Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10 or Tower of God in any way. They were both created by Man of Action and SIU respectively, and are both owned by Cartoon Network and Young Com respectively.
Enjoy!
A body of green water with light reflecting off it would begin to materialize a singular green eye, opened wide without any distinct expression.
"What do you desire?" Asked a feminine voice. Swimming in the water which had a large steel cage is a a gigantic, snake-like creature covered with heavy steel-like armour, and a glowing,blue bulge in it's stomach area.
This is The White Steel Eel.
Standing behind it and observing it's movements is a much smaller creature with an appearance reminiscent of a white rabbit because of it's long ears. It swirls a long yellow stick with two green balls at each end. It's face is featureless except for a black, slit like structure which can open to reveal narrow eyes or even it's "mouth."
This is Headon.
"Honor and pride?"
A young man with a briefcase in his hand can be seen walking away with a smile on his face. He is handsome in appearance, has a small but somewhat muscular build and whitish desaturated blue complexion, and an angular,ultramarine cobalt blue eyes. He has silvery, blue hair that reaches his shoulders and wears a blue bandanna tucked inside it . His bangs cut across his forehead and hang just over his eyebrows.
His clothing consists of a white shirt and a black tie.
This is Khun Aguero Agnis.
A dark haired young man fair in complexion with a muscular build despite his slim physique and a beauty mark next to the bottom of his left eye can be seen in a blue forest practicing with two dual katanas.
His clothing consists of a black and maroon Samurai-esque garb with an orange cloth tied around his waist.
This is Hatz.
A female figure in high heels can be seen walking in a dilapidated surrounding.
"Power and influence?"
She is a very attractive young woman with "milky-white" skin, short brown hair and a small horn on the right side of her head along with yellow eyes.
Her clothing consists of a yellow dress with two red pins on it and yellow high heels.
She is standing in front of a wardrobe with hundreds of shoes varying in design and color.
This is Endorsi Jahad.
Another figure,human in appearance and mostly male, but shrouded in darkness can be seen standing behind the watery cage.
"Money and riches?"
A young man with a normal build, dimples on his cheeks and close-cropped hair could be seen zipping up a purple jumpsuit before smirking upon completion.
This is Ship Leesoo.
"Revenge? Or..."
A green-skinned, slightly lizard-like girl with medium length brown hair and brown eyes along with a tail to match can be seen training in a grass field with a green sword that can also take the form of a whip.
Her clothing consists of a orange and black dress.
This is Anak Jahad.
"To transcend all such things?"
A very large alligator-like humanoid creature with grey skin and a head similar to that of an alligator, except for the spikes on the back can be seen standing in a blood red background with his neck arched back and his mouth opened in a manner similar to letting out a roar with a huge spear in hand.
He is quite muscular and roughly 15 feet (5 meters) in height.
His clothing consists of red robes/armour, a red cape.
This is Rak Wraithraiser.
"For what do you risk your life to climb the tower?" Asked the voice of Headon.
A short girl with blonde hair and eyes and a lot of freckles could be seen smiling inside a brightly lit cave.
Her clothing consists of a red dress and a brown long-sleeved shirt under it, with a red ribbon tied around her waist and behind her back.
The human male who was standing behind the watery cage is a young man with unkept brown hair, green eyes, pale skin, and a slim physique along with noticable muscle definition,thus giving him an athletic build.
His clothing consists of a short sleeved green and white hoodie, with the hood,sleeves and waistline being green and everything else being white. A vertical green line goes down the middle of the hoodie. This is the zip-line, with the zip itself being black. A wide, black horizontal line also goes across the chest area, with the number '10' written in white.
He also wore black pants and green, white and black sneakers.
This is Ben Tennyson.
"I.." Said Ben hesitantly.
"Whatever you desire, you will find it here." Said Headon with his hands outstretched as The White Steel Eel began to swim upward. It would then swim back down and let out a roar, causing another onlooker,a female to gasp in shock.
The female in question is a beautiful woman with flowing ankle-length, dark-colored hairtied into a ponytail by a red ribbon on the left side of her head with bangs swept to the right side, piercing red eyes, a very lithe figure and an above average sized bosom.
Her clothing consists of a white long-sleeved jacket, black shirt, red tie, red skirt and black tights. A crest of three, blood red eyes is fastened onto her tie.
This is Yuri Jahad.
Standing beside her with a similar expression of shock is a man with an extremely short stature. He has silver hair and milky-colored skin.
His clothing consists of a green explorer's jacket and a large travelling bag on his back.
This is Evan Edrok.
Ben, who was currently standing inside the watery cage watched on with a determined expression as The White Steel Eel swam towards him before swallowing him whole.
"Welcome to the Tower of God!" Said Headon jovially despite the looks of horror on the faces of Yuri and Evan.
...B10 X TOG...
"Climb the tower, and everything will be yours." Began the feminine voice once more.
"At the top of the tower exists everything in this world, and all of it can be yours."
"You can become a god."
"This is the story of Rachel, the girl who climbed the tower so she could see the stars, and Ben, the boy who only needed her, as she was all he had."
"Their end and their beginning ."
Shattered Memories
Inside a dimly lit blue cave with a narrow pathway, footsteps and pants could be heard. From an eagle's eye view,a figure could be seen having gone far ahead the pathway, but not long after they crossed, another not far behind would follow suit.
"'I'm sorry, Ben." Said the voice of Rachel.
"Where're you going?" Asked Ben through repeated pants as he ran close behind a fleeing Rachel. He would grab her by the ribbon, causing her to turn back to face him, but lose her footing in the process. Rachel would then fall on her back with Ben falling on her.
Both would continue to let out continuous pants as they began to regain their breath.
"Forget about me." Said Rachel, breaking the silence that once stood between the two.
"I won't!" Shouted Ben.
"You know I won't do that! You're all i have!" The sincerity in Ben's voice coupled with it cracking initially startled Rachel, but she would then smile as she began to gently caress Ben's face with her hands.
"I'm sorry. I'm climbing the tower." Rachel's body would suddenly begin to glow a bright yellow light, startling Ben in the process.
"Don't go! Please!" Shouted a distressed Ben as he watched Rachel's body begin to decompose into a series of red petals.
"I'll do anything! Just please don't leave me!" Pleaded Ben, his desperation reaching it's peak.
"Pray for me." Said Rachel with a soft tone as the cave was not only illuminated by her glowing form but the red petals filled all corners of it as well.
"Pray I'll be born again." A large door would open in front of Ben, causing a blinding white light to illuminate the cave.
"Rachel!" Shouted Ben with a mixture of shock and despair as Rachel completely faded before his eyes, causing the door to close and for all but the red petals to remain.
With his mouth agape,Ben would watch as the red petals would begin to fade as well,a single petal fading right in front of him. With the reality of Rachel's departure setting in,Ben would grit his teeth in frustration as he lowered his upper body even more, placing his forehead on the ground as he began to whimper audibly.
His clenched fists would cause the ground below them to slightly crack, the room filled only with the sound of his ever growing whimpers of anguish, his despair pushing him to his breaking point.
Then,at that moment,the cave would be lit once more, but by an unfamiliar red light.
"The answer can always be found at the top of the tower." Said the voice of Headon, causing Ben to raise his head up in surprise. The floor below him would suddenly give way in a manner similar to a door opening, it's very being becoming a bright white light with a large, desaturated yellow hand reaching out to grab him.
Chapter 1: Where One Door Closes Part 1
Ben's eyes would open wide, taking in his new surroundings as he laid flat on his back. The center the room in which he laid had a purple light cast on it, with the room itself closely resembling a shrine. Illustrations similar to Pegasus, Zeus and a green-skinned Dragon adorned the walls, which also had four, circular-like holes on them through which the light that illuminated the room passed.
Where am I?" Asked Ben as he sat up and looked at the illustrations with a mixture of awe and confusion.
"All visitors are welcome here." Said Headon from behind, causing Ben to let out a gasp of surprise as he turned back to look at who spoke. Though Headon wasn't in sight,Ben could hear footsteps from the hallway he now looked at, which also had several different holes across both corners, causing him to hastily get up to his feet.
"I am Headon..." Said Headon as he now stood behind Ben, startling him by the process, and unnerving him even more once he took in his appearance.
"The caretaker of this tower." Ben would stumble as he took a few steps back,thus putting some distance between himself and Headon.
"Tower?" Asked Ben with a tone of confusion.
Ben's nerves would then be put at slight ease as he remembered being enveloped by a brilliant body of red light; the reason for his being here.
"This...this is the tower?" Asked Ben with a mixture of hesitation and disbelief.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Ben." Said Headon as he watched Ben walk towards him before stopping in his tracks.
"How'd you know my name?" Asked a shocked Ben.
"Rachel!" Said Ben in realization, causing a wicked smile to creep on Headon's lips.
"You spoke with Rachel?!". Asked Ben, the twinge of hope evident in his tone.
"That means you can take me to where she is, right?!" Upon taking a step forward,Ben would find himself coming to a stop as Headon pointed his staff at his chest. The staff's body was dark yellow, and most likely wooden, and both ends had large,blue spherical orbs attached to them.
"The answer can always be found at the top of the tower." Said Headon in a mantra like tone as he held up the staff.
"The top of the tower?" Asked Ben as he looked up to the ceiling.
"At the top of the tower..." Ben said to himself in a low tone as he recollected Rachel dissappearing in front of him.
"Rachel's there, isn't she?" Asked Ben to no one in particular.
"Will you take the test required to climb the tower?" Asked Headon as he pointed his staff at Ben, causing the orbs to glow a bright blue.
"What test?" Asked Ben as unbeknownst to him, his surroundings would briefly become dark before changing into the front of the watery cage where The White Steel Eel swam. Ben would stand frozen on the spot with fear as the creature swam in front of Ben, sizing him up briefly before swimming away.
"The rules are simple." Began Headon as he walked to Ben's right side. He then pointed to the inside of the watery cage,of which a black, spherical ball could be seen floating inside it.
"You will enter the cage. If you can break that ball while avoiding the White Steel Eel , you pass." The White Steel Eel in question swimming around the ball,as if to protect it.
"Will you take it?" Asked Headon as he briefly turned back to face Ben.
"If you wish to turn back, now is the time. The tower is dangerous." Headon advised.
"For someone like you,death is..." Headon would cut off by Ben running past him.
"Marvelous." Said Headon in a low but sinister tone as his eyes briefly lit up.
As he was just a few feet away from the gate,Ben would stop running and look up as a shadow was suddenly cast on him. To his surprise,Ben would be met with a kick to the face by Yuri, causing him to land hard on his back while the latter landed gracefully with a backflip.
Headon wouldn't say a word as he watched this new development unfold with curiosity.
"Hey! What'd you?!... How'd you?!... What the?!...uh...huh?" Rambled Ben as he sat up with a mixture of confusion and annoyance as he firmly held his face,thus briefly blinding his vision. But upon dropping his hand, and his eyes falling on Yuri,Ben would suddenly trail off, forgetting his initial grievance with her as he became speechless as a result of her beauty.
Yuri would look at Ben with a smile, causing a faint blush to appear on his cheeks.
"Atuna oniana jakabul! " Snapped Yuri suddenly,both suprising and confusing Ben as he didn't understand what she was saying.
What she said roughly translated to; "What are you, stupid?!"
"Isanu ketta,amairui! " Shouted Evan as he ran from behind. What he said roughly translated to; "Wait for me,Yuri!"
Upon catching up to her,Evan would drop his travelling bag to the floor, reach inside it and bring out a ball wrapped with white bandages.
" Usedun nianete jutaga bokotu " Said Evan in an explanatory tone, fitting as what he said translated to; "He doesn't understand us."
Evan then held the ball forward, causing it to float as it got engulfed in a bright yellow light, with the bandages unwrapping to form bright streaks of light that would form around Ben, startling him so much that he would hastily get back to his feet and watch with a mixture of fear and uncertainty as the light constructs seemed to begin to bind to bind them.
Then,at that moment,they would disperse, causing Ben to be both greatly surprised and confused.
"You understand us now, right?" Asked Evan.
"Y..Y..Yeah!" Stuttered Ben slightly due to his shock that he could now indeed understand Yuri and Evan.
"That high-quality Pocket is too good for you!" Shouted Yuri.
"Pocket?" Asked a confused Ben.
"It's not just a translator, it's also our lifeline in the tower." Explained Evan. This caused Ben to instinctively reach out to touch the Pocket with his left hand.
"Face the Pocket and say 'Invisible mode'." Instructed Evan.
"I-Invisible mode." Said Ben, stuttering slightly. He would almost jump out of his skin as a brief flash of blue that all he saw before the Pocket would seemingly dissappear.
"Don't be so shocked." Said Evan with an unimpressed tone.
"By the way,if you say 'Visible mode', it'll revert to-"
"I knew it. You're a Non-Regular." Said Yuri as she cut off Evan, pushing him to the side slightly to face Ben.
"Non... Regular?" Asked Ben.
"An outsider who entered the tower by opening the gates on their own." Explained Yuri as she stood directly in front of Ben, their faces inches apart. Upon doing so,Ben would observe that she was at equal height with him, also standing at "5'10".
"Anyway, you look pretty weak for a Non-Regular." Said Yuri bluntly.
"H-H-Hey!" Said Ben with mild annoyance as he was uncertain if he was justified in being annoyed.
"What are we doing getting involved with a Non-Regular?" Asked Evan,now holding his bag up.
"You're saying you don't care if he gets swallowed by the White Steel Eel?" Countered Yuri.
"But..."
"You may be Yuri, Princess of Jahad, but if the king learned of this,you would be executed." Interrupted Headon, drawing the attention of the three as he walked forward slightly. Ben's eyes would widen in shock as a result of his words.
"Am I wrong?" Asked Headon.
"Only if you tattled to the king." Countered Yuri.
"Lady Yuri!" Shouted Evan in dismay.
"I devote myself to maintaining order in the tower and ensuring the royal family's prosperity." Explained Headon, much to the unimpressed looks on the faces of Yuri and Evan.
"So I am simply doing my job." A sigh of relief would escape Evan's lips upon hearing those words.
"Then why give him an unfair test?" Asked Yuri.
"Even guys on the 20th Floor have trouble handling that eel covered in steel scales." Noted Yuri.
"Unfair?" Asked a suprised Headon.
"He's a Non-Regular." Said Headon, causing Ben's expression to briefly fall flat.
"As a Navigator,do you see any hidden power in him? Does he seem like he'll suddenly transform?" Asked Yuri,her doubt evident.
"He does seem agile." Said Evan.
"See? Even Evan says so." Said Yuri before walking forward slightly and placing her index finger on Ben's forehead, slightly startling him.
"Look at how weak he looks." Ben would bear an unimpressed expression on his face due to her remark.
"Well,if I had to say..." Said Yuri, trailing off before edging her face closer to Ben's as she placed her fingers on his lips.
"... He's pretty handsome." Said Yuri with a smile, causing Ben's cheeks to flush a pretty pink in the process.
"Couldn't you drop the level of his test, Headon?" Asked Yuri sweetly.
"I am the caretaker of the tower. It is necessary to determine if he is worthy of the tower." Explained Headon.
"Yeah, but..."
"I'll be fine." Interrupted Ben.
"Huh?" Said a suprised Yuri.
"I don't know who you guys are, but I appreciate the concern." Said Ben with sincerity as he walked towards the gate.
"You don't even recognize a Princess of Jahad?" Asked Yuri,of which she would get no reply as Ben stood in front of the gate with a determined expression.
"You're trying to climb the tower when you're that ignorant? Are you trying to die?"
"Better than turning back now." Said Ben with conviction, briefly surprising Yuri.
"There's someone up there I absolutely can't afford to lose."
"If you're so determined to have him climb the tower, Princess Yuri..." Began Headon in a suggestive tone.
"...Why not lend him the Black March?" Yuri would visibly tense up upon hearing those words.
"Depending on who wields that legendary sword of Jahad, it can be a lump of lead or a blade that cuts through anything"
"Absolutely not!" Shouted Evan with evident disapproval.
"Only a Princess of Jahad can wield the Black March! If word got out that another wielded it, execution would be...
"Arms inventory, visible mode." Said Yuri as she stretched out her right hand to the side.Upon doing so,a holster of several swords would suddenly materialize beside her.
"Lady Yuri!" Shouted a distressed Evan.
She would then draw out from the holster a long but slim black blade, causing a mist of dark purple magical smoke to briefly come off it.
Ben would look at Yuri with shock as she stood in front of him and offered the Black March to him.
"I'll let you borrow this, since you have a cute face." Said Yuri as she held the blade backwards horizontally.
"Lady Yuri!" Shouted Evan,his dismay growing.
"But it's important to you." Said Ben.
"Don't you want to climb the tower?" Asked Yuri, causing Ben to let out a gasp of shock as at that moment,one of the only key memories he still had would resurface in his mind.
The day he first met Rachel.
TO BE CONTINUED!
That marks the end of the first chapter.
I'm sure you have a considerable number of questions about this story and what iy entails,both as it's one thing and the implications it may have for my other stories.
First off,as it's own thing.
The birth of this story's overall concept was as a result of a fun conversation I had with MiniTennyson a while back about Crossover stories that involve one protagonist of a separate franchise replacing the other of a different franchise.
As such, though I'm not too fond of the setup,i acknowledge that it holds q lot of promise for great storytelling, especially if done well,thus why i decided to try my hand with it here.
To which i wish to stress that although this story involves Ben replacing Bam as the protagonist of Tower of God,it is not completely, let me explain:
This is Ben Prime, specifically after the events of Omniverse,who ended up in the Tower of God universe. How far after Omniverse's ending and how he ended up in the TOG verse will be revealed in future chapters.
Bam still exists in this story, and will not only make an appearance but will also play a significant role in the story's narrative.
You might also be wondering why i didn't describe the Omnitrix when giving Ben's appearance. The reason for that is also tied to why Ben's appearance itself differs from his canon appearance.
A good portion of how i wish to characterize Ben in this story was heavily inspired by hiffu's "Omnitrix AU Ben series" (You can check him out on Instagram with the same name). Of which you can expect Ben's powers and backstory to highlight in some way.
From the Tower of God side of things, it's always been an anime that I've enjoyed significantly, and with the anime returning for it's second season next year, and me finding newfound appreciation for it,i wanted to attempt to make a crossover fic with it in some capacity.
Now for the implications of this story's existence concerning my other stories:
Ultimately, this is a very experimental story unlike any I've conceived before. One that i am solely doing for fun. I had a lot of fun writing this first chapter actually, and that is trend that not only do I hope will continue with future chapters, but will also dictate the story's update schedule as well.
It will be heavily inconsistent, only receiving updates when it's best suited for me to make and publish new chapters.
With all that said and done, thank you once again for reading this far, and for your understanding. Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it,if not more.
There'll be more to come in the future, but until then, please, have yourselves a good one.