A Sentient Watch's Adventures

Disclaimer: I do not in anyway shape or form own Ben 10 nor am I associated with those that do, because if I was I would be a millionaire. This is a non-profit fanwork written solely for the purpose of entertainment. This is in no way canon in any shape or form.

Response to questions or statements:

-Ultima-owner: Yeah, Galvan tech is just crazy. Anyone and everyone that tries to look into her are going to be surprised by all the encryption.

-NewGuest123: Thanks, hope so too. Seriously, I've learned to hate people within seconds of meeting them. There are so many things I've grown to despise about people, but the thing I hate the most is how entitled people can be. Like, I've met people that have said the meanest and nastiest stuff to me and when I raised my voice just ever so slightly they're like, "wHoa wHy arE yoU So MeaN?" And then go complain about it at the front desk and try to have me fired. Or those late night shoppers that browse for ten minutes without even buying anything and those guys who wait till the last minute to buy two carts worth of items. I can't tell you how many times I had to stay late because of those people. Seriously, screw those people.

-Yeah, 'cause I'm a blatant human supremacist so therefore my SI's are too. She doesn't hate other alien species, she's just om Mankind's die first and foremost.

-Don't worry, she'll leave Youtube alone.

-She's doing well in acquiring funds, allies, and influence. Making the world a better place by getting rid of dangerous and corrupt people. She's a good friend to have. She may be a troll and sarcastic at times, but if she considers you to be a friend she'll help you out however she can.

-Grandpa Max is a good guy. Trying to show her the wonders of the world and all that. I thought it would be something he would do in that scenario, which is why I included it.

-Glad you approve of her changing her appearance.

-TK0421: Yeah, only some movies do that like in The Amazing Spider-Man, Man of Steel, The Dark Knight, etc. Don't get me started on superhero cartoons where they don't even exist the majority of the time. I plan to have them involved a bit more in my story.

-I still like the first three transformers movie. I agree that they're not the best story wise, but I saw them when I was too young to understand stuff like character development and story consistency. I just saw the explosions, giant robot fights, military, porn and though that this was the coolest thing ever. So, I am a bit nostalgia bias when I come to it.

-Glad you approve the MC helping to make the world a better place. Omni may be a bit of a troll, but if she likes you she'll do whatever she can for you. Now being an AI, that is a lot. Glad you like the gamer tag I made for her.

-Grandpa Max is a cool grandparent. Glad you like her new look.

-Guest0508: Don't worry. I'll definitely think on it. She's doing the Lord's work by stealing money from people that don't deserve it and helping her online conspiracy theorist friends. She's a good friend to have.

-Probably not. That's basically a running gag I have planned going forward, at least once an episode Omni will find a reason to slap Gwen and maybe Ben, even for the most trivial reasons. And much like Ben forgetting not to slap the Omnitrix, Gwen will always forget not to stand close to Ben when he's annoyed, only be reminded when she gets slapped.

-Chronosign: Fixed it. Yeah, glad you got the reference.

-Some1CaleMR-E: Some episodes I may skip, don't know which ones yet. I didn't mind Kevin and Gwen's power change personally. Still thinking on what I'm going to do if I get to that episode.

Chapter 11: The Krakken

It's been roughly an hour since Grandpa Max, Ben and Omni hitched a ride to go fishing on Captain Shaw's vessel. Since then, it's been roughly quiet with the only noise coming from the engine.

"Anything interesting to catch out there today?" Max asked the owner of the boat.

"More than you can imagine..."Shaw muttered cryptically. "Looks like your boy's using his breakfast as chum."

Looking off to the side, he saw Ben staring intensely with his face a few inches from the water.

"You alright, champ?" Max asked in concern as he pulled his grandson's head back into the boat.

"Yeah, I'm just keeping an eye out for the lake monster." Ben explained. "That thing is not going to catch me by surprise this time." He proclaimed.

"Oh please," The prototype watch he was carrying said in his head. "A hippo the size of a yacht could sneak up on you."

"Shut up!" Ben snapped. The ten-year old boy realizing his mistake as soon as he saw the confused looks on both his Grandpa and Shaw. Who turned to glance at him with a raised eyebrow and a surprised look in his eyes before turning back to operate the controls for the boat. Subtly, Ben gestured to the omnitrix, seeing the alien device the confused expression on Max's face went away as he nodded in understanding.

"Didn't know you let your grandkids talk to you like that, Max." Shaw said as he continued staring at the open waters ahead.

"E-Eh not all the time. Just when they need to vent." Max quickly stuttered out. "Anyways, Ben, this is a fishing trip. Not a monster hunt."

"It's called "The Krakken." Shaw said. Causing both Max and Ben to look at him confused.

"You know about it?" Ben inquired as his confusion gave way to excitement and curiosity.

"It's my business to know about it." He stated as he handed the boy a physical photo. Which Ben took seeing some kind of massive fin in water. "I've been on its tail for years. Folks say my rudders not on right."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Max muttered to himself.

"Sightings go back hundreds of years on this very lake." The fishing boat captain continued. " Some say it's a myth. Not me."

He turned to face the two passengers with a certain glint in his eyes.

"I can take you to where I first saw it." He offered. "That is, if you're itching for some real adventure."

Ben turned to his grandpa with a pleading look in his eyes. After several seconds of hesitation, he caved in.

"I guess it couldn't hurt..." The elderly man said.

"All right!" Ben cheered as Shaw steered the boat further down the body of water. Seeing the young kids curiosity, Shaw invited him into his workshop to show him his hunting technology.

"Sonar, high-def video, ultrasound, I got it all." Shaw said as Ben took a look within the cabin. "And I will find it. Mark my words."

As soon as he finished his speech as to how he was going to hunt down and kill the Krakken, Max pulled his grandson aside to have a little chat with him regarding their current situation. Pulling him to the rear of the boat and far out of sight of the captain, who looked like he couldn't care less about what was going to be said.

"Ben, I don't want you to put too much stock in what Mr. Shaw says," he said as he placed his hand on Ben's shoulder. "I don't think he has both oars in the water, if you know what I mean."

"Why?" Ben asked. "Is it because he saw the Krakken and you didn't?"

"I think what your grandpa is trying to say is don't listen to people who look like they have a few screws loose." Omni said as he projected herself and leaned against a nearby crate. Having looked over to see that there was no way for Shaw to see them this far back in the boat, she didn't see the risk in showing herself to the duo.

"Now, I'm not saying he's right or wrong. You just got to be careful with who you listen to out here." While she had no right to tell him that he shouldn't listen to the fishing captain. Given that she knew he was right about the Krakken being real and the fact that she was buddies with conspiracy theorists. Still, she understood the point the former plumber agent was trying to say. "You never know for sure whether someone's being honest with you, or is just yanking your chain."

"Exactly," Max nodded. "Just...be careful of who you trust, alright?"

Seeing their point. Ben conceded. "Alright..."

"Good." With that Max turned his attention to the virtual projection. "So, Omni, how are you liking your first time at a lake?"

"It's not bad. Pretty much what it looks like in the pictures." She said as looked over the water. Feeling her existential nightmare creep back into her as she knew she would never again be able to feel the water or breeze in her hair like how she used to, before she became how she current is. Remembering Ben's comment about how wasn't really "alive" and thinking that maybe he had a point. Maybe she wasn't really alive in the traditional sense anymore.

Ever since she died and was reincarnated in this form, she felt different at times. Feeling that she wasn't herself in a way. Maybe it was central protocols and programming imbedded within her that was affecting her behavior. She spent hundreds of hours looking over herself for any explanations, but could find nothing. Which didn't help and only furthered the unease she was feeling. Not to mention the rather suffocating feeling she felt whenever she focused on how she's entombed in the watch. Sure, she could roam the internet and break into any virtual database she wanted, but her central core and mainframe would for now always reside in the watch and there was nothing she could do about it.

It felt...suffocating. For lack of a better word. Like she was stuck underwater and someone was holding her down with no way out. With the only way being to escape this feeling was simply just to take her mind off it in any way. To not think about her situation and just whatever it took to keep her mind off it.

"Oh Lord almighty," she mentally prayed. "Please bless your creation with the strength to endure and overcome this obstacle. Safeguard my soul from temptation and deliver me from evil." She pleaded almost desperately. Hating the smothering sensation whenever she had to face her ordeal.

"Omni?" She was snapped out of her internal musing by the elderly Tennyson. Who looked at her along with concern at her long period of silence.

"It's nothing. It's fine." She waved off. Suddenly, they heard the boat's horn blare. Causing Omni to turn off her projection and the Tennyson's move to the front. As they approached the front of a boat, they could see multiple buoys were put up with a yellow "DO NOT CROSS" line stretching all the way across the river.

"Looks official," Max remarked. "Maybe we should turn back.

"Nonsense," Shaw waved off. "This is my lake and I'll go wherever I please."

Whatever the captain was going to say next was cut off by an unknown voice from another rapidly approaching boat. This one looking newer and some kind of research vessel.

"Fishing boat! Stop were you are!" A man that looked to be in his late twenties hollered along with with another man wearing Oakley sunglasses.

"My name is Jonah Melville." The man introduced. "The founder of Friends of Fish, we've closed this section of the lake to conduct an environmental study. You'll have to turn around and come back another time."

"Try and make me fish hugger." Shaw challenged.

"Well, since I chartered the boat for the day, I suppose that means I'll in charge." Max said as he tried to calm Shaw down. Which worked as the captain had no argument and merely grumbled to himself as he went back inside the boat's cabin.

"But what about the Krakken?" Ben asked. Only to be met with laughter by Jonah.

"The Krakken? Not that old fish story." He spat out as he got his laughing under control. "Look, kid, I'm a marine biologist. And anybody who has told you that they've seen a monster in this area is casting without a hook." Is all he said before he made his way back inside his boat with the other crewman.

With that the boat turned around and headed back to the docks, Max noticed his grandson's downtrodden expression.

"Sorry, Ben." Max said apologetically. "But you heard what he said, there's no such thing as the Krakken." Before Ben could respond, Ben heard a familiar voice in his head.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that..."

What she said had Ben perk up. "What do you mean?"

"I found something on the guy." She said.

"Grandpa, Omni said she found something." Ben said to his grandpa. Who had a curious and surprised look on his face. Before he could ask, they heard something from Shaw.

"Sonar's picking up something! Something big!"

The Tennyson's then saw a massive fin appeared out of the water from behind the boat and rapidly approach them. Causing both Ben and Max's eyes to widen in surprise as they saw something big in the water. Something way bigger than they had ever seen before.

"And here we go..." Omni thought to herself.

Author's note: That's it for now. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thanks again for all of you for taking the time to check out my story.

Take care, lads, and always remember... stay frosty, gents.