Roman Leaf unfolds in an alternate version of the Ben 10 universe, a world where the familiar rules no longer apply. This reality tells a completely different story, introducing entirely new characters. At the centre of it all is a new face, one who will change everything.
The chapter opens in chaos. Two kids are locked in a fistfight in the middle of the cafeteria. Chairs are pushed aside, and the shouts of students echo off the walls. Roman holds his ground, a slim boy of African heritage with sharp hazel eyes, in casual clothes, a blue jacket over a white shirt and black pants. facing off against a much larger, mean-looking kid who clearly started the fight.
To everyone's shock, he ends up on top, raining down blow after blow. Gasps ripple through the cafeteria as one hard punch catches the bigger boy in the face, sending a tooth skidding across the floor. The boy lets out a cry and rolls on the ground, clutching his mouth in pain. Roman steps back, breathing hard, and throws a few sharp words his way, mocking him before giving him the finger.
Roman: "Stay down, bi-!"
??: "Mr Leaf."
Roman spins around to see the principal, Mr Ray, standing behind him. Tall, bald, and elderly, Mr Ray's stern gaze swept over the cafeteria. Without a word, he commanded the students to return to class, and one by one, the room emptied, leaving only Roman and the now toothless kid.
Roman opens his mouth to explain, but before he can, Mr Ray twists his ear, pulling him toward the office. Before leaving, he sends Josh, the bigger boy, to the nurse, making it clear that both students would face consequences.
In the principal's office, Roman sat slouched in the chair, staring at the floor as Mr Ray scolded him. It was the last day before summer, and of course, Roman had to get himself into trouble. His reputation at Clip Field Middle School was already notorious, misbehaving, destroying school equipment, vandalising walls, and the list went on. But attacking a fellow student? That was on another level.
Principal Ray's stern voice filled the room, echoing with authority. He spoke of the school's proud reputation and how it didn't need kids like Roman to tarnish it.
Principal Ray: "I have the perfect punishment for you. You wanted to act trash, you'll take up trash."
Hours later, Roman stood at the front of the school, begrudgingly picking up garbage. He was annoyed. He hadn't even started the fight, yet here he was, paying the price. Josh walked by with an ice pack over his mouth, grinning wickedly. He knocked over a trash bin.
Josh: "Oops, did I do that?"
Roman's temper flared as Josh ran off. Before he could snap and give chase, he remembered what had landed him in this mess. A flashback played in his mind. Earlier that day in the bustling cafeteria, Roman had been eating his lunch when he saw Josh shaking down a nerdy kid for money. The other students watched but didn't seem to care.
Roman hadn't wanted to get involved. He knew Josh was great at playing the victim and twisting the story to his advantage. Still, he couldn't just sit there and watch. When he told Josh to stop, the response had been a punch to the stomach, setting off everything that followed and landing Roman in trouble instead.
He clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them, taking a deep breath to calm himself. There was no point letting his anger take over now. Keeping his head down, Roman went back to picking up the garbage, determined to stay in control.
Meanwhile, far out in space, away from Earth, the planet Galvan lay in ruins. Buildings were shattered, streets torn apart, and swarms of robots of all sizes had overrun the world. Still, the inhabitants fought back. The Galvans, small, grey, super-intelligent aliens with oversized heads, made their final stand around a towering structure at the heart of the city.
Inside the tower was a once pristine, high-tech chamber, now wrecked and sparking. Consoles lay broken, lights flickered, and smoke hung in the air. At the centre of the room, an injured Galvan warrior was held firmly by the hand of a lone figure. Cloaked and hulking, the stranger loomed over him.
The creature leaned closer, its voice cold as it demanded the location of something valuable, something worth tearing an entire planet apart to find.
Galvan: "Riot, hehehe, that is far out of your reach."
The Galvan laughed, refusing to give in. In the next moment, Riot crushed him, ending his life. Riot let out an angry scream and ripped off his cloak. His skin was green, his body broad and muscular, with tentacle-like growths hanging from his face. His sharp eyes burned with menace, his armour scarred from battle.
Far away in space, a small pod drifted forward, heading toward an unknown destination. Back on Earth, school had long ended. Roman sat tiredly on a bench near the front gate, his punishment finally over. The principal had let him off with a warning, and Roman sat there in silence, unaware of what was coming next.
The sky slowly faded into shades of orange as evening approached. Roman sat on the bench, starting to wonder if Tito had forgotten about their trip. Just as the thought crossed his mind, a large red and green van rolled up to the school gate. Roman's face lit up at once. He knew exactly who it was.
The van door swung open, and a young man stepped out with a wide grin. He looked a lot like Roman, though taller and leaner, with a buzz cut and glasses. His skin was lighter, and he wore a plain white shirt with baggy black jeans. The young man greeted him warmly. It was his brother, Tito Leaf.
Roman climbed into the van and took a seat up front as Tito pulled away from the school. At last, their cross-country trip was starting. This summer felt different already. Last time, they had spent most of it at Tito's summer job working at a kids' camp.
As Tito drove, he glanced over and noticed the scratches on Roman's face. He asked what had happened at school. Roman brushed it off, saying it was nothing and that everything was fine.
He leaned back in his seat, hoping this summer would be better than the last one. Tito smiled and said he believed it would be. After all, they would not be alone this time. Two others would be joining them on the trip. Confused, Roman wondered what his brother had meant, but Tito only gave a vague answer, leaving him even more curious.
When they arrived at the rougher part of town, the two stepped out of the van, immediately drawing stares from the locals. Roman shifted nervously, feeling out of place. Suddenly, a bike sped toward them, making him flinch.
The bike screeched to a stop, and two people got off. The first was a short, blonde girl, around thirteen, with bright blue eyes, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. Beside her stood a tall, muscular blonde man, around Tito's age, wearing a black leather jacket. His piercing blue eyes swept over the brothers, sizing them up.
The man's stern expression suddenly broke into a huge grin as he fist-bumped Tito, leaving Roman completely shocked. He noticed how much both Tito and Roman had grown since the last time they'd seen each other.
Tito laughed and said it had only been six years. The two of them talked easily, like old friends catching up, leaving Roman even more confused about who these people were. Before he could get his bearings, the girl suddenly appeared right in front of his face, startling him.
Roman scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off, only for the girl to smirk and mock his appearance. He narrowed his eyes and asked who she was, if he was supposed to know her. His sharp words cut through her teasing, instantly putting her ego in check.
Girl: (Embarrassed) "Damn you, Super Soaker."
The words hit Roman like a spark. A memory rushed back to him, clear as day. He saw himself and his brother when they were younger, sitting on a bench with two other kids, a blonde boy and his little sister. They were laughing, careless, enjoying the moment.
Roman looked up again. Standing in front of him now was that same girl, older but unmistakable, with her brother right beside her. Roman shook his head in shock and asked if she was Maylin. She rolled her eyes and confirmed it, leaving him genuinely surprised.
Noticing the height difference, Roman asked if she had stopped growing, since she used to be taller than him when they were younger. The comment immediately got on her nerves, and her annoyed reaction made it clear he had struck a nerve.
They continued chatting while their brothers loaded the van. Once everything was packed, Zack, Maylin's brother, called them over. They climbed in and soon drove off, the van rolling down the street. As they settled in, Maylin wondered where they were headed. Roman answered casually, telling her they were going on a cross-country trip, much to her surprise.
At the front, Tito drove with Zack sitting beside him, and the two began reminiscing about the old days. They talked about growing up in an orphanage and how they eventually ran away because of certain circumstances. With a quiet agreement between them, they decided never to tell their siblings about it.
The van eventually left the road and rolled to a stop deep within a forest where they planned to camp for the night. As soon as the doors opened, Roman groaned, saying he would rather be anywhere else than sleeping outdoors. Tito ignored the complaint and pushed him out anyway. Maylin walked past him with a smirk, calling him an idiot as she went.
They soon got to work setting up camp. Time passed in a quick sequence as tents were raised and supplies unloaded, the sky slowly shifting from daylight to night. Zack showed off his strength by driving a tent stake into the ground with a single powerful strike, earning impressed looks.
When they realised there were not enough sticks for a fire, Tito told Roman to go look for some. Roman protested, but it was of no use. With a sigh, he headed into the forest. He walked deeper and deeper between the trees, gathering sticks as he went. After a while, he paused and looked up at the night sky. A shooting star streaked across it. Roman scoffed, thinking about how boring this trip was turning out to be, and hoped the whole summer would not feel like this.
Then everything changed. The light in the sky suddenly shifted direction, plunging straight toward him. Roman's eyes widened as the star grew larger and faster. A deafening crash shook the forest as a pod slammed into the ground, carving out a crater. Roman barely managed to dive out of the way as debris scattered around him.
In the crater, Roman was freaking out.
Roman: "Please, God, this is how horror movies start!"
He panicked, stumbling backward as dust settled around the pod. Slowly, the pod cracked open, revealing a strange watch inside. Hesitating for a moment, Roman reached out, and the watch immediately latched onto his right wrist. A surge of strange energy coursed through him, lifting his very soul from his body. He struggled to remove it, but it held fast. Exhausted and trapped in the crater, he finally pressed the button on the side of the watch.
The screen lit up with a bright blue glow, startling him, and a series of icons appeared, Roman turned the dial and stopped on one before pressing it. A blue flash engulfed him. His body stretched and turned bright orange. Eyes sprouted all over him, limbs became long and bendy, and the watch now rested at his waist.
The chapter ends with Roman screaming, staring at the monstrous form he had become.
To Be Continued!