Chapter 14: Deep six

Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! This one was interesting to write, especially since I had to figure out how there are two Aqualads in the story—considering I already introduced one in this universe.

Anyway, sit back, relax, review, and enjoy!

At the moment, it was the middle of a stormy night, and a large freighter called the S.S. Vargas was struggling to make it through the rough waves toward the shoreline. On the deck, many sailors rushed to cover and secure the cargo. So far, they had managed to strap down two piles, leaving just one unsecured. But with the intense weather working against them, it was proving to be a difficult task.

Suddenly, a barrel began rolling across the deck, sending the sailors into a panic until one of them managed to stop it with his foot.

"Watch it!" the captain barked over the speakers, watching his crew scramble. "If any of that toxic junk spills into the bay, we're all in deep trouble!"

As the captain spoke, a figure lurked in the shadows, silently observing before drawing out a trident.

"Lash that down!" one of the sailors shouted, just before a sudden explosion rocked the ship, coming from the captain's cabin. The captain, now sprawled on the floor in shock, stared at the assailant who had caused the blast.

"Who... What are you?"

"I am excellence," the figure replied, revealing himself to be a fish-like humanoid. "I am perfection. I am... Trident!" With his declaration, the fish-man disappeared in a flash of light.

Trident reappeared moments later on one side of the deck, securing some kind of hooked strap before diving into the ocean. "Hey!" one of the sailors shouted, spotting him on the opposite side, securing another clamp before leaping back into the water. "He's everywhere!" On cue, Trident appeared behind them, attaching a third strap before vanishing into the sea once again.

Suddenly, the entire ship began to tilt upwards. The captain, realizing what was happening, frantically grabbed the radio.

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

Without hesitation, the crew rushed to the sides, deploying a raft. Once everyone managed to board, they could only watch in shock as their vessel slowly sank into the ocean's depths. Trident stood proudly on the ship's tip, his figure disappearing beneath the waves, leaving the sailors to fend for themselves through the raging storm.

We found ourselves at Titans Tower and it was storming and raging

outside but everyone was asleep. Well, not exactly everyone.

Jake tossed and turned in his bed, pressing a pillow over his ears to block the noise. It was happening again—Beast Boy's nightly howling. As it turned out, every once in a while, Beast Boy would howl in his sleep, and since his room was right above Jake's, it was impossible to escape. The walls, supposedly soundproof, were anything but. Jake had managed to ignore it for a while, but tonight, it was unbearable.

"That's it!" Jake snapped, throwing the pillow across the room in frustration. He grabbed a broom, storming to the center of his room. "BB, shut the hell up!" He yelled, jabbing the ceiling with the broom handle. "Shut up! I'm trying to sleep!"

But instead of stopping, the howling continued—longer, louder, and more annoying. Jake's eyes narrowed. "Oh, you wanna be that way, huh?"

Frustrated beyond belief, he reached for the Omnitrix. He scrolled past Humungousaur, Shocksquatch, and Blitzwolfer before landing on a particular alien—Big Chill. "This should help me get some sleep," Jake muttered, pressing down on the Omnitrix core. With a familiar green flash of light, the transformation began.

First, his skin began to shift, darkening into a shadowy black as his limbs elongated and thinned. His arms and legs grew slender, with cyan patches running along them like streaks of ice. His hands and feet reshaped, forming into three pointed fingers and a thumb on each hand, while his feet became more claw-like, with two toes in front and one behind. The changes continued as his back rippled, four large wings folding out like a moth's. These wings, covered in cyan markings, wrapped around him, forming a poncho-like robe with a hood.

His face was the final piece to change. His blue face was marked by harsh black lines, making his features look skeletal and eerie. His eyes glowed bright green, and his mouth, rarely moving, showed off four sharp bluish-white teeth.

The transformation complete, Jake—now Big Chill—felt the cool power of cryokinesis coursing through him. He flexed his arms, the cyan patches along them glowing faintly as cold air radiated from his body. He exhaled, releasing a plume of icy breath that sparkled in the moonlight streaming through his window.

"This should do the trick," he said, his voice a quiet rasp, barely moving his lips.

Jake phased through the ceiling, floating effortlessly through the air. His ghostly form moved silently as he entered Beast Boy's room above. Beast Boy, still in the middle of a howl, was entirely unaware of Big Chill's presence. Jake hovered directly over Beast Boy, took a deep breath, and released a gust of freezing cold air. The room temperature dropped instantly, frost creeping over the furniture and walls. Beast Boy's breath hitched, and his howling abruptly stopped as he shivered in his sleep, curling up tighter under his blankets.

"That should keep you quiet," Jake whispered to himself, a rare grin creeping onto his otherwise unmoving face.

He floated back down to his room, phasing through the floor as effortlessly as he'd entered Beast Boy's. Once back in his bed, Jake retracted his wings, folding them neatly around his body like a cloak. With the room now silent and cool, he closed his glowing eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep, finally free from the howling upstairs.

The next morning at Titans Tower, the team gathered in the common room. Cyborg was at the stove, flipping pancakes with precision, while Beast Boy was at the counter, preparing his usual tofu scramble. Raven sat on the couch, absorbed in her book, with the TV turned off, leaving the room filled with the casual sounds of breakfast preparation.

"Dude, I seriously don't get why tofu is all you eat," Cyborg complained, his voice tinged with playful annoyance as he eyed Beast Boy's dish.

"Because I don't want to eat meat!" Beast Boy shot back, equally annoyed. "How many times do I have to tell you?" He paused, suddenly looking up in confusion. "And by the way, did anyone mess with the thermostat last night? My room was freezing cold! I swear it felt like I was in an icebox."

Jake entered the room at that moment, a smug grin plastered on his face. He casually strolled over to the table, clearly trying to suppress a chuckle.

"Hey, guys. What's for breakfast?" Jake asked innocently, sitting down at the table and leaning back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest.

Beast Boy narrowed his eyes at Jake, suspicion clear on his face. "Wait... You know something about that, don't you?" he said, jabbing a finger in Jake's direction.

Jake tried to look innocent, but the grin he couldn't quite hide gave him away. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice dripping with fake innocence. "Maybe the thermostat's on the fritz?"

Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. You expect us to believe that with the Omnitrix on your wrist?"

Jake shrugged, his smugness unshaken. "Hey, a guy's gotta do what he's gotta do to get some sleep. You were howling like a wolf all night, BB."

Beast Boy groaned, his face flushing red with embarrassment. "I don't howl! I'm a human, not some wild animal!"

Raven glanced up from her book, the tiniest smirk curling her lips. "Could've fooled me," she muttered under her breath, earning a glare from Beast Boy.

Cyborg chuckled as he served a plate of pancakes, shaking his head. "Man, this team never gets boring."

Jake leaned forward, eyeing the pancakes on Cyborg's plate. "Alright, Cy, hit me with some of those pancakes. And maybe next time, BB, you can work on your volume control when you're sleeping." He winked, enjoying the playful back-and-forth as Beast Boy threw a tofu scramble piece at him in mock frustration.

"You better sleep with one eye open, Jake," Beast Boy said, pointing a fork at him, though his tone was more amused than angry.

"Bring it on," Jake laughed, catching the tofu mid-air with ease.

The morning continued in lighthearted banter as the Titans enjoyed their breakfast, the earlier frustrations of the night now forgotten.

Soon enough, Robin entered the common room, his usual serious expression set firmly in place. He quickly surveyed the room as the Titans turned their attention to him.

"Titans, we have a mission," Robin announced, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

The rest of the team groaned in unison, clearly not thrilled about cutting their breakfast short. Cyborg let out an exaggerated sigh as he set his plate down, while Beast Boy slumped forward, muttering under his breath.

"Man, can't we at least finish eating before we go save the world?" Beast Boy complained, poking at his untouched tofu scramble.

Raven, still holding her book, raised an eyebrow. "Some of us were having a peaceful morning."

Jake grinned, quickly finishing his last bite. "Come on, guys, how bad could it be? Plus, I was getting bored anyway."

Robin crossed his arms, ignoring the grumbles. "It's important. We've got reports of a large vessel sinking off the coast, and it's not just an accident. Something — or someone — caused it to go down. The Coast Guard suspects foul play."

Beast Boy perked up slightly, intrigued. "Wait, you mean like a sea monster? Or pirates? Ooh, or a sea monster pirate!"

Robin sighed but continued. "More like an enhanced threat. I'm not sure exactly what we're dealing with, but it's enough to get us involved."

"Sounds like another fun day," Cyborg muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, let's get to work."

Raven stood, tucking her book under her arm, her usual calm demeanor unshaken. "I suppose a sunken ship is more interesting than breakfast."

Jake, already standing, gave Robin a nod. "Let's do this. And BB," he said, nudging Beast Boy with a grin, "if you see a sea monster, try not to start howling again, okay?"

Beast Boy narrowed his eyes but couldn't help smirking. "If I turn into one, I'll make sure to howl right in your ear."

Robin clapped his hands to get their attention. "Alright, Titans, move out."

With that, the team filed out of the common room, ready for whatever mission lay ahead. Despite the early morning interruptions, the Titans knew this was just another day on the job, and they were more than prepared to handle it—grumbling or not.

After that morning, the Titans received a call from the Coast Guard. They had recovered the crewmen who lost their freighter the previous night, and it was clear this called for an underwater expedition. Beast Boy, being the only Titan who could breathe underwater — minus Jake, who revealed that he had an alien species called Ripjaws that could also breathe underwater — volunteered for the mission. Jake explained that Ripjaws came from an underwater environment, making him perfectly capable of joining the mission.

As for the rest of the Titans, who couldn't breathe underwater, Cyborg had designed a special ship just for the occasion, which he dubbed the T Sub. He made sure to include six seats after the confusion with the T Jet and the lack of space.

"Begin launch sequence," Robin commanded from the front. "Main power online."

"Oxygen tanks at maximum," Starfire informed from her spot on the left wing.

"Defense systems active," Raven said, glancing down at her controls on the right wing.

"Twin-turbo hydro-jet engine purring like a kitten," Cyborg happily reported from the rear.

"And your secret weapon is ready to rock," Beast Boy said confidently from the middle, his feet propped up on the dashboard.

"The only time you qualify as a secret weapon is after eating a tofu bean burrito," Cyborg joked over the comms, much to Beast Boy's annoyance.

"Uh, 'scuse me, bud," Beast Boy retorted, "but can you breathe underwater? Nuh-uh. Can you turn into any fish in the sea?"

"Nuh-uh," Cyborg replied, laughing. "Didn't think so," Beast Boy said, cracking his knuckles.

"All set and ready to go!" Jake, now in his Omni-Kid persona, said while fastening his seatbelt.

"Roger!" everyone replied as the platform descended into the water, aimed at a passageway.

"Titans, launch!" Robin commanded, and with that, the engines roared to life. The T Sub shot forward at full force down the chute, pushing the young heroes back into their seats. The vessel approached a closed hatch, which opened just in time, letting them descend into the very depths of Jump City Bay.

"WAAAA-HOOOO!" Cyborg whooped as the ship blasted out of the opening and into the deep blue sea.

The submarine continued making its way through the deep depths, weaving through a school of fish, causing them to scatter around the vessel.

"Ooooh, wondrous!" Starfire marveled as the fish swam alongside the windows.

"If you think they're cool, just wait till you see me out there kicking butt. First, I'm going shark—" Beast Boy grinned, loudly chomping his teeth together in a show of enthusiasm. But as he did, Cyborg quietly pressed a button labeled "MIC." The sound of Beast Boy's chomping was instantly silenced.

"Hey, what just—?" Beast Boy realized his teeth and voice had been muffled enough that the others couldn't hear him. "Is this thing on? Hey, cut it out!" he complained, annoyed, while Cyborg, grinning, pressed the button again.

"My goodness," Cyborg said innocently. "I seem to have accidentally switched off Beast Boy's microphone."

"Could you go ahead and accidentally leave it off?" Raven quipped. Beast Boy, hearing her, shot her an annoyed look.

"Sorry, BB, that's just too funny!" Omni-Kid chuckled.

"Sonar contact," Robin informed the others. "Beast Boy, Omni-Kid, you two ready to go?"

"Dude, I was born ready," Beast Boy said confidently, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Time to do what I do best. Try not to be too jealous." He sank down in his seat, moments later reappearing as a humpback whale beside Raven, giving her a playful wink.

"He just put on 300,000 pounds. I am so jealous," Raven deadpanned. She glanced out the window As Beast Boy morphed into a hammerhead shark, scanning the area.

"Alright guys, wish me luck!" Omni-Kid said, activating the Omnitrix. He pressed down on the dial, making it slide up and reveal the glowing core. The Omnitrix hummed as he turned the dial, searching for the right alien. With a determined look, Jake slammed down on the core, triggering a flash of green light as the transformation began.

His body began to shift and morph, his legs slowly fusing together and extending into a long, powerful fish tail, covered in sleek grey scales. His skin took on a mottled grey hue, while patches of scales emerged across his torso and arms, which elongated and grew webbed, clawed fingers tipped with sharp yellow talons.

Jake felt a change in his breathing as gills formed along the sides of his neck, allowing him to draw in oxygen from the water with ease. His jaw unhinged slightly, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth that gleamed beneath his newly transformed reptilian face. A menacing fin sprouted from the back of his head, matching the sharp fins now running along his arms and legs.

As the transformation completed, the Omnitrix symbol settled on his left pectoral, displayed on a black patch. His new form—Ripjaws—was both sleek and fierce, perfectly adapted to the underwater environment. With a powerful flick of his tail, he propelled himself out of the open hatch and into the water

the ship's hatch opened, allowing him to swim out alongside Beast Boy.

"Here we go," Ripjaws said, his voice deep and menacing as he dove into the ocean, his powerful tail propelling him swiftly through the water toward the wreck.

"There's our ship. But where's the cargo?" Robin asked, raising a very good question as they approached the freighter, turning on the lights and beginning their investigation.

"If this dude's bad enough to sink a whole ship, those barrels could be anywhere by now," Cyborg said over the intercom as Beast Boy, in shark form, and Ripjaws swam into the wreckage. Unaware, they passed by the silhouette of a shadowy figure watching them before it swam away.

Meanwhile, the sub circled the vessel, continuing to search for anything they might have missed. As the lights passed over, they revealed a large hole in the hull. Just as the lights swept by, a shadowy figure shot out of the hole, followed closely by the green shark and alien fish.

"Looks like they found Trident," Robin said as they turned the sub to join the chase, unaware that someone else was right behind them. Before long, the figure aimed its weapon and fired an energy blast, hitting the sub and taking them by surprise.

"Looks like Trident found us!" Cyborg growled as both Omni-Kid and Beast Boy continued their chase, unaware of their team being attacked. They dodged the incoming projectiles, but eventually, the sub was hit again.

"Cyborg, bring us about. Raven, get ready to fire," Robin commanded as the vessel turned with its weapons ready, only to be met with calm, quiet waters.

"Where'd he go?" Cyborg asked, scanning the area.

They continued to look through their windows, until a blast hit Starfire's side, making the four teens react.

"He is there!" Starfire gasped, spotting Trident diving down.

"No, that way!" Raven shouted, pointing to where she saw Trident swimming above.

"It's him!" Cyborg confirmed as Trident fired off another blast, forcing the team to dodge while managing to land a few counterattacks.

"He can't be in three places at once!" Robin exclaimed. "Head for the—"

"The engines are fried!" Cyborg interrupted, noticing the power gauges dropping into the red. "We're going down!" he shouted as the sub began descending at an alarming rate.

From the distance, the shadowy figure that Beast Boy and Ripjaws were chasing noticed the sub being relentlessly attacked by Trident. The figure looked back at its pursuers and emitted an energy wave.

"Your friends are in danger," a voice echoed in Beast Boy's head, causing him, now in great white shark form, to pause.

"My friends are in what? Whoa! How did you say that?"

"Is that really important right now, BB?" came a deep, savage voice. Beast Boy turned around to see Ripjaws, realizing he was hearing his voice.

"Omni-Kid?! How did you say that?"

"Save the questions for later! We gotta go!" Ripjaws yelled as he darted off toward the sub.

"Hey!" Beast Boy transformed into a swordfish to catch up. "Okay. Hero time. This is my big chance to prove I'm the—" Before he could finish, the mysterious figure they had been chasing zoomed right past them both. "Best?"

As Trident continued his relentless assault, someone punched the Fishman—it was the figure Beast Boy and Ripjaws had been chasing.

The figure was revealed to be a teenage boy, about their age, wearing a blue-and-black turtleneck unitard with white zig-zag patterns. He had long black hair running down to his shoulders.

Meanwhile, back in the sub, it was speeding uncontrollably toward a deep-sea trench, with no way of slowing down.

"Main power's down! Hyper jets are toast, and we're leaking air!" Cyborg exclaimed, bracing himself in his seat.

"Tell me something I don't know," Robin said flatly as they approached the trench.

"Okay," Raven replied with sarcastic calmness. "We're all going to drown," she said as they descended deeper.

The glass around Cyborg's station began to crack, and the sub groaned under the increasing pressure. "Hull's starting to give. If we sink much deeper, the pressure's gonna crush us!"

Back in the battle, the mysterious stranger was sent crashing into a rock by Trident. Just as Beast Boy and Ripjaws moved to help him, Ripjaws stopped and pointed toward the trench where their teammates were in trouble.

"Beast Boy, go help them now! I'll take care of this guy!" Ripjaws yelled.

"Got it!" Beast Boy replied as he darted off, transforming into a squid, while Omni-Kid rushed to assist the stranger. Trident, ready to attack again, was interrupted by a loud snarl as Ripjaws sank his teeth into Trident's arm, causing the fishman to struggle and pry him off. The stranger took advantage, landing a clean hit on Trident.

"That's right, Omni-Kid. Help pretty boy wrestle," Beast Boy muttered to himself as he sped toward the sub. "Only Beast Boy can save a whole submarine."

"Titans, brace for impact!" Robin shouted.

"Oh, man!" Cyborg cried out as their sub grazed the wall of the underwater trench, stirring up a cloud of dust and debris.

Back with Ripjaws and the stranger, they had successfully fended off Trident, forcing him to retreat. The stranger glanced toward the sinking sub, his face growing serious.

"Dammit!" Ripjaws cursed. "We'll never make it in time!"

"Don't worry, help is on the way," the stranger reassured him, using his telepathic powers to call for aid. Moments later, two massive whales responded, swimming toward the sub.

The Titans' sub was sinking faster and faster, with Beast Boy racing after it as quickly as he could. "I got it! I got it!" he cried, closing in on the sub. Suddenly, two humpback whales shot past him, coming together beneath the sub and lifting it out of the trench.

"They got it?" Beast Boy blinked in confusion. "How come *they* got it?"

"Because I asked for their help," the stranger's voice replied as he and Ripjaws swam up beside him.

"You talk to fish? Yeah, right," the green squid pouted, crossing his arms.

"I'm talking to both of you, aren't I?" the stranger said with a friendly smile. Beast Boy paused, realizing the stranger was right, making Ripjaws snicker.

"Well, technically, I'm a squid, and Omni-Kid's a fish," the squid pointed out.

"Dude, he has aquatic telepathy. He can talk to all forms of marine life," Ripjaws explained.

"You definitely know your stuff," the stranger said, sounding impressed with Ripjaws' knowledge. "Follow me," he instructed, and Ripjaws complied, swimming alongside him. Meanwhile, Beast Boy was quietly fuming, feeling like this mysterious figure had stolen his spotlight.

"'It's called Aquatic Telepathy,'" Beast Boy grumbled, mimicking his teammate in frustration.

"We heard that," both Ripjaws and the stranger replied in unison, making Beast Boy blush in embarrassment before he hurried to catch up.

"Who *is* this guy?" Beast Boy muttered to himself, still bewildered by the stranger's powers.

After the Titans' close brush with disaster, their vessel finally rose from the water, drifting into a large cavern with a shore. As the sub floated gently to the shore, Robin and Starfire were the first to disembark, stepping onto solid ground. They both gazed in awe at the beautiful scenery surrounding them.

"Beautiful," Starfire said, her voice filled with admiration.

"It's not beautiful!" Cyborg snapped, catching their attention. He pointed angrily at the damaged sub. "It's totaled! Oh, man, I never even got to use the seismic blasters!"

"Where are we?" Raven asked, her usual calm demeanor masking her curiosity.

"My place," the aquatic teen answered as he gracefully leaped off a whale that had surfaced beside the sub. "I told the whales to bring you here," he added, walking toward them. Raven, momentarily caught off guard, blushed slightly and turned away to hide it.

"Okay, uh... thanks," she mumbled.

"Oh yes, truly, truly, thank you so much for saving us," Starfire added, her own cheeks flushed as she admired the young man.

"He saved you?!" Beast Boy grumbled as he stomped out of the water, flicking some seaweed off his foot. "Hello! I was helping too, you know!"

"You stopped Trident from skewering us with that souped-up shrimp fork?" Cyborg asked, getting up in Beast Boy's face.

"Way to go," Robin chimed in sarcastically.

Beast Boy started to protest, "Well, we were gonna—" but was interrupted by a grunt. The group turned to see Ripjaws emerge from the water, transforming back into Omni-Kid and shaking himself off like a wet dog.

"I'm Aqualad," the aquatic teen finally introduced himself, walking up to Beast Boy. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. We Atlanteans tend to keep a low profile."

"Good job. Don't think anyone noticed you," Beast Boy grumbled.

As if on cue, Omni-Kid stepped on Beast Boy's foot, ignoring the changeling's exaggerated moaning in pain.

"So you're really from Atlantis?" Raven asked, snapping out of her lovestruck gaze. Starfire, however, was still caught in it.

"And so is Trident," Aqualad replied, walking over to a small device he activated, projecting a hologram of Trident, along with images of his numerous crimes. "He's the worst criminal in Atlantis. His ego is out of control. Trident claims he's perfect in every way, so he thinks he can do whatever he wants."

"Any idea what he wants with all that toxic waste?" Robin asked, studying the images intently.

"Whatever it is, it's bad for both our worlds," Aqualad explained. "He's gained some kind of new power. It's like he can be everywhere at once."

"We noticed that," Raven added with a nod, recalling their earlier fight.

"As long as we're after the same thing, maybe we can help each other," Aqualad suggested. Beast Boy, however, was quick to protest.

"Hey, no, we're good. Got the whole Trident thing under control," Beast Boy said, pushing Robin and Raven back a bit. "Besides—"

Before he could finish, a green flash of light appeared, and Omni-Kid stood before them, his usual confident demeanor unchanged.

"We're at the bottom of the ocean," Raven said, cutting Beast Boy off.

"Our sub's Swiss cheese," Cyborg added begrudgingly, glancing back at the wrecked vessel.

"And we cannot breathe underwater," Starfire added, making a very valid point.

Omni-Kid, clearly more observant than usual, eyed Aqualad skeptically. "Hey, you said your name is Aqualad, but I already met Aqualad. His name is Kaldur."

Aqualad raised an eyebrow at the young hero. "Kaldur? That's my older brother."

"His brother?" Raven echoed in surprise.

"Yes, Kaldur's well-known, but I work in a different part of Atlantis," Aqualad clarified. "And no, I don't add alcohol to my introductions." He smirked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Omni-Kid squinted, still unsure. "Okay... but I'm watching you." He crossed his arms but didn't push the issue further.

Beast Boy, still sulking over Aqualad stealing his spotlight, muttered, "Great. Two Aqualads. Just what we need."

"We'll take any help you can give us!" Robin finally spoke up, sealing the Titans' decision. Aqualad nodded in agreement.

"Hey, Tram!" Aqualad called out. In response, a large seashell nearby popped open, and a small humanoid fishman with oversized yellow eyes, wearing overalls and a backpack, emerged. He waddled over to Aqualad, speaking in a strange language.

Aqualad knelt down, eye level with his aquatic friend. "Wanna give these people a hand with their sub?" Tram's face lit up with excitement. He cracked his knuckles and scurried over to the damaged T-sub, pulling out some wires and whipping out an electrical jackhammer, immediately getting to work.

Cyborg ran over in alarm, "Yo, careful! That's my sub you're messin' with!"

While Tram worked, Aqualad turned back to the team. "While he's helping with the sub, I'll find Trident," he said, heading towards the water. Before he could dive in, Beast Boy quickly intercepted him.

"You mean, *I'll* track down Trident," Beast Boy countered.

"That's okay. I can handle it," Aqualad calmly replied, pushing Beast Boy aside.

Beast Boy wasn't having it. "Thanks, but I *think* I've got—"

"Seriously, I'll take care of it," Aqualad interrupted, giving Beast Boy another light shove.

"Would you just get out of my—"

"Let me go!" Both shouted, devolving into a childish shoving match. They pushed each other like two bickering siblings, grunting and glaring.

Omni-Kid, watching the immature display unfold, sighed. He tapped the wristband on his arm, activating a shield. He tossed it, and it ricocheted off the walls before landing between the two. Startled by the sudden interruption, Aqualad and Beast Boy paused, blinking at the young alien hero, who now looked more than a little annoyed.

"Omni-Kid's got a point, guys," Robin said, stepping forward to back him up. "Why don't you both go track Trident down *together*?"

"I usually work alone," Aqualad replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, me too," Beast Boy added quickly.

Aqualad raised an eyebrow. "You do not. You're part of a team."

"And you hang out with Tram, the fish boy," Beast Boy retorted, shaping his head into a comical mimicry of Tram, then shifting back to normal. "What's your point?"

Suddenly, Omni-Kid, fed up with their bickering, shouted, "Garfield, stop being an asshole!" His voice rang through the cavern, shocking Beast Boy into silence. He never expected Omni-Kid to use his real name, let alone in such a blunt way.

Beast Boy blinked, stunned. "Did... did you just call me Garfield?"

Omni-Kid crossed his arms, glaring. "Yeah, I did. And you're acting like a total jerk right now."

Robin nodded, stepping in to smooth things over. "Omni-Kid's right. We need to focus on stopping Trident, not on fighting each other."

Aqualad shot a glance at Beast Boy, who was still stunned, then nodded. "Fine. We'll work together," he said, extending a hand toward Beast Boy.

Beast Boy hesitated for a moment before begrudgingly shaking Aqualad's hand. "Yeah, fine. Let's just get this over with."

As they made their peace, Raven, Starfire, and Cyborg exchanged relieved glances. "Finally," Cyborg muttered under his breath, watching as the two reluctant allies turned their attention toward the mission at hand.

Aqualad and Beast Boy exchanged a brief glance, neither thrilled but both knowing they had to work together. With a final nod from Robin, the two heroes turned and dove into the water, disappearing beneath the surface with graceful speed.

Omni-Kid watched them for a second before stepping to the edge of the water. "You're not leaving me behind," he muttered, tapping his Omnitrix as he prepared to join the underwater mission. He took a deep breath and dove in after them.

As he submerged, he could feel the pressure of the ocean around him. His eyes locked onto the Omnitrix on his wrist, and with a swift turn of the dial, he selected the familiar symbol. His fingers slammed down on the watch.

A bright green flash lit up the water, encapsulating Omni-Kid as he began to transform. His legs merged and elongated into a powerful, streamlined tail. Webbing grew between his fingers and gills formed on the sides of his neck. His skin thickened into a smooth, scaly texture, becoming Ripjaws once again. The transformation completed with a final surge of energy as his jaws extended into sharp, predatory fangs, the fin on his head swishing with the current.

Omni-Kid, now Ripjaws, let out a low growl, his body now fully adapted to the ocean depths. His sharp eyes adjusted to the low light as he spotted Aqualad and Beast Boy swimming ahead. With a few strong tail strokes, he closed the gap, moving with incredible speed through the water.

Aqualad turned his head slightly, noticing Ripjaws beside them, and gave a nod of approval. "Not bad," he said, keeping his pace steady. Beast Boy, who had morphed into a large dolphin to match their speed, shot a sideways glance at Ripjaws but kept quiet, still a little stunned by Omni-Kid's earlier outburst.

Ripjaws, however, was focused. His new aquatic form was perfect for this mission, allowing him to keep up with Aqualad's swift movements and Beast Boy's agile dolphin form.

"Trident could be anywhere by now," Ripjaw said as he, Aqualad, and Beast Boy, who had turned into a squid, began their search. "Do you know where he might be?"

"Yeah," Aqualad answered, pointing in a direction. "I searched that region yesterday. We'll start there."

As they were about to go, Beast Boy stopped them. "Look, I'm sure you're some kind of local hero... but I'm a real hero from the big city. So just let me call the shots."

"Oh really?" Ripjaw asked, giving him an annoyed look. "By all means... show us your ways, wise one..." he added sarcastically.

"That's better," Beast Boy said, turning into a dolphin. "Try to keep up." He swam around for a bit, then looked in a certain direction. "I'm picking something up on my sonar. Come on!"

They followed him, and as they did, Aqualad smirked, already knowing what was going to happen. Just as he predicted, Beast Boy had only detected more dolphins.

"Congratulations. You found other dolphins," Aqualad said with a smirk, crossing his arms.

"I knew that," Beast Boy muttered.

"Did you now?" Ripjaw replied sarcastically.

Aqualad used his telepathic abilities to communicate with the dolphins, who swam away. "They told me where we can find Trident," Aqualad explained, looking over at Beast Boy. "Try to keep up."

"Oh, I'll do better than that," Beast Boy retorted, swimming past Aqualad, turning the search into a race. He changed from a dolphin into a barracuda, and then into a swordfish, gaining speed ahead of the group.

"Guys, stop!" Ripjaw cried out. Aqualad saw the danger ahead, but the swordfish Beast Boy kept going.

"What's the matter? Am I too fast for you—" Beast Boy's sentence was cut off as he crashed into something hard. Unfortunately for him, it was none other than Trident.

He laughed nervously upon realizing who he had bumped into. "Hehe, how's it going?"

"Keep your thoughts to yourself, inferior fool," Trident growled, aiming his weapon and firing. Aqualad tackled him just in time, pushing him out of the way.

"Oh no you don't!" Beast Boy shouted, turning into a great white shark. "This time, he's mine!"

As the shark swam up, Trident leapt out of the water, weapon ready. He fired at Beast Boy, but the green shark dodged and bit into Trident's weapon, shattering it. Trident retaliated, but Beast Boy quickly morphed into a squid, wrapping his tentacles around Trident and wrestling him down into the depths.

As Ripjaws swam to help, he narrowly dodged an incoming blast from behind. "What the—?" He could've sworn he saw Aqualad and Beast Boy fighting Trident, but now Trident was here? Confusion filled his mind, but there wasn't time to figure it out. He sped toward his opponent and grabbed Trident's weapon, only to be kicked in the stomach and sent flying. As Trident attempted to impale him, Ripjaws quickly raised his tail, knocked the weapon from Trident's grip, and smashed it before tackling the fishman.

Meanwhile, Aqualad was locked in a struggle with another Trident, engaged in a tug-of-war over his opponent's weapon. With a well-placed kick, Aqualad managed to break free and shattered the weapon with one strike.

Beast Boy was dealing with his own struggle. Just as he was about to gain the upper hand, Trident hurled him straight at Aqualad. "Incoming!" Beast Boy shouted as he crashed into his teammate, his squid-like form sticking to Aqualad's face. With an annoyed look, Aqualad pried the tentacles off. "I said incoming," Beast Boy muttered sheepishly.

The two turned to the sound of a loud roar, watching as Ripjaws wrestled with Trident. The fishman managed to land a punch, but Ripjaws retaliated by sinking his teeth into Trident's arm and throwing him hard into a nearby rock wall. Trident grunted in pain before spotting a cave nearby, using it to make his escape.

"He's getting away!" both Aqualad and Beast Boy shouted, pointing in opposite directions.

"Where were you back there!?" Aqualad snapped, his frustration evident.

"Where was I?" Beast Boy, still in his squid form, placed his tentacles on his sides indignantly. "I was fighting Trident by myself!"

"You barely laid a tentacle on him! At least I managed to break his weapon!" Aqualad shot back.

"Dude, that's so wrong. I totally broke that fork thing!" Beast Boy retorted.

"There he goes!" they both yelled again, pointing in different directions, which only made them more frustrated with each other.

"I saw him! He's that way! I'm right, you're wrong, end of story!" Aqualad argued.

"I'm telling you, he's this way. If you wanna go the wrong way, be my guest!" Beast Boy said defiantly.

"You know what? I will. See you later!" Beast Boy started swimming off.

"Both of you, shut up!" Omni-Kid snarled, his Ripjaws frills flaring angrily as he swam up to them. His sudden outburst caught their attention, making them pause.

"You guys are acting like little kids," Omni-Kid continued, his voice filled with frustration as he looked at them both. "It doesn't matter who's right. If we keep arguing, we're gonna lose him!"

Beast Boy, irritated, crossed his arms and muttered, "Jakey, seriously? You're taking his side?"

Omni-Kid ignored the nickname, his focus laser-sharp. "Both of you, follow me." His tone left no room for argument as he swam ahead, knowing they'd have no choice but to keep up if they wanted to stop Trident.

Beast Boy grumbled under his breath but reluctantly followed, while Aqualad, still irritated, shot a glare at Beast Boy before following Omni-Kid into the depths.

Alright, what is it? " Aqualad asked.

" Just think about this for a minute. " Ripjaws began. " Aqualad you were fighting Trident, Beast Boy was also fighting Trident and I was fighting him? At the same time? There's a reason behind that. "

" He's right. " Beast Boy then began to piece it together. " What if there's more than one Trident? "

" Don't be ridiculous. " Aqualad said. " How could there be- "

" I know. But what if there is? Omni kid got a point, if he found a way to copy himself, he could be in two places at once. "

" Yeah, there wouldn't be just one Trident, there would be- All of a sudden, something slimy fell on the fish alien's face, causing him to shake it off.

"Thousands..." Aqualad said in horror, looking up. And indeed, he was right. Across the ceiling was a forest of translucent orange pods, each containing clones of the very villain they had been fighting.

"Uh-oh..." Beast Boy muttered, not liking what he was seeing.

"One Trident is bad," Aqualad began.

"But this is..." Beast Boy continued.

"An army," a chorus of menacing voices finished the sentence. The trio looked around, realizing how Trident had managed to accomplish all his plans—a whole horde of clones ready for battle. As the clones charged, the trio darted off to engage in the fight.

Aqualad jumped, dodging an incoming blast, and used a few of the clones as stepping stones to get behind another. He quickly blasted a few with his weapon.

Ripjaws tapped the Omnitrix on his chest, and with a green flash of light, he transformed into Big Chill. He flew up, spreading his wings, and began blowing ice from his mouth at the approaching Tridents.

Meanwhile, Beast Boy had transformed into a bear, swatting clones left and right. That was until one of them blasted him, sending him crashing into a control console. As he slumped to the ground, large red letters flashed on the screen: *HATCHING SEQUENCE BEGINNING, accompanied by a few sparks. Returning to his human form, Beast Boy glanced at the screen and chuckled sheepishly. "Whoops..."

At the same time, Big Chill was sent flying into the console, crashing alongside Aqualad. Both grunted in pain as they stood up. "Great..." Beast Boy muttered sarcastically as they found themselves surrounded.

"My brilliant plan is already a success," one of the clones declared.

"If one of me was perfect..." another clone continued.

"Why not make more?" yet another clone finished.

"You can never have too much of a good thing," another clone chimed in.

"Once my army conquers Atlantis,"

"I will declare war on the surface world!" yet another clone concluded.

"Everyone on the planet will bow down before me..."

"And praise my perfection!" all the Tridents said in unison.

"Geez, he really loves the sound of his voice, doesn't he?" Big Chill muttered, growing increasingly annoyed. "But seriously, we can't win like this."

"He's right. Any bright ideas?" Aqualad asked.

"Just one. Try to keep up," Beast Boy answered. "So, if you're all perfect, which one of you is the best?"

"I am!" they all shouted at once.

"Huh?" they all glanced at one another in confusion.

Aqualad caught on to what Beast Boy was doing and decided to play along. "Come on, you can't all be the best. One of you must be better than the others."

"I am the original! I am the best!" one clone declared.

"You are not the original!" another clone argued.

"I am!" they all shouted again.

"Nonsense, you inferior fools! I am perfection! I am Trident!" one clone shouted, igniting an all-out brawl among the clones. The trio watched proudly as the chaos unfolded, wincing at the sounds of fighting until all that was left were unconscious Tridents scattered around.

"Great idea," Aqualad said.

"Kinda got it from you," Beast Boy replied with a grin. "Now, we just have to stop those clones from hatching."

"Yeah..." Big Chill said sheepishly. "About that..." The two teens turned to see what he was talking about and noticed that the hatching sequence had already begun.

"Too late!" they all said in unison as they heard the sounds of howling and screeching from above. The newly-born Tridents were tearing their way out of the cocoons, landing on the ground as the trio watched in shock and disgust.

"We gotta go! NOW!" Big Chill cried out. Beast Boy transformed into a hippo, charging forward and bashing aside Trident clones as he made a path. Aqualad and Big Chill flew right behind him. Big Chill tapped the Omnitrix one last time, transforming back into Ripjaws with a green flash of light. He dove into the water with a horde of Tridents hot on their trail.

"We can't let them escape! We have to find some way of sealing the exit!" Aqualad communicated telepathically as they swam with all their might.

"Right now, I'm just worried about reaching the exit!" Beast Boy said, now in the form of a swordfish, slicing through the water.

"The others can't be too far behind!" Ripjaws replied. But suddenly, the Omnitrix symbol on his chest began to beep red, signaling that his time was almost up. "Oh, crap! Not now! This is what I get for switching between forms too much!"

"Jakey!" Beast Boy gasped in fear, knowing what could happen if Ripjaws turned back to his human form underwater.

"Keep going! We're almost there!" Aqualad shouted as they neared the exit. The horde of Trident clones was still hot on their trail, but as they swam closer to the entrance, they spotted the T-Sub in the distance.

The Trident clones hesitated, their pursuit slowing as they realized they were in the sights of the T-Sub's weapons. A second later, two large energy beams fired from the vessel, striking the top of the cave. The resulting explosion caused a massive cave-in, sealing the entire horde inside.

"Yes!" Robin said triumphantly from inside the T-Sub.

"Cool," Raven admitted with a small smile.

"Victory!" Starfire exclaimed, giving a cheerful peace sign.

"Boo-yah!" Cyborg cheered, punching the air. "Seismic blasters worked like a charm! Nice repair job, Tram!" he said, giving a thumbs-up to their fish-human ally, who shared the same victorious feeling.

Just then, a red flash illuminated the water as Ripjaws reverted back to Omni-kid in his human form. Panic struck as Jake struggled for breath, unable to survive underwater.

Without hesitation, Beast Boy shifted into a giant humpback whale and swam over to Omni- kid. With a swift motion, he opened his massive mouth and safely tucked Omni-kid inside, preventing him from drowning.

Inside the whale's mouth, Omni-kid gasped, finally catching his breath. "Ugh, BB, your teeth… and your breath. You seriously need mouthwash!" Omni-kid complained, though his voice carried a tone of relief.

Beast Boy chuckled telepathically in response, giving a small playful shake. "Hey, I just saved your life, Jakey. No need to get all fussy!"

After thwarting the Atlantean criminal's plan, the Titans and their new allies returned to their island, ready to properly thank them for their help. The four male Titans stood proudly before Aqualad and Tram among the rocky terrain, while Starfire and Raven exchanged glances, still admiring the young Atlantean from afar.

"Consider yourself an honorary Teen Titan," Robin said, his voice filled with pride as he handed Aqualad a yellow communicator, identical to the ones the Titans used. "We couldn't have done it without you. Thanks."

Aqualad took the communicator, nodding gratefully. "Right back at you. It's good to know there are people up here I can trust."

"And it's good to know there's folks down there who can fix a hyper-jet," Cyborg added, happily giving Tram a fist bump. Tram gibbered something excitedly, including a familiar "boo-yah," making Cyborg grin even wider.

"Goodbye, Raven. Starfire," Aqualad said a little nervously, turning toward the two girls who were still gazing at him.

"It was nice to meet you," Raven said, her voice unusually soft.

"Oh, very, very, very nice!" Starfire added, her enthusiastic tone causing Aqualad to back up, startled, right into Beast Boy.

Beast Boy laughed, clapping a hand on Aqualad's shoulder. "What can I say, dude? You're the best."

"No, *you're* the best," Aqualad responded with a slight grin.

"Yeah, you're right," Beast Boy said confidently, stretching his arms with a smirk. "And if you ever want me to prove it, I'm always up for a race."

Aqualad raised an eyebrow, accepting the challenge. "Just try and keep up."

With that, the two rivals, now reluctant partners turned best friends, began running down the path, shoulder to shoulder, laughing as they raced toward the shoreline.

Back at the rocks, Omni kid, standing beside Robin and Cyborg, smiled. It had been a long mission, but they had formed bonds that would last far longer than the battles they had fought.

Later that night at Titans Tower, Jake knocked on Beast Boy's door and walked in, looking somewhat hesitant. Beast Boy was lounging on the couch, still unwinding from the earlier chaos.

"Hey, BB," Jake started, his voice carrying a note of hesitation. "I wanted to apologize for earlier. I'm sorry I yelled at you and called you by your real name."

Beast Boy looked up, concern evident in his eyes. "It's alright, Jake. What's got you thinking about this now?"

Jake took a deep breath and began to explain. "I remembered how I called you by your real name back in the cavern. I was so upset that you and Aqualad kept fighting, and it felt like you weren't listening to me. I didn't want to yell at you, but it just happened."

A flashback hit Jake suddenly: "Garfield, stop being an asshole!" His voice had echoed harshly through the cavern, and he had seen the shock on Beast Boy's face. Jake's eyes welled up as he remembered how Beast Boy had looked—stunned and hurt. It made him feel even worse.

Beast Boy had indeed been taken aback, his expression shifting from shock to sadness. "Did... did you just call me Garfield?" he had asked, bewildered.

Jake's eyes were now filled with regret. "Yeah, I did. I was so frustrated, and I didn't think about how it would affect you. I'm really sorry."

Beast Boy's face softened, his initial shock fading into understanding. "I get it, Jake. We were all wound up, and things got heated. I didn't mean to make you feel ignored. It wasn't about you."

Jake nodded, wiping a stray tear from his cheek. "I just wanted you to know I didn't mean to hurt you big bro, and I just wanted things to be okay."

Beast Boy's heart melted at Jake's heartfelt apology. He reached out and pulled Jake into a comforting hug. "You don't have to apologize, little bro. We all mess up sometimes. I'm just glad we can talk it out. And you know what? No matter what, you're important to me."

Jake smiled, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. "Thanks, BB. I really appreciate that."

Beast Boy smiled back, patting Jake on the back. "Let's put this behind us and just hang out. How about we watch a movie together?"

Jake's face brightened at the suggestion. "That sounds perfect."

As they settled on the couch, Beast Boy wrapped an arm around Jake, and the movie started. The tension of earlier melted away, leaving them both feeling closer than ever.

Jake's new Omnitrix List of transformations

1. Blitzwolfer

2. Swampfire

3. XLR8

4. Diamond head

5. wildmutt

6. Chowdown

7. jetray

8. Big Chill

9. Humungosaur

10. Bloxx

11. shocksquatch

12. Feedback

13. Echo Echo

14. Upgrade

15. Goop

16 .Gray matter

17. Cannonbolt

18. Spider monkey

19. riptjaw

20. star-flare

22. Rath

23. Stitcheon

24 . Symbiotrix