Welcome everyone! I decided to do something a little different this time around. As you know, Chan in Bellwood is the story of the Tennyson family helping the Chan clan take down their enemies and defeat magical forces. This however, is quite the opposite circumstance. In this story, Jade will be taking a ride on that very first Summer road trip.

As you would expect from the very nature of the story, Jackie Chan Adventures has already run its course before anything happens. This means Jade shouldn't have any of the canon events of the show she originates from to cause problems… unless it's a new event. With all these new threats she'll come across, there's no telling what kinds of trouble the crew will run into. I could go on for forever, but that would ruin the surprises I have planned. In any case, let's get on with this first chapter of Jade 10.

I don't own Ben 10, Jackie Chan Adventures or any other series to appear in the story and the universe. I do own OC characters, objects, ideas and concepts unless stated otherwise.

Rust Bucket, Unknown Location

In the heat of the day, a lone gas station could be found in the middle of nowhere. There were forests and even a road, but it was clear not many people traveled this way. The paint was starting to fade, the sign had a few missing letters, and a few of the pumps were apparently out of order. One would think this building rarely had any visitors. One vehicle seemed to defy this observation as it pulled into the front pump.

It was a large white mobile home with one red and one blue stripe running down its side, though the paint job seemed to have been chipped off from years of use. Several satellite dishes and receivers lined the top of the machine, ready to provide the inhabitants with entertainment of all kinds. The license plate on the back read "RU5T BUCK3T", signifying its name. On the left side of the vehicle a flap popped open, awaiting a refill of gas. The door swung open as one of its occupants walked outside.

An elderly man stepped down to the ground, shutting the door behind him. He was in his later years of life, if his grey hairs and the small amount of wrinkles on his face had anything to say about it. He wore a red button down Hawaiian shirt with a floral pattern, blue jeans, and brown shoes. He took a deep breath as he took in his surroundings. If there was one thing he enjoyed about Summer trips, it was the great outdoors.

He quickly pulled out his card and swiped it through the reader on the pump. Imagine his surprise when his payment was declined. He looked over the piece of plastic, hoping to find the reason for this occurrence. He practically face palmed when he remembered the chip on the other end. He turned the card the right way and slid it in the slot, succeeding in his task.

'I will never be used to having something like this here,' thought the elderly man. He began to work on filling the tank of his lifelong home, the smile returning to his face. 'Things have sure come a long way since I was a young man.' Speaking of, the man took a glance at the vehicle. Inside, another reason for his love of the season was beginning to stir.

A head of brown hair popped out from underneath the covers of a built in bunk bed. A young boy at the age of twelve years old sat up in his seat as he let his energy awaken him. He currently wore a white long-sleeved shirt and a grey pair of pajama pants. He opened his green eyes, scanning the RV he would call home for the rest of the summer. Deciding it would be good to stretch his legs, the boy decided to stand up and get to work.

He was quick to pour himself some cereal before woofing it down, almost as if someone would be set upon him soon. He then brushed his teeth, hoping not to get another earful about his dental hygiene. After a quick shower, he began to swap out his attire. He now wore a black-striped, white shirt with short sleeves, military green cargo pants with side pockets, and black and white sneakers with black stripes. The boy stepped out of the vehicle, a small smirk on his face.

He took in the sight of the gas station before him, feeling a slight sense of déjà vu. He looked to his left, noting how the elderly man seemed to not notice a thing. He shrugged as he walked down to the ground. The boy soon noticed a lack of a certain someone in his memories.

'Where's Gwen gone?' questioned the child in his head. He soon shrugged as he rested against the Rust Bucket. 'EH! She probably went to get a smoothie or something.' He looked around the area with a smirk.

There was nothing he needed to worry about when it came to any possible trouble if you asked him. Why, you might ask yourself? Because he is Ben Tennyson: savior of the world and vanquisher of Vilgax the Conqueror. With his trusty alien watch, there was nothing in space or on Earth that could… Before the boy could continue his mental gloating, an alarm went off inside the building.

He watched as two thugs ran out of the building with sacks of cash in their grasp. One of them appeared to be wearing a gorilla mask while the other wore a skull mask. The young Tennyson watched as they approached a set of motorcycles, intent on escaping. He smirked as he grabbed a rock off the ground, bouncing it in his hand. The elderly man watched him walk forward as he reared his arm back.

The boy took aim much to the driver's shock. "HEY HARDHEADS!" He threw the stone at the duo, hitting the gorilla mask wearer in his lower back. The skull masked man turned to Ben with a glare in his eyes. "You dorks picked the wrong day to play criminal!"

While there was a growl from the target of his earlier attack, the boy received a hardy laugh from the larger man. He raised a brow as the criminal reached for a gun on his holster. The boy smirked as he brought his arm up to his face.

"What are you gonna do about it brat?" questioned the man. "Smack your arm till you cry!?" Now Ben couldn't help the confused look that formed on his face. Wasn't it clear that he had a watch on his…

He looked down to the arm that held the aforementioned device, only to find that it was absent. His eyes widened as he patted himself down, hoping that this was a dream. He was about to question his grandfather on the missing time piece, a revving sound caught his attention. He watched as the gorilla masked man readied his ride.

"I'll make street pizza out of you!" roared the criminal. He suddenly took off, heading straight for the powerless child. The elderly man's eyes widened as he let the gas hose land on the ground.

"Move Ben!" cried the man. His grandson wouldn't listen, however, as he was too caught up in his shock to do anything. The bike drew closer and closer as the villain prepared to make good on his threat. Before anyone could blink, a shadow leapt over Ben. A figure sailed towards the cycler with his foot stretched out, taking the villain by surprise.

"HAIYAH!" cried the man. The monkey faced criminal had no time to swerve out of the way as he was literally kicked off his ride. The motorcycle veered to the right from the force of the attack, crashing into a lamp post instead of the boy. The alien watch user kept his eyes on the mysterious arrival as he landed on the ground. The figure stood up as he looked to the gun toting man.

The new hero had short black hair with some greying on the sides, a square jaw, brown eyes, a wide nose and thick eyebrows. He wore a light blue sweater, tan trousers, and brown running shoes. The man stood tall as he stared down the criminal, his gaze hardening at the sight of the weapon. The skull mask wearer quickly drew the weapon, intent on using it.

"Back off karate freak!" roared the crook. "I'll use it! Don't think I'm afraid of putting one between the eyes!" The new guy slowly raised his hands, knowing full well his capabilities. "Now just back up and…"

A loud metal bang rang through the air, causing Ben to jerk. The skull masked man dropped his weapon as he fell over, unconscious from the recent action. The elderly man dropped the garbage can in his grasp as he let out a sigh of relief. He looked to his grandson with a small frown, slightly disappointed by the event. The boy wanted to cry out about his missing tool, only to freeze once more as his unknown hero turned towards him.

"You should be more careful of criminals young man. These kind of problems should be left to the proper authorities." Ben said nothing as he stared up at the man before him. This was Jackie Chan, one of the coolest action stars since… ever! He had so many questions to ask on top of his original concerns, but a quick look from his grandfather told him he would not get them at the moment.

"Ben," began the elder Tennyson. "Get back in the Rust Bucket while I talk with Mr. Chan." The young Tennyson let the need to object die in his throat as he walked over to the vehicle. As much as part of him wanted to get the hero's autograph, he had his own problem to solve. He shut the door behind him, leaving the adults to themselves.

"He's a good kid Maxwell." The martial artist turned to the elder Tennyson with a smile. "He reminds me of my niece." Grandpa Max sighed as he shook his head.

"He has a hero's complex Jackie. I'm worried that he'll take more after me than his father. My former line of work isn't exactly what meets the eye." The former actor shook his head in response.

"I think he'd make a great officer, if he takes his own safety seriously." Maxwell chuckled to himself as he rubbed the back of his head. Not noticing this awkward display, Jackie gave the man a genuine smile. "Thank you for agreeing to this. I believe it'll be good for both of them to get some fresh air."

The elder Tennyson went to reply, only for the shop door to swing open. A slurping caught the duo's attention. They turned to the source of the noise, the owner sounding off her confusion.

"What happened out here?" questioned the girl. Back inside the mobile home, Ben was digging through his stuff in order to find his alien watch. The Omnitrix was supposed to be the most powerful device in the universe, and it was previously stuck to him like a vice clamping down on a rod. How in the world, then, could it disappear all in one night! He groaned as he dropped the last of his shirts on the ground.

'How could it be missing!?' cried the boy in his mind. 'The thing never comes off my wrist and now it decides to bail!? In front of one of the coolest actors ever of all people!' He sighed as he looked around. He had to put his stuff back or get an earful from Gwen about his untidiness, alongside the questions she probably shared with him.

The door to the Rust Bucket opened as the boy put away the last of his clothes. "Grandpa! I can't find the…" He turned around to face the elder Tennyson, only to be met by the very different face.

A young girl of Chinese descent stood before him. She had short, jet black hair and brownish amber eyes. She wore pink lipstick, a white long-sleeved shirt, an orange short sleeve hoodie, blue highwater jeans and red sneakers. Ben furrowed his brow as he looked to the new arrival, confused at this change of events. He sounded off his confusion, only for the door to be opened and closed once again.

"Alright," began Grandpa Max as he turned towards the beds. "The police have arrived and the duo have been apprehended. Good thing someone was nearby or else things could've been bad." The girl looked between the duo as she nodded. Ben decided to speak up as he looked to his grandfather.

"Um… Grandpa? Who's the girl?" Max snapped his fingers as he looked to the hero.

"Right! Guess I never got around to telling you. This is Jade Chan. She's the grandniece of an old friend of mine." Jade raised her free hand with an awkward smile.

"Hi," greeted the girl. Ben waved back in response, not wanting to be rude. Grandpa Max decided to hop back in as he placed a hand on the young Chan's back.

"She's been feeling stir crazy lately, making it harder to keep up in school. As a favor to my old friend, Jade will be joining us for our Summer road trip. I know you wanted it to just be a family thing Ben, but I was thinking it would be good for you to make a friend your age." The young Tennyson looked shocked at the news, only for his face to mellow out as he shrugged. If he had to be honest it would be nice having a fresh face around, even if it was a girl like Gwen.

"Eh!" cried the boy. "I don't see anything wrong with it. Hope you like school and books 'cause that's really all Gwen really likes to talk about." Now Grandpa Max was the one with a confused look on his face, something that worried the boy a bit.

"Didn't your parents tell you Ben? Gwen won't be joining us for the trip." Ben's eyes widened as he looked the old man in the eye.

"Say what?" Max sighed as he shook his head. He thought his son, or even Gwen herself, would've told him about this.

"She got accepted into a special school for the Summer. She won't be back for quite some time." Ben couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was no way this was happening to him. He had seen it happen to superheroes on tv before but… could it actually be possible.

Feeling a slight awkwardness settling into the vehicle, Max clapped his hands together. "Right then. Jade, you can place your things in Gwen's usual drawers. Ben already claimed the bottom bunk last night, so you'll get the top bed." The young Chan smirked in response.

"Sweet," replied Jade. She rolled her bag to the side before kicking off her shoes. She opened up the zipper as she began to pull out a few of her things. Ben quickly took this opportunity to try and flag his grandfather down, but the man was already making his way for the steering wheel. The boy sighed quietly as he shook his head.

The Omnitrix was no longer on his wrist, this new girl was taking Gwen's place while the dweeb was off at Summer school or something, and his grandfather was completely clueless to the change. There was only one explanation that came to his mind, and it was still pretty crazy to think about. Somehow, he didn't know how, he had been sent back in time. Not only that, but he was also sent to some alternate reality. It was still very possible that this was some kind of weird dream, but a dream like this wouldn't have gone on for this long.

'The question is, why did this happen?' thought the boy. 'Did Vilgax or someone like him send me back in time in order to get the Omnitrix for themselves or is it some kind of freak accident. Either way, I have got to get to the bottom of this.' Ben looked to his new travelling partner, unsure of what to make of her. He watched as she climbed the ladder of the beds, reaching the top bunk with a small bundle in hand.

She placed the makeshift bag on the mattress, allowing it to unfurl. The young Tennyson allowed his brow to raise as he took note of the character on the blanket. From what his memories told him, Super Moose had gone out of style back when he was little. They couldn't even get the theme park off the ground the day they opened it. How much was going to be different about this time he found himself in?

He looked away from the girl as he began to plan his next course of action, only to stop as he noticed something in her bag. It seemed to be a long handheld device with two detachable controllers on each side, one red and one blue. He couldn't help but recognize the placement of the buttons, a Nintendo standard ds layout with a control stick on each controller, a set of directional buttons on the left device, two triggers on the back, and a few extra buttons on the right device. He quickly looked in his own pack, finding a similar system, the obvious difference being the green controllers and the number 10 written on it. He looked over the device for the power button, quickly pressing down on it to see what it was about.

His earlier belief was well founded as a logo depicting the two detachable objects and the name "Nintendo Switch" lit up on the screen. He was soon met with a profile screen, hitting the "A" button to access the system. Imagine his surprise when the first thing that popped up was a version of Sumo Slammers he had never seen before. It was quickly followed by games like Super Mario Odyssey, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, ARMS, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and a few more he didn't care about. He flicked his way back over to the first game, taking note of the change in art style.

"Hey." He quickly looked up to find Jade with her hoodie in her arms. She placed it to the side with a soft smile. "What game is that?" Ben smirked as he looked down at the device once more.

"Sumo Slammers Unlimited. It's the newest entry in one of the greatest gaming franchises ever." The girl smirked as she shook her head. It was clear that she had her own opinion on the matter, but it wasn't her place to argue. "Wanna play?"

"You sure you wanna play with me? I'm pretty much a master of video games." Ben chuckled to himself as he looked back towards the new girl.

"Like I'm gonna back down. Get down here and put your money where your mouth is." Jade hopped down from her bunk, flipping as she landed on her feet. The young Tennyson couldn't help but whistle at the sight, not expecting the move. The new girl grabbed a nearby remote and turned on the tv.

This action confused Ben a bit, seeing as he had just challenged her to a match on his handheld device. She switched the channel to HDMI before turning to him expectantly. He looked around for something that could help him, but nothing caught his eye. The girl gave him a curious frown.

"Are you gonna grab the port?" She suddenly smirked as she sent him a teasing brow. "Don't tell me you're chicken." The young Tennyson growled as he looked through his bag, trying to find whatever she was talking about. To his surprise, there was no such device in his bag.

"I… uh… must've left it at home or something. Guess I was too excited to be out of school." Jade nodded in understanding, humming in response.

"That's alright. I brought mine." She pulled out a black plastic object with a slit in the back, the slit open on both sides. Ben watched as she plugged the HDMI cord into the tv, the girl quickly placing the power cord in a nearby outlet. "All you gotta do is plug the Switch into the port and take the Joycons off."

The boy nodded in response to the instructions, still a little uncertain of this new tech. He placed the system in the slot, moving it around so that it actually snapped into place. He watched the screen go black on his device, a small green light powering up in the process. He pulled his controllers out of their slot as he looked up. Imagine his surprise when the image that was once on his handheld was now on the tv.

He flicked the left control stick a few times in order to test the system. It was definitely working, the same result as in the handheld mode ensuing. He prepared to press the button to start his preferred game, only for a notification to pop up on the right corner of the screen. "Don't mind that. I'm just connecting my Joycons real quick."

Ben nodded as he pressed the "A" button. The screen faded to black as it loaded the selected game. He watched on as a cinematic intro played for the game. The boy smiled as he sat back on the couch, Jade soon joining him. It was time to see who the real video game master was.

Hours Later

Jade smiled as she focused on the battle at hand. It was their tenth (maybe eleventh) bout in the game, and she was liking her chances. She was currently playing a woman made of water while Ben was playing a samurai. Neither of these things really related to Sumo in any way, but it wasn't her place to comment on it. Video game companies tended to go overboard and ignore logic anyway.

She stuck her tongue out of the left corner of her mouth as she leaned closer. She hated to admit it, but Ben had game. He must've played the title for a long time, knowing the ins and outs of some of the classic moves. When it came to the newer mechanics, however, he seemed to be learning them just as much as she was. He would probably have a good winning streak right now… if he hadn't taught her how to play.

"Come on," pleaded Ben. He began to mash the buttons, hoping to get in some surprise combinations over his opponent. Jade could only smirk as she executed a combo, catching the boy off guard. She cheered in victory as her travel buddy cried out in defeat. Jade stood up on the couch as she pumped her fist.

"Eight to three!" cheered the young Chan. She then entered a victory dance, Ben grumbling to himself as he placed his controllers on the table. He looked over to the girl with a small smile. She plopped back down in her seat as she rested her head in her hand. "Just admit that I am the video game master."

"You may have beaten me in Sumo Slammers, but there are a bunch more games out there. You'll have to beat me in those before I give up." Jade returned the smile as she looked his way.

"You're on Buster! By the end of the Summer, you'll be calling me the Master Gamer!" The duo allowed silence to rule over them as they continued to stare at each other. They both doubled over in laughter, amused by their own antics. Unbeknownst to them, Grandpa Max was glancing back at them from the driver's seat.

He couldn't help the grin growing on his face. It was good to see that the duo were getting along. When he heard about Jade from his friend, he found that she had some similarities to his grandson. They both seemed to carry the hero complex of their respective families, and it often got them into troubling situations. That's why this seemed like the perfect idea when Gwen decided to go to that Summer school instead of coming with them.

"Welp! I am going to grab a soda and sit with Grandpa for a bit. Make yourself at home." The old man took a glance back as his grandson grabbed a cola from the fridge. Ben quickly sat next to Max as he popped the drink open.

"I'm glad you've been making Jade feel welcome Ben," commented the man. "It's good to see that you've found a friend you can connect with." The young Tennyson nodded in response before sipping his drink. It may have just been a day, but the boy has definitely taken a liking to the new girl. Noticing that she was not paying attention, he decided to test some theories of his.

"Hey Grandpa? I think I lost something of mine a while back. I was sure that I brought it with me, but I can't find it anywhere." The old man's smile fell as he gave his grandson a curious look.

"Maybe we can find it when we get to the next rest stop. What is it your looking for?" Ben looked in the rearview mirror once again, taking note of how Jade was currently busy with her toenails.

"It was this bulky watch that I wear on my wrist. It rarely ever comes off so I'm used to it being there. I only realized that it was missing back at the gas station." Max nodded in response, remembering the event too well. It was honestly good to see that his grandson wasn't afraid of doing what was right, but he could've been a little better about it.

Ben decided to rip off the band-aid right then and there, looking to his grandfather while he was distracted. "I think the brand was… Omnitrix." Maxwell's eyes widened for a fraction a second, as if recognition had struck him. As soon as it came, however, he was able to regain his composure.

"I… don't think I've ever heard of that brand Ben. Where exactly did you get it?" The boy smiled as he rested his hands behind his head.

"I got it at the mall when Gwen and her friends dragged me there. There was only one left and I just had to have it. Apparently it was really popular because some dude named Vilgax wanted…" His ploy was cut off as Max swerved on the road, completely shocked by the utterance of that name. Jade almost fell out of her seat as she grabbed onto the table.

"What's going on!?" cried the young Chan. "Did someone run out in the road or something?" Grandpa Max quickly glanced back to her with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry!" apologized the man. "There was a skunk in the road and I didn't wanna hit it." Jade seemed to buy this explanation as she put away the nail polish. The elderly man seemed to contemplate the answer for a bit before smiling. "I think I know what happened to it."

Ben's eyes glimmered with hope as he awaited his grandfather's answer. This could very well mean that he wasn't alone in this endeavor. "Your parents called me last night saying you left some of your stuff at the house. I bet you it's back there. I'll try to set up a meeting time where a friend of mine can drop the stuff off with us."

The boy's smile faltered as he looked away from the man. It was obvious that he knew something about what he was talking about, but he had no prior memories of the events. This meant that he was probably the only one who knew what was coming. He sighed as he shook his head.

"Thanks Grandpa. I'd appreciate that." The elder Tennyson seemed to be pleased with this answer as he calmed down. Ben remained silent as he looked out the window, not entirely thrilled by the results. Jade looked to the duo, a suspicious frown on her face.

Space Above Earth

The stars twinkled in the sky as the day wore on. Very few people have ever been this close to the vast expanse, but it was a sight that would blow anyone away. The moon could be seen rising over the horizon as day turned to night wherever it covered. A few pieces of atmospheric debris floated through the area, serving as a reminder of past explorations. One would look upon this scene and feel the tranquil aura of the darkness.

Out of nowhere, a small craft came flying in from the distance. It was soon followed by a much larger ship, this one looking more menacing in appearance. The larger of the two began to fire upon its target, missing shot after shot. Inside the destroyer class vessel, a lone figure watched over the proceedings. The smaller ship fired back at its aggressor, creating a breach in the hull.

"Sir," began a mechanical voice. "Energy levels are at twenty percent and steadily decreasing. If we take one more hit..." The being slammed his fist against the arm of his chair.

"Find me more energy! I want the Omnitrix now! No being in the universe will keep it away from me!" The crewmen began to work harder, siphoning energy from other areas on the ship. One of the blasters hit the thruster on the smaller ship, causing it to slow significantly.

"Direct hit Lord Vilgax!" declared the second pilot. "The target will not be able to engage hyperdrive without tearing itself apart. They will also be slowed significantly by the blast." The captain, now identified as Vilgax, hummed his approval over the news.

"Prepare to board! The Omnitrix is as good as mine!" The small ship could not move fast enough as the destroyer drew closer to it. A light on the top began to blink as it became active. A small pod fell out of the bottom of the ship as it turned towards its pursuers.

"The ship is engaging its hyperdrive! Two escape pods have been ejected! It's going to hit us!" Vilgax's eyes widened as he looked to the vessel that was now right in front of their faces. Any order he could give was rendered moot as the ship collapsed under the pressure of the hyperdrive, detonating instantly.

The bridge lay in tatters as a huge gaping hole sucked all the air out of it. The smaller ship was reduced to nothing but bits and pieces. Droids flew into the empty area, searching the debris for anything useful. They soon came across a battered and shredded body, quickly retrieving it as they flew back into the rest of the ship. As this was happening, a small roly-poly style pod entered Earth's atmosphere.

Random Rest Stop, Bellwood

Ben scanned the screen of his laptop, which he apparently had this time, as he read the news. If anyone back home had seen him reading the news, they would think something caught his interest. If they saw all the random stuff he was looking up, however, they would become concerned for him. He was currently looking over random articles of all sorts, most of them not even relatable to each other. There was one thing of interest each of these sites had in common for him: the date of the articles' publication.

It made no sense to him. Last time he checked they were in the year 2005, but that doesn't seem to be the case. If these news groups were to be believed, they were smack dab in the middle of 2018! So instead of going to the past, he was brought to the future? There was no way he would still be this young if he were actually 13 years ahead of his time.

He'd be a 23 year old man! Instead, here he was at twelve years old on a road trip with some girl he's pretty sure he's never met before. Don't get him wrong, he had no qualms with Jade being there. With everything the way it was, however, things were not looking good for their future. He sighed as he closed out the sites, quickly being met by a different set of eyes in the reflection of his screen.

"Whatcha doing Ben?" questioned Jade. The boy turned to her with a nervous smile. "I recognized some of those sites as places I used to write school papers." Ben rubbed the back of his head as he smirked.

"I was just curious about what's been going on with the world," lied the young Tennyson. "It's crazy all the stuff that's happened." The new girl rolled her eyes as she nodded.

"Tell me about it. My uncle, Jackie, won't shut up about it." The duo remained silent as they looked away from each other. The air kinda felt awkward between them as they tried to find something to talk about. Thankfully, Grandpa Max walked out of the Rust Bucket in just the nick of time.

"Who wants smores!?" questioned the old man. Ben's eyes widened as Jade looked to his grandfather with interest. This was the exact moment before he found the Omnitrix! If he could get his hands on it, everything would be better! His new companion seemed to be oblivious of his change of expression as she nodded her head.

"Sweet! I'll go see about some firewood!" The girl began to run off into the forest in spite of Max's pleads. Ben decided that now would be the perfect opportunity to slip off and reacquire his beloved piece of tech.

"Wait up Jade!" cried the boy. He rushed off to 'follow her,' leaving his grandfather behind. In spite of this predicament, the old man couldn't help but smile at the duo. The children wandered around the woods as they collected wood for their delicious treats. The crickets and other creatures of the night began to sing as silence reigned throughout the trees.

Ben offered to carry the bulk of the branches they found, but Jade seemed to be extremely stubborn. She carried just as many sticks as he did, which in all honesty wasn't that much of a burden. It definitely made gathering the supplies much easier. While all this was nice, the young Tennyson couldn't count but keep his eyes on the sky. Noticing this distractedness, his partner cleared her throat.

"So Ben? I heard your grandfather say you were from Bellwood. What's it like over there?" Ben looked towards Jade, not expecting this kind of conversation. He looked away with a small frown.

"It's nice… I guess. School's a little bit of a pain, but the arcades are nice. I don't really have many friends, so I mostly stick to myself." The young Chan nodded as she let her smile fall.

"Join the club. I'm kinda short in the friend department too. Traveled a little too much and not many kids were willing to make friends with the niece of an archeologist." Ben looked towards the girl, a little shocked by what she said.

"Why wouldn't anyone wanna be friends with someone as cool as you?" The young Chan blushed as she looked away from her companion. "I've never had anyone kick my butt at sumo slammers before, let alone five times in a row. Not to mention you're funny, smart, determined, cute…" This caused the girl to blink a few times, only for her to look up as a light hit her eyes.

"What was that?" The young Tennyson suddenly began to panic as he let his words set in. He rubbed the back of his head as he tried to come up with something.

"I mean… um…" He was suddenly grabbed by his jaw as Jade continued to look to the sky. She turned him in the same direction, causing him to drop his collected kindle. A small fireball flew through the sky as it inched closer and closer to the ground. Ben's eyes widened as he and his companion watched the object sail overhead.

It crashed nearby, leaving a decent quake in its landing. His eyes lit up as he ran for the impact zone, Jade quick to follow along. He brushed tree branches out of his way as he desperately attempted to reach the heroic device. He soon came across a very familiar scene, a huge crater with a small spherical object in the center. His smile fell as he noticed the sparks coming off the pod.

"Wait a minute Ben!" The boy paid his partner no kind as he slid down the side of the terrain. He quickly approached the device, the door on the top stuck on a piece of shrapnel. He was about to reach out and grab it, only for Jade to grab at his hand. "What are you doing!?"

"What does it look like? I'm taking the metal piece out of the mechanism. I gotta see what's inside." The young Chan gave him an incredulous look.

"But this is the part of the movie where the alien leaps out of the pod and kills the curious kid! What if a facehugger pops out of that thing!? Do you want any xenomorphs running around here!?" Ben rolled his eyes as he fought his way out of the girl's grasp.

"I know it's not dangerous. I can feel it." He yanked the metal out of the door, allowing it to open. To his utter horror, the contents of the machine seemed to be busted. Before him lied the broken and beaten Omnitrix, the device having taken entry hard.

The black strap was still intact, but the core seemed to be busted up pretty bad. The green hourglass had a crack in it, a small shard of metal stuck to the screen. Even the white parts seemed to be broken as they were smashed. He couldn't help the sense of dread that ran over him as he lifted the device out of its broken vessel. "It's… a watch?"

"The Omnitrix. It's… busted." Jade gave him an incredulous look, as if she recognized the name.

"Isn't that the brand of watch you were telling your grandfather about?" Ben looked to her in utter shock, surprised that she actually listened in on the conversation. Seeing the look on his face, the young Chan held her hands behind her back. "I heard you say something of yours was missing, so I listened in to see if I could help find it. I looked up the brand name online, but nothing turned up."

The former hero said nothing as he returned his gaze to the device. This was his one chance to get back to some form of normalcy. Now he was stuck in a time where the Omnitrix was gone and all his enemies could run rampant across the world. He dropped it to the ground as he sat in the crater. The full weight of the situation began to set in as he lowered his head.

Jade looked between the boy and his lost tech, slightly disheartened by the scene. She scowled as she picked the device up, looking it over. If there was one thing Jade knew how to do, it was solve puzzles. This "Omnitrix" seemed to be one broken puzzle, one that she intended to solve. The first thing she decided to do was attempt to pull the metal shard out of the core, drawing the attention of Ben.

"What are you…" He didn't get to finish his question as the shard cut Jade's finger. His eyes widened as she was able to remove the metal, quickly noting the blood on her fingers. "Careful! You don't know if that has any alien diseases on it!"

He grabbed her hand as he looked it over, quickly spotting the cuts on her index finger and thumb. He sighed as he closed his eyes. "At least it's just skin deep. That could've been…" He was once again cut off as a jingle filled the air.

The hourglass of the Omnitrix glowed green as it powered on. Ben's eyes widened as he watched the faceplate change to the diamond shape that usually occurred when he selected an alien. He couldn't believe it. Jade had actually fixed the watch! He was about to take it out of her grasp, only to stop as the device changed to an orange glow.

"Heavy damage sustained," stated the device. "Reconfiguration mode engaged. Scanning for viable host DNA." The Omnitrix suddenly scanned the duo, something Ben had never seen before. A small sample of Jade's blood found its way into the scanner's radius, glowing as the light flashed over it.

The core popped down as the alien tech let out another chime. "Viable species detected. Creating new default user profile." The Omnitrix sparked as it clamped down on Jade's right arm, causing her to wince at the pressure. The faceplate began to glow brighter as it charged up energy.

"How do I get it off!" cried the young Chan. "It's gonna blow!" Ben tried to pry the watch off, but it had no effect at all. The light grew brighter as the duo continued to try and remove it. Jade began to panic as she looked around.

The young Tennyson, seeing no way to stop the infamously annoying device, embraced the girl. The light suddenly flashed as it engulfed the area. Grandpa Max was currently looking through his supplies as the light soon became visible. He sounded off his surprise as he rose from the pile. The light died down as he brought out a bag of dry wood.

"I forgot I packed some kindle for campfires!" cried the man. "I hope the kids didn't go too far. I owe them some extra fluffy marshmallows for this." He set the bag down as he walked into the Rust Bucket, hoping to find the aforementioned treats. The world remained dark as Ben kept his eyes shut.

"Am I… dead?" questioned the boy out loud. He still felt something in his arms, patting it to check what it was. He felt a reciprocation of this motion as he felt a rapid breath hitting his shoulder. "Jade? Is that you?"

"Yeah," replied the young Chan. "Are we dead? Did the watch explode on us?" Ben said nothing as he let his body relax. He could feel a breeze in his hair, but he had no knowledge on how death was supposed to feel.

"I don't think so. I don't know if there's a breeze in Heaven, and I can feel that my legs are starting to go numb." The duo did nothing as they continued to remain in place, keeping their eyes shut. Ben decided to try something as he placed his hands on his companion's shoulders. "On the count of three, we pull back and open our eyes."

He felt the girl's hair hit his head, a sign that she had nodded in agreement. She grabbed onto his shoulders as she prepared for the word. "Three… two… ONE!" They both pulled back, allowing their eyes to finally be unleashed. To their relief, neither of them seemed to have a scratch on their persons.

They looked around to survey their surroundings, quickly noting that they were still in the crater. They both began to laugh as they patted at their bodies. They embraced again at the fact of being alive, cheering at the experience. They suddenly went silent as they recognized the position they were in. They both separated as they scoot back, blushes blazing on their faces.

"The watch must have fizzled out. Guess we don't have to worry about blowing up." She looked down at her hands in relief, only to suddenly change expressions as she noticed an orange band on her wrist. She slowly turned to view the back of her hands, coming face to face with an orange hourglass symbol. She screamed in terror as she leapt up from her spot.

Ben looked to his travel buddy, his eyes widening at the sight before him. Upon Jade's right wrist rested a now repaired Omnitrix, but there was definitely something off about it. The band was now thinner, carrying an orange color. The bulky body of the device now resembled one of those newer wrist watches he had seen online, resembling a small round disk. Blue rimming adorned the now orange hourglass faceplate.

Jade tried to remove it once more, only for the same results to occur. "It still won't come off! What's wrong with this stupid thing!?" The young Tennyson held the sides of his head as he watched a near reenactment of the first time he put the Omnitrix on. The amount of disbelief on his face could dumbfound the greatest of scholars.

'This can't be happening.' Ben repeated this in his head over and over as Jade continued to pull at the device. She grabbed a twig and tried to pry it off, only for the tool to break under the tension. The young Chan groaned as she walked over to where her companion was having his crisis. She plopped down on the ground, bringing him out of his stupor.

"I am so gonna be busted if Jackie finds out I let an alien watch latch onto my wrist. I won't be going anywhere but school for an entire year! How am I supposed to explain this!?" Ben sighed as he shook his head. He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away.

It was technically his fault that Jade was now stuck with his issues. He should've tried something… anything to fix the watch, but now there was nothing he could do about it. From his experience, there was no way that thing was coming off of her wrist. At least, not in a way she could easily walk away from. He sighed as he stood beside the girl.

"Well… at least it's not broken and we're alive. That's the most important thing." Jade's eyes widened as she looked to the boy.

"That's right! You own one of these! You have to help me get this off!" Ben looked away as he tried to find a good excuse for how he couldn't.

"Um… mine never set off a massive flash. I don't think it'll work the same way as mine." The young Chan harrumphed as she rested her head in her fists. She brought the Omnitrix close to her face as she tried to tell the time. To her confusion, no numbers appeared on the screen.

"Could you at least tell me how to check what time it is? I don't know how long we've been gone." Ben sighed as he shook his head.

"I still haven't figured out how to do that. If I did I probably would've noticed it was gone." Jade groaned as she rolled her eyes. She rubbed the top a few times, hoping to find some kind of switch.

"Then this has got to be one of the worst watches I've ever…" Her insult was cut off as the watch started to glow once more. She jerked back as she began to panic, only to sound her relief as the device made no signs of ignition. The light clustered into the middle of the faceplate, displaying a now diamond shaped symbol. A holographic image began to form as the original wielder walked over to his companion.

"What the…" Ben couldn't believe his eyes as he watched the figure form. He began to see a familiar trend as the individual formed from the ground up. This familiarity died when he realized that this wasn't a creature he recognized. Unaware of her friend's confusion, Jade ogled at the technology on her wrist.

"Wicked! I didn't know holographs were a thing yet! I thought that was just sci-fi." She reached out to touch it, only for the image to disappear. The top split open to reveal a core of sorts.

"Maybe we shouldn't mess with it. For all we know, we could end up causing it to actually explode." The young Chan waved him off with a smirk.

"Relax Ben! I'm pretty sure it's not gonna blow up on us now." She rubbed her finger on the core, trying to get a feel for the material. "I wonder what kind of metal this is? It feels kinda…"

Before the girl could say anything else, she pushed down on the extension. A sudden burst of orange light flooded the area, this time filling a smaller radius. Ben shielded his eyes as he shouted, having nearly forgotten how blinding transforming could be. He was finally able to let down his makeshift shield, gaping as he took in the sight before him. A humanoid made of plant matter stood before him, its eyes closed at the moment.

The creature had an overall green and black colored body, a red flame-patterned head, and root-like feet that seemed to hold black rocks. Her shoulders and head had red petals and her elbows and legs sported green frills sticking out. The being opened her eyes, revealing their ovular shape and brown color. The being looked down at its hands, its eyeholes widening in horror. Ben held out three fingers as he began the all-important count.

"Three… two… one…" The alien cried in terror as it began to shake its hands rapidly.

"I'M COVERED IN PLANTS!" cried Jade. The feminine creature grabbed at her body as she tried to remove the vines and roots that made up her skin. Ben crossed his arms as he awaited the girl's inevitable discovery, even as she ran around for a bit. His brow began to twitch as he tried to keep his nerve. He took a deep breath as the girl grabbed at her head.

"JADE!" The plant alien suddenly came to a stop as she turned to the boy. "You're okay! Haven't you noticed that the plants aren't hurting you!?" The alien sounded off her confusion as she looked over her hands once again.

"Umm… I knew that." Ben looked away as he tried to remain calm, not exactly keeping a straight face. Jade began to look her new form over as she tried to understand her situation. She wiggled her fingers a bit, unable to feel the usual pressure from her joints. Her companion moved to examine this new form, only to jerk back and hold his nose.

"What's that smell!? It wreaks!" Jade tried to get a whiff of the air, scrunching her face in disgust. She lifted her arm to smell herself, only to gag as she lowered the appendage.

"EW! I smell terrible! I swear it smells worse than one of Uncle's… meals." A thought suddenly crossed her mind as she sniffed the scent again. "Is that methane?"

"Oh great! Now I have to smell cow farts for a while." Jade growled at the boy's answer, not at all impressed by his honesty. She clenched her fists in anger, igniting her hands in fire. Both children were cut off guard by this development, the young Chan nearly having another panic attack. She quickly extinguished the flames, only to ignite them once more with a wicked grin on her face.

"This is awesome. It's like having the Dragon Talisman in both hands." Ben looked to his companion with a raised brow.

"What was that?" The girl's eyes widened in response to the question. This was immediately a sign that she was hiding something. Unlike Grandpa Max, however, she seemed to have little control over her nervousness in this form.

"Um… It's just some item in a video game." Ben gave her a disbelieving frown, twisting his head a bit. "Anywho, I wonder what this baby can do." The boy's eyes widened as he watched the girl turn her hands towards the trees.

"It might not be a good idea to…" His warning fell on deaf ears as her arms flinched. She sent out a small torrent of fire, hitting a large rock dead center. She cheered in excitement as the flames continued to hit the boulder. She finally brought her attack to a halt, revealing the scorched stone.

"Awesome! It even feels familiar!" Her celebrating was cut short as smoke began to rise from behind the boulder. A shrub had caught fire, the flames quickly spreading to the grass around it. The girl quickly looked to her companion, noticing the scolding look on his face. "My bad."

Max walked outside of the Rustbucket with a bag of marshmallows in hand. He smiled as he began to imagine the look on the kids' faces. He hefted the bag in his hand, feeling the puffs between his fingers.

"This should make up for the kindle run," assumed the elder Tennyson. The smell of smoke hit his nose, a sheer sign that a fire had started. He turned his attention forward, hoping to see the kids sitting around the campfire, only to pale as he saw the blazing forest fire in the distance. Dropping the food, he grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran towards the area. He just hoped he wasn't too late to save the others.

"This is why I said we shouldn't mess with it!" roared Ben. He dropped a pile of dirt on some of the flames, hoping to smother them. It only proved to be slightly effective as more flames sprouted around the pile. He growled as he looked over to his blazing companion. Jade kept rolling over a small boulder as she tried to follow her friend's example.

"I thought the rock would be big enough!" returned the plant alien. "How was I supposed to know this would happen!?" Ben turned to her, an exasperated look on his face.

"WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOREST! WHAT PART OF PLANTS ARE FLAMMABLE DON'T YOU GET!?" The alien growled as she turned to the boy.

"WELL IF YOU TURNED A FREAKY, SMELLY PLANT THING YOU'D BE FREAKING OUT TOO!" Ben's expression faltered as he looked to the ground before him. This whole situation was exactly what he dealt with when he first got the Omnitrix. He was yelling at Jade for making the very same mistake that he had made. He looked up to apologize, only to watch as the alien's head became engulfed by the gas of a fire extinguisher.

"What the…" began the alien girl. She turned to face the offender, only to be hit in the head with the canister. She rubbed her cheek as she watched Grandpa Max come between her and Ben. "Wait Mr. Tennyson! I…" Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the old man raised the makeshift weapon once more.

"Stay away from my grandson!" roared the Plumber. He used the butt of the object to push Jade to the ground, earning a yelp in response. The alien looked up in time to see the elder Tennyson with the nozzle pointed at her. She began to raise her hand, only to watch as Ben jumped in between her and her attacker.

"Grandpa stop!" pleaded the young Tennyson. "Don't hurt her! It's Jade!" The old man looked between the duo in surprise. How could this alien be the same girl he picked up just this morning.

His eyes narrowed as he noticed the symbol on her chest. Realizing the situation, Max lowered the nozzle of the fire extinguisher. Jade slowly rose from her spot, shivering from the cold air. A falling tree cut off the tension in the air, returning the group's attention to the current conundrum. The young Chan sighed as she shook her head.

"I wish we had some water to put this all this out," grumbled the girl. "It's not like we can fight fire with fire." Ben's eyes widened as the girl's remark clicked in his mind. He facepalmed at his own hubris.

"Of course! We can start another fire! The two flames will smother each other!" Maxwell hummed as he rubbed his chin. He nodded as he turned to Jade.

"Go for it," instructed the man. Nodding in response, Jade quickly shot forth another torrent of flames. Sure enough, a new fire began to grow from the attack. The two blazes spread towards each other, meeting in the middle. After a few minutes, the flames faded into the dark of night.

Space Above Earth

A large tank rested in the middle of the med bay, a floating figure resting within. The individual appeared to be humanoid with a head similar to a squid. Hi body was completely massacred, save for his torso and his left arm. This was Vilgax, Conqueror of 10 worlds. He was the only survivor of the crash at the bridge of the spaceship, and the captain of the ship.

He growled as he opened his red eyes, hatred raging through them. He looked down to see one of his minions standing before him. He took a deep breath in order to test his vocal cords, intensifying his glare upon the subject.

"Have you located the Omnitrix?" questioned the warlord. The creature made no response as it looked up at its master. It then shook its head in denial.

"We have found no traces of the Omnimatrix in the cruiser," informed the grunt. Vilgax's eyes glowed as if he was trying to burn holes into the goon's head. He snapped them shut as pain began to course through his head. The squid-man growled as he returned his attention to the room.

"What do you mean it was not there!? This battle nearly cost me my life and you say the Omnitrix is no longer on board the transport!?" The smaller being remained stoic as it looked its master in the eye.

"Scanners show that one of the escape pods contained the Omnimatrix within. It landed on the planet below." Vilgax took a deep breath in response to this news. In his current condition he would not be able to travel to the planet himself. He looked to his left, revealing a large robot behind him.

"Go. Retrieve the Omnitrix at any cost." The machine made no response as it walked away from the room. The warlord began to lose consciousness as he watched the door shut behind the droid. His eyes closed, encasing his world in darkness once more.

Rustbucket, Earth

Jade sat on a rock as she looked down at her viny hands. She danced a flame between her fingers, nervousness overtaking her. At first this whole transformation was cool, don't get her wrong. Thinking about it now, however, she realized that she may never be the same again. She looked up to see Ben and Grandpa Max looking at her.

"So you two found this watch in a crashed sphere, though it was broken and unresponsive," began the old man. Jade nodded her head in response. "After you fixed it, it attached to your arm after saying that your DNA was a compatible sample. It then changed into a new form and allowed you to transform into this." The young Chan sighed as she shook her head.

"That pretty much sums it up," replied Jade. "I just wanted to make Ben feel better after he found it all busted up. I didn't know this would happen." Max nodded at the girl, sending her a reassuring smile.

"It's okay Jade. I believe you." The young Chan looked away from the duo, sighing as she placed her hands in her lap. Ben nodded as he looked to his new friend. He remembered his first time transforming, understanding exactly what would be going through the girl's mind.

"I'm sure this isn't permanent Jade," reassured the young Tennyson. "There has to be a way to turn you back to normal. Maybe we just have to wait it out." Jade sent the boy an incredulous look, something he half inspected.

"What if waiting doesn't work!? I'll never be able to go to school again and I'll have to sit in the sun for the rest of my life! Uncle will never let me in his shop again and I can't even see my parents… WHAT WILL MY PARENTS THINK NOW THAT I'M A MONSTER!?" Ben glared at the girl as he stood up from his seat.

"You are not a monster! If anything you're more of an alien." The others gave him deadpanned expressions as he crossed his arms. "The point is that you might not look the same but, deep down, you're still the same girl." The planty being sighed as she shook her head.

"That's nice and all Ben, but I don't see how that helps me right now." Maxwell moved to reassure the girl, only for a familiar jingle to fill the air. Jade became engulfed in an orange light, nearly blinding her companions. The flash died down to reveal a now human Jade. The girl looked herself over, grinning madly at the discovery.

"I'm me again!" cheered Jade. The girl hugged herself as the guys smiled at her. "I will never complain about my height again." Ben grinned teasingly as the young Chan looked his way.

"I told you there wasn't anything to worry about. Looks like the watch has a time limit." Jade paid his smugness no mind as she brought her arms to her face. Her eyes widened as she saw the Omnitrix was still attached to her wrist. She screamed as she grabbed at the band of the device.

"GET-IT-OFF-GET-IT-OFF-GET-IT-OFF!" The Tennysons watched in concern as the girl tried to pry the device off of her arm. Every tug she made to try and remove it only served to annoy her further. Her fingers finally began to hurt as she made one last tug on the device. Jade groaned as she fell back first onto the ground.

She sighed as she remained in place, never taking her eyes off of the night sky. "I'm still doomed." Ben groaned as he shook his head. He sat next to the young Chan, rubbing her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Max cleared his throat, garnering the duo's attention.

"It would be best not to mess with the device until we know what we're dealing with," instructed the old man. He stood up from his seat, grabbing a flashlight from the nearby picnic table. "I'm going to check out that crash site. You two stay here until I get back." The elder Tennyson walked off into the woods, leaving the kids behind.

Near the crash site, a larger object crashed into the ground. The machine from Vilgax's ship unfolded as it took in the scenery. It soon stumbled upon the pod holding the Omnitrix, finding it to be empty. It quickly raised its hand, destroying the pod with a beam of energy. Two large disks on its shoulders popped out of place, revealing themselves to be drones of some form.

They flew off into the night, scanning the area for their target. Speaking of, Jade sat by the fire as she rested her head in her palms. While the normally boisterous girl would have loved to discover the secrets of the device on her wrist, She couldn't help but feel like her life had taken an unexpected turn. It was unnerving to think that she was back on the adventuring scene again. Her musings were cut off as she saw a shadow approach her.

"I figured some hot cocoa would help you think," offered Ben with a smile. Deciding to take a break from this crazy situation, Jade happily accepted the beverage. The young Tennyson took a seat next to her as she began to sip at the drink. She hummed in delight as she slowly chewed on a marshmallow. She looked to the boy as he drank from his own cup.

"Thanks," stated Jade. "I really needed that. Today hasn't exactly gone the way I thought it would." Ben nodded in response, understanding where she was coming from.

"I would be too if I were in your position. Granted I would have already been trying to figure out how the watch worked, but that's not really important right now." Jade furrowed her brow as she looked down at her beverage. She placed the cup on the ground next to her as she looked to her companion.

"I honestly think there is something important there, actually. How did you know the watch was called the Omnitrix?" Ben nearly choked on his cocoa, not prepared for the question. "You seemed to know a lot about it, even saying you had one back home." The boy looked away from the young Chan as he tried to come up with a response.

"I think the guy who made mine just took inspiration from the device. Mine couldn't turn me into aliens and didn't stay stuck to my wrist." The young Chan suddenly rose from her seat, almost knocking over her cocoa in the process.

"Don't lie to me Ben! You've been acting strange ever since I first met you! You're surprised that your cousin wasn't coming with us, then you lose a watch that looked exactly like what this thing used to look like, and now you seem to know more about the stupid thing than anyone who hadn't seen it before has any right to. Tell me what's going on!" Ben soon rose to look the girl in the eye.

"Oh and you haven't been suspicious!? I don't know what a "Dragon Talisman" is but it definitely isn't some video game thing. That's not to mention how easy you were able to adapt to being something else." His companion growled as she threw her arm to the side.

"My secrets haven't latched onto your wrist and messed with your life!" Silence reigned over the duo as Jade took a moment to breathe. Ben seethed for a bit as he thought over the situation for a bit. The more he delved into what his companion said, the softer his expression grew. His problems were passed onto her, and that meant she now had a target on her back.

"Y…you're right." The boy walked over to the back of the Rust bucket, taking a seat as Jade approached him. "I just… don't know if you'd even believe me in the first place. It's a little out there." The young Chan looked him over a bit, seeming to consider his words. She smiled understandingly as she sat next to him.

"Lucky for you I'm used to things being 'a little out there.' We have all night to talk about it." Ben winced at the comment, knowing that things may become crazier than she thought. Sighing in acceptance the boy looked her way.

"Have you ever had a bad case of déjà vu? Like you've been down the same road before? Imagine that, but you're actually going through the same event over again." Jade's eyes widened as she looked to the boy.

"You came from the future!? That's how you knew about the watch!" She quickly shoved the device in his face, startling him a bit. "That means you know how to take it off!" Ben quickly pushed her hand away, sending her a serious frown.

"One, don't push the Omnitrix in my face. Two, I couldn't get it off when I had it on." His companion groaned in disappointment as she allowed her hands to rest in her lap. Her face twisted in confusion as she looked to the sky above. She returned her attention to Ben with a small frown.

"If you're a time traveler, then how come you were surprised to see me? Wouldn't you have seen me before?" The young Tennyson shook his head in response.

"I don't think it's actually time travel. If it was the year would be 2005 not 2018. I didn't even know something changed until I found out the Omnitrix was gone. Then I got my butt saved by Jackie Chan and you took Gwen's place on our road trip." Jade said nothing as she looked to the sad expression on her companion's face.

The boy turned his attention to the Omnitrix, rubbing his hand over the rim. "You even turned into an alien I've never seen before. Everything feels so familiar, but nothing's the same." The duo sat in silence, the crickets and other insects filling the ambience. Jade looked away slightly as she let out a sigh.

"Are you… disappointed that I'm acting as a replacement for your cousin." Ben looked up at the girl's face, noticing the sad expression upon it. "You looked disappointed when you found out she wasn't coming. I wouldn't blame you if…" The boy took Jade's hand in his, startling her a bit.

"You aren't replacing anyone. If anything you got stuck with my problems. Was I surprised and concerned when Gwen never showed up? Yes, but that doesn't mean I don't like having you here. Like I said earlier, I've never met anyone like you."

Jade blushed once more at the comment, a soft smile creeping up on her face. Ben smiled as well as he intertwined their fingers. "You shouldn't have to worry about filling Gwen's role. If anything my responsibilities were kinda pushed onto you." His companion sent him a deadpan expression.

"That's supposed to make me feel better? I think I like the idea of being the normal one much better." Ben sighed as he shook his head. He lifted the hand with the Omnitrix into view, a serious look on his face.

"This watch gives you the power to help people, as in really help people. It's the user's responsibility to help those that can't help themselves. All ten aliens that you can change into can do amazing things in the right hands." The girl marveled at the device on her arm, the explanation adding to its appeal. She felt her rambunctious spark return as she looked to her companion.

"I'd need to learn how to use it first. It wouldn't be do any good if I can't even turn it on." Ben chuckled as he moved his hand to the device.

"I can show you a thing or two. It's actually really easy to use." He looked over the interface of the device, taking note of the two rods that extended from the core. He pressed them together, causing the core to pop out. The hologram of the plant based alien appeared once more, standing tall before the duo.

Ben then gestured to the rim of the core. "If you want to change aliens you have to twist the core around. No matter which way it goes it rotates through the same list." Jade nodded as she grabbed at the device, careful not to push down. She turned it to the left once, causing the hologram to shift.

A figure similar to that of a canine appeared, bringing a smile to the boy's face. "Now this one I know. I called it Wildmutt. Blind as a bat but his sense of smell painted a picture of the world around him… er her." The young Chan sounded off her interest as she tapped on the device.

"Let's try her out then." The faceplate lowered to the device, allowing the core to rise once more. Jade didn't hesitate to push the device down, engulfing herself in an orange light. In her place stood an orange canid creature with an underbite and gills that ran down its neck while lacking eyes, ears, a nose and a tail. Various spines stood out from the fur of the beast, acting more as whiskers than anything.

The only notable difference between this one and the original was the fact that the Omnitrix rested on an orange and blue collar. Wildmutt made a few noises of intrigue as it looked over itself. It looked to Ben as if wanting to communicate, only producing animalistic noises. The boy cringed as he recalled that one detail.

"Yeah… I kinda forgot to mention that Wildmutt can't talk for some reason. I'm guessing she's more animal than person." The beast harrumphed as she looked away from her companion. She lifted her head a bit as a scent hit her nose.

She began to snarl as she turned towards the woods. The sound of whirring machines began to sing through the air, a few tree tops falling behind them. Ben frowned as he took a few steps back. "Oh right. Those things."

The two drones from before zoomed into the area, taking note of their surroundings. Their scanners landed on Wildmutt, the signature of the Omnitrix alerting them. Both machines unleashed their lasers, the energy gathering at the end. "Now would be a good time to run!" The boy suddenly found himself being snagged by the collar of his shirt as Wildmutt took off into the woods.

The alien zipped through the trees, making sure not to drop her precious cargo. Lasers came flying at her, narrowly missing as they cut through tree tops. Wildmutt quickly came to a stop as she deposited Ben on a nearby ledge. She quickly climbed up the nearest trunk as one of the drones drew near. With a mighty pounce the beast landed on top of its target, quickly tearing its laser off.

The machine bucked and zipped around as it tried to remove the dog-like creature from its back. The girl finally had enough as she dug both sets of claws into the machine's head. With a mighty pull she ripped the camera clean off. She grinned smugly at her work, only to frown as she smelled the incoming cliff. A familiar jingle rang through the air as she leapt from her ride.

The machine crashed into the side of a cliff as Wildmutt landed on the ground. In a flash of red she returned to normal, panting as she sat on her rear. She looked up as she heard the sound of a whirring machine. The other drone floated above her, zooming in on her facial features. It began to float closer, only to be crushed underneath a large boulder.

Ben slid down from his perch, landing right beside the stone. He quickly ran to Jade's side, helping her rise from the ground. The head of the drone rolled by their feet for a bit before resting on its top. The duo began to chuckle at their victory, only for a cleared throat to cut them off. They slowly turned to see Maxwell looking at them with his arms crossed.

The kids now found themselves sitting in the cushioned seats of the Rustbucket as Grandpa Max stood over them. It was clear by the look on his face that he was none too pleased with their actions while he was gone. They didn't need to ask why he would be upset, seeing as they had defied his order to leave the Omnitrix alone. Ben in particular felt responsible, knowing that he should've remembered the arrival of the drones. The elder Tennyson sighed, cutting off all further thoughts.

"I was worried you might get popular with that thing on your wrist," explained Maxwell. "That's why I asked you not to mess around with it until we know what the heck it is." Jade shook her head as she looked to the old man.

"Well it's not like I can just never use it!" cried the young Chan. She held up her fist, showing off the device in question. "The moment this jumped on my wrist I gained the ability to actually help people instead of just making things worse. It's my responsibility to learn how this thing works and use it to put bad guys behind bars. Besides, I have you and Ben to help me out."

Ben smiled as he nodded his head, proud that his words got through to his friend. She sent him a wink, something that seemed to fly over Maxwell's head. Said old man hummed as he rubbed his chin.

"Well, with how powerful that watch is, we might wanna help you learn fast." Jade pumped her fist at the success, practically dancing in her seat. Ben couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement, holding his gut from the force. All actions came to a halt as the radio on the nearby shelf came to life. Maxwell quickly turned it up as he listened in.

"Mayday! Mayday!" cried a voice on the other side. "Somebody help us! We're under attack by some- you're not gonna believe me- but robot!" Ben groaned as he rubbed his temples in disbelief.

"And then there's that," mumbled the boy under his breath. Jade quickly caught on, looking to the device on her wrist. She smirked as she ran out the door. "Wait up Jade!" The Tennysons quickly followed their companion out the door, coming to a stop at the nearby treeline.

Cries of terror and explosions could be heard from the distance, a tire popping up for a second before falling again. Jade leaned over to Ben with a smug grin. "Got any suggestions?" The boy smirked as he held his hands behind his head.

"Look for someone what looks crystally. That one's sure to be good." The girl nodded as she shifted through the options. She quickly found a matching silhouette, slamming down on the core. She disappeared in another orange flash, nearly blinding her companions.

Ben smiled as he removed his hands from his eyes, only to gawk at the individual before him. The creature before him was made of black stone, save for various red crystals that jutted out from spots on its body. The Omnitrix rested on the upper torso and its one eye was brown in color. The original wielder had to use every fiber of his being not to cry out in surprise. Jade looked over herself, humming in interest.

"Neat," stated the girl in a slightly masculine voice. Her face shifted in confusion as she looked to the others. "Wait a minute… Why does this one kinda sound like a dude?" Maxwell quickly shook off his surprise as he gestured to the battle.

"Can we deal with that later?" questioned the elder Tennyson. "Those people won't last long against whatever is over there." The crystalline creature nodded before running to the scene. She soon caught sight of the situation, watching as people tried to move out of the machine's path. She skidded to a stop as a large laser cut through a line of vehicles.

The large droid turned towards her, its eyes glowing brighter upon picking up the Omnitrix's signal. She gulped as she watched her opponent slowly turn towards her, a park ranger in its hand. Jade mustered her Chan famous courage as she sent a glare at the droid.

"Put the ranger down freaka-droid! I'm the one you want!" Seeming to accept the exchange, the robot dropped the man onto his jeep before aiming a laser at the girl. She crossed her arms as the energy attack flew straight into her. She lowered the appendages, only to find not a scratch on her.

The girl barely had time to react as the robot sent her flying with a backhand. Jade skidded against the ground, gritting as sparks formed below her feet. She quickly leapt at her opponent, hitting it square in the head with a flying kick. The machine stumbled backwards as the girl backflipped the way she came. Ben and Grandpa Max pulled the ranger off of his slightly smashed vehicle, the dazed man trying to form one of the many questions in his head.

"I know you have a lot on your mind but right now isn't a good time," answered Ben. "Right now we need to evacuate." Maxwell grabbed picked up his grandson by the waist before running away from the jeep.

"Preferably now," added the elder Tennyson. "MOVE!" The park ranger looked up just in time to see the giant robot falling backwards, falling towards him. He jumped out of the way as the robot crushed his car, a heavy thud resonating through the ground. Jade attempted to crack her knuckles as the robot's head slowly rose.

"There's more where that came from!" roared the crystal creature. Her opponent boosted itself up with a hard strike, quickly righting itself. It readied its blaster once more, aiming for the girl's head. She quickly rose her arms to block the attack, taking the full brunt of it. She smirked as she noticed the rainbow lights glowing from her crystals.

She reached one of her hands towards the machine, firing an energy blast of her own. The arm of the droid was completely blown off, spinning as it landed in a nearby building. It began to enter a panicked mode as it fired multiple beams at the girl. Jade quickly returned fire, though this time the blast wasn't as strong. The remaining arm pointed at a nearby tree, cutting through a majority of the trunk.

Ben was helping a few smaller kids along, only to freeze as he noticed a shadow envelop him. He looked behind himself to see a familiar falling tree, only he was on the other end. His body went stiff as he watched the incoming doom. He closed his eyes in surprise, only to feel something sweep him off his feet. The thud of the log resounded through the air, though Ben felt no pain.

He snuck a peek at the world around him, only to find himself in Jade's arms. The girl sent him a small grin before skidding to a stop. She gently set him down, allowing him to catch his footing. "Guess this makes us even now, huh?" Ben slowly nodded, a small blush on his face.

"Y…yeah," agreed the boy. His eyes widened as he looked behind the girl. "Duck!" Jade quickly performed a front flip, barely avoiding the droid's grapple. Ben watched as the duo resumed their battle, tuning out his grandfather's worried questions.

He kept his eyes on his newest friend as she hopped upward, landing on the arm of the robot. She ran up to its head, quickly striking one of its lenses. The glass cracked as the girl leapt behind the machine. It quickly turned towards the girl, jumping high in the air. It quickly performed a drill move with its lower half, falling towards its target.

Jade quickly slid out of the way, using her momentum to save herself. The machine wasted no time as it aimed its canon at her. The hero brought her arms up, once again taking the full brunt of the attack. The energy continued to flow as the robot tried to overload its opponent. It suddenly began to wir as the canon began to die down.

The droid began to run out of energy as the light in its eyes began to fade. The smoke from the struggle began to dissipate, a rainbow light shining from within. The debris moved out of the way as Jade launched a massive laser at her opponent. The machine was able to send the last bit of data from the fight before the attack overtook it. A massive explosion rocked the forest, spooking the wildlife around.

The people began to converge on the scene, shock still coursing through them. Ben and Maxwell quickly walked up onto a large stone, trying to get a view of the area. The younger of the duo smirked as he saw the rising silhouette of the new Omnitrix wielder. She turned to the crowd with a triumphant look on her face. The original wielder quickly raised his fist in celebration.

"Now that's what I'm talking about! Way to go Ja… um Crystal!" The alien heroine hummed as she rubbed her nonexistent chin. She smirked as she put her hands on her hips.

"No need to be alarmed citizens! The Great Vajra has saved the day!" The people looked amongst themselves, confused by their savior's attitude. The newly dubbed Crystal moved to greet the people, only to stop as a familiar jingle began to play. "SORRY-CAN'T-DO-AUTOGRAPHS-BYE!"

Ben sighed as he shook his head, rubbing his temples in annoyance. Of course she had to be that much like him. That was just one of the things he would have to work on. The Tennyson duo quickly made themselves scarce as the police began to arrive. No one would be able to describe what exactly happened on this very night.

Space Above Earth

Vilgax growled as the grunt finished explaining the event. If it weren't for his condition, he would have personally squashed this worm. The droid had failed its mission, returning images of a being he had not seen in years. It was clear from the symbol on its chest that this was actually an inhabitant wielding the Omnitrix. This fact seemed to irk the warlord the most as he sent his minion a death glare.

"Failure?" questioned Vilgax. "Impossible! The Earthling keeping the Omnitrix from me, shall hang as a pelt on my wall!" The glass nearly cracked as he smashed his remaining arm into it. He soon found himself being forced under by anesthetics, left to fuel his rage in his dreams.

Rustbucket, Earth

Ben sighed as he helped Grandpa Max prepare the stuff, wrapping up the kindling from last night. Jade was nowhere in sight, obviously trying out one of the aliens in the Omnitrix. He rubbed at his wrist slightly, old feelings tugging at him. It was going to be weird playing Gwen's role, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. His musings were cut off as his grandfather approached him.

"Have you seen Jade anywhere?" questioned the old man. "We need to leave soon." Ben smirked as he shook his head.

"She's probably trying out one of the aliens in the watch," guessed the boy. "She'll be back before we head out." As soon as he said those words, a screeching noise could be heard. Before the duo stood a feline-like alien with a black suit-like color scheme, her hands, legs, chest, and part of her head were colored blue. She had black mask-like fins around her brown eyes, a triangle-shaped nose, a thunderbolt-like design down her chest, a triangle one down her back, and spike-like blades on her arms and legs.

"Check it out guys!" cheered the girl. "This one's got superspeed! Watch me!" She quickly got to work before anyone could protest, putting everything away in the blink of an eye. She crossed her arms as the others looked her way, Maxwell speechless for a few seconds. A familiar jingle rang through the air and, in a flash of orange light, Jade was quickly returned to normal.

"I call that one Cheetahgirl," explained the now human girl. "She's super-fast and can hit things at speeds I didn't think possible." Ben cringed as he shook his head, slightly disappointed in her.

"Maybe you should choose something else," suggested the boy. "Maybe Fasttrack or Janerunny." Jade gagged at that last name before pushing her friend a bit. Max smiled softly as he looked over the duo. As nice as this scene was, however, he knew they had places to be.

"Well let's see how fast you can get in the Rustbucket," offered the elder Tennyson. "The Summer's just getting started and there's more out there to see." Ben and Jade smirked to each other as they ran into the vehicle. They quickly took their seats, strapping themselves down. The boy of the duo frowned slightly as he turned to his companion.

"You know what? I told you my secret, but you never told me yours." Jade chuckled as she looked away from the boy.

"I'm sure it's nothing compared to what's going on right now," denied the Chinese girl. "I'm ready to move on and become Jade Chan: Savior of the World!" Ben shook his head as he rolled his eyes. He placed one of his hands on her shoulder, earning a look of confusion.

"It's only fair that you share with me too. Besides… I kinda want to know more about the girl behind the aliens." Jade blushed a bit as she looked down at her lap. She took a deep breath as she kicked her feet a bit.

"Alright, but this stays between us. I'm talking supersecret, hush-hush, tell someone and you're out. You got that?" Ben nodded, releasing her shoulder to place his hand on his heart. Leaving no time for preparation, Jade began with one simple question: "How much do you know about the Chinese Zodiac?"

There goes the first chapter! I honestly didn't think it'd take this long to come up with this chapter. This story was a long time in the making, and I can safely say it is one of my favorite ideas to date. Much like with Chan in Bellwood, expect some major canon divergences. That's all I feel like sharing for now, however.

What did you guys think of the chapter? Did you like how I handled Jade coming into the story? How about the replacement aliens? Who do you think is part of Jade's main 10? Let me know what you think in a review down below and I'll get back with you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.