Heyo Fanfictioneers! Real quick I just gotta give thanks to those who went out of their way to favorite/follow my story and even leave a review! (Yes that includes you, guy that left a rant and an itemized list of complaints that I couldn't begin to comprehend! Maybe Ben 10 IS Shitty animorphs, but its my shitty animorphs 3) It means a lot to me, really! I know starting a completely fresh story is a bit daunting, cause you don't know if the writer will go out for inspiration milk and never comeback, or if they're a one hitter quitter, but I PROMISE I will do my best not to do/be any of that! This chapter is proof of that, as it was going to be much longer but I decided it cut it short so I can hurry up and post it and show you what I'm about! :D
That means, the next chapter should be coming at your heads pretty soon. It might already be posted - who knows? Alright enough rambles, one more thanks for the support, and another thanks if you bother to read this. (DW I skip these sometimes too, too mushy gushy :P) Any who, on with the show!
Chapter One: Mental Gymnastics
The engine of the Rustbucket growled gently as it pushed along the road, Max smiled to himself, pressing down on the gas and drumming away at the steering wheel. He'd always love to drive, and there was no better excuse to do just that than a summer long road trip. He just hoped that his two passengers wouldn't eat each other alive by the end of it.
It had been a great idea on paper; bring the kids along on a road trip, have some fun as family and eventually they'll get along and become friends.
Easier said than done.
The smile slowly vanished from his face. Between Ben's sudden…transformation, and Gwen's acquisition of that thing, this summer vacation was panning out for the worst.
He shook his head.
No, gotta stay optimistic, maybe this was a blessing in disguise. For now, he'll just play it by ear and see how this all plays out.
It was unusually quiet in the RV. Realizing this sent a small chill down his spine. He'd spent weeks mentally preparing himself for the arguing and bickering that would inevitably happen between his grandkids - and for a while things started out just as he pictured it. He picked Ben up from school, and upon seeing each other and connecting the dots the fighting immediately ensued as expected.
That changed when they stopped for gas.
After a quick nap, Ben woke up acting strange, leaving Max to put the pieces together on how this all even happened. So far, no progress. It was his grandson alright, no doubt there, but he was spouting out all sorts of nonsense. Or things Max would rather have him believe was nonsense. He had played dumb at everything the boy said, but Ben seemed to know all to well it was an act. After that, the boy began to sulk about the whole situation.
Grandpa cursed at himself for lying to his grandson, who clearly knew more than he should; but the thought of time travel is just….ridiculous! He himself has seen more than his fair share of things that could be considered ridiculous, never anything like this. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he considered his long kept secret. Maybe it would be easier this way? Besides, if all was as Ben said it was, lying to him would no doubt have some negative effects on him.
Hence the sulking.
Just when his worries began to reach their peak, a voice carried from behind him.
"Ugh! Hey there's a whole other seat right there!" Gwen said.
"Well excuse me! I didn't think sitting next to you would be such an issue."
"Uh, of course it's an issue, doofus. I do not want to catch whatever crazy I'm-from-the-future disease you have."
"Oh here we go! Look, I told you…"
A smile crept back onto the old man's face. For better or worse, it's nice to have some normality around here.
•
Gwen crossed her arms, staring down at her cousin who sat down before her. He stared back at her with an annoyed expression. She could feel a headache fast approaching, as she leaned back on the counter behind her.
This doofus was infuriating to be around normally, but now it's ten times worse. They stared at each other for a bit, before his expression softened slightly.
"Whatever." He said turning away from her to stare daggers outside of the RV window. She could see his reflection glare at the scenery as his fists began to tighten.
She shook her head, red hair waving slightly. What is going on? Ever since she'd gotten her hands on the watch he's been…hostile? That's not the word. Irritable. He's been more irritable, and not in a good way. The way it had been before he changed. Annoying him was fun at times, but this felt…different.
Looking down at the watch on her wrist, she thought back to the day she found the strange device.
"That's the omnitrix! It's the most powerful thing in the universe! it lets you transform into one of 10 different aliens."
Okay he had been right about that. Right down to the number of silhouettes that showed on the interface. She remembered how the watch morphed itself, springing to life in a semi liquid state before lunging at her and sticking itself to her arm.
"It's not going to come off, no matter what"
A pair of pliers and a broken screwdriver later, he was proven right.
How else could he have known?
This wasn't some toy, and from the way she saw it crash down onto the campsite, it was all but clear that it wasn't of Earthly origin.
She shook her head again, brow furrowing, and temples beginning to ache.
She looked up when Ben let out a sigh, the reflection in the mirror faintly showcasing his green eyes which were filled with defeat. He looked so crestfallen…
Her heart sank.
Time traveler or not, that's not a look that suits him. Dumb and geeky, absolutely, but never crestfallen.
She let out a groan. "You complete doofus!" She said, turning to march her way up to the driver's seat.
Ben watched as Gwen walked up to their Grandpa.
What was that about?
He watched as she whispered something to him and received a response. Moments later she motioned for him to come to her as she sat down in the passenger seat.
"Okay Ben. We're going to settle this once in for all. If you're truly from the future you just have to answer this one question."
He felt his jaw drop.
"Seriously? After all the stuff I've said bef-"
He stopped as she lifted up her hand and looked into his eyes.
"Ben, please, just humor me." She said, with a look on her face that he recognized. It was pleading and sincere. It felt so familiar yet strangely foreign. He felt his face heat up in response.
"Okay." He grumbled, breaking eye contact.
"Thanks!" She said with a smile, clasping her hands together. Leave it to Gwen to get excited over a test.
"Okay Future Ben, your question is.." She
paused for dramatic effect, and he couldn't help but smile at her dorkiness.
"Where is our next destination?" She said motioning towards the windshield, out to the open road.
Ben stared out to the road they drove down, desert-y fields greeted him.
"I uh…don't think it works like that." He started.
"I mean I lived a whole summer of craziness you can't even imagine, going back to the beginning is -"
She shushed him.
"Don't worry about that, doofus. Just focus on your memory."
So he did. Staring out to the barren wasteland; he took in the sights of desert, dirt, more desert and more dirt, also a tumbleweed.
Awesome. Very unique and memorable.
He squinted and placed his hands upon his temples in an attempt to focus, earning an amused look from his cousin. His eyes trailed up from the road and environment and out to the horizon. He noticed how the vanishing point wobbled and wiggled, as the heat from the sun made waves that made him sweat by looking at them. A small spark in his memory tickled his mind.
He focused on the heatwave that lingered in the distance, evidence of the scorching blaze that would assault them if they left the air conditioned safety of the RV. Hottest day of the summer. That felt familiar, an unbearably hot day. A long open road miles out from civilization…
Wherever they were going, it had to be unbelievably boring.
He gasped as his neurons clicked so hard it could be heard from outside of his skull.
"Ohh man! No!" He said letting out a groan. Gwen simply stared at him expectantly, leaning forward in her seat.
"This is the day we went to Aunt Vera's!"
Max nearly stomped on the brakes in response, the second time since Ben mentioned the name Vilgax. Gwen stared at her cousin, mouth slightly agape.
"I guess that settles it," She said simply.
"You really are who you say you are."
A wide grin flashed along his features as Ben puffed out his chest, hands on his hips. "Well duh! You should have believed me from the start, when I woke up ten times more awesome than I was before!"
Gwen rolled her eyes, a smirk at her lips. "Whatever you say, dork. I'm just glad you're done pouting."
"I was not!"
"Oh and now you're whining too?"
"Shut up, dweeb!" He said with a huff, turning to walk away.
She watched as he left, a smile still at her lips. He sat down and stared out the window, this time with a more hopeful expression.
That's better, much better. Dumb and geeky, never crestfallen.
From the corner of her eye she noticed Grandpa Max glancing at her with a smile of his own.
"What?"
"Oh nothing pumpkin, I just think this summer is going to work out perfectly is all. Now, who wants ice cream?"
Alright! Done with the first chapter! I feel like I need to explain some stuff so I'll do it here. This does take place during the Gwen 10 episode, but only at the start, when she gets the O-trix.
This is not gonna follow the exact timeline in order of episode!
I want you, yes YOU, right now to google the BEN 10 summer road trip map and try not to get lost in the spaghetti of green lines that's all over the U.S.! You probably already have and are nodding in agreement.
That being said, it is to be assumed that the timeline that's taking place here is the timeline that took place for our Ben(who I have get timetravelkidnapped back at the tail end of his adventure - but you already knew that), just mixed around a bit in a way that makes sense to ME, and I will try (keyword: try) to make it a cohesive experience. There may even be a 'few in-between' chapters that lead into actual episodes idki'llfigureitout leaveareviewandtellmewhatIdidwrong kthanksbye!
Thankies