Chapter 4: Have time will travel part 2

Disclaimer: Ben 10 and Bleach do not belong to me.

Have Time, Will Travel Part 2

Well this was a fine mess Ben had found himself in. Somehow he had gotten himself warped back to Hueco Mundo in the past and was now being threatened by Tier Harribel back when she was a Hollow. Ben knew that he had to think of something fast. For some reason, his Ultimatrix wasn't working and he knew that his Hogyoku granted powers may not be enough to fight her. If what he had learned from Ulquiorra about Hollows was true, then Harribel was a Vasto Lorde, the most powerful level a Hollow could achieve before becoming an Arrancar. His strength and speed would not be enough to hold her off.

"How is it that you know my name?" Harribel demanded from Ben.

Well that was a good question. Ben didn't know if he could tell her that he was from the future and that she was in love with him. No that wouldn't work. She'd just think he was crazy and then she might try to kill him.

"I've heard about you," He lied. "You're said to be one of the most powerful Hollows in all of Hueco Mundo."

Harribel didn't look convinced. "And how would a human know about Hueco Mundo and Hollows?"

Ben cringed. He forgot to come up with answer to that question.

"You're not a Shinigami," Harribel said as she looked at him. "You do not have the reiatsu of one. Has Soul Society been reduced to using normal humans to spy on us?"

"Soul Society didn't send me," Ben told her, glad that he could give her an actual, and honest, answer. "And I'm not here to spy on anyone. I got here completely by accident."

But the answer still didn't relax Harribel. "So you know about Soul Society as well. How do you know all these things?"

"Uh...I worked with them before," Ben replied. "Helped them out with some trouble. But I don't share their views on Hollows, I promise."

"Really?" Harribel asked, suspicion still in her eyes.

"Yeah," Ben assured her. "I mean, I'm not big on the whole devouring other souls thing, but you guys have a right to exist and be helped."

Harribel narrowed her eyes at him. "You speak as if we are diseased."

Ben frowned. "I didn't mean that. I know you guys do it because of this huge hunger thing and I want to help."

"And why would you help us?"

Ben smiled softly at her. "Because I know that you Hollows are more than just mindless beasts. You're people and you have a right to exist. So I'm gonna get rid of any excuse the Shinigami need to hunt you."

He nearly blurted that he was working on a plan to turn all Hollows into Arrancar but he didn't know if she knew what Arrancar was. Or if she would even believe him at all.

Harribel said nothing at first, but then she lowered her sword arm. "Despite the absurdity of your claims...I can tell you are not lying. Very well. I shall spare your life for now." She started walking away and turned her heard to look at the deer Hollow, who had been watching them the entire time in curious fascination. She leaped into the air and landed right in front of the deer, who flinched but otherwise did not move. At first the two simply looked at each other before Harribel turned and started walking. "Come with me."

The deer was taken aback by this. "Wha-what did you just..." It asked in a female voice. Ben's eyes widened. Apacci? This was what Appaci was like as a Hollow? Dwelling on this now, Ben could see the resemblance between this Deer Hollow and Apacci's released state.

Harribel stopped in her tracks and looked back at her. "I said "Come with me"." She replied before continuing to walk again.

Apacci said nothing, just stared at Harribel for a moment before she started walking with her.

"Hey!" Ben called, causing the two to stop and look at him. "Wait for me!" He started to climb down from the rocks but his fingers lost their grip. Ben fell and landed hard on the sandy ground. While the sand somewhat cushioned his blow, Ben was grateful for the new endurance and healing factor that the Hogyoku had granted him.

"Wha-what do you think you're doing, human?" Apacci snapped rudely at him.

Ben slowly got up and brushed himself off, surprising Harribel and Apacci that he was relatively uninjured from the fall.

"Can I come along with you guys?" Ben asked, causing Apacci's eyes to go wide at his request. Harribel show surprise as well.

"A-are you crazy?" Apacci demanded. "Why should we let a human like you come with us?"

Ben scratched his chin. "Well...I have nowhere else to go."

"How about you go back to wherever it is you came from!" Appaci retorted.

Ben frowned. He wasn't used to Apacci being so rude to him. "Believe, if I was able to, I would. But I can't at the moment."

"And why not?" Apacci asked snidely.

"Well, you see," Ben said. He showed the Ultimatrix to Apacci, who was eying it with great curiosity. "This is what brought me here but for some reason, it doesn't want to work right now."

"What do you mean "it doesn't want to work right now"? You sound as if that thing on your wrist has a mind of it's own."

"It kinda does," Ben consented. "And right now it must need a recharge or something. I'm sure it will start working again soon. So...can I stick with you guys until then."

Apacci was about to flat out refuse him but Harribel spoke up. "Very well."

"What?" Apacci rounded on her. But Harribel looked at her calmly.

"This human does not see us the way the Shinigami do," Harribel told her. "Besides...he was attempting to save you before I arrived. He deserves something for his troubles."

Apacci grumbled while Ben let out a relief sigh. The two of them started following Harribel but Apacci made sure to keep as much distance away from Ben as possible. Ben was a little discouraged by this behavior. Sure this was the past and Apacci didn't know him but...

Ben said nothing as he followed Apacci and Harribel to what appeared to be a cave. The two went in first. When Ben reached the cave entrance he noticed stone stairs that led downward. Curious now, Ben slowly descended down the stairs. The further down he went, he noticed that he could hear the sound of fire roaring and see light in the distance. He must have been nearing the bottom of the stairs soon. He kept silent the whole time. Aside from the fire, the only thing he heard was the sound of his, Harribel, and Apacci's feet, or hooves in the latter's case, as they walked down.

"Welcome back, Mistress," A voice said that caused Ben to pause.

That's Mila Rose's voice. I should have known she would be here. I wonder if Sung-Sun's here too.

"Oh my," Said Sung-Sun's familiar voice. "And who might this be?"

Ben first thought she was talking about him but since he couldn't see her, she was probably talking about Apacci, who was ahead of him.
Curiosity really getting the better of him, Ben dashed down the stairs. Harribel stood next to a large, flat stone like object that Ben was unable to tell if it was a table or some kind of platform. Standing next to it were two Hollows who Ben guessed were Mila Rose and Sung-Sun. One was a colossal lion like creature with a brown skin body, white armor on four legs. Thick, dark brown hair on its body and formed into its tail with a gold face and mane. The other was a long and rather large purple snake. It had three pink dots on both sides of its head with a white shell like structure on the top of its head and three pearl-like earrings at the sides.

"A human!" The lion cried. "What is a human doing here?"

"A little snack perhaps?" The snake asked, eying Ben more curiously than hungry.

"They are new comrades," Harribel told the two of them.

"Hmm?" Mila Rose and Sung-Sun looked at Harribel in surprise.

"Comrades?" Apacci asked. "What did you just say?"

"Harribel-sama," Mila Rose asked. "This deer I could understand but why this human. Who is he? And how did he get here?"

Harribel looked at Ben now. "Yes...what is your name?"

Ben smiled sheepishly. "My name's Ben Tennyson."

"Tennyson, hmm?" Sung-Sun asked. She looked at the ten on his jacket. "Ben 10?"

Ben frowned when she said that. "Yeah...I get that a lot."

"Now wait just a minute!" Apacci interrupted. "Who decided that I was suddenly your comrade? Sure you saved me but it's not like I asked you to." She looked at Ben. "Or this human to either!"

"Watch your mouth!" Mila Rose snapped at Apacci. "Who do you think you, talking crap like that after we..." But then she paused as what Apacci fully said registered. "Did you say...this human tried to save you?"

"It's true," Harribel confirmed. "Ben Tennyson was defending her from another Hollow. He says that he came here by accident and is currently unable to return to the land of the living. As he was kind enough to try and help a Hollow, it is only fit that we provide him with shelter until he can return."

"Heh," Mila Rose said as she looked at Ben. "At least he'll be better company unlike some grateful little horn head."

"What did you call me?" Apacci snarled.

"That's enough, both of you," Sung-Sun said snidely. "If the human finds staying with us unbearable, I can hardly blame him with the way you two are behaving."

"What did you just say?" Mila Rose demanded.

"Why you..." Apacci grumbled.

Ben just deadpanned at the whole scene. Even when they just met, they already were acting this way. What a funny place the universe was.

"That's enough Sung-Sun, Mila Rose," Harribel said to the two of them calmly.

"Yes, mistress," The two said to Harribel. The vasto lorde then drew her attention to Apacci.

"Sorry about that. Have you got a name? What is it?"

Apacci looked at Harribel for a moment. "Apacci," She replied.

"I have no ulterior motives for bringing you or Ben here," Harribel said. "Women like us are easy prey for the males. I brought you here simply because I believe...that it's better to act as a group than to act alone."

Apacci stared at Harribel while Ben gave them all a sympathetic glance. In a way, it kind of reminded him of how women are preyed upon back on Earth. Though for different reasons. Harribel looked to him now.

"It is strange that a human, knowing what a Hollow truly is, would put his life on the line to help one," Harribel said. She looked at the Ultimatrix. "What is that device? I've never seen anything like it."

Ben grinned. "It's called the Ultimatrix. It allows me to transform into these...monsters."

The four Hollows' attention was drawn to the Ultimatrix now.

"So...you were attempting to turn into one of these monsters when I found you?" Harribel asked.

Ben nodded. "But for some reason, it's on the fritz and I can't use any of my monsters. I'm guessing it took a lot of power taking me here."

Harribel looked at him now. "You said you came here by accident and yet you also say this device brought you here?"

Ben cringed. "...not exactly. I was using one of my monsters to fix this problem and then I somehow wound up...here." Ben's mouth dropped as comprehension dawned on him.

Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun all exchanged a confused look with each other before looking back at Ben while Harribel narrowed her eyes.

He knew. Ben realized. He knew this was going to happen to me. But why? Why would he want me to get sent to the past? Especially Harribel's past?

"Oi! Human! Snap out of it!" Mila Rose called to Ben. Ben shook his head and looked at her.

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked.

"You were just telling us how you got here and then you zoned out on us," Sung-Sun responded.

"Sorry, I just realized something," Ben answered.

"Realized what?" Harribel asked.

Ben debated whether or not to answer them truthfully and how much of the truth he should tell them. Well, even though this was the past, these girls were his friends now...and he didn't feel right completely lying to them.

"Someone wanted me to come here for a reason," Ben explained. "But he tricked me into coming here." He noticed the suspicion in Harribel's eyes so he quickly said. "No, he doesn't work for Soul Society. He kind of does his own thing. And Soul Society doesn't really like him that much anyway."

While the suspicion had not fully left Harribel's eyes, Ben could see a slight bit of relaxing coming from her. After all the time he spent with the girls, he could understand their body language. Course, he didn't really need to do so with the other three since they were very vocal about their feelings.

"Very well," Harribel said after a moment.

"You actually believe him?" Apacci asked incredulously.

"If he was hoping to deceive us," Harribel explained. "He would have used a more convincing lie."

Mila Rose chuckled. "Pretty short tempered, aren't you?"

"What did you say?" Apacci asked. "At least I don't have an ugly face like you do!"

"What was that, you little horn head?" Mila Rose retorted.

"My, my," Sung-Sun said snidely. "It seems the two of you are already pretty close. You're practically sisters."

"Shut up, Sung-Sun!" The other two yelled at her.

Ben rolled his eyes. Harribel turned her attention to him.

"So, you are unable to use your device to return to your own land?" She asked.

Ben nodded.

"I could open a garganta to bring you to your own world," Harribel told him. "But the Shinigami would be there instantly once they sensed a vasto lorde in the land of the living."

"It's okay," Ben said. "I'm sure the Ultimatrix will kick back in sooner or later."

Course there were several things Ben hadn't mentioned. Aside from waiting until the Ultimatrix to start working again, Ben didn't know how far he was in the past of the living world. Besides...he was certain that Paradox wanted him in the past for a reason. So he might as well find out what that reason was.

"In the meantime," Harribel said. "It is only fitting that you stay here with us."

"What?" Apacci and Mila Rose cried at the same time, looking at Harribel in shock. Sung-Sun simply looked at Harribel.

"Why?" Apacci asked.

"He's just a human," Mila Rose added.

"Perhaps," Harribel consented. She looked at Apacci. "This human tried to help you before. Is it not fair to offer gratitude to him."

Apacci snorted and turned her head.

"Alone, this human would have no chance against the creatures of Hueco Mundo," Harribel said.

I'm a lot stronger than I look. Ben said to himself, certain that the powers the Hogyoku granted him could make him more than a match for most of the Hollows around here.

"Humans are preyed upon far more than the females," Harribel added. "And so, it would be best if he was to join our group until he is able to return home."

"Hmph!" Apacci snorted.

"Fine," Mila Rose said. "But he better keep away from me."

Ben was bummed. Some of his best friends and they all hated his guts right now. Hopefully he could reach out to them until he was back home.

"So," Ben said as he looked back and forth between the four Hollows. "What do we do first?"

Harribel was about to reply when she suddenly looked at the flight of stairs.

Mila Rose and Sung-Sun noticed the change in Harribel's behavior. "What is it, mistress?" Mila Rose asked.

"Someone is coming here," Harribel said.

Sung-Sun snickered. "My, I guess we'd better deal with him."

"Heh," Mila Rose chuckled. "We'll teach them to come here."

Harribel and Mila Rose started walking back up the stairs as Sung-Sun slithered after them. Apacci and Ben just stared as the three left but then Apacci realized that she was being left behind with Ben. Upturning her nose like some snobbish aristocrat, Apacci followed after the other three. Ben sighed as he started to follow after them as well.

"I've got a feeling that this might take a while." he said to himself.

Seeing the girls as animals, it reminded Ben of the dreams he had before Winter War.

For him, it was rather strange. Normally, Ben wasn't the type of person who remembered his dreams very well, but for some reason this one had been as clear as a sunny day. He'd been in the ocean, deep beneath the surface and close to the bottom, where rainbow coral and white sand filled his view. His breath came to him as if he were swimming in the air. All about him, life teamed as schools of colorful fish swam by him, some flashing silver as they swam, others with colors as bright as the rainbow. And almost as if on command, they had scattered and deserted him. He twisted and turned in the water, spotting nothing save for coral and sand. Then, with one final twist, he nearly went into cardiac arrest, his eyes having widened considerably as he spotted the massive figure that had swum toward him.

A Great White Shark. Its size was indiscernible, but if Ben had to guess, it had been at least five times as long as he was tall. Like a missile, it glided through the water with ease, its fins slicing the water as a blade does flesh. In his fear, Ben did not take the time to admire it, focusing entirely on the rows of sharp teeth. He had little doubt that those teeth would rip him asunder if he so much as twitched. He did not move, trying to remain unnoticed by the massive predator of the deep. It had been for naught.

The powerful creature had jerked in the water, its path diverting directly towards the brown-haired teen. Ben panicked, a stream of bubbles escaping his throat as he moved, his fight or flight response kicking immediately to flight. His arms moved and his legs kicked as he tried to swim away from God's oldest killing machine. But this was a creature that lived in the water, ruled it. Even on his best day, Ben could not hope to outswim this sleek gray and white missile. It was proven futile when the shark rocketed forward and crossed his path, bringing his movement to a stop. He tried to keep his eyes on it as it circled him, slowing enclosing on him like a tasty fish. As it grew closer, all he could do was close his eyes and pray it ended quickly.

…But the end never came. After several minutes, Ben opened his eyes slowly. The shark was still there, swimming around him. When his eyes found it again, it swam back towards him. And then something completely unexpected happened. The massive creature passed within a foot of him, its movements slowing somewhat as a fin brushed against Ben's arm. From what Ben had learned of sharks in his younger years, he knew that their bodies were covered in scales called dermal denticles, basically meaning that their scales were made up of sharp, tiny teeth. Most would say that it was akin to having skin like sandpaper. But from what Ben felt, its skin was oddly smooth.

The massive creature circled and made another pass, brushing fully against Ben's body with its own and sending the boy into a slight spin. The boy quickly righted himself though, realizing that the shark did indeed have smooth skin. He turned his eyes back on it again, noting as it circled slower again, coming back to him and turning. A wide, white belly was exposed to him. Ben reached out slowly, the tips of his fingers brushing along the creature's underside. Again, he felt oddly smooth shark flesh against his own. The creature swam away from his touch once again before it came around to swim directly at him once again. Its snout aimed for the very middle of his chest, but this time, Ben did not panic. In fact, when the creature's body came close enough, he held his hands up, his hands making contact with its snout.

Ben felt himself being pushed back by the enormous creature, gliding smoothly through the water, almost leisurely. The shark didn't open its mouth or thrash to bite at his hands when he touched it. Ben shifted himself, hands moving him to the side where he slid along the side of the creature's body. As he did, he caught a glimpse of one of its eyes. He was fairly certain that he'd seen a trick of the light or something, or maybe it was the water. The eye wasn't black like he'd expected it to be.

It was a bright forest green. The eye contact was quickly broken as he slid back, hand grasping onto the killer's dorsal fin as he moved. In that instance, he had heard something, but he didn't know what to make of it. It was a woman's voice, a beautiful, lilting, sensual voice speaking to him when he'd made eye contact with the shark.

"You interest me, Ben Tennyson."

The fact that he remembered the dream so well surprised him, and even disturbed him a little. What's more, he didn't just remember it. He could still feel it. He could feel the water surrounding his skin, smell and taste the sea in his nose and mouth, and he could almost feel the massive creature under his hands.

This time, he'd been in a forest. The air had smelled of springtime, and he'd felt cool dew beneath his bare feet. It was a little cool, but the sun had been shining. Goose flesh had erupted over his bare torso anyway. It had been serene…for all of a minute. The only warning that Ben had to jump aside was the pounding of something particularly heavy running towards his back. He slipped a little along the wet grass, but he didn't hit the ground, stabilizing himself to get a good look at this would be attacker. And once again his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

It was a deer this time. The thing slowed and turned back to him, an antlered head turned to the side as it stared at him with a fiery orange eye. Ichigo would have stopped to admire the woodland animal, had it not been acting more like a bull than a deer. In fact, just after it had gotten a good look at him, it had pawed at the ground irritably before charging back at him, its head lowering to actually gore him. Ben was plenty quick enough to dodge it. In fact, he allowed it to try again for several more times, only moving enough dodge but not tire himself out. Then he let it try one last time.

When the deer charged him this time, he dodged and then did something completely stupid that would have likely never actually worked in real life. Just as it passed him, Ben managed to grab its antlers at the base, where they met with the creature's head. Its head and neck were jerked back, throwing its body weight forward. It stumbled over its own front legs and rolled onto its back, its legs kicking at the air for a moment before they fell to the side. It would have gotten back up again, had Ben not made another move. As soon as it had hit the ground, he moved to pin the thing, one hand under its neck and holding down the front legs, both of his own legs locking the back ones, and his other and holding down its head.

Ben breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the deer was actually smaller than him. Otherwise, this probably would have never worked. It was doubtful to have worked outside of a dream either, but hey, it didn't have to. He locked a gaze onto the deer, staring into the eye he could see, surprised to see a pale blue staring back at him. The thing snorted beneath him before he heard another voice. This one had been female as well, but the tone slightly different.

"You win this time, but next time, I'll kick your ass!"

Every night he found himself having one of those oddly realistic feeling dreams. After the first two had occurred, he wasn't surprised that he'd woken up the next day, or every day since after having one of these vividly real dreams. On the third night, he'd found himself dreaming of the arid savannah. If he'd had to guess it was probably Africa. As soon as that dream had begun, he'd been pounced on, and then landed flat on his back. He had the wind knocked out of him, and had no real problems drawing it back in, despite the weight of the creature laying atop the length of his body.

The fact that he'd found himself looking up at a lioness sniffing at his face was no real surprise. It just proved his guess was right. The fact that there was no weight or pain was no surprise either, since it was a dream. He was surprised by the stunning emerald of its eyes when it stopped smelling to look at him though. They had a human quality to them that he truly couldn't place. The fact that it had gotten particularly comfortable on top of him was another surprise, and the final one came when a rather wide tongue had slipped from its maw and licked his face. It was surprisingly gentle. The voice he'd heard was simple curiosity.

"I wonder… just what did you do to gain her attention?"

He had no idea what it meant, or what the voice was talking about, but dammit if he wasn't curious.

The next night's dream actually made him surprised he hadn't been eaten. That time it'd been the rainforest. He'd woken to the smell of dampness and foliage, the ground beneath him wet along with the trunk of the large tree that he sat against. Considering where he was this time, he could only guess just what he was in store for. He didn't have to wait long, for he could hear the shifting of something in the leaves and plants next to him. When he gave that a look, he was glad that his bladder was empty.

The head of a white anaconda was level with his own, pale pink eyes staring at him as a rather long tongue flicked out and tickled at his nose. It moved slowly, wrapping around him, trapping his arms at his sides. Good lord, even by anaconda standard that thing was big. If he had to guess, the thing could have probably swallowed him twice and still have room for more. The fact that it was nearly twice as thick as his own body really made him nervous. It wouldn't have any trouble in crushing his bones, that's for sure. It finally stopped though, settling part of its weight on his shoulders and bringing its head around to look him in the eye again. And another voice sounded.

"If this is what she wants…"

Ben couldn't explain them, and he really wished that he could, even more so given the fact that they were recurring. Every night this week, he'd been in those dreams. There was no rhyme or reason to any of them, but he did notice something. Of the four creatures and environments that he saw within his dreams, the one that showed up the most was the shark and the ocean floor. The giant creature interacted with him like it was playing, almost as if it was getting to know him. He swam with it, touched it, finding himself fascinated beyond anything that he had before. In his dreams, it was a mystery for him, a new experience beyond anything he could imagine in the waking world. When he woke, he almost wished to jump back into his dreams.

End of Chapter.

In my story Omniverse never happened. Why? It's a nightmare. Animation and art style is crap, getting rid of Kevin and Gwen to replace them with Rook was stupid, and the plot is nonsensical. Worst of all is what they did with Julie. "Oh gee, I yell at at a video game, you think I'm yelling at you, we are now broken up." Who the f&*% is writing this stuff?!