Final Year
We witnessed Bellwood being attacked by Organisation X drones, Gwen and I began to fight them off in the city centre.
"I was afraid this might happen." I said.
"You seem to know a lot about them?" Gwen asked.
"I'll explain later."
Aboard the Time Train, they arrived to find the skies filled with ships. The Conductor was about to transform the Train into Battle Mode when Ryota stops him. "Don't, I need you for an important mission. If we're going to stop Organisation X, we're going to need reinforcements. We're going to need every Tennyson." he said.
"One problem, Number One has got every known Omnitrix on the Dark Astoria." Number Eight said.
"That's where you come in, Jason. Feel like pulling off the heist of a lifetime?"
"I'm game." Jason answered.
"Still, we need to keep the Dark Astoria busy." the Conductor pointed out.
"Contact your niece, Princess. She can be a big help. As for me, I'll be the diversion."
Jason gets his Nemetrix out, puts it on his left wrist, draws out his blast and arms it. Nemetrix set. He gets a transformation card, inserts it into the cartridge, loads the blaster and fires it in the sky. Enter: Neme-Knight. He transforms into Neme-Knight.
"You better get down there."
Ryota gets to the door, opens it and skydives off the train. "Did he just jump out of a flying train?"
Back outside, Ryota lands on the rooftop of a skyscraper as Neme-Knight and Number Eight fly over to the Dark Astoria. Ryota heads back down to ground level and he fights his way through to the Ben Tennyson Memorial Square. In the square, Julie and Kai were fighting the drones.
"It's not every day we get to see each other like this. You know, considering we've both dated Ben." Kai said.
The Omni-Droid arrives on the battlefield. "Shape-shift commenced, shape-shift into Vilgax." it said.
The Omni-Droid shape-shifts into Vilgax and was to attack them when Ryota intervenes by doing a high flying kick into him. "Didn't you mom ever tell you it's not nice to hit girls?"
"Ever the joker." Number Two arrives on the battlefield. "When will you learn? Destroy that statue, its disgraceful." he said.
"To you or your boss, Matthew Benson." Number Two is enraged to learn Ryota knows Number One's identity. "I've known for a while now. There are so many questions I want to ask. How does an innocent boy end being a tyrant. I'll ask him once I defeat him."
"We'll make you pay. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!"
"I'm just a passing-through Ben 10, remember that."
"I hate to point out, but you don't look anything like my ex-boyfriend." Julie said.
"I usually say that just to intimidate the enemy. Let's Henshin!"
He gets his Omnitrix out, puts it around his waist and flips the switch. Omnitrix set.
"Did that belt/Omnitrix just talked?"
Ryota gets a transformation card out, inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Number Two, the Omni-Droid and the drones opened fire as the transformation sequence progresses. It's Hero Time! Ryota transforms into Ten Rider and starts fighting the Omni-Droid, Number Two and the Drones. Aboard the Dark Astoria, Neme-Knight and Number Eight board the ship and they defeated the drones patrolling the deck. They heard the alarms going off.
"That must be Princess, right on cue. The Conductor has left to get reinforcements."
"We're on Deck Eighteen; we need to head down below." Number Eight said.
"Since you know the Dark Astoria inside and out, lead on." They fought their way down to Deck Fifteen and they noticed the collection of Omnitrixes on display. "That's a lot of Omnitrixes, how many Tennyson's did you lot kill?" Neme-Knight asked.
"Probably over a hundred I think. Organisation X has been doing this for a very long time, since they murdered Medieval Ben and took his Omnitrix." Number Eight walks over to the security console and begins to override the security system. "Once the security system is down, we better hurry. It won't take Number One long to."
Number One enters the room, grabs Number Eight and throws him to the wall. "Before he discovers there are intruders, stealing my Omnitrixes." he said.
"For your information, they were never yours to begin with."
"You got some nerve, boarding my ship and take whatever you like. That is not happening."
Number One throws a punch at Neme-Knight; Number Eight rushes in and catches the punch.
"So much for the quieter way of doing things. I'll hold my former boss off, grab every Omnitrix."
Number Eight and One began to fight each other. Neme-Knight heads to the security console and deactivates the security system. "Now we're in business. I hope Ryota has better luck down there."
Back on the ground, Ten Rider becomes exhausted from fighting a squadron of drones. He collapses and powers down back to normal. "Too soon, that's not good." Ryota said.
"Hmm, so much for the Ten Rider. At least I get the honour of ending your life, considering what you put us through." Number Two said.
Number Two was about to deliver the blow when Gwen and Kevin interfered and blocked the attack.
"I never got the chance to say thanks for risking your lives for us." Gwen said.
"You guys remembered?" Ryota said.
He gets up. "We remember everything and we never forget." Number Two backs off. "I assume you got a plan?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah, we just need to keep them busy."
Ryota turns one of the dials. Begin venting process. The vent opens and begins venting heat. Gwen and Kevin took over fighting Number Two. Back on the Dark Astoria, Neme-Knight is grabbing every Omnitrix in the room as Number Eight fights his former boss. Neme-Knight grabs the final Omnitrix and puts it into the bag with the rest of the Omnitrixes.
"And that makes two hundred and thirty. How are you doing, Eight?"
Number One slams Number Eight to the ground and puts his foot on him. "I offer you a trade, hand them over and I'll release Number Eight."
"Don't do it!"
Neme-Knight gets his portal device out, puts it on the floor and turns it on. It opens a portal and he throws the bag into the portal.
"You just made the worst mistake of your existence. I'll make you regret that."
"I suspect as much. With the Omnitrixes safe, that leaves one thing to take care of." He gets the Exceed Mode card out, inserts it into the cartridge, loads the blaster and fires it in the sky.
Exceed Mode activated.
He armours up into Exceed Mode. "That just leaves you and the Dark Astoria."
Neme-Knight gets his blaster out, inserts a card into the cartridge, loads the blaster and aims it. Exceed finisher set, Predator Barrage! He fires a barrage of shots around the ship. Back on the ground, everyone watches as the Dark Astoria is destroyed. The bag containing the Omnitrixes arrives. Number Two becomes angry at the ship's destruction and his boss's 'demise'.
"You will pay for what you done!"
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
Number One teleports beside him and Ryota is shocked to see he's still alive. "What, I thought that finisher should've defeated you." he said.
"You thought wrong, it was a good try. Now, if you be so kind, hand them over." Number One said.
Jason and Number Eight arrived right beside Ryota and the others. "We're sorry, we did everything we could." Number Eight said.
"Not to worry. As for you, so you can be the hero you wanted to be, Matthew."
Number One becomes enraged by what he said. "How!"
"Who's Matthew?" Kai asked.
"Ask Gwen, she was one of the people who were at the campsite when Ben first got the Omnitrix and so was he."
Gwenn soon recognises him and she starts to shed tears. "No, it can't be. It can't be." she cried.
"Years of jealously and hatred led Matthew to create Organisation X, its members and its goal to destroy you, your family and every Tennyson in the multiverse."
"All because Ben Tennyson got the Omnitrix. Matthew eventually murdered his father and built an empire. He used his financial success to create Organisation X."
"You're probably wondering how we know all of this. Prof. Paradox left a message before his death."
Gwen, Kai and Julie are shocked to hear of this. "He's dead?" Kai asked.
"Murdered by the Omni-Droid and a platoon of drones in order to cover up Matthew's secret."
"Now everything is out of the way, its time to end this. Look around you, Organisation X has an army of drones and ships. And what do you have, nothing." Number Two said.
More drones arrive and the odds look grim. They soon hear the sound of a train arriving. Ryota begins to smile. "All right, Conductor!"
"What's going on?"
"In case you haven't figured it out. Our plan involved three parts. The first part involved me, which was to keep you distracted. While I was doing that, the second part revolved around Jason and Number Eight to recover every known Omnitrix you stolen."
"And the third part is the part that'll get you scared."
The Time Train arrives and stops. "Did you get all of them?"
"Yeah, except for one." the Conductor replied.
The doors open and one by one, every Ben Tennyson and their counterparts got out of the train. Organisation X becomes antagonised by their presence. The others are amazed by what they saw. Legion and Aeon appeared on a rooftop and watched. The train leaves the area.
"Unbelievable, they pulled off the greatest miracle in the history of the multiverse." Legion said.
"Both Ryota and Jason are something." Aeon said.
Back on the ground, Ryota opens the bag and shows everyone the Omnitrixes. "I think we have something that belongs to all of you."
Miraculously, all the Omnitrixes vanished and returned to their owners.
"We owe a lot to you two." Ben Noir said.
"You were there when we were at our lowest." Gwen 10 said.
"Not only did you save us." Ben 23 said.
"But you brought hope when we needed it." Ben 10,000 said.
"And I am really proud of you two, really I am." A person appeared in front of us. "Sorry I'm late; I made a quick stop to pick up a certain individual. The guest of honour as it were and the original." I said.
Ryota soon recognises him. "Is that you, Prof. Paradox?"
"You really are full of surprises."
"That's the best thing about chronologic energy, there was a tiny bit of chronologic energy left for me to regenerate, which includes a new appearance and a different accent. Oh, I've brought the guest of honour." I said.
He then reveals the person he's brought with him. Organisation X becomes antagonised further by what they saw. "This is impossible! He's supposed to be dead!" Number One yelled.
Gwen, Kevin, Kai and Julie begin to cry at the appearance of Ben Tennyson, the original, six months before his death. Ryota and Jason are surprised by what they saw. "Wow, I'm geeking out right now." Ryota said.
"I know the feeling." Jason said.
"This is unacceptable!" Number Two yelled.
"Wrong, this is us evening the odds. I was brought up to speed on the trip here. I can't believe you've fallen, Matt." Ben said.
He sheds a tear and wipes it off. "I was so close to victory and you two came and swiped it off me. WHAT ARE YOU?"
"I'm just a passing-through Ben 10, remember that. What do you say, Jason? Up for one last battle?"
"Against an army of robots, a shape-shifting android, an artificial being and a genetically modified human with a grudge against the greatest hero of all time. Oh yeah. Shall we?"
"Let's Henshin!" they shouted.
Ryota turns his Omnitrix on. Omnitrix Set. Jason draws out his blaster and arms it. Nemetrix set. Ryota and Jason gets their transformation cards out. Ryota inserts it into the slot and Jason inserts his into the cartridge, loads the blaster and aims it at the sky. Ryota flips the switch and Jason fires the blaster in the sky. It's Hero Time! Enter: Neme-Knight. They both transformed at the same time. Ryota transforms into Ten Rider, while Jason transforms into Neme-Knight.
"All right guys, all together now."
"It's Hero Time!" every Ben and their counterparts shouted.
"Hmm, not bad, let's make this showy."
Ten Rider and Neme-Knight lead the charge and the others soon followed them into battle once they selected their aliens and changed into them. The battle of a lifetime began as every Ben Tennyson and their counterparts battled Organisation X. Neme-Knight, Gwen 10 and one of Ben's counterparts battled the Omni-Droid.
"Be careful, the Omni-Droid has ability to shape-shift into any one of your foes."
"Super Mode activated." it said.
The Omni-Droid shape-shifts into its Super Mode, which is ten times more powerful. They battle the Omni-Droid when Gwen and her counterpart landed a blow and created an opening. Neme-Knight gets a card out, inserts it into the cartridge, loads the blaster, takes aim and fires at the Omni-Droid. Finisher set, Predator Dynamic! The beam destroys the Omni-Droid.
"What a relief."
Back on the battlefield, Ten Rider and the original Ben battled Number Two as he senses something is off. "The Omni-Droid is destroyed."
"It's about time that pest was taken care of."
Ten Rider gets the Ultimate Alien key, puts into the lock and turn it. Shift key set, change Omnitrix mode, Ultimate Alien. He changes forms.
"The alien cards are one thing, but the keys are taking things too far."
"Says the sell-out, let's end this."
Ben throws Number Two into the air; he selects Rath and changes into him. He jumps into the air, grabs Number Two and throws him to the ground. Ten Rider gets a finisher card out, inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Ultimate finisher set, Ultimate Strike! Ten Rider dashes up to Number Two, throws a powerful punch. It sends him flying into the air and he gets destroyed. Ben lands back down on the ground.
"Now that's what I call a finisher."
Ben 10,000 runs up to us as Ben reverts back to his normal form. "The other Ben's have broken up into formations to take out the remaining Organisation X drones and ships around the world." he said.
"We're making good progress. That just leaves you, Matthew." Ten Rider said.
Neme-Knight and Gwen 10 joined up with us. "You destroyed my second-in-command, my Omni-Droid and my organisation. This is unacceptable! Now you get to feel my full wrath!" Number One shouted.
Number One begins to fight us and Ten Rider was the first to fight him. "I've come a long way since our first encounter."
"I doubt it."
Ben and the others soon joined in and Number One blocks their attacks. He telekinetically throws each of us to the walls. "How can one being have so much power?" Ben Noir asked.
"He is a genetically modified human. Even now, he is still too powerful." Neme-Knight said.
"This isn't working, we need a new plan." Gwen suggested.
"I'm open to suggestions." Kevin said.
Ten Rider gets up and comes up with an idea. "I've got an idea. It's not one of the Professor's favourites, but given the situation. We have no choice."
"If you're referring to changing the past, you got my approval." I said.
"You're suggesting you go back in time to change the past. To do what exactly?" Ben 23 asked.
"Not to change Ben's or any of our pasts. I want to change his."
"I get it."
"Conductor, where are you?"
"I'm currently in Paris, battling one of the Organisation X ships." he replied.
"Bring the Time Train to my location."
"We'll hold Number One off until you get back."
"I'm coming too."
"And so am I." Ben said.
The Time Train comes around and stops. Ten Rider, Gwen and Ben got onboard and the train leaves the area. "Since you know Matthew, do you have any idea where he is or was six years ago?"
"I've spoken to him only a few times. He mentioned a day after Ben got the Omnitrix, he returned home to his father in Albuquerque, New Mexico."
The Conductor punches in the coordinates and travels back in time a day after Ben got the Omnitrix. They arrived in Albuquerque and they got off the train.
"I find it hard to believe a tyrant once grew up here. Day plus one, we better find Matthew and change history."
"By doing what?"
"Make him see the error of his ways. Do you know where he lives?"
"It's this way."
They head to where Matthew used to live. Back in the present, Kevin and Neme-Knight hold Number One off for as long as they can.
"Whatever you're planning to do, Ryo, do it fast."
Back in the past, Ryota, Ben and Gwen arrive at the street where he used to live. They see an pickup truck drop a young Matthew off and he heads back into his house. Gwen is soon crying.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm not, I just find this hard to believe. What could've driven him to become what we saw."
"We're about to find out." They heard a piece of furniture fall to the ground. They head over to the house, Ryota kicks the door the door down and they witnessed Matthew's father abusing him. Ryota grabs him and throws him to his arm. "You stay right there."
Gwen tends to a young Matthew and she cleans up his wound. "Hey, that's my son, get your stinking hands off him." his father yelled.
"Says the man who abused him." Ben said.
"I had no idea what you're talking about." he said.
"Playing dumb with us is a grave mistake. We know what we saw, I guess that answers one part of a question." Ryota said.
"Question?"
"We got a lot to talk about. Who are you?"
"Eugene, Eugene Benson. Are you the police because I can explain everything?"
"We're not the police and what we're about to tell you will change history."
Gwen finishes cleaning Matthew's wound. She notices bruises and scars over Matthew's body. She confronts him about the injuries. "How long has this been going on?" Gwen asked.
She slaps Matthew in the face. "Gwen! That's enough."
"Too long, if you got something to say to me, spit it out."
"Actually, you both need to listen. The next part is going to be the one hardest to believe. We're from the future, six years from now."
"Wait, are you saying you're spacemen?"
"Not exactly, we're time travellers, sort of."
"And we came here to change the outcome of an event."
"Years from now, your son will do something that'll put the entire existence of the multiverse at stake. He'll go on to do terrible things; murder, theft, torture and destruction are a few of the thing he'll commit in the future."
"I'm sorry, I'm not buying it. Matthew is a good boy."
"That's not what I saw. I've spent a decade undoing the damage your kid brought upon the multiverse and we're at the finishing line as it were. According to what I looked up about you, you used to be a good man, what drove you to abuse your only son and think its okay. Unless." Ryota goes upstairs and heads into his bedroom. He checks the walls and notices a panel is loose. He removes the panel and notices a memorial. "So that's what it's been all about."
Back in the present, Kevin, Number Eight and Jason were defeated by Number One and they fell to the ground.
"This is not good." Number Eight said.
"Come on, what's taking you so long?" Jason wondered.
Back in the past, Ryota heads back downstairs and shows Eugene and the others a framed photograph of Eugene and his late wife.
"I found a shrine in the master bedroom. Who is she?"
Eugene confronts Ryota, but Ben grabs Eugene and places him back on the chair. "Answer the question, Eugene."
"That's my wife, Sarah. We were happily married for five years. She had a rare blood disorder that required regular dialysis. She was wanted a child, but the doctors advised against it because of imminent death. When it came to our future, we consider a lot of options. Adoption or surrogacy was the best options, but Sarah insisted on childbirth. I didn't want to go with it because of Sarah's health, but she was very persuasive. After nine months, she given birth to Matthew and, she died." Eugene begins to cry. "It's his fault that she died. Matthew is a murderer. He murdered Sarah!"
Eugene gets up and is about to confront Matthew. Ryota grabs Eugene and throws out to the garden. "I can't believe you would hit your own kid."
"All because you think he murdered Sarah. You're such an idiot."
"This abuse will lead your son to kill you one day and it'll lead to something much worse. If you don't believe us, then this might help."
Ryota gets his Omnitrix out, puts it around his waist and flips the switch. Omnitrix set. He gets a transformation card out, inserts it into the slop and flips the switch. It's Hero Time! He transforms into Ten Rider.
"Don't do it, Ten Rider."
Eugene is awestruck by what they saw, Matthew soon joins them. "What was that?" Eugene asked.
"From where I'm from, in the future. I'm known as Ten Rider, the Ben 10 of the year ten thousand." he said.
"I know you, Ben, Gwen." Matthew said.
"Matthew, get back in the house."
"The next part will even harder to take in."
Ten Rider gets a ability card out, inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Ability card set, Clockwork, Time Window. Ten Rider opens a time window into the future and they watched Number One fighting Ben's counterparts. Eugene soon recognises Number One.
"Is that my son?"
"It is." Gwen said.
"How?"
"It's because of you. Your years of abusing Matthew led to that moment, combined with Matthew's regret of not getting the Omnitrix. All because you believed he murdered Sarah. But it's not too late to start over." Ben said.
Back in the present, Number One begins to feel something is wrong. Number Eight and the drones begin to feel it. "What happening to me?" Number One asked.
"It looks like the timeline is being altered." Number Eight replied.
The Time Train arrives and they got off the train. "What do you know? It worked. Its time to end this."
Ten Rider gets an finisher card out, inserts it into the slot and flips the switch. Finisher set, Heroes United! Ten Rider uses the powers of every Omnitrix and lights it into his sabre. He rushes up to Number One and slashes him. The attack does a lot of damage and Number One is soon erased from the timeline.
"Huh, I'll be. You actually did it." Number Eight notices the feeling of being erased. "I figured this might happen. Because you changed Matthew's timeline, it means I was never created. See you guys on the other side."
Number Eight is erased from existence. Sometime later at the memorial, we were having a cup of coffee and looking at the memorial.
"It'll take the Conductor a while to get every one of your counterparts back to their home." I said.
"I wondered if we did any good." Gwen asked.
"You did. As a result, Eugene became a good father; he set up in a charity in Sarah's memory to provide support for new mothers. As for Matthew, he's still the sweet natured boy you encountered. Rumour has it he's on the verge of securing a baseball scholarship."
"Is it okay to alter the timeline in order to secure the victory?" Kevin asked.
"We should be fortunate Matthew's timeline isn't a fixed one. Otherwise, we all be in trouble."
"I won't remember any of this, won't I?" Ben asked.
"Time is being reset back to normality; every bit of damage Organisation X has brought is being undone. It's time for me to take you back home."
Ben walks to Ryota and shakes his hand. "It's good to know my legacy is in good hands."
"It's honour to meet you. Before you go, I like to give you a piece of advice, its better to believe in hope than it is to believe in despair. You're going to need it."
"Thanks."
I take Ben back home. "What do you mean by its better to believe in hope than it is to believe in despair?"
"Spoilers." Jason replied.
"Thank you for all your help."
"Likewise."
The Time Train arrives, the Conductor opens the door. Ryota and Jason got aboard the train and it leaves to take them back home.
Elsewhere, the mysterious man and the group who was on Mad Ben's Earth returned to their base of operations. A scientist walks up to them.
"Well, did you find what you're looking for?" he asked.
"Only bits and pieces unfortunately. Number Nine was killed before he can complete his part of the bargain. We salvage some data, what good anything of it will do remains to be seen." the man answered.
"So we're back to square one. I've analysed the scenario twenty seven times and the outcome will always remain the same."
"In other words, Maltruant will remain trapped in the time loop unless we act."
"Exactly. There is hope. When I last spoke to the little tyke before his destruction. He said he was onto something, something that can break the loop and set Maltruant free."
"Go on."
"He believed the key to break Maltruant free lies within Prof. Paradox. Given his power source is chronologic energy, they maybe a way to remove it."
"According to what Maltruant told me, Prof. Paradox's existence, like Ben Tennyson's is a fixed point in time. To remove his power source is to unleash ten centuries of chaos on the multiverse."
"There is that, what about converting it into corrupt chronologic energy."
"That can work, to do so would require a small device along the lines of an Entropy Pump and they're not supposed to be invented until the sixty fifth century."
"I did hear Number One acquired a Pump from a Techadon Weapons Master from the future."
"There is someone who can help us acquire the device. I need to return to the main timeline and head to South Africa. Hopefully, he might be more cooperative."
The man leaves for the main timeline. Elsewhere, Ben is still carrying a baby Verdona in his arms and arrives at a village. A robot confronts him.
"Identify yourself?" it said.
The End?