Welcome back everyone! I'm glad to see you guys like the story so far. I know things have been going kinda slow as far as fanfictions have been, especially since this hasn't been updated since its first chapter was released, but personal projects and life can bring that about sometimes. I want to be clear that I am not giving up on any of my stories at this moment. It'll most likely be a long time before I stop writing fanfictions entirely. That being said, let's answer some guest reviews.
Yen: I have some fun ideas for how Ben will be of more help in the story. It might not be Ultra Ben exactly, but I hope my choice will satisfy you nonetheless.
Guest: I can say for definite that the thought has crossed my mind a few times. I'm still looking through the options so I can't say for definite that this will come to pass.
MIR: If I do take a crack at this particular event, I'll probably do one huge crossover special story. It might be fun to do versions of Omnitrix Wielders that never come to pass from my own writing. Might also be a fun challenge story.
Gwen: Hopefully now isn't too late for ya.
With all that said, let's get on with the story! I don't own Ben 10, Jackie Chan Adventures, or any other series that might appear. I do own original characters, concepts, creatures, and other such stuff unless stated otherwise.
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Rust Bucket
Ben yawned as he stretched his arms out. He sat up as best as he could from his bunk, smacking his lips in order to awaken his jaw. He stood up soon after, holding his hands to his back. He grumbled to himself as he scratched his leg in annoyance. He had the weirdest dream of his life.
He had found himself in some strange alternate time where he hadn't yet grabbed the Omnitrix and a pretty girl was taking Gwen's place on his trip. He ended up finding the watch broken, only for his friend to fix it. After that, however, it clamped to her wrist and rebooted itself. She had access to aliens he didn't even know about, and some of them looked pretty awesome. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he fixed himself a bowl of cereal.
"Morning Ben," greeted a familiar voice with a yawn. Ben mumbled out a greeting as he poured the milk into his bowl. He sat in front of Gwen like normal and… He nearly choked on his breakfast as realization hit him like a freight car. That wasn't Gwen.
He looked up to see Jade sitting before him, wearing a pink set of Super Moose pajamas. Upon her wrist was the Omnitrix, shining proudly in its new form. The original wielder nearly had a panic attack as the weight of yesterday's events began to set themselves on him. All of that actually happened. He was powerless and now had to teach this new girl all he knew about the Omnitrix.
"It all happened," mumbled Ben under his breath. Jade, obviously having heard the comment, allowed the boy to gain his bearings. She had seen way too many shows where a hero from an alternate future had no time to adjust and ended up going crazy. The young Chan wasn't about to let that happen on her watch, no pun intended. Seeing as her new friend said nothing, she decided to press forward.
"Yep. Every detail." Ben frowned as he looked down at his bare wrist. This was going to be a sight he would need to get used to. He sighed as he shook his head, quickly looking up to see his grandfather approaching him.
"Listen kids," stated Maxwell. Jade looked up at him in response, a soft smile on her face. "I know what happened yesterday might have been a little nerve wracking, but you'll have to get used to it. We'll probably see stranger things from here on, but a little change won't ruin this summer vacation." Ben couldn't help but chuckle as he rested his arms on the table.
"Not if the great Team 10 has anything to say about it," added the younger Tennyson. Jade couldn't help but hum at the name. She shook her head as she pointed her fork at the boy.
"Nah!" denied the girl. "Too tacky. Plus, what happens if there's more than ten aliens in the watch?" Ben smirked as he waved his hand a bit.
"Details, details. No one's gonna care. If it comes down to it we can just say it's short for Tennyson." Jade frowned at the idea, only to smirk evilly as she got an idea. She leaned forward as she placed her fork in her eggs.
"I didn't know you were so forward, Ben. Should I start going by Jade Chan Tennyson?" The boy took a few moments to register the comment, quickly turning bright red in shock. Max couldn't decide whether to scold Jade or laugh, choosing to instead enjoy the scene before him. Summer was going to be rather interesting this year, alien watch or not.
Days Later
A house fire stood in the middle of the square, the firefighters doing their best to stop it. Ben frowned as he watched the event. It happened far earlier than when he had the Omnitrix on his wrist. It worried him that things were going to be more troublesome this time around. Jade hummed as she cycled through her selection.
"Which one do you think would be good, Ben?" asked the young Chan. "Swampfire could be blamed for the fire but is most likely the best to handle it. I don't think Vajra would be good as he's more needed for energy absorption." Ben shook his head as he regained his focus. He smiled as he got an idea.
"Look for a four armed one." instructed the young Tennyson. "When I had the Omnitrix, that one was one of my favorites. I called my version Fourarms, which I admit was a little on the nose." Jade hummed as she looked for the individual. She grinned at the sight of the alien.
"Oh yeah. This one's gonna be big." Jade quickly pressed down on the device, causing an orange flash to occur. Ben opened his eyes as he looked at his friend. He had to admit her version of Fourarms looked cool.
The creature before him had the standard appearance of Fourarms, including four orange eyes, red skin, and four powerful arms. As she was female, however, she had long black hair and a more feminine structure. She wore a skintight jumpsuit, the top being orange with a blue skirt-like extension while the bottom was black. Her outfit was completed by a silver band that held her hair back in a ponytail and the Omnitrix symbol on her shoulder. She smiled as she flexed her arms.
"Oh yeah!" cheered Jade in an older, deeper voice. "I can see why Hak Fuu liked the bands of Shiva!... Totally using that as her name!" Ben shook his head in response.
"Jade!" The alien looked at him in confusion. He gestured to the burning building, causing her to sound her acknowledgement.
"Right! Burning building!" She ran towards the back of the house, crashing through one of the windows… and the wall. "Sorry!" Ben sighed as he rubbed his temples, knowing that accidents like this were going to be commonplace.
Meanwhile, a mother and her child were running through the building. They were trapped inside, trying to find a way out. The mother did her best to cover her child as they ran for a nearby door. Flaming debris fell, blocking their way. A big chunk of the ceiling began to fall towards them, causing them to huddle together and close their eyes.
The pain never came, however, as a shadow loomed over them. They looked up, watching in shock as Shiva easily held the large piece of rubble above her head. She quickly dropped it to the side, rolling her shoulders in order to stretch. "Stay close and I'll get you out of here!" The boy looked at her in awe.
"Who are you?" asked the child. Jade wanted to do her cool thing, but this wasn't the time or place from her experience with her uncle. Wasting no time, she grabbed up the mother and son. She kicked down one of the doors as she kept two of her arms at the ready. The stairs were completely burnt, a large lake of fire below them.
"Hang on!" The pedestrians held onto the arms that held them as Shiva turned towards a nearby window. She crossed her upper arms as she rushed towards the structure, easily breaking through. The crowd cried out in shock as she crashed feet first into the ground. A few firefighters had to blink their eyes as the heroine lowered the mother and child to the ground.
"Thank you." Repeatedly cried the mother. She quickly moved to hug her child, picking him up as she ran for the nearby fire trucks. Shiva nodded her head, happy to see the family alright. She turned as she pointed to the firemen.
"The bottom floor is the strongest point of the fire. No one else is inside, so aim as much pressure and fire retardant as you can in that area." A little hesitant at first, the men soon followed her instructions. The alien soon noticed a car driving away at high speeds gasoline and bags of jewelry visible in the trunk. "Found you."
Shiva stayed to answer no questions as she ran towards the crowd. They screamed in panic only for her to leap over them as she bounded off buildings. She began to catch up to the truck as she used various buildings as shortcuts. She used her training to run alongside a wall before leaping off of it. Inside the car, the robbers were celebrating.
"That's how we do!" cried one of the men. "These babies will make us rich!" One of them reached into a bag, an evil grin on his face. He held up a rather beautiful necklace as he eyed it. The driver growled as he looked back at his colleagues.
"Let's not go through the loot until we're out of town alright?!" roared the getaway driver. "We're not even at the hideout yet!" The thief riding shotgun waved him off with a yawn.
"Don't worry about it!" cried the fourth robber. "The cops are too distracted with the fire. Who's gonna catch us at this point?" As soon as the question was asked Shiva landed in front of them. The driver cried out in a panic as he pushed on the brakes, watching as the alien steeled herself.
The car crashed into her, but Shiva was able to catch it while being pushed back a bit. She growled as she looked in at the villains, anger clear in her eyes. The men cried out in fear as she lifted their vehicle up by its front. She slammed it back onto the road, crushing their tires and setting off their airbags. She then walked over to the driver's side, tearing off the door.
"Out. Now!" ordered the alien. Their guns lost in the crash, the men did as told. "On the ground." The robbers did as told, police sirens soon sounding off.
Shiva took the time to crush their vehicle before leaping away. The villains remained in place as the police surrounded them, fearful of the alien's wrath even with her presence gone. The watch released a familiar jingle as the heroine landed on the ground. In a flash of light she reverted back to being Jade. She smirked and crossed her arms as the Rustbucket parked across from her.
She opened the door as she walked inside, a pep in her step. The vehicle drove away as she took her seat. Ben sat across from her, checking off a list on a clipboard. He hummed a few times as he wrote a little bit at the bottom. Jade held her hands behind her head as she relaxed.
"Well?" asked the young Chan. "Was I good? Or was I good?" Ben chuckled as he shook his head. He presented the board to her with a smirk.
"Quick, efficient, minimal damage to the area, and you took down the culprits instead of geeking out over a card or trying to be a glory hog." listed Ben. Jade sent him a raised brow but received an eyeroll in response. "I'll tell you later. Anyway, you went off on your own and didn't give us time to group up, but I'll give you style points for crushing their car. I give you a ninety-five out of one hundred, your best hero score yet."
"Ninety-five? Bet ya five points I can kick your butt at Smash Bros." Ben grinned at the challenge, excited at the thought of beating Jade at a game. Grandpa Max looked back at the kids with a serious frown.
"You two need to take this seriously." Denied the old man. "Jade, while I do admit you did well, you can't go running off on your own all the time. What if you pick the wrong alien for a fight or the watch is out of power." Jade waved the elder off with a grin.
"Relax, Mr. Tennyson. That's the point of learning these guys now before the really dangerous situations come around. I've got Swampfire, Vajra, Wildmutt, and Jane Runny down pat. I'm on my way to learning Greymatter, Ripjaws, and now Shiva." Maxwell shook his head in response.
"That still leaves three you haven't even tried yet. You don't even know what they can do at this point. What if you can't control one of them? It's best if you stay close until you're ready to take things on by yourself." Jade harrumphed as she crossed her arms.
It felt like she was talking to Uncle Jackie all over again. Sure, Max was more supportive of her heroism, but he was holding her hand like she was a little kid. She hated it when people treated her like this! Ben sighed, having a good idea what was going through his companion's head. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, causing her to look his way.
"Hey, let's not think about it right now." Offered the young Tennyson. "Let's just play some Smash Bros before bed tonight. I'm gonna make the score five to six on who the better gamer is." Despite her sour mood, Jade couldn't help but smile in response. There was no way she was backing down from a challenge like this.
Elsewhere
The next day, a rather plump man was walking up to an apartment of his. The man, Roger, grumbled to himself as he walked to the front of the building. He soon came across one that had a sign labeled "Dr. Animo" hanging on it. This was the reason for his visit and the cause of his current headache. He knocked on the door, making sure it could be heard across the building.
"Yo!" roared Roger. "Animo! I know you're in there. Open up!" Receiving no answer, he procured the key from his pocket and unlocked the door.
He forced it open, coming face to face with what looked like a mad scientist's laboratory. He entered the building, walking past all sorts of equipment, cages, and glass cases holding various animals. His face squinted in disgust as he waved a hand in front of his face. "Phew! Smells like a zoo in here!"
As he pushed further, he didn't realize that he was being followed. A noise soon caught Roger's attention, causing him to turn around. He gasped as he came face to face with a man with pale green skin, yellowish eyes, and shoulder-length white hair. The strange man wore a dark gray sleeveless shirt, brown pants that had a strange stone colored belt on the front, black fingerless gloves that reached up towards his elbows, and black boots. "Don't scare me like that Animo!"
"HOW did you get in?!" roared the scientist in anger. It was very clear that he was not in the mood for visitors. Roger merely adjusted his tie as he regained his composure.
"Pass key. I am still your landlord, remember? Maybe not, since your rent is six months past due..." Animo looked confused for a moment, seeming to have forgotten his fact. He growled in anger as he gestured to the room around them.
"All my funds go to my research! Now get out!" Animo quickly pushed past Roger as he approached a workbench. "You're disturbing me." The landlord growled as he looked around, not too fond of being brushed aside.
"Looks like you were 'disturbed' long before I got here, pal! Listen, Doc, you and your furry friends are out on the street, unless you pony up the green." Dr. Animo smirked in response to the man's words. He grabbed a frog out of its terrarium before looking towards Roger.
"Pony up, eh? Interesting choice of phrases... You must be an animal lover! Then you're gonna love this." Animo put the frog down on the ground before retrieving a device from a trunk.
He put on an odd-looking helmet with two horn-like protrusions. He also strapped a dial on his chest, the device connected to the helmet. He turned to face Roger, only for the large man to laugh at his appearance.
"What's that? You a member of the 'moose lodge' or something? Applying for a job at Super Moose world?" Animo ignored the man's insults as he looked to the nearby frog. He brought a hand close to the dial on his chest.
"This is my Transmodulator; phase number one. It creates and accelerates mutations at the genetic level. Observe:" He twisted the dial, activating his machine. Beams shot from the horns of the helmet, hitting the frog directly.
The frog convulsed as it grew larger in size. It grew two small horns on its forehead and two bone horns protruding from the sides of its head. It had four red eyes and a collection of orange lumps across its body. As the transformation reached completion the frog caught Roger with an olive, spiky tongue and pulled him into its mouth. He fought to free himself from the creature's mouth, but it was no use.
Animo grinned as muffled screams were heard from inside the frog's mouth. "I'm sorry! I can't hear you. Sounds like you have… a frog in your throat!" He suddenly began cackling madly as he clutched his stomach.
He stopped for a moment as he looked at the massive amphibian. "Or is that - the other way around?!" The mad doctor continued his laughter as the frog spat Roger out. The landlord groaned as he tried to prop himself up, only to fall to the floor unconscious. Animo finally stopped laughing, having had his fun with the situation.
His smile disappeared as he pulled up a snippet of newspaper to his face. "So close to having what is rightfully mine... All I need is a FEW LOUSY COMPONENTS to finish my work!" He crushed up the paper in his hand, intent on throwing it to the side. He was soon interrupted, however, as his tv played a commercial of great interest.
"So whatever your needs, from hair spray to state-of-the-art electronics, you'll find them under one roof at the grand opening of the district's newest MegaMart!" advertised the actor in the commercial. Animo couldn't help but smile as he saw that the components he needed were among the technology displayed. The man quickly took note of the location shown on the map below the store's logo, intent on paying the establishment a visit.
"Ah. Just what the doctor ordered." Animo cackled once again, the massive frog in the background awaiting his orders.
MegaMart
The Tennyson group found themselves at the very store from the commercial, Ben keeping a constant eye out. He knew Animo could show up at any moment, wanting to get the drop on the man and stop him before his crazy plan could come to fruition. He followed behind Grandpa Max, doing his best to ignore the cereal aisle. He was not getting thrown out of the store this time. He looked at his grandfather, only to sound his disgust as the man held up a can that had an octopus on it.
"Only canned octopus?" sighed Max in disappointment. "I thought this store prided itself on a wide selection." Ben groaned as he rubbed his temples.
"No offense, Grandpa, but can we have a normal dinner for once?" questioned the Tennyson boy. "You know, one that doesn't involve stir-fried tentacles? I haven't had a good burger in a while." Max seemed to be considering the boy's request as he rubbed his chin. He snapped his fingers with a smile.
"Good call Ben." The boy pumped his fist in success, thinking he'd earned himself and Jade a normal dinner. "We'll have sheep burgers for supper tonight. All I need is a sheep bladder to tenderize." Ben groaned in exasperation as he turned to where Jade was.
Or rather, where Jade should have been. His eyes widened as he realized what she must be doing. He ran back over to the cereal aisle, watching as Jade looked to one of the cereal boxes.
"'Sumo Smacks.'" Read the young Chan. "'Card packs inside. Guaranteed one rare card.' This must be what Ben was talking about yesterday." The young Chan smirked as she got an idea, only for a hand to grasp her shoulder.
"Don't even think about it, Jade." Denied Ben. The girl turned to him, shocked by his sudden appearance. "I'm not letting you do the same stupid thing I did. It didn't work out so well for anyone." Jade harrumphed as she crossed her arms.
"Come on! I could just go Greymatter and see what's inside them." Ben gestured to a nearby security camera with a frown.
"And get caught? Look, being a hero isn't about taking care of yourself or doing whatever you want with your powers. It's about taking responsibility for other people… Why does that sound like a movie quote?" Jade couldn't help but chuckle, finding the boy's goofiness rather cute.
Ben shook his head as he regained his focus. "The point is, I'd rather get the card legitimately by chance or by trading with another collector for it. There's always some guy that collects two of something so that he can trade for what he really wants. We can't go acting like bad guys just because we want something." Jade playfully punches the boy on the arm before nodding.
"Message received, 'oh wise first wielder'." The two kids suddenly burst out laughing as they began to walk down the aisle. Ben looked to one of the boxes of cereal, giving it some thought.
"Eh! Why not?" He quickly grabbed the box of cereal as he followed after Jade, the girl having grabbed a box of frosted flakes. Soon the trio entered the the line, quickly purchasing an assortment of strange food items with a few normal options. The group soon came across a display of Sumo Slammers cards, one Ben was very familiar with.
Ben hummed as he sensed a wave of déjà vu flow over him. "I'll be with you guys in a bit. I wanna check something out." Max looked between Ben and the Sumo Slammers cards, realizing exactly what his grandson wanted to look at. He smiled as he nodded his head.
"Alright." Accepted the old man. "Come along Jade. We'll be over in the pet department if you need us. We'll be grabbing some grubs to use for fishing later." Jade sounded her interest as she followed behind the old man.
Ben sighed as he looked at the complete collection. Sitting in the midst of it was a golden card, the last one he needed for his own collection. He smiled as he placed his hand on the display.
"Someday. I just have to wait." Ben smiled as he removed his hand from the spot, intent on locating Grandpa and Jade. He came to a stop as he realized something. "Isn't this the part where…?"
His question was answered before it could even be finished as entire shops began to rumble. TV sets fell from their displays as people screamed in utter terror. The nearby wall burst, revealing Dr. Animo mounted on his giant frog. The mad doctor dismounted his croaking steed as he began to collect the parts he needed. Ben growled, angered at the sight of the man.
He took a step forward as he pounded his palm. "Stop right there Dr. Dolittle!" He went to use the Omnitrix, only to remember that he didn't have it. He looked up to a familiar scene where the giant frog knocked a stack of boxes on top of him. Dr. Animo grinned as he continued his work.
"Don't be a hero, kid." Threatened the man. "Just run along and play." Ben growled as he pushed some of the boxes off of him. Even having a few days to cope with it, he still had times where he'd forget Jade was the hero now. His thought process was cut off as two guards arrived.
"Freeze!" ordered the first guard. Both men came to a halt as they saw the massive frog in the midst of the aisle. The second officer, bewildered by the sight, shook his head as he watched Dr. Animo climb on the beast.
"Get off of the giant… frog and put your hands up!" demanded the man. Dr. Animo confidently rode away on the frog as he ignored the men. Ben quickly gave chase, realizing that he was heading straight for Jade and Grandpa Max. Speaking of, the duo were looking around the pet aisle unaware of the coming threat. Jade couldn't help but coo as she rubbed the head of a hamster through its cage.
"You are so cute!" chuckled the young Chan. "If my folks didn't have a problem with rodents I'd bring you home with me." Max couldn't help but grin as he watched the girl play with the hamster. Suddenly, Animo's frog landed in front of them. The mad scientist turned the dial of his machine, causing two red beams to fire out of it.
"Look out!" cried Max. He dove towards Jade, grabbing her as they narrowly avoided being hit by the beams. The hamster Jade was playing with and a cockatiel began to grow in size, becoming mutated versions of themselves. Jade growled in anger as she saw what the man did to the animals. Animo cackled as he gestured to the beasts.
"Ariiiiise to your full potential, my pets!" demanded the man. The hamster instantly began chasing after Max and Jade, the cockatiel flying through the store. Ben quickly arrived at the area, watching his companions run towards him as the hamster landed on the shelving. The three stood together as Animo and his beasts stood together. "Behold the genius of Dr. Animo."
The hamster growled as it drew closer to the group. "Nothing can stop me from getting what I deserve. Mark my words! Today I will make history, or should I say...prehistory!" The man cackled as the hamster dashed at the group with a roar.
The trio ran away from the beast, hoping to find a better position. Ben wanted to encourage Jade to go alien since she still had a charge but he soon noticed that there were security cameras in the area. He felt the urge to duck, just in time to see the hamster leap over him and corner Grandpa Max and Jade. Quickly remembering what he did the first time, Ben hopped on the nearby scooter and grabbed a football. He lobbed the ball at the hamster's head, making it rather angry as it turned towards him.
"Come and get me, you overgrown fur-ball!" roared the boy. The hamster did just that as its new target took off at high speed. Ben did his best to weave around the aisles, but his opponent soon gained on him. It tried to take a bite out of him, only for the hero to swerve. It had no choice but to ram into a knocked over shelf.
Ben smirked as he rode up the shelf like a ramp, soaring through the air. As expected the hamster went for another bite, only to fail as it landed between two bookshelves. The boy perfectly times his next landing as he bops a shelf, forcing it to create a domino effect with others. The hamster was finally pinned under the last book shelf, unable to move. The loud speakers powered on in response to the mess.
"Clean up on aisle six." Groaned an employee. Ben chuckled as he resisted the urge to gloat. Animo growled as he watched Jade and Max run over to check on Ben.
"Young fool!" roared the mad doctor. "You cannot stop me! I will turn Washington D.C. into 'Washington B.C.'!" The man hopped over to the giant cockatiel, riding it off into the sky and smashing the skylight. Ben groaned as the mutant frog quickly hopped out after him.
"I always hated his animal puns." Jade did her best not to chuckle as she ran over to the boy. The manager of the store ran over to them, an excited grin on his face.
"You just saved the store son!" exclaimed the man. "Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all?" Ben looked over to the card kiosk, the golden Sumo Slammers card catching his attention. He took a deep breath as he resisted the urge to go for it.
"No time for that. We gotta get going. Come on guys!" Jade looked like she wanted to retort, only to nod as she followed Ben and Max out of the building. The store manager hummed as he rubbed his chin.
"That doesn't feel right. The kid deserves some kind of recognition for this." The man looked around the store, only to look at his watch. He really needed to keep a better track of… The man smirked as he got an idea. "His friend did have a pretty nice looking watch."
The Rustbucket drove across the city, trying to keep up with the giant cockatiel. Max did his best to keep an eye on it as he drove, making sure to look at the road from time to time so they wouldn't crash into something. This situation was crazy, out of control, and exhilarating. The old man hadn't been in a chase since he was younger. He sighed with a smirk on his face.
"This is just like the old days before I retired." stated Max. "Those were the days." Jade hummed from her place in the back, looking up from fiddling with the Omnitrix.
"Sounds like you miss being a police officer." stated the young Chan. "Why'd you change jobs and become a plumber then?" Max looked around a bit as he tried to think of an answer.
"Saw too many friends die in shootouts. After stopping a pretty notorious criminal from back in my day, I decided to hang up my badge and change careers." Ben shook his head with a smirk, knowing this as a bold faced lie.
"Well whatever the reason, we need to focus." stated the young Tennyson boy. "We need to stop Animo now and take care of his machine. I've looked him up on my computer. Apparently he was a pretty good veterinary researcher until they found out he was doing illegal genetic experiments to mutate animals. When he didn't win some prize known as the Verities Award, he lost his marbles."
He closed his computer as he looked towards Jade. "I recommend trying out a flying guy to see if you can bring that bird down." He walked over to her as he looked over the selections with her. "Look for a bug with eyestalks." Jade scrolled through again, only to shake her head in denial.
"Nothing." revealed the Chinese girl. "The only bug one that I've got is one of my unused three." Ben frowned at this news, knowing that this would be a bit of a setback. He had hoped to take care of Animo before he could cause any more of the usual damage. He knew the moment for that passed when Max sighed in defeat.
"We just lost him." groaned the old man. "He could be anywhere in the city by now." Ben smirked as he nodded his head.
"He said that he would turn Washington B.C. into Washington B.C." stated the former Omnitrix wielder. "He's gotta be heading to the Natural History Museum. I bet ya he's gonna try to bring back any of the fossils he finds there." Max's eyes widened as he realized how dangerous such a situation that bringing dinosaurs to life would be. He put the pedal to the metal, hoping to reach the building in time.
They quickly pulled up to the Natural History Museum, doing their best to be silent as they exited the vehicle. Upon reaching the entrance they found that it was busted open. Ben picked up a giant feather, holding it to where Max and Jade could see it.
"Looks like you were right, Ben. Good catch." Jade smirked as she held both of her hands behind her back.
"Of course he is." whispered Jade. Ben couldn't help but blush at this comment. Jade shared his expression as she quickly waved her hands in defense. "I mean of course he caught it. He's the bomb."
Ben's blush died down slightly as he nodded his head. The trio snuck into the museum, doing their best to be quiet. They snuck past multiple exhibits of fossils and mock creatures. They soon came across an area with a mammoth fossil on display. Ben instinctively grabbed at a box that originated from Megamart's electronics department off of a diorama before looking to where Dr. Animo was working on his machine.
"You are very persistent." growled the quack. "I hate persistence." Ben smirked as he crossed his arms.
"Aren't you persistent when it comes to your little science experiments, Animo?" questioned the young Tennyson. Dr. Animo moved to argue his case, only to find no applicable argument. The man growled as Jade laughed at his expense.
"Cheeky brat. Do you really think an old man and two children can stop me? My work has only just begun. See, I only needed a few components to push my work into phase two." Ben rolled his eyes as he waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah, yeah. Bringing back extinct creatures to be your meat puppets. We figured that out on the way here. Why else come to a museum where there are no living animals to mutate?" Animo looked like his anger was reaching a boiling point, only for him to smile maliciously.
"Cheeky and perceptive. I admire that. As such, I'll give you a demonstration of my glorious work. Behold the genius of…" Ben stepped back a bit as Jade rushed forwards.
"Now!" Jade quickly leapt at Animo with a flying kick. She unleashed a battle cry as she drew closer. The scientist tried to stop the incoming kick by crossing his arms in front of him but, seeing as he was not a physical fighter, this ended up being a poor decision as he was kicked backwards. He tried not to fall over as he took a few steps back.
He decided to ditch the theatrics as he powered on his transmodulator, hitting the wooly mammoth fossil with it. The skeleton shook as flesh and hair began to grow on it. Jade turned around in shock and awe as the creature returned from death, letting loose a battle cry as it raised its front legs into the air. Animo ran away as it crashed back down, glaring at Ben and Max. Jade growled as she readied the Omnitrix.
"Looks like I have to handle Dumbo." stated the girl. She quickly selected one of the forms before pressing down on the core. She was soon replaced by Shiva, roaring in order to catch the mammoth's attention. The two combatants ran at each other, the alien with two of her fists reared back. She leapt into the air as she punched the mammoth in between the eyes, a crunching sound being heard.
Both Tennyson family members winced as the Mammoth's eyes rolled into the back of its head. It landed on the ground, being lifeless once more. Shiva landed on the ground before holding up her hands.
"Oh gosh!" cried the red alien woman. "I didn't think I could hit that hard! I was just aiming to knock it out. I am never going to be able to unsee that." Max shook his head in denial as he regained his composure.
"Animo's getting away." stated the old man. "We can talk about this later." The two kids sent him nods before following him down the hallway. They were nearly at Animo's location when the giant cockatiel jumped out in front of them. Ben took a few steps back in fear as the beast towered over them.
'How did Gwen hurt this thing!?' cried the boy in his thoughts. He soon spotted a spear in the hands of a nearby caveman, smirking as he got an idea. 'Duh. Even I could think of that.' He grabbed the spear from the diorama, screaming as he rushed forwards with the weapon.
He tried to stab the bird with it, only for the creature to bite the end off and spit it out. Ben chuckled nervously as the cockatiel reared its head back. "Um… nice birdie." The mutant went to peck him with its beak, only for Shiva to grab it by said mouth covering. She then pulled it into a strangle hold as she began to wrestle with it.
"I've got Big Bird!" cried Shiva. "Go!" Max pulled Ben along as the four armed alien continued to battle with the giant cockatiel. The duo approached where Dr. Animo was, only for the man to smile back at them as he activated his transmodulator once more. This time his target was the skeleton of a t-rex.
Unlike the mammoth, patches of missing skin and muscle tissue revealed the skeleton within the tyrant lizard king. The creature roared with the new life it found itself with. Animo quickly hopped onto the back of the dinosaur as it turned to face the outside wall.
"I'd love to stick around, but I have to claim the reward that I so richly deserve," stated the scientist. The t-rex rushed out of the building, creating a massive hole in its wake. Ben groaned to himself about how he couldn't stop it this time. His eyes widened as he remembered something else that happened. He looked back to Shiva, who was still wrestling with the cockatiel.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight until you pass out, birdbrain!" The creature cried as she pulled harder, only for the Omnitrix to release a familiar jingle. "Now!? Really!" She let go of her opponent as she returned to her normal form, landing hard on her butt.
"Darn it!" cried Jade. "Talk about bad timing." She quickly noticed the shadow that was cast over her, looking up to see a very angry bird. "Um… hi." The beast was about to peck at her, only for a large rock to hit it on the back of the head.
"Hey Polly!" cried Ben. The cockatiel looked his way with a glare, causing him to gulp. "I think there's a cracker store nearby… heh." The beast roared as it flew at the Tennyson duo. Ben tried to run, only to be lifted off the ground in one of the creature's talons.
"BEN!" cried both Jade and Max. The bird flew off high into the sky, Ben crying out in fear. Max looked at Jade with a frown.
"Back to the Rustbucket," ordered the old man. "Hopefully we can catch up with it." Jade nodded her head, only to notice a piece of paper on the ground. She picked it up before following Max out of the building. They took off as soon as they got in the vehicle.
"You know, I think this is karma for all the times I made fun of Gwen," groaned Ben. He had his arms crossed as the bird carried him by the back of his shirt. They soon arrived at the Washington Monument, the beast tossing Ben into the air to where it now had his shirt pinned in its beak. Ben gulped as he looked down at the world below him.
He didn't have a phone on him like Gwen did to be able to call for help, did he? Ben quickly felt in his pockets, which he admittedly never checked as he didn't usually do his own laundry. His eyes widened as he felt a small device in his pocket. He pulled it out, revealing it to be a small smartphone. He carefully pressed the power button before putting in a password.
He smirked as he brought the device to his ear. "Thank you, me, for probably doing all those chores Mom told me to do if I really wanted a phone. I should do stuff like that more often." He listened to the phone ring, quickly becoming impatient. He just hoped that his shirt wouldn't tear to where he'd become street pizza.
Down on the ground, the Rustbucket blitzed through the streets. Max was now ignoring all traffic laws as he tried to find where the bird took his grandson. Jade hummed as she looked over the paper, grinning as she looked towards Max.
"I know where Animo's heading!" cried the young Chan. She showed the paper to him, the parchment detailing the moment where a scientist by the name of Dr. Kelly received the Verities Award. "He's paying Dr. Kelly a visit so that he can get his award! Once we find Ben, we have to hurry." Max nodded his head as he returned to surveying the area ahead of them.
"Don't worry," reassured the old man. "There aren't many places that a bird the size of an elephant can hide in Washington D.C." He looked at Jade once more, only to notice the sad look on her face. "What's wrong?" The Chinese girl sighed as she rested her head in her hand.
"I can't help but feel like I could have stopped Ben from being taken or even Animo from getting away. If I had learned about the other three or thought more about the ones I had, I might have chosen an alien that could have dealt with the mammoth and the bird." Max returned his gaze forward with a serious frown on his face.
"Jade, not everyone has an answer for everything. It's likely that, in this situation, Shiva was the only alien you could use. I just hope that you'll take things regarding the watch more seriously from here on. As long as you can do that, I'd give you an 85 on taking down that mammoth." Jade smiled at the reference to her and Ben's hero scoring system.
The old man sighed as he looked around. "Now we just have to find Ben before…" The sound of a phone ringing caught the duo's attention. Jade quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket, looking at her caller ID. She grinned as she displayed the device to Max.
"It's Ben!" Max smiled at the sight as Jade answered the phone. "Ben! Where are you!?" She listened a bit, only to point down the road. "Washington Monument!"
Max nodded as he pushed the gas hard. Jade smirked as she saw the building in the distance, noticing the bird standing on top of it. "Don't worry Ben! The cavalry is on its way!" This news caused Ben to sigh from his place atop the monument, holding on to the pole as the bird took off into the sky.
"That's good," groaned the boy. "I'm putting my phone away now so it doesn't get broken." Ben wrapped his free arm around the pole as he pulled his phone away from his ear. He carefully put the device back in his pocket before hugging the rod with both of his arms. Down on the ground, Jade and Max looked up to see that the boy was barely hanging on.
"If you have a flying alien, now would be a good time to use it," advised Max. "In a few seconds, Ben won't be able to hang on." Jade groaned as she looked through her options.
"I can't tell if any of these guys can fly!" cried the young Chan. "This is annoying!" She was about to turn the watch again, only for Max to stop her. He took a closer look at one of the holograms, the bug-like guy from earlier being on display. He pointed to it with a serious frown.
"A guy I know that works in pest control told me some bugs conceal their wings when they aren't flying. This might be one of those cases." Jade looked towards the old man, weighing her options. Ben always gave off the impression that his grandfather knew more than he let on, meaning he might actually have the right knowledge in this situation. She nodded her head as she made the core pop up.
"Let's hope you're right." She pressed down on the core, causing the watch to release the usual green light. Her skin turned black with blue patches as the Omnitrix sank into her wrist. Her clothes fused to her skin, working with it to create the exoskeleton. A blue and black pancho formed over her, making her look like a phantom. Her hands morphed to have three long fingers and a long thumb, her feet changing to have two toes on the front and one on the back. She looked over herself as the light died down.
"This one feels pretty cold." stated the new alien in a raspy voice. "Let's see if you're right, Mr. Tennyson." She tensed her body as she tried to wiggle something that wasn't her arms or legs. To her surprise her pancho unfurled into a set of four wings and a pair of antennae on the back of her neck. She sounded her awe as she flapped her wings a bit, gasping as she immediately floated upwards.
She smiled as she spun around a bit. "Cool." She continued to admire her abilities for a bit, only to hear Ben cry out in shock as he began to slip. "Right!" The insect flew off into the air, racing to reach her friend in time.
Ben did his best to hold on, only for his grip to finally slip as his arms gave out. He slid towards the edge of the monument, praying that something would save him in time. He went over the edge, seemingly falling to his doom, only for Jade to fly upwards with him in her arms. "I gotcha!" Ben opened his eyes, shivering as the girl's cold hands held him tight.
"Thanks!" cried the boy. "This one is cold to the touch. Definitely call her Big Chill." Jade looked down at him with a frown, as if to argue, only to feel a shift in the wind.
"Talk later!" The moth girl quickly dove downwards, avoiding the talons of the cockatiel. She dropped Ben off with Max before taking off to the air again. She quickly spun like a drill in order to avoid the massive bird on her tail. She looked back for a moment to make sure it was still following her.
She returned her gaze forwards, only to cry out in shock as she was approaching a huge building. She crossed her arms as she tried to stop, only to disappear from view. She flew through the wall without leaving a hole, creating a bit of ice on the side. She opened her eyes for a moment as she looked down. "I can fly through solid stuff? Cool."
The cockatiel crashed its head through the wall in an attempt to grab Jade, but she quickly turned intangible as she flew up to the roof. She looked down to see the ice she left in her wake, surprised by its presence. "I think I figured out what this one does. I know how to take care of this." She watched as the bird removed its head from the room, flapping its wings as it backed up.
She whistled to get its attention, dancing a bit in the air. "Yoohoo! Come and get me, Birdbrain!" The cockatiel roared in fury as it flew towards her. She flipped in the air a bit before diving towards the incoming maw of her opponent.
She went intangible at the last moment, flying straight through it. The insect flew around a few more times, each time moving through the bird. The creature was soon encased in ice, completely unable to move. The mutant bird fell towards the ground, the ice surprisingly breaking its fall. The cockatiel became unconscious, somehow surviving the drop.
"Jade!" cried Ben. The bug became tangible again as she lowered to float in front of the duo. "That was amazing! Big Chill is both beautiful and powerful!" Jade held her head in both of her hands as she tilted her head, apparently the replacement of a blush.
"Oh stop it. You're embarrassing me!" Max put a hand on Ben's shoulder as he looked towards Jade.
"Socialize later," ordered the elder Tennyson. "You have to stop Animo before he hurts anyone else." Jade nodded her head as she took off into the air. She continued to glide like a kite in the sky, following the trail of t-rex destruction. She soon spotted her target further ahead, narrowing her eyes as she began her descent.
Inside of a rather expensive building, a man was displaying a shelf with trophies on it. He had gray hair and blue eyes. He wore a cyan-gray colored suit, cyan-gray pants, a light gray shirt, a dark gray tie, black shoes, and a black belt. This was Dr. Kelly, the man who Animo swore stole the Verities Award from him. The man actually gestured to said trophy with a smile.
"And here is my Verities Award," explained Dr. Kelly, continuing a conversation he was having with two well dressed men. He turned to the award with a fond look in his eyes. "Of course, it was an honor to just be nominated with such a distinguished group of scientists." His reminiscing was soon interrupted as the building began to shake. The reanimated t-rex crashed through the massive window of the building, breaking through support bars as it scared all but Dr. Kelly out of the room.
"Kelly!" cried Animo from atop the beast. "I believe you have something of mine!" The mad doctor jumped down from his steed as he retrieved the Verities Award from its place on the shelf. "I'd like to thank the committee for this honor!" Dr. Kelly took a step back as the villain returned to his place atop the dinosaur.
The trex was about to chow down on the man, only for Jade to come flying in with a punch. This surprised all as the t-rex moved to the side from the attack. Animo willed the beast to swipe at the girl with its tail, but she turned intangible once again. As the extremity sailed through the space she occupied, it froze over much like the bird did earlier. The dinosaur roared in pain as it fumbled around a bit.
Animo growled in fury as he looked towards the girl. "What even are you, you little insect!" Jade smirked as she found the right name to use.
"I am Ice Empress: the Frozen Moth," introduced the newly dubbed hero. "I am here to administer cold justice upon you." She flew towards the man at high speed, pulling the Verities Award away from him. She dodged out of the way of the tyrannosaurus's maw, the beast growling in anger. She set the award down on a table, earning an enraged roar from Animo.
"NO! I DID NOT SPEND YEARS PLANNING OUT MY VENGEANCE, ONLY FOR SOME MONSTER TO TAKE IT ALL AWAY FROM ME!" He powered up the transmodulator as he fired its energy at Ice Empress. She quickly flew out of the way, soaring as the beam followed her. She stopped as soon as the energy no longer flowed from the helmet.
"Dr. Animo, you need to chill out!" As soon as she said this, Ice Empress accidentally fired a blast of cold air from her mouth. This covered the eye of the dinosaur her opponent was riding, causing the area to freeze over. The beast roared as it swung its head around, crashing into a few supports. Animo cried out in shock as he was nearly thrown off his ride.
Ice Empress smiled at this development. "Freezing intangibility, flight, and ice breath? Best alien yet!" She took a deep breath before firing more of this cold air. She flew circles around the monster, completely covering it in ice from head to toe.
"NO!" cried Animo, his legs frozen to the beast. Jade quickly flew up to his head, removing his device from it. "My transmodulator!" The hero threw the device to the ground, denting the helmet and snapping a few wires. The now damaged device sent out a red wave of energy, hitting the t-rex in its wake.
Life left the beast's eyes, the ice preventing its skin from deteriorating. "NO! NNNOOOOO!" Ice Empress smiled before turning intangible as she flew off. Back at the Washington Monument, Ben and Max watched as the cockatiel transformed back into a normal bird.
It rolled off its back as it looked around, taking in its situation. It soon spotted Ben, flying towards him. He reluctantly held up his arm so that the bird could roost on it.
"If you hadn't just tried to kill us a moment ago, I'd find this incredibly adorable," commented the young Tennyson. Max chuckled as he shook his head. That would be enough excitement for one night. The sun began to rise as the police and the Rustbucket arrived at the scene of Animo's crime. Jade joined Max and Ben by the RV as Animo was being led to the police cruisers.
"Let me go! I deserve that award! I have it coming to me! It's mine!" Ben rolled his eyes as the mad scientist was loaded into the back of his vehicle.
"See what happens when you use great power just to get what you want?" Jade smirked as she noticed that Animo was glaring at them. The Tennysons and their guest entered the Rust Bucket as they took off for the interstate. As they passed under a sign directing them to Noraville, Ben wrote the word "souvenirs" on a cardboard box. He set it up on the table in front of Jade as he revealed part of Animo's transmodulator.
"Sweet!" cried the young Chan. "First souvenir from beating a villain! The Chan Tennyson team is doing well! This will be the coolest summer ever!" Ben smirked as he put the device in the box.
"Look who's being bold now, Mrs. Chan. Should I start calling you Honey?" Jade blushed a bit, only to smirk as she leaned forwards with her head in her palm.
"Don't push it, Ben. Let's just see how well you can treat a girl over the Summer before I even make that kind of decision." Ben's blush burned brighter as he looked away, not used to being flirted with. Max couldn't help but chuckle as Jade leaned back in her seat, satisfaction written on her face. That made the score Jade 2, Ben 0 when it came to their little flirting game.
Jade got up from her seat as she walked to the nearby pantry. "Anyways, let's celebrate our first ever supervillain fight with some cereal." Ben smiled as he watched Jade set two bowls on the counter.
"Good choice. I don't feel like making something else." Jade decided to be the one to pour the bowls, making sure not to do too much. She began to pour Ben's portion when a hard thunk hit the glass. "What was that?"
Ben looked into the bowl, his curiosity peaked. His eyes widened as he saw a golden shine. Jade ran to his side, her own inquisitive side showing.
"What! What is it!?" Ben slowly grabbed the object that landed in his bowl, revealing it to be a golden Sumo Slammers card. Both of their eyes practically glowed as the boy spun the object around in his hands. The boy couldn't help but smile as he slipped the card into his wallet.
"I guess both good and bad karma exist."
That was the exciting second chapter of Jade 10! Ben comes to the realization that the reality he woke up to is very real. Then Jade begins to learn how to be a hero with the power of the Omnitrix. Fourarms returns in the form of Shiva, and Big Chill gets a debut as Ice Empress. The fun never stops on this extraordinary Summer trip!
Anyway, what did you think about the chapter? Did you like Ben and Jade bonding more? How about the unique changes to how certain events are handled? Let me know in a review down below, and I'll try to respond as soon as possible. This is Inkaliber, signing off.
