“At last.” A bulky, metallic, yellow, two-meter humanoid figure said in an earnest voice, gazing at the line of barrenness he had created to contain the fire. Perhaps there was a better way to put out a wildfire, but letting it consume itself without spreading further and sacrificing everything inside seemed like the only solution, despite the loss of green life.
On his torso, the Omnitrix symbol was visible, identifying him as Ben Tennyson. Like the first time, he had transformed himself into Armodrillo to dig and outline the fire zone quickly.
He turned his head, his eyes scanning the surroundings. ‘I feel… that I have less than two minutes remaining before I turn back into a human, so how do I deal with him?’
Lying against a nearby tree was the unconscious Captain Nemesis, or at least what was left of him. He wore only his black bodysuit, the pieces of his orange metallic powersuit scattered all over the burning zone. One of his arms was missing, a stark reminder of the intense battle that had just transpired.
‘I’d rather wake him up and then knock him out again than have him wake up during the time-out. He doesn’t have anything on him, but…’ Armodrillo nearly missed Nemesis’s hand (of the obviously remaining arm) twitching before going motionless. ‘Let’s knock him out.’
The bulky humanoid quickly walked toward the man.
“DON’T MOVE, TEN BENNYSON!” Nemesis quickly picked up a device behind him, probably a detonator, given the prominent red button his thumb pressed.
Ben paused, the only sound being the wildfire roaring in the perimeter. He then said, “You had nothing on you, how...?”
“I was awake from the start. You think your beating was enough? I survived against Computron and his army alone. You just took me by surprise with… your teleportation or superspeed, maybe? Anyway, I just moved to the tree where I left my things, like this detonator.” He shook the device mildly to annoy Ben. “I’m lucky it was nearby… Give me your watch, or else!”
“And what does this detonator detonate?” Ben asked nonchalantly. ‘One minute. No matter what happens, I NEED TO DEAL WITH IT.’
If he were human, beads of sweat would have streamed from Ben’s forehead. Luckily, Armodrillo didn’t have any expressions to make on his mechanical face, except for his green eyes, which he barely controlled to hide his emotions.
“Several bombs that I left underneath your bus, or… what’s the term again? RV? Motor Home? Anyway, if I press this button, the old man who should be your grandfather and the girl who should be your friend or relative will die.” The declaration was like cold water. It wasn’t something Ben could deal with in a straightforward manner.
“If you wonder, I didn’t know what to do between killing you to take your watch or kidnapping you to take your watch. Not that I had any reservations about killing, but let’s just say we don’t know each other after all.
I planted the explosives as soon as you turned off your lights. Before I ponder what to do, you got out of the vehicle, and you know the rest.”
Nemesis continued to talk, but Ben didn’t listen. ‘Thirty seconds, and far less if I change alien now, maybe just seconds.’
Seconds passed like eternity. Ben was far from a genius and didn’t think of a plan, but he knew which alien to choose. He slammed his metallic hand on his torso, putting Nemesis on guard, as a green light illuminated the surrounding area.
“If you destroy the detonator or my thumb is released, IT WILL GO OFF!” Nemesis screamed, squinting his eyes.
‘Four seconds remaining… Child’s play. This transformation is quite fascinating, really. It’s almost as if my superior intellect has been unleashed. It’s affecting my thought process, making me less worried about everything. I wonder, what drives Dr. Psychobos to be the greatest mind? Not that it matters.’
The exposed brain of the orange crablike alien began to charge with electricity. Its name was Brainstorm.
’3.900 seconds remaining. Now that I have this transformation, I can finally tackle the really important questions. Is a soup a drink or a dish?’
’3.800 seconds remaining. Let’s analyze it. Is the definition of a drink something that we drink? Then a soup should be considered a drink.’
’3.700 seconds remaining. However, some soups have solid, undrinkable objects in them. Does that make them a drink? Additionally, some drinks also have solid, undrinkable objects in them. It’s an interesting paradox.’
’3.600 seconds remaining. We usually eat/drink a soup with a spoon, like a dish, and not like a drink.’
’3.500 seconds remaining. Most restaurants list soups as a dish, not a drink. But that’s just a human convention.’
’3.400 seconds remaining. I’m not bound by those conventions, though. I can see the issue from multiple angles.’
’3.300 seconds remaining. Hmm… I forgot something… Ah yes, Nemesis. I should act quickly, only my brain runs in superspeed.’
‘3.200 seconds remaining. Given my current limitations in power mastery and knowledge, I’ve devised a single viable plan based on instinctual knowledge.
Success rate: 100%.
Failure is never an option for a mind like mine. Fortunately, the transformation’s light blinded Nemesis. Without that advantage, the odds might have been hypothetically closer to 50%, not that I’d ever truly be at risk of failure.’
Brainstorm’s brain was fully charged with electricity, and he shot a stream forward.
In real time, Nemesis just fully opened his eyes before feeling a shock throughout his body. It was as if needles were piercing all over his slightly carbonized skin.
‘I can’t move!’
For three seconds, five beeps pierced the air, and after the last one, another annoying flash occurred, this time a blinding red. Unable to move, he now couldn’t even twitch his eyelids. The annoying Ten Bennyson walked toward him, but there wasn’t any smug look on his face, only pity.
“...You only have yourself to blame, Nemesis.”
Why did he begin with that?
“I think the exact term used should be muscle contraction, muscle paralysis or muscle something, an instinct that Brainstorm has to chase and protect itself. I caused it your entire body, but obviously, I couldn’t be bothered to learn the limits of a human body, so I had to use all my charge to stop you.
I don’t know the full extent of your current damage, but at least there shouldn’t be any internal organ failure. However, your whole body might be unusable forever,” the teenager said expressionlessly. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you’ve somehow managed to fall even further in my esteem…”
No movement came from Nemesis; only tears dripped from his eyes. He was motionless like a statue, or more accurately, a water fountain.
“I won’t call for a hospital. Whether you die or not has nothing to do with me. You really need a hero now,” Ben said as he walked away. “Kind of ironic to have chosen the path of freedom only to no longer have it.”
…
‘HAHAHAHA! I LIED! THEY EXPLODED WHEN I PRESSED THE BUTTON! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!’ A flood of tears exited the eyes of Carl Nesmith. He was drenched in the only source of joy he could feel in his current despair, but soon that source quickly faded.
“BEN! YOU’VE GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO! PYROMANIAC!” Gwen, Ben’s orange-haired cousin, pinched his cheek hard, making it turn red as if he were a child being scolded. Ben was too stunned to think clearly after everything that had happened. However, one thing became evident: he needed to improve his peripheral vision. This was especially important considering he had already been caught off guard twice in his human form since acquiring the Omnitrix.
Currently, the watch was in time-out, its usual green now replaced by red.
“GRANDPA! I FOUND BEN!”
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Several hours later — The next day
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‘Since its creation, my Rust Bucket has never suffered serious damage, and now the first time is because of some angry celebrity?!’ Max Tennyson exhaled in frustration.
The Rust Bucket had suffered damage from an explosion beneath it.
The good news was that it wasn’t a normal vehicle; if it had been, it would have been reduced to pieces beyond repair. Even if Gwen and Max had been inside, their fate would have been uncertain; the explosion could have been fatal or not, depending on various factors.
The bad news, however, was that they couldn’t simply call a random engineer to fully repair what was essentially a beyond-tank-class secret vehicle.
As a result, they found themselves temporarily stranded in a nearby hotel.
Inside the windowless Rust Bucket, Max packed everything of value and importance into a box. Though he couldn’t take everything, he made sure to secure what they couldn’t afford to lose. As he exited the vehicle with the cardboard box, each step cracked the glass fragments on the ground, creating soft tinkling noises.
He paused, surprised, as several hidden frogs and birds darted out of the vehicle through a broken window, startled by his presence.
‘Cleaning will take time… Odd, frogs are usually attracted to water sources, but they weren’t in the open toilet,’ he mused, shaking his head.
Max’s brow furrowed as he considered their situation.
‘We’re stuck here, and I don’t like it one bit. The sooner we reach Mt. Rushmore, the sooner we’re protected and I can fix everything. To think a minor villain, as Ben called him, would go so far as to try to kill him immediately and set up bombs. It’s fortunate for him that Ben and Gwen were in the forest; if not, I would…’
He trailed off, his jaw clenching at the thought. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Max resumed his walk toward the hotel.
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
‘I’ve called the genius duo; they should arrive soon to repair the Rust Bucket,’ he mused, running a hand through his gray hair. ‘It’s a shame the only remaining vehicles at the base are ridiculously small.’
Max had also contacted a real engineer, but to repair the door and replace the windows. They were expected to arrive soon. After all, the Rust Bucket was a weapon far more dangerous than a tank, despite its less robust exterior. Leaving it unoccupied would be careless. With this in mind, Max hoped he could return to living in it soon, ensuring its security.
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Ben lay on his hotel bed, scrolling through wiki articles on his phone to expand his knowledge for Brainstorm.
“Everything is your fault! Alien freak,” Gwen echoed for the umpteenth time, pacing the room. “The vacation hasn’t even begun, and we’re already stuck in an unsanitary hotel.”
Ben sighed, setting his phone down. “It’s more that jerk’s fault.”
He reflected on the incident. The detonator had been real but ordinary—no continuous signal, just a simple press. If Gwen and his grandfather hadn’t been present, Ben might have… He shook his head, pushing away the dark thought. They had made an anonymous call to emergency services to pick up Carl Nesmith.
Ben explained that Carl had tried to kill him due to watching the saga. Surprisingly, Gwen didn’t show much shock, despite being a fangirl as a kid. ‘Maybe it’s like toys or games,’ Ben mused. ‘Things go out of fashion… but not Sumo Slammers.’
He sat up on his bed, looking at Gwen. “So, what’s your take on all this?”
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “On what, exactly?”
“You know, everything,” Ben waved his hand vaguely. “Like how you cope with everything without asking too much question. You’re weirdly chill about… everything, like I said.” He added without hesitation, figuring they might as well get to know each other better since they were stuck together for the summer.
“Uh-huh.” Her cousin paused for seconds as if surprised by the innocent question. “W-well, I don’t really believe you, but Grandpa seems to, and he’s not losing it… yet. I’ll believe it when I see it, I guess.”
She paused, mentally kicking herself. ‘Crap, I totally forgot to ask the obvious.’
Trying to sound casual, Gwen added, “Speaking of seeing things, why don’t you show me one of these alien transformations? You know, if it’s real and all.”
Max had readily believed Ben due to his unexpected knowledge about aliens and the Plumbers. Moreover, the intricate details of the Omniversal war seemed far too complex and sophisticated to be just an elaborate prank.
However, Gwen, who wasn’t supposed to know anything about this, had to display some skepticism. After all, why should she simply believe her cousin’s extraordinary claims without proof?
“Sure, why not?” Ben shrugged, standing up. He pressed a button, and the dial of the Omnitrix rose. As he turned the dial, a slight frown crossed his face at a specific figure displayed, but he paused before turning the dial again.
‘Let’s choose him. The AI did say this transformation wasn’t useless… which might actually be the case at the end. At last, let’s turn into another undiscovered part of myself!’
With a determined look, he slammed the dial. Suddenly, the room was engulfed in a brilliant green light.
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Transformation sequence — Duration: 0.00 seconds
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Suddenly, Ben’s form began to shrink, stopping at just under a meter tall. Brownish-orange fur sprouted all over his body, while his two front teeth grew larger, protruding from his mouth. A green and black jumpsuit materialized, covering most of his body except for his arms and face. Green gloves appeared on his hands.
The transformation concluded with the growth of an oversized blond mustache, completing his new appearance.
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“I must say, this mustache gives me a sense of limitless possibility,” Mole-Stache mused, stroking it thoughtfully. He looked up at Gwen with a polite smile. “What do you think, dear cousin?”
Gwen blinked, then answered honestly, “This is more impressive than I expected. What can you do?”
‘I’ve never seen this alien before,’ she thought. ‘It must be new or from the Ben 10 Omniverse series where the Gwen is less present. And his speech is different.’
“Allow me to demonstrate, I can do…” One side of the mustache grew exponentially, its tip morphing into a hand-like shape. Mole-Stache moved his mustached appendage toward Gwen and lightly flicked her forehead. “That! I dare say you might be a tad envious of such magnificent facial hair?”
Gwen touched her forehead, exasperated. “Not really… Anyway, Ben, I don’t really understand your whole story about the so-called Omniversal war.”
“I do apologize, but I’m not fond of repeating myself, Gwen.” Ben mindlessly stroked his mustache. ’Especially since, on second thought, your presence seems rather unnecessary. Perhaps I should have a word with Grandpa about returning her to her parents when the opportunity arises. Though, what reason could we give without raising suspicion?’
“Then explain why you chose freedom over restriction,” Gwen pressed. “As you phrased it, there isn’t really a good or bad choice.”
“…Indeed, I phrased it as such, but in all honesty, I believe I made the least unfavorable choice. It’s not ideal, but it’s far from terrible. Having one’s life dictated by another is rather unpleasant, wouldn’t you agree?”
“So, you have second thoughts?” Gwen raised an eyebrow. “And if I remember correctly, we’re currently free, just like Nemesis, who you call a filler villain…” She trailed off, but Ben understood her implication.
Ben’s expression grew serious. “I won’t say I’m brave enough not to have doubts, especially when Nemesis, unrestricted, tried to kill us without hesitation. He could have succeeded if I’d chosen the wrong alien. And he only had access to three episodes out of hundreds in the saga to prepare himself.”
He paced the room frantically, his speech pattern shifting back to his normal one as his stress levels rose. “So yeah, I have second thoughts. Of course I have second thoughts! Who the hell wouldn’t have second thoughts in this situation?! But this freedom, this crazy, terrifying freedom that Nemesis had access to, that Vilgax has access to, it’s what allows me to use my aliens effectively. It’s what allows everyone to actually do something!
It’s the same freedom that allows our planet—no, scratch that, our universe—wait, no, our multiverse—no, our GODDAMN OMNIVERSE to reach new possibilities, by making new choices.
But if we go for restriction? If we choose to play it safe? We’re doomed. Doomed to stagnate, doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over and over again!”
He then paused, then looked up, smiling at Gwen. “I’d much prefer a life lived fully than one not lived at all. I trust you can appreciate my perspective on the matter, my dear cousin.”
“I see…” Gwen seemed lost in deep consideration.
Ben, still agitated, slowly calmed himself as he remembered something. He took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing.
He slammed his gloved hand at the Omnitrix dial attached to his belt. A green light engulfed the room, and he turned back into his human form, the Omnitrix now attached to his left wrist.
‘So, the AI told me to keep pressing the button.’
Soon, a menu screen appeared in his perception, despite not being physically present. His green eyes widened in disturbance as he waved his arm forward, only to touch nothing.
As he navigated the options using the Omnitrix dial as a makeshift touchpad, he managed to find a setting to project the screen. With a tap, a green holographic display sprang to life, projected onto a somewhat worn and grayish wall.
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Menu
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▷ Omniversal Index
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▷ Notification
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▷ Display
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▽ Transformation
* Max transformation time [locked]: 30 minutes.
* Time reduction after another transformation [locked]: -30%.
* [More]
Note: The host needs to unlock the energy management tweak or manage to figure out themselves.
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▷ Firewall (537'493 notifications on hold)
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▷ Scan
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▷ OS migration
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▷ OS and data, backup and rollback
Beware: if the Omnitrix is hacked, the host should not assume that they will be able to use this setting.
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▷ Translator
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▷ Residual Anti-Consciousness Protocol
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▷ Tweaks (On/Off) (Most will unlock additional options)
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"...Is your watch some kind of laptop, Ben?” Gwen blinked in surprise as she stared at the menu, which bore a striking resemblance to those found on modern devices.
It was logical that the Omnitrix would have a menu system, but seeing it laid out in such a familiar format was still somehow… underwhelming. It was a bit like a teen who had always suspected that a holiday character wasn’t real, but then having a parent sit down and explain every last detail of why they didn’t exist, effectively crushing any lingering sense of mystery or magic that had once surrounded it.
Ben replied, “It seems that way, to be honest, but I wonder what these notifications are about—”
An automated message suddenly appeared on the screen:
[An external access attempt was made on 03.06.2024 at 18:40.]
[The source is unknown, but only those familiar with the Omnitrix’s internal workings should be able to make such an attempt, as all external connections are disabled by default (except those related to the Omniversal war).]
[What would you like to do? (Accept/Deny).]
[Default action after 30 seconds: Deny.]
[Warning: Only accept from trusted sources. Note that the entity attempting access should be able to leave a message, but none is present.]
Ben quickly pressed the “Deny” option.
‘Who’s trying to access my Omnitrix?’ He wondered, a sense of unease creeping over him.
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[Omniversal index — Ben 10 Multiverse]
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[Question: Does the Omnitrix tap into the soul? (Simple answer)]
Yes.
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[Section: The Omnitrix Transformation — The 10 parts of the soul — 3. Aethon (Basic information)]
Aethon represents the emotional part of the soul.
The transformations affect the user’s behavior to varying degrees. While they may not completely alter the user’s persona or goals, they can influence their actions and decisions. A transformation can change the user’s speech pattern, amplify or diminish emotions such as hate, arrogance, or joy.
In essence, the user’s behavior still reflects their personality, but with some of the self-imposed restraints lifted and/or with new restraints.
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[Section: The Omnitrix Transformation — The 10 parts of the soul — 1. Kyre (Basic information)]
When a user transforms, the only part of their soul they temporarily lose in all cases is their species instinct, also known as their Kyre. Additionally, they gain the new species’ basic instinct.
(Refer to the “Life Equation [locked]” section to understand the context of “lose” and “gain” in this context.)
A basic species instinct encompasses the primal, instinctual aspects of behavior, such as the desire for survival, self-preservation, and connection.
However, this instinctual part typically carries only basic information, even for intelligent species. If a user transforms into an intelligent species, they will not automatically acquire knowledge; they must learn it beforehand.
It wasn’t the case in the prime universe, and this is just one of the many proofs that the being was influencing this universe for entertainment purposes. After all, who would actually want to see a protagonist reading books or articles?
(Refer to the “Prime Universe Inconsistencies” section.)
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[Section: Captain Nemesis — Random Information]
For no apparent reason, whether it’s in the prime universe or the current one, Captain Nemesis consistently refers to Ben Tennyson as Ten Bennyson.
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[Section: Current universe (Reminder)]
Many things may appear identical to the Prime universe, but they are not. Even without the influence of the Omniversal War, which has made all participants aware of certain Prime events, individuals in this universe would still act and behave differently from their Prime counterparts.
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[Exit]
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