Digital Nexus Book 3: The Ben 10 Code

Chapter 3: Training Session 2 and The Krakken.

Xoruxshy: Okay, Ben, you've had a good 2 days of rest. Now it's time to continue training. This time, I want you to use Diamondhead. I'm going to use Ivysaur. Nicole, activate the ID Create feature.

Nicole Zwei: Identification Dungeon Created. Accessing Dungeon… Welcome to the Castle of Twilight Hearts! Here you will fight Soldier Heartless and their leader, the Guard Armor.

Xoruxshy: Okay. And Ben, you'll be able to understand me now due to the TARDIS translation feature now having the data on Bulbasaur's species and speech patterns. That took me a whole night.

Castle of Twilight Hearts - Floor 1: Courtyard of Whispers

Entering into the Courtyard of Whispers, the pair come across 2 Soldier Heartless in the form of topiaries, before they suddenly turn into real Soldier Heartless.

Xoruxshy: Ben, this is your first battle with an Emblem Heartless. These ones tend to be more dangerous.

Ben: Got it. (Transforms into Diamondhead while Xoruxshy transforms into Ivysaur) Take this! Crystal Punch! (Punches the Heartless causing it to ricochet off a barrier before being dazed) Huh? It didn't go poof instantly?

Xoruxshy: These ones are also stronger than Pureblood Shadows. Tackle! (Dashes forward and tackles the Soldier into a barrier, knocking it onto its back before getting back up again)

Ben: Well, that makes sense. Crystal Punch! (Destroys the Soldier he attacked before, causing a digital representation of a Heart to be released)

Xoruxshy: Vine Whip! (Wraps her vines around the Soldier before flinging it into another barrier, this time destroying it with the sound of armor shattering) Let's move on.

Ben: I have a question. Why is it that the Omnitrixes don't time-out in here?

Xoruxshy: That's because I asked Nicole to bypass the Time-Out Function while also putting limits as to how much the Master Control can affect your mental state. Better put, the longer you stay in a form past the time limit without the mental restraints, the more you become that species, to the point where you won't want to return to being human.

Ben: (shudders) Oh.

Xoruxshy: Anyway, Nicole, how's the grind going?

Nicole Zwei: 60 EXP gained! 10 Additional EXP for Wave Clear!

Ivysaur EXP = 150

Diamondhead EXP = 70 180 from previous training session = 250!

Diamondhead has learned Crystal Shards and Diamond Blade!

Diamondhead EXP remaining = 50

Ben is now Level 18!

(The pair head further into the courtyard finding 3 Soldiers disguised as topiaries, before shaking off the leaves with one comically spitting out a leaf)

Diamondhead: Crystal Shards! (Hits all 3 Soldiers causing them to flinch) You're up, Xoruxshy!

Ivysaur: Vine Whip! (Hits one of the 3 Soldiers destroying it)

Diamondhead: Time to finish them off! Diamond Blade! (The 2 remaining Soldiers are sliced in two mid-attack)

Nicole Zwei: 90 EXP Gained! Additional 10 EXP for Wave Cleared!

Ivysaur leveled up to Level 26!

Ivysaur leftover EXP: 50

Diamondhead leveled up to Level 4! Unlocked Crystal Spikes!

Diamondhead leftover EXP: 50

Ben is now level 19!

The two heroes move forward to the entrance of the castle proper, where they see some broken pillars. Suddenly they hear the clanging of the Soldier Heartless's helmets, before they are jumped by 2 Soldier Heartless who Tornado Kick them, scratching them slightly.

Diamondhead: Alright, that's it. Crystal Spikes! (Forms a wave of crystals, bashing one of the Soldiers into the giant wooden doors of the castle, causing it to splinter and for the Heartless to ricochet back into the spikes, causing the Heartless to be defeated)

Ivysaur: Nice idea Ben! Seed Bomb! (Blasts the remaining Soldier Heartless with a seed enlarged by Grass Energy causing it to destroy the Heartless and the doors)

Nicole Zwei: 60 EXP Gained! 10 Additional EXP for Clearing Wave! 20 Additional EXP for Clearing Floor!

Ivysaur EXP: 140

Diamondhead Leveled Up! Unlocked Crystal Shield!

Diamondhead EXP: 40

Ben is now Level 20!

Floor 2: Halls of Echoes

Entering the castle, they emerge into a hall with a single purple-and-black tiled hallway with an endless void to either side, with echoes of clanging metal off in the distance.

(3 Soldier Heartless appear out of nowhere)

Diamondhead: Crystal Shield! (Bashes the shield against one of the Soldiers, causing it to explode in a cloud of darkness)

Ivysaur: Take Down! (Destroys a Soldier by crashing into it)

(The remaining Soldier attacks the two, only managing to scratch Xoruxshy)

Diamondhead: Crystal Punch! (Punches the remaining Soldier into oblivion)

100 EXP Gained!

Ivysaur leveled to 27! 160 EXP to the next level.

Diamondhead leveled to 6! Crystal Barrage unlocked! 60 EXP to the next level.

This went on for three more waves, consisting of 4, then 3, then 5 Soldier Heartless.

Nicole Zwei: 650 EXP Gained!

Ivysaur leveled to 30! 110 EXP to the next level.

Diamondhead leveled to 11! Diamond Kick, Crystal Wall, Crystal Throw, Diamond Hammer, and Crystal Burst unlocked! 110 EXP to the next level!

Upon arriving on the 3rd Floor, two more Soldier Heartless appear before being promptly thrown to the side and destroyed by Xoruxshy and Ben. Suddenly a clock tower bell rings from out of nowhere as a giant suit of armor falls down in front of them before reassembling into the Boss Heartless known as Guard Armor.

Ivysaur: This is the leader of the Soldier Heartless, known as Guard Armor.

Diamondhead: That's a big Heartless.

Ivysaur: Trust me, they get bigger.

Diamondhead: I'll take your word for it.

The battle begins as the doors behind them slam closed. The Guard Armor takes the initiative by walking forward and smacking Diamondhead with its Right Gauntlet, before said appendage is yanked by Ivysaur's Vine Whip.

Ivysaur: Now, Ben!

Diamondhead: Crystal Punch! (This causes the Right Gauntlet to be sent right back at the Guard Armor, causing it to roar before grabbing Ivysaur with the Left Gauntlet) Oh, no! Xoruxshy! Crystal Shards! (The projectiles cause Guard Armor to drop Ivysaur, before it focuses its attention back on Diamondhead) Uh-oh… I think I just made it angry.

Ivysaur: Nah, it's just ticked off.

Diamondhead: There's a difference? (The Guard Armor, now having its full attention on Ben, launches its Left Gauntlet at him, causing Ben to quickly react and grab it, causing him to dig a small divot in the ground) Xoruxshy, hurry, I can't hold him for long!

Ivysaur: Already on it! Seed Bomb! (The Left Gauntlet is sent back at the Armored Torso, causing cracks to start to appear, and for it to let out a wordless scream, as the left and right legs are sent flying into the air, only for Ivysaur and Diamondhead to perform a "Return to Sender" maneuver, causing the legs to launch right into the Armored Torso's helmet, causing more cracks to appear, before the Guard Armor summons its limbs back to itself, now cracked and leaking darkness) It's on its last legs. Let's finish it!

Ivysaur and Diamondhead: Haaaahh! Crystal Vine Cataclysm!

With that single finishing blow consisting of vines imbued with Petrosapien crystals and Diamondhead spikes, the Guard Armor collapses on itself, leaving a giant digital representation of a heart to float away before disappearing.

Nicole Zwei: Gained 210 EXP!

Ivysaur leveled up to 31! 100 EXP to next level.

Diamondhead leveled up to 12! Diamond Spear unlocked! 100 EXP to next level.

Dungeon Cleared! Gained Guard Armor Quartz!

Nicole Zwei: Attention, Xoruxshy, Max Tennyson says we have arrived at our next destination. He advises you and your friends to wear proper swimsuit attire.

Location: Lake

A bright moon is lighting up the foggy forest below. A large lake, surrounded by trees and mist, stays undisturbed.

Ben: Cannonball! (Jumps into the lake, making a large splash)

Ben pops up back to the surface.

Ben: (Imitating a sports commentator) "Judges score… yes! Perfect 10! Yeah! (Imitates crowd woo-ing) The crowd loves him!"

Gwen: (Watching, unimpressed from the end of a pier, with a shining torch on hand) "A perfect dweeb" is more like it.

Ben: Come on, dive in!

Gwen: …Please! Who knows what nasty, slimy things are slithering around in there.

Gwen shines a torch around the lake's surface to illustrate her point, landing the torch on Ben.

Gwen: I rest my case.

Ben: What's the point in camping by a lake if you're afraid to get wet?

Ben splashes the water from the lake onto Gwen.

Xoruxshy: Ben is kind of right, Gwen. (Pulls out fishing gear) Besides, I'm looking to catch some fish in hopes of rescuing you two from Max's cooking.

Gwen: Point taken. I guess I'll go see if I can rent a fishing rod as well.

Xoruxshy: IF's already taking care of it. Don't worry about people figuring out that we're not human. We're wearing portable perception filters.

Gwen: Oh, good. I guess I can go and ask Grandpa for some bait.

Gwen walks away back to the Rust Bucket, but as she does Ben begins to violently splash around in the water.

Ben: Hey! (Coughing) What's – Happen –? (Getting sucked under the surface)

Gwen: Very funny Ben… I'm not falling for it. (Walking back over to shine a light on where Ben went under) …Ben?

(Ben is flung out of the water, screaming as the water bubbles and a huge figure emerges from the watery depths, revealing itself to be a Parasite Cage)

Gwen: Oh, crap! Is that one of those Heartless you were talking about?

Xoruxshy: Yep. A Parasite Cage. What it's doing here is anyone's guess, but I'm going to send it packing. Usually these guys take two beatings before being destroyed entirely, so this might not be the last we see of him. Anyway, make sure Ben's alright, I'll be back soon.

Gwen: Got it!

(A few minutes later, after knocking the Heartless around for a bit, a tentacle rises from the lake and smacks the Heartless away before sinking back into the ocean)

Max: (bursts out in a night-cap) What on earth is going on out here?!

Gwen: Heartless attack, Grandpa!

Max: Was it taken care of?

Xoruxshy: For now. I can't smell it anymore.

Max: Well, get some sleep, remember we have an early day tomorrow for our fishing trip.

Ben walks into the RV, flopping onto his bed and laying starfish-positioned on the ground.

Ben, Gwen, Max, Xoruxshy, IF, Ratchet, and Clank walk along the coast, fishing rods in hand.

Ben: All I remember is getting backhanded by a humongous tentacle into a tree before blacking out.

Max: And you said it was called a Parasite Cage?

Xoruxshy: Yep. It usually lives inside giant mammals like the whale from Pinocchio known as Monstro.

Gwen: Well, after last night's Heartless attack, I think I might look in on why that thing might be around here.

Xoruxshy: Don't be afraid to ask Nicole Zwei for help using the TARDIS computer interface. Being linked to the TARDIS's mainframe helps her know what everything does.

Gwen: Thanks.

Max: (Turning to greet the man in the boat beside them) Captain Shaw?

Shaw: Who wants to know?

Max: I'm Max Tennyson, and this is my grandson, Ben, as well as his friends Xoruxshy, IF, Ratchet, and Clank.

Shaw: Well, what're you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Get aboard, I ain't got all day.

Ben excitedly moves to get on the boat, though Max seems concerned. The ship sets off, down the lake.

The ship sails slowly.

Max: Anything… interesting out there to catch today?

Shaw: More than you can imagine… (Seeing Ben, with his head over the end of the boat) Looks like your boy's using his breakfast as chum.

Max: Ben? You feeling okay?

Ben: Yeah, I'm just keeping an eye out for that big tentacle. I'm not being caught off guard by that again. Least I can do is let you guys know if the Heartless come back.

Ben sees a monstrous silhouette in the water and gasps.

Ben: There it is! (The silhouette becomes clear as it passes, revealing just a collection of brambles and rubbish) Oh, my bad.

Max: Now, Ben. This is a fishing trip, not a monster hunt.

Shaw: It's called 'the Krakken'.

Ben: Whoa. You know about it?

Shaw: It's my business to know about it.

Hands Ben a photo reminiscent of the 'Loch Ness Monster' photo.

Shaw: I've been on it's tail for years. Folks say my rudder's not right.

Max: Why doesn't that surprise me?

Shaw: Sightings go back hundreds of years, on this very lake. Some say it's a myth… not me! I could take you to a spot where I personally laid eyes upon the beast. That is, if you've got the stomach for some real adventure.

Xoruxshy: I'm actually wondering if you know any legends concerning a Keyhole.

Shaw: A Keyhole you say? Aye, that's a really old legend, almost as old as the Krakken. Some say the Krakken guards the Keyhole waiting for the creatures of darkness to come to fight them off, or for the wielders of pure light to seal it away.

Ben and Xoruxshy look up to a reluctant Max expectantly and smiling.

Max: I guess so…

Ben: Alright!

Shaw: Sonar, high-def video setup, ultrasound. I got it all. And I will find it. Mark my words, it can't hide forever.

Max: (Taking Ben and Xoruxshy aside) Ben, Xoruxshy, I don't want you two to put too much stock in what mister Shaw says. I don't think he has both oars in the water, if you know what I mean.

Ben: Why? Just because he saw the Krakken too?

Ben walks away in a huff, with Max saddened.

Xoruxshy: Don't worry, Max. He might not be the most sane person, but he's given us a clue on where to find one of this world's Keyholes.

Max: Yes, I was wondering about that. What are these Keyholes?

Xoruxshy: They are basically doorways to the Heart of this world and all others. If the Heartless get into it and consume the Heart of this world, just picture a black hole eating everything and everyone, and becoming part of a mural on a black fleshy wall. (A/N: Don't tell me that isn't what you thought of when you saw the consumed worlds just on display in The End of the World)

Max: So we need to be on the lookout for any information regarding these?

Xoruxshy: Yep.

The ship floats by. Shaw at the helm pays attention to the sonar, as he comes up against a blockage of buoys and tape.

Shaw: (Reading the tape) "Do not enter"? What's going on?

Max: Looks official. Maybe we should turn back.

Shaw: Nonsense, this is my lake and I'll go wherever I—

Distant Voice: Fishing boat! Stop where you are. (Greeting Shaw and the crew friendlily, and pulling up alongside their boat) I am Jonah Melville, the founder of "Friends of Fish", we've closed this section of the lake for an environmental study. You'll have to turn your boat around.

Shaw: (Using a confrontational tone to Jonah and the other crew) 'Suppose you make me, fish-hugger?

Max: Well, since I chartered the boat for the day. I believe I'm in charge. Isn't that right, Captain?

Captain Shaw grumbles and reluctantly makes his way up the boat.

Ben: But–what about the Krakken?

Jonah: (Chuckling to himself) The Krakken? Not that old fish story? Look, I'm a marine biologist. Anyone who tells you they've seen a monster in this lake, is casting without a hook.

Shaw's boat travels back to the docks, trailing behind the 'Friends of Fish' boat. The ship's sonar pings, alerting Shaw.

Shaw: The sonar! We've found something!

Ben: (Seeing a shark-like fin pop to the surface of the water) Or something's found us! Look!

Shaw walks out and sees the fin dip below the water.

Shaw: The Krakken!

The fin passes under Shaw's boat, revealing it's true size, and rocking the boat.

Shaw: (Panicked) It's heading for the docks!

Ben & Max: (In unison) Gwen!

The Krakken's fin is rushing towards the docks at a high speed, unbeknownst to Gwen, who's sitting at the end of the pier rocking her feet.

Gwen: Well, I couldn't find any leads on the Heartless, but at least I have the sun, and with my big-mouth cousin nowhere in sight, I can just lay back and relax…

The Krakken rushes towards land and Captain Shaw tries to warn the dock-goers by ringing the ship's bell.

Gwen: Sounds like Ben might be pulling a prank with the watch.

The Krakken rears out of the water, slumping back down and crushing the pier to pieces, sending the people standing on it into the water. Gwen pops back up to the surface and gasps.

Gwen: That's not Ben.

Shaw: I told ya!- It's real! The Krakken lives!

Max: Sail now, gloat later. (To Ben and Xoruxshy) Someone's got to rescue those people.

Xoruxshy: I don't have a water transformation unlocked, but I do have my Iron Fox Armor. Let's Pounce! (Iron Fox armor equips itself)

Ben runs and leaps off the side of the boat into the water, priming the watch to transform.

Ben: Ripjaws to the rescue.

Ben dips below the surface and transforms with a green flash.

XLR8: I said Ripjaws, not XLR8 stupid watch!

The Krakken dives, heading towards Gwen and the other civilians trapped in the water.

XLR8: Here goes nothing…

Ben runs on the water's surface, almost slipping but reaching the people in trouble, snatching Gwen out of the way of the Krakken and to land while Xoruxshy swoops down and grabs any stragglers in the water.

XLR8: You okay?

Gwen: (Coughing water) I think so, thanks for the save.

Ben splashes mud on Gwen as he takes off towards the Krakken followed by Xoruxshy. Ratchet arrives with Clank on his back utilizing the Hydro-Pack and equipping his Blaster, shooting a Heartless that jumps out of the water.

Gwen: Whoa. There's Heartless in the water now?

Ratchet: Yep. They must've come around because of the chaos.

Ben rushes and takes the other people in need back to land with Gwen.

Jonah: Get us out of here!

Jonah's crewmate, 'Duane' sails the boat away, with the Krakken taking notice and going after it, rearing up against it and rocking the boat greatly.

Jonah: Whoa!

The Krakken rushes towards it again, but is stopped by XLR8 creating a water tornado on the surface, scaring it back. Ben jumps onto the boat. The Krakken swims to the front of the boat and tries to grab a crate off of it using its front tendrils.

Jonah: No you don't!

Jonah leaps, hanging onto the crate to stop it from being taken. Ben decides to help by grabbing the Krakken's tendril and dragging it backwards to prevent the crate from being moved. The monster knocks Ben backwards and tries again to get the box, but Ben roots himself on the ship's ground, and uses XLR8's fast moving feet to kick the Krakken's jaw as it comes toward the ship. After being kicked in the underjaw, the Krakken reels backwards roaring and retreats.

Jonah: Thanks for the hand, and the feet!

Xoruxshy: (Growling, and raising the visor on the helmet) What's so important in that crate– that you'd risk your life for it?

Jonah: Um… Our lunch!

XLR8: You almost got munched for a few sandwiches?

The Krakken jumps out of the water and grabs the crate while they're talking, bringing it back into the water before it can be stopped. As it does, Ben's timer starts ticking red.

XLR8: Uh oh. Sorry, gotta run.

Ben leaps off running towards Shaw's ship.

Xoruxshy: Look, Jonah. You got lucky this time. But I've got my eye on you. If you put a toe out of line, I'll know. (Flies off back towards Shaw's ship, but not before leaving a tracking device on the underside of their ship)

XLR8: Almost there… I think I'm gonna- aah!

Ben times out, transforming back into a human, still moving with XLR8's momentum and getting skidded across the water's surface like a stone, landing right behind the ship, and getting spotted by Max and Xoruxshy who has just landed.

Ben: - make it.

Max: Man overboard! Shaw, Ben is overboard! Bring the boat around!

Shaw: Next time you're in my sights, you won't be so lucky…

Campers and dock-goers are all packing up and leaving as it gets dark. Ben, Gwen, and Max sit by a campfire, Ben drying off.

Ben: See, I told you so. That was the same thing that backhanded the Parasite Cage last night. Captain Shaw and I were right.

Max: Just because he was right about the Krakken doesn't mean I was wrong about him. I want you to stay away from that guy. He's trouble. However, Xoruxshy, there might be some truth to that Keyhole story. Apparently it's an old legend around here, and multiple people have been reported being told that story as kids.

Ben: You're just being stubborn.

Gwen: Yeah, don't you hate people like that?

Max: We'll leave this to Xoruxshy and the experts Ben, like those 'Friends of Fish' guys.

Ben: Experts? Who better to snag a lake-monster than the guy with the monster-buster on his wrist.

Max: I'm afraid this is just gonna have to be the one that got away, son.

Shaw: …low-down no good fish kissers!

Ben: Captain Shaw, what is it?

Shaw: The nerve of those 'enviro-punks'! They shut down the entire lake! Nobody tells me where to sail, and nobody's gonna keep me away from reeling in the catch of the century. Nobody.

Xoruxshy: Hmm… Gwen, I want you to dig up everything you can on 'Friends of Fish'.

A ship sails across the lake, while the Rust Bucket sits nearby the pier. Gwen knocks at the bathroom door.

Gwen: Come on Ben! What did you do– fall in?

Max opens the door to reveal Ben is not there, then rushes to the TARDIS in realization to see that Ratchet's ship is missing, along with the residents.

Capt. Shaw sails the boat, but hears cluttering behind him coming from under a tarp.

Shaw: Hey! No stowaways on my boat, even if you are only a filthy rat!

Uncovers the tarp to reveal Ben sitting there.

Ben: Um? First mate Tennyson reporting for duty… sir?

Ratchet's ship raises from the water, the hatch opening to reveal Xoruxshy popping out.

Xoruxshy: Ben, you are SO in trouble.

Shaw: She's probably been chased deep by our 'fishy friends'. Only one way to flush her out… with a little live bait. But we're not going to catch her, per se. Only find proof.

Ben: Maybe I should go with you? Y'know, just in case?

Shaw: No need. I've got my dive buddy right here. (Packs up a harpoon gun) Wish me luck.

Ben looks towards a red dive-suit left on the boat, and then back at Ratchet's ship, before grabbing the dive-suit and jumping in the ship.

Captain Shaw dives through the ocean. He gets startled, but reaches the Krakken's nest without incident. Startling him again, Xoruxshy piloting Ratchet's ship pops up behind him, causing him to almost shoot the ship with a harpoon. Shaw misses and breathes a sigh of relief, the two staying unharmed. Shaw dives back up to the surface, seeing another boat alongside his. As he climbs up he's grabbed by a masked figure.

Masked Figure: Don't you know night diving is dangerous, old timer? Unless of course, you went with a friend.

Shaw: I work alone. I ain't got no friends.

Masked Figure: …and with a sparkling personality like yours?

Ratchet's ship resurfaces and the crew spectates the confrontation, cloaked under the cover of night.

Shaw: I haven't anything worth stealing either.

Masked Figure: Ah, but you have us all wrong. All we want is information. Like, what did you see down there?

Shaw: Nothin'. Same as always.

The masked figure punches Shaw to the ground, knocking him out. He takes off the mask to reveal he's Jonah Melville.

Jonah: Well… I have to be sure.

Ben sees this, and looks to the watch to see if it's possible to transform. He's met with the device not working and thought it was timed out.

Ben: Come on, work!

Jonah: Take 'Ahab' here with us. Find out if he knows anything back at the Cannery. We'll come back later with a mini-sub to snatch the rest of the eggs.

Jonah throws a tracker into the lake.

Jonah: In the meantime, (Priming an explosive) I think his boat just got lost at sea.

Throwing the explosive over into Shaw's ship and sailing off, it exploded behind them. The debris falls onto Ratchet's ship, him dodging it and coming back up to the surface at a distance. Ben primes his watch, looking at the silhouette of Stinkfly.

Ben: It's hero time. Xoruxshy, can you hold off any Heartless attacks?

Xoruxshy: It's what I do.

Duane: (Pointing, asking Melville and the other crew) Is that a bird?

F.O.F Crew: Nah. Looks like a plane.

Jonah: (Seeing Stinkfly) It's a bug! Man the harpoons!

Stinkfly: Give it up! You are totally busted.

Jonah's crew fire lasers at Ben, with him able to dodge, then fires his slime, immobilizing them. Jonah unloads explosive barrels from inside of the ship, some almost hitting Ben, blasting a tree and knocking Ben out of the sky into the water below.

Stinkfly: Aw, man. My wings are too wet for take-off.

Ben, unable to take off, is targeted by Jonah driving the ship towards him.

Jonah: Let's squish that bug, once and for all!

Ben, now spotlighted, slowly swims away as Jonah's ship barrels towards him. He reaches a hunk of driftwood and turns his eye-stalks to see the oncoming threat.

Stinkfly: Aw, come on, come on! Dry off!

Ben flaps his wings to dry them faster. Baring closer, one of Jonah's crew stands with a turret, firing toward him. Curious, Ben looks around for a means of escape. He sees a hanging branch and spits a streak of goo, hitting it. As the ship is about to hit him, he slurps the goo, projecting himself up to safety, as the driftwood is blasted into bits after being hit by the boat.

Jonah: (Circling the boat and looking around with a spotlight, unable to find Ben hiding behind the branch, but seeing a fin in the water) It's getting too crowded around here. (Shining a light on an unconscious Shaw) Dump the trash overboard.

Captain Shaw is thrown overboard as Jonah and his crew boat away. Stinkfly, hovering above the water's surface, grabs Shaw before he sinks. He flies toward land, seeing the Rust Bucket on the shore, as well as Ratchet's ship.

Stinkfly: Almost there!

The alien device's emblem on Stinkfly's face begins to flash red and sound an alert.

Stinkfly: Aw, not again…

Gwen peers through binoculars, searching for Ben.

Max: Any sign of Ben and Shaw?

Gwen: Not yet…

Max: Xoruxshy, any luck getting in contact with that new branch of the FBI called Fringe Division?

Xoruxshy: They just responded and are sending two of their best agents, Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop.

Max: Bishop? I know that name. Didn't he use to work at a college?

Xoruxshy: That was his father, Walter Bishop. He's coming as well. Apparently, Peter got him out of the asylum. Just so you know, he lobotomized himself, so don't be surprised if he gets off track a lot.

The sound of Ben's alien form timing out catches their attention, looking upwards at Ben, who soon after transforms back into a human and begins screaming as he and an unconscious Shaw fall. The two land safely in the Rust Bucket's sun-shade.

Ben: Aw, I hate it when that happens.

From inside the Rust Bucket, Xoruxshy talks as Gwen taps keys on her laptop.

Xoruxshy: …and the Krakken's nest was full of eggs! No wonder she's been attacking everything. Jonah must be stealing her eggs!

Gwen: And I think I know who Jonah is, as well as why the Heartless are hanging around the area. I did a little checking on "Friends of Fish" and found out it's not listed on any environmental website. But I did find this:

Gwen turns her laptop

Gwen: Jonah Melville isn't a friend to any kind of wildlife, he travels around the world poaching rare animals, then crates them up, and sells them to private collectors.

Ben: "Crates them up"? (Facepalms) Oh man! I bet that crate the Krakken took off their boat had her egg in it!

Max: Looks like we were both a little too hard headed.

Ben: One other thing. I had a good look at their ship and weapons and noticed a logo resembling a man's face with goggles and a bushy mustache, with a huge toothy grin. Xoruxshy, does this have anything to do with that Eggman guy?

Xoruxshy: Yes, indeed it does. Don't be surprised if Eggman gave them one of his mechs.

Ben: Well we've got to stop them! They said something about going back to a cannery.

Shaw: All this talk doesn't change a thing. Mommy or not, that beast is mine. Let's go! I've a spare boat down at the docks.

The three Tennysons exchange glances, then run to follow the exiting Shaw, followed by Xoruxshy and the interdimensional heroes.

Xoruxshy: I've updated the agents on the situation.

Shaw unties the boat, about to get on, but before he does so, the boat speeds off without him.

Shaw: What're you doing? Get back here!

Ben: Sorry, Captain.

Shaw: You don't know what you're doing! A monster's a monster, and I know a monster when I see one!

The boat speeds off, leaving Shaw clenching his fist in anger. He shines a lamp around, seeing a much less glamorous rowboat off to the side of the pier. He takes a long, unbroken glare at it. A crane pulls up a submarine suit holding an egg out of the water, setting the submarine down on the dock.

Underwater, a clamp attaches to Melville's submarine pod, Krakken egg in tow, pulling him out of the water by a crane mechanism. It lowers him onto the cannery deck, as he passes the egg to one of his crewmates.

Jonah: Careful! -Or you'll be cleaning up the world's most expensive omelet.

The crewmate dumps the egg in a cylindrical glass container with another, before closing the lid. Jonah cradles the eggs through the container.

Jonah: After we sell these babies to the highest bidder, we'll be kicking back on a beach in the Bahamas.

Underneath, Ben, Gwen, and Max arrive to a ladder entrance of the cannery. Max and Gwen begin to climb.

Xoruxshy: See if you can find the eggs.

Gwen: What about you and Ben?

Ben: We're gonna kick some Friends of Fish tail.

Ben primes the watch, before dialing in Ripjaws. He transforms before letting out a roar. A near instant after, the Krakken shoots up out of the water, knocking the boat Ben stands on aside, going up through the cannery dock flooring and coming face to face with Jonah.

Jonah: The bigger the Krakken, the bigger the payday.

Jonah runs to his submarine pod, as his crewmate opens fire on the Krakken. One guard runs off inside the building, while another stays, firing shots that bounce off the Krakken's skin. To get to the eggs, the Krakken smacks aside the gunner, but Jonah snatches the eggs through the crane operated sub before they can be reached. Opening fire, Jonah repositions himself, though stopping his firing, Ben as Ripjaws leaps out of the lake and onto Jonah's machine window, encompassing his view. Xoruxshy on the other hand, summons her Keyblade, garnering the Krakken's attention, letting it know they're here to help.

Ripjaws: You want to mess with a monster? Try me on for size.

Ripjaws climbs down to the machine's grapple holding the eggs, and Jonah move to fire point blank, but Ripjaws responds by biting the gun arm off. The eggs get dropped and Ripjaws and Xoruxshy dive after them. Catching them in mid air, Ben gets punched by Jonah, causing the eggs to hit the floor and break out of their containers, landing on the dock below.

Max and Gwen sneak inside the cannery with the help of IF, Ratchet & Clank, coming to a corner with a Friends of Fish member around it. Max pauses and tries to communicate to the others through hand signals.

Below the cannery, Jonah's crewmate who had opened fire on the Krakken swims back to the cannery, climbing a ladder and coming up directly in front of Max and Gwen, as well as IF, Ratchet & Clank, gun aimed.

Max: All right, buddy. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way.

The crewmate smiles before walking towards the five menacingly, causing them to back up. Behind him the side wall breaks apart, the Krakken's fin coming through.

Max: Go high!

Max and Gwen jump up onto the cannery's hooks, sliding along them as the floor beneath, along with the crewmate, is swept away by the Krakken's fin, while IF jumps into the air and flies using her tails, with Ratchet grabbing onto her feet. Out from around the corner runs another, who is knocked down by Max and Gwen kicking him in succession as they jump off the hooks as IF lands beside them along with Ratchet and Clank.

Gwen: Is this the easy way, or the hard way?

Max shrugs and smiles.

Outside, Jonah and the Krakken both dive for the eggs, but the Krakken scoops them up first.

Jonah: My eggs!

Jonah dives for the Krakken, but gets side-tackled by Ben and Xoruxshy.

Ripjaws: They aren't your eggs.

As Ben dives into the water with the eggs, Jonah detaches falling directly onto him. Underwater Jonah beats Ben, continually punching him.

Jonah: Rescuing babies? Very heroic, but not very smart.

Jonah scoops the eggs while Ben shakes off the beating. Ben gets back to his senses and shoots toward the escaping Jonah. The two fight, Ben latching onto the suit, while Jonah punches him away. Ben prying the eggs from him and resting them in his mouth while fighting him off. The Krakken knocks Ben aside, and swims off, as Ben, Xoruxshy, and Jonah race after it. Jonah lets out a sonic attack from his suit, causing the Krakken and Xoruxshy to reel and allow him to scoop the eggs. Ben smacks him to the ground, but gets pinned by the throat. Struggling, Ben grabs an anchor off the sea floor, hitting Jonah with it, before being thrown off while biting at him. Jonah scurries off while Ben looks down at the chained anchor. He grabs the chain and swings it around, sending it flying at Jonah, dropping the eggs and letting Ben scoop them back as the Krakken follows, after grabbing an unconscious Xoruxshy drifting in the water with its tentacles.

Ben as Ripjaws, still being chased by the Krakken for the eggs, arrives at an open area along the sea floor. He places the eggs down in front of it, allowing it to take their eggs back. Jonah speeds towards them, narrowing on the eggs, but is grabbed by the Krakken's tendrils and has his submarine crushed around him. Now in the open without his machine, Jonah, emitting trails of darkness, pulls a knife and stabs the Krakken, his knife breaking apart from the force, not affecting the Krakken at all. Jonah pauses as the Krakken roars, opening its jaw. Before it can eat him, Ben puts himself between the two. The Krakken understands, and goes back to its eggs. Jonah exchanges a look with Ripjaws before shrugging. Ben punches him. Then the Krakken reveals a cave behind its nest.

Within the cave, Ben and the Krakken come to Xoruxshy who is sitting there by a campfire. The Krakken climbs out of the water and smashes the cave wall with its tentacles, revealing a Keyhole-shaped void. Xoruxshy points her Keyblade at the Keyhole, sealing it before it spits out a Keychain, beaning Xoruxshy in the forehead.

(On the surface, Ben hangs Jonah up on some debris)

Ripjaws: Hang here for a while, until the police find a nice, dry cell for ya.

Max and Gwen look on from the lakeside, as a police boat nears Jonah.

Max: Ha, 'good riddance to bad rubbish'.

Shaw: Got one!

Capt. Shaw rows up to the lakeside, Ripjaws in a net along with seaweed.

Shaw: I finally got me a Krakken! One of the eggs must've hatched. Imagine this trophy mounted on my wall.

Max: (As a red flash goes off) Heh, I think your 'catch of the day' isn't exactly as advertised.

Shaw: (Shaking his head) But I could've sworn…

Out in the distance the Krakken howls, sitting on the lake floor with her eggs cradled.

Xoruxshy: I tried using this Keychain on my Keyblade, but it seems it's part of an incomplete Keyblade. Guess I need to find the remaining pieces.