The Krakken
After a bit of travelling, we made it to some lake that we decided to camp at. It was a huge lake with a forest surrounding it.
Right now it was nighttime and I decided to sit at the little dock that we camped next to and look out over the lake at night with the fog rolling on top of the water.
"I wonder if there's anything out in this lake." I asked Gwen, who was with me. I asked that because of the fact that there's aliens out there. And because of that, there may be some cryptids out there like BigFoot or the Loch Ness Monster.
"I don't know, but I wouldn't want to find out." Gwen said.
"Well, considering what we've already encountered, there's a chance we'd keep something weird." I told her.
"Maybe. Anyway, I'm off to bed, goodnight." She said, walking back to the Rust Bucket. I stayed for a bit longer since I was still in the mood to relax before going to sleep.
After a few minutes, things seemed normal until there were some bubbles further out in the lake which then something large emerged. I can't even see it in detail, but it was some kind of creature.
"Me and my big mouth." I muttered my luck as I slammed down the Omnitrix and transformed into Four Arms.
One of its tentacles, whatever they were instantly grabbed me and threw me out into the lake.
"What the hell?!" I asked right as I got above the water only for it to grab me and sink me into the water. It lifted me in front of one of its eyes, which were huge. Not wanting to go out like this, I used my strength as Four Arms to get out of its grip and punch it near the eye, making it whimper and swim into the depths.
A bit confused, I swam out of the lake and got back to the Rust Bucket.
I considered telling Gwen and Grandpa about what happened, but I decided that now wasn't the best time to tell them since they were asleep. So, I waited for the Omnitrix to time out and when it did, I changed into some pyjamas and slept on the top bunker, ready for the fishing trip tomorrow.
Sleep wasn't easy as I kept having nightmares of that thing attacking me and taking me down into the depths of the lake, but I survived as I woke up, surprised to see that I was holding a crystal in my hand, the same kind of crystal Diamondhead would make. I was so confused that I didn't show it to Grandpa and Gwen as they woke up.
We all ate breakfast and I told them about what happened last night with that creature, and they know I don't make up stuff or joke around like that so they listened and thankfully believed me.
We then left the Rust Bucket and headed to the fishing boat Grandpa booked for us. Today was a bit gloomy since there was an overcast sky and I kept my eyes open at the lake, hoping that thing doesn't attack.
"Are you alright, Ben?" Grandpa asked in concern.
"Yeah, just on edge from last night." I told him as we got closer to the boat. I went ahead and noticed a bucket. I looked in and there were some worms to be used as bait.
"Couldn't we have used other things as bait?" I asked, pointing in the bucket, making Gwen look like she was going to gag.
"No better bait then worms." Grandpa argued.
"Yeah, well, I think I'm going to pass on the fishing thing. I'll stay here and catch some sun instead." Gwen informed us, walking away. Seriously, how the heck do you catch some sun when it's an overcast sky?
"OK. But you don't know what you're missing." Grandpa said.
"I'm pretty sure I do." She told him as she walked away. We then turned to the boat and saw the boat's captain. He seemed to be in his middle ages and he wore a red cap.
"Captain Shaw?" Grandpa asked the man.
"Who wants to know?" He asked.
"I'm Max Tennyson, and this is my grandson Ben. We chartered your boat today for a fishing trip." Grandpa explained.
"Well, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Get aboard. I ain't got all day." Shaw told him in a rather grumpy manner. Jeez, what crawled up his butt to make him crampy? We both got aboard and we sailed out into the lake. We made it out in the middle of the lake, away from shore and while I should relax, I can't help but think about that creature and so I was just on edge the entire time. I even leaned over to keep an eye into the water.
"Anything interesting to catch out there today?" Grandpa asked Shaw to try and converse with him.
"More than you can imagine. Looks like your boy's using his breakfast as chum." Shaw replied, referring to me, assuming I was getting nauseous.
"Ben, you feeling okay?" Grandpa asked in concern. I leaned back and faced him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just keeping my eye out for that creature. Just don't want it to take me by surprise this time." I replied. I looked to my right and at first, I thought I saw it again but as I examined it, it was just a twig with a container on it.
"Could've fooled me." I muttered as it floated past us.
"Relax, Ben, this is a fishing trip, not a monster hunt. It's probably nocturnal." Grandpa tried to calm my nerves.
"It's called the Krakken." Shaw suddenly said.
"What do you mean? Do you know about it?" I asked him.
"It's my business to know about it." He told me, handing a photo. I took it and saw what seemed to be some kind of crest looming out of the water. It reminded me of that famous photo of the fake model of the Loch Ness Monster.
"I've been on its tail for years. Folks say my rudder's not right." He then said.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Grandpa asked, being suspicious of him.
"Sightings go back hundreds of years on this very lake. Some say it's a myth. Not me. I could take you to a spot where I personally laid eyes upon the beast that is, if you got the stomach for some real adventure." Shaw went on. I looked at Grandpa and we had a silent conversation.
"I guess so." He caved in. Now let's see if we can find it.
"Sonar. Hi-def video setup. Ultrasound. I got it all, and I will find it. Mark my words. It can't hide forever." Shaw then snarled. A bit too obsessive, if you ask me. I walked over to Grandpa.
"Is it just me or is he just a bit loose with his screws?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I get what you mean." He agreed with me.
We sailed further into the lake until we came across a part of the lake that seemed to be fenced off with the warning 'DO NOT ENTER' written on some tape.
"Do not enter? What's going on?" Shaw asked in frustration.
"Looks official. Maybe we should turn back." Grandpa told him.
"Nonsense. This is my lake, and I'll go wherever I-" Shaw was about to rant but then….
"Fishing boat, stop where you are." A man said from our left and we looked to see a high tech boat, slightly bigger than Shaw's stop next to us. And there was a logo with the letters 'F.O.F' on it. There were three men on the boat as well. One of which was a man with brownish red hair and mustache.
"I am Jonah Melville, the founder of Friends of Fish. We've closed this section of the lake for an environmental study. You'll have to turn your boat around." The man told us. I don't remember there being a Friends of Fish organisation at all. Something's fishy, no pun intended.
"Suppose you make me, fish hugger." Shaw spat, looking to argue with him.
"Well, since I chartered the boat for the day, I believe I'm in charge. Isn't that right, Captain?" Grandpa asked Shaw, clearly goating his control.
"Aw, I suppose." Shaw begrudgingly answered and walked to the ship's wheel.
"Have you guys heard of the Krakken?" I asked Jonah and his men. He just laughed.
"The Krakken? Not that old fish story. Look, I'm a marine biologist, and anybody who tells you they've seen a monster in this lake is casting without a hook." He replied before entering his boat. I narrowed my eyes, thinking that there's definitely something going on with that guy.
He and his men escorted us away from that area and back to the docks. But then I heard beeping from the sonar.
"The sonar. We found something." Shaw said. I looked around and then I saw what looked to be a fin coming up behind us.
"Look!" I shouted as I pointed at it.
"The Krakken!" Shaw snarled once more as the fin sank into the water and we looked over the edge and saw a huge outline underneath us and then it sped off, rocking the boat back and forth.
It's heading for the docks." Shaw informed us. Oh no….
"Gwen." Me and Grandpa said at the same time in fear. Shaw blew the boat's horn to warn everyone there but they didn't seem to notice as the Krakken got closer and closer. And then it popped out of the water, revealing a huge creature that had tentacles or whatever they were coming from its mouth. It roared as it rammed the dock that Gwen was on and she got thrown into the water with other people.
"I told you. It's real. The Krakken lives!" Shaw proclaimed.
"Sail now. Gloat later. Someone's got to rescue those people." Grandpa said to Shaw and then to me. I nodded before jumping into the water and activating the Omnitrix to show the outline of Ripjaws.
"Here we go." I said to myself before going underwater and slam down the dial, only to not be Ripjaws, but as Speed Raptor. Really?! I got to the surface of the water.
"Stupid watch!" I hissed in annoyance. I then looked over to the people (including Gwen) swimming for their lives, away from the Krakken.
"Here goes nothing." I muttered before my visor slid down. I then ran in the water and thanks to being really fast, I was able to skim on the surface of the water. I managed to grab Gwen just as the creature was about to gobble her up. I ran over to the shore of the lake and placed her on the ground.
"You alright?" I asked her as she was coughing.
"I think so. Thanks for the save." She said.
"You might want to step back." I warned her and she did as I told her before I kicked up some sand from revving up to run back on the lake and I saved everyone else, dropping them off on the same shore as Gwen. I then saw the Krakken's attention was on the Friends of Fish.
I sped across the lake as the creature was swimming to the boat and started attacking it. I managed to get in front of it and make a tornado, kicking up the water, making it swim away. I then got onboard their boat.
It then popped up again with a roar and ripped tarp off of a crate that had the word 'Cannery' written on it and it tried to take the crate, though Jonah seemed desperate to keep it.
"No, you don't!" He shouted at it. In the heat of the moment, I grabbed onto its tentacle or whatever it was and used my speed to try and make it let go and it did, making me, Jonah and the crate fly back. The Krakken looked like it was ready to go again but I got under its chin and kicked it there, rapid fire style, which made it finally swim away.
"Thanks for the hand and the feet." Jonah thanked me. My visor slid up and I frowned in confusion.
"Why would you risk your life for that crate? What's in it?" I questioned him.
"Um, our lunch." He said, clearly lying.
"I find it hard to believe you'd nearly lose your life over a few sandwiches." I glared at him. Then suddenly, one of the Krakken's tentacles (I'll just call them that) grabbed the crate and pulled it underneath the water. My visor slid down as the symbol on my chest started beeping and flashing red.
"Gotta go!" I blurted out, jumping into the water and ran as fast as I could to Shaw's boat.
"Come on, come on!" I hissed but then I turned back to myself and I skimmed on the water for a bit until I stopped and floated near the boat.
"Dammit!" I cursed.
"Man overboard. Shaw, Ben is overboard. Bring the boat around." Grandpa ordered Shaw and he threw a net over, which I used to climb aboard.
It was nighttime and all the tourists packed up and left immediately, not wanting to deal with the Krakken anymore. Meanwhile, we stayed.
"See? I told you that thing was real." I told Grandpa and Gwen as we were outside the Rust Bucket around a fire and I wrapped myself around a blanket.
"Either way, we'll leave this to the experts, Ben. Like those Friends of Fish guys." Grandpa told me.
"Oh, really? Well, I never heard of them and they suspiciously tried to keep a crate they say had their sandwiches. I tell you, they are up to something and it may have to do with the Krakken." I argued against that notion.
"I'm afraid this is just gonna have to be the one that got away, son." He talked me down. I sighed in frustration as I noticed Shaw looking like he was in a foul mood.
"Lowdown, no good fish kissers." He muttered angrily.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"The nerve of those enviro-punks. They shut down the entire lake. Nobody tells me where to sail. And nobody's gonna keep me away from reeling in the catch of the century. Nobody." He declared. Wow, going full on Captain Ahab.
Even though he ain't the most trustworthy, I think Shaw could help with providing some answers. I snuck out of the Rust Bucket, making sure I left a note to explain where I was as I got aboard Shaw's boat, just in time as he sailed out into the lake. I was under a tarp when I accidentally hit something, making a rattling sound.
"Hey, no stowaways on my boat, even if you are only a filthy rat." Shaw warned as he pulled the tarp up, revealing me.
"Yeah, well, I'm not a rat and I'm trying to learn more about those Friends of Fish guys." I answered dryly.
So, even though he clearly wants to be on his own, he accepted my presence as he stopped the boat practically in the middle of the lake.
"She's probably been chased deep by our fishy friends. Only one way to flush her out: with a little live bait." Shaw told me as he was getting into some scuba gear.
"I think I should go with you." I told him.
"No need. I got my dive buddy right here. Wish me luck." He replied before diving into the water with a spear gun. I noticed some scuba gear and a diving suit. I smirked since I am without question going down there with him.
I got in it as quickly as I could and dove in, in awe for a few seconds of being underwater and then I started swimming towards Shaw, who was swimming towards some wreckage from ships long ago. He was standing on some of the wreckage, looking over something as I swam closer to him.
He turned and saw me but then he fired his spear gun at me, which I thankfully dodged.
"Watch it, mister." I snapped at him. He sighed and he pointed at what he was looking at. I got closer and saw a couple of circular objects that looked as though they had veins on them. They had to be some kind of eggs. Now how does this relate to the Krakken's behavior?
Shaw swam up to the surface as I looked at the eggs, but then I eventually swam up too and when I reached the surface, there was another boat there and three fully masked men standing opposite Shaw.
"And with a sparkling personality like yours?" One asked as the other two held Shaw. That voice, it sounds familiar.
"I haven't anything worth stealing either." Shaw told him.
"Ah. But you have us all wrong. All we want is some information. Like what did you see down there?" The man asked him.
"Nothing. Same as always." Shaw replied and that made the man punch him in the face, knocking him out.
"Well, I have to be sure." The man snarled, revealing his face. IT'S JONAH! I knew there was something off with them. I checked the Omnitrix to see that it was still charging. Damnit!
"Take Ahab here with us. Find out if he knows anything back at the cannery. We'll come back later with a mini sub to snag the rest of the eggs." Jonah told his cronies before he threw something in the water. They're after the Krakken's eggs! No wonder it was acting aggressive and that's why she took the crate. It had one of her eggs in it.
"In the meantime, I think his boat just got lost at sea." He then said, throwing what must be a bomb onto Shaw's boat before sailing off.
The boat then exploded and the debris was falling into the lake. I dove down and swam to avoid getting hit. I then got back up and saw that the Omnitrix is now working. I pressed the button and the dial popped up to show the outline of Stinkfly.
"Time to save Shaw." I said to myself before turning into Stinkfly and flew over the lake, following Jonah's boat.
"I think it's time for you losers to learn a lesson!" I shouted at them all as one of them manned a turret on the front of the boat and fired at me, though I managed to avoid getting hit and fired some slime at him and the other.
And then some canisters were dropped into the water and they exploded, making me weave and dodge them and a falling tree, still being in the air and then I hid in a tree. Now Jonah and his cronies tried to find me with some flashlights.
"It's getting too crowded around here. Dump the trash overboard." I heard Jonah tell them. Oh no…. The Krakken's here and they're gonna throw Shaw in the water.
As they threw him over, they sped off and now I could fly down and grab Shaw before he drowned.
I lifted him out and I flew back to where the Rust Bucket is.
"Come on!" I growled as I was getting closer, only for the symbol to start beeping.
"Again?!" I groaned in annoyance.
I just about reached the RV when I turned back to normal and both me and Shaw fell onto the awning canopy, which caught us safely.
"I need to work on those landings." I said, looking at Gwen and Grandpa.
We got Shaw down and woke him up as we entered the Rust Bucket when I told Gwen and Grandpa about Jonah and of the eggs.
"...and it turns out that the Krakken has a nest with eggs in it. That's why she's been acting aggressive. Jonah is stealing her eggs and is using the cover of Friends of Fish to get away with it." I explained as Gwen was on her laptop.
"And I think I know who Jonah is. I did a little checking on Friends of Fish and you were right about not knowing of them because they're not listed on any environmental website. But I did find this. Jonah Melville isn't a friend to any kind of wildlife. He travels around the world poaching rare animals, then crates them up and sells them to private collectors." Gwen told us, showing photos of Jonah with a big fish and of him with a rifle over a dead Rhino.
"Which is why the Krakken took that crate, it had one of her eggs in it." I said, looking at Grandpa.
"Looks like I was a little too hard headed." He admitted.
"We'll have to stop them. He said something about going to a cannery." I then stated.
"All this talk doesn't change a thing. Mommy or not, that beast is mine. Let's go. I've got a spare boat down at the docks." Shaw said, walking out of the Rust Bucket. We all looked at each other and smirked, knowing what we're going to do.
We all got to the boat and Gwen called 911 about the situation.
"It'll take a while until the police can get here." She told us as she hung up her phone. Shaw was in the middle of untying the boat from the dock and once he did, Grandpa started the motor and we were on our way, leaving Shaw behind.
"What are you doing? Get back here." He called out to us.
"Sorry, Captain." I apologized to him.
We reached the cannery and got under the dock where a ladder was. Both Grandpa and Gwen climbed on it.
"Try and find the eggs." I told them.
"What about you?" Gwen asked.
"I'm gonna kick Jonah's ass, aquatic style." I replied, activating the Omnitrix and choosing to form into Ripjaws.
I first started to gain scales all over my body and then webbing in between four fingers. Then I grew a phosphorescent light on my forehead right as I grew gills on my neck. My may then grew and formed sharp teeth.
Right as I finished transforming, the Krakken came out to play, throwing me into the water. I formed a fish tail and swam as I saw Jonah firing a blaster of some kind at the creature with the eggs in his hands. I got really angry and shot out of the water and landed on Jonah, who was in some kind of mech suit.
"If you want to mess with an angry monster, then try me on for size." I threatened in a deep, growly voice. I then chomped on his blaster and threw it away with my mouth. Then I chomped the arm holding the container with the eggs in it. It fell and I jumped to grab it, but when I did, I got punched in the face, letting it go and the eggs fell out, rolling to the edge of the dock.
Me, Jonah and the Krakken practically raced to get the eggs. And right as Jonah was about to grab them, the Krakken's tail lifted them up.
"My eggs!" He yelled. You little bastard! He moved to grab them but I grabbed onto him.
"THEY'RE NOT YOUR EGGS!" I bellowed out, shoving him away from the eggs as they fell and I grabbed them as I dived into the water, but then Jonah landed on me and we fought.
"Rescuing babies. Very heroic but not very smart." He mocked me as he punched me repeatedly before grabbing the eggs for himself.
I swam after him and pulled the eggs out of his grasp and I grabbed them with my mouth this time, thankfully my mouth can stretch in this form.
I then shoved him off and swam for the nest, only for the Krakken to show up and she naturally assumed that I'm after the eggs for myself, though I ain't and attacked me, making me let the eggs go. She grabbed them and swam for her nest with Jonah after her. I followed them as he let out a sonic pulse, making the poor mother let the eggs go, leaving Jonah a chance to snatch them.
I shot at him like a missile and punched his windscreen as we crashed through a sunken boat. He somehow grabbed my throat and kept me on the lake bed, but I saw a chain attached to an anchor and so I pulled it and it hit him, giving me a chance to kick him off of me and try to break his mech suit a bit, though he shocked me.
He tried to swim away but with the anchor, I threw it at him, breaking his right claw arm off and I hooked him as the Krakken came involved. I managed to get the eggs out of Jonah's grasp and I grabbed them with my mouth, swimming as fast as I could to her nest with her following me.
Thankfully, once we reached there and I placed the eggs back, she understood what I was doing and didn't attack me. She curled up around her eggs but Jonah tried to grab them, though the Krakken chomped on the suit, making Jonah swim out. He foolishly took out a knife and tried to stab her with it, but it snapped broken upon contact with her. She was ready to eat him but I couldn't let that happen. So as she roared at him, I got in front of him and spread my arms out, silently telling her to spare him.
She rumbled before going back to her nest and curling back up around her eggs.
I then turned around at Jonah, who shrugged. I roared at him and punched him really hard in the face, giving him a broken nose.
I hung his unconscious body among the rubble of the dock for the police.
"You hang here until the police put you in a dry cell." I told him as a police boat arrived. I swam under the water until I found myself in a net. I was pulled up to see that I was caught by Shaw.
"Got one. I finally got me a Krakken. One of the eggs must have hatched. Imagine this trophy mounted on my wall." Shaw said to Grandpa and Gwen. Thankfully, the symbol on my shoulder started beeping and flashing red and then I changed back.
"I think your catch of the day isn't exactly as advertised." Grandpa chuckled, with Shaw grabbing his lantern and putting it close up at me.
"Hi." I greeted him as I moved some seaweed away from my face. He looked so shocked and confused.
"But I could have sworn." He said, taking his hat off and scratching his head.
"Do you mind getting me out of this, please?" I asked him.
I swear, being a hero can get messy sometimes.