Hey everyone, I'm back and with a new story. But fear not, Error in the System is not forgotten, I will, with luck, have the next chapter out soon now that I've had time to think and plan it through. As for this story I have no schedule plans so it'll likely be slow to roll out. I have plans for beyond season 5 but i'll be creating plenty of content so it's just not inserting Ben into the episodes, at most certain episodes will be referenced but for the most part it is canon timeline wise this starts around midway into season 4. As for Ben this is one year prior to the events of alien force, but all things from the og and omniverse flashbacks are canon to this. With that off my chest, enjoy the story.
Author Note - Ben 10 is the property of Cartoon Network and Man of Action. Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir are the property of Disney, Jeremy Zag and Thomas Astruc. I make no claim of ownership to any character, concept or world in this fan written fictional work. any other works referred to in this fanfic belong to their respective owners.
Reviews are welcome and appreciated.
L-K
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
:M-10:\ - end of scene, time skip
Miraculous 10
Chapter 1
Once again, there was Ten
"Cataclysm!" Was screamed and sections of wall around him crumbled and turned to dust. And while this was going on he had to stay perfectly still.
"Just how did I end up in this mess?" He asked himself as he did his best to imitate a statue.
:M-10:\
"Ben, hurry up or were going to miss our flight"
Ben Tennyson was about to have his life uplifted. The young former secret hero had been through alot in his 14 years, especially at the young age of 10.
Unbeknownst to all but a handful of beings Ben had saved his planet multiple times with the help of a miraculous device capable of turning him into a handful of different beings from across the galaxy.
After the best summer ever he had continued to use the watch, the Omnitrix to do good where he could. Saving people from threats of both home and from the stars.
His time as a hero however was put in hold 15 months after he had put it on. After his devastating loss to a certain villain his mental state took a dive. A month after the incident he had received another visit from Azmuth, creator of the Omnitrix. This time instead of a pep talk he gave the command to remove the Omnitrix, the bonded device was removed from his wrist yet stayed in the pre-teens possession. While the Galvan hadn't given a reason why he left it with him, Ben had come up with a few guesses since.
With the removal of the watch he had hoped to return back to the normalcy of being a kid again, to try to experience a normal life without the temptation of going hero. Since a year ago genuine otherworldly threats had all but gone. This peace was courtesy of a group of genuine superheroes that had formed in the states, a group called 'United Heroez'. They were the type of heroes Ben had grown up reading in comic books.
He had been skeptical at first to the authenticity after seeing the likes of Captain Nemesis and Kangaroo Kommando, the doubt was put to rest when grandpa Max had become the plumber's delegate to the new team. He'd even seen a private ceremony where the group had been endorsed by high ranking Magisters from the plumbers organisation. Since then hundreds of heroes had popped up across the states.
In short, there was no longer a need for the Omnitrix to protect earth.
Since then he'd joined the soccer team proving to be a formidable goalie going as far as defending the Bellwood team all the way to nationals in middle school. He was almost set to do it again for his first year of high school when he'd received some rather life changing news.
His father Carl, who had gone from a city engineer to a conservation and landscape Architect, essentially made old buildings look brand new while keeping with the time period they were from. At the beginning of march Carl had received a job offer to take part in a huge repair project on a large estate of buildings in the capital of France that had recently been damaged in an attack.
His parents saw this as a prime opportunity to, in his mothers words, see the world. His mother Sandra, being a languages teacher speaking German, Italian and French already had a head start on the main obstacle of their move while his dad was well versed in French usually interacting with French businesses and contractors.
Unfortunately this left Ben at a major disadvantage being that the only languages he spoke were English and small excerpts of Japanese courtesy of his extensive viewing of sumo slammers. His salvation came in the form of a visit of a familiar face with his signature white and red shirt.
Over the past two years Ben's encounters with grandpa Max had reduced significantly. The summer cross country trips had become soccer camps and training. So with a few days left before departure the Tennysons were surprised when the rustbucket rolled up.
After speaking to his parents he had pulled Ben aside and handed him his farewell gift. A universal translator that took the form of a brooch fashioned from the original plumber badge that max had been given decades ago. The badge itself had been damaged during what he thought would be his final encounter with Vilgax but enough had survived to be turned into the device Ben now wore under his new hoodie.
The only downside Ben saw was that it didn't translate anything Ben wrote into the selected language meaning Ben still had to learn the language with his family.
It was a fairly big group that had come to see the tennysons off just as the spring holidays had started. Gwen and her family, Cooper, Jonesy, his soccer teammates and even cousin Lucy and her parents had come to see him before the big move. Grandpa Max was to take them and the remainder of their luggage that hadn't been shipped on ahead, to the airport in the rustbucket.
Ever since he was ten he had started to associate new journeys with Max's RV. It had been a few days since their talk and in addition to the translation device his grandpa had given him, Ben had been sure to bring along a certain object along with him.
A key chain that to the casual observer was just a small sphere about the size of a ping-pong ball. Unbeknownst to them it was actually a containment sphere given to him by Tetrax during his last visit that had originally contained his original hoverboard. But since the destruction of said board during his many adventures he had taken to using it to contain the watch instead.
There had been no hassle at all when leaving the US. They had arrived at the airport with plenty of time, passed security without issue and boarded the plane seated together with a good view of what would be the earth passing by. For someone like Ben who'd traveled through space, it was nowhere near as exciting but after nearly two years of normalcy it was still exciting.
/M-10\\
With just under an hour left of the flight, things began to get a little crazy. Out of the window the edge of the British Isles were just creeping out of view as the landmass of France began to fill the view below.
He had just finished watching an animated movie about a pair of French superheroes and decided to watch the landmass below. Lifting the blind up he met the eyes of a group of pigeons.
"Hey mom, how high can pigeons fly up to?"
"Hmm, I think that can fly up to 6,000 feet, maybe more".
"And how fast can they fly?"
"Around eighty miles per hour. Ben, why are you asking about pigeons now?"
"Then how can a flock of pigeons keep pace with us while we're travelling at ten times the speed they can fly". He said as he pointed out the window towards what was now a huge flock of pigeons.
"But that's-". All of a sudden the plane lurched as if it was going through turbulence. Out the window the plane was completely enveloped in pigeons. The screens behind every seat came to life and on them displayed a man in a grey and pink bodysuit that covered his hair but left his face exposed. The only other feature noticeable on the screen was what appeared to be a necklace of some kind.
"People of Paris, do I have your attention now? As of this moment I have six airliners under my control and unless my demands for a pigeon safe haven are met, they will all meet a feathery end. You have ten minutes to meet my demands, cooo!"
The screens shut off and panic began to set in. Though some seemed completely at ease as if they knew something the rest didn't.
"Attention passengers this is your captain speaking. If you would please stay in your seats this problem will be sorted out swiftly".
As if on cue a red flash of something enveloped the plane removing the pigeons before disappearing.
"Once again this is your captain, we will be landing in 10 minutes".
Ben didn't know what to say, what kind of country was he moving to that brushes of someone taking multiple planes hostage like it's just some minor turbulence.
"Maybe I would have been safer in bellwood. Nothing this crazy ever happens there"
:M-10:\
The two weeks of spring break after their flight had gone by in a blur. Their stuff was moved in before they had arrived so assembling furniture, packing away clothes and placing personal items were all that remained. Annoyingly despite his universal translator, his mother, Sandra still insisted on more French lessons to make up for his lack of understanding of the French language.
The school system worked a little differently in France compared to the US, while back home he would be finishing his first year of high school, here he would be finishing the third year of 'le college' or their equivalent to secondary or middle school.
Of course transitioning schools had resulted in one more obstacle, he now as of this moment had zero friends let alone acquaintances. He would have to start from scratch, with any luck either the school had its own soccer club or maybe even the local district's team. Bellwood had more than its share of transfer students and a lot of them quickly found friends, even those of the more quiet kind had found others alike.
Even if his time in France would not be permanent, Ben still hoped to not spend it alone. Gwen, either as a joke or in seriousness had got him a 'socializing for dummies' guide. That book currently held residence in one of the few remaining moving boxes he had yet to find places for its contents.
'After saving the earth a dozen times. How hard can making friends at a new school be?' he naively thought as he climbed the steps of his first day of school.
His first visit was a trip to the principal's office where his mother introduced him to the schools principal Mr Damocles, a man who weirdly reminded Ben of an owl, though that could also have something to do with all the owl pictures decorating the room.
This was also his first proper opportunity to converse with a french speaker, testing his translator brooch to its full extent. He had gone out on occasion around the city and had used it to listen to conversations around him. Another thing for him to adjust to.
Afterwards he was led to a science classroom and introduced to Ms Mendeleiev, a tall purple haired woman with a strict no nonsense attitude. Someone he was sure Mr Baumann would have got along with.
:M-10:\
And that is why you should never mix a pure alkaline solution with methadone In the northern hemisphere".
Rrriiiinnnggg
"Alright class, now before our next lesson as homework you need to read through your textbooks to chapter seventeen. We will be doing a pop quiz on its contents at the start of our next class" called Ms Mendeleiev as their first class of the day came to a close.
"Miss Lee, Mr Tennyson. Wait behind a moment". Ben continued to pack away his things while looking around the room. Their tutor groups room was also their science classroom, after being brought to the classroom Ben had been seated on the bench in the front row.
Of his class he had only managed to talk with the three others in his vicinity. Jean Duparc, a magician in training, Genevieve who meticulously took notes and Dennis who sat next to him who was a prodigy at basketball.
As the rest of his new classmates made their way towards their next class, Ben was left in the room with his teacher and another student. 'Miss Lee' stood just a bit shorter than himself. A slender figure with golden hair with a pink streak on her left side. She wore a faux leather jacket with a white shirt featuring a honeycomb styled flower.
Ben had never been one for fashion and coming to Paris, his mother especially had attempted to make an upgrade to Ben's wardrobe in the two weeks they had been here. Taking him to just about every shopping centre and boutique they could manage.
While he wasn't doing it to spite her when they'd come back at the end of their trip the only thing he'd come back with was a pair of hoodies, one black, one white but both featuring the same green trims. For whatever reason his mom had some kind of vendetta against his signature green jacket grandpa max had got him the year before. So to honour it Ben had it printed both with the number ten.
"Mr Tennyson, this is Zoe Lee, she is also a recent transfer from the US, she has volunteered to show you around the school and take you to your classes for the next few weeks. Now run along to your next class". Not wanting to earn his new teacher ire, the two American raised students swiftly left to the hallways.
"Sorry about this, I hope they didn't spring this on you".
"Not at all, Ms Mendeliev wasn't lying when she said I volunteered. I'm Zoe, by the way."
"Ben, Ben Tennyson. So you're a transfer as well huh. How long have you been in paris?"
"I moved here around the start of march, I came to be with my family, I had been at a boarding school till now so a school like this was a dream come true for me. Things have been a lot better since I moved here, having more than one friend being among them. How about you, where were you originally from?"
As they walked through the corridors Ben filled her in on life in bellwood, about his experience on the soccer team, about his limited friends he left behind. The topics then turned back about what would be his new school life.
"So what's the groupings like at Françoise Dupont, is it still like back home with the jocks, goths and geeks?"
"Haha, not quite, at least not like back home. You still can get those types that are dedicated to their craft but here everyone's a lot more inclusive. Though I'd say that a divide still exists though it's more to do with which class you find yourself in".
"How so?" Ben asked as they arrived at the cafeteria.
"See that group over there, that's Miss Bustier's class, that class has been at the centre of all the Akumatisation and hero action since it all started".
Across the courtyard were a few groupings of students. Even from a distance Ben could see that not a single person in the group was similar to the other. A truly unique and diverse bunch of people.
"From what I've been told right around the start of the school year, back when he was known as Hawkmoth, each of their class was at some point possessed by an Akuma and given powers. So far only two of the class have gotten around that but i've heard they've had some close calls". Zoe then began pointing to each giving their name and a short description. Nino the DJ, Nathaniel the comic artist, Adrien the model and Marinette the aspiring fashion designer
"And that there is Alya Cesaire, she manages the ladyblog. If you want to know anything about the city's heroes, she's the girl to ask".
"Ohhh, benny!" A familiar voice came.
"Oh no" dreaded Ben as in their next classroom doorway stood his mother.
"Aww, look at my little Ben, already making friends. Hi I'm Sandra, Ben's mother. I'm also teaching English language taking over for Celine".
"Well it's nice to meet you Mrs Tennyson, I'm Zoe"
"Sandra please. How about we exchange numbers, we can arrange playdates. ooh I have baby photos, everyone loves baby photos".
"Mom!"
Needless to say his first day was off to a rocky start.
:M-10:\
Despite the rocky start to his French school experience, the rest of the day went smoothly. Regardless of his mortification, his baby photos were still exposed to his new classmate, and fortunately for him Zoe was cool about it but he could tell she was holding back some laughter.
The lessons passed quickly, English for obvious reasons being the easiest of the day. Once the day ended the familiar process of day to day schooling began again. With each day he was able to become closer acquainted with his new classmates. But with the normalcy also came the return of the chaos he'd gotten a taste of on the flight over. And it started with a school trip.
At the end of the returning school week his grade had been invited to the Grevin wax museum, something about it being the last chance to see one of the exhibits before it was replaced with an upcoming display. This was also Ben's first experience with the museum so when they went he trailed towards the back with Jean and Zoe as they pointed out who was who, naming celebrities, historical figures and those he would likely see around.
When it had come time to see the closing exhibit a different air began to settle, a few more noticeable than others.
As Veronique, their guide and manager of the museum, began to make her way onwards through the rest of the tour, Ben and Zoe along with Jean who stayed at a distance waited as one classmate in particular seemed to be taking seeing their Akumatized alter harder than others.
Aurore Beauréal, one of the first Akumatized victims, stood still trembling slightly as she stared at the statue of stormy Weather. The second time it had happened her powers were more powerful, having control over natural disaster level phenomena. And once again she'd been possessed during a mass Akuma event along with dozens of others.
"Aurora, you know that wasn't really you right. That stormy weather is not how we see you".
"I know, it's just..I can almost feel it, every time I feel irritated or upset, I can tell he's just waiting for me to snap".
"You still have the lucky charm that ladybug gave you right?"
"I do, but…it doesn't stop a Megakuma. I've seen people who have the charms but still get Akumatized. They're basically useless now".
"Not at all, aurora. The charms are more than just a protection from Akumas. They are a reminder that even in these dark times there are those fighting to keep the darkness from swallowing us up. Every superhero that fights for us is fighting for a future that doesn't have Shadowmoth looming over us like the sword of Damocles. So they need us to fight the sort of emotions that he prays on. That's the way we beat him, by depriving him of people to victimise. That is how we win."
It was a truly inspirational speech, and only made more so by the fact that Zoe was standing next to lifelike sculptures of Ladybug and Cat Noir. He wondered whether Zoe was in some way related to grandpa Max, that kind of speech was something he'd only heard from his grandpa.
And it was just as effective, it was almost as if he could feel the change in emotion in the room. Even Ben and Jean had to smile as they watched Zoe help Aurora to find herself again. Crisis averted, they continued on to catch up with their group when the ceiling caved in.
When the dust cleared five figures could be seen, two of which were duplicates of wax statues that had been right where they now stood. Cat Noir and Ladybug in the flesh. Standing beside them were another pair of familiar heroes, the Fox hero Rena Rouge and the turtle hero Carapace.
Standing opposite was someone distinctly feminine but their costume wasn't something he recognised, at least not yet.
There was one thing he could say with certainty was that this fight was only just getting started.
:M-10:\
He was right, the fight was only just getting started. During the fight, he found himself alone. Originally he had been with Zoe, Aurora and Jean, hiding in the historical sculpture area. Apparently France had its own era similar to the American 50s where everyone looked like they were in the grease movie. With a few borrowed jackets the fighting between heroes and villains passed them by.
Not long after, zoe wound up separated, getting swooped away by ladybug while Jean was magicked away by Carapace, he hadn't even seen when aurora had gone but chatter from the heroes had confirmed their safety.. Neither side noticed Ben as they set about fighting. His years of fighting with the Omnitrix allowed him to remain calm as well as give him insight into what the heroes were trying to do, all but ladybug had had their powers taken by the 'miraculer' villain. With four powers taken the Akumatized villain had changed in appearance.
Ben had done his research since arriving in Paris. As per Zoe's recommendation he had checked every video on the ladyblog, paying close attention to the Akumatized villains. A few had made repeat performances either as the same form or taking on a different power. Sabrina had become Akumatized four times before as vanisher and the predecessor to her current form.
Before when she took a power from the French heroes an indicator of the taken power would appear up her leg. Apart from that her form wouldn't change but now her Attire took on aspects of the heroes she took powers from, much like when the heroes themselves took on the powers of other Miraculouses.
It brought back memories of fighting Kevin, someone he thought could call a friend. While his powers weren't taken they were copied and combined turning him into a monster more powerful than what he could fight alone.
But the heroes still stood a chance. Their advantage was in their numbers, even without their unique power they still had their enhancements if the ladyblog was to be believed. Experience and numbers would win, but they needed to realise that.
"Lucky Charm!" Cried the spotted heroine taking advantage of the small break to call an item that would solve the conflict. From a swarm of magical butterflies a sphere began to form, around the size of a basketball. Across one face was a ribbing pattern.
Ladybug looked desperately around the room but her face was confused. "Guys, any idea what this is?"
"Not a clue, bug-a-boo"
"Me neither"
"Sorry ladybug"
"That's fine, let's move this outside, maybe we might work out what it is elsewhere" she said as they pushed Miraculer out of the exhibit towards the main entrance.
Ben wanted to take a breath after they'd left but he had realised what the charm was. Take away the polkadot and red and enlarge it to twice its size and it brought back one of his most cherished memories.
The night a meteor fell from the sky.
The night a child became a hero.
The night he became Ben 10.
Reaching into his jacket pocket he pulled out a keychain with a singular key attached. On the other end was a small sphere, a duplicate to the lucky charm that ladybug had just created. Licking his thumb he brought it over the ball, a form of genetic biometrics. Only those descended from his grandpa could unlock the ball, a safeguard in case any of them was captured, at least either he, gwen or grandpa max could use the Omnitrix.
A green glow came from the ribbing as it grew in size now the size of a basketball. Using the now free key he inserted it into the slot. A brighter glow engulfed the room as the container retracted opening for the device inside.
"Hello old friend" whispered Ben as he took the Omnitrix and attached it back onto his left wrist with an audible hiss as it latched onto him. He didn't panic unlike when he'd first got it, instead pressing the buttons that would release the central dial.
The cylinder popped up but the dial that showed his transformations didn't appear.
"Oh come on, not now" with a slam he brought his hand down but even the sound it made was like it was ridiculing him, a blue light replacing the green.
"Cataclysm!" Was shouted as a rumbling sound echoed around him. Parts of the ceiling and walls looked like they were beginning to crumble. Jumping out of his hiding spot he moved to one of the nearby windows. While the heroes had taken the fight to the street it meant that Miraculer was more generous with her cataclysms. Half the street looked like a scene from an apocalyptic movie.
Tic, tic, tic, came from his watch picking up speed until it merged into a contrast note and he was once again enveloped in emerald light. He could barely see through it as he felt the Omnitrix change in size on his wrist.
The light faded leaving spots in his vision but he could see what the Omnitrix had now become. It looked less alien then before, losing the rubber like band that latched onto his flesh and resembled more of an actual watch, something people wouldn't look twice at.
"It never did that before"
He felt like a boy on Christmas again, immediately trying to make it work before his mind caught up. The new dial popped up and instead of a silhouette on the dial a hologram emanated from it instead. A crystalline like form being projected but different to one of his favourites, he turned the dial cycling through the Omnitrix's new aliens.
I don't recognise any of these guys, but- there's a familiar face. Get ready Paris, it's hero time"
:M-10:\
"Shelter!" came a cry as a magic shield met a physical shield, Carapace fighting his own ability. An extended pole came swinging down in its own attempt to break through but was bounced off.
"We're running out of time ladybug, you must've figured out that charm by now right?"
"No luck, I still can't see what this is connected to. She was weak to tickling before but her new costume is making that difficult"
"How about trying a different miraculous-"
"No!" Cut of ladybug. "If she gains more powers, she'll only be more difficult to beat". She called over the chaos. The five heroes were now surrounded by an army of their foe or illusions of them and while only the original could use the other powers it was nearly impossible to tell an illusion from the original, such was the power of the fox miraculous.
A brief green flash came from the wax museum but the heroes paid it no mind as they tried to combat Miraculer .
"Prepare for your defeat ladybug, Cataclysm!" She yelled, a purple lined mask over her face as she charged up another destructive attack.
"Now give up and-"
"AwwooooooOO!" From behind them a shriek crossed with a howl impacted the villain sending her crashing into one of the nearby windows. From where she impacted a crunch could be heard as a dark purple butterfly tried to make its escape.
A yoyo intercepted it. "Bye bye little butterfly" called ladybug after she released the cleansed butterfly.
Dudes are you seeing this" called the shelled hero pointing across the way to a nearby rooftop.
Hanging from a flagpole was an image almost out of a fantasy story. Standing over 8 feet tall with grey and dark grey fur. A grey patch of clothing with black accents covered from its upper thighs to its chest on the centre of its chest was a circular hourglass like imaged badge on its chest.
While the four veteran heroes were on guard against the new arrival, Vesperia was the only one who instead approached it. "Who are you?" She asked though fear was still detected in her voice.
The canine-like eyes scanned her before roving around. It took a few seconds as if deliberating before opening its muzzle revealing a large amount of terrifying teeth. In a deep wolfing voice "Blitzwolfer"
Immediately he lunged back over the building disappearing from sight.
"Do we go after it?" asked Carapace, looking ready to lunge off in pursuit.
"No," the keeper of the miraculous replied. "Our time limits are almost up and I need to take back the miraculous, but first". She said bringing out the lucky charm that she still couldn't work out. "Miraculous Ladybug!" She exclaimed as it was thrown into the air bursting into thousands of ladybugs that swarmed around repairing all the damage and returning back their stolen powers.
"Kitty, we'll catch up later, Carapace, Vesperia and Rena Rouge, I'll meet you at your rendezvous spots after I recharge. Bug Out" with a swing of her yoyo she was out of sight.
Turtle and bee holders quickly followed suit while the holders of cat and fox remained.
"Cat noir, have you ever-"
"No, that was a new feeling to me too. Whatever it was, I don't think it's an enemy to us". Cat noir answered, his eyes still locked on the rooftop that the werewolf had disappeared over.
Almost instinctively both the cat and fox miraculous holder were on guard in the presence of a larger predator, and now no longer sensing it, there was still an edge to their slightly enhanced senses.
After a parting nod both parting ways, Rena to find her spot to return back Trix and Cat Noir to find his way back to his schools grouping.
:M-10:\
Meanwhile, in a nearby alley.
"Why did I choose blitzwolfer!"
:M-10:\
And that's the end of that chapter