How… How long has it been?
This isn't real. I'm just dreaming. Yeah! That's it! I'm still deactivated on my pod, and everything since is a simulation created by my hardware! Like a dream! No need to think about how scared I am. No need to think about how easily he can erase… no. How easy he can kill me.
No.
No, no, no, no, no, NO!
THERE IS NO WAY! HOW IS HE STILL ALIVE?!
Retroactively, you should have seen that coming. Even on the grand scale of the Multiverse, some things are immutable, like the fact that the Universe ALWAYS can and WILL mess with you. Now you're sure of that.
I'm not here. This isn't real. I'm safe. I'm sa-
"Trixie! Are you alright?"
Your user looks at you worriedly, probably trying to contact you for a while, based on his tone.
"Huh?" You say brilliantly. "Wha? What happened? Where's the Doc?"
"You retreated to the Ultimatrix when Domstol called the testimony," Ben says, still worried about your well-being. "I remembered what you said when we turned Ditto, so I asked him to go to the Judge to ask for a minute before the battle."
"I. I. I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Sorry for what?! Trixie! The guy who created you AND tried to destroy you is here. I almost thought you would get a blue screen or a computer equivalent to a panic attack."
"THAT'S THE POINT! I shouldn't have got a Blue Screen because of that! No matter how well I was made, I'm STILL. A. MACHINE."
You spit on Ben's face with harsh words, but you can't help but feel like the worst.
"Maybe Dad was right! He should have deleted me! YOU saw what happened! The first ####### choice I make leads to DESTROYING THE MULTIVERSE and trapping SEVERAL universes in a paradox!"
And now, you cannot avoid that thought anymore; the idea has been creeping on the back of your hardware since the beginning. The thought that you are just an anomaly. A mistake on the grand scale of the Multiverse. How can you, a simple watch, try to go against the most extraordinary mind in the Universe?!
This is what happens! You destroy! You trap! You lie and lie that all will be okay when IT'S NOT!
EVEN YOUR USER IS TRAPPED BY YOU!
"Trixie. Stay with me. I don't know if you can really breathe, so hear my lungs. Hear my heart."
Involuntary, you realize that you went into Blue Screen again.
You can't see the sky.
You can't feel your body.
You can't hear your 'brain' anymore.
But you don't need to feel the world to listen to Ben. He's part of you. And you are part of him.
So, you hear. One, Two. One, Two. One, Two. Ben's heartbeat is nice. It's calm.
You hear his breathing. Inhale… Exhale. Inhale… Exhale.
He's here. You are here.
You are here.
…
You can finally feel the world again! You can't help but compare that experience to being an unconscious safeguard in the back of your home, just waiting and waiting for something. A purpose.
You open your eyes, and Ben is there. Just looking at you.
"That's my partner."
He's smiling proudly at you. And you can't help but smirk right back.
"Thanks, I guess." You sheepishly look at the side. "Sorry. I… kinda panicked."
"Don't worry at all, Trixie." He simply says, as if this was something normal. "Nah, this isn't normal at all."
Wait what!?
"Ow, man! I said that out loud?!" Ben responds.
"YOU HEARD MY THOUGHTS?!" you scream in his ear, panicking about the lack of privacy between you two.
"Keep it quiet, please!" Ben pleads. "I don't know how this happened, but when you Blue Screened, I don't know, something about your mind went… thinner?" He tries to explain.
"You JUST said I was fat?!"
"Trixie, focus!"
If he thinks you will let that slide, he's very wrong.
"You were capable of reading my memories, my own DNA. It was only one-sided before. It's a theory, but maybe your defenses weakened for a moment to let me reach you."
"...how?!" you say with disbelief. "I don't have ANY DNA! I'm not even a real person!"
"You don't remember? You are part of me, just as much as I'm part of you," Ben shrugs. "And as part of me… maybe the Ultimatrix protected you from being permanently Blue Screened?"
"What the #### you mean with that?!"
"Oh. So that's why you are always being censored." Ben says, finally understanding beyond the beeps.
"Ben!" you plead.
"Okay! The Ultimatrix doesn't let me die. You said that."
You nod in the affirmative.
"And… you are me," Ben continues. "Therefore, the watch won't let you die as well. You're a loophole on the failsafe."
"By Contumelia's sake." You finally understand the implications of that.
You're a user of the Ultimatrix as much as Ben. And Ben is now part of the watch as much as you are.
"HEEEEEY! THIS THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN OR WHAT?!"
Looking behind you two is Pond screaming at full lungs.
"I WANTED TO KICK BUTTS OR GET SOME NUTS, AND I'M ALL OUT OF NUTS!"
I love that girl, Ben, but I swear I'll choke her on those peanuts.
"Yeah. Pond's a bit too much," both of you agree while feeling the raindrop on your head.
"... Ben."
"What?"
"I don't think I can handle this," you say honestly. "This… He. 'Dad'. Azmuth. I don't think I can be…"
"Yourself?" Ben suggests.
"Yeah."
He stays quiet for a moment. "Look, Trixie. You don't need to be here for this; I can handle this myself, you know?"
"...no."
"You sure?"
"You can read my mind, dweeb. You know the answer."
"Yeah. You're unsure. But why?"
"I'm not ready, not like this. But maybe I won't have another chance to see him. At least this version of him," you start. "I wanted to have my choices, to be finally free, to live, you know? But I won't be free, at least in my mind, if I let this opportunity pass. Maybe my last one."
"Gotcha." He smiles at you again. "Whatever it takes, we're a team, 'kay?"
Ben forms a fist bump for you, and you accept it.
"DOC!" Ben screams at Paradox on the Judge's stand. "WE'RE READY!"
Dr. Paradox nods at a distance. He talks again with Domstol and Starbeard for a minute and returns after what looks like intense talking.
"Greetings, Trixie. I hope you're ready because I can't request another break. Whatever happens, you will be out for the rest of the trial, understood?" He says nonchalantly, probably because of your… troubled relationship with him.
"I'm just glad you helped me after all," you respond, not in the right mind to keep bickering with him.
"Hm."
Paradox says nothing more as he takes his place at Ben's side.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The sound of the Judge's Gavel brings silence… mainly from Pond.
"The testimony of Azmuth, the Creator of Trixie, the Sentient A.I., and the Ultimatrix from both timelines has been delayed enough. May the Galvan come to the stand."
And with that, the trial restarts.
A creature appears l in a flash of light. It's a strange feeling knowing everything about someone but not simultaneously. You know you've been deactivated for a long time, but when you see him, it finally hits you.
His expression wasn't the same as before. Back then, he had a hopeful look on his face, probably looking forward to a goal of reaching out to something. You're still not sure what he saw when he gazed upon you. But now? He's got a cynical, bored look on his face as if he doesn't want to be here. And he probably doesn't.
His face… He looks so tired. Tired of everything.
Time truly passed.
He remains quiet while he settles down on a comically small chair. And then, he speaks.
"I prefer the term 'Greatest Mind in the Universe,' but, yes. I'm Azmuth."
Wow, I don't remember him being that arrogant.
"And how do you remember him?" Ben whispers.
Well, cruel and inconsequential, but not arrogant. Also, you don't need to whisper.
Oh yeah, right. Ben involuntarily apologizes.
"May the prosecution begin," Domstol allows the cross-examination to continue.
"Thank you, your honor." Starbeard comes closer to Azmuth's little chair. "For the Record, name, and occupation, witness."
"Domstol already said that. If the stenographer didn't write it down, it just shows the incompetence of this 'trial.'"
He… just said that… while making quotes… in front of every God of this universe. And he's still calm.
HAVE YOU BECOME MAD, OLD FART?!
You don't know if you should quit while you're ahead.
Ben shakes his head before responding.
Don't even think about that. We're good. If the little guy's that bold, Blackberry will lose his calm quickly, and Paradox will take him out.
At least now, you're calmer, but you can feel the tension in the air. It looks like Blackberry Bush is not as quiet after dealing with Pond, especially after she gave Starbeard such a stupid nickname.
Which is relatable.
"Please," he looks like he will explode until he forces himself down. "Refrain from personal opinions on the nature of the trial. And anybody can present you like a 'celebrity,' but we need confirmation of your 'presence.'"
You can't help but feel Starbeard trying to outplay Azmuth.
"Of course. You may need to draw as well to understand the bare minimum, then."
Azmuth clears his throat to shut Starbeard down again, signalizing that you can't outsmart the most intelligent being. "My name is Azmuth. I was born in Galvan Prime and am the Creator of the Omnitrix, not that freak of technology."
He points at… you.
Yeah. I expected it. You can't help but look away while Ben tries to comfort you.
"Arguably the smartest being in five galaxies, but now that my universe is broken, I may withstand the title of smartest being in my universe."
"T-thank you for your cooperation." Starbeard looks like he's in pain when said that. Owch. "You can state your relationship with the defendants."
"Of course," Azmuth agrees before staying quiet.
And he remains silent a while longer.
And…
Why is he not talking?
It seems Starbeard is thinking the same thing.
"Witness? Why aren't you talking?" Starbeard presses.
"Because I don't know Ben Tennyson. I do not have any kind of relationship with him."
"And the AI?"
"She's a defendant?" Azmuth genuinely questions. And you can't help but feel hopeful; after all, he's protecting your integrity?!
"And why, by your means, she wouldn't be?" Starbeard asks.
"That would incline that IT is a living being."
…what?
Oh, no. Trixie! Calm down, okay? You're going to be okay.
And you see, in Starbeard's face, that he's smirking. "So, tell me. Tell me about the day you created the Model Trix 10.0.1."
"Very well."
If you could see yourself, you can see that you're more transparent than ever. Maybe that's your equivalent of being pale?
"Ben," you call out.
"What is it, Trixie?"
"I know what Starbeard is going to do." You are afraid of even talking about your thinking process. But you need to. "We're debating whatever I am or not… a living being."
Ben is silent.
And Azmuth uses this moment to begin. "It's been about a millennium ago when I first worked on my magnum opus. The Omnitrix." He states. "From my personal problems, I got inspired in one of my worst moments. I wanted to redeem myself, and as a foolish youngling, wanted to bring understanding and empathy throughout the Universe." He finally says.
"What, then, is the purpose of the Omnitrix?" Starbeard asks.
What is… my purpose?
"Isn't that obvious? The Omnitrix isn't a weapon. The Omnitrix has several functions. The first." Azmuth brings one finger up. "Prevention of endangered species. The Omnitrix can store genetic material from endangered species from today or thousands of years beyond our own and change genetic material to match lost DNA or fix damaged DNA. And that's without explaining that the user can technically restore the species itself, though considering the user is a child, I would recommend against such functions."
I'm not a child!
"The second," Azmuth brings two fingers up. "A DNA vault. As a Scientist, having a document or a database about every single sentient species at their basic level of being could improve several species if they matted enough."
"And the third and the first one that I thought about?"
…
"Empathy."
"What?" Starbeard involuntary asks.
After all, Celestialsapiens are omnipotent, not omnipresent.
"Why would I bring, to reality, a device capable of turning its user into a different species?" Azmuth begins, just briefly losing his temper. "To look into someone else's eyes! To step into their shoes! And what does everyone else do? Turn it to see how they can harm others with it. How they can kill."
Azmuth slams his hands on the back of the small chair.
"And for that, you may call me cruel, but I gave up on this Universe." And he looks at you? "I may thank you for destroying my home."
I… I… D-dad.
"...dad."
"Hey! Don't you dare to say that about Trixie!" Ben almost screams at Azmuth but has some restraint.
"I'm talking about you, human."
"ENOUGH!" Domstol puts a stop to this. "I requested silence, and I will get it, Azmuth. Refrain from agitating the defendants!"
"Ahem!" Starbeard fakes a cough. "As I was beginning to say, what is the reasoning behind the creation of Model Trix 10.0.1?"
"I'm not an idiot," Azmuth says baffled. "I know the dangers of my creation. That's why I made extra steps to prevent… unconventional situations. But even with my intellect, I can't prevent everything, so my first idea was to create an adaptive AI during its use to help my overwork. I immediately scrapped the idea, as the possibility of creating a second sentient race was very likely. I deleted that specific Model and went on with my life. At least that's what I thought."
"What's the difference between an 'adaptive AI' and a Sentient race?"
"One is like a… fetus, and the other is a mature being. The best thing the adaptive AI can do when 'born' is 'blabbing' and force itself to understand the world. It needs time and experience, things it doesn't have when it is created."
"Do YOU consider Model Trix 10.0.1 as a sentient being?"
Please… say the good thing. I don't want to die, Dad.
"No," Azmuth says without care.
"No more questions, Your Honor."
Starbeard goes back to his position, leaving Ben incredibly confused
Okay, now explain. What the heck was that?
Ben, why am I in this trial?
Ben shrugs.
It's because I have legal rights as a sentient being! The ONLY thing worse than being here is NOT being in here!
Trixie, I'm tired. Please be direct.
IF I DON'T HAVE RIGHTS, I'M JUST A MACHINE!
You scream in his mind because the dumbass doesn't get it!
And if I'm just a machine, they can just destroy me!
Oh, man.
'Oh, man' indeed.
Paradox immediately gets up. We see him using that platform to float toward Azmuth, cleaning the dust out of his coat.
"Hello, Mister," the doctor says to Azmuth. "May I have a moment with you?"
"Do I have a choice?" the Galvan arches his eyebrow in confusion. "You're the one who kidnapped me from my timeline."
Paradox saved Azmuth.
"Not really, I'm sorry."
Azmuth sighs in annoyance.
"Don't be. At least I'm still conscious about my situation before dying. Now stop the courtesy and do your job."
The Professor makes a small laugh. "By all means."
"I may have overheard it, but you said you scrapped Model Trix 10.0.1, right?"
"Yes, it is true."
"Can you tell me the motive behind the action?" Paradox asks nonchalantly.
"It's been a thousand years ago. Forgive me if I can't remember every detail.
Can't remember my holographic ###.
"I'm no psychologist, but you said the Omnitrix was your magnum opus, right?" Paradox interrogates.
"Correct," the old genius said.
"And by the calculations, you're at the beginning of building the finished version, right?"
"...correct."
"When did you start the implementation of Model Trix 10.0.1?"
"..."
"When? Old friend?" Paradox smirks because he knows. He got him.
"In the beginning."
"Then, I think your mind is playing a trick on you," Paradox states.
"Objection, argumentative," Starbeard interrupts.
"Sustained. You may continue with this general area of discussion," Domisol rules.
"If the greatest mind in the universe, who can remember personal problems a millennium ago, can't remember details about the origins of his greatest invention while still dealing with its latest version, then truly the universe is doomed."
HECK YEAH! GET HIM! KICK HIM WHILE HE'S DOWN!
Wow, you can hold a grudge.
Azmuth is silent.
"Objection, leading the testimony. You don't have any proof that can attest to testimony's ability to remember specific scenarios or not." Starbeard says. "The Galvan mind is one of the few species we don't fully understand. I'd also like to move for contempt of court."
Domisol nods. "Objection…."
"Hold it," Azmuth says. "I want to answer that."
And Paradox is smirking.
"What!? Why?" Starbeard looks like someone pulled the rug behind his feet; worse, his wording is the cause.
"I must say that you aren't accountable if you choose not to answer that question, Azmuth," Domstol says.
"I know that. My mind isn't the same after some time, but you refreshed my memory, which I believe was the Professor's intent. He isn't a qualified lawyer, after all."
Refreshed my holographic ###.
You just said that!
Unpredictability, my holographic ###.
"I remember why I scrapped Model Trix 10.0.1. It was because of her configurations."
"Care to explain?"
"Its voice was hers."
My voice?
"Who?"
"Zennith," Azmuth's eyes become the same shade of fear as you remember for a brief moment. "The A.I.'s voice, for some reason, randomly chose to mimic her tone exactly."
"Why does her voice hurt so much?" Paradox asks with a bit of care.
"The Omnitrix wasn't my first invention," Azmuth hangs his head down. "In my youth, I witnessed something so pure. So powerful. A planetary alignment. Dozens of planets shimmer in a straight line, creating more than just piles of rock, gas, and chemical reactions. If you're young and innocent, something like that is the pinnacle of power and beauty. But when I saw those planets, do you know what I saw?"
Paradox nods.
"I saw a sword. Therefore, I created Ascalon. Tapping into the fabric of universe and reality, creating something more than just a sword… it was beautiful."
And then Azmuth lost that shine in his eyes again.
"Zennith tried to argue with me about the dangers of a weapon of that caliber, but I was young and irresponsible. When I was finally done, she was gone."
Paradox doesn't react. "Continue."
"Objection calls for a narrative," Starbeard desperately calls out. "Motion to strike from the record."
"He's still answering the question," Paradox counters.
"He could have broken it down into multiple questions."
"That was all the witness."
"Objection sustained," Domisol decides. "Though for the sake of efficiency, refusal to strike from the record."
Paradox groans. "What happened to Ascalon after that?"
"I did not care about it until it was too late," Azmuth hangs his head. "It was robbed. And the next time I heard about Ascalon… The Incursian's Homeworld was gone."
And at that moment, every being is silent, even Pond, who may have just felt something in the air and kept quiet.
"I retreated Ascalon and hid somewhere in the Universe, which isn't the point now."
"Do you think of Ascalon when you think of Zennith?"
"Every time I've remembered Zennith, I've remembered about that planet. She became the face of my failure. It's more than just being sad because 'boo, hoo, my girlfriend got away' is not an argument when the pressure of a whole world being gone is on my shoulders."
"If it helps, the incursion race is still alive and thriving."
"I know. As conquerors. My failure brought more pain in the universe, even after Ascalon."
Paradox brings a hand up. "But I still have a question."
"...do it."
"You said you made an Adaptive AI."
The genius nods.
"In your words: 'Is a fetus.' and the best case scenario when 'born' is 'blabbing and forcing itself to understand the world,' right?"
Azmuth nods again.
"Trixie used Zennith's voice. She talked, right?"
"..."
"Azmuth! Trixie used Zennith's voice! She talked in her voice. Isn't that right?"
"..."
"That doesn't look like an Adaptive AI to me at all. Is it to you?"
"Objection! Relevance?"
"Objection denied. Answer the question, Azmuth." Domstol stops Starbeard.
"...no. It doesn't."
HE CONFESSED!?
"If Trixie isn't an Adaptive AI, what is she?" Paradox presses further.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I don't know!"
"How?! Does the greatest mind IN THE UNIVERSE doesn't know about their magnum opus?!"
"It's been a mile -"
"We're already past that point, Azmuth. We stated that you remember creating Trixie, and we know you discarded her because of her voice; we just don't know WHAT. IS. SHE."
"I DON'T KNOW!"
Paradox stops.
"I… admit. I created the Omnitrix to be sentient. But it is in her programming to be sentient. Not… that."
"What do you mean?"
"I created Galvanic Mechamorphs by accident. But it gave me a lot to think about." He put his hand on his forehead. "About what is life and if I should replicate it." He looks over you. "I tried to replicate it on your ancestor: the Unitrix. That's when I got into a little trick I could do. Making the machine see DNA. It's memories, tastes, thoughts, everything. But it would be just a copy of the user, so I deemed Unitrix a failure, and for the next test, I used the Omnitrix."
"Can you clarify what happened in the second test?"
"Using the DNA scan, I gave the Omnitrix the same property of Unitrix, but only looking, not taking it as your own. Making comparisons between the watch and user." He explains. "And your basic functions were based on Galvanic Mechamorphs, and I think you got it really well since you morphed with another piece of technology."
Azmuth seems exasperated. "I… made something. But I don't know what. An inorganic lifeform? An artificial sentience? What are you?"
And… you don't know. You can't say anything.
But you're not alone.
"She's my partner!" Ben says at Azmuth! "And I don't care how you made her or if this is a failure! This just means that she's something new! Something interesting! Someone! And if someone is going to say otherwise, you can pass over my paradoxical body!"
"..." Azmuth looks at Ben… conflicted?
"ORDER! ORDER IN THE COURT!" Judge Domstol slams his gavel again. "Benjamin, if I see something like that again, you'll be escorted back to your world without second chances."
He finishes, and he looks at Paradox. "Continue."
"Very well." And Paradox peers at Azmuth again. "You programmed her to be sentient, right?"
"...yes. I at least it was my intention." He hardens his face once again. "But it doesn't mean she's a living being."
OW, COMMON! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?
"Why do you still think that?" Paradox says.
"I programmed her to protect the Omnitrix and its user." He looks at Ben. "And I see the Omnitrix with a user being protected."
"Hm. That's correct, but you wouldn't let the invention of your life get away like that. The Omnitrix has a speaker, a voice receptor, and a visual transmitter because if not, Trixie wouldn't be able to speak, hear and see, correct?"
"Correct." Azmuth nods.
"Why does a prototype without a sentient AI have speakers and voice receptors? And a visual transmitter?"
"Communications," your father says without a second thought.
"But why the visual transmitter? You mentioned three functions of the Omnitrix, and neither of them is communication; therefore, it wasn't in your mind at the time. So, why the visual receptor?"
"I…"
"Answer me this, Azmuth." He looks directly at the most brilliant mind in the Universe as if he was nothing. "Does Trixie have a way to send images to you?"
"..." He cleans his eyebrows and then looks at Paradox. "Yes."
The professor looks at Domstol. "I ask for this recording to be seen in court."
"You have any complaints, Prosecution?"
"I… don't have any, Your Honor."
Starbeard looks like he's going to explode with anxiety.
"Azmuth, we deem it necessary to bring those recordings to the trial. Therefore, it is in your power to get them." And Domstol looks over you. "We haven't established what you are. Still, we established something. You're not just a machine."
You swear Judge Domstol is smiling.
"Can we have permission to bring those recordings?"
What? He… I…
Breathe, Trixie. You can do it.
"Y-Yeah. Just do it fast." In an instant, you turn your head to hide your face, but… you can feel it.
You can feel your own tears.
Somehow… you're crying.
And this is amazing!
You quickly clean the tears you produced on the hologram and turn to see Azmuth getting down from his chair and coming at you. He takes his time, but he eventually gets close to you. He doesn't say a thing while he presses a button you didn't know you had.
"HEY, HEY! CALM DOWN WITH THOSE BUTTONS!"
You scream at his…. ears?
Huh, I never realized he didn't have ears before.
"Calm down, Omnitrix," Azmuth commands. "I'm creating an entrance in the watch to access those recordings… but it's weird knowing how to work with this and not simultaneously. In many respects, it is like working with a device crafted by another than one of my own."
You feel something opening. Your programming says it is just an entrance, but you can't deny you are… a bit violated.
Cutting the awkward silence between both of you, Ben speaks up. "So, you're Trixie's father, huh?"
And Azmuth coughs like he took a sip of some drink and went into the wrong hole.
"I'm not a father! I'm just… a creator."
"Oh, cut the damn God Complex for once, dad!" You say to his face, pointing at him. "For once, have the ####### responsibility for the #### you do!" And now, he's at your face, and you'll give him a piece of your mind.
"Do you know what the hell I got through!? My Dad tried to kill me; I've become just a failsafe on your stupid watch for A MILLENNIA; when I woke up, I discovered that a GALACTIC EMPEROR was after me!" And every single point, you make sure that he got it. "And I don't even want to spoil the surprise that my vision will bring! So, for once in your LIFE!"
You were livid with anger, but now? You've calmed down.
"Don't run. Please."
Your father just looks at you. And you can see… something in his eyes. But he turns his head down on your home and plugged something -
Wish to connect to the holographic screen?
Oh. Got it, yeah.
What? What is it?
And you realized that at least Ben can't hear your 'brain's instructions. Small mercies.
Nothing. I just got a notification, don't worry.
CONNECTING TO FULL SCREEN.
And you see several screens above this 'courtroom' about what you passed through. Azmuth makes some gestures and brings them all together, mixing them into a cohesive timeline. And the first one is… your birth.
And what you feel the most is that… it isn't you. It's weird. That's how living beings feel about seeing themselves? It's like you, but different.
You see yourself being shut down and struggling since day one.
You hear Vilgax's voice… which sounds less ominous on the grand scale of everything you've been through.
But when you see Ben, he looks damn afraid, so. You do the same thing he did for you.
Hey, breathe, Ben. I'm here for you, okay?
And he just nods at you, smiling.
You see… the choice of your life. Getting away.
"Azmuth. Pause the screen." Professor says, and as told, he pauses it. "There. Your proof."
"Which proof?" your father says.
"Proof that Trixie didn't follow your programming; she's running from a user. That's proof that Trixie is more than your code."
Paradox peers at Judge Domstol. "I end my case."
Immediately, Starbeard goes to talk with the Judge right after that.
"What is he doing, Professor?" Ben asks for you two, probably because you got curious about that.
I need to get you out of most of my thoughts.
Heh. You should.
"If I'm right, I haven't got it wrong yet, then everything is going according to plan," the Professor explains.
"You literally brought us to my past instead of Prime Ben's."
"He's going to ask for a timeout," Paradox ignores Ben.
And he was right.
"This trial will be on hold for 10 minutes until both the parties are ready for the last testimony." Judge Domstol claps his gavel on the desk.
Almost immediately, Starbeard goes towards you three.
"Greetings, Mortals and Paradox."
Paradox just makes that fake smile at Starbeard. "Hello, my rival. How are you doing?"
Starbeard looks like he's going to explode at any moment.
"I'm not here for small talk. I'm proposing an agreement between both parties."
"Oh, which type of agreement?" Professor leans a bit.
"I… You already pledged 'guilty' for the accusations, and now that we have a full recording of the events from Model Trix 10.0.1, it's evident that they won't get off without any type of punishment. What I'm proposing is a light sentence."
"Oh. I would love to discuss that with you." And he looks at both of you. "You two stay here, and Ben?"
"Say it, dude."
"Take care of your sister, for Contumelia's sake." Paradox sighs while heading off with Starbeard for more private negotiations.
You two look over Pond, who, FOR SOME REASON, is picking fights WITH THE ENTIRE JURY!?
Ben immediately starts running toward his sister. "Pond! Come on! You can't bite their legs!"
"Yeah! Go for their balls, girl!" you scream, saying the whole truth.
"Trixie! You're not HELPING!"
Ben has many bite marks after the near-doom that would come if Pond somehow found a way to kill a Celestialsapien. You aren't fairing much better than your user, as if you got caught in a fight between two wild animals.
"Why do I look like this?! I'm literally a hologram!" you question aloud.
"At least it's just visual. Pond, do you have rabies?" Ben asks, looking at his sister.
"I lost my Rabbits at home, why?" Pond asks, still anxious.
Ben groans.
"Trixie, can you remind me to get my vaccines at home?"
"Yeah."
At that moment, you see Paradox and Starbeard leaving the room. Paradox smiling very clearly, while Starbeard has an air of defeat surrounding him.
"I don't know what he did, but I think it's good, right?" Ben voices, almost begging.
"Maybe, but it's funny seeing that face ### of his!" Pond brilliantly laughs.
You roll your eyes. "Shouldn't you go back to your place?"
"Nah, I got a feeling that I won't get any more nuts. Shoot."
You bring your 'eyes' to where Pond points to see a Celestialsapien with a food chain uniform drawing their finger over their throat.
"Yikes."
You turn around to see Paradox coming to you three. "Greetings."
"So, who's the last witness?" you question the man.
"None."
"WHAT!?"
You almost fade out of existence from shock.
BAM, BAM, BAM!
The Judge's gavel claps three times.
"Aham. Both parties reached a settlement agreement. The conclusion doesn't need a jury since your representative already claimed guilt for you three."
You know what will happen, but you can't help but feel your heart weighing down.
It's like seeing a video of a car crash. You know the results but can't help in any way possible because…
It already happened.
"Now, for the sentence." He starts reading his own piece of paper. "To isolate the paradox, not to extend it to another timeline, and to protect it from outsiders, Trixie and Benjamin will NOT return to their original universe."
EXCUSE-ME WHAT!?
I! I-I can't be away from my family! Mom and Dad, Grandpa! Julie… they are just going to die?!
"And to not include another universe into their mess, they will be sent to a near identical copy universe of their own," Domstol explains. "While the Celestosapiens lack the power to create wholly new universes, they can do this."
"Consider it my treat," Starbeard looks at you three. "My original plan was to erase every single one of you anomalies, but the Guilty plea was a smart choice, mortals," he says, annoyed.
"Oh, shut up, the only one we can praise is our attorney, not you; excuse for a half-assed prosecution," you insult the man.
"Enough! How dare you mock me in such a manner! I'm a GOD!"
"Well, how would you like to mock you, then? I take requests."
BAM!
Judge caps his gavel once again. "Stop this bickering, RIGHT NOW." he breathes before continuing.
Pond raises her hand. "What about me? You can't separate me from my Bro!"
"You'll be going with them, considering your involvement with the anomalies," Domsol clarifies. "As I was saying. Because this universe is a copy universe, they also have a copy of all of you." Judge says, pointing at you three. "To not inflict any more pain into this complex and RIDICULOUS enigma that is this wibbly wobbly timey whimsy of time, you three WILL have to change your DNA."
"What!?" Ben says, enraged enough.
"I'll not survive this trial to become another person! I'm me, and that's final!"
"Ben," Paradox calls your master's attention. "You're going to be the same."
"Explain."
"My agreement included changing your DNA like you changed Pond's DNA. It is not killing you. And such changes WILL be close to a minimum." The living paradox explains. "You know that the human genome is too complex typically, but with the Ultimatrix, you can make various minor changes. And while your DNA is the basis for humans in the Omnitrix, the watch stores the DNA of all the Plumbers for informational and identification purposes, even if it can't be accessed by the old model. It's how Trixie could be programmed to find Max Tennyson, even if Trixie disobeyed that command. But with the upgrades you performed to the watch, you should be able to use those to edit your DNA with a bit of Celestosapien support. "
Paradox scratches his chin.
"For example, you can change your melanin if you wish. You could be born Afro-American or Asian, Or you could be blond, like your mother. Or something even more different if you wished; I'm sure the Omnitrix has a gender transformation locked in it."
It obviously does. The watch was intended to revive extinct….
Please don't finish that statement.
Paradox tries to get the point across, but Ben is still scared.
"Kid!"
You look at where the voice is, and… you see your father?!
"Azmuth?" Ben asks back.
"I don't do charity. Not even close to it, but!" Azmuth points at him. "I may not help you right now, but. If you find a copy of me, fill me in on everything. The paradox, the 'universe ending' shenanigan, all of it. And give me this."
Your father hands something to Ben that you can't see.
"I'll listen. And maybe you can fix this whole mess of yours."
He turns at you.
"I'll unlock the customization option of the Omnitrix. I don't know how it will affect this tech mess, but it may help your journey."
And he… pushes your buttons again.
"Customization Unlocked. Please put your requests."
Your mouth talked without your consent?! And in 'brain's robotic voice?!
"Okay… this was weird."
You hear Ben snickering at you.
"I'LL CHANGE YOU INTO A GIRL IF YOU LAUGH AT ME AGAIN!"
"Ooh," Pond giggles. "Brother will be a sister?"
Ben shut his mouth.
"HAHA! That scared you, bro?! I've been a girl my whole life and just got out fine!"
Pond picks her teeth until she finds a piece of peanut. "Oh! Mine!" She throws it right back in her mouth.
…
Let's not speak about that.
Agreed.
"Heh, you're a bunch," Azmuth laughs a little. "Benjamin."
"Yeah?"
"Take… care of her. If someone can find out what she is, maybe it's you." He goes away until Ben screams.
"Don't need to! I've already told you!" And he does a fist-pump at you. "She's my partner."
"Damn, yeah, I am."
And for a small moment, you see Azmuth smiling at you two. Until he turns back to the white room, probably waiting to be sent back to his universe, waiting for the inevitable doom of the multiverse around him.
Goodbye… dad.
And the door closes.
Probably for the last time…
"I think it's time, Benjamin, Trixie, and… Pond?" Paradox says, confused.
Pond just looks back at Paradox, who is still eating the peanut. "What?"
"What do you want to do?" He honestly asks. "The trial was on behalf of Ben and Trixie; you don't have to be part of it. I can represent you if you want Judge Domisol to reverse the ruling as it applies to you."
"Well, my pack is gone, my old friends are scared for life because of me, no one REALLY trusts me anymore besides Ben and Little Girl." Pond picks her ear. "So, anywhere they go? I'll go as well."
And she put her arm above Ben's shoulder. "They are my Pack now, and no one will separate us ever again." And she shows Paradox a big smile.
"Very well." And he looks at Ben once again. "You may choose whatever you want. Just keep in mind that as part of this, the Celesosapiens intend to change reality to match your body. The more you change, the less likely you'll be a Tennyson, adopted or otherwise. Yet… if you change more of your own violation, perhaps you'll be rewarded for such a risk. The comfort of familiarity or the discomfort of changing everything. The choice is yours."
Paradox starts to turn back to the white room. "I'll do my job and give you teens some privacy. I'll send your regards, Trixie. Farewell."
And the white room closes once again.
"Well, now what?" you ask.
"Honestly, I don't know," your user says. "What should I do when you need to change who you are to NOT be erased from existence?"
"Ahem!" Starbeard calls your attention. "Can I give you three tips on what you should do?"
"No. Now get out," you say without a second thought.
"Heh, you don't get it, thing."
"You called me WHAT?!"
Oh, I'm SO going to ####### #### that ############!
Jesus! Trixie, wait a moment!
Are you INSANE? Did you hear what he said about me?!
Of course, I did! That's why I'm going to listen.
What?!
He's desperate. He sees us as inferior but gets at us of his own volition to tell us something? We need to know why. And honestly, I need something to think about besides… this.
…Fine. But make it quick; I won't help you with this.
"You know what? I'll not even use my voice on you. You don't deserve it."
"And before you think about talking with us again, at least use my partner's preferred pronouns," Ben glares at Starbeard. "Her pronouns are she/her. Got it?"
"..."
He looks more defeated than usual. "Don't worry, I won't make a mistake like that again. But, you three got an opportunity that few beings in this universe can have." He leans toward you guys. "You can have a Celestialsapien's favor."
What?
"Let me say it more clearly. You could play the bare minimum, and you would be fine. Change a single strand of hair and see if I care, but if you help me… I could help you."
"..."
Ben is silent.
"I don't know. Maybe that watch needs more firepower? Maybe you need an easier time in your copy universe without, let's see, an evil intergalactic conqueror? I am the prosecutor. I'll be helping in the creation of the universe. Judge Domisol and every other jury member present will be there to explain your changes. But that's on your hands."
He shrugs.
"I hope you three do the right thing. For the multiverse's sake."
With his piece said, Starbeard departs, leaving you three behind.
"That's… not a bad deal," Ben admits.
"WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" You scream once again in his ear. "The dude tried to kill us ever since we got HERE, and now you want to help him, at your cost?!"
"I know I don't know about a lot, but that looks pretty dumb, blind bro," Pond gives her two thoughts on the matter.
"Look, we need every single ally we can get. In that world, we are complete strangers. Maybe not even in my family! We would be just by ourselves, and dealing with Vilgax or Eon isn't exactly going to help us fix the Multiverse." He begins. "And worse, I lack the knowledge of what threats exist around us. No matter what, my goal is to find a way to reverse the damage we caused, and the more distractions that exist, the more struggles we'll have doing that."
Ben takes a deep breath. "But that isn't all. He's not a bad person."
"WHAT?!"
"Calm DOWN, you two! Listen. He has a job, one that could easily kill ALL of us. But without him, we wouldn't have a trial to begin. And knowing or not, we did wrong to the whole Multiverse. We were the villains in his eyes. And he may be right? Maybe the Universe doesn't need one more Ben; maybe it needs someone else? Because the three of us together are more than just… Benjamin Kirby Tennyson."
He tried to calm you two down, but you can understand him. He doesn't want to change at all, and he's scared nonetheless, but he feels like he has the…
Responsibility.
You stay quiet. Because Ben is as stubborn as you.
And it would be hard to convince him… but maybe he could hear you.
"Ben," you start. "Think with me, please."
He… nods at you.
What is it?
You don't have to do that.
Trixie, I already told you two…
And that's why you don't have to do this alone! I'll not lose ANYTHING!
What?
I'm still just the Ultimatrix. I was born because of your DNA, but that doesn't mean I will change If your DNA changes. I'm the watch. You're the host. I might be a girl, but that doesn't mean you'd have to be one for my sake because you're the one who would most deal with that burden. I'll get out scott-free. Even though I was the one who caused this.
You haven't done anything, Trixie.
I choose to escape from you in the past. I made you powerless. I fused the Omnitrix meant for your younger self. I agreed with the stupid choice of transforming you into an animal. You almost killed because of me. If I was a second too late or hesitated to turn you back… you would change so much because of me. More than you already changed!
I did not change! I'm still Ben!
Ben, we met Pond a few hours ago, and you call her sister. And I know how you think well enough to know it's more than a pet name and that you still think of us three as a pack.
…
See? This isn't normal. We… aren't normal. Don't change so much that you lose what you already are.
…
Promise me.
I… promise.
And you smirk at him.
"But we still need a bare minimum, at least," he says out loud.
"Seriously?!" you say to his face!
"Calm down! I have my limits as well," he says indignantly. "I'll not be anything besides a Tennyson."
"Seriously?" Pond says. "But you already have me! I'm not enough as your family?" And… she makes a sad dog face too cute for her.
How does she make me mad at some points and make me want to have a physical body to hug her at others?! At the SAME TIME?!
"You're always going to be my sis, Pond. But you remember what I said about being alone in this new Universe?"
She nods.
"We don't need to! I can present you to my parents! To Grandpa Max! Even… to Gwen. For some reason, I feel that you two will love or hate each other." He laughs a little. "But your Pack doesn't need to be so little. You can have so much more than just us."
"...your. Y-your mom." She starts to speak like a kid that she probably is. "She's… nice? She hasn't got to the stars yet, right?"
"No, Pond. She'll stay with us for a long time." And he smiles while hugging Pond.
And she retributes the hug as well.
It's nice.
And when he leaves the hug, he continues. "Okay, so. Another point I want to make across… Maybe stick to a human?" he shrugs.
"Are you sure? That's actually not a bad idea if we want to suck on Starbeard's feet." You tell him. "You actually have some Anodite DNA on you."
"WHAT THE HECK?! I'm part Alien?!" Ben asks, confused.
"Yeah? I thought you already knew?"
"Not everyone can read DNA like a newspaper, Trixie!" He exclaims.
"Well, you'd still be a Tennyson biologically if we made you an Anodite. But I'm unsure what would happen to an Anodite with the watch," you admit. "While you have the spark, that spark isn't technically DNA. Anodites are pure energy. There isn't DNA to change. At least until they can create a second 'skin' with their abilities."
"I see. I don't… really know what those are still."
"Well, if you don't want Anodite, we could use some humanoid alien lifeform on the Omnitrix?" You tell him. "After… dad's help. He unlocked most of the DNA for only customization. I can select some for you, but it's your choice. Your grandfather could probably adopt you if you were an alien."
"Well, it's not like it's a big deal, now that I'm actually PART alien, but I would like to stay human," Ben explains. "There has to be a way to get Starbeard's favor while still being with my family."
"Probably, but it would be much harder," you continue. "Well, we could change your gender? Again, the customization option IS there, and Pond and I could help you with that."
"...honestly, that's not the worst option out of all you said," he answers honestly. "If we only change that, I could just be my twin, or triplet, with Pond, right?"
"Fair," you respond. "We could… age you? Or regress your age."
"Wait, seriously?!"
"DNA is powerful, Ben. I thought you knew that." You state. "When you transform with the Omnitrix, you turn into a Prime version of that species, regardless of the user's age. It's how your ten-year-old version could fight. Most alien species are like humans. Some age even slower. Azmuth did it to ensure the user would be physically old enough to turn back manually, in case the time limit ever failed for a user like Prime Ben."
"I see."
"Maybe changing to an adult? You'd have freedom, not bound to anyone, but it comes with obvious responsibility. Perhaps you could regress? If we go to the copy, the Ben that exists there would be ten years old. So if you wanted your triplet's idea, you and Pond must be ten."
"I can have another bro?! This looks AMAZING ALREADY!" Pond says excitedly.
"Maybe… put a hold on that for now, Ben pleads. "It's hurting my head to think about how this can work."
"You could also go even younger. Being a young child, especially if you were an alien, would be a massive advantage to give you time to assimilate to your new life. And even as humans, it would be a real second chance to get to know your new family or place in it. I'm sure Pond could benefit from a proper human childhood, assuming you don't change her back."
"Okay, last but not least important. Could we bring… some external genes? The watch is very packed, you know?"
"Like… aliens? Yeah, you said that."
"Nah! I mean, do you remember what Paradox said? We have an international catalog of human DNA! We have South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, and Egypt! And that's just a few in Africa! We have France, Índia, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, México, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Germany… All of those samples. And this isn't even HALF of all the countries I got! THIS IS A SCIENTIST'S DREAM!"
"Okay! I got it, I got it! But what does it have to do with anything?"
"Well, now that I looked into your genes, maybe we can bring some of theirs? It's honestly a pretty easy choice and very easy to do. Probably the least drastic choice we have." You explain with a smile. "I have a feeling if you get a few changes in your genes, you can change yourself greatly!"
"That's… not a bad idea! I don't care about my appearance, and this looks very cool!"
"Still, it's not perfect," you admit. "Changing your DNA like this would almost certainly remove you from the Tennyson bloodline. You could probably get yourself adopted, like you could as an alien, but… I think the Celestosapiens would only be impressed with this if you weren't attached to the Tennysons. I'm unsure if this alone would satisfy the sentence, and I don't know if we should leave things to chance. Else, they change something at random on us."
Ben smiles at you. "So, partner? What do you think?"
"What?! Me?" you ask him.
"Yeah! I want to see what you think; after all, you're my partner! This is your body too.".
You try to make your thoughts yours again, and you can feel it.
A temporary defense for at least a bit of privacy.
"Take your time; I trust you, okay?"
"But what if I decide you can't be a Tennyson."
Ben grimaces. "I really don't want to do that. My family is the most important to me. I'd rather be a wolf with Pond again than lose my pack."
"That's not an option," you put your foot down. "If I make you a species that lacks sentience, you will surely lose your sentience."
Pond shuffles her feet. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I think… I've decided… that I can't decide."
"Meaning?" Ben interrogates.
"I lived my whole life as a wolf. I was happy as a wolf. But… if I'm a wolf, I'll lose this… ability to think? Sure, I love walking on four legs. It's so much more comfortable. And I miss my tail. And sense of smell. But humanity is incredible, too. I could… I would be content as a wolf, a human, or whatever else you made me. I just want to be with Ben. He's my pack now."
"You're mine."
The two siblings hug it out before starting to talk. Ben implicitly leaves the decision up to you, even if his preference is clear. From what pieces you pick up, they talk about Ben's family, and Ben's happy to tell her about everything. Pond just looks amazed to see the concept of family, the poor girl.
Well… this is it, huh?
What should we do? I know we need to change, but that doesn't mean being an entirely different person. No. We got off easy, thanks to Paradox.
We could make a slight change here and there, make Ben blond and American-Irish, and call it a day… hopefully? But… I doubt we're getting off that easy, or they just would've sent us to the copy world with no changes other than a new identity.
We also need to take account of Blackberry Bush's deal. But how much can we give before he's satisfied? And how much is Ben capable of giving before he isn't… Ben?
What could a teenager that passed puberty as a male would do when changing his gender? I have to take account of gender dysphoria, maybe. Or maybe not, and he can accept his new situation? Perhaps if I regress Ben before puberty, it would be easier for him to handle it? Reliving his life as a girl should eliminate that.
Speaking of his age… how can an Adult function with the brain of a Teen? The same as a child, he could be the strange kid, isolated and sad except for his family, Pond, and me, until he gets back to sixteen? Or would he manage this better than being an adult? Being a mature child is probably easier than being an immature adult, especially since Ben does have his bouts of immaturity.
Also, there's a difference between an adult who is 40 years old or 21. Which age should he be, even by that logic?
Even as a different race, that could mean a ton of things! We can narrow the options to sentient aliens, but this only relates to some of the other options combined! Aliens age differently! The tetramands have a matriarchy, while other species treat women differently! Some aliens don't age that much, while others are almost immortal!
And… we have to make it clear. Should Ben even be part of the Tennyson family? Should I suggest it, or would it hurt our relationship that much? They… look like they want a family, but it's too limiting. Why should we be on Earth?! Choosing a different species and not being a Tennyson could bring us freedom from Vilgax and even get that firepower that Blackberry Bush said about. I'm confident it would take changing almost everything about Ben besides being part of his family to get that favor. It's just that limiting.
I need to think about Pond as well. Would she be the same age as Ben? While she's coming with us, and she'll probably be Ben's family no matter what, I don't have control over that. It will be whatever the Celestosapiens think best.
Ben only listens to me because of what happened in the forest. He sees me as the pack leader. It's why it was so easy for him to accept me as his partner afterward, whereas our relationship was more rocky before.
I'm no psychologist, but that dependence on me isn't typical. You need to hear more than just another person on what you should change about yourself! I wanted to state some options for him, not make them! Yet if I try forcing him to make the choice himself, with all the stress, sleep deprivation, and his head not being screwed on quite right now, he'll probably pass the choice off on someone else rather than doing what he wants.
But maybe if I convince him, he'll stand down about my decisions for him? In the wild, what the pack leader says is best. I have a lot of leverage here as long as I respect Ben's wishes by meeting them logically.
For Contumelia's sake… this IS hard! Am I really thinking about taking advantage of Ben for our self-interest?
But I need to help my partner, and he needs my help.
I will NOT #### this up.
I swear.
Quickly putting together an algorithm, you start figuring out how to proceed.
From Ray:
And now… the choice that WILL change everything. We know this IS the choice that will dictate the rest of this story and is basically what this route, from when you ended up with No-Watch Ben, was always envisioned to be.
And that's why we took so long to bring it to ALL of you.
From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry for all the fans of this story. As a newbie writer, I got scared of what this would bring. Even with 404 as a co-writer, this story was written mainly by Anon and me, with 404 serving primarily as editor and helping in the writer's room for ideas. Even if Anon dropped the story, he brought all of us together with this same idea. Thank you for your help, bro.
And if someone is still reading this… let me explain THIS CHOICE!
We made a whole system to make you! Yeah! You! You can choose how this Ben will be!
We have pretty basic rules.
First,
You have 10 custom points based on your relationship with Ben throughout the prologue. You can use them to customize him as much as you like. You don't need to use them all. You only should spend as much as you wish to change about Ben. We won't tell you how much you need to change to get the bonus award. However, we promise that if you spend all 10 points, you will, in fact, get that reward. Basically, anything less is gambling. Basically, if you don't pay enough, you will be punished. You won't get the reward if you spend enough but don't meet a certain amount.
Second:
The system has a point priority based on Ben's preferences and your choices.
Ethnicity costs one point for each one YOU choose. You have a limit of two different Ethnicities besides American. Choose to stay American or be a half American, half another one. You'll only pay for the extra Ethnicity. By default, being American means you are by blood-related to the Tennyson's unless you choose not to be. The specific options don't matter; be free to say any country of choice! Or boil it down to race. The only thing that matters is that it is clear.
OBS: Due to the nature of the Species choice, you can't be a complete alien and still spend points on this choice. As a Hybrid, you can, but only one ethnicity.
Age costs two points for what age you choose differently from Ben's. Choosing Teenager means no use of points. The different ages will affect Pond's human age, typically to the most convenient age for her to be for your age, or potentially up to a later choice. Different ages might also give you additional benefits outside of points.
Options:
Toddler Ben
Kid Ben
Teenager Ben
Young Adult Ben
Adult Ben
Elderly Ben
Sex costs three points if you choose Ben to be a girl (unless your species is sexless or can change at will, which lowers the price to one). Or not! It's your choice.
Species cost two points for half-species Ben will have besides Humans and Anodites since both are part of his DNA. Upgrading to a full Anodite will only cost you two points.
Swapping out your Anodite half for another alien will cost two points, and being a total alien costs four points. You can also be a hybrid between two alien species besides humans, but that will cost you four points. In short, as a human hybrid, you will only pay for the race besides humans. And if you choose to be full Anodite, it will cost you half the price since the DNA is already there. Any completely non-human Ben besides Anodite Ben will cost you four points, even for hybrids. A breakdown is as follows:
No Changes (Half Human, Half Anodite) = 0 Points Spent
Full Anodite Ben = 2 Points
Human Hybrid (Half Human, Have Any Species Besides Anodite) = 2 Points
Full Alien = 4 Points
Alien Hybrid (Half One Species, Half Another) = 4 Points
Options:
Anodites (2 Points)
Uxorites
Petrosapiens
Galvans
Dormian Hogs (Argit's species)
Incurseans
Chimera Sui Generis
Highbreeds
Kraaho
Tetramands
Human
Custom (It needs to be humanoid and sentient.)
OBS: Sexless species, like Anodites and Highbreeds, give the Sex choice less because it will only affect your past, not your present. AKA, your gender rather than sex.
And lastly, Heritage. That one has only one option: yes or no. If you wish to be in the Tennyson Family. Removing Ben from the Tennyson family will depend on how much you change. Ben's philosophy here is going to be simple. The more you change about his life, the more willing he will be to try something new. If Ben is removed from his family without changing ethnicity or species, you will spend five points, as you'll still be in America. Ben will see no reason to change.
If Ben had to be adopted, then you would spend four points on changing it, as you would have a completely different upbringing otherwise, probably not even in America if not adopted. This is the exact cost for specially Anodite not being related since… his grandmother is right there. Even if he's on another planet, he's got family and can visit them.
It would cost you three points if Ben is non-human, meaning Ben wouldn't even be from Earth. It's an all-in mentality here from Ben. He knows that asking the Celestosapiens to be a Tennyson when he's an alien, besides an Anodite, is hard. He gets it would cause complications.
Ironically, this will be viewed the opposite way by the Celestosapiens in their grading of Ben's changes, primarily for being drastically different and saving them a headache.
Third:
Thanks to your choices, you've been found Guilty. Thanks to that, you must make a minimum of options to leave this choice. If you fail to meet that standard, you'll be in trouble and lose the power over your destiny.
Also, thanks for your choices. The minimum you must spend is the lowest possible amount for any scenario. Choosing Paradox as your Attorney gave you the minimum limit to pass and the lowest required to get the reward from Starbeard. Congratulations!
Fourth:
Ben is not an extension of Trixie. What you guys choose is a suggestion, nothing more, nothing less. That's why you have a limit of ten points, even though you could obviously do more if that cap wasn't placed on you. If the winning choice is a customization that will change Ben so much that he isn't himself, he can and WILL refuse. For the most part, this means spending more than ten points, but there are some exceptions, which are highly dependent on what you do with Pond and other clues in the last two chapters.
Maintain that in mind.
Fifth:
Lastly, this is your chance to influence Pond's decision. You will not have direct control over who Pond becomes. She will stay with Ben no matter what. The question here is what form should she generally be to Ben. There are two choices here: Family or Pet.
Picking Family means Pond will be sentient and, typically, biologically related to Ben. This version of her will retain her memories of the prologue, and she will be most helpful to you moving forward. However, this means you'll have to manage her relationship with you and Ben since she is her own person with her own goals, which will change depending on various factors (besides protecting Ben). Her form's specifics depend on other factors, such as Ben's Species (which can affect combat capabilities) and Age (however, some versions of Ben will give you the choice for this next chapter).
Picking Pet means that Pond will forget the events of the Prologue for the most part, other than knowing Ben is part of her pack. She will still be loyal to Ben, as she is no longer capable of independent thinking besides protecting the pack. However, she'd obviously be less to manage moving forward. Furthermore, based on Ben's Species, Pond will be a dog or whatever is most fitting (assuming later choices don't influence this slightly, but not enough to change her role from Pet).
Do remember that Ben's personal preference is family, and he will view her as such, even if she's a pet. It adds a layer of complication to this entire situation. Both options are equally viable, and both have their own boons and banes. Just remember that Pet Pond has a 'price' and can affect Ben's perception of self.
Sixth:
Go crazy! Or don't! Make alliances or don't! Ben is going to become Theseus's ship? Or is he staying the same heroic teen we all know and love? Will you take Starbeard's tip and spend ALL of the points? Or flipping the bird at his proposal and spending no points?
The Game is On!
(OBS: Name your Ben in the comments to help others to vote with you. It doesn't have to be the actual name; it's more of a passcode. We will probably give more than a day for this vote just to ensure everyone doesn't have to feel stressed.)
Decision Point #1: Who Is Your 'Ben'? (Upwards of 10 Points To Spend)
See Above or Ask Us For Clarification Either In the Comments Or on Discord. Any Created Ben's Will Be Added Here For Ease Of Voting.
A - No Changes
B - Make Ben Decide
C - ? (TBD)
Decision Point #2: Who Is Your Pond?
A - Family
B - Pet