I don't own Ben 10 or Senki Zesshou Symphogear. All are owned by their respected creators and publishers.
(Stinkfly)
Chapter 7: Problems, the sword Durandal
Unknown Location:
Within a dark hall, filled with various torture devices, was only acuminated by a giant screen, which was projecting an obscure, image of a man, a naked woman with long blond hair was sitting on her chair conversing with each other.
"How did the activation of the Holy relic go?" The man on the monitor asked in English.
"As reported, the test results show that the complete relic needs a considerable amount of phonic gain. I am afraid it cannot be done so easily." The woman explained.
"Black Arts… we need to show the world the power of the technology of a lost civilization and make it our own by all means."
"Of course, it all give and take after all. I appreciate all the help your country provided. I'll leave the today's hunt development to your dogs."
"So you appreciate my services? Then I expect you to uphold your end of the bargain."
"Of course I will, after all obedience is the key to longevity." The blond woman said and was about to stop the communication until the obscured man spoke once more.
"Be warned Miss Finé, if you do not show more promising results any time soon. The party that supports our endeavourers will shift to a more… promising one." The man said in a warning tone. This caused the now named Finé to look at the man quizzically.
"What do you mean?" She asked with a bit of irritation in her voice.
"That is confidential Miss Finé. So I bid you a good day." Then the screen went dark. She gnawed her teeth at the man's rather arrogant tone.
"So despicably vulgar, I'm getting tired of how unremarkable his homeland is. I wouldn't tell him even under torture that the Solomon's rings have already been activated." She walked up and walked towards some short of machine with Chris chained to it. It looks like she had seen better days.
"Don't you agree with me Chris?" Finé asked the silver haired girl, but she didn't reply. She was in too much pain to do so.
"Are you in pain Chris?" She asked, as if she just realized her state. "Your failure is what got you in to this. You had one simple task, take the girl when she took the bait while Ben Tennyson was being held back the Noise I sent to his location. Instead, you toyed around with the wielder of Ame No Habakiri and let Tennyson reach them in time to stop you."
"This is necessary, right?" Chris asked suddenly, gaining a questioning look from Finé.
"What is?"
"I have to obey you so I can have my wish granted right?"
Finé smirked at Chris's words. "That's right; you have to accept m without a single shred of doubt. Otherwise I would have to hate you." She walked over to the machine switch. She activated it and a current of electricity flowed to Chris.
She screamed in pain. He nerves feeling the electric current merciless attack.
"You're so cute Chris." Finé said in delight. Her screams was like music to her ears. "Remember I'm the only one that could give you the love you deserve." She turned the switch off, giving time for Chris to recover. "Don't ever forget Chris, pain can be the bond that can connect the hearts of others. Now why don't we have a meal?"
Chris smiled at her words, but screamed once more when Finé activated the machine again.
(Stinkfly)
Lydian Private Music Academy:
"Is Hibiki Tachibana late again?!" Hibiki's teacher yelled in frustration. "This is the fourth time this week alone. Is she helping someone else again?"
The entire class was muttering. Wondering what could have happened to Hibiki. For some reason they even concluded that she and Ben had elope and left. It was quit the rumor in the school ever since Ben took Hibiki the other day.
Miku tried to suppress her irritation on the rumors, but failed due to a visible tick mark on her forehead. She raised her hand in order to gain the teachers attention. "Sensei, Hibiki… I mean Tachibana-san… she's out sick today." She said creating an alibi for her best friend.
The teacher just sighed getting fed up of her antics. "She's such a bother…"
She went on to start the class while Miku could only look sadly at the chair next to her, Hibiki's chair.
(Stinkfly)
Ben yawned while waiting for the elevator that leads to the command center to arrive.
He was still feeling tired after helping Ryoko writing a detailed report on Animo for her to send to the higher ups. It was the least he could do for the poor scientist.
Once the elevator arrived, he groggily entered and patiently waited for him to arrive at the lower levels. He then gazed at the outside walls the elevator was passing by.
The multi colored rocked walls, showing different kinds of hieroglyphs caught his attention for a while now. It was only yesterday during the time he spent with Ryoko that he asked what exactly the thing was.
As she explained, she gave a brief history of the Kadingir. She said it was a word used by the Sumerian, meaning "elevated existence". In another form, it also carries the meaning of "a tower that reaches the heavens". It was used to refer to the Tower of Babel. She also said it plays a key role for the ancient relics to the Sakurai Theory.
Yet even after that all she had said Ben, he felt that she was not telling the full truth. Well he could not blame her since the Symphogear technology is top secret he understood that she couldn't revel to much of it.
The elevator had stop and he walked in the command center. To his surprised Hibiki, wearing her exercise gear and Genjuro, who was wearing the same type of cloths as Hibiki were sitting down on the coach while drinking sports drinks.
"Oh Ben-kun, good morning." He greeted the teen hero with a cheery tone.
"Yoh Genjuro good morning, so how was the training today?" H asked about their progress. Since Ben was busy with writing the report, he had to skip Hibiki's training.
"Ah… this morning was hard." Hibiki's answered while groaning and falling, layback in the coach.
"Come on Hibiki you know what they say no pain no gain."
"I know, but still…"
Ben just sighed. He knew when Hibiki was adamant of something. "So by the way where's Tsubasa and Ryoko?" Ben asked.
"She's visiting Kanade at the ICU, while Ryoko is heading to Nagata."
"Nagata?" Hibiki asked in curiosity.
"Yes, she has the responsibility reporting to the big shots. Since the incident with Animo and the Muta-Noise she needs to show the detailed report she and Ben had conducted."
"I see… oh by the way Genjuro I'm been meaning to ask you." Ben spoke again gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "Is there any way on fighting the Noise besides the Symphogears?"
"I've been wondering about that too." Hibiki joined in. "Why do you have to rely on me and Tsubasa-san on dealing with the Noise? Isn't there any other way?"
Genjuro had a troubled look when he began to answer their question. "Officially before Ben-kun, there is no other way to combat the Noise without the use of a Relic. Even in Japan, information relating to the Symphogear is classified."
"But I pretty much go out in broad day light." Hibiki said, talking about how she and Tsubasa, garbed in their Symphogear for everyone to see and not recognize them when they are in their civilian attires.
"I guess it's also their job on preventing word to get out." Ben gave his two cents.
Genjuro nodded at the two heroes. "That's right. However sometimes we go too far, which had caused some hate from the cabinet members and ministers alike. In fact, it went as far as calling us 'sore thumbs' short to speak. We swore secrecy to the governments upper echelons, it's getting harder to keep up as of late."
"But what they are really after are the Symphogears themselves." Ben spoke stating what the true end goal of the governments of the world are after. "Now they also want the omnitrix as well."
Genjuro nodded. "That's right. We have to constantly watch our backs and try not to slip up. After the incident with Animo, were more on the edge than ever."
"If I recall what Ryoko told me before, Symphogears were produced from unknown means as countries have no way of reproducing them so its stands to reason that a lot of people will do anything to get their dirty hands on them." Ben said recalling what Ryoko told him about the situation of the Symphogear technology.
"All this talking is making my head hurt." Hibiki groaned at the complex topic.
"By the way Ben-kun I was wondering. With so many transformations in the omnitrix, is there a limit to your powers?" Aoi asked the teen hero, wondering if his powers had limits or at least restrictions.
"Oh, oh I'm also curios about it Ben-kun." Hibiki chipped her curiosity as well.
"If you don't mind on telling us Ben-kun, if he could have an idea on the variety of your powers it could help Hibiki and Tsubasa on their team work with you." Genjuro said to Ben.
Ben was not still sure if it was a good idea on telling them the pinnacle of his transformation, but he did make a valid point. Therefore, he decided to at least give them a general idea.
"Well I never actually ranked my alien forms, but I I had to guess all the forms you guys seen me used since I arrived here is at mid tier." He said gaining surprised expressions from everyone.
"All those powerful forms and you haven't used your strongest yet Ben-kun?!" Hibiki gasped in shock. After seeing Ben's transformation in action it hard to see any more of his forms surpassing the ones she saw.
"Are you for real Ben-kun?" Sakuya said in disbelief.
Aoi and Genjuro were shocked as the rest but were better at keeping too themselves.
"Yah, Diamondhead, Water hazard, Big Chill, Ghost freak. They are strong in their own right but… they don't rank up nearly to my top five."
"Do you mind telling us of these forms Ben-kun?" Genjuro asked, hoping they could know how powerful the forms Ben has deemed worth in his top five list. Yet to his disappointment, Ben shook his head.
"Sorry Genjuro, but I'll like to keep that to myself for now. I… do not know if you guys can handle the idea on how powerful those forms are.
"No it's alright. If it is in your best judgment not to tell us Ben-kun we understand." Genjuro said in understanding while Ben gave node of thanks to the commander.
Suddenly Ben's cell phone started to beep. He rummaged his pockets took out his phone and saw that it was an incoming call from Boss lady. "Yah? Oh need me to buy some ingredients? Sure no problem, be done in about an hour. Sorry guys I need to do some errands for my job." He stood while readying to leave.
"Ah wait Ben-kun I'll come with you." Hibiki said, wanting to spend some time with Ben, but she want able to even get up when Ben stopped her.
"Nah it's okay Hibiki. You spent the whole morning training. Don't worry I can handle it."
"But-." She tried to persuade him but to no avail.
"Don't worry I'll bring you back something to eat too. Get some rest." And with that he left.
Genjuro, Sakuya and Aoi watched the entire thing play out. They could only sigh at Ben unable to understand that Hibiki just wanted to spend time with him. They started to suspect that Ryoko was right.
He was dense as a brick.
Aoi went to Hibiki and placed a reassuring hand to her shoulder. "Fight on Hibiki-chan, fight on." Even with her encouragement, Hibiki slumped even more.
(Stinkfly)
Unknown Highway:
Out on a highway, a convoy of cars is seen driving on the empty road. In the said convoy, the Minister of Defense Hiroki was speaking to his secretary.
"A single phone call from them messed up my entire schedule." He said while giving a laugh. "Those bunch from the 2nd division… They are hopelessly out of control.
"They might be a relic from the pre-war era, but hasn't gone too far. I mean they are keeping a powerful weapon, the omnitrix to themselves." His secretary said, remembering the reports Ryoko and Genjuro delivered about Ben and the omnitrix.
"Perhaps, but they are the only ones able to combat the Noise and… I understand why that young man is adamant on sharing any information about the omnitrix.
"Either way it is my duty to give them as much freedom as I could provide."
His secretary could only sigh in defeat. "A sore thumb indeed."
The convoys are now entering a narrow underpass and when they were nearing the exit, the driver of the first car noticed figures at the exit.
These were a group of ten men with large rifle with some short of glowing cylinder in its mechanisms. Nine of the men were wearing large all black fibrous flexible armor padding as well as various hardened armor plates that protect areas of the human body that do not flex or bend along with helmets covering their entire head with two glowing portholes acting as eyes.
The man in the middle sported the same armor design as the rest but his armor had accents of red and the portholes of his helm was replaced by a tri-goggled eyes, probably signifying he was the leader in the group.
The man presumably the captain, brought out a ball like devise from his pockets and tossed it towards the incoming vehicles.
The spherical device started to hum and a current of electricity burst out and in a sense attacked the convoy. The result was the cars engines to burst rendering the vehicles unable to operate.
The guards got out of the cars and immediately brought out their guns and started to shoot at the assailants.
They expected them to retaliate or shoot back at them. Instead they just stood there and let them be hit by the incoming bullets. To the guards shock the bullets harmlessly bounced off against the armor and they fell to the ground.
After they had exhausted all their bullets, they stared at the imposing armored people.
Seeing it was the right time, the armored assailants aimed their rifles at the guards and started their assault. They expect hot led to strike them, but before their deaths, they saw red energy in the shape of bullets exit their rifle chambers. It had shot through the guards with little effort, melting their innards and leaving them to a painful death.
A few seconds of firing and all the guards were dead on the ground. Seeing that it was safe to proceed, the captains walked towards the car were the Minister of defense was riding on.
(Stinkfly)
Hiroki was shaking his head to remove the dizziness he was feeling. When his vision normalized he looked towards were his assistant was and saw that he was already dead, from the looks of his injuries he had died by a stray shoot from tier attackers.
He grunted and was now looking for the brief case that they had along with them. Finally seeing it on his other side, he quickly grabbed it and tried to get out of the car, but to his misfortune, he was too late to escape.
The captain had already opened the car door and his tri-goggled eyes stared at the Minister.
"Are you the Minister of defense, Hiroki?" the captain spoke in English.
"Who are you people?" Hiroko said with a slightly frightened tone by still giving the captain a glare of defiance.
"No one you should be worrying about."
"…"
"Sorry Mr. Hiroko, nothing personal or anything." The captained raised his rifle and was ready to shoot Hiroki, but had stopped when he saw him chuckling. "What's so funny?" The captain couldn't help but ask.
"You think you will win… don't be fools. There will always be someone to stand against you. If not by those Symphogear users then it will be that boy from another world."
"… Ben Tennyson, you mean."
At the mention of Ben's name, a smile crept at Hiroki's face. "Even if I have not seen him face to face, through his action I understood his beliefs, his conviction. You will lose no matter what."
"…We shall see." The captain the fired his rifle and killed the man. He took the brief case from his corps and started to walk towards his group, but not muttering something along the way. "Ben Tennyson huh?"
(Stinkfly)
2nd Division HQ:
"And that's what happened." Genjuro finished explaining to Hibiki, Tsubasa and Ben of what had happen with Hiroki.
"I can't believe this…" she said as she stared at the images of the aftermath.
"I know, humans… any sentient being will stoop so low if it meant getting what they want." Ben said remembering all of his encounters of either theft or such, against humans or aliens. "Do we have any word on Ryoko?"
Genjuro shook his head, but as if on cue.
"I'm back!" Coming from the elevator was Ryoko while carrying a briefcase. "Sorry I took so long."
"Ryoko!" Genjuro said in surprise and all turned to the genius.
"Whats wrong, did you guys miss me that much?"
"Defense Minister Hiroki has just been assassinated."
"What!?" Ryoko went near the screen, analyzing the images.
"Multiple revolutionary groups have claimed responsibility, but were still not certain." He explained a shortened version of the situation. "We should have every man power we have looking in to it."
"We were worried about you since we couldn't get a hold on you." Hibiki said stating their worry on her.
"Sorry my phone was broken." She showed her broken device while the rest just sighed at its sight. "I appreciate the concern, but I have classified orders from the government." She then set down the briefcase and opened it. She brought out what appears to be a chip. "Defense Minister Hiroki helped make this delivery possible. We cant let his death be in veined."
"So what is it?" Ben asked curios what the chip had inside that had caused all this trouble.
"This chip has information pertaining Durandal sword hidden beneath the base."
Everyone expect for Ben and Genjuro gasp at the information.
"Durandal?" Ben spoke gaining everyone's attention.
"Yah you know Durandal." Ryoko stated while Ben still confused on what the sword was. "As in the legendary sword of Sir Roland." Still Ben looked her in confusion. After a second of silence, she realized it. "Wait… Ben-kun you have no idea what Durandal is?" She said with a amused snicker making the teen hero flinch.
"Uh, of course I know what Durandal is!" He tried to sound confident and to save face, but everyone just snickered at him, even Hibiki and Tsubasa could not help but be amused.
"Ok look I didn't get an A in history so can we move this along!"
"Ok, ok I had my fun. But first we need to gather everyone for a meeting."
"I'll handle that." Genjuro said while preparing his orders to the entire base.
(Stinkfly)
Meeting room:
Two hours had passed and everyone has gathered in the designated meeting room. The core members and the three main fighter's were settled right in front. Ben watched his two companions. Hibiki was fidgeting a bit, still unaccustomed with this kind of atmosphere, while Tsubasa was sitting calmly.
"From the Noise appearing near the academy, which is to say, the HQ of the 2nd division, the government concluded their target is to seize Durandal, which lies inside Sacristy D. Located at the lowest level of the facility, the Abyss." Ryoko started the briefing while showing an image of the vault that is holding Durandal.
"Let me guess, this Durandal is one of the last remaining complete relics right?" Ben suddenly asked and Ryoko gave him a node.
"That's correct. The EU handed it over to Japan for safekeeping and management in the condition that Japan write off some of Europe's defaulted loans should the EU economy collapse.
"And where would they have us transfer it?" One of the members asked. "There's no place safer then here."
"There is a special vault for Relics deep under the Parliament." Genjuro said. "Its often called the Ruins of Memory. They feel it's safer there. Since were government employees. We have no choice but to follow the orders from the top."
Ben groaned. He couldn't help but be irritated by those stooped top brass. They actually want to risk something important as a complete relic to be expos. This smells trouble.
"Durandal is scheduled for transport tomorrow at 0500." Ryoko explained. "Any more details are in the chip here. Now that everyone knows what we are doing, are there any questions?" No one said a word. "In that case lets get ready."
(Stinkfly)
Command room:
The core members watch Ryoko as she remotely controlled the robot that was handling the Durandal relic.
"Is that the Abyss?" Hibiki asked.
"That's right. It's three times as long as Tokyo tower." Ryoko answered and gave some minor details of the said location.
"You're kidding! That is like 1,800 meters down!" Ben said in surprise. Even though he had seen bases even deeper, but it was still quite impressive.
"We were surprised when we found out too." Tsubasa told the two, remembering the first time she found out.
"The government always gives relics top priority. So it's no surprise they would go to these lengths to keep it safe. Now I think you three should get some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."
"Yah I guess you're right." Ben said while giving a yawn. "Well better get something to eat and hit the sack." He was about to leave, but stopped on his tracks when an idea pop in to his mind. "Hey Tsubasa, Hibiki want to join me?"
"Huh/What?" The two said in unison, surprised at Ben's sudden proposal.
"I thought it would be nice if we grab something to eat. But if you guys don't want to I under-." He was not able to finish his sentence when the two jumped right in front of him.
"Yah we would love too!" They said happily, a bit too happy in Ben's opinion. He shrugged it off thinking that the two were just hungry.
"Well great, come on I know I great diner." The three left via the elevator and the rest that remained behind couldn't help but shake their head in amusement.
"I don't know how Ben-kun dos it." Sakuya said, wondering that are all hero's natural chick magnets.
"Well since ancient times great heroes had all kinds of attention concerning the opposite sex. Hehe poor girls, their love interest just had to be dense as a brick." Ryoko giggled at the hard ship the two maidens have to face.
(Stinkfly)
Lynda academy dorms:
"I'm back!" Hibiki announced the moment she returned from having dinner with Ben and Tsubasa. Inside was Miku who was standing near the entrance with a displeased look.
"Hey Hibiki, where have you been all day? You cannot just claim to have training and vanish the entire day."
"Ah well you see…" Hibiki trailed off, trying to think of an excuse. N idea the suddenly came and she immediately replied. " I was with Ben-kun the entire time!"
Miku's left eye twitched at the mention of the alien hero. "You… were with… Ben-san?" Her words got colder with each syllable. "What were you two doing?"
"Y-yah, he was helping me with some work that wasn't school related. So… I need to go back and just came back to get my bag." She explained while getting her bag. Miku on the other hand didn't move an inch her eyes were unseen, covered by her bangs. "So anyways got o run!"
"Yes have a safe trip Hibiki." Hibiki couldn't help but fell unnerve at her best friend right now.
Once Hibiki left, Miku slowly walked towards her drawer and pulled out what appearance to be a doll, made in the likeness of Ben. She then walked over to the kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife, and proceeded too repeatedly stab the Ben doll.
She began to show a creepy smile and her eyes were lifeless. A dark aura suddenly emitted from her. "Friend stealer, you won't have her, you won't have her." She stayed like that for an hour, repeating the same words repeatedly.
(Stinkfly)
2nd Division HQ:
Ben was walking down the halls. He just returned from the cafeteria of the base and got himself a cup of coffee. He was planning to get some shot eye before the mission but a sudden feeling of dread came over him and he couldn't get a wink of sleep.
"Man what is up with me…" He grumbled still in wonder what he felt earlier on. When he reached the lounge, he saw Hibiki was sitting alone with a sullen look on her. Ben sighed, figuring that she was depressed on something.
He walked towards Hibiki and she had not noticed he was already standing next to her, further indication that her mind was preoccupied about her troubles.
"Hey Hibiki, down in the dumps again huh?" Ben spoke, gaining the attention of the wielder of Gungnir.
"Oh… hey Ben-kun. I thought you were already sleeping." She said, not expecting to see the teen hero.
"I couldn't get any sleep. Got a chill earlier on."
"Oh… I see…" She replied not asking any further.
Ben sighed again and proceeded to sit next to Hibiki.
"Ben-kun?" "So tell me what happened?"
"Wha-what do you mean?"
He stared at her for a while with halfed-opened eyes. "Hibiki I've been with you for a long time. I know when your depress. So mind telling me about it."
Her eyes widened, realizing that he was right. For two years she had spent so much time with that it wouldn't be a surprise that he would know almost everything about her. For some reason it made her heart flutter at the thought.
"It's just that Miku is mad at me right now, I kind of run out on her without giving an explanation." She explained making Ben hum in thought.
"Well… I kind of understand what you're going through Hibiki."
"What?" She said not fully understanding what Ben was saying.
"Well back when I was ten I had to hide the fact I had the omnitrix from my mom and dad." He began telling his own experience of Hibiki's plight.
"I always had to make excuses to my mom and dad when troubled brewed up. Inside I hated myself when I lied to them. That is kind of the reason why I always acted so arrogant.
The one day, during the early stages of the Highbreed war, my mom and dad saw me fighting against a Highbreed general. After that, they forbid me on going hero. They said that how disappointed they were of me on lying."
As he told, his tale Hibiki's heart grew heavy. After hearing what Ben had said, the thought of Miku hating her made her fell well terrible.
"But in the end they understood." S she heard what Ben said her face lit up in surprise.
"When I explained to them that if I didn't do what was right then I would have forsaken everything they showed me about life and what was right.
They loved me so much that they worry about me and took away my freedom ongoing hero, because they were afraid of losing me.
Miku is no different Hibiki. She is just worried about you. The fact that you two are fighting shows how much she cares for you.
So cheer up Hibiki. She's you friend and when you make up with her, she would forgive you."
Hibiki couldn't help but smile. Of the reassurance, Ben told her. "He really is…" "Thanks Ben-kun you always know how to cheer me up." She thanked him wither usual bright smile.
"Glad that I could help." He said while he returned with another smile. He then felt Hibiki resting her head on his shoulder.
"Hibiki?"
"I just… felt tired can I rest her for a bit?" She said not opening her eyes.
"Sure as long as you like." She smiled while slowly entering to slumber.
"Hey Ben."
"Yah?"
"We will always be together right?"
Hibiki was already near sleep. That had made her miss-seeing Ben having a sad smile. Images of his home, of his family and friends should appear on his mind, but the images that appeared was his room on the Sun flower, of Boss lady, of everyone he had met, of Tsubasa and the last that appeared was Hibiki.
"Maybe." Was all Ben had said, but Hibiki had already fallen asleep. He did not want to disturb her. Therefore, he just sat there sipping his coffee in comforting silence, only hearing the rhythmic breathing of Hibiki.
(Stinkfly)
Unknown location:
"Do you understand your mission Captain?" A figure of a siluet of a man said on the single monitor in the room.
"Yes sir. During the transport of Durandal by the 2nd Division, we must capture and retrieve 3 primary objective. Priority target one Durandal, primary Target two Ben Tennyson and his omnitrix and last primary target three the gear users and their wielders Tsubasa Kazanari and Hibiki Tachibana.
"Good. We expect your success soon captain. You are doing your country a great service."
"Yes sir!" The man saluted and the monitor died down. The captain sighed, still unsure if their mission was right or wrong. Even if they were facing the most powerful fighters in the world, it still bothered him that they had to be fighting kids.
"You heard the man boys, get all your shit prep and prepare to leave in three hours. His team saluted in return to their commanding officer.
"But man Captain the shit that those egg heads had made from that thing they found on ground zero back with the incident two years ago, this would make our jobs a lot easier." One of the armored soldiers said while examining his rifle.
"Cut the chatter. You know that thing is top secret!"
"Sorry sir…"
"Enough! Go get ready boys the people we will face will be tougher then the mission we had so far!"
(Stinkfly)
Lynda Private Academy:
The following morning everyone was outside the academy preparing to depart and relocate the Durandal.
The moment Genjuro arrived everyone had lined up in a orderly fashion while the main combatants, Hibiki, Tsubasa and Ben were at the front of the rows of lines.
"Cant we do this a bit later on… I mean even bad guys have to sleep." Ben complained while stretching his aching back.
"Don't complain." Tsubasa said to our alien hero, while sighing on his laid-back personality.
"You're being deployed under the pretext of investigating the assignation of the Defense Minister." Genjuro began the debriefing. "Make hast to the Ruins of Memory."
Ben glanced at his two partners. Tsubasa was the very definition of calm while Hibiki was sweating in nervousness. Ben nudged her to get her attention. She turned and Ben gave her a reassuring smile that calmed her down.
"Alright everyone good luck out there!" Genjuro ended and all personnel rushed to their designated roles.
"Ok you three you would ride with me." Ryoko called out to the three and gestured them to her car. "But I do wonder who would be seating with Ben-kun at the back."
The girls flinched at the idea while Ben just gave a confused look at Ryoko.
"Well I don't really mind. Is it really an issue?"
"Ah… well… you see…" Hibiki said stuttering, while trying to form words.
"Maybe… I, or…" Tsubasa was not faring better than her companion was.
Ryoko just stared with an amused grin. She really couldn't help but be entertained at the two.
"Well if you guys cant decide… I call shot gun!"
"Eh!" Tsubasa and Hibiki shouted in unison, while just watching Ben walked towards hi seat.
"Well better luck next time girls and you two should get your act together or else, you might not have a shot at all~." She said with an amused tone while=le she herself walked to her car.
The two jut sighed and proceeded to get on the back seat.
(Stinkfly)
Highway:
One and a half hour had passed since they departed and fortunately they had not encountered any problems. Everyone seemed to have relaxed a bit, but it was a different issue with Ben.
"It's to quit. Too quit." He suddenly spoke out and the other three in the car looked at him weirdly.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Hibiki asked, not sure why Ben would want something to happen.
"Hibiki… I have been doing these kinds of thing for a long time. I really wish some rouge group would show up or some foreign agents would come. If those didn't happen, then something worse will."
"What do you mean?" Tsubasa asked and as if fate wanted to grant there wish the road suddenly burst causing Ryoko to lose control of her car.
"That's what I mean!" Ben screamed. He needed to protect the others or they would severely injure through the crash. He activated his omnitrix and didn't care what form he would get. He left it to chance and hoped the omnitrix would turn him to the alien he needs.
With a flash of green, the car burst due to the size of Ben's form. What appeared was a yellow sphere and it dropped down to the unforgiving ground.
He uncurled like a centipede and released Tsubasa, Hibiki and Ryoko completely unscratched.
Now we see Ben's new form. This form was a hulking, broad-shouldered alien covered in natural, hexagonal, yellow armor plating on his back, shoulders, and the backs of his arms. He had four claws on both of his hands and a black strip that run down his chest. The omnitrix was located on the center of his chest.
This was Ben's Arburian Pelarota he has dubbed Cannonbolt.
"You guys okay?" He asked the still dazed trio.
"Yes were fine" Tsubasa replied.
"Very fast thinking Ben-kun, you really saved us there." Ryoko said while retaining her go with the flow tone.
"Ben-kun are you all alright?" the sudden voice of Genjuro came from the omnitrix, gaining the attention of the group.
"Yah were fine. We landed somewhere near a chemical factory I think." Ben explained while noticing the large factory in their vicinity. "Did you see what collapsed the bridge?"
"No, we didn't see anything. It might have been the Noise. So stay sharp everyone."
As the communication ended, water erupted from the underground sewers and the Noise came crawling out.
"There in the sewers!" Tsubasa said in shock.
"Ah just great." Ben grunted.
"Genjuro shouldn't we pull out?" Ryoko said while retrieving the case that held Durandal from the wreckage. "There's a chemical factory up a headed is practically a huge pile of dynamite, if we continue, the Durandal-."
"I know!" Genjuro yelled from the com. "But the Noise have only attacked your escorts and not you which means they are being controlled by someone. If they want to get their hands on Durandal, our best bet is to settle this somewhere dangerous.
"Got it." Ben said. "Ryoko take cover somewhere. Tsubasa, Hibiki get ready." The two girls nodded, Tsubasa took out her relic while Hibiki readied herself.
"Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri Tron"
"Balwisyall Nescell Gungnir Tron"
The two are now equipped with their Symphogears and they took fighting stance right besides Ben. "All right guys, let's show these overgrown jelly beans who their messing with!" The three charged a the opposing army of Noise while the rest of their comrades watched their fight from a distance.
(Stinkfly)
Unknown location:
He stared at his current location. He saw what appears to be a large chamber of shorts made of a mixture of rock, concrete and organic materials. Some even pulsed like muscles.
He cringed at the sight. He could not help but feel disgusted at the sight.
He wondered where he had arrived. It was in a sense an hour since he left the 'Nasuverse' and separated from Paradox. He had sense that he had left him alone for a while.
This universe that he arrived in was not his destination, but something was in a way, pulling him towards here. He was not sure what it is, but he decided it didn't hurt to look a round
He began to walk while examining his surroundings, looking for a way out. He walked for a while, not encountering any living being. Then he saw something a few feet ahead of him.
It was a creature or creatures, thousands of them, larger than he by a significant margin. It was entirely red and resembled a spider in form with long appendages arms, large canines showing and a head that like a mushroom with smaller black stumps growing over it.
They all turned to him and immediately started to sprint at him. He sighed before raising his hands and fired his stream of purple energy. Unlike with the Skeletons he had faced earlier on these things, though easily aged like the skeletons, took him more effort to deal with due to their numbers.
As the last of the spider like creatures turned to dust, he once again started to walk around. Yet seconds later, the entire cavern shook violently. He calmly looked around and waits for whatever is coming.
Bursting out of the wood works, thousands of thousands of what he guess the alien species that control this place came out and was charging at him.
Each was different from each other. Majority of them was the same spider like creature form before. Others were as different as dogs and cats.
Some were significantly larger than the spider creature. These creatures shared a resemblance with scorpions with crab shaped pincers and had a large eyeless, humanoid head growing on its back.
Another was a plump creature with stump like legs and its front was encased with green carapaces armor.
The next was smaller than the spider creature. It was walking with two legs and has a head similar to an elephant with a long trunk and a hand at its end.
The next were similar with the elephant like creature. This whoever had two large, bulbous eyes.
The last of the creatures were by far the largest of them all. It had a human shaped head with no eyes. It is supported by its six spears like legs and under it was a sac like organ that had a blade like tip.
It seems that they were all charging at him with the intent to kill him. He sighed in boredom. A wave of purple energy surged from his body and like a bomb, it washed over in all direction and all the creatures were reduced to dust.
He cracked his neck, relieving the strain from it. He began to walk again and tried to find an exit.
"Analyzing…"
He stopped and looked around looking for the origin of the voice he heard.
"Analyzing…"
He heard it again, but found no one for the source of the voice.
"Analyzation complete… Higher existence detected… Activating protocols…"
This caught his interest. It appears that were ever he was, is some short organic factory with a hive mind structure. In other words, whatever he was hearing must be its super computer.
He laughed in amusement at his current finding. Therefore, in the good name of curiosity he began to walk towards too were ever he is sensing the super computer.
He accelerated his time, moved like a blur, and went deeper in to the cavern. Once there he saw, what he guesses was the super computer.
It was a grotesque thing to look at. It was similar to a squid in form with multiple rows of eyes, similar with one of the creatures he encountered. It was standing on a spire with a large glob like object with large tendrils acted like arms to it.
"Higher existence detected… Protocol accepted… establishing contact…"
The super computer said and its tentacle like arms shot towards him and wrapped around his body. He did not resist. It was out of pure curiosity that he allowed everything to transpire.
He was expecting this super computer was sent for some short of mining mission and to establish contact if ever encountered intelligent life. On the other hand, in a worst-case scenario, in actuality almost in all cases, subjugation or eradication.
Then images of the 'creators' of this organic machines flashed in his mind, images of their world, of how their society came to be. These silicon base life forms were no different from any other sentient race.
"Higher existence accepted communication… proceeding to next stage…"
He felt something was off. What this computer was showing to him appears to be all the good of the civilization. It was never the case. No matter what race there will always be the horrors of it.
He activated a device attached on his gauntlet and wires came out of it and attached it to the tentacles that were holding him.
"Danger… Foreign program detected… begin purging… locating source…"
He smirked. He knew he would be done before this thing would even begin his process. Then the information that this computer was hiding entered his mind.
He saw that it was indeed an organic harvester as its primary function. However, it also doubled as an offensive weapon if ever encountered sentient life.
These silicon base life forms were no different from the Incursions, warmongers that derive pleasure from war.
This caused him to frown. The very existence of these things awakened something in him that he had thought he lost a long time ago.
"Danger… large energy concentration… Origin… Higher existence… Warning… Time fluctuation detected… Accessing countermeasure…"
His body began to glow the same purple light. The tentacles that were holding on him started to turn to dust and slowly it was reaching to the main body of the super computer.
"Imminent destruction… unavoidable… establishing connection to creators… Connecting…Connec…Conn… ting… Co…"
As its last act was incomplete, the super computer had disintegrated to nothing.
He landed on the ground and dusted himself while staring at what was once the super computer. He accelerated his time and swiftly looked for the exit of the facility.
Once he did, he dismissed his acceleration and stood in mild shock. He saw that he was staring at a familiar blue planet. "Is that earth?"
He looked at his surrounding and back at the giant alien construct. It was a large thing and appeared to be made of jagged, bladed rock. "So… I am at the moon and these organic machines have already reached this far in huh."
He stared at the blue planet once more, a smile crept on his face. "How… intriguing. I guess I can have a better look for now."
As he was thinking he felt some slight tremors. He turned and saw a large number of those organic drones he fought earlier charging towards him. "Well I guess I could do a little 'weeding' to pass the time."
Chapter End.
(Stinkfly)
Hey guys here's another chapter. And a bit earlier then I thought I could finish it.
Nothing much happened in this chapter, just a set up with the up coming fight and a little interaction with Ben and Hibiki.
I actually wrote a scene with Ben and Chris meeting up, but decided to do that for another time. Instead I wrote another short in look with my omniverse. The 'guy' that I keep writing about would play a big role later on the story.
For now, he would be just the character to introduce the anime/video game universe involved in this. If you guys have no idea which universe he is in right now it's the Muv-Luv universe.
So without anything else, berserkerzero7 signing off.