Ben floors the accelerator of his Bugatti, the engine singing a sweet song as he merges onto the highway. The wind whips through his blond hair as he weaves through traffic. Never thought I'd be behind the wheel of one of these, he thinks, a grin stretching across his face. The raw power beneath his foot is exhilarating.
He glances at the speedometer. 120. 140. 160. The world outside blurs into streaks of color. Ben eases off the gas, chuckling to himself. Okay, maybe dial it back a bit. He wasn't trying to attract unwanted attention.
Still, he can't help but feel a thrill of excitement. Reincarnated into a rich family? He must have racked up some serious karma points in his past life. All those fires I put out, all those people I helped… maybe it paid off. He smiles at the thought. He was given a second chance at life, and he was going to live it to the fullest.
The sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Ben glances at the dashboard clock. It's getting late. Time to head back to the mansion. He signals, merging into the right lane.
Just as he's about to make a U-turn, a streak of light flashes across the sky. A shooting star.
Ben's eyes widen. He's always been fascinated by astronomy, even back when he was lugging hoses and climbing ladders. This shooting star, though… it's unlike anything he's ever seen. It's bigger, brighter, almost… menacing.
He watches in fascination as the star grows larger. It's no longer a distant point of light, but a flaming object hurtling towards Earth. That's not a shooting star, he realizes, his heart rate accelerating. That's something… else.
The object passes directly overhead, the roar of its descent nearly deafening. Ben instinctively ducks his head, shielding his eyes from the blinding light. Then, with an earth-shattering boom, it crashes nearby.
[BBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM]
Ben slams on the brakes, the Bugatti screeching to a halt. His hands grip the steering wheel, knuckles white. What the hell was that?
He stares in the direction of the crash, a plume of smoke rising into the twilight sky. Curiosity and a sense of duty war within him. I should probably call someone. 911? The police? He pauses. Nah, better check it out myself. He needed to know.
He makes a sharp U-turn, tires squealing, and heads towards the impact site. He follows a dirt road, the Bugatti's suspension groaning in protest. Ben curses under his breath. This car was not meant for off-roading.
He keeps going, the road turning bumpier with each passing moment. The terrain changes too, going from a smooth, paved surface to a rutted track. Branches scrape against the sides of the vehicle, leaving long, unsightly scratches in its expensive paint job. Ben winces at each one. I'm going to regret this later.
The dirt path opens into a small clearing, and Ben stops the car. He gets out, his boots crunching on loose gravel. The air smells of burnt metal and ozone.
Ahead, the woods look torn apart. Shattered trees are scattered around like toothpicks, and there is upturned earth everywhere. This leads Ben to what made this mess. Ben keeps forward, stepping over a snapped limb. The scene is of total obliteration. It's clear something massive came crashing through here.
He follows the destruction, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. The devastation intensifies, the ground scarred and blackened. A powerful scent fills the air now, a mix of smoke and something strangely sweet. He keeps on, his pace quickening.
Finally, he spots it.
Lying in a depression is a spherical thing. Metallic and smooth, it is smoking slightly. He approaches carefully, his senses on high alert. He felt a strange sensation, a weird tug at his memory. It's like he has experienced this before.
As he nears the site, the ground beneath him gives way.
[CRRRUUUUMMMMBBBLLLLEEEE]
He stumbles, losing his footing and sliding down the incline, landing hard on his butt right in front of the sphere.
A loud [HSSSSSSSS] sound pierces the air.
Ben flinches, scrambling backwards. The sphere is opening. His mind races. Is it an alien? A face hugger? Something dangerous?
He cranes his neck, peering into the opening. What he sees makes his jaw drop.
It's a watch.
A watch? That's when it hits him. This whole scene, the shooting star, the crash site, the watch… it's identical to the episode in Ben 10 where young Ben first found the Omnitrix.
No way, he thinks. Could this be the Omnitrix?
A surge of adrenaline courses through him. He reaches out with his left hand, drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
Suddenly, the device leaps forward, attaching itself to his wrist with a [KLIK].
Ben doesn't scream or panic. A grin spreads across his face. This is insane! This might really be the Omnitrix!
He examines the watch more closely. Something isn't right. The colors are wrong. Instead of the classic green and white, this watch is fuchsia. It looks similar, with a bulky design and silver casing, but the details are different. The dial isn't a green hourglass, but a heart-shaped fuchsia one. The casing is black and red-pink. The activation button is also shaped like a heart?
Ben's excitement cools slightly, replaced by confusion. This is not the Omnitrix he knows. Could it be a version from a parallel universe? Like Ben 23, that alternate reality Ben whose Omnitrix was blue and held twenty-three aliens? Is this some kind of twisted version of the Omnitrix?
Still, he muses, it's worth a shot. He can't shake off the feeling that this could be something amazing.
He presses the heart-shaped button, and the heart-shaped dial rises. It shows a circle of silhouettes. He recognized them immediately. Ben cycles through all of the aliens and finds out he has 10 available. Heatblast, XLR8, Four Arms, Stinkfly, Ghost Freak, Diamondhead, Ripjaws, Wildmutt, and Upgrade. Just like the original Ben 10 and his starting aliens.
Okay, he thinks. This is getting weirder.
But their outlines are a bit… off. Each one has a distinctly feminine curve to them. Were those… breasts? What is going on here?
Each alien now has a distinctive female figure. He pauses on Four Arms, who now sports a set of impressively sculpted muscles and long flowing hair. He moves on to Diamondhead, who now has crystalline curves. Even Wildmutt, normally a feral beast, has a distinctly feminine shape.
Ben stares. What had he gotten himself into?
He needs to try one. But which one? He stops on Heatblast. It's a classic, after all, and also the first alien the original Ben 10 transformed into. Plus, Heatblast was among his favorites.
He selects the alien, focusing on the silhouette. The image blazes with pink energy. Ben takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the transformation. He slams his hand down on the dial.
[KRA-KOOOM]
A flash of fuchsia light fills the clearing. He braces himself, expecting the familiar sensation of his body changing, bones shifting, skin hardening. Instead, nothing.
The light fades, and Ben blinks, confused. He looks down at himself. He's still human. Still wearing his fuchsia jacket and jeans. The watch is still on his wrist, glowing softly.
Ben checked his limbs. Nothing. Nada. Zip. He runs his hands through his blond locks, feels his face, and pats his stomach. Same old Ben. What a joke, he thinks.
He shakes his head, a frown creasing his face. Defective? Broken? Or just a complete dud? He turns to leave, muttering under his breath, "Well, that was a letdown."
[THUMP]
Ben spins around, heat rushing to his cheeks. He hadn't been paying attention and had walked right into someone. Or, rather, something.
His breath catches. Standing before him is a curvy figure with volcanic rock skin. Her body glows with inner plasma, casting a warm light on the trees. The most striking thing, though, is her head—or rather, the roaring flames that erupt from it, like a living bonfire. Despite her non-human features, he couldn't help but notice the curve of her figure. A dark gray metal collar with a strange badge encircles her neck.
Their eyes meet. Hers are bright, innocent, and full of wonder. His are wide with shock. They stand there for a brief moment, both seemingly frozen in place, before reality crashes down.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Ben shouts, scrambling backwards.
"EEEEEEEEEK!" she responds, mirroring his terror and leaping back, arms flailing wildly.
Ben watches the flaming girl trip over a rock, landing on her butt with a [OOF]. He doesn't stop to help, instead turning and sprinting toward his car, his heart hammering in his chest. He glances back. She is still there, wide-eyed and looking confused. Ben could have sworn that her face had features close to human.
He takes a deep breath, forcing his racing pulse to slow. He turns back to the girl, approaching her cautiously.
"Hey," Ben says, his voice soft, "are you okay?"
The flaming girl nods slowly. "Y-yeah," she replies.
"Are you...fine being on fire and all?" Ben asks, unsure how to phrase it.
The girl's eyes follow his gaze, down to her hands that have bright embers coming from them. A look of realization crosses her face. "I'm on fire!" she shrieks, panic taking over as she jumps to her feet. She begins running around, flailing her arms.
"Woah, woah, calm down!" Ben yells, trying to get her attention. "Hey! You're not hurting, are you? You don't seem to be burning or anything."
She stops running and examines her hands. The tiny flames dance across her skin. A tentative smile forms. "Huh," she says, her voice a mix of surprise and relief. "I guess not."
Ben approaches again, a little less wary this time. "So, uh… who are you? Or… what are you?"
The girl tilts her head, her flaming hair swaying gently. "I… I don't know," she admits, her voice laced with confusion. "I don't remember anything."
Ben frowns, studying her face. The structure of her face, even with its inhuman qualities, still had a familiar feeling to it. He turns his attention to the metal ring around her neck. On it, he notices, is a badge with a heart-shaped symbol that looks just like the dial on his watch.
His mind races, putting the pieces together. He tried to transform into Heatblast, but instead, this fiery girl materialized. Could it be that the Omnitrix doesn't transform me at all? Does it summon them instead?
He looks back at the girl, seeing her struggle to recall who she is. The way her flaming locks twist as she moves her head. The way her mouth twitches as she fights to get a word out.
Ben wonders what else the watch can do.
His racing thoughts were interrupted by a question from the girl.
"Do you… do you know who I am?" she asks, her eyes pleading.
Ben hesitates, then nods. "I… I might have an idea," he says. He glances at the Omnitrix on his wrist, then back at her. "It's a little crazy, but…"
He takes a deep breath. "I think… you might have come from this." He holds up his left arm, showing her the strange device.
The girl's brow furrows, her flaming hair crackling softly. "From your… watch?"
Ben nods. "Yeah, I think so. See, I tried to use it, to turn into someone else. But instead…" He gestures towards her. "You appeared."
She stares at him, uncomprehending. "I don't understand. What am I?"
"I think," Ben says, "that you're an alien."
Her eyes widen. "An… alien?"
"Yeah," Ben says, "that watch—it's called the Omnitrix, and I think it somehow summoned you." He shrugs, feeling just as bewildered as she does. "I don't know how it works, exactly. I was trying to turn into Heatblast, but it looks like it did something else."
The girl is amazed. This revelation might mean something. But it does not register in her mind.
"The Omni… what now?" she asks, still trying to process the information. "Summoned me? What does that even mean?"
Ben sighs. "I wish I knew. It's all new to me too." He pauses, then asks, "Do you remember anything about your home? Your planet?"
The girl closes her eyes, concentrating. Her flaming hair dims slightly, as if she is using all her energy to focus. After a moment, she shakes her head. "No," she says softly. "Nothing."
Ben wonders if she had amnesia, a side effect of being summoned. But something tells him it's more than that. The Omnitrix is capable of all kinds of miraculous feats. Maybe it didn't just pull her from another world. Maybe it made her.
"It's okay," Ben says, offering a reassuring smile. "We'll figure it out. Together."
"First," Ben says, "let's start with introductions. I'm Ben. Ben Tennyson." He extends a hand.
The girl stares at it, then hesitantly takes it. Her touch is warm, but not burning. "Ben," she repeats, testing the name on her tongue. "It's nice to meet you, Ben."
"So," Ben says, retracting his hand, "what's your name?"
The girl's face clouds over. "I… I don't know," she admits, her voice dropping to a whisper. Her shoulders slump, and the flames on her head shrink. "I told you, I don't remember anything." Her gaze falls to the ground, sadness evident in her posture.
Ben's heart goes out to her. "Hey, don't worry about it," he says quickly. "If you don't have a name, I can give you one."
The girl's head snaps up, her eyes lighting up. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
Ben nods. "Of course! It's the least I can do." He studies her, taking in her fiery appearance. "Hmm," he says, tapping his chin thoughtfully. She definitely looks like Heatblast, but calling her that seems wrong. It needs to be something… unique. His eyes land on the heart-shaped badge around her neck. An idea sparks.
"How about… Heartblast?" he suggests.
The girl's eyes widen, and she smiles, a genuine, radiant smile that lights up her entire face. "Heartblast?" she repeats, liking the sound of it. "I love it! It's perfect! Thank you, Ben!"
"You're welcome, Heartblast," Ben replies, grinning.
Heartblast looks at Ben, her eyes full of curiosity. "You seem to know a lot about me, Ben. Do you know… what I am?"
Ben racks his brains, trying to recall anything from his fragmented memories of the show. He remembers Heatblast being a Pyronite, an alien from a fire-based planet.
"Well," Ben starts, "I think you're what they call a Pyronite. It means you're an alien capable of creating and controlling fire."
Heartblast stares at him, her expression doubtful. "Controlling fire? Like… shooting it?"
Ben nods eagerly. "Yeah! Exactly! Can you try it?" He points towards a dead tree. "How about you aim at that tree over there and see what happens?"
Heartblast looks at the tree, then back at Ben. "I don't know," she says, uncertain. "I've never done this before."
"Just give it a shot," Ben encourages. "Focus your energy, imagine the fire leaving your body, and point."
Heartblast takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. She opens them, a determined look on her face. She raises her hand, pointing a finger at the tree.
[FWHOOSH]
A ball of flames shoots out of her fingertip, hurtling through the air. It strikes the tree with a loud [THUD], engulfing it in flames.
"You did it!" Ben exclaims, clapping his hands together.
Heartblast grins, jumping up and down. "I did it! I really did it!"
But their celebration is short-lived. Ben notices embers flying off the burning tree, landing on the dry leaves and pine needles that litter the forest floor. Small flames begin to erupt, spreading rapidly.
He is happy, and she is happy. That is until Ben sees the fire spreading.
[CRACKLE]
[POOF]
What started as a small demonstration quickly turns into a roaring inferno.
Ben's smile vanishes. "Uh oh," he says, his voice laced with panic.
The small flames become bigger, and begin to take more and more fuel from the dry underbrush.
His eyes widen in alarm. The forest floor is dry, perfect kindling. The scattered flames begin to coalesce, growing larger and larger. Within seconds, a full-blown is underway, crackling and consuming everything in its path.
"Uh, Heartblast," he says, his voice rising in pitch, "maybe we should put that out?"
Heartblast turns, her eyes widening as she sees the flames. Her joy turns to alarm.
Ben watches in and horror as the situation spirals out of control. He realizes the is spreading, becoming a full-blown. The trees are beginning to burn, lighting up like candles. The is growing, advancing at a speed.
You did it! he thought. What a stupid thing to say.
This is bad, he thinks, his mind racing. Really bad.
His stomach lurches. An ex-firefighter, starting a in a forest. The irony isn't lost on him. Way to go, Ben, he chides himself. This is going to look great on your reincarnation resume.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz