Inkaliber: Hey guys! Time for another one! Once again, we're back on track with the talisman hunt. Things are gonna get crazy so let's not waste any more time. Anyone in the group have anything to say before we begin?
Zemrocku: I'm back from mining avocados. Man, that was fun.
Inkaliber: Mining avocados? Were you hitting Wade with a pickaxe or something?
Zemrocku: I did some of that too.
Inkaliber: O-O…kay? Anyone else? Adran?
Adran: Maybe that's why Wade was acting so strange.
Inkaliber: Sigh! No. Wade's just Wade. In any case, let's get to work. Start the review responses!
The_Literary_Lord- Kevin indeed has arrived! I'll keep doing my best.
Codepercy- Thank you for pointing those out again. It seems I might have missed some but I'll fix them soon.
Reader (Guest)- Indeed. Gwen is gonna be in trouble for not calling someone. Kevin's arrival will be interesting.
Wanderingsage7- Thanks! The lore bits and mingling were fun to add. Paco just needs some time to get used to himself again.
OmniArashiKitsune- As Zem has SPOILED, it is the Omnitrix mostly. We also haven't seen the last of the Anodite Hunters, nor have we seen the last of Kevin. The others are having their own moments, just things that aren't above off-screen level detailing.
Inkaliber: With all that said, let's begin. I don't own Ben 10, Jackie Chan Adventures, or any other series to appear in the story and the universe. I do own OC characters, objects, ideas, and concepts unless stated otherwise.
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, surprise at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
[Language Indicator]
"Machine or alt communication talking/Talking in flashback."
"MACHINE OR ALT COMMUNICATION YELLING/YELLING IN FLASHBACK!"
"Machine or alt communication whispering/Whispering in flashback."
January 15th, 2009
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Gwen woke up bright and early that morning, yawning as she stretched. She winced as she felt something press against her side, only to wake up with a gasp when she realized she's still in her mission suit. She looked towards the time, realizing her mother could arrive at any moment to check on her. She pulled out one of her magic cards as she heard footsteps down the hall, whispering the magic words to herself. The girl adjusted her pajamas as a knock was heard at her door, the girl feeling a need to yawn as she felt drained.
"I'm up," moaned the girl. "Tired but up." She hears a hum from the other side, obviously her mother.
"I just wanted to let you know that school called," informed the woman. "A bombing of some kind destroyed the parking garage not far from the area so the city has closed the schools for today. The police will be looking all over the area, including the school, for any bomb threats so stay clear of the area. I'm going for a dentist appointment." Gwen rubbed her eyes, feeling her energy return to her at an agonizingly slow pace.
"Okay Mom." She rubbed her face, stumbling towards her vanity mirror as she looked herself in the eye. "That fight last night left me drained. That net took more out of me than I thought. If it wasn't for Grandma and Kevin I'd-"
She smacked her cheeks repeatedly to wake herself up more, her eyes widening. "KEVIN!" She turned towards the seat the boy had rested in, only to find him gone. She looked over her desk for any evidence of the boy's presence, finding nothing but a sticky note out of place. She paid attention to the note, carefully peeling it off.
She turned it in her hands, finding writing on it. "'Keep eye out. Job's not done.' C-c-c-c-ALL ME!?" She read the phone number at the bottom. her heartbeat speeding up.
She performed the "Chan Heart-slowing Pat" on her chest, helping herself to breathe easier. "Call the others for a meeting now, worry about the cute boy that likes you in tights later… WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME TODAY!?" She held her hands to her face, groaning in annoyance and slight anticipation. She did NOT need Ellie finding out about this.
Gwen tried to stand, only for her legs to feel like jelly as she winced. "I'm not gonna be able to walk for a while, am I?" She looked towards her cellphone, taking a deep breath. She quickly made a call, sitting back down as she brought the phone to her ear. "Grandpa, I need a meeting at the bunker… and a ride."
An hour later, two objects were seen speeding towards the abandoned parking garage that acted as the group's bunker. XLR8 skid to a halt as he touched the wall first, taking deep breaths. He looked towards Jade, the girl panting as she had her hands on her knees.
"I-I win," huffed the speedy alien. "Let's do this again when you're not going through girl stuff because that was fun." He pressed the faceplate of Omnitrix, immediately moving to Jade's side to act like a crutch.
"Okay, that was stupid on my part," admitted the Chinese girl in pain. "I should have made you carry me." She gasps as she's suddenly lifted up, Ben having her bridal style in his arms as she blushes. "D-Do I even weigh anything to you?" The boy grins at this, making the elevator open with his elbow.
"No more than a bowl of apples." Jade snuggled into his neck as the doors began to close, Ellie suddenly phasing through as she accidentally phased through the duo in her rush. "ELLIE! WE TALKED ABOUT YOU PHASING THROUGH PEOPLE!" The ghost girl looked at herself, grinning.
"YES!" cheered Ellie. "I didn't lose anything this time!" She ignored the frowns sent her way as she did a celebration dance. Jade clears her throat, pointing towards one of Ellie's shoes that was on the floor. "...Darn it."
The door opened as the group turned towards the other opening. Their eyes widened as Gwen was seen sitting in a wheelchair, looking exhausted as Max stood at the back of the chair. Ben let a wriggling Jade down onto her feet, the Chosen One running over to Gwen.
"Gwen!" cried the Chinese girl. "Are you okay?" Gwen yawned, her body hunching over.
"I'm fine, if you count being incredibly exhausted and my legs feeling like jelly as 'fine'," admitted the redhead. "I had a run in with those Anodite hunters Grandma warned us about." The trio suddenly stood at attention, Jade turning towards Ben.
"Hunters? YOU'RE BEING HUNTED!?" Ben holds his hands up, a frown on his face.
"I told you someone would be after Gwen, Ellie, and me," stated the boy. "I did it when I told you about the Anodite thing." Verdona suddenly teleports in, hard metallic pink casings hitting the ground.
"Found a few more, Max, and they're rather determined little rats," huffed the old woman. "Straight to the void with them, Honey." She then noticed Gwen, cooing in empathy as she holds the girl's face. "Look what they did to you, my baby." She placed her forehead against the girl's, a pink light shining between them.
Verdona removed her head, Gwen able to keep hers up on her own but still looking tired. "Looks like it'll be a good while before we can continue your training. They drained a lot out of you with that net. I'm just glad that nice boy got you home." Max narrowed his eyes, a serious look on his face.
"Boy, huh?" questioned the old man. "What boy?" Verdona sighed, as if she had just seen a romance movie.
"It's nothing to worry about. He was such a sweet thing, keeping her safe." Ellie suddenly gained a mischievous look on her face, noticing Gwen's growing blush.
"Do my ears deceive me?" questioned the spiritual girl. "Does Gwenny have… A BOYFRIEND!?" Gwen moaned, hitting her head against the headrest of her chair.
"Ellie, I'm too tired to deal with you today," huffed the redhead. "He was just a guy in a hockey mask who called himself Osmos, nothing more and nothing less." Ben hummed, feigning a look of ignorance.
"So, how many were there?" questions the boy. "Oh and, while you're at it, WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL IT IN, DWEEB!?" His face was clearly one of fury, Gwen gulping as she sat up a bit.
"I MAAAAY have been… following you and Jade on your date to make sure it wasn't interrupted and I mean it KINDA worked. I mean, Osmos said they were after Tennysons, 'the famous ones,' so they might have been following you first for all we know. I was in my suit the whole time so they don't know about me but they'll think there are more Anodites here now. At least you two got to enjoy your date." Ben crossed his arms, still frowning at her.
"Yeah, but we nearly lost you. You're a total dweeb but you're still my cousin." Gwen sighed, slumping in her seat as she looked down.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right. I can barely even walk right now and Mom's gonna flip even if we say I just slept really wrong. I should have called it in. I just… thought I could handle it and keep you two and Mom safe." Max sighed, shaking his head.
"Gwen, Anodite or not, you're still a kid," reminded the old man. "You shouldn't have to deal with anything by yourself. At the very least you could have called me and Plumber assistance would have been out here ASAP. I thought you would be more mature than this." Gwen lowered her head in shame, Jade approaching.
"Gwen, I think you should take a break until your energy's back," advised the Chinese girl. "You'll only hurt yourself if you keep this up." Gwen could only nod her head, snoring coming from her as she nearly fell asleep before jolting herself awake. "I need to make sealing tags to make sure no one sneaks up on us anywhere." Max nodded his head, a serious frown on his face.
"I'll have security amped up for a Gamma level threat," stated the Magister. "There'll be security details for everyone's homes, and I'm sure your father would agree with added security Jade. Anodite Hunters go after people who are close to their targets to draw them out or make them hand themselves over. We can't have your family getting hurt in this mess and Ben has particularly latched himself to you like Anodites tend to do." The young couple blushed at the reminder of their connection, Ellie snickering at them.
Max then reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small pendant made from some kind of wood. "That reminds me. Paco sent this for you, Ellie." He tossed it at her, the ghost girl flying up to catch it as soon as possible. "Something from Arachnichimp culture."
Ellie looked at the pendant, the wood being blue with a ghost face etched into it. The necklace for the pendant appeared to be made from webbing, different feathers, scales, and preserved leaves seen sticking out of it. "It's one of the few things in the galaxy that can repel their silk. He thought it would make up for not having any string." The girl hugged it close to her chest, blushing as she floated in the air.
"Well," yawned Gwen. "Now that everyone's up to date, I need sleep." She leaned back in her chair, looking rather tired. "Good morning." Ben winced as his cousin was wheeled past the group, turning to watch as the elevator door closed behind Max and Gwen.
"I am NOT letting that happen again," growled the boy as his eyes glowed pink slightly.
January 23rd, 2009
Days went by, everything being on high alert as the Plumbers kept a silent vigil. Hunters had been spotted and apprehended multiple times, some saying they spotted Osmos or had his sudden help. While it was indeed helpful, some agents wanted to bring the boy in on charges of vigilantism or for being a dangerous youth. Max shot down the dangerous youth charges immediately, sending the agents who called for it to psychiatric evaluation. He would lie and say the boy is an agent on the inside, knowing what happens to kids labeled as dangerous.
Over the time at school, Gwen would be seen getting help from Julie, Simone, or Ellie as she was still in the wheelchair. She was looking less tired but the process wasn't speeding up any time soon. The redhead sighed, looking relieved.
"Just a bit longer and I'll be able to walk again," moaned the magical girl. "Ready for action is still up in the air but I'll work with Grandma to help with my recovery." Jade pulled out a small notebook, writing something down.
"Note to self: don't let Ben get hit by that net," stated the Chinese girl. "Ben will be whiny the whole time if he has to recover." Ben cried out indignantly at this, earning a kiss on the cheek to make him shut up. Gwen gawked at the sudden moment, Ellie trying not to squeal as she kicked her legs. "I'm just telling the truth, Benny-boo."
The boy giggled with a blush at the nickname, Jade continuing to write. "You whine when you lose too many fights in Sumo Slammers or when I kick your butt in Smash." Ellie sighs, resting with her head in her palms.
"You two are so cute~," sighed the ghostly girl. "It's so romantic." Jade giggled, looking at the ghostly Tennyson.
"You know, we could get you with Paco so that I can tease you back. You still haven't taken off that necklace he sent you." Ellie blushed, covering said necklace.
"Hey, it's my treasure. I don't wanna lose it." The girls giggled at her, making her pout with an annoyed cheek puff. Jade gasped as her eyes suddenly went blue, seeing a man accidentally touch a talisman with a sheep engraved into the front. The man fell over for a moment before he woke up again, Jade seeing through his eyes as she saw a sign that read "Amity Park Museum."
"JADE!" cried Simone. The Chinese girl raised her head from where it had plopped into her lunch platter, a bit of food on it as her eyes slowly went back to brown. "Are you okay? You passed out." Julie frowned, suspicion clear on her face.'
"Yeah, and why were your eyes blue?" questioned the Japanese girl. "That's not normal." Jade giggled nervously as she wiped the food off her face, holding up her hand nervously.
"I just… didn't get good sleep last night," reassured the Chinese girl. "And the blue thing I'm not sure about." Julie had her arms crossed, a disbelieving hum leaving her throat. "Gotta get going." The lunch bell rang as Jade stood up, helping push Gwen in her wheelchair with Julie still having eyes on her.
Later, the group sat in the bunker as Jade was drawing on a whiteboard. "The Sheep Talisman: the power of Astral Projection and spiritual enlightenment. In short, it can make you astral project to where your astral form can fly around like a ghost and even fly into people's dreams. If you're someone like Shendu, however, you can force your way into a body and take control of it. If your body doesn't have the Sheep Talisman, it'll be very hard to get back in and your body is left open for spirits to possess it."
Ellie gulped, feeling uncomfortable with the discussion as Jade continued. "It can also act as a way to enter the Immortal Realms with spiritual energy. If Shendu gets this talisman, he could use it to try and possess someone. Fortunately, Max's security also comes with devices meant to counter Ectonurites so if our folks keep those on none of them can be possessed. Some place called Fenton Works apparently sells them as 'anti-ghost tech'."
The ghost girl tried not to laugh awkwardly, knowing Jade would launch into another tirade about respecting spirits. "In any case, I've told Jackie and the others already but I can't shake this feeling that something could happen. Just thinking about the name I read made my past lives shiver. We have to head there to make sure." Gwen sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
"Looks like I miss out on a mission," moaned the redhead. "I hate Anodite Hunters." Ben looked towards her, frowning sadly.
"It's my fault," stated the boy. "If I hadn't used that Anodite form-" Gwen rolls herself over, placing a hand on the boy's.
"We would have lost Jade. It was probably the only form the Omnitrix could grab that would have gotten through in time and beat that weirdo. These are my consequences for not calling someone. Stop apologizing for something that was out of your control." Ellie rolled her shoulders, nodding her head.
"Well, Team 10 will have to kick some butt and take some names in Gwen's honor," joked the girl. "Where's this place anyway? I've been meaning to get in some real exercise and real wins after needing to be saved from bird-zilla. I-" Jade tapped her chin, humming in thought.
"I think it was in a museum," recalled the Chosen One. "Ah! I remember. The sign said the Amity Park Museum." Ellie's enthusiasm dropped dead, the ghostly girl holding up her hands.
"AND I'm out. Good luck." Gwen narrowed her eyes, huffing.
"So much for kicking butt in my honor," huffed the magical girl. "At least I have an excuse to not go." Ellie chuckles nervously, waving her hands.
"Oh, you don't need me for every mission. Someone's gotta help you around anyway, right?... Right? No one?" Ben frowned, crossing his arms.
"Ellie, what's going on?" questioned the boy. "You're usually not scared to go anywhere." His sister growled, stomping her foot.
"I am NOT scared of a place. I'm just… uncomfortable with who watches the place like a hawk." The girl looked down, taking a deep breath. "Amity Park is where Danny lives, where Vlad tried to kill Jack Fenton and steal his wife… and where I died. Vlad… he'll come after me the moment I set foot in that town and look at me."
She looked down at her hands, clenching them as her eyes watered slightly. "I can barely control these powers as it is after that spell hit me. I'm scared of being torn apart again and made to finish Vlad's plan to have the clone of Danny he wanted. I don't wanna die again." She shivered as she hugged herself, only to feel a warm embrace as Jade rested the girl's head in the crook of her neck.
"No one's gonna get you while we're with you," reassured the Chosen One. "This is our team, our little family, and he'll have to get through all of us before he can hurt you." Gwen rolled backwards a bit as eyes were on Ellie, secretly typing into her phone. The view pans to a camera watching the scene, Max standing with his eyes shaded by the darkness of the observation room. He presses a button, bringing up coms.
"Agent Xi, I'm rerouting you," informed the magister. "Your team has new orders, a Delta level threat." A scowl was clear on his face, one that would give his family the chills.
One Hour Later
Amity Park, Illinois
A blue flame suddenly spiraled into existence in some woods, the flames rising up to create a circular portal. Ben stepped through first, wearing a black t-shirt with green lines on it in place of his usual shirt as it was accompanied by a black eye mask. Ellie went through next, looking nervous as she wore the sweat clothes and mask from the Animo fight. The last through was Jade, the girl wearing the talisman belt over a blue leotard with a full facemask on. The portal extinguished as Jade quickly put on a brown robe, shivering.
"I honestly can't believe that worked," admitted the Chinese girl. "Old Man Dashi thought I was a bit young for that one." She then looked around, narrowing her eyes. "So… does anyone know which way to that museum?" Ben chuckles, shaking his head.
"Nope," revealed the boy. "Looks like your spell didn't completely work." Ellie sighed, rubbing her arm.
"D-Danny's been through here before," revealed the former clone. "I can get us to Amity Park and try to use his memories from there. Remember, we act like we're practicing for Halloween. They don't see a lot of superheroes around these parts outside of ghosts and we don't need the Fentons shooting first and asking questions later." Jade growled under her breath, making the ghost girl lower her head.
"They do that and I give them a ten hour long Lo Pei lecture about assaulting the ancestors," declared the Chosen One. "Let's just go." The trio walked forward, Ellie keeping her eye on the area around them. Something began to follow them from behind, sniffing almost predatorily. They got to the edge of the forest, looking over the small town beyond the sign.
It was closer to night this far into the US, leaving the place looking slightly eerie despite the signs of life. The easiest thing to spot was a big building with a massive metal construction similar to a spaceship on top, Jade narrowing her eyes. "Okay, that's an eyesore. What genius builds something almost half the size of his house on top of his house?" Ellie looked away while whistling, Ben suddenly looking behind them.
"Something's tailing us," informed the boy. "I can't tell what it is." Something jumped at them, Ellie turning around as stalker tackled her. "ELLIE!" The girl suddenly laughed loudly, a green dog with black ears and red eyes licking her lovingly.
"STOP!" cried the girl. "NO KISSES! Down, Cujo! Down!" The pup hopped off, chasing his tail a bit before sitting with a bark.
"OH MY GOSH!" cried Jade. "He is so cute!" She playfully picked the pooch up, burying his head in her chest as she petted him. "Who's a cute little puppy? You are!"
This earned her some face kisses, the Chinese girl laughing. "Doggy kisses!" Ben hummed, looking over the creature.
"Why is he green?" questioned the boy. "He also feels cold." Ellie stood up, adjusting her mask carefully.
"Um, of course he's green," chastised the team's ghost expert. "He's a ghost." Jade shivered, slowly looking towards the pup in her arms. A whistle was suddenly heard, Cujo phasing out of the girl's arms. A voice sighed, a pale hand rubbing the dog's head as it floated around him.
"Cujo, you're a terrible guard dog," sighed a voice that sent chills down Ellie's spine. The young man had pale skin, black hair with a white streak in it that went far out from his head, and blue eyes. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt with the "NASA" logo on it, blue jeans, and red sneakers. "I told you to watch Sam, not run around the forest asking girls for pets." Jade held her hand up, shaking a bit.
"S-So just to be clear, he's an actual ghost dog?" questioned the Chinese girl. "Like, I see him floating but-" The young man crossed his arms, looking the trio over.
"Depends on who's asking. You ghost hunters?" Jade huffs, placing her hands on her hips.
"What is it with you people and hunting ghosts? I mean bad spirits need to be exorcised to pass on but we do NOT attack the ancestors." Ben chuckled, wrapping an arm around Jade's shoulders.
"She's very deep into Chinese culture," informed the boy. "All this ghost hunting stuff has her mad." The young man hummed, rubbing his chin.
"First time I've heard someone talk about not hunting down 'evil ghosts.' Then again, I haven't been to China yet either." Ellie made sure her mask was on good again, the young man looking over them. "Wait, are you kids playing hero?" Ben chuckled, taking over the social role.
"Something like that. We're practicing for Halloween and got a bit lost." The young man chuckled, crossing his arms.
"Isn't it a little early for Halloween? We're in January, kid." Jade looked towards Ellie, huffing.
"I told you that excuse was dumb," chastised the Chosen One. "Should have said a convention." Ellie cleared her throat, trying to play with her voice.
"We're just here to get a dangerous relic before bad guys can use it to bring back a demon dragon," informed Ellie in a purposeful high pitch voice. "It'd also be bad if someone grabbed it and got possessed." The young man hummed, nodding his head.
"Sounds crazy, but I've been through crazy," admitted the man. "Maybe you can tell me the story over vegan tacos. Sorry, I meant 'Ultra-recyclo-vegetarian tacos.' Just come on." Ben leaned towards Ellie as the young man took the front spot.
"So, that guy's Danny?" questioned the boy. "He looks like a total dork." Ellie elbowed him, huffing.
"Hey, watch it," growled the sibling. "I used to be that dork. Just come on. I just hope I look enough like Mom and Dad for him to not recognize me." The siblings quickly moved to catch up, Jade carrying Cujo in her arms while he licked her.
The next moment saw them in a modest yet built up two story house, Ellie looking more and more nervous about being there. Jade had to remove her mask to eat, the girl happily munching on a taco as someone walked by. The person was a young woman with fair skin, violet eyes, and black hair that was tied back with a skull hairpin clipping the ponytail in place. She wore a purple t-shirt, black cargo jeans that had a hole in one knee, and fuzzy dark purple slippers. The woman placed a hand on her hip, glaring at Danny.
"You know, I thought we agreed you'd tell me when you were bringing guests over," chastised the woman. "Especially the surprise kind." Danny chuckled nervously, holding his hands up in defense.
"Sorry, Sam," apologized the young man. "They're either total newbies to the hero gig or a bunch of kids in way over their heads." Jade held Cujo up, cooing at him.
"I just feel bad for this poor baby!" cried Jade. "He's just a widdle guy, not even an adult dog. He was so young." She hugged Cujo close as he gave her more kisses, Sam having a slightly annoyed look. Danny cleared his throat, feeling the coming tension.
"So… are you like the 'Terrible Trio' or something? What's going on here?" Ellie nods at Jade, the Chinese Girl pulling the Rooster Talisman out of the belt. She focused, making it glow as a taco came flying towards her. She let Cujo run off as she grabbed the food item, putting the talisman back.
"Basically, we're looking for a talisman. The Sheep Talisman to be exact." Her eyes went blue, her hair floating up a bit. "Nine hundred years ago my past life, Lo Pei, defeated a demon named Shendu. The demon and his terrible siblings ruled the world with the power of the Eight Immortals, Shendu himself also possessing the chi of the Twelve Noble Beasts of the Zodiac Wheel."
Ben watched a vapor leave Danny's mouth as soon as Jade's past selves began speaking through her, something Ellie used to have herself. "Now Shendu has awakened again, and he seeks to regain the talismans so he can return to physical form. If he does so, he will attempt to reclaim the world and free his siblings from their imprisonment in the Demon Realm. This must not happen, hence why the balance has reincarnated me much like it has since my first life." Ellie immediately held up her hands, knowing what could transpire.
"And this is all her, not ghost possession," informed the Tennyson girl in her raised pitch. "Just wanted to make that clear." Danny looked like he was about to say something before the interruption, lowering his hand to let Jade continue as her eyes returned to their brown hue.
"Right now we have four of them with the fifth one being here. If Shendu gets the Sheep Talisman he'll be able to send his soul out from his stone body and possess someone. The worst ones for him to get are the Rat and Tiger: the Rat being able to bring life to his stone body where he'll be able to walk around as a normal dragon while the Tiger mixed with it will restore him to his true form early. The tiger empowers the other talismans, as well as supernatural abilities of anyone who holds it. The tiger itself would make him invincible as, since he's the Immortal of Fire, he can reshape the landscape around him into volcanos and rivers of lava." Ellie shivers, looking at the girl.
"You NEVER told us he could do THAT!" cried the Tennyson girl in her normal voice. "I might have been a little more proactive if I knew the entire US could be turned into that lava planet from Star Wars!" Jade giggled, rubbing the back of her head.
"Yeah. The old guys I used to be really do NOT tell me enough like I'm supposed to just know these things." Sam sighed, looking down.
"Why can we never have a day the way I want it?" questioned the woman. "Nice and quiet with a good heavy metal song playing. Just get the rock out of here. Jr needs a veggie burger." Sam walked away, Ellie looking towards her original "parent."
"Jr?" questioned the former clone. "You're a little young to already have a-" She suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling. "You're having a baby!"
She squealed into her hands as she kicked her legs, Ben clearing his throat to get her back on track. "Ri-RIGHT! Dangerous talisman that can make people's souls leave their bodies and open a portal to the Ghost Zone by itself. Off on a new adventure… and I sound like a dork." Danny chuckled at this, shaking his head.
"Do I know you?" questioned the ghost man. "It feels like we've met before." Ellie immediately shot up, quickly walking away.
"Let's go people! It's time to rob the Amity Park Museum." Jade sighed, letting Cujo go as she moved to catch up with the girl.
"Real smooth, Ellie," whispered the Chinese girl. "Unless this guy's totally oblivious he definitely knows you're not telling him something." Danny tilted his head, looking confused.
"Between you and me, your friend is kinda weird," stated the young man. "Let's hurry." Ben went to follow him while grumbling about his sister, only for his hairs to stand on end. A camera was seen looking over the living room from an upper corner, hidden by a plant that was hanging. A voice chuckled, red eyes looking over a monitor in a dark room.
"Well now," hummed a man's voice. "Isn't that interesting. Who knew Daniel was still so childish as to not check his house for cameras. I simply must investigate this little 'treasure hunt.'" The man laughed, only for his camera to suddenly cut out.
He looked towards the monitor as it displayed a lost signal warning, a gloved hand slamming the desk. "Buttered biscuits!... No matter. I already know everything I need to." The monitor cut off, removing all light from the room.
Not long after, the group was seen walking through the streets of the city. Jade had her mask back on, Ben walking by her side as he kept an eye on everything he could. Ellie suddenly looked back at Danny, the girl holding her hands behind her head.
"So… what names did you think of for the baby?" questioned the girl. "Given your shirt I'd be expecting Niel like Niel Armstrong or maybe Sputnik." Danny chuckled, shaking his head.
"Sam actually wants to go for something that's 'unique'," revealed the young man. "Now pipe it down. We're passing by my folks' place and we haven't told anyone yet. It's a surprise for my Mom's birthday." Ellie pouted at this, crossing her arms.
"Niel is a perfectly unique name. You don't really see a lot of kids named Niel out there." Ben looked around, his eyes narrowing.
"So, unless you have someone running security for your house, we've been found out," informed the watch boy. "There was a camera hidden behind a hanging plant that looked right at the couch, and I got this weird feeling it wasn't supposed to be there." Danny frowned in annoyance, Ellie already looking away with a serious yet spooked frown.
"Um, things happen on that couch that you're a bit young to hear so I don't know anything about-" began the young man. He suddenly gained a glare, a groan of frustration unleashed. "Vlad! I am so gonna pound that fruitloop next time I-" Jade suddenly gasped, getting a vision of someone picking up the Sheep Talisman and screaming.
"We've gotta hurry," ordered Jade. "Someone picked up the Sheep Talisman but something's wrong. He didn't pass out like I'd expect someone to when it's used. This could get ugly." The group quickly ran, a van starting to follow behind them.
The world seemed to change colors as the buildings looked purple and the sky turned green, Jade looking around. "Is that… normal around here?" A laugh suddenly came from the museum, something rising. It looked to be a blue skinned specter with red eyes and black hair styled upwards in two points like large horns. He wore a full body white suit, a white cape with a high collar and red on the inside, black gloves, black boots, and a black belt with a large metal buckle.
"AH, FREEDOM AT LAST," sighed the man in an echoing voice. "With the power to merge and distort the connection between the two worlds, I can have everything I've ever wanted. The crown, the ring, and sweet, sweet Madeline. Without that loathsome mortal shell holding me back, it will all be MINE!" He slotted the talisman into his buckle, laughing as he held his hands out to open a massive portal with Danny gaining a tick mark on his forehead.
"VLAD/I-It's Vlad," growled Danny at the same time that Ellie whimpered. "You're still a fruitloop as always/ and he's still a fruitloop." The duo looked at each other, Ellie adjusting her mask again as she giggles.
"MY MOM works in the tech business and calls him a fruitloop," lied the ghostly girl. "Can we just get him before he causes World War G?" Danny looked forward, a glare on his face.
"I'M GOING GHOST!" A white ring formed around his waist, splitting as it traveled up his form. His shirt was replaced by a black armored top with a white chest plate and green trimmings, a black logo representing a flaming "D" in the center of the chest plate with a green outline. His pants were replaced black armored leggings that had white hip plates with a green trim around it, a white belt with a green detailing and some green compartments hanging off it secured around his waist. His shoes gave way to white armored boots with a green section closer to the knee, white gloves with green trim forming over his hands as he clenched them.
Danny's skin turned tan in hue as his eyes turned green, the white and black of his hair swapping colors. A black crown formed above his head with green flames coming off it, a green ring forming on his finger as if each object were a separate transformation from his main body. The two summoned together caused a black high-collar cape to form over Danny's shoulders, the inside being green. "Talk about a bad day to be messing with the balance of Earth and the Ghost Zone." He flew up, Plasmius laughing at him.
"So the 'Ghost King' decided to take me on," taunted the specter. "I am SO honored. If only they knew the boy never grew up. You'd be exiled." Danny cracked his neck, doing the same for his knuckles.
"Normally I wouldn't bother bringing out the ring and crown but you're messing with something neither of us really understands. Return it now, Vlad, before things get messy." Plasmius hissed, clenching his fists.
"And what? Let a little girl playing hero have it? Power like this belongs in the hands of real men, not girl scouts that should be out there selling their cookies and braiding each other's hair. This power would corrupt a witless little girl, so I'll take the liberty and use them how a real man would: remaking the world in my own image."
The man suddenly prepared a huge ball of ectoplasm, the Sheep glowing as the attack grew to be larger than a building. "I think I'll start by trapping your fat oaf of a father between the realms and show your mother a man worthy of her love. Or maybe I'll destroy you. So much to do." Danny created a shield to block the huge blast, ectoplasm soaring up into the sky as Ellie groans.
"I can't believe I thought he was a dad to me once," grumbled the ghost girl. "Are we gonna try to close that portal before ghosts try getting in?" Jade looked back at her, blinking.
"Um, I don't think I can close that as I am," admitted Jade. "I'd need Dashi's staff, which he lost at some point in his life." Ben activated the Omnitrix, looking through the roster.
"You guys worry about that," stated the boy. "That freak's MINE." He quickly picked a form, pushing the core in as the light shined out. His skin went white as his eyes hollowed out, his hair receding into his skull.
His legs contorted as they fused into a wispy tail, the Omnitrix moving along a crack in the form to his chest. Green chains suddenly shot out from the Omnitrix, creating broken shackles over the form. The tall humanoid creature floated in the air, its eye closed as Ben was deep in his mind. A floating purple skull laughed, floating around the boy's form. "Azmuth said you can't gain control unless I allow it."
Ben looked at the apparition, narrowing his eyes. "You're not scaring me into giving you the reins. You won't be doing anything until you stop trying to take over the world and behave." The specter laughed, its voice crackling. The being tried to make itself look large, the skull flipping upside down.
"And why, pray tell, should I care about your world?" questioned the entity. "Better to blot out the sun and make it my paradise." Ben stood firm, his eyes glowing pink before turning green as the Omnitrix circuitry began to fill the void with a glow.
"Because right now, this world and the people I care about are the only reason you still exist." The apparition actually looked spooked, shrinking as it shriveled back. "Your consciousness is not required for the sample to be functional anymore. Your existence is sympathy and kindness at this point." The skull flipped back over, the spirit looking less angered or annoyed than one would expect.
"A compromise, then. There are things a sample of my form cannot teach you, things the Omnitrix cannot comprehend. I can teach you these things, and I only require time for freedom. I will play by your rules if you will allow me my freedom. In the end, that is all this vessel wishes." The Omnitrix seemed to whir as if processing what Ben was thinking, the boy's expression softening.
"This is your one chance. If you break the rules, if anyone I care about is hurt because of you, you're deleted. Prove that I'm not making a mistake." The view pans back to the outside, seconds having passed in the real world as Jade and Ellie look concerned. A green eye opens up in the cracks, Ghostfreak breathing deeply.
[Play Race Against Time Ben 10 theme instrumental by Niall Stenson]
"Showtime," hissed the spectral alien. He held out his claw-tipped hand, ghostly green energy surrounding it as the large portal began to wobble. He then snapped, the portal warping and twisting as it popped like a zit and disappeared. "Oh yeah." Vlad looked back from where he sent Danny away with a strike, hissing as his eyes went red.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" roared the fruitloop. He went to fire at Ghostfreak, only for the alien to finger point a purplish pink ecto-ray to cancel out the attack. The creature then disappeared, reappearing behind the villain as tentacles sprung loose and wrapped around.
"You must be new to holding the balance of life and death in your hands. I have lived with this existence for all of my days, yet your simple mind is only a concept in the gene pool of time." Plasmius struggled to get out, the Sheep Talisman glowing as the villain began to draw on more power. "Oh come on." Ghostfreak was suddenly sent flying back, crashing into a building.
[End Track]
"I DID NOT WRESTLE MYSELF FROM MY WEAK MORTAL SHELL TO BE DEFEATED BY A FREAK! I AM YOUR GOD: THE ONE WHO WILL REWRITE THIS WORLD WITHOUT THE WEAKNESS OF THE MORTAL COIL!" Ghostfreak lowly chuckled, flying out of the rubble unscathed as he brushed himself off.
"So, this is the power of the Noble Sheep. The Chosen One did not jest about its power." Jade levitated off the ground a bit, her eyes glowing blue through her mask.
"You seem to not understand its true power," added the girl. "It isn't meant to rewrite this realm, only to create barriers between the mortal world and the Immortal Realm. You merely draw power from the barrier, yet you can never achieve the power to destroy it. It-" Jade jolts as she's hit hard in the back of the head, the girl falling forward with a moan.
"I've got the girl," stated a man in a white suit. "All units, destroy the ghosts permanently." Weapons were aimed at the duo, Danny growling as he floated into view.
"Hey, we had an agreement," snarled the ghost king. "You never set foot in my territory again and I keep the ghosts in line." The agent ignored him, being the first to open fire as a shot made Ghostfreak hiss from being skimmed across the shoulder. The three ghosts had to fly around to avoid getting hit. Two agents tried to take off with Jade, only for someone to walk into their path.
"Gentlemen," stated a voice that was eerily familiar. The man had fair skin, blue eyes, and gray hair. He wore a black business suit including a red tie, the two agents standing in attention before him.
"Mayor Masters," greeted the agent. "You shouldn't be so close to the incident." Vlad smirked, keeping his refined position.
"I will be fine. I'll take the girl from here so you can exterminate those wretched ghosts for good." The men nodded their heads, handing the gagged girl over as she was still moaning. "This will be a rather profitable venture." He turned around with her, only for Ellie to be standing in his path with her mask still on.
"Put. Her. Down," ordered the Tennyson girl. "I won't let you hurt her or take the Talismans, you sick freak." Vlad chuckled at this, keeping his hold on Jade.
"Oh, I don't think I will. See, I can't be harmed so long as she acts as my shield." Ellie snarled, her eyes glowing before she smirked.
"And if they hear that's you up there all blue and destructive? What then?" Vlad chuckled, shaking his head.
"Oh, but it's not me anymore. The moment I held that putrid rock, it left me. No one can prove anything anymore. I-" He gasped as he felt cold, Ellie immediately in front of him.
"You know, if that ghost dies, so do you. You might be separate, but it's still part of you just as much as you're part of it. And since you're currently powerless, that means if I do something to you it'll harm him too. You just led the most trigger happy ghost hunters in the states right to you, and you could fade at any moment as your other half can't make ectoplasm without you. The best part, I get to watch it melt away: maybe flow down into the sewers with the rest of the trash."
She floated upwards, her eyes glowing. "Just imagine it. An eye for an eye, a leg for a leg, an unstable, unwanted ghost child for a depraved man's wretched soul. It would be poetic, wouldn't it?" Vlad's grip loosened in shock, the man looking almost pained.
"Danielle?" He gasped as he received the same treatment as Jade, falling backwards as Ellie chose to catch the Chosen One. Her eyes were still glowing green, the mask, and her skin cracking.
"It's Geist. You lost the right to call me by any other name when you let me die." She floated up to one of the rooftops, knowing that Jade couldn't be in the battle like this. Unseen to her, tears began to flow down the assumedly unconscious Vlad's face. Back at the battle, Plasmius roared as he began to look more monstrous.
"INCOMING!" cried one of the men. The wrathful spirit crashed down, the Sheep Talisman beginning to look unstable as a roar from the villain sent out a shockwave that made the GiW agents who were close enough astral project to their horror. He was suddenly hit by a ghost ray, the spirit turning towards Danny as he took a deep breath.
"Time to put an end to this," stated the Ghost King. He suddenly used a ghostly wail, the pulsing energy hitting the creature. It tried to create a portal, only for the Talisman to pop out of its belt from the force of the wave.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" roared Plasmius. His body began to swirl and turn green, rapidly flying away from the attack radius as Danny finally stopped to breathe. The GIW agents cried out in their astral forms, Ghostfreak humming.
'YOU SHOULD DEVOUR THEIR SOULS!' hissed the mental state. 'THEY ATTACKED US AND TOOK YOUR BELOVED.' Ghostfreak took a deep breath, looking to his left to see Ellie up on one of the rooftops propping Jade up.
"My sister has her, and I won't become like Vilgax," stated the ghostly alien with Ben in control. "Those who seek vengeance are no better than the people I fight." He snapped his clawed fingers again, the men being pulled back into their bodies as they ran away in terror. "You were right about one thing though, I have no idea what I'm doing with this. We'll talk later."
He went to look for the Talisman, only for one of the shadows nearby to shrink before his eyes. "Aw man. Jade's gonna kill me. Got room for one more up in here?" Danny looked towards Ghostfreak, not recognizing him as Ben.
"Hey, new guy," stated the Ghost King. "There was a talisman around here." The ghostly alien slumped, groaning.
"Shendu's Shadowkhan, weird shadow ninja guys, took it. I'll be in the doghouse for sure now." Danny groaned at this, throwing his head back.
"Sam's gonna kill me. I'll be sleeping on the couch for a month." Ellie floated over, huffing.
"Hey boys, maybe help me with the unconscious Chosen One instead of saying how screwed you are?" requested the spiritual girl. "I'm not exactly a doctor." Danny looks towards her, blinking rapidly.
"Um… could she always fly? She doesn't look like a ghost." Ellie smirked, crossing her arms.
"Don't let it hurt your head too much, big guy. Now come on bro." Ghostfreak quickly followed after her, Danny shaking his head before doing the same. Back at the Fenton Estate, Jade moans as Ghostfreak's tipped finger is touching her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes as a green flash went off, Ben holding her hand gently.
"Jade?" questioned Ben. Her eyes are blue, the boy gulping as he sweats buckets. The girl grabbed her head as she sat up in the bed she was laid down in.
"Shendu… he got the Sheep Talisman," sighed the girl. "He was watching and waiting the whole time… It would have been an ambush if that Vlad guy didn't grab the Talisman… You let them get away." Ben gulped, still holding her hand.
"To be fair, by the time I thought to get it, they were already leaving with it. I had to get a lot of people back into their bodies before they died." Jade sighed, retrieving her hand.
"Ben, I understand why but you have to understand. It's no longer just the Dark Hand and the Shadowkhan. Shendu is an actual dragon, no matter what form he takes. He's a powerful sorcerer and Immortal of Fire. While not as powerful as in a normal body, he's not gonna be like human enemies." Ben prepared himself for punishment, only for Ellie to sit on the other side of her.
"Yeah, but it's better than the GiW doing all sorts of experiments on you or Vlad getting the other Talismans," argued the ghost girl. "We messed up but we'll bounce back." Jade sat up more, trying to find comfort.
"I understand. I'm just worried about whoever he takes control of, especially since he could take over anyone and we wouldn't notice." Ellie smirked, pointing upwards.
"Maybe, or maybe I could work with you to use my ectoplasm as a way to detect when a possessed person enters an area. I've got enough of it in my blood to use as a median." Jade gave her an "Uncle Slap," making her wince.
"Ellie, blood magic is bad unless absolutely necessary. Besides, magic and ghost powers don't mix." Ben looked towards the Omnitrix, humming.
"Well, if it's ghost on ghost, then I could probably use the Omnitrix's ranged scan function to have it search for anything that matches an Ectonurite possession," offered Ben. "We'll figure something out as a team, as a family. It's what we do when things go wrong: we come together to make something that works." Jade looked between the siblings, slowly smiling as their willingness to keep going reassured some part of her. Cujo suddenly ran into the room and hid under the bed, Ben getting a feeling as he covered Jade's ears.
"YOU WHAT!?" cried the voice of Sam. Ben and Ellie winced as the loudness of the voice hurt their ears. "I FIND A CAMERA THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR, AND NOW YOU LET A MONSTER GET SOMETHING DANGEROUS! WE'VE DONE THINGS ON THIS COUCH, DANNY!" Danny was heard apologizing, the man begging for forgiveness from what they heard.
"Hold on," sighed Ellie. "I gotta save… well me." She floats into the room, clearing her throat. "I think I have an idea, but my Grandpa's gotta like you. Have you ever wanted to be a space cop?"
Ben kept his hands on Jade's ears, a squeal of excitement suddenly filling the air. "Ow." Danny cleared his throat under Sam's glare, chuckling nervously.
"I mean, normally I'd think you're joking with me but I've seen a lot today. Sounds cool." Sam sighed at this, rubbing her temples.
"Danny, I'm all about being unique, but I will NOT be having MY BABY born in a world ruled by a demon," growled the woman. "Fix this, or you'll never be in the same bed as me again." Ellie decided to keep going, floating around the duo.
"And hey, you won't ever have to worry about money unless you always go spending it," continued the ghostly girl. "The job already pays well but Grandpa's big on family." Danny suddenly holds his hands together like he's praying.
'I can actually buy meat again without worrying about Sam controlling all the money,' thought the man. 'Real food at last!' The man sat up, grinning. "I'm SO in!"
Sam looked towards Ellie, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. The Tennyson girl giggled as she floated on her back, enjoying her time. The woman of the house turned towards her, crossing her arms.
"You know, you kids never gave us your names," began the woman. "Are your parents okay with you doing all this?" Ellie laughs, doing a loop.
"Oh, they know all about our powers. I mean, you guys make it sound like yours knew or even still know nothing about this. Not like you can say much, SAMANTHA. I'm pretty 'free spirited' outside of Mom and Dad's rules." She phased through the wall back into the room Ben and Jade were in, her brother smirking at her.
"Okay, you're having way too much fun with this," teased Ben. "I thought you didn't want them to know." Ellie wags her finger at him, floating on her stomach.
"One, I just got to knock Vlad's lights out and feel VERY liberated. Two, Danny's too dense to figure it out unless you say it to his face. Three, it's honestly fun to see them questioning 'who is that super cute flying girl?' And four, there's a baby so I NEED to be part of his or her life." Ben sweat dropped at this, looking down.
'Why do girls make that a priority?'
The sound of something being harshly slid off a table is heard, a grunt of rage being heard. Vlad tossed a phone across his office, grabbing at his hair as he felt his rising aggression. He leaned against his desk, taking deep breaths as he looked at a picture of Ellie floating in a tank on the surface as the infant had a stamp of "Failure" marked over it. He rubbed her cheek in the image, trailing the rebreather mask. The man slammed his hand on the desk, cracking it.
"W-What was I thinking?" questioned the man. "She… she relied on me. She needed me… but I became too greedy." He looked towards a mirror, hearing a dark chuckle. He looked into it, half of him being replaced by his ghost half in the image.
"Look at you, pretending you have a heart left," insulted Plasmius. "The failed experiment was a means to an end." Vlad struck the mirror, cracking it.
"AND THAT END FAILED! WE HAD THE PERFECT CHILD, SOMEONE WHO CARED, AND WE LET HER DIE!... Now she's back… How is she back?"
He grabbed his face as he leaned against the desk, taking deep breaths. "I-It's some kind of reincarnation, like those manuscripts from when I was trying to find out what I was. I-I can have a second chance. She hates me now but… I can fix that." He looked in his reflection, seeing Plasmius still looking at him.
"We could use the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage, both of which Danniel has. We can rewrite her and-" Vlad slammed his fist again, taking a deep breath.
"No… I can't rewrite what happened to her. I-I could use the Infinimap to go back and… but I wouldn't learn my lesson and she'd still perish from melting… You have been awfully quiet for an intruder, madam. Even like this, it's not easy to sneak up on me."
He glanced back, Viper and some men aiming weapons at him. "Might I ask what the meaning of holding this town's mayor at gunpoint is?" Viper kept her eye on him, her weapon hot and ready.
"Vlad Masters, you're under arrest," informed the woman. "By this time tomorrow, everyone will know every crime you've ever committed. You can either come quietly, or not and we take you in anyway. You made the wrong person angry." Thinking over everything, Vlad slowly smirked.
'WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!?' hissed Plasmius. 'THEY'LL KILL US! MADELINE WILL NEVER LOVE A CRIMINAL! YOU WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING!' Vlad picked up a wine glass, pouring himself a glass.
"Allow a free man one final drink, for I fear it may come to be my last," stated the man. "If I may ask, what exact charge has led me to become such a person of interest?" A file is slid across his desk, the top flipping open.
"The 'disappearance' of thousands of bars of pure gold. No one who was in the hospital for ten years could have collected that much gold when all of his money was going towards a mysterious medical treatment." Vlad takes a sip, letting the woman continue. "Then the mysterious deaths of CEOs who signed you as their replacement when they never even met you. Need I go all night?"
Vlad smirked at the woman's words, placing the glass down as he adjusted his suit. "The cases might not fly in Earth's court systems but the galactic court has laws for this." He stood up, adjusting his suit.
"And yet you never came after me before, given these case files show the answer years before now. Curious." Viper began to get a sense that she's being read, moving her blaster as a reminder.
"There are bigger fish to fry in the Galaxy, and there were no eyes on this small town in the middle of nowhere. You just left a massive paper trail." The man adjusted his suit again, nodding his head.
"And I assume this has nothing to do with the children and that 'oh so wonderful stone' that removed my fractured soul from my body. Well, that's a shame. Such things are hard to come by when people are focused so far outward. It would be a shame if higher ups were to learn that their highly trained agents were being outshined by children. I wonder what repercussions that would have."
He saw the woman's brow twitch in frustration, knowing he had his answer. "If I were to go to this 'special prison' then word might get out that children are doing what grown men and women can't. Highly decorated and highly paid men and women if I am correct." Viper growled, knowing that Max wouldn't like it if they came back empty handed. "However, we have before us an opportunity."
Vlad slid the file back to her, remaining at his same distance. "It could be assumed that less than legal means are being used by other parties to gather these stones and, frankly, I've had my fill of them. We both want the same thing: those stones out of the public eye and away from certain interested parties. So, here's MY offer. You walk away, and I help procure these 'talismans.'"
Viper frowned in confusion, Vlad holding up his hands. "Or you can take me to trial and ensure our mutual destruction. The entire Galaxy would know their police needed children to capture me. You'll find that, as they say, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. What do you say?"
He held his hand out, his eyes glowing red. "I would just LOVE to see what this galaxy has to offer." He then mentally frowned, Plasmius growling at him. 'This is where I fix things, my child. I swear.'
Inkaliber: That's another one down. Sadly, the Dark Hand still got the Sheep Talisman, but Danny has now been pulled into the mix. Vlad has also become involved, showing what could happen to a Halfa that uses the Sheep Talisman. On top of that, Danny is currently the Ghost King and an expecting father. Things are getting wilder and wilder as we go and this is just Season 1 of JCA.
Zemrocku: And we show the readers that Gwen getting caught in the mana net is not a good thing. Ben and Ellie will be in big trouble if they aren't careful.
Inkaliber: We'll see on Ellie, given she's not a typical Anodite by any means.
Zemrocku pulls out an "avocado" munches: Want one?
Inkaliber:... You know that's a rock, right? It's not made of avocados.
Zemrocku: Looks at the rock, chews it, and then swallows. Tastes fine to me.
Inkaliber:... Let's just end the chapter.
What did you guys think about the chapter? Did you like the ghostly moments? How about this sudden change in Vlad? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to respond ASAP, next chapter at the latest. This is Inkaliber, signing out.