Chimera Rising Chapter 11, a Ben 10 + Worm Crossover fanfic

...tried to think of something to say, I got nothing. Here's the Chapter.

I do not own Ben Ten or Worm-I know this, you know this, let's get on with it.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Brockton Bay

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

11:36 AM EST

(One Day After Chimera's Fight with Empire 88)

*tick*

The clock hand ticked loudly. Deafening the room with every second passed.

*tick*

The sole occupant in the sterile room stared emptily at the ceiling, seeing nothing.

*tick*

Meanwhile, his mind was elsewhere. Detached from the present, lost now in the past.

Sweat flooded down his brow, scared frantic breaths caused his abdomen to ache as he ran as fast as he could, his sneakers pounding heavily against the street. Behind him, he could still hear the others, crying out in agony as they were cut down mercilessly. Anyone crazy enough to try and fight back didn't even get a chance to scream.

Oh God, oh God they were dying! He was killing them all!

Frightened tears blurred his vision as he sprinted for his life. It wasn't supposed to be like this! They finally get one over on the Empire, this was supposed to be their chance to take the city! But now…

His heart was starting to hurt with how hard it was beating, and it only got worse when he heard the disturbed laughter of his friend's murderer. He chanced a glance behind him and felt a new rush of terror at the maniacal stare that zeroed in on him.

Clutched tightly in one of his hands was Ken, his body now still and lifeless, his blood quickly soaking into his clothes, washing away the green on his outfit-

"Joey?"

*tick*

"Joey?"

He blinked slowly. What...who was that? Who called him?

*tick*

"Joey, can you hear me?"

He sluggishly turned his head to the left, seeing a lady with a flag bandanna covering her face, sitting in a chair and staring at him with soft concerned green eyes. Just behind her, a man in blue and silver armor stood rigid, his arms crossed and his mouth set straight.

These were...heroes. Miss Militia and Armsmaster. What were they doing here? Wait...where is he? Gradually his surroundings started becoming clear to him. The steady beep of the heart monitor to his side, the strong scent of disinfectant, the soft shuffling of the people outside. He laid in a large bed, the blanket covering his body was hot and heavy.

Oh...he must've been in a hospital. He didn't like hospitals...how'd he get here?

Miss Militia calling his name again made him focus on her.

Miss Militia was careful to keep her voice steady, regardless of the churning in her stomach. Joey Dun, 15 years old, as fresh a recruit of the ABB if ever there was one. It was a struggle to convince his parents to let them speak with him, and it was no surprise why. The poor boy looked horrible: his skin was so pale it appeared gray, a few of the hairs on his head-which had once been black-were now as white as paper, and his eyes...utterly lifeless. Even with his eyes fixated on her, she doubted he was actually seeing her. So lost was he in what he had experienced last night. It was a look she had become familiar with these past few weeks. And to see it in a child...it brought up too many memories, right now she needed to stay focused.

"Hello Joey,"She began softly,"Do you know who we are?"

"Yeah."He croaked. Her heart clenched at how tired and empty he sounded, but still, she continued.

"Good. Do you know why we're here?"She asked.

He shook his head no. She swallowed lightly.

"Last night we heard...you had a run in with Chimera."

The heart monitor spiked in activity, his hands clenched fistfuls of his blanket and suddenly his dead eyes were alive with terror, darting around the room frantically.

"Hey hey, easy!"Miss Militia said holding her hands up placatingly."It's okay, you're safe now."

He shivered, feeling ill and paranoid as he looked in every corner of the room. Safe? No, he wasn't safe, not anymore, and he may never be safe again!

He jumped back when the large shadow suddenly leapt from the wall, the form solidifying before opening its too wide mouth to tear Shin's head-

"Nurse!"

-the sharp barks and flashes of gunfire lit up the old factory-everyone not clamoring for a weapon was either running to find one or running away-

"He's having an episode, get me a sedative, now!"

-falling to the ground, luckily ducking the wave of jagged crystals that flew over his head to imbed themselves into the group in front of him, each of them crying out in surprise and pain. He looked behind him to see the steadily approaching giant-his nightmarish face split in a gleeful smirk that showcased his large teeth, still dripping with the blood of-!

The heart monitor started to slow as a relaxing haze flowed over his mind. His breathing evened out as his body settled down. He turned to his left, seeing his mother's worried and tear filled eyes as she held his hand-whispering sweet comforts in Korean. Behind her, his father was screaming at Miss Militia and Armsmaster, the doctors trying in vain to calm him down. Beyond the medically induced calm, he could hear his father yelling at them to get out and never return.

*tick*

"W-wait!"He weakly called out. Everyone in the room turned to him in surprise.

"Don't go...I'll tell you everything."He drawled, his voice small and scratchy. His parents tried to fight him on this, but he insisted, nearly begging them to let him speak. They relented, and with a few poisonous glances to the heroes, they left.

Miss Militia sat in her chair and watched him with worried eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."She apologized quietly.

"Don't worry about it."He said while massaging his eyelids,"Just...give me a minute."

*tick*

"We can come back later if its-"

"No,"He rebuked,"No, I need to do this now."

Miss Militia seemed unsure, but allowed it,"Okay, take your time, don't overexert yourself."

He nodded, trying his best to gather his thoughts behind the mist in his head.

"We...we just got finished storing the weapons we stole from the Empire warehouse,"He began, not noticing the glance the two heroes shared with each other,"After we were done, we met up at out one of our favorite hideouts, we thought we were hot shit, finally getting the step above the Empire."

He laughed humorlessly.

"It doesn't seem so important now."

Joey laughed, shoving Lao aside when he had draped himself over him, reeking of booze. The others cackled at Lao's clumsy collapse to the floor. Nina stepped forward, staring down at him smugly before kicking him in the leg.

"Go home Lao, you're drunk!"

"Drunk? Bitch! I'm not even buzzed yet!"

Joey shared a laugh with the others when the two dissolved into an argument.

All around him, members of the ABB danced and partied to the loud music that blasted from the speakers inside this old steel factory-refurbished into their best hangout spot. Drinks were opened and smokes were lit as they all celebrated their recent 'victory'. With all the guns they were able to 'acquire' from the Empire, they now had enough firepower to sweep the rest of the nazi pricks right out of the city. Soon, the ABB would own this town, and nobody would be able to stop them.

Joey suddenly shivered, he looked around, feeling unusually wary in all this excitement.

"What's the problem?"Ken asked when he saw his face. He cast another look around before shaking his head,

"Nothing, it's nothing,"He assured.

"You need to lighten up,"Ken reprimanded,"This is the beginning of a new era, we're gonna exterminate those Empire fucks and then we're gonna own this town. But for now, relax, have fun,"He paused when his eyes caught something before he smirked.

"Enjoy the sights."He said nodding over to the dance floor.

Joey turned and did a double take when he saw a girl with smooth round hips and very tight jeans dancing with her friends. Ken playfully elbowed him-not that it was enough to take his attention away from watching the girl's hypnotizing movements.

What finally did it was when the music suddenly cut off. They all turned to see Shin on the makeshift stage, having turned the music off to get everyone's attention. The older boy looked out at all the faces before him and smirked.

"ABB now!"He called.

"ABB forever!"They chanted back before clapping and cheering.

"The skinheads time is numbered!"He yelled, getting more cheers from the crowd that hurriedly gathered around the stage."We're gonna get those fuckers outta this city, let everyone know, this is our town!"

"Hell yeah!"They called passionately.

Shin soaked in the adulation before he held up his hands and everyone calmed down for him to speak clearly.

"But, we can't let ourselves get too excited. Those nazi shitheads are gonna fight like cornered rats, we gotta be careful."He warned,"We'll get em, but we gotta remember to be patient. Be smart, and most importantly, follow Lungs orders."He said while looking in everyone's eyes. Seeing everyone was serious, he smiled easily.

"For now though, we'll have our fun. Let everyone in this goddamn city here us. Let em know we're untouchable!"

"Wooo!"Joey cheered with the others.

"Untouchable…"Joey repeated sardonically,"Yeah right."

"What happened next?"Miss Militia asked.

Joey took a few seconds to think.

*tick*

"We got jumped,"He finally answered, his eyes going dark as he remembered"And not like how we usually do. This time...nobody survived."

"A toast!"Shin said as he lifted his beer. Everyone lifted their cups and cans in response.

"To the end of the Empire!"

"Yeah!"

"To the ABB!"

"Yeah!"

"And to Chimera,"He began with a wicked smirk,"Let the freak try something on us, Lung'll have something to say to him!"

"Hell Yeah!" They cheered.

Shin threw his head back and chugged from the can, never noticing the shadow that seeped from the wall just behind him.

Joey noticed however, his eyes going wide and dropping his cup just as he was about to take a sip.

He jumped back when the large shadow suddenly leapt from the wall, the form solidifying before opening its too wide mouth to tear Shin's head clean off. Everyone screamed and stumbled back a few steps. Everyone watched with numb horror as Shin's body fell limp to the floor, only to be crushed by a large crimson foot.

Brockton Bay's most notorious villain turned to the side and spit out Shin's head, watching it roll off to the side before turning to them and smiling down at the assembled gangsters that looked at him with awe and terror.

"Lets see what he says about this."Chimera growled.

*tick*

"Shit. I should've said something earlier."Joey swore."I think he was following us. Ever since we took the stuff from the Warehouse. I just wasn't sure...thought I was seeing things."

"Sounds like he has a Stranger power."Armsmaster muttered sourly. Miss Militia silently agreed with the sentiment and urged him to keep going.

Joey swallowed as tears threatened to release from his eyes.

The sharp barks and flashes of gunfire lit up the old factory-everyone not clamoring for a weapon was either running to find one or running away to the closest exit. Joey himself was running for the way out. He heard just behind him, Chimera's wicked cackling filled the air as the bullets bounced harmlessly off his tough skin. When the bullets stopped was when he pounced.

Joey felt his heart jump when the screaming started.

It was unlike anything he'd ever heard before, this wasn't the pained gasping and yells of people in a fight, this was people-his friends-being slaughtered. Their howls and yells sounded more like the squeals of dying animals, it almost made him vomit just listening to it.

A stray box of ammunition tripped him and sent him falling to the ground, luckily ducking the wave of jagged crystals that flew over his head to imbed themselves into the group in front of him, each of them crying out in surprise and pain. He looked behind him to see the steadily approaching giant-his nightmarish face split in a gleeful smirk that showcased his large teeth, still dripping with the blood of Shin and whoever else was unlucky enough to get caught in his jaws. A burst of adrenaline sent him to his feet and running for the doors.

He leapt over the bodies in front of him, noticing bleakly that Ken was among them, his back pierced with a large crystal, blood starting to leak from the wound. Ken weakly reached out for him, a tearful and desperate plead for aid on his lips. Joey was out the door just as Chimera reached him.

"And I just left him...I left my best friend to die like that. Fuck!"Joey hissed as he wiped away the tears prickling at his eyes.

"There was nothing you could've done."Miss Militia assured,"Chimera is an extremely dangerous criminal, you're just a child. You would've died if you stayed to help him."

Joey bit his lip to stop it from quivering. The two heroes gave him time to compose himself before letting him continue.

"...I tried to run. Almost thought I got away. But the fucker was just playing with me."

Oh God, oh God they were dying! He was killing them all!

Clutched tightly in one of his hands was Ken, his body now still and lifeless, blood quickly soaking into his clothes, washing away the green on his outfit. He turned away from the sight, feeling his stomach swirl in a mix of nausea and fear, and kept running.

He ran until his lungs burned, until his legs felt like lead, and his head started to spin.

When he finally stopped, it was to collapse into an alley, several blocks away from the factory. His stomach squeezed and he vomited, seeing Ken's mutilated body in that monster's hand finally pushing him over the edge. He laid there, sobbing and hiccuping as he fought to try and calm himself from the intense levels of panic he felt still surging through his body.

"Should've run farther."

His heart leapt into his throat just before a large hand picked him up by his hoodie and tossed him deeper into the alley, his back smacking into the brick wall.

He groaned in pain as he slid down to his butt. He blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision before pushing himself flat against the wall to his back at the sight of Chimera standing right in front of him, blocking his only way out with his massive bulk.

Ragged breaths shook his chest as the villain crouched down to his knees-his height still making him tower over him by several feet-and stared him straight in the eye, a smug little smirk plastered on his face.

"Sorry to ruin your gang's little party. Almost feel bad for ruining your good mood."

Joey kept quiet, not wanting to say anything that might upset the murderous cape.

"Nothin personal, you were all just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Chimera leaned forward, getting his face-and more concerningly his teeth closer to him.

"Well, maybe a little personal, that one guy did make fun of me. And we both saw how that went hahahaha!"

Joey shivered at the villains cruel delight in killing Shin. Even Lung wasn't as savage as this.

"Heh heh! Anyway, don't sweat it. I only needed you and your friends to deliver a message to your boss. Let him know; I'm coming for him."Chimera said menacingly.

"T-Then...why am I...s-still alive?"Joey heard himself stutter.

At that, Chimera blinked, as if wondering why himself. And before Joey could wonder if he screwed himself, Chimera stood to his full height and stared down at him with a malicious smile.

"No reason, you just got lucky."Chimera informed him,"I was gonna leave one of you alive anyway, just didn't know who. But just so you know, letting you live seems too...nice. I think I need to add a little touch, just to keep up my rep."

Joey watched, paralyzed as Chimera's two large arms reached for the black lines on his chest, and somehow dug into them, as if they were folds. Then, in one swift move, tore the skin apart only for black and white striped tentacles to fly out and wave erratically in the air.

Joey felt a wave of pure instinctive terror wash over him in an instant and screamed.

Even when Chimera left, he screamed. Even when someone found him, he screamed. And even when he was brought into the hospital, until they finally put him under, all he could do was scream.

"That's all I know."Joey finished, sipping from a cup of water that Miss Militia had fetched him when his throat started itching.

The two heroes were silent, taking everything in and mulling over it in their heads.

"He didn't say anything else?"Armsmaster eventually pressed.

"Nothing to me."Joey confessed tiredly.

"Nothing? Just that he was going after Lung? No say of when or where?"

"I don't know."He sighed exasperatedly.

"What about-"

"Armsmaster."Miss Militia interrupted."He's done enough to help us. No need to push for anything more."

The armor clad hero looked like he wanted to argue, but saw from the look in her eyes that she wasn't gonna budge on the issue, and so stayed quiet.

"Thank you for all your help Joey,"Miss Militia said,"You've done us a big favor today."

"You're gonna get that ugly fuck right?"Joey asked as he turned to them with a pleading look in his eye."You're gonna stop him? That's what you do right? You're gonna make him pay for everything he's done right?"

Miss Militia hesitated, not having a proper response ready before Armsmaster cut in.

"We will,"He said, much to Miss Militia's surprise."We're gonna bring him down. Make him sorry he ever came to Brockton."

Joey observed him, trying to find any cracks in the blank face that stared back at him. When he didn't, Joey nodded and turned away.

Thanking him one last time, Miss Militia and Armsmaster got up and left his room.

"That was a very kind thing you did."Miss Militia acknowledged as they walked through the hospital."Giving him hope."

"I didn't say anything I didn't mean."Armsmaster replied.

"You really think we'll be able to stop him."Miss Militia asked.

"I do. You don't?"He asked. Miss Militia went silent for a few seconds.

"I don't know."She sighed,"All I know is, we can't do this on our own. We need help."

Armsmaster's jaw tightened.

"I know you don't like the idea, but we're in over our heads. We need reinforcements. As we are now, we don't stand a chance against him."

Armsmaster sighed.

"I know, and that's what bugs me."He admitted,"If what he said is true, then Chimera and Lung are gonna have at each other. As we are now, we have no chance of stopping that. Think about it, two of the most powerful capes in the city fighting each other, how much damage do you think that'll cause?"

The thought sent an unpleasant chill through Miss Militia's gut. And with Lung's penchant for not appearing weak, he'll want revenge for this...

'The Director is not gonna be happy about this.'She thought grimly.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Hark, what's that I see, just over the horizon? Why, is it a slobber knocker slugfest between two monsters? But I haven't even seen Godzilla vs Kong yet.

You guys know what's coming. I hope you're as excited as I am.

Stay safe guys, and have a good night.