Good morning, afternoon or evening ultras, depending on when you read this! Welcome to the latest chapter of The Ultra 10 Chronicles: Volume 2: A Hero Earth Needs!

Trigger warnings: There is only one instance of choice language. It is in the paragraph which reads, "Wait, did I actually break..." There is one instance of death, where an alien dies. It is at the end of the section written in Vilgax's viewpoint. Other than those, the chapter shouldn't need any warnings.

There isn't a soundtrack for this chapter. Maybe one of you readers have a good suggestion for this chapter's soundtrack? I just couldn't come up with one that matched the chapter well.

Enjoy the chapter!

The Ultra 10 Chronicles: Volume 2: A Hero Earth Needs

Chapter 45: Voices

"For the hundredth time, this is pure torture!" Ben complained.

"And for the hundredth time, you still have to try!" Gwen shot back, exasperated. Ben stood up and stretched his legs.

"Why do we gotta keep trying to do this?" Ben asked. "We haven't seen those drones for hours!"

"Because you said so yourself," Gwen repeated. "Vilgax doesn't just give up. He's going to come back for the Omnitrix. And when he does, you're going to need every advantage you have."

"I already have all the advantages I need right here!" Ben held up the Omnitrix for Gwen to see. "And with the new aliens, I'm going to wipe the floor with Vilgax!" Seeing that she wasn't going to get Ben to try meditating again anytime soon, Gwen sighed as she too stood up from the ground, brushing the dirt off of her clothes.

"You haven't even tried out most of them yet," Gwen pointed out. "How can you expect to fight with them when you don't understand their powers or their anatomy? You have to study it out and plan!"

"You do the studying," Ben shot back. "Meanwhile, I learn on my feet! Real-world experience, if you know what I mean!"

"I get real-world experience too, but at least I plan and study things out first!" Gwen fired back. "Experience does you no good if you're dead!"

"I'm still kicking," Ben responded with a shrug of his shoulders. "Experience hasn't failed me yet!"

"Only because I just so happened to be there when you got shot!" Gwen shouted back. "And because Julie pulled a bullet out of you!" Gwen stood there for a moment before she realized what she'd just said.

"I-I'm sorry," Gwen apologized. "I didn't mean to-"

"No, I think you made your point," Ben said scornfully. "I'm not strong enough to protect myself."

"Ben," Gwen started, before being cut off again by her cousin.

"You said it loud and clear. I need to hide and sneak around in order to not get myself killed. I'm not strong enough to fend for myself."

"I didn't mean it like that," Gwen muttered as Ben pushed past her.

"Sure you didn't," Ben muttered back.

"Where are you going?" Gwen asked.

"Don't know, probably to get myself killed," Ben said as he raised his wrist to activate the Omnitrix. "Wherever it is, it's where you're not. Wouldn't want to put you in danger, you know?" With that, he exploded in a green flash of light, emerging in the reptilian form of Accelerate.

"Ben!" Gwen called out, just as he sped off in a blur of blue and black. In a second, Ben was out of the park and flying through the streets of Bellwood. It was much harder to travel fast with all of the rubble and destruction littering the streets. However, it was still only a few minutes before he had left Bellwood city limits. After the skyscrapers and neighborhoods had changed into rural farms, the rubble disappeared also, and Ben quickened his speed two-fold. Nothing ahead of him but straight roads stretching as far as he could see.

Ben pushed himself faster, faster, faster. The air whipped around him like a hurricane, but he didn't care. He pushed himself to go even faster. His three hearts beat inside him, straining to maintain this insane speed. His muscles protested, pleading with him to stop, but he didn't listen. Not until their protests became screams in his mind. Finally, completely out of breath and exhausted,Ben slowed down and came to a stop, leaning underneath a tree on the side of the road. Ben just stood there, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. His Omnitrix timed out, reverting him back into his human form.

"You can show her," an unwelcome, yet familiar voice in his head spoke up. "Show her that she is wrong. That you are strong enough to be the hero."

"Shut up," Ben gasped, still regaining his breath. "I don't need you."

"You know that's not true," the voice said. "Just as much as you know that Lucky Girl is wrong."

"She is my cousin, Gwen," Ben muttered. "And she didn't mean what she said. We were both just irritable."

"No! That is not it! You made yourself the hero," the voice continued. "And you are strong enough to remain the hero. You can show her, prove it to her! You can prove it to anyone… everyone who doubts you!" Ben slid down the tree, sitting down in the dirt and closing his eyes. Inside his head, he could see who he was talking to. He could see himself. And yet, it wasn't him. Not entirely. It was part of him, yes, but also different.

He had snow-white hair, and his shirt was flipped, it being black with a white stripe down the center. His cargo pants were a brownish-red, different than Ben's green ones. But, aside from the aesthetics, he appeared the exact same.

"You are nothing but bloodthirstiness," Ben growled back. Whether he spoke it aloud or merely thought it, it made no difference. This voice, this… entity inside him knew his thoughts as well as he did himself. "You are my rage. Everytime I give in, you grow inside me!"

"I am what keeps you alive!" The voice shouted back at him, his own voice ringing in his mind. "I am what keeps you safe! What allows you to win!"

"Shut up!" Ben shouted, gripping his head, as if he could muffle the voice inside his head.

"Without me, you are weak! Without me, you are worthless!" The voice derided him.

"I'll show how weak I am!" Ben's hand flew to his Omnitrix, the faceplate popping up. Without a moment to decide on a form, Ben slammed it back down, an explosion of green light surrounding him.

"I'LL SHOW YOU HOW POWERFUL I AM!" Ben shouted through this form's adrenaline-pumped voice. He punched at the tree, his fists tearing deep gouges through the bark. In a matter of seconds, the tree toppled over, being torn and pulverized too badly to remain upright. Ben stopped a moment to catch his breath.

"Good, use your anger," the voice said. "Your wrath makes you powerful, makes you formidable. And your rage makes you deadly." Ben looked down at his bloodied fists. No, not bloodied. Orange furred. He had orange and white fur and a long, black claw protruding from his knuckles. Ben knelt down in the dirt, exhaustedly reaching up to press the badge on his chest, reverting him back into his usual form.

"You… you took over," Ben muttered. "You took control of me?"

"No, though I would have liked to," the voice reluctantly spoke. "You did that. I only spoke in your ear, nudged you a little bit. I am not much different from you… I have a self-preservation instinct. I do not want to die."

"Such would be bliss," Ben said spitefully.

"If pain, fear, loss and submissiveness were bliss, that would be accurate," the voice responded. "Still, you starve me. Not only do you run from the drones, and from Vilgax, but you try to control me, like a common ass!"

"I-" Ben was cut off.

"And then you try to meditate! To control me! Rein me in like some dumb animal! As if you could benefit from choosing when and how you use me!" The voice continued. "I must control you! Or otherwise be allowed to act when we must! My purpose is to serve you!"

"Don't try to disguise yourself behind "purpose," when you know quite well that you aren't that," Ben chided the voice.

"Your purpose," the voice spoke, emphasizing the word. "Is to be a hero, remember? I keep you alive and able to save people. So I am your purpose."

"You serve a purpose, my purpose," Ben cautioned his inner self. "Don't forget that!" He stood up, looking down the road he had ran down. "Now I've got to clean up the mess that you… that we've made. And I've got a long way to go."

"You would do well to learn how best to utilize your new forms."

"First you are against the meditation, now you are encouraging me to do it?" Ben scoffed.

"I am merely suggesting that you learn how to use your new forms, so that my job of keeping you alive is easier. Less reason for me to exert my influence," he said. "I am saying that you should learn to be more effective in your forms, especially now that you have these new forms. You don't have to meditate, there are other ways to learn." Ben sighed. He hated this voice inside his head, but he was right. What was worse is that he knew he was right, just as well as Ben did. He raised the Omnitrix, scrolling through his new aliens. He came to one that looked as if it had wings.

"The more I listen to you, the stronger you become," Ben said as he slammed down the dial, being engulfed in a green flash of light.

"But your ignorance of me forces me to scream louder." Ben shook his head, trying to shake the voice out of it. "I want you alive and well. If you die, so do I." He took to the sky, flapping this form's leathery wings.

"Listen to this form. It knows how to fight, and how to fly. Use its instincts."

"It only knows its own powers," Ben spoke.

"And it is up to you to use that inherent knowledge to your advantage. Experiment with it. Learn how to use the powers, rather than just fighting the same way in every different form. Learn their strengths and weaknesses." Reluctantly, Ben decided to listen to the voice in his head. He focused on the alien he was currently in the form of. He tried to tap into the creature's instincts. And, like a well of water, the answers came.

"Alright, let's see how fast this guy can go," Ben challenged himself. With a flap of the leathery wings, Ben took off through the sky, faster than he'd already been going. Way faster. With another flap, he saw the streaks of what was around him fly past. Houses blurred into trees or fences.

Another flap of his wings and he sped even faster, though he could feel quite a bit of pressure pushing against him. Almost as if something was trying to keep him from going faster. But that wouldn't deter him. He pushed faster.

BOOM! A deafening sound echoed behind him. He actually felt the sound pass through him from his nose through his tail. The whole event almost made him slow down and tumble out of the sky. Almost. Now there was no sound around him. The world was as quiet as if he were deaf. He opened his mouth to talk, but no sooner had he done so than something rammed its way inside, splattering against his throat. Ben coughed as he slowed, his attention focused on whatever insect had just been turned to jelly in his mouth. That's when the sound barrier caught up to him.

CRACK! The feeling of sound catching up to him was nothing like anything he'd ever felt before. Like a freight train had slammed into him, but also passed through him. Ben continued to tumble out of the sky, dazed and confused as to which way was up, and what exactly he was doing. That's when it happened.

Whatever alien this form was, it understood how to fly. Almost without Ben even realizing it, the flying amphibian righted itself in the air, and stopped Ben's free fall. In an instant, Ben was again floating on the air, as if he hadn't been falling like a rock just moments before.

"Woah, that was intense," Ben muttered, looking around in befuddlement. He still had smashed bug in his throat, which he tried to cough out. Still, the sensation of floating weightlessly on the air was an amazing feeling.

"Note to self, keep your mouth closed when flying," Ben chided himself. Then realization dawned on him.

"Wait, did I actually break the sound barrier?" He stammered. "Gwen's going to be so jealous!" Ben chuckled as he swooped closer to the ground. "Still don't know how fast this thing goes, but it's pretty damn fast! What else can you do?"

Just like when he was falling, he felt an odd sensation well up inside of him. Not a thought or an answer per se, more like an inherent confidence in the air. Like he knew what he was doing, even when he very obviously didn't. Taking aim with his tail, Ben saw a tree suddenly light up as a green beam of plasma shot towards it, burning a hole onto the trunk.

"Woah!" Ben squealed in delight. "Lasers! I approve!" Ben shot through the air, back towards Bellwood.

"So super speed and lasers. Hmm… I think I'll call you LaserLine," at the name, Ben scrunched up his face. "No, that sounds stupid out loud. How about JetFire? JetRay? Oh, that's the one!" Ben did an alley-loop in the air. "JetRay!" He came out of the loop shooting himself across the skyline.

Onboard the Spirit-Breaker, in deep space

"What is the state of the repairs?" Vilgax demanded.

"The majority of the communications cluster is salvageable. The long-range broadcaster is only slightly damaged, however the short-range broadcast system is not salvageable. The calibration computer is fried," the engineer replied back to his overlord. Ever since Vilgax had conquered his planet, his species had unified together in serving Vilgax and his species. It was now his only true desire to serve Vilgax and to make him proud.

"What of the shield generator?" Vilgax inquired.

"The majority of it is repaired, though there are parts we need to finish the reparation," the alien engineer answered.

"Throw up the distress signal. We'll loot the first ship to respond," Vilgax ordered. His crew quickly complied with his orderers. Behind him, the doors leading to the remainder of the ship opened up, revealing a Cerebrocrustacean carrying a data pad in his claws.

"My Lord," the crab said. "The medical pod is prepared for you."

"Carry out my orders," Vilgax commanded his crew before turning around and following the crab out of the command bridge. He followed his doctor through down several hallways, the deep reds and grays casting a dark and malevolent aura throughout the ship. Finally they arrived at the medical bay. Vilgax strode over to one of the gigantic medical pods against the far wall and entered it. A clear cover, almost like it were glass, slid over the entrance of the pod, sealing Vilgax inside.

"The first step is to heal he damage the vacuum of space did to your respiratory system." The alien tapped a few buttons on his data pad. From a vent in the ceiling of the pod, a white gas was pumped in, obscuring the image through the door. The smoke burned at Vilgax's eyes and throat, causing him to cough violently. Still, he could feel the gas coating his throat and lungs, providing a protective coating to let them heal.

"The next step is to enhance your physiology," the doctor said. "And as per your specifications, I've enlisted the help of a Chemosapian in the mixing of your supplement." The crab's skull opened, revealing a very large brain. Electricity crackled as a canister filled with a green liquid floated across the room, plugging itself into Vilgax's capsule. With a hissing sound, the liquid started to be injected into the pod, coming out as an emerald-green gas.

Vilgax closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply, sucking in the gas as it filled the pod. His muscles rippled as he seemed to grow in size. His veins popped from his arms and legs, covering his body like a spiderweb. With each breath, Vilgax seemed to grow a few inches, his arms and legs becoming muscle-bound and huge.

Silently, the Cerebrocrustacean pulled out a small capsule he had hidden in his data-pad, which was filled with a blue liquid. He glanced at Vilgax to ensure that his vision was blurred by the green gas that had completely filled the capsule. Seeing that Vilgax hadn't seen him, he quickly plugged in the capsule right beside the green one. It connected with a little hiss.

"Now to taint the mix," the doctor whispered to himself. Suddenly, a hand shot out of the capsule, shattering the material. It grasped the Cerebrocrustacean around the waist, squeezing as it picked it up.

"That was a foolish move," Vilgax said menacingly. "To try to kill me."

"I had to," the alien gasped out. "After what you did to my species! Consider it justice!"

"Your puny justice has failed," Vilgax said, stepping out of the pod. He was massive now, muscles bulged from every exposed bit of skin.

"Not quite," the crab said as it pressed a button on it's data pad. A rhythmic beeping commenced. A countdown. "Now we both die." In a micro-explosion, the blue capsule blew up, blue-tinted gas starting to fill the medical bay. Vilgax threw the crab down onto the floor. With a quick stomp, he severed the crustacean in half, his claw-like feet wiggling and trying to grasp at anything within reach. Vilgax stormed out of the medical bay, sealing the door shut behind him.

"I tried," the Cerebrocrustatean coughed. "At last I will be with my family again!" With that final thought, the alien's eyes went dark as his severed limbs stopped jerking and wiggling. Outside the doors, Vilgax activated a communicator on the wall.

"Command bridge, flush the medical bay into space. There's nothing I need in there anymore."

"As you wish, my Lord," the response came. Behind him, the medical bay security doors clamped shut, right before the section depressurized, sucking everything out into space. In a moment, the port sealed again, repressurizing and preparing it again for use by the crew. Vilgax made his way back towards the command bridge, the doors whooshing open as he strode inside.

"What is the status on the Oppressor?" Vilgax inquired.

"Reports tell us that there is something preventing it from reaching the jump rings," the engineer said. "It is traveling at near-light speed to the next closest jump ring. Estimated date of arrival is six months."

"Then our plans have been delayed yet again," Vilgax grumbled as he strode over to his throne. "Time enough to repair the ship. However, it may be that the Oppressor is ultimately unneeded." He sat in his chair, brooding for a while. "As soon as the shield generator is repaired, set course for Sol-3. We will surprise the PLUMMERs and the Galactic Enforcers, and take Earth for ourselves. I will have the wielder of the Omnitrix in chains aboard my ship when the Oppressor arrives. He will have a front row seat to watch me obliterate his planet!"

Bellwood PLUMMER Headquarters

"The transmission channels are online," Agent S33 announced. "We are ready to broadcast. Beginning countdown. In five… Four… Three…" the agent stoped speaking, though he continued to count down with his fingers. When he reached "one," the cameras came on.

"Greetings, American citizens. I am a member of the PLUMMER agency, a special force commissioned by the US government to combat and protect Earth from Extraterrestrial and Magical threats," Alpha spoke without a hint of emotion or hesitancy in his voice. "I am the head of the agency. For security reasons, my name is hidden, but I go by Agent Alpha…"

Gwen heard the transmission echoing from every radio and tv throughout the city. It was almost eerie how it sounded like it was coming from every direction at once, although that was just an effect of the speakers that surrounded her throughout the city.

"…As many of you have now realized, extraterrestrial life exists. We were just invaded by an alien warlord named Vilgax. However, thanks to the efforts of PLUMMER agents all around the world, this threat, this invasion force, was defeated. Vilgax has fled the planet…" Gwen's communicator buzzed on her wrist. She answered it, watching it unfold over her wrist.

"Are you hearing this?" Julie's voice came through the communicator.

"Yeah, it's on every radio and tv channel," Gwen replied. "You couldn't miss it even if you were blind."

"We're a little ways outside of the city," Ellie's voice came through the communicator. "And it's still echoing out here. Like it's on loudspeakers or something."

"…A friendly organization, called the Galactic Enforcers, answered our call for aid against Vilgax's forces, and it was thanks to them that the invasion ended as quickly as it did. However, the Galactic Enforcers are not human. They are extraterrestrials. Friendly ones, who've come to help defend Earth. They are here to help…"

"What do you make of these Galactic Enforcers?" Ben's voice came in over the communicator. Gwen bit her lip, remembering the less-than friendly note that they'd separated on. She didn't want to say anything for fear of upsetting him again.

"If we can believe the PLUMMER broadcast, they're a force to trust," Cooper responded. "However, I'm not sure we could completely trust the PLUMMERs on the best of days."

"And why's that?" Maddi asked curiously.

"They tend to flip flop on how willing they are to work with us," Julie said. "Sometimes they seem like they want to help, other times they seem like they want us to get out of their way."

"Another time, they even labeled Ultra 10 a threat," Cooper cut in. "Tried to hunt him down."

"They dropped that, though," Gwen butt in, although she didn't know why she was defending the PLUMMERs. "Usually they've been more helpful than a hinderance."

"…They are our guests on the planet. Please, try to cooperate with them as they try to remove the last of Vilgax's drones. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation." Finally the transmission ended. The entire city grew oddly silent.

"How do you think people are going to take the news?" Julie asked.

"A mixed bag, obviously," Ellie answered. "There'll be the people who look on the Galactic Enforcers as some kind of a god. Others are going to be xenophobic. They'll try to intimidate them into leaving Earth. I just hope that people give them enough of a chance to see what they're really up to."

"I'm sure the PLUMMERs are going to be some sort of intermediary," Cooper reckoned. "Probably help people not feel so frightened of the aliens. Although a secretive government agency doesn't look good… It never does."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ben asked through the communicator.

"Nothing," Cooper covered up. "Just… they're human, you know? So hopefully in the course of all this chaos, they'll be accepted."

"I guess so," Gwen accepted. "So what for the time being?"

"We keep our heads low until some of this blows over," Cooper said. "If I remember, there's still a police hit out on Ultra 10 from the police chief. Although I don't think they're going to be searching for him anytime soon, if he's not wearing a Galactic Enforcers uniform, he could get shot at. The same for all of us. Until we know what exactly the Galactic Enforcers or PLUMMERs have got planned, we should try to stay out of the light."

"Got it," Julie responded. "We'll stay in touch." With that, the communication ended. However, not everyone signed off.

"Gwen?" Ben's voice came over the comm link.

"What is it?" Gwen responded.

"I… I'm sorry for storming off like I did… I just get so angry sometimes. When I'm not out there saving people or beating on bad guys, you know?"

"It's alright, Ben," Gwen responded. "I forgive you."

"I'm going to try to see my mother," Ben said. "It's been too long, and I just worry about her from time to time."

"I'll come with you," Gwen offered.

"No," Ben said. "I'd like to do this one on my own. I'll be careful." With that, he turned off the communication.

"Be safe, Doofus," Gwen whispered.

A/N:

And that's where it's going to end this chapter. What were your thoughts? The entity inside Ben's mind, is it him, or is it someone else entirely? Any guesses what's going to ultimately happen between the two of them? What about the perspective from Vilgax? He's basically pumping himself full of steroids to come back stronger. (Think of him as you see him when he finally confronts Ben in the original series.) As for that whole situation with the Cerebrocrustacean, did you see that coming? Not every alien under his control is onboard with him. And as for the Oppressor, any ideas what could be stalling that ship? Is it defiance, solar storms, or possibly resistance from the Galactic PLUMMERs or the Galactic Enforcers? Or could it be something else? Do what you do, and leave your thoughts in a review! Thanks for reading, and have an awesome day!

Review Responses:

yraj2004: Time for the PLUMMERs to step out of the shadows and into the lime light.

Yes, I'd say so. But exactly how the people of Earth are going to react is the question on Team Ultra's minds. Thanks for the review!

Amanny: What an amazing chapter! It was certainly exciting. Vilgax and the Spirit Breaker will definitely come back, but it will take awhile for Vilgax to plan his revenge since he's ship is damaged. I'm guessing that the PLUMMERs reveal will be shocking and as for the Galactic Enforcers, the people of Earth will certainly be surprised and shocked. Also sorry for missing chapter 43! It was great, I'm surprised to see Charmcaster and I can picture Sam and Char.

Thanks for the review, Amanny! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yes, Vilgax has a hidden ace up his sleeve, and that ace is called the Oppressor. He's taking a leaf from the Galactic Enforcers, where he shows up and uses the benefit of surprise to damage the resistance. We'll have to see how well it works out for him, though! And don't worry about missing a chapter! I'm glad that you want to review them, but you don't have to! I'm still going to write the story, so no pressure to leave reviews! I appreciate each of them, nonetheless!

Kingpizzathe3: Love the story.

Thanks for the review and feedback, Kingpizzathe3! I'm glad that you're enjoying it so much! Oh, and welcome to the community!

uchihaNaruto247: This definitely isn't the last time we'll see Vilgax, man never gives up. He'll most likely come back even stronger, the question is when.

Now as for the PLUMMER reveal…well this invasion is basically throwing all the cards on the table for everyone one to see. What I'm anticipating is when Ben and Gwen will confront Max about his job.

Hey, dude! I hope I answered your Vilgax question this chapter! Basically, as soon as he's got his shields back, he's going to be coming back. But as for Ben and Gwen confronting Max, all in good time, my friend. It is coming, but it's still got a while more to go before that happens. They're going to be working with Max for a while before Ben sees it necessary to make the reveal. Thanks for the review!