I do not own the Ben Ten franchise.
Alternate universe chapter, featuring No Watch Ben.
Fateful Meeting
In the training room of Plumber HQ, Ben Tennyson fired off the final rounds from his plasma gun. The first few shots struck the outside of the painted target on the metal wall, but the final one left a beautiful burn mark right in the center.
"Not bad, kid," Patelliday complimented, taking the weapon from the sixteen-year-old. "Your aim is getting better."
"Thanks," Ben panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "What else can I do?"
"Take a rest for the day. You've been training pretty hard."
Though he was reluctant to stop, Ben nodded in agreement. "Sure. I'll see you later."
He stepped out of the sturdy square room and walked down the corridor. He hadn't seen his grandfather all day. He figured Max was on Plumber business, doing something cool and awesome. "Wonder when I'll get to do stuff like that," he muttered to himself.
About a month had passed since the whole Battle of the Bens deal and he had spent the time reading Plumber rulebooks and training with the various weapons that were stored around the base. He hadn't gotten sent on an official mission yet. Sometimes he could tag along with other Plumbers, but for the most part he was restricted to the base.
It's not like you can just become a Plumber. There's an academy for it and everything. It's not an easy business.
Ben knew it would probably be a long time before he was given his own Plumber badge. It was just that he'd spent most of his life in boredom, wishing for something special to happen. He didn't resent his grandfather for keeping his work a secret. He didn't lose his arm for no reason, and had reservations about letting his grandson into the dangerous world of intergalactic Plumber work. But now that he had been given a taste of the universe that stretched across time and space, he wanted more.
"Ben!"
Face lighting up, Ben turned on his heel. "Grandpa!"
"How was your day, kiddo?" Max asked, coming over and setting a hand on his shoulder.
"Good," replied Ben. "I'm starting to get the hang of the plasma guns."
"The kickback can be pretty rough. You've been doing well in a short amount of time." Max smiled and started to steer Ben down the corridor. "There's someone I want you to meet."
"Who?" Ben asked in curiosity.
"Azmuth. He's an outside advisor to the Plumbers. The smartest being in the universe."
"Oh. Cool." Ben frowned. "But why do you want me to meet him?"
"I think it would be good. For the both of you."
Before Ben could ask any more questions, he was shoved into his grandfather's office. The door shut with a snap behind him. Baffled by Max's behaviour, Ben shook his head and turned to see who he was expected to meet. And immediately froze.
A small alien, about five inches tall, stood on the surface of the large oak desk. Its skin was grey and it resembled a humanoid frog. Onyx pupils, illuminated by neon green irises, stared intently back at him. There was something about the alien's stare that made Ben slightly uncomfortable-it was as if it was seeing straight into his soul.
It was rather unsettling.
"Um…hi," Ben squeaked. Flinching at his pathetic tone, he coughed and said, "I'm Ben Tennyson."
"I know."
The alien's voice was deep and male, coated with disinterest and tinted with weariness. Ben hesitantly moved forwards and sat down in the chair situated across from where the alien was standing. "So, Azmuth…what kind of alien are you?"
Oops. Maybe that's not the best conversation starter.
But Azmuth did not seem off-putted by the question. "I doubt it would mean much to you," he said, arms folded tightly behind his back. "You're not exactly at your grandfather's level when it comes to knowledge on alien species."
"You gotta start somewhere, right?" reasoned Ben, hardly fazed by the slight jab. He had been in too many fights with Gwen and too many verbal spars with J.T to take offense to much. "Why not start with you?"
Azmuth studied him for a moment. "I am part of the Galvan race," he finally answered. "We're an intellectual advanced species."
"Grandpa said you're the smartest being in the universe."
"He's exaggerating. I'm the smartest being in three galaxies, possibly five."
"Well, that's still super smart."
Silence followed after his remark and Azmuth continued to stare. Ben felt awkward, pulling on the sleeves on his white hoodie. "Uh…so you're an outside advisor to the Plumbers," he said, trying to make conversation. "What kinds of things do you do?"
"I merely offer advice when asked. If they require some of my inventions, then I will send them over."
"What do you invent?" asked Ben, latching onto the topic.
"Nothing that would interest you."
"Come on, how would you know?" asked Ben. "I'm asking, aren't I? Humour me."
Azmuth eyed the teenager. He knew why Max was so insistent on having him meet with his grandson. He was supposed to reveal that he was the creator of the Omnitrix. He didn't understand why Max wanted the kid to know so badly, especially when he was well aware of the unease it caused him.
If it will get Max to stop pestering me, then fine. Best to get it over with.
"I'm the creator of the Omnitrix."
The reaction was instant.
Ben jolted in his chair, almost tipping backwards in his shock. He managed to grip the edge of the desk and righted himself. "What?" he shrieked.
"Don't yell," snapped Azmuth in irritation.
"But-but if you're the creator of the Omnitrix, then where is it?" exclaimed Ben.
"I destroyed it," the Galvan answered shortly.
"Why?!"
"None of your business," barked Azmuth, already regretting his decision to comply with Max's will. He was considering just teleporting himself back to his isolated lab on Galvan Prime when the boy spoke.
"It is too my business! Every other alternate Ben Tennyson has an Omnitrix! I think I deserve to know why you decided to get rid of it."
Azmuth glanced at the teen. His emerald eyes shone with determination and his mouth was set in a firm line. He was not going to drop the matter, and it was obvious that even if Azmuth teleported away it would not deter the boy. There was something about him that told the Galvan that he was not one to give up easily.
And he had heard of the story from Max. The story of how Bens, good and bad, came from alternate universes to collide in a massive fight. In the group of Ben Tennysons, there was only one without an Omnitrix.
"You won't drop the matter, will you?" asked Azmuth gruffly.
"Nope." Ben crossed his arms. "Even if you leave, I'll get your number from Grandpa Max and leave a million messages on your answering machine."
"Then I will talk, and you will listen."
Ben nodded quickly in agreement.
Azmuth cleared his throat before speaking. "I built the Omnitrix after another invention of mine turned sour. I thought that it would benefit the universe by allowing other species to walk a mile in another's shoes. To see that we are not as different as we say we are. But as I reached completion and word got out, I received offers from many who wanted to use the Omnitrix as a weapon. I knew then that I could not do it. I could not create a device that others would want to use to destroy each other. I would not be responsible for more lives lost. So I destroyed it."
Ben kept a close watch on the Galvan as he spoke. His fists clenched at his sides and there was a new emotion to his tone-regret. Whatever happened before the Omnitrix, it was obviously bad enough to make him grow wary of creating any other invention that could be used as a weapon.
"What happened to the previous invention?" asked Ben softly.
"Now that is none of your business," shot down Azmuth, his rough tone returning.
"Fair enough." Ben lifted his knees up and hugged them to his chest. "I'm sorry others tried to use it as a weapon. I'm sure it would have worked wonders if they were willing to use it for its intended purpose."
"I suppose it was my fault," said Azmuth bitterly. "The world is full of people who want nothing more than to use whatever means to achieve their own gain, no matter who it hurts."
"I think that's a bit harsh."
Azmuth scoffed. "What would you know? You're just an Earthling."
"True. But that doesn't mean the universe is a horrible place," insisted Ben. "There are billions of people on Earth alone. I can only imagine the trillions of others that inhabit the galaxy. It's just impossible that all of these living creatures seek to harm or betray others for selfish reasons. There's no black and white-there's reasons for everything, good or bad or in between."
His eyes then grew animated. "That's why I want to work here, with the Plumbers. I want to help people. I want to help aliens. I want to bring peace and happiness all over the universe by solving disputes. I want to be a hero the universe needs. There's always something to fight for. You shouldn't let a few instances, as horrible as they might have been, craft your view of the world."
Azmuth blinked, surprised by the powerful emotion that came from the sixteen-year-old Earthling. It was deep insight for a child so young and naïve, and he hadn't been afraid to voice it to someone he just met.
"I've lived a long life, Tennyson. I've seen too much devastation to believe in such a thing."
"You've just been looking in the wrong places," dismissed Ben. He extended a hand with a bright smile. "We don't need an Omnitrix to perform goodwill. I'll show you a world worth saving. Promise."
There was a feeling bubbling in the Galvan's chest, a feeling he had not experienced in a long time.
It was hope.
Staring into Ben's shining emerald eyes, he could not help but marvel over the fact that a human had caught his interest, sparked his hope once again, when so many others had failed to drag him from the dark aura that surrounded him for decades.
He was caught in the kid's charm and earnestness. He raised his right hand and hooked it around the index finger of the teen's left.
"I will hold you to that, Ben Tennyson."
The Galvan who destroyed his greatest invention and the boy without an Omnitrix. Despite the lack of link between the two, fate stubbornly drove them together.
It was simply unfathomable that Azmuth and Ben never meet, no matter the timeline that surrounded them.
