what we're escaping from.
Kevin did a short double take at my response before eyeing the ray shielded doorway. "What? The feds? Geez I didn't think I did anything that big….yet."
"Try something a little more, otherworldly." I coaxed, but my vague answers were not appeasing.
"Stop playing games with me!" He shouted towards my face, making me question when the last time he brushed his teeth was. "Just where are we?!"
That's when I felt it, an impact along the floor followed by another, its force carrying through the walls and the air. A foreboding weight as the steps grew closer. I remained still, quiet, trying to not draw the attention of someone who had been hunting me ever since I got the omnitrix.
The crimson metal plates along the towering legs came into view, tracing up to the most terrifying being I had ever laid eyes on.
"You are on my ship, worm." Vilgax's narrowing eyes closed onto my arm, his furious determination never leaving the omnitrix. "Taking the form of a child, did you really think that would allow you to evade me, or grant you mercy for stealing my omnitrix?"
Keeping my lips shut tight, I couldn't form a proper thought to say any kind of response to him. I knew what he wanted, I knew what he was willing to do for it, there was no negotiations, no tricks up my sleeves, so whatever cards I might have I kept hidden.
"Once my lab is prepared I will take back the omnitrix and remind you that no one, escapes the wrath of Vilgax."
He began walking away, his penetrating eyes leaving my soul as he marched to go ready his tools. But he left one final declaration.
"But I will know who you are, and eliminate whatever world you came from whether it be Earth or another."
As the echoes of his presence dimmed with each step he took away from us, I was able to calm myself, just slightly.
"What was that?" Kevin muttered, eyes peeled as he continued to quiver. "Was that an actual alien?"
"An alien warlord." I said as I scooted myself around to face Kevin. "Listen, whatever he has planned I'm sure neither of us want to be part of it. We need out."
"Y-yeah." Kevin gazed around, trying to make sense of it all or find some opening. "I don't want them to dissect me or whatever."
"Me neither." Holding up my cuffs, I fiddled around to see if there was some way I could wiggle out but no use. If I could transform them I could easily get out of it but whatever was clamped down over the watch kept it from activating. A dampener, and I bet it ran off some kind of energy.
Kevin's hands were free, no restraints to be seen.
"Alright, I do have some form of a plan." I said, Kevin leaning in as we kept our escape plan to small whispers. "If I can get these cuffs off, I bet I could get us out of this cell then we find an escape pod, or maybe a small ship, and escape."
"I don't see a keyhole." Kevin looked around at the thick contraption on my arms. "What kind of handcuffs are these?"
"Alien ones?" I tried to play it off as funny, but he didn't care for my humor. Trying to point him in the right direction to use the powers he has yet to tell me about, I made something up. "I think I can feel some sort of humming, it probably runs off some kind of energy."
"Give it." Kevin grabbed at the cuffs before I could say no. He concentrated, then sparks began coughing out of the slits in the metal and into his fingers as a light began swirling around them. Something clicked inside, and I wasted no time pulling my left arm out of the dampener.
"Great work!" I immediately praised while rubbing the red marks on my skin around the omnitrix. While playing the oblivious kid role I asked what I already knew. "How did you do that?"
"I'm basically an energy sponge." He smirked when he saw my wonder, the same face I did for kids that wanted to show me their latest trick. "Now, you said you could get me out?"
Right, glancing down at the omnitrix, I didn't see green, just red. Vilgax I swear if you switched off the master control I'm going to unlock it again and beat you with every alien the galaxy had to offer.
"I did." I sighed before glancing at my other wrist. It was still chained to the main mechanism that Kevin disabled. While my hand was technically free, I had dead weight attached to me that needed to be carried. Before Kevin could huff in displeasure and pout, I realized that perhaps I would be relying on Kevin a little more. "Actually, how much energy can you absorb?"
"I don't know." He glanced over towards the corner. "Never wanted to risk frying myself. What's your point?"
"My point is that the door isn't metal, it's energy." I directed his attention to the ray shield being projected in the doorway. "You could be our key to every lock in this place."
With a newfound perspective on just how useful his powers were, Kevin confidently brought his hands up to the violently humming wall, and promptly slapped it. With a snap it flung Kevin back, the boy hissing along with his steaming palms. "Argh! This so bites!"
"That was a stupid thing to do." Tetrax's voice alerted us to his witness in our escape attempt. As Kevin became weary that one of the aliens had observed our lack of compliance, I was relieved to see that he was pressing a button to disable the ray shielding. "Follow me, I'll get you two back to Earth."
"Oh yeah?" Kevin huffed. "And why should we trust you?"
"We don't have time to argue." I stepped out, holding up my chained wrist as Tetrax seemed curious as to my willingness to work with him. Still, the alien pinched at the cuff around my right arm and snapped it free. With both arms available to me I attempted to bypass whatever was still disabling my use of the omnitrix.
"Idiot!" Kevin yelled out to me, on guard but still taking a slow step towards freedom. "He could be bringing us to a table to cut us open!"
"Tetrax won't give us to Vilgax." I sternly told Kevin, before sighing as I knew I had to speak in terms the street rat would understand. "Vilgax crossed him big time, this is Tetrax getting payback by slipping us under his nose."
Then I was yanked up by my collar, Tetrax holding me up with ease as my legs dangled over the ground. His helmet collapsed into his suit, making me stare into his crystalline gaze. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, scratch that I hoped he wouldn't.
"Vilgax was right about one thing." He spoke aloud, his true voice unfiltered by his helmet or circumstance. "You really aren't a human child are you?"
"I'm human." I corrected, but didn't dare try to lie to his face to give him an excuse to suddenly try and take the omnitrix away during a moment of weakness.
"Hm." He might not have believed it, but he still placed me down gently as a sign of goodwill. "Come on, we need to get to my ship before Vilgax catches on and puts the ship on lockdown."
Nodding quietly, I followed him, Kevin lingering behind until he took the only chance he could see. "Fine, but the moment I see probes I'm frying your rocky butt."
Tetrax walked quietly, somehow deafening his heavy steps into gliding motions. I didn't have the weight, or hardness to make much noise but I kept my head on a swivel, checking back every now and then to the watch. Still red.
"Why does squid face even want us?" Kevin asked, either out of boredom or a distraction from the tense situation.
"He doesn't want you." Tetrax halted us at a corner, peeking out as he checked for us. "Once Six Six claimed the omnitrix and its host, Kraab thought he might get some kind of compensation bringing you due to your involvement and unique abilities. Yet Vilgax only has interest in the omnitrix."
He motioned for us to follow swiftly, the man moving into a light jog as we struggled to keep up with our smaller legs.
"You mean his watch?" Kevin figured out that much, between me still messing with it and how they had placed a dampener over it earlier. "What's so special about it?"
"It's alien tech latched onto my wrist, and Vilgax thinks it's his." I explained before Tetrax revealed how powerful it really could be. "It stores a bunch of DNA inside of it from all sorts of species. But that doesn't explain why Vilgax doesn't think I'm not human."
Vilgax never said that, but it would at least get Tetrax to begin to answer the other half of my question. How did Vilgax know that this body isn't mine?
"The moment you found the omnitrix you made sure to use it sparingly, and leave little evidence behind." Tetrax began as we came up to a large set of doors, a small window in the frame allowing us to see the hangar of the ship. Taking a peek inside I could see some smaller crafts, but none I recognized. "We all presumed it was found by someone who was already looking for it, already knew what it was and what it could do. No human, especially not a child, would have reacted the way you did."
We lingered in the doorway, Tetrax trying to find a reasonable opening but there were too many drones floating around inside. "So how did you end up finding me?"
"You became predictable." Tetrax answered, glancing down to see if I had managed to get the omnitrix back online. "Granted your uses were few and far between, but there were multiple points where you involved yourself with very noticeable events. Once Vilgax created a way to detect usage of the omnitrix, I was able to identify your mode of transportation and kept an eye on you. We all did. Once you separated yourself into an isolated area the other bounty hunters leapt at the chance, unfortunately Vilgax's suspicions of you had us be monitored too close for comfort, that's why I had to act as if I was one of them."
Well, that explained why he hit me. "You could have at least pulled your punches."
"I did." Tetrax said as he pulled out his blaster. "Mostly because I needed to test your combat effectiveness."
"And?"
He didn't answer right away, glancing back at me and my lacking physique. "Decent reaction time, and quick thinking, but sloppy and uncoordinated. As you saw even with control over the omnitrix you were quickly overwhelmed by those who knew what you could do. But here's the plan-"
Alarms blared all over the ship, the already crimson hallways pulsing with bright sirens that highlighted every shadow. With no hesitation Tetrax shifted his arm into a blade, slamming it through the doorway and ripping it open. "Stay behind me!"
Kevin appeared like he was going to argue until dozens of blaster bolts slammed into the alien's frame, showering us in sparks as he took the brunt of the damage. We practically hugged his legs as he began blasting away with his own weapon.
"Now!" He began charging ahead, Kevin and I staying right on his heels as the constant firefight began to assault our ears. I held my hands to the side of my head, trying to prevent long term damage. Every three steps felt like it took an hour, between my mind absorbing everything around me to the fact that we had to stop once and a while as Tetrax threw himself in harm's way to keep us alive from a side shot. Even if it wasn't hurting him, I deeply appreciated it.
I took note of something flying right over us, soaring past us as I questioned what it was trying to accomplish. It only occurred three seconds before the impact that it was aimed at the ship we had almost arrived at.
I grabbed Kevin and ducked down, just as an eruption of fire and shrapnel blasted out. Tetrax wrapped himself around us, the heat washing over his back and rushing through the gaps between his limbs. It was like dozens of searing seatbelts left in the desert heat pressed against different parts of my exposed skin.
My ears rang despite my attempts to protect them, though my efforts weren't in vain as they recovered soon enough to hear a low growling voice alongside booming steps that echoed through the floor. All the drones halted, as Vilgax himself intervened.
"Tetrax you traitor." He grabbed the man's torso with a single hand, yanking him from the hangar floor. I desperately flew my hand to the omnitrix, my eyes never leaving the biggest danger I had ever been in."I should have finished you alongside that miserable world of yours."
Come on, please work! Give me a heavy hitter like Four Arms to-
A flash of green transformed me into a taller perspective, and not wasting a single surprise I threw out all of my red muscled limbs to tackle the warlord away. He dropped Tetrax, and hammered his hands into my back.
Turning into XLR8, I rushed between his legs before becoming Four Arms yet again to grab onto Vilgax's back and swing him around to throw him into the fire.
"Wait, what?!" Kevin finally stood up, getting another look at me. "You're the guy from the subway you kept-"
"Not now Kevin!" I warned before picking up the boy in one arm, Tetrax in another, and dashing out of the destroyed hangar. "Does this thing have escape pods?!"
"If Vilgax hasn't already jettisoned them upon learning of our escape." The man shook himself out of my arm, electing to run unassisted. "It couldn't hurt to check. Follow me!"
The dreaded stomps reverberated through the floor, and I knew we were out of time. I tossed Kevin to the man, Tetrax catching the boy instantly. "Take Kevin and get to the escape pods!"
"They're probably not even there!" Tetrax reminded me as he set Kevin down to stare me down despite my taller stature. "I'm not leaving the omnitrix in Vilgax's ship!"
"I'll get out of here on my own." I tried to assure even if I felt a sliver of fear enter my heart as the ruthless alien stepped out from the smoke with blazing red eyes. "At least make sure Kevin-"
"What do you even know about me?!" The kid spat out in frustration.
"I know you want to stay alive so go!" Switching to Heatblast, I shot out an intense stream of flames along the walls in the hallway between us and guaranteed death. I found what I was looking for, something volatile that erupted to blast in Vilgax's face.
Turning into Diamondhead, I created a thick wall to seal off the path. I know it would only hold for a few seconds but it was a few seconds we could use. I felt a yank at my shoulder, then a pair of rocky knuckles smacking against my face. I would've fallen on my face if not for Tetrax to yank one of the shards sticking out of my back.
"We are all leaving." Tetrax stated with certainty as he threw me to my feet. "If Vilgax gets his hands on the omnitrix then it's all over, no chance for anyone to fight back or even to run."
A crack rang out behind us, Vilgax already hammering away at the defense with flames whirling behind his blurry silhouette.
Winning a fight against Vilgax seemed impossible, even with the power of all ten aliens at my instant command I couldn't win against three bounty hunters. Realizing Tetrax's firm stand, and good argument, I turned into XLR8 in a flash and dashed through the halls in an instant. Passing by androids and drones I looked through every door and window until I found what I was looking for.
In a blur I was back before the two, pointing with a clawed hand towards salvation. "There's still pods, this way!"
This time the alien didn't hesitate to comply with my direction and hoisted Kevin onto his shoulder and sprinted ahead.
Being hoisted, jostled, and carried around like a sack of meat Kevin shouted from his less favorable position. "Put me down, I can run!"
"Not with those short legs." I replied immediately, as either a way to shut him up or just to make light of the whole thing.
A blast of energy flew past my head, my perception slowing everything around me as I saw it crawling through the air towards the two. Tetrax was already pivoting in his run, already moving to allow it to hit his invulnerable shoulder. I ran ahead, building up speed to slash away at any exposed joints and wires in the machines of war. Clearing a path, Tetrax had no hesitation in storming through the wreckage.
Just as it came into sight, I could hear our unstoppable pursuer announcing his imminent arrival with his thundering footsteps just around the corner. Acting quickly, I turned into Stinkfly, spitting out as much vile mucus as I could onto the floor just behind Tetrax and several dripping strands tangled in the air.
"That won't stop him for long." Tetrax warned as he clicked a sequence of buttons to open the hatch.
"I know." I agreed as I mentally switched into Four Arms. "Will the escape pod work?"
"It will get us far enough to get to my ship."
Kevin was finally dropped back down, letting him contribute in some way. "Didn't your ship get blown up back there?"
"That was a rental."
The pod door opened up with a short hiss, and just out of sight screeching metal pierced throughout the hallway. Time was running out, and if there was any chance at some of us surviving we would need more.
With my immense strength I latched onto both Tetrax and Kevin, shoving them inside the pod.
"Idiot!" Tetrax's muffled voice yelled out as he ran to the control panel inside. I acted faster, turning into Upgrade and shoving my arm into the pad before he could override it. Engaging the releases, deadlocking the seals, I made sure that there was no possible way for him to get back inside. "This wasn't the plan!"
I was probably acting rashly, not thinking this through enough, or outright denying what was the smarter move to make. The obvious priority was to get the omnitrix far away from Vilgax, and with my lack of experience in fighting or dealing with such forces I was hardly capable of standing against such an opponent. Yet at the moment the only other option was to let Vilgax have a chance to rip the other two apart.
In my heart and soul, that was not an option.
"It was mine." I said as the storm of Vilgax was brewing behind me.
"A foolish one." Vilgax stepped forward through the shredded hall, bits of metal clinging to him with Stinkfly's goop adhering them to his frame. "Heroic sentiments, perhaps I overestimated you."
With a puff of exhaust blasting around the pod doors, I knew I no longer had to worry about the other two. They were gone, safe, and I was alone backed into a corner with a predator much stronger and more dangerous than myself.
Vilgax would never stop hunting me, destroy anyone remotely associated with me. I hated everything about this, I never wanted to be here or live a life that wasn't mine. This was supposed to be the fun action packed life of a ten year old….but it wasn't fun all the time. It was dangerous, stressful, nothing I would ever let a child experience. This life, these people, were real.
They were also far away on the planet below, no one else but Vilgax and I. It was terrifying, and exhilarating. Nothing to hold me back, and I could use the omnitrix all I wanted.
In a flash, I became Heatblast and held my fingers up, Vilgax quirking a muscled brow towards me until I lit a spark that gently flew over towards his foot. It wouldn't have done anything, if there wasn't a highly flammable substance coating him.
It ignited, scorching all around his body in a powerful explosion. I tucked in on myself, flaring with the flames all around me as I shoved my arms through the floor to carve out a molten path to crawl down through. Once I reached the floor below, several clicks and barrels were pointed right at me.
Then I pushed out, shoving infernal waves of heat through every path around me, only catching a glimpse at the unfortunate androids caught in the pathways. I was about to run away and come up with some strategy when the creaking metal above warned me of a clawed hand that ripped through the ceiling, latching around my face and yanking me back to his level.
I was brought up to his face, those glaring crimson eyes reflecting the flames of my body as if it was his rage manifest. "Did you think that would stop me?"
He didn't give me time to reply before slamming me into the floor again, and again. I switched to Diamondhead to lessen the damage to my body but it didn't halt his endless assault of using me as a ragdoll before tossing me into the far wall. My body crashed, indented into the surface with my vision swimming back into position. I only saw a violent arm swinging right towards me.
I changed into something to unstick myself, becoming Wildmutt with a new flood of animalistic adrenaline letting me throwing myself up to cling to the ceiling. Vilgax lunged up towards me, my acrobatic form barely dodging out of the way. His speed intensified, his claws scraping the air as I saw no way out.
Except to become too small to catch.
Becoming Gray Matter mid air I flew right between his digits and landed on the underside of his forearm. Given how he didn't immediately slap me like the insect he saw me as, I predicted he wouldn't realize where I was for at least twelve and a half seconds. Not even time to try and tamper with his muscle enhancements or life support, but enough to get behind him.
In a flash, my four red arms wrapped around his waist and with all the strength I could summon I tried something I never attempted before.
"RAAAHHHHH!" With a mighty roar, I threw him over my torso and slammed him head first into the hallway floor with a superpowered alien suplex. Not letting up on my sudden advantage, I swiveled around, keeping two arms wrapped around his legs to fight his attempts to pull his upper body back up, I used my other arms to start trying to pummel any part of him that was flesh.
His strength knew no limit, his arm tearing through the reinforced ship floor like it was water and latched onto one of my arms. All my arms snapped to his hand, trying to pry him off as he ripped apart the entire hallway to free himself. Vilgax pulled me down, swinging me below himself mid air to deliver his fury.
As Ghostfreak, the blows passed harmlessly through my body.
"Your cowardice is insulting!" Vilgax roared as I became invisible, giving me some time to try and find some weakness, someway to finish this fight now and forever. "Here I thought you were more intelligent than the average groveling peasant. Yet I realize now all you've done is ran, hide, all futile because you don't know what true power is. Only I can harness the full potential of the omnitrix."
How did they beat Vilgax in the show? When he showed up what did they do to win?
"Bargaining for your life will not work." Vilgax's eyes slowly swept over the space around him, until his gaze landed on where I was at. "Your pitiful existence is of no worth to me."
Then he lashed out, on instinct I barely ducked out of the way from the instilled fear of what he would do should he catch me. When I questioned if he could touch me in this form, I was answered by a rough undercut throwing me through the ship.
Everything was a blur, matter and the spaces in between until I spun out into a larger open area with several screens all around me. I was in pain, any movements I did creaked and cried from the bruises all throughout my body that carried over in every form I took.
"We have an intruder." One of the androids spoke out before a console, raising its blaster towards my face with several others.
This was all crap, I hated this whole situation. I hated running and hiding all the time. I hated being stuck in this body with a watch that put a target on my back every second of every day. I hated them, I hated being in a puny weak human child I HATED IT ALL!
"RAAAAGH!" Claws flexed out from my fingers, swiping away at everything and everyone in a blur of rage. See? I wasn't weak! They were all weak and I had to constantly hold back because of some stupid human morality that almost got us killed so many times!
We were trapped in a life we didn't want, and it was their fault that we had to hide ourselves!
THEY KEPT US CAGED LIKE ANIMALS TO BE EXPERIMENTED ON!
I WILL BE FREE!
While wrath overtook me, my actions out of my control as something else overcame me. My mind was all but blank, only a fraction of my thoughts were keeping me aware that something was happening. It was slipping away, a darkness beckoned me and I had no reason to resist.
'Ben?' A child's voice came to my mind.
That's not me.
'Ben.' It said again, more determined than before.
That's not my name, leave me alone.
'BEN!' It screamed into my soul, desperate and afraid.
The flash of the omnitrix snapped me awake, my hands slapping against the cold metal ground. Human hands, the hands of a boy but ones that I had become familiar with. Where, what?
Besides noticing I was human, a bruised and battered one splayed out in some kind of command station.
A very, wrecked command station. Computers, robotic limbs, walls and floors nothing was spared from such a violent rampage. Did Vilgax come through here? It didn't explain why I was alive or why I can't remember what happened.
Getting up, I tried to go back over my mental checklist of what I needed to do. Get Tetrax and Kevin away? Check. Distract Vilgax long enough for them to get away, probably check.
Defeat Vilgax so I can get back to a summer vacation without the looming threat over my head?
A massive clang echoing through the ship told me that still needed to be done. I had half a minute at best, enough time to take a quick inventory. Anything in the room? Destroyed, Upgrade would take too long to repair them to gain access back to the controls of the ship or even check for any remaining escape pods.
So how do I beat VIlgax?
Dialing up the omnitrix, I began scrolling through my options. Tried him, tried him, him too, needs water to breathe, and-who is that?
Daggers ripped through the cracks of the door, the massive claws pulling away the central door in a single effortless tug.
"Wretched thing." Vilgax growled as he stepped forward, looming over me. I wasn't even tall enough to reach his knee, a pang of annoyance ringing through my mind as thousands of other plans were running through my head. "You have eluded me long enough. Your running is pathetic, I hoped for an opponent strong enough to face me in combat. Yet even with the power of the omnitrix you continue to disappoint me."
"What, do you want me to win?" I dared ask, I dare try to stand up in my beaten small body.
"You never had any hope of defeating me." Vilgax assured, actually letting me speak up to him. Either he was enjoying the chance to gloat, or he was actually curious about what I would say.
"I couldn't hope to beat you in a fight." I corrected, because all this time I had been fighting him head on. Ben never won a fight against him like that, it was always because of a-
Victory glimmered on the horizon, giving me enough confidence to truly stand my ground.
"You admit your failures? Of your imminent defeat?" The pistons inside Vilgax's arms forced themselves further in, his muscle mass increasing as he grew a little cautious of my lack of fear.
"I never said that." I laughed a little out loud, finding all of this absurd. Here I was, taunting an alien warlord as a ten year old kid who got pummeled several times over already. "Vilgax, I'm not going to fight you, I'm going to win."
His face twitched in annoyance at my pompous declaration. "And what makes you so sure of that?"
Holding up my wrist, the omnitrix let out a short beep as I selected my next alien in my mind. "Because I decided to do things my way, and there's no one to hold me back."
Just as he took a swipe towards me, I transformed using the same method earlier to dodge his attacks. As Gray Matter I dived between his fingers, using my mind to mentally map out the ship from my memories and estimates to figure out where I needed to go. Just as VIlgax turned around to intercept me, I switched over to XLR8, someone who was much faster than he ever was.
"See ya!" I taunted before entering into a deadsprint. I headed for the first of many destinations, finding an access panel for maintenance sitting in the hallway where I predicted it would be.
Blaster fire erupted around me, but I needed to do this quick before Vilgax could figure out what I was trying to accomplish. I needed an alien that could do some precision work, but could also fight back.
Becoming Upgrade, I melded part of me into the panel while also blasting away with my single eye towards the androids. After disabling the one mechanism, I switched back to my speedster alien and dashed to the next and repeated the process.
A ship this size needed a powerful powersource, and I would never attempt to do something like this if any others were onboard or if we were on Earth. But we were in space, no one around to get hurt after I make this place go nuclear.
One after another, I switched off anything that was helping to manage the flow of power, allowing it all to flow freely to maximize the necessary engine output. While it could probably manage it easily, I just needed it to be working as hot as it could before throwing a figurative wrench into it.
Or maybe a real one, I'd have to double check if I could with Gray Matter when I had a second.
Which as XLR8, I could stretch any spare seconds I had into hours. After running to and from every alien transformer, circuit breakers, and whatever they used to safely manage the power I sabotaged, I arrived to the main engine room where a massive metal chamber thrumming with energy rested.
The automated mechanics never had a chance to notice I was there before I rushed around them in a whirlwind of claws and blunt force trauma. Once I was alone, giving myself an internal pat on the back at my handiwork. Right, time to get to work.
Using Gray Matter's mind and perspective, I traced over the cables, the pipes and the wires, identifying the components and their purpose.
Also what switches to flip to turn off any other safety features, or to allow everything to go absolutely wrong. A devious giggled came over me as I couldn't help but twiddle my fingers like the mad scientist I felt like. Leaping to and from each pulsing button, I cackled as the angry lights began blaring alongside the alarms, all of them escalating as each press made the chorus ascend in their volume.
I was a conductor of this symphony of meltdown. A self destruct could have done the trick, but the controls were destroyed. So I was left with this convoluted method of securing the most optimal fireworks for the 4th of July.
Huh, that wasn't too far off from today. Vilgax should have waited a couple more weeks before abducting me.
"ENOUGH!"
Speaking of whom, turning around in place, I stood over the final button. A great big red button, how fitting as I saw Vilgax with his clenched fists and shaking shoulders. I would have been afraid at the sight if not for the absolute certainty I had in my calculations.
"I will have my omnitrix!" He declared as he stomped his foot onto the ground, shaking the room and almost setting off the generator early. "I no longer care about your origins! All you are is a temporary set back, a pest, an annoyance who has aggravated me to no end!"
With a raise of his hand, a fleet of drones flew in from over his head, encircling the room with over a dozen guns taking aim right at my head with Vilgax ready to give the order. This wasn't the plan, and my ability to see a way out was starting to dwindle.
Unless, that new guy was….yeah that would work.
"Ok Vilgax, you want a fight?" I threatened, standing at five, six inches tall best.
"I'm done fighting." He spoke honestly, focusing all his efforts, his strength, onto me. "I will carry out your immediate execution, personally."
No witty reply this time. He wouldn't listen, and I had to stop playing around if I was to fight, no, I needed to win.
Once Vilgax gave the order with a single finger, everything happened at once. Every deadly weapon was discharged, Vilgax surged forward, my feet pushed in the button, and the omnitrix flashed its brilliant light that rewrote my DNA.
And gave me a couple of additions I was looking forward to.
My form was mostly humanoid, encased in alien armor that bore a strikingly similar design to the bounty hunter that brought me in. Instead of the dark gleam of the velvet armor padded with black sections, I had a chrome undertone mixed with obsidian panels with thick white plates for armor. Highlighting it all, were neon green lights that came to a glowing x on my faceplate.
The acrobatic prowess vaulted me up to dodge the several lasers, my arms whirling around in the air as mechanical ports opened up to reveal snaking wires that shot back with plasma. My armor was practically an exact copy of Six Six's, letting me carry my own arsenal of his weapons. In the air I activated the thrusters, letting me fly up out of Vilgax's imminent clutches as I became a tornado of guns and lasers.
"GET DOWN HERE AND FIGHT!" Vilgax ordered as his army of drones in the area were falling one by one to my endless assault. As I reached the top, where I knew there was an access hatch for other drones, I briefly acknowledged his order, giving one last look before ditching this sinking ship.
"Gatoka." I….know what I said but for some reason it came out in a different language.
Without further ado, I left. Right before Vilgax simply leapt up and thrashed the spot I was just in. I quickly flew up further before Vilgax could reach through and pry me out. Keeping ahead, being quick, I knew Vilgax had already jettisoned all the remaining escape pods, not only did I predict that through him chasing me all around the ship right after I got Tetrax and Kevin out, but also saw it with my own eyes when I was running around as XLR8.
Finally popping out the end of the shaft, I ran right towards where my only shot of escape remained. The hangar, Tetrax's smaller ship was destroyed but there were other crafts present. I can't recall if there were two or three other ships, and I'm betting Six Six and Kraab took two different ships.
That left maybe one, and some scraps.
If there was nothing to fly then I'm praying that Upgrade can make use of some smoldering remains. Now that I wasn't fighting for my life, running ahead I began to notice how hot everything was, a buzz in the air as the lights were frighteningly bright. There was probably more energy running through this ship at the moment than the Earth has ever produced in its time combined with my own Earth.
Any little thing could set it off at this point, I was racing against a potential explosion that if left alone would go off in two minutes. Vilgax in his pouting could just punch it without even realizing the danger it posed. If he was smart, either he was trying to undo what I did which would take care and patience.
Not a chance.
What slivers of hope I was grasping at were dropping, and once I arrived to the crumpled hangar doors I was met with a disheartening scene of a blackened room with nothing remaining except for a few drones hovering around the area. As I was staring at the remains of the ships, realizing that Vilgax had ordered their destruction, my presence was noticed.
The hovering drones rotated their optics towards me, screaming out as they began dive bombing towards me. Two pistols snapped out from my thighs, and in a quickdraw that would have pleased a cowboy I shot down the flying disks before they could even fire.
Ok, no escape pods, no spare ships, and the only vessel designed to fly was about to blow up. I don't think any of my aliens would survive the blast, and I'm not sure any of them could survive the vacuum of space for long. Maybe in this form I could with the suit, but could I escape the blast radius in time?
A wave of exhaustion hit me, now that I wasn't running or fighting I felt my body giving up. Collapsing onto my rear, every ache and bruise announced itself to me as I took in a deep sigh. Could I die? Was there anything the omnitrix would do to save me or turn me into some other alien that would let me live?
I didn't know, but the one idea that seemed very tempting was that if I died here, I would wake up at home in my own bed in my own life with my soon to be wife waiting for me.
I wanted to see her again so much, and I was willing to risk the chance to find out.
Unfortunately, I cared a little too much about people, especially those that I barely felt I knew. What would Gwen and Max say? They would never know what happened, and what would they tell everyone else?
What about Ben's life? If I let his body die here would he ever have a chance at getting it back?
I may have been willing to risk my own life, but I wasn't willing to risk anyone else's. That's why I sent Tetrax and Kevin away, they could probably have helped if I let them stay, especially Tetrax.
Dropping my hand to the side, brushing against the remains of a fallen drone, I let out all my frustration out in a deep sigh. Whether I liked it or not, I would continue to try.
Even if all I had to work with was a pile of scraps…..recently destroyed drones that were routinely sent from orbit, with the only damage done was to their central processing. Everything else, was functional.
Turning into my favorite alien, I merged with the four drones laying around me, converging them into a single unit to maximize all features. Once I did so, I could feel just how far I could go and how fast.
This could work, I could do this.
Picking myself up, floating in place, I hovered over towards the airlock and remotely began opening the doors. I was connected to the ships systems now, and I was able to see just how ruined they were and how volatile the whole place was.
Better leave before-
'You have made a very powerful enemy.'
My mind was being grounded, my hold over the drones nearly coming undone as Vilgax reached into my very soul. Fighting with what little strength I had left I ordered my body to crawl out of the opened doors, letting myself drift out into open space.
Vilgax's uninjured face came before me, peering down onto my form from beyond.
'You cannot run, you cannot hide. I will find you and when I do I will claim the omnitrix once and for all and let nothing remain of your pitiful existence.'
My senses were overwhelmed, barely making out that I was drifting farther from the ship but not fast enough. "You think you know me, but you don't."
'I already know everything I need to about you. You may think yourself clever but I have already halted your plans to destroy my ship.'
Halted? Maybe, but the way those rear engines were shaking and firing told me that he only kept things from their boiling point. All it would take, was a single thing to go wrong. Aiming all of my micro weaponry at the most sensitive point, I charged my attack as I prepared to get as far away as possible.
"If you know me so well, then what's my name?"
Vilgax's mind scowled at me as some part of this mindscape Vilgax controlled chained itself around me, digging into my mind as searing pain ran over me.
'Your name does not matter to me.'
"It should." I forced myself to take aim, to gain enough control to execute my final act to this tiring charade. "Because one day someone's going to ask who took down the galaxy's most feared villain."
It was such a small beam, such a tiny weak thing that barely touched the quivering surface of the sputtering engine. Then it all exploded at once in a great big ball of fire. It was like staring into the sun itself.
Vilgax's hold on my psyche vanished, letting me put all my energy into my return trip to Earth and outracing the blast. I didn't try to look behind me, the sensors already screaming at me to escape certain death. All I wanted to do was enjoy a nice, relaxing road trip with two people I've grown to respect, to care for, and to even fight for.
Upon hitting the atmosphere I didn't dare slow down, the burning sensation of reentry not deterring me in the slightest. New York was a hard place to miss, between all the lights and the roadways leading towards it the city was a beacon for Earth. No wonder it was invaded all the time in the movies.
In range, tired and just wanting to regain the safety and austerity of a nice bed. Aimlessly gliding back down to the familiar planet, a sea of artificial lights reaching out through the abyss and calling out. With a minor tweak, I was able to hear and listen to all of the bustling chatter being transmitted through the radio waves.
There, a unique signal I recognized was beaming through it all, a beacon back to those who never sought me harm. Without care if anyone saw me as I was at the moment, I only made sure I was invisible to radar as I made my final approach.
Down below, the grumbling engine of a worn out RV was prowling through the streets of the bustling city. Locking myself onto it, I began to collapse my mechanical body into something as compact as possible before landing on top of the roof. A sudden lurch of the vehicle nearly threw me off, and I had to engage some magnetic clamps to not be shaken away. Once I secured the last remains of Vilgax's military might, briefly recalling how one time a drone took over the Rust Bucket, I confirmed that any function was disabled before releasing my hold.
The rumbling RV pulled into a quiet side street, the brakes squeaking as it came to a halt. I rolled off, hardly having any ability to protest as I slipped onto the asphalt, laying there as voices began yelling out from inside.
With a flash of red, the omnitrix reverted me into an abused boy sprawled out in the city streets.
"BEN!" Max yelled out as the two rushed to my side.
Gwen gasped, frozen in place as the older man tenderly picked me up.
"Ben." A restrained panic left the grandfather's lips. "Ben please wake up."
"I'm awake." I hissed as I discovered another bruise. "Just, too tired to open my eyes."
Without another word he brought me inside the RV, resting me onto Gwen's lower bunk as I could hear the smaller girl's footsteps keeping right behind us. They allowed me a moment to relax, to breathe, as they probably needed it themselves.
Who knows how long I was gone, and my last message probably kept them awake and active all night.
"Gwen." Max spoke up. "Can you get me the first aid kit please?"
She did so immediately, all but running the four feet to where it was kept. When Max began to peel off my shirt I didn't fight, protest, but I felt ashamed because it wouldn't be a pretty sight. I would normally do this myself, not needing anyone to apply any aid to me since I was six years old.
He began gently brushing my skin with cold rags that stung when they ran over the cuts, several ice packs finding themselves all over my body and especially my face. Sleep beckoned, but I wanted them to have a chance to do so as well.
"I won." I muttered, Max's steady hands pausing as he listened intently. "The bounty hunters abducted me, brought me aboard Vilgax's ship."
I heard a clink of glass hit the bedside before falling onto the floor. A strong scent of sanitizing alcohol poured out before Max picked it up to prevent anymore from spilling out.
"Who's Vilgax?" Gwen asked as Max wouldn't dare acknowledge the name.
"The worst of the worst." I answered, unsure if Max would even mention anything but I didn't care at this point. "He's a galactic war lord who believed the omnitrix would let him create an unstoppable army. Doubt he would have needed it, because he was dangerous enough without it. I….barely got out of there."
"What happened?" Max had stopped applying the medicines.
"Well, I managed to escape the cell with help from my cellmate and one of the bounty hunters who never intended to give him the watch. I got them to an escape pod before turning Vilgax's main ship into a bomb."
"That's what that light was?!" Gwen shouted, making me wince at the sudden noise. "It lit up the sky like it was the middle of the day for a solid three minutes!"
Huh, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that an explosion of that magnitude was noticed.
The sturdy, caring hand came to my shockingly uninjured shoulder. With an eagerness and anticipation, Max asked what he needed to know. "And Vilgax was caught in the middle of that?"
Opening my eyes for a second, I smiled at seeing these two were unharmed, and would never have to be in as much danger as I was. "I don't regret it."
"You shouldn't." Max quickly agreed, relief letting out a small laugh from his lips. "You did the universe a big favor Ben, I'm proud of you."
"Does that mean I can finally get some sleep?" I eagerly asked, and once he nodded I immediately shut my eyes.
"I'll drive us back to the hotel." Max handed over a roll of bandages over to Gwen. "You get some well deserved rest now."
"Thank you."
"You better be thankful." Gwen, as upset as she sounded, still wrapped the bandages around my sores. "We were up all night trying to find you and….I thought you might've…"
Her voice hitched, the girl's breathing becoming audible as I could hear her finally breaking down next to me. It stabbed me with guilt, cutting through the joy that had come with knowing they were safe.
I had no reason to, but I did because there wasn't anything more I could do. "I'm sorry."
Then finally, after battling against monstrous aliens, armies of deadly automatons, skilled hunters and barely keeping myself alive, I was rewarded with the best night of sleep I ever had.
This took a lot longer to get out than I had predicted. Why you ask? Well, I got a new job, moved to a new state, and it took two months for someone to come out and finally install our internet.
Now, while I would love to push out more content at a faster rate, I think I'm going to leave on this note for a little while. I want to see if I can work on some of my other projects and update some other stories I've put on the cold backburner for a while.
There were a few things that probably stood out to you guys this chapter, and I haven't fully explained them yet. Trust me when I say that there is a reason some of these scenes happened, but we won't get answers until a couple chapters later. Some of you probably can already determine what happened, but I won't leave any spoilers for those who want to wait and see.
Thank you for the amazing reviews. I'm glad that the effort I put into this is well received. Also, on a more personal note, I'm glad that my first self insert story isn't being trashed on.
No content from Alien Force, Ultimate Alien, Omniverse, or reboot will be used. That includes aliens, abilities, plot points, lore, and just about anything not seen in the OG show.
1234andynguyen: I have some ideas for a sequel leading up to Alien Force, but I don't know if I'll ever get to them. It's already taken a lot of time just to get through season 1 for this fic.
DarkMist: I have been thinking about giving RWBY a watch since there's a lot of fanfics with it. As for a fantasy world for a Green Lantern I can't think of a whole lot that would work well with it. Akame Ga Kill I recall watching but I'm not sure I care enough about it to try a fic.
Any other fantasy based franchises I could use?
Jason: While there is a confirmed Ghost Freak plot, I have yet to fully decide real Ben's involvement.
Fire Turtle: Hmmm, I might have him attempt something of the sort. But I doubt it would be very fluid or mobile. At best he might be able to make a pair of pincers on another set of arms.
There's a time in reboot that Ben uses Upgrade on the omnitrix, which seemed to not only fix it but give it an improvement at the cost of the Upgrade transformation.
GhostFang GF: Yep! Way ahead of you but it's great to see that you're on the same page. I briefly considered a Vilgax transformation, but in the OG show there were several times he had his hands on the omnitrix but his form was not unlocked. I question if it's because it would be new aliens that the omnitrix hasn't scanned before.
I have no idea how I'll approach the Forever Knights first appearance, because while I have plans for the 'perfect day' episode I don't think I want to do the 'small problem' episode. I might just use 'ultimate weapon' for introduction as it is also a good episode to have character conflict as it might be around this time that Ben reveals he's not really Ben.
Rotten Sarcophagus: I see your point. Most of those who are leaving reviews are very passionate Ben 10 fans or have a good enough memory. While I have considered placing in more context for the episodes and what happened in the show, this is the perspective of someone who watched the show once when they were a kid and only remember some key moments. There's also the other factor of how because life doesn't look like a cartoon, it can take a while for Ben to recognize that he's in the next episode.
Ushindi: Well, while Kevin's introduction is before the bounty hunters we have gone through multiple episodes already that take place after their introduction. Kevin and the bounty hunters are technically late.
I don't know about Omni-Kix and I won't look into it.