The Krakken, an ancient behemoth of the deep, towers over the cove, its shadow swallowing the scene. Its eyes fixate on the Atlanteans clutching its precious eggs. A guttural roar escapes its maw as it lunges forward, driven by maternal fury.
Attuma, despite his earlier bravado, understands the gravity of the moment. This creature is a force of nature. He steels his resolve and plants himself between the Krakken and its stolen offspring.
"You shall not pass, beast!" he bellows, raising his trident in defiance.
Before Attuma can fully prepare, Ben seizes the opportunity. Channeling all the power of the Omni-Exo armor, he unleashes a concentrated barrage of sonic blasts. The sound waves hit Attuma with the force of a tidal wave, disrupting his stance and sending him hurtling backward. The Warlord of the Oceans slams against the rocky cliffside, momentarily stunned.
With Attuma out of the way, Laura springs into action. She closes the distance, her movements a blur of lethal grace. She is swift, and the Atlanteans are strong, but she knows how to strike for the kill. Claws flashing, she strikes at the Atlanteans guarding the eggs. Her claws find purchase in their armored flesh, blue blood splattering on the sand.
Ben, seizing the moment, slams his fist on the Omnitrix dial. The device glows with a blinding light as the familiar green energy washes over him. When the light subsides, Ben Tennyson is gone, replaced by the Piscciss Volann-Human hybrid, Jawleene.
"Jawleene," Ben commands, his voice now a guttural rasp, "take those eggs and get them back into the lake! Now!"
Jawleene's usual vanity war is interrupted by the raw urgency in Ben's voice. The cove is engulfed in chaos, the air thick with the scent of brine and the threat of death. Even her narcissistic mind recognizes the gravity of the situation.
"Ugh, fine!" she snaps, but her tone lacks its usual petulance. She approaches the fallen Atlanteans, their bodies limp and lifeless. She carefully scoops up the Krakken eggs, ignoring the ichor that stains her pale skin.
Jawleene opens her tooth-filled mouth wide, wider than normal, and stuffs the glowing eggs inside. She gags, her face contorting in disgust. "These better not mess up my complexion!" she grumbles, her voice muffled by the orbs in her mouth.
With a final glare at the chaos around her, Jawleene turns and dives into the icy water of the lake. Her fishtail propels her forward, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake.
Attuma recovers from the sonic assault, his eyes burning with fury. He sees Jawleene disappearing into the water, the Krakken eggs clutched within her jaws.
"Fools!" he roars, his voice echoing across the cove. "After her! Retrieve the eggs at once! Do not let that creature escape!"
His subordinates, spurred by his command, hesitate for only a moment. They dive into the lake after Jawleene.
The Krakken watches the Atlanteans disappear into the depths, its rage intensifying. With a powerful thrust of its tail, it plunges into the lake. The water churns and foams as the ancient beast gives chase, determined to reclaim its stolen offspring.
Attuma's rage focuses on Ben. The kid dared to interfere, to steal his victory. This whelp, this surface-dweller, would pay. "You insignificant speck!" he bellows, charging toward Ben. "You will DIE for this!"
Ben, still encased in the Omni-Exo armor, tries to raise his gauntlets in defense, but Attuma moves with frightening speed. The Atlantean warlord slams into him, sending him staggering backward. Ben tries to counter with a sonic blast, but Attuma swats his hand away like a pesky fly. The force of the blow cracks the armor plating on Ben's arm.
Max, seeing Ben in peril, roars a challenge and charges forward, swinging a discarded Atlantean weapon. But another Atlantean intercepts him, their vibranium weapons clashing in a shower of sparks. Gwen tries to circle around, looking for an opening, but two more Atlanteans cut her off, their eyes cold and menacing. Laura, already wounded, fights with a savage ferocity, but she is outnumbered, each blow she lands is returned twofold.
Attuma grabs Ben by the throat, lifting him off the ground. Ben struggles, kicking and clawing, but his enhanced strength is nothing compared to Attuma's raw power. "You meddling child," Attuma snarls, his grip tightening. "I will crush you!" He raises his trident, the sharp prongs glinting in the fading sunlight, ready to skewer Ben.
Time slows. Ben sees the trident descending, the promise of agonizing death looming. He closes his eyes, bracing for the end. But then, something primal, something instinctive, takes over. A surge of heat, a burning sensation, erupts within him. He throws his hands up to ward off the blow and fire bursts forth from his palms.
The flames engulf Attuma's face and chest. The Atlantean roars in pain, stumbling backward, his skin smoking. The heat burns through Ben's gauntlets, melting the metal, but he feels no pain. He stares at his hands in disbelief, the flames dancing around them, illuminating the cove with an unnatural light. How...?
...
Water streams past Jawleene's gills. This has to be the worst day of her life. Not only is she forced to swim in this frigid lake, but she's also got two giant, slimy eggs taking up valuable space in her mouth. Honestly, Ben better owe her big time for this.
Atlanteans streak past on either side, their trident tips glinting menacingly. They snap and claw, trying to get at the eggs, or maybe at her. Hard to say. Jawleene weaves and dodges, relying on her Piscciss Volann agility to avoid their attacks. Her tail whips back and forth, creating a vortex that throws off their aim.
Thank goodness for small mercies. The Krakken is also doing its part, snatching up the Atlanteans, its tentacle-arms wrapping around them like seaweed around a drowning sailor. They don't even get a chance to scream before they're pulled into its gaping maw. Good riddance. Still, she wishes the damn thing would stop creating so many currents. It's messing with her scales.
Jawleene kicks harder, pushing herself through the water. Up ahead, she sees it—the Krakken's nest. A jumble of rocks and seaweed, it looks more like a trash heap than a nursery, but who is she to judge? At least it's almost over.
The Krakken is gaining on her, its massive form filling her vision. She can practically feel its hot breath on her tail fins. Faster, she needs to swim faster.
She reaches the nest, a surge of adrenaline pushing her forward. With a final burst of effort, she stops at the center. Carefully, ever so carefully, she opens her mouth and nudges the eggs free. They float gently in the water, settling into the nest like they belong there.
Now comes the hard part. Backing away, Jawleene prays to whatever sea gods might be listening that the Krakken doesn't decide she looks like a tasty snack. Her heart pounds in her chest. The Krakken looms over her, its blue eyes piercing and ancient. Is it going to eat her? Is this how it all ends?
But then, something miraculous happens. The Krakken seems to sense her intent, her genuine desire to return what was stolen. Its gaze softens, its massive body relaxing. It recognizes her not as an enemy, but as someone who helped.
With a low rumble, the Krakken nudges the eggs closer, gathering them into its tentacles. It hugs them tight, a protective gesture that sends a shiver down Jawleene's spine. The beast curls around its eggs, guarding them with a fierce determination.
Jawleene breathes a sigh of relief, the tension draining from her body. She's alive. She actually survived. And all she had to do was swim through a freezing lake with a couple of Krakken eggs in her mouth while being chased by angry Atlanteans.
She turns and starts to swim back toward the surface, her mind already calculating the amount of compensation Ben will owe her for this ordeal. A full spa day. A lifetime supply of her favorite kelp serum. Maybe even a date. No, scratch that. But definitely some serious renumerations. That boy is going to pay.
...
Ben stares at his hands, which crackle with newfound energy. Fire, real fire, leaps from his fingertips. It's a little warm but also kinda awesome. Attuma staggers back, momentarily stunned, and Ben grins. "Okay," he mutters, "so that's what Heartblast feels like all the time."
Attuma's blue skin begins to dull, cracking like dry earth. The heat radiating from Ben is intense, stealing the moisture from the Atlantean's flesh. His movements turn sluggish, each step labored.
Ben focuses, trying to remember every episode of Ben 10 he's ever seen. Heartblast was always his favorite. A quick image comes to mind of Heatblast creating a tornado of flames, and Ben tries to replicate it, spinning his arms, willing the fire to obey. A pathetic swirl of embers dances around him. Okay, maybe not.
Propulsion, though? That seemed easier. Ben aims the fire at his feet, creating small bursts of flame that propel him forward in short, jerky movements. Not exactly graceful, but effective. He zips around Attuma, nipping at his heels with jets of fire.
"Surface dweller," Attuma growls, his voice raspy. "You dare impede Attuma? I am destined to rule the oceans!"
Ben dodges another swing from Attuma's trident. "Destined to get a sunburn, more like it," Ben quips. "Seriously, you're looking a little crispy there, buddy. Should've worn sunscreen."
He concentrates, picturing Heartblast launching those massive fireballs. He gathers the energy in his hands, compressing the flames, willing them to become solid. It's harder than it looks, but slowly, a sphere of pure fire forms, pulsing with heat.
"Alright, fish face," Ben says, grinning. "Time to see if you can handle the heat!"
With a grunt, he throws the fireball. It streaks through the air, a miniature sun hurtling toward Attuma. The Atlantean roars in defiance, but it's too late. The fireball connects, erupting in a blinding explosion of light and force. Attuma is thrown backward, crashing into the rocky shore with a resounding thud. He lies still, unconscious.
"Nailed it," Ben says, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Meanwhile, the fight rages on. Laura, a whirlwind of claws and fury, tears through the remaining Atlanteans. With Max's surprisingly effective use of a discarded boat oar, and Gwen's strategic strikes with the vibranium spear, they manage to subdue the last of Attuma's warriors. The Atlanteans are sprawled on the beach, defeated. Ben approaches Laura, a grin on his face. He raises his hand for a high five.
Gwen sighs, a wave of relief washing over her. "Thank goodness that's over," she states, shaking her head and walking over to Ben and Max. "I was starting to think we'd never get out of this alive."
Ben's grin widens. He claps Laura on the back, then turns to Max and Gwen. "Team Tennyson, you guys were amazing out there! Especially you, Grandpa, that oar work was top-notch." He laughs. "And Gwen, I did not know you were so good with a spear!"
Before anyone can say anything further, a figure emerges from the lake. Jawleene, dripping wet and looking utterly disgusted, trudges onto the shore. "Ugh, I am never doing that again. Ever!" she exclaims, shivering dramatically. "Those eggs tasted like pond scum and despair. But," she adds, striking a pose, "I arrived just in time, right?"
Ben rushes over, concern etched on his face. "Jawleene! You okay? Did those fish jerks hurt you?"
Jawleene rolls her eyes. "Please. As if. I could take them any day, but," she shudders, "my skin is so dry right now. Did you bring my moisturizer?"
"Later," Ben says, waving her off. "So, the eggs…did it work? Did you return them?"
Jawleene nods, preening. "Of course, I did. The Krakken seemed pretty happy, too. Though, she gave me the stink eye before swimming off."
Ben pumps his fist in the air. "Yes! Perfect ending!" He throws his arms wide, taking in the scene: the defeated Atlanteans, the tranquil lake, and his friends standing beside him. "We kicked some fish butt, saved some Krakken eggs, and I got freakin' fire powers! This is what I call a win-win-win situation."
The next morning, after a breakfast of Max's Mystery Meat, the police hauled off the remaining, unconscious Atlanteans. Ben figured Grandpa probably called in some favors to have them apprehended, which was pretty cool. He suspected they were either deep-cover S.H.I.E.L.D. or some Plumber branch, either way he didn't sweat it. What happened to them after wasn't his problem.
The Rustbucket was getting a quick repair job and they were gearing up for the next stop. The air was thick with anticipation and just a tiny bit of engine fumes.
"Okay, Tennyson brigade," Max called out, leaning against the RV with a wrench in hand. "Are we ready to get this show back on the road, or are we gonna dilly-dally all day?"
Gwen, adjusting her sunglasses, shot back, "Dilly-dally? Grandpa, where do you even come up with these sayings?"
"From a long and colorful life, Gwen," Max said with a wink. "Besides, someone has to keep Ben from flying off the handle. Again."
Ben, mid-stretch, grinned. "Hey, those fire hands are a work in progress. Besides, who knew Atlanteans were so uptight about unreturned eggs?"
Laura, ever watchful, simply nodded, checking her knives and silently confirming she was ready. Her stoic nature was a good balance for his enthusiasm.
"Alright, alright," Ben conceded, clapping his hands together. "Let's roll! Adventure awaits, and I hear the world's biggest ball of twine is calling our names."
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz