First Year
In quantum physics, it is said that time and space is like a river. If you throw a pebble or a stone into the river, it creates a rift. No matter what, the rift will always reset itself and time resumes its natural course. For that's what I believe, I always liked coming to the year ten thousand. It's been three centuries since the Great Technologic Collapse of the seventy third century. As usual, everyone recovers; it's a technological marvel the future is. I arrived at the headquarters of the Ben 10 of the future, Ryota Ishinomori.
"Prof. Paradox, it's been too long." he said.
"I thought I drop by for a visit. Just to see how things are progressing since the Great Technologic Collapse." I said.
We entered the headquarters and we walked over to the conference hall. "I'm surprised to see you here this early. You'd usually come at the end of the month."
"I had some spare time on my hands. If Ben Tennyson was alive, he'd approved."
"I think he would." The alarms began to go off. "What the heck?" Ryota runs up to the computer. "What gives?"
I soon began to develop a headache. "Argh!"
Ryota rushes to my aid. "Are you all right, Professor?"
"Someone or something is altering the timeline. We need to find the source."
Multiple alarms then go off. "It's not just the current timeline; every timeline in the multiverse is affected. This can't be possible."
"I'm afraid it is. I suggest we make haste to the twenty first century."
"You better go; I'll inform Time Conductor what is happening. I'll join you as soon as I can."
Meanwhile, in the present, Gwen and Kevin were fighting off some bad guys in Bellwood's shopping district. "Fighting bad guys hasn't been the same since Ben died." Gwen said.
"You're right. Still, we're making good tide; we're still on schedule to meet your family for dinner." Kevin said.
It took us a few minutes to defeat every bad guy. Gwen checks her watch and is shocked to learn what the time. "Ah crud, we're running late!"
They made a mad dash over to Gwen's parent's house. On a skyscraper, the observer Light God, Aeon watches over the city like a guardian angel. He soon senses Legion as he joins him.
"I sense something is wrong. Can you feel it?" he asks.
"I can. It feels like something or someone is altering the timeline. Not just here, but in every corner of the multiverse." Legion answered.
Aeon then senses something. "Oh no, it's coming here."
"How long do we have?"
"Not long. We better flee to the Subspace Dimension."
They fled to the dimension. Somewhere on the Time Train, the Time Conductor is having tea with Ryota as he debriefs him on the crisis at hand while the train is travelling through time. "I hope Prof. Paradox makes it back to the past. I already sent Taros and Tyros to investigate the other timelines as well." the Conductor said.
"I still don't quite believe it. Why?"
The console beeps, the Conductor gets up and walks over to it. "Oh no, we're detecting huge spikes in chronologic energy. Not only that, but we're picking up traces of corrupt chronologic energy."
"This isn't good. Do you have some idea where the spikes are coming from?"
"I'll try to isolate an area; it'll make the search slightly easier."
Back in the current timeline, Gwen and Kevin were back at their home after having dinner with Gwen's parents.
"It looks like your mother is starting to accept me a bit more."
"I guess Ben's death has affected her slightly." she said.
"It could or it could be she's starting to see super-powered beings in a different light." he said.
"Anyway, let's call it a night."
They both got ready for bed and they called it a night. It was during the night Gwen senses something and she woke.
"Is something wrong, Gwen?"
"Oh no, the timeline is being altered." She lights up her fingertips. "I hope this spell works." She places her fingers on Kevin's chest and activates the spell. "Whatever you do, don't forget about me!"
From there on, the timeline changed and things were about to get a whole lot worse. In the Subspace Dimension, Aeon and Legion have made it before the changes took effect. They witnessed a new timeline in place. "This is wrong, completely wrong." Legion said.
"Something is different; I can no longer sense Gwen, Ken, Max or any members of the Tennyson family. In fact, it's like they don't exist at all." Aeon said.
"I wonder if it's the same on every multiverse."
"There's nothing we can do. If we go back, we'll be caught in the new timeline and we'll be different people. We better pray someone is doing something about this on the other end."
In this new timeline, Kevin wakes up and notices nothing is different, he gets out of bed and gets dressed. He heads down to the kitchen and checks the fridge. He finds a note and reads it. "I already left for work. There's no milk, Mao. Who the heck is Mao?
He checks his watch and he realises he running late. He leaves the house and heads to college. Legion soon appears in house. "Is it me or does Kevin seem different?"
Aeon soon joins him. "He is, it would appear he made all the right choices in life. It's odd his father is human rather than Osmosian. It's like Earth never made contact with the stars."
"But something is off, we should continue watching."
At the college, Kevin arrives late for class and the Dean catches up to him. Sometime later at the Dean's office, Kevin sits opposite the Dean.
"Can you care to explain why you're late, Mr. Levin?" she asked
"I have no reason, I was careless."
"Hmm, don't ever do that again, you're dismissed."
He leaves the office and returns to his class. Outside, Prof. Paradox stands on the roof of a building as he observes Kevin. "This is completely wrong, but something is off." he said.
Prof. Paradox, is that you?
"Legion, where are you?"
I'm in the Subspace Dimension with Aeon. We're currently the new changes the timeline has made. Kevin is completely human and the Tennyson's don't exist.
"This timeline isn't the only one begin affected. Every timeline in the multiverse is being affected. Someone or something is wiping out Tennyson's everywhere."
Do you have some idea what's causing this?
"I wish I knew." He then senses something, he senses a familiar chill. "Oh my."
I sense it too; it looks like the worms have come out to eat.
Worms?
Chrono Worms, they're a parasitic worms, giant ones who feed on corrupt chronologic energy.
The sound of thunder looms near. On the Time Train, the Conductor checks his instruments as Ryota arrives. "Anything?" Ryota asks.
"Taros and Tyros haven't come back yet. I wonder if something happened." the Conductor replied.
Two beings teleported behind them, Ryota and the Conductor turn around and notice them. "Taro, Tyros, what happened to you two?"
"Are we glad to see you, Ryo. We got a problem." Taros said.
"A big problem, a big freaking problem. We barely made it out alive." Tyros said.
"What happened?" the Conductor asked.
"These giant worms came out of nowhere and they started feeding on some kind of energy."
"The energy was dark and corrupt."
"It sounds like you two encountered Chrono Worms and you're lucky to be alive. As if we got one problem, another pops up with these worms."
"Is there anything we do?" Ryota asked.
"Not unless we restore every timeline, so the worms can stop feeding on corrupt chronologic energy." He heads back to the console. "Interesting, someone or something is delaying the changes to the one of the timelines. I found the source."
Ryota soon recognises the timeline. "I know that timeline. It's where the original Ben Tennyson was born."
"But why here? We should investigate."
Back in the current timeline, an unknown being observes Kevin as he makes his way back home. "How is this possible. We made sure every Tennyson was destroyed, but he is somehow clinging onto those memories. I see, kill him and the changes will be permanent. All right, I'll just wait for the right opportunity and I'll strike." the being said.
Later, Kevin and Mao were having dinner together at their house. Kevin suddenly develops a headache, his new memories began to conflict with his old memories. Mao tends to his aid.
"Kevin, what's wrong?" she asks.
She picks him up and places him on the couch. "Do you ever get the feeling something isn't right? Like, this whole setup is wrong?"
"There are days like that, but it's all in your head. Come, let's call it a night."
Sometime later, the Time Train arrives at an abandoned rail yard, Ryota gets off the train. "The disturbance should be close by. I'll be waiting."
Ryota leaves the yard and begins to explore the new Bellwood. Ryota heads to the city centre and observes the night life. "This is different, there should a statue of the late Ben Tennyson in the centre, but it's someone different."
An alarm goes off; he gets his transformation device and checks the reading. Corrupt chronologic energy detected.
"That's not good." A storm suddenly appears. "That's weird; the Time Train's instruments didn't pick up any weather phenomenon." A Chrono Worm suddenly appeared and it began to attack the city. The citizens began to flee. "This isn't good, Conductor, are you seeing this?"
"I am, you better do something about that worm."
"Okay, time to bring out the big guns. Let's Henshin!"
Ryota puts the transformation device around his waist and he flips the switch. Omnitrix set. He gets a transformation card and inserts into the slot. He flips the switch again. It's Hero Time! Ryota soon transforms into his alter ego, Ten Rider.
"Let's make this showy!"
Ten Rider jump into action and starts attacking the worm, but it deflected the attack and the Rider lands back on his read. He gets a card out, inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Alien card set, change alien, Heatblast.
He transforms into Heatblast and fires a couple blasts at the worm. The attack did some damage to the worm. "At least I'm making progress. Let's end this!"
He reverts back to his normal form. He inserts another card into the slot and flips the switch. Finisher set, Original Slash!
He jumps into the air, draws out his sabre and slashes the worm in half, killing it instant. He lands back on the ground and reverts back to normal. "That's one buffet the worm won't be eating. Back to the task at hand."
Morning came as I sat down in a cafe, having a cup of Earl Grey as Ryota sits opposite me. "I think you overdid it last night with that worm." I said.
"It was it or the citizens. We discovered some new information regarding the changes to the timeline. Someone or something is delaying the changes." Ryota said.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"There may be hope, we just need to find the source." I soon notice Kevin with a mystery girl. "Hmm, of course, it's Kevin Levin.
Ryota soon notices him. "Don't you think it's weird he here instead of somewhere else?"
"I have to agree with you, but there's no doubt about it."
Kevin soon notices us and he begins to have a headache. Mao rushes over to him. "Are you all right, Kevin?" she asks.
"I know him, I think. The guy having the cup of tea."
A group of drones appeared in front of them. "So, you're the one who's been giving Organisation X much grief. Once we kill you, the changes will be permanent." the drone leader said.
Ryota soon gets up and walks over to them. "I don't know who you lot are or why are you lot doing this, but I don't like your attitude. Can't you see they're an ordinary couple?"
The leader become infuriated. "Get out of the way, we got a job to do."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."
"Don't make me laugh. Who do you think you are?"
"I'm just a passing through Ben 10, remember that. Let's Henshin!"
Ryota gets his transformation device, he puts around his waist and he flips the switch. Omnitrix set.
The drones soon become terrified. "Is that what we're think it is?" one of the drones asked.
He inserts the transformation card into the slot and he flips the switch. It's Hero Time! Ryota transforms into Ten Rider.
"Hmph, let's make this showy."
"Attack!"
The drones and their leader launched their assault Ten Rider, but he fights back. Kevin and Mao got out of the way and joined up with me.
"Who is that?"
"That my dear is Ten Rider. His real name is Ryota Ishinomori, he's the Ben 10 from the year ten thousand. The Omnitrix had been destroyed during the Great Technologic Collapse of the seventy third century. After hearing the stories about Ben Tennyson, he was able build an Omnitrix inspired device and cards to aid him in his fight for justice."
"Not bad for a weakling. Now you feel my full fury."
He gets a card, inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Attack card set, XLR8, Velocity Thrash. He uses XLR8's speed to defeat the drones.
"How do you like them apples?"
"Not one bit!" The drone leader tries to attack him, but he dodges the attack. He gets another card out, he inserts it into the slot and he flips the switch. Alien card set, change alien, Swampfire. He changes into Swampfire.
Kevin is impressed by what he sees. "That is pretty cool."
Ten Rider throws a couple fire blasts at the drone leader. "I'm ending this!"
He reverts back to his normal form. "I agree with you."
He inserts a finisher card into the slot and he flips the switch. Finisher set, Original Ten Energy Blast!
He fires a powerful energy blast at the drone leader and he gets destroy. He reverts back to normal. Mao faints after seeing Ryota in action. "That is awesome!"
"The Kevin I know wouldn't be that excited."
Ryota runs up to us. "We should get out of here before we attract unwanted attention." He removes the device from his waist and he uses the device's communicator. "Conductor, bring the Time Train around to my current location. And prepare the medical lab, we got a patient who needs examining." he said.
Sometime later on the Time Train, the Conductor conducts a medical examination on Kevin. "There's nothing wrong with him, physically. Part for the fact I'm detecting unusual activity in his brain." the Conductor said.
"Define unusual activity?" Mao asked.
"There's something going on, but I can't figure out why. Not from a scientific perspective."
"What about a supernatural perspective." Tyros head to the table and he examines Kevin. "That explains it, there's a spell on him and it's delaying the changes. It's Enochian and there's bad news. If a year passes, a letter is removed and there are ten of them. In other words, we got ten years to figure who's responsible for these changes and figure out why." Tyros said.
"Who would cast a spell such as this? If I recall, these kind of spells are rare and extremely difficult to master. You don't suppose it's the Sorcerer Mage?" Taros wondered.
"Before all of this, Gwen, I think her name is cast a spell on me. The memory is faded." Kevin said.
"From the looks of it, she must've sensed what's going on and cast the spell to make sure you weren't caught in the changes, part of it. But the spell has a limited life span and it'll last for ten years." Prof. Paradox said.
Back on Earth, Legion and Aeon examined the destroyed drones from the Subspace Dimension. "These drones look familiar." Legion said.
"They look like the ones that attacked the campsite when Ben first discovered the Omnitrix." Aeon said.
"Or something meant to look like them, these scorch marks, it looks like either Heatblast or Swampfire was here."
"Could be, we better continue observing."
Later, it was night time as two cloaked figures stood on the roof of Billions Tower. "By erasing the Tennyson family tree, we did Billy Billions a favour or two." the first cloaked figure said
"That kid was always spoiled if I recall, but in this new timeline, he's a good person. An opposite to the one Ben knew." the second cloaked figure said.
"Still, it puzzles me why our drones were defeated. Kevin couldn't have done this; he's a baseline human in new timeline."
"True, unless someone was helping him. At least we identified the cause to the delays and the boss wants him out of the way so the change can become permanent."
"Then it's a good thing I'm here." Another cloaked appears in front and he takes it cloak off. "Just say the word and Kevin Levin is good as dead." he said.
"If you say so, Number Four."
Morning came, back on the Time Train, we were discussing next course of action since we learned about Kevin's condition. "It won't be easy to find out what's causing all of this."
"Not to mention Kevin is a target now."
"So where does that leave us?"
"With limited options." The alarm goes off, the Conductor checks the console. Taros notices a creature on the footage. "What the heck is that?"
We saw the footage of the creature attacking Bellwood. "I got one demand and one demand only. I'm looking for an individual named Kevin Levin. If you surrender him to us, this city and its citizens will be spared."
The Conductor turns the monitor off. "Well, that's ominous."
"I find it odd a monster wants my boyfriend."
"Anyway, I can't let him attack the city. Stop the train at the terminal, I'll deal with him."
Sometime later, Number Four resumes his campaign of terror on the city. The citizens fled in terror away from the carnage. "This is too easy." he said.
"Hey you, pipe down, can't you see I'm having a morning coffee!" Ryota shouted.
Number Four notices his presence. "How dare you speak to me like that? I'm a member of Organisation X, I'm Number Four!"
"Eh? Who's that?"
"Why you little punk!" Number Four confronts him, attacks him and Ryota catches his punch. "You dare catch one of my punches!"
Ryota gets up and he lets go of Number Four. "Watch your tone, the ladies will hate you if you keep raising your voice."
"You smart mouthed punk, who do you think you are?"
"I'm just a passing through Ben 10, remember that. Let's Henshin!"
He gets his Omnitrix out, puts around his waist and he flips the switch. Omnitrix set. He gets his transformation card, inserts it into the slot and he flips the switch again. It's Hero Time! He transforms into Ten Rider. Number Four is shocked to learn of this.
"You! It was you who defeated those drones last night! You're a dead hero walking!"
"I'm glad I got fans. Let's make this showy!"
He jumps into action and starts fighting the drones and Number Four. Legion and Aeon watched the fight from the Subspace Dimension. "Unbelievable, I didn't think there were any superheroes in this new timeline." he said.
"He's not from this timeline. It's possible he's from another timeline, hence the advanced technology. There may be hope after all." Aeon said.
"Time for a change in appearances."
He gets a card out; he inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Alien card set, change alien, Humungousaur.
He changes into Humungousaur; Number Four is gobsmacked by what he sees. "What! We made sure every Tennyson was destroyed! How come this punk survived?"
He defeats the drones easily with his newfound strength and he reverts back to his normal form. I joined up with him. "That just leaves you, Sparky. You and I are going to have a long conversation about you; your organisation and why you lot are wiping out every Tennyson in the multiverse."
He gets another card out, he inserts it into the slot and he flips the switch. Ability card set, Whampire, Hypnotic Sleep.
He uses this ability to put Number Four to sleep. Sometime later up on the Casey Bridge, Number Fourwakes up to find himself tied up. "What! I'll get you for this, you little punk!"
"At least you're still cranky, that's good. Now you're going to tell us what you know about this organisation who work for and why they're wiping every known Tennyson from the multiverse."
"Like heck, I'll never give up my master that easily."
"As I suspected, you were created from a Petri dish. This explains the advanced abilities." I said.
"Now, now, there's no need for violence." a mysterious voice said.
Eight cloaked figures appear on the opposite arch of the bridge. "We'd be happy to tell you who we are. We're Organisation X and our goal is for eradication of Tennyson's and their miserable existence." another voice said.
"It's because of them our master was denied what was rightfully his. Now, if you be so kind to release Number Four and surrender Kevin, we'll be on our way." the third voice said.
"We'll never let that happen."
"You just made a costly mistake."
Number Four escapes his bindings, he tries to launch an attack on Ten Rider, but he dodges it. "Aren't you persistent?"
He launches him into the air; he inserts a card into the slot and flips the switch. Finisher set, Aerial Slash!
He jumps into the air, draws out his sabre and he destroys Number Four. He lands back down on the arch. The other Organisation X members became infuriated. "You'll pay for what you did to Number Four." an Organisation X member said.
"But now's not the time for grudges. I'd be worried about them." another member said.
A bed of Chrono Worms appeared and the Organisation X members disappeared. "Can't this day get any worse?" Ryota said.
"I didn't a bed of those worms would show up. They're already feeding on corrupt chronologic energy." I said.
Bizarre weather patterns began to appear as tornados, earthquakes and tsunamis began tearing Bellwood apart. "It's not safe for us to be in this timeline. Conductor, whenever you're ready, we need a pickup and fast!"
The Time Train arrives at the scene, but it takes a battering from the storms. "At this rate, it'll never make it."
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
He gets another card out; he inserts into the slot and flips the switch. Alien card set, change alien, Four Arms.
He transforms into Four Arms and grabs me by the waist. "You better hang on to your breath."
He jumps the huge between the train and the bridge. We made onto the train's roof, Ryota reverts back to normal, opens the hatch and we got in. The Time Train leaves the current timeline.
"It's not safe for us to be in this Subspace Dimension." Aeon said.
"I agree. We should head to the Null Void. The laws of time and space don't apply to that dimension." They fled to the Null Void. "It's a good thing this dimension is still intact. We should make for the nearest Plumber facility." Legion suggested
"If they exist at all."
Aeon and Legion begin to traverse the Null Void. Back on the Time Train, we witnessed a timeline being destroyed by those Chrono Worms. "Can't believe those worms destroyed another timeline." the Conductor said.
"My home, my family, my friends." Kevin cried.
Ryota throws a punch to the wall in anger. "That timeline didn't deserve this. Being attacked by Organisation X is one thing, being destroyed by those Chrono Worms is unforgiveable."
"Speaking of Organisation X, I've done some digging and I couldn't find a single clue about them. Whoever they are, they're covering their tracks well. I know it's not the sort of news you want to hear, but I thought I give you the heads-up on the latest developments." the Conductor said.
"This fight isn't going to easy. We got ten years to solve this."
"Would it be wise to start where it all began to find out more?" Mao suggested.
"It's a start. I better turn on the Universal Drive, since we're travelling to a parallel earth."
The Conductor turns the Universal Drive on; he sets the coordinates and travelled to the parallel earth where it all started. Ryota and I got off the train and began investigating the area.
"It looks like Organisation X went to town on this parallel earth. There's not a Tennyson in sight."
"Or anywhere in the universe. I find it hard to believe this earth is where it all started."
"Speaking of that, where are we?"
"Earth 225, it's an unusual parallel earth. Filled with medieval architecture and the Dark Ages haven't ended."
Ryota walks over to a corpse and he immediately recognises the body. "I've found him."
I examined the body. "What did this to you, Sir Ben." I noticed his left hand is missing. "His left hand was forcibly hacked off. Its where his Omnitrix was."
"Its true there's a voice command that removes a Omnitrix from a user's wrist. It looked like Sir Ben refused to remove it, instead he confronted Organisation X head on. It led to his demise." Ryota said.
"I agree with you. Hmm, it looks like corrupt chronologic energy in the area is too old." I said.
"That would mean the Chrono Worms prefer fresh corrupt chronologic energy. It would explain why they attacked Kevin and Mao's timeline."
"The question is, are Organisation X aware of the Chrono Worms existence."
On a ship somewhere in the cosmos, the remaining Organisation X teleported aboard the ship's bridge. "I can't believe we let that punk defeat Number Four." a member said.
"Number Four was always boastful, Number Nine." another member said.
"I'm more concerned about that punk's travelling companion, Prof. Paradox."
"I have to agree with you, Number Three." Their leader comes out of the shadows. "What matters is we're nearly there. Soon, I'll have every known Omnitrix will be in my collection and every Tennyson will be gone. Prof. Paradox and that snot-nosed punk pose a threat to our plans. They need to be taken off the board. Number Five, I have an assignment for you." their leader said.
Back in the Null Void, Aeon and Legion arrived at one of the Plumber facilities, they entered the base and were greeted by what's left of the Plumber Corp. "Stand down, they're the good guys." Later, in the warden's office, Legion and Aeon debriefed the warden on the situation. "That would explain why we haven't been able to communicate to headquarters. I'm Warden Kabuto and I'm the warden for Prison 112." he said.
"We're grateful for your hospitality." Legion said.
"Since you're a Guardian, I welcome the opportunity to have you and your friend in my prison. If the timeline has changed, there's no doubt the Plumber Corp might not exist or worse. I'm still deciding whether to tell the inmates the truth about the current predicament."
"I advise against it. There's no telling what the inmates might do once you told them the truth." Aeon said.
"True, but some of them have families, loved ones."
"We can't do much until Prof. Paradox and his new friends restore every known timeline."
Back in the medieval Ben 10's timeline, I and Ryota were exploring the ruins of Bellwood. Ryota picks up a child's toy and looks at it. "What kind of monsters would kill a child for the sake of killing a Tennyson?"
Ryota's communicator beeps and he answers it. "We got something, there are some Tennyson's who survived the ordeal. Some have gone into hiding, while others are fighting back. I'm detecting huge Organisation X activity in parts of the multiverse. They don't have much time, I'm detecting a huge increase of activity on Earth 366." the Conductor said.
"Bring the train around."
"There's something else, the first letter of the spell has been removed."
"We only got nine years left."
The Time Train arrives in front us, we got on the train and we travelled to our next destination.