Ben POV
I pressed the faceplate and started to transform once again. This time, instead of rocks, I could feel my muscles and bones shift into different shapes, yet it wasn't painful or discomforting. I then felt my neck split open into gills as fur grew all over my body with a few quills growing on my back and forearm. I even went from biped to quadruped.
When the transformation finished I tried to open my eyes only to discover I didn't have any. Instead, my gills seem to expand and contract nearly causing sensory overload. I could smell the sugar of the marshmallows we had earlier, the different vegetation around me, the dirt I'm standing on and so much more. I heard different animals around me, the remains of the crackling fire trying to come back to life, and the light breathing coming from my cousin.
The world seems to be on fire, yet I felt like I'm taking my first real look at the world with more clarity than ever. 'Daredevil' was the only thing I could compare this to.
I would have continued to be mesmerized with the feeling if it wasn't for my cousin trying to hit me from behind. I say 'try' because I heard her swing the stick my way, so I just jumped out of the way.
"Okay, maybe he isn't so useless," Gwen said as she was floored by her swing missing its mark.
'Weird, I never noticed that her voice had that kind of vibration to it,' I thought as my senses detected her voice.
I then tried to extend my senses to the limit. 'Cool I have 360 vision,' the thought passed by undeterred.
It was cool, until I realized that there was a sound that just didn't belong. The best I could describe it was as a zooming and buzzing noise cutting through the air. Much like the hover droids in the Star Wars movies.
I jump in the direction of the noise, uncaring of my cousin calling out to me to try and get me to stay. Whatever is making that noise is without a doubt dangerous, or so my instincts tell me.
I went off, grabbing onto and jumping off of branches to get there faster. It was like I was Tarzan but without the vines.
ZOOM
I heard it louder now. I stopped on a tree and tried to listen carefully. I know it's after me, so I just have to make sure it doesn't…
VOOM
'It's right behind me,' I thought as I jumped away from my perch to avoid whatever the sound was. I took a deep smell only to realize the branch was burned right where I just was. 'Great, it has lasers.'
This time I wasn't idle, I charged at it while using the trees to stay out of its line of sight. Once close enough, I ripped it apart using my fangs and claws.
'And stay down,' I tried to say. But…
ROAR
Looks like this alien really can't talk.
I turned around to head back only to hear something.
VOOM
Once I heard that sound again I tried to jump away only to feel my side getting singed. 'Cheap shot.'
GROWL
I got back up, not letting the pain keep me down. I charged at the thing, once again making sure to stay covered as I did.
I jumped on it and started to rip the surface of the object with my claws only to hear something that was right on my arm.
Beep Beep Beep
I turned back to human. My weaker body is unable to rip the darn thing anymore. So I had to settle with pulling whatever wire I could.
ZOOOOM
Good news, the robot seems to finally break down. Bad news, it knocked me off by throwing me off as it spun.
"Ow! Man, I'm gonna feel that tomorrow," I said as I got up. I turn and see the robot just being stubborn and refusing to go down.
I took a look around, hoping to find a big enough stick I could use as an improvised bat.
ZOOOM VOOM
The robot tried to hover towards me only to be smashed by my cousin wielding a shovel like a war hammer.
"Nobody messes with my cousin but me," she proclaimed as she bashed the drone a few more times.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but am I glad to see you."
We head back to camp only to see grandpa Max with a few pieces of scrap metal and a very stern look.
~~~~~
Listening to a lecture was the last thing I wanted to do, but having the man you look upto lecture you with a deep frown really drives home how much I messed up.
"I'm sorry grandpa," I say honestly. "But I just had to figure out what this watch can really do."
"I tried to warn him. But does he listen, no!" cried Gwen, sounding rather indignant.
Ignoring her, I tell grandpa Max what I managed to figure out about the watch. Even told him that I might start calling it the Omnitrix.
TWITCH
I noticed he flinched at the name. There it is again. The feeling he knows more than he lets on.
I would have pressed him, to see if he would tell me what it is he isn't telling us, but…
STATIC HISS
One of the radios in the RV picked up a distress signal. And from the sounds of it, it might involve those robots that attacked me.
~~~~~
Max POV
Me and the kids head towards the direction of the rest area that the robot was attacking. Just before we get there I give my grandson the okay to transform.
A flash of green light and he turns into a man made of diamond. 'Haven't seen that species since… No focus, there are people in danger.'
As we got there there was a giant robot destroying everything in sight. 'Glad we left the Rust Bucket behind.'
"Looks like papa bot is taking his shot this time," Ben joked, almost getting me to smile. "You guys get the civilians to safety, I'll deal with gear head over there."
Me and Gwen got to work. We pulled everyone out of any danger they might be in and convinced them to stay as far away as possible.
Turning around we see Ben learning little by little what he can do. He learned to change the shape of his body and throw projectiles.
The battle seemed to take forever but my grandson finished it in one second by using the reflective property of his body to redirect a beam at the robot.
After it was all said and done, my grandson walked away from the scene. No celebration, no showboating, just a quick wave to the civilians followed by him heading back to the woods. 'Funny, I thought he would be excited after the fight. Though I guess he just wanted to look cool to the crowd.'
Looking around at everyone we saved I noticed a black car with tinted windows and a rather noticeable hood ornament of a bird in a circle. Whatever good mood I was feeling vanished at the sight of it.
We head back to the Rust Bucket to get some sleep. It's been a long day and I need to figure out a way to help Ben learn how to use his new abilities.
Ben couldn't sleep, and I don't blame him. He was responsible for the lives of all those people. If we had failed, the casualties would have weighed on our souls; more so on a 10 year old. Gwen seemed just about ready to just sleep yet seemed to be going through the same thing as her cousin.
I take them outside for a bit of fresh air and a quick talk about what they are feeling is how every hero feels and that it shouldn't be something that takes control over them.
"Every time you're too scared to think clearly, you need to tell yourselves that it's time to be a hero," those were the words that managed to calm them down enough to be able to sleep.
Ben lingered a little while looking behind me with a rather guarded look on his face. I turn around to see a middle-aged man with caucasian skin, military haircut and wearing an eyepatch on his right eye. I tensed because he was someone I was hoping I wouldn't see for a long time.
Ben noticed my unease and reached for the Omnitrix. I held out my hand and gave a slight shake of the head. 'We can't let anyone know of the watch.'
"Well now, Maxwell Tennyson. I'd like to say I'm surprised to see you but knowing your track record, I'd be lying," said the man. My teeth were on edge the hole time.
"Sorry Nicholas James Furry, but if you don't mind, me and the kids would like to go to bed. We had a long day after all," I said, putting emphasis on his name.
He had a great poker face, but I could tell by the look in his eye that he didn't like the fact I said his full name.
"Fine. But I'll be back tomorrow to discuss what just happened."
I just nodded, not trusting my mouth with him around.
As he left, Ben seemed to finally relax a bit but had this edge to him. Like he expected the man did something to the RV. He probably did.
"Who was that grandpa?" he asked, genuinely nervous about our unexpected visitor.
"He is a long story. I'll tell you more about him soon. Alright?" Was all I could tell him. It was all I wanted to tell him.
He just nodded and went inside, but instead of going to sleep he started writing in his journal with the same worried look from earlier. I know better than to stop him, last time I tried he became a mess. His ADHD was already hard on him, but if he doesn't write at least for an hour, then he might not get any sleep tonight.
I honestly don't blame him for getting nervous around that man, he's nothing but trouble. I just hope he can manage to calm down soon.
Ben POV
'Fuck, fuck, fuck!' Was the only thing I could think of as I started to write down in my journal.
Not to be confused with his nephew Nicholas James Furry Junior, a bald African American with an eyepatch on his left eye. Nicholas James Furry wasn't just some random guy that my grandpa knew. No, he is the leader of an international spy organization known to the world as SHIELD. He has been around since World War 2 and is still fit thanks to an alternate version of the supersoldier serum.
He is basically if Rambo fused with 007 and started to smoke those large cigars that the guy in The Godfather movie smoked.
I was slowly regaining a lot of my missing memories, but now I wish I didn't. Why? Because I figured out who I am and it might be amazing but I still need to deal with the new Omnivores full of Marvels.
Putting my journal away and lying down on my bed I just had one thing to say about this whole situation, 'I'm so fucked.'
The next day, the one eyed weirdo came just like he said. Grandpa didn't let us get out of the RV, and from the look on his face it was serious.
We watched from the window, but couldn't hear anything. But from the emotions I could feel it clearly wasn't good.
They just stood there talking for a good while. Grandpa looked calm, but his fists were balled and his jaw was clenched. As for the pirate, he just had a stiff posture.
"He looks like he has a stick up his ass," I commented. That got Gwen to look at me, and she might have said something but noticed I had a nasty expression.
"I wonder what they are talking about?" she asked more to not make things awkward than anything else.
Thinking it through I told Gwen I was gonna try and listen in on they're conversation. When she asked how I just flashed the Omnitrix in her direction and she nodded. So went to the bathroom so that the cyclops won't notice the flash.
'Alright if my past memories are right then I should use this alien to check the Rust Bucket for bugs. Plus I can move around unnoticed if I use him,' I thought as I twisted the dial.
~~~~~
Max POV
"You got a lot of nerve showing up on my personal time with the kids, don't you have a terrorist to catch somewhere?" I asked Nick, just annoyed with the fact he just showed up unannounced in my life again. "You better not have bugged my RV."
"It's good to see you too Max," he said, not a change in his facial expression, at least none I can see.
'Hope Ben can see him clearly enough. He always had a way of noticing lies and secrets, almost like he's psychic,' I thought to myself.
"Listen Max, we got word that there was a crash sight around here. Now normally we would just send personal," he informed me, now in a relaxed military stance. "Then we hear there was a random forest fire. We would have just let the park take care of it. But then we hear a giant robot appear in a national park attacking civilians and causing havoc. Now imagine my surprise when I realized that the famous Max Tennyson was there with what appeared to be an alien creature."
'Damn bastard is trying to get something out of this conversation,' was all I could think of. 'The UN might trust him but I don't. He and his group were always nothing but trouble.'
"Quit beating around the bush Nicholas, this ain't an interrogation and we aren't old friends catching up. So if you don't tell me what you want, I'm leaving," I tell him pointedly. This whole thing is just making me angrier, I might not be able to hold back and I don't want my grandkids seeing that side of me.
"Alright then. I want whoever it was that took care of the fire and the robot to join SHIELD,' he finally answered. Not a hint of shame on his face or posture.
"It's always the same," I growled, low enough that if my grandkids were listening in they wouldn't hear me. "We told you before that you can't simply get advanced technology nor can we simply let you take alien refugees, it was already bad enough when your nephew promised to make earth their home in exchange for-"
"Max!" he yelled, clearly mad that I was just exposing a secret but also looking at the RV.
I turned and noticed Ben wasn't there. I tried asking Gwen without saying a word where he was. She just rubbed her eyes, tucked a strand of her hair back, turned to me and signed the letters 'W' 'C'. I knew what she was saying and just went back to arguing with Nick. 'Got to watch what I say from now on.'
~~~~~
Ben POV
I turned into what looked like a humanoid being with an all white shiny metal body with my head, back and arms covered in a black metal. There were glowing green circuitry patterns over the black section with a single circular circuit as my eye and no other facial features.
"Wow, it worked," I said. My voice now sounds like it's coming out of a radio.
I use my elastic abilities to change my shape and start to move between the edges of the walls. I first check every nook and cranny to make sure the half blind war dog didn't leave any bugs and went out to check the rest of the Rust Bucket. I found around 8 cameras, 11 microphones and 5 trackers all over the RV. 'At least he let us have some privacy.'
I then move my body outside and see grandpa Max looking at the RV. After a moment he just turned around and went back to arguing with Popeye.
'Dang it. I missed the good part,' I realized, since grandpa Max obviously understood whatever code Gwen gave him and Mad Eye might have understood at least some of the code.
I pulled the bugs together and used the power that this alien is really known for. I possessed all the cameras, microphones and trackers, and enhanced the tech to make a really powerful piece of tech.
I combined everything to spy on what I can. 'Hopefully I can get something out of it.'
Zooming the cameras and improving the microphone to hear their conversation. Slowly I could hear them and saw everything I could.
"... just saying that we could use they're help and we can give them everything they need," I heard Plankton say with his posture now in a more stable position like he was ready for action.
"Yeah, and make them your personal attack dog. You realize you have nothing to offer right," grandpa said. His posture screaming that he wants to hurt the guy.
"Come on Max-"
"No Nick. Listen well, I'm not telling you anything and I won't let you anywhere near my family. So for the last time, get lost."
I got nervous. I never heard my grandpa so mad before and it honestly scared me. My empathic abilities shows grandpa Max's emotions like a bright red fire and Deathstoke's was a teal. Grandpa Max clearly wanted to deck him, but dead eye Jack was just guarded.
After a while he finally left and grandpa Max watched. Now gone, I went back in along with grandpa. He was surprised with my new transformation but not with the bugs I showed him.
'Guess things are gonna be complicated from here on out,' I thought.
~~~~~
Gwen POV
Ben told me what he heard leaving me both surprised and worried. Grandpa wasn't violent, so if someone made him that angry it ment that they were bad news.
Grandpa and I were picking up the camping gear we used when he asked for Ben. I took a look around, unsure as to where he could be.
Zoom
I turned around when I heard that sound only to see a velociraptor humanoid with a helmet like head, blue skin and wearing a black bodysuit with white hilights. His tail was black with white stripes, he had three claws instead of fingers, and his feet seem to be holding onto some spheres. Ben clearly is trying a new form.
"Hey guys," he said in a raspy voice. His visor went up showing a flat blue face with black markings on his eyes and mouth. "Check out what I can do."
He started to pick everything up at high speed. Even I had to admit that was cool.
"Pretty fast huh?"
"That is pretty impressive, but where did you go?" grandpa asked, no longer surprised about the weird aliens.
"There where some things I had to take care of. Oh I also got us some things we can't go without, like normal food we can actually eat and a few more of our luggage," he said, somehow managing to embarass grandpa Max.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
'As long as he can keep doing stuff like this, then maybe this summer won't be so bad,' I thought as I watched him turn back to his normal self.
~~~~~
3rd POV
Meanwhile, on a tree branch near Bellwood elementary school 2 kids where hung by their underwear. Those 2 children where Cash and JT.
"How'd we endup like this?" asked Cash, completely befuddled and in pain due to their current situation.