Jen 10: Omni-Protector

Volume 1: Summer Vacation

Chapter 1: And Then There Were 10, Twice Over

——————————————————

Galactic Rule No.1: When dealing with pyronites, it's always best to be prepared – just a few coats of pyronite wax can make anything completely fireproof and resistant to the most extreme temperatures.

——————————————————

Stories are not always told once and in this case, it will be told another way. Some stories can be retold differently, and you may never know how they'll turn out.

Amidst the vastness of outer space – an endless expanse of nothingness punctuated by distant stars, swirling nebulae, and numerous celestial bodies; the rings of Saturn were set ablaze with violent explosions, sending jagged shards of rock and debris spiralling into the infinite void. At the heart of this chaos, a sleek spacecraft weaved through the hazardous asteroid belt with razor-sharp precision, its nimble form deftly evading danger as it returned fire against the colossal battle cruiser ploughing through space debris in its relentless pursuit.

The smaller spaceship was elongated and somewhat serpentine in shape, its streamlined form resembling a dart with a slightly pointed nose and a tapered tail. Vibrant lime-green patterns of simple circles and lines traced its dark teal hull, while a glowing ovular area at the underside of its rear pulsed with energy and radiant spheres flanked the edges of the wings connecting the points extending outward from the hull to the striking arch with twin inverted fins that angled downwards.

In stark contrast, the gargantuan battle cruiser loomed behind, massive and intimidating – a menacing titan that dwarfed the smaller ship it pursued. Its design was akin to that of an oversized, unmounted laser rifle built for a to'kustar, with two elongated prongs crackling ominously with orange electricity as arcs of energy flickered between them like lightning. At its rear, a propulsion system resembling wires suspended a pulsating ball of red energy. The vessel's predominantly dull greyish-brown hull was accentuated by symmetrically placed, glowing orange egg-like constructs and portholes, while turrets and antennae jutted out from its frame, amplifying its foreboding silhouette.

This monstrous behemoth of the void is known as the Chimeran Hammer – a legendary and feared battle cruiser that has blazed across numerous galaxies carving a trail of destruction in its wake. It serves as both the flagship and stronghold of the intergalactic warlord and most feared chimera sui generis ever to roam the universe – Vilgax the Conqueror.

From its gargantuan frame, the battle cruiser rapidly unleashed two short barrages of red energy beams at the target of its pursuit. The barrage stuck true, hitting the smaller spacecraft once each time. In spite of the Chimeran Hammer's infamous reputation, the smaller ship fought back with surprising tenacity, evading further damage while weathering the blows. In a sudden act of retaliation, it returned laser fire with two concentrated parallel beams of green energy, aimed at the neck of its pursuer, leaving smouldering scars along the cruiser's hull.

*Boom*

Within the command centre of the Chimeran Hammer, two bioids – humanoid robotic minions engineered to serve Vilgax in his relentless conquests – assessed the level of damage sustained with swift precision. Their design was primarily black with orange plating their torsos, necks, and upper arms while they masked faceplates that featured three protruding yellow lenses on each side that were progressively larger from top to bottom. Long cylindrical protrusions extended from the back of their heads, while shorter ones crowned their shoulders and adorned their backpacks, all rimmed with vibrant red accents.

"Hull damage, 20%, but the system's still operational." One of the bioids reported its voice cold and mechanical.

Seated upon his imposing throne, the captain of the Chimeran Hammer was a slender humanoid creature, standing under 15 feet tall he exuded an overwhelming aura of intimidation. This was Vilgax the Conqueror, the aforementioned intergalactic warlord, a tyrant feared throughout the universe for his ruthless destruction of several planets.

He wore a black armoured suit consisting of a leotard-like torso, spiked shoulder and elbow pads, and four-fingered gloves that extended into sleek arm sleeves, while his legs were encased in fully black chausses that extended down to his two toes. Red circuitry-like markings snaked across his pale green skin, visible where the various components of his armour parted at the shoulders and hips. The gloves, elbow pads, and upper arms of the arm sleeves, along with the armscyes of the torso, were distinguished by a contrasting brownish-red hue.

Vilgax's face was a grotesque testament to his cephalopod-like heritage, his daunting visage reminiscent of an octopus. Squid-like tentacles dangled from his chin like a beard, the longest reaching down to his upper chest. Yellowish, mud-like blemishes littered the pale green skin of his face and tentacles, the imperfections further adding to his menacing appearance. Although lacking visible ears or a nose, his head supported a green neck-pillow-shaped sac that connected both of his cheeks from the back of his head. His lips were black and marked by lines extending from their corners to his sac, while his angled red eyes were capable of striking fear into even the most defiant of hearts.

"I have come too far to be denied!" Vilgax snarled, his voice thick with menace as the spaceships emerged from the asteroid belt with the smaller craft continuing to deftly evade the Chimeran Hammer's relentless laser fire.

"The Omnitrix shall be mine, and there is not a being in the galaxy who will dare stand in my way!" Vilgax roared, his left hand and forearm trembling with barely contained irritation as his fingers clenched, palm facing upward. With a ferocious snarl, he slammed his fist down onto the armrest of his throne, the impact sending a sharp crack through the air.

...

Meanwhile, on the backwater planet Earth, in the small city of Bellwood, Jennifer Kirby "Jen" Tennyson sat at her desk in a fifth-grade classroom at Madison Elementary School, licking her lips in concentration as she folded the final crease of her paper plane. A petite 10-year-old girl with long brown hair, green eyes, and fair skin, Jen's frame, although quite slender for her age, belied the athleticism evident in her well-defined muscles. She wore her usual attire of emerald stud earrings, a black-striped white shirt with short sleeves, military green cargo pants with side pockets, a black belt hidden underneath her shirt, and black and white sneakers with black stripes.

At the front of the classroom, the teacher stood by the blackboard, her chalk moving swiftly as she wrote. She was a middle-aged woman with short brown hair and dark blue eyes. Her outfit consisted of a blue sweater layered over a white collared shirt, with pink sunglasses perched jauntily atop her head, a golden headband, and matching golden earrings, alongside a dark blue skirt to complete the ensemble.

Taking a quick glance to her right at the teacher's pet and confirming that the coast was clear, Jen prepped her paper plane for lift-off. With a subtle yet dexterous flick of her wrist, the paper construct soared across the classroom before crashing into the back of the teacher's head, slightly crumpling the plane at the point of impact. Letting out a sharp gasp of shock, the teacher glanced over her shoulder, scanning the room until her gaze landed squarely on Jen, who was conspicuously hiding behind a textbook. It was no secret to anyone who'd known her for more than ten minutes that Jen rarely read anything that didn't feature colourful pictures of heroes in spandex without being incentivised. The fact that she held the book upside down and was missing the sheet of paper handed out not long ago did little to support her defence.

Forty more minutes of learning about something Jen couldn't have cared less about dragged on, each second stretching painfully longer than the last, until the clock finally ticked down to the last moments of school, which more importantly heralded the long-awaited start of summer vacation. Jen's eyes were locked on the clock; it was a few minutes behind, but she could feel the bells of freedom drawing near. And yet, she felt as if a chronosapien had it out for her, slowing down time just to keep her in school just a little bit longer.

"Come on, come on," Jen groaned, her fingers drumming impatiently on the desk as if willing time to speed up.

"And I just want to remind you all that I will be teaching summer school this year and it's not too late to sign up," the teacher announced.

"Yeah, right," Jen scoffed at the thought.

Then, at last, came what 99.9% of humanity would agree to be the greatest sound in the history of school: the final bell, ringing loud and clear, signalling the oh so sweet, glorious end of the school day.

*Ringggggg*

"Yes! Outta here!" Jen exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement as she shot out of her seat, her desk scraping noisily against the floor.

"Everyone, have a good vacation and I hope to see you all again in the fall," the teacher said cheerfully as her students began filing out of the classroom. But just as Jen was about to take her final steps towards freedom, she heard the last thing any student wants to hear just before leaving school. "Jennifer!"

Jen froze in her tracks halfway through the door, turning back to her teacher, a grimace spreading across her face as she pondered what she believed to be the slim, almost impossible chance that she just might have been caught. Her hand lingered on the doorframe, poised for escape, but the call of her name felt like an anchor, holding her in place.

"Could I have a word with you before you go?" the teacher asked, her tone casual. But Jen wasn't buying it; she noticed the teacher hiding her right hand beneath the desk. Could it be? Had the nigh-impossible actually happened? Jen's heart skipped a beat as she hesitated at the door, every instinct screaming that this was it. The teacher's casual smile only fueled her suspicion, making her wonder if her perfectly executed paper plane had been her undoing after all.

And it had. The teacher revealed the paper plane, perfectly uncrumpled for some reason, her calm expression shifting to one of disapproval as she raised her eyebrows slightly. Jen groaned in annoyance, her shoulders raised in frustration as she reluctantly walked over. Maybe the teacher was just going to ask who it might have been – at least that's what Jen hoped. Her mind raced, weighing the chance that maybe, just maybe, she'd escape with a warning instead of an actual lecture.

...

After a relatively short lecture at least compared to the ones Jen usually received she had finally achieved freedom. But, like a young piscciss volann leaping out of the water for the first time, she was unprepared for the uninhabitable environment that awaited her.

Just outside on the school grounds, the typical playground bullies, Cashlynne "Cash" Murray and her lackey J.T. had cornered yet another unfortunate victim. The target of their bullying was Jasmine, a short, chubby girl with slightly unkempt black hair and dark eyes. She wore a light beige T-shirt beneath a greyish-blue shirt with a pocket, which held a pen. A wristwatch adorned her left arm, and she completed her look with blue jeans, grey shoes, a red backpack, and round blue glasses perched on her nose.

Cash stood tall, towering over the others, her black shoulder-length hair framing her face. Her brown eyes sparkled with malicious glee as she gripped a pair of hair clippers, ready to carry out whatever cruel scheme she had cooked up in her vile little mind. She was dressed in a striking red shirt with dark grey accents and a light grey cash register print, paired with a black skirt and white shoes.

Beside her stood J.T. noticeably shorter than Cash. With unkempt brown hair and round light blue glasses with a silver frame, she wore a watch on her right wrist. Clad in a brownish-green T-shirt and beige pants, she held a camera, poised to document the misdeed that was about to unfold.

"Normally we would take your money and beat you up, but since it's the last day of school we're gonna give you a break. Now, fork over the cash so we can get out of here or else," Cash declared, punching into her palm as she began to speak, the sound muffled by the hair clippers she gripped tightly. J.T. moved in beside her, steadily guiding Jasmine backwards until she was pinned against a tree. With her right hand pressing firmly against the trunk, Cash made a "give me" gesture moving her hand up and down to emphasize her demand as the conversation reached its climax.

"Leave her alone!" Jen shouted, her right hand hidden behind her back.

"Get lost, shrimp," J.T. replied irritably, turning to the petite girl as Cash's gaze also shifted, locking onto Jen with a cold, piercing stare.

"I said back off." Jen asserted her voice firm, cutting through the charged silence as the sun gleamed down overhead, casting long shadows on the ground.

"Oh, looks like we've got ourselves a hero." Cash sneered, pointing at Jen and shrugging dismissively before starting to approach her. "Suppose we don't wanna back off."

"What you gonna do about it, Tennyson?" J.T. taunted, her voice dripping with contempt as she marched up to Jen. She lowered her face, staring down at the smaller girl with a sneer, clearly trying to intimidate her.

Jen and Cash locked eyes, the tension between them as thick as a polymorph's cytoplasm. J.T.'s gaze rapidly darted between the two, uncertain. Without warning, Jen charged head-on towards the much taller girl, a determined battle cry escaping her lips. "Ahh!"

Unlike an Appoplexian, Jen doesn't believe that every problem could be solved by hitting it – sometimes, throwing things works much better. With a determined flick of her wrist, she hurled what she called her "Cleansing Sumo Salt" which, in reality, was just a handful of dry, crumbled dirt she'd been concealing in her right hand.

"Gah! My eyes!" Cash yelped, scrambling to rub them as she coughed violently, her face contorting in agony.

With her "Cleansing Sumo Salt" lobbed at the evil witch, the transformation was nearly immediate. Cash's true form was revealed – her face twisted horridly, eyes swelling, while dark streaks of what was no doubt the vile essence of her soul, ran down her cheeks like oily residue. Jen was honestly surprised. She had expected something more dramatic – her skin should've turned a sickly pale blue, alongside her hairline receding to the back of her scalp. 'It must've been a defective batch to have yielded such lacklustre results,' she thought. Jen caught herself momentarily getting lost in that tangent of thought before snapping back to reality when she noticed J.T. was getting a little too close for comfort. Fortunately, the dust in the air made their eyes water just enough to buy Jen the few precious seconds needed to slip away.

"Run!" Jen shouted at Jasmine, grabbing her hand as they took off together, hearts racing in unison.

The duo had barely rounded the corner of the school building when Jen abruptly skidded to a halt, nearly sending the both of them tumbling to the ground. Jasmine, still clutching Jen's hand, was gasping for air after their sudden sprint. Jen shook her head, trying to steady her breath, and then peeked cautiously around the corner, half-expecting Cash and J.T. to come charging right after them. But for now, the coast seemed clear. Only the usual end of school chaos surrounded them with kids racing to buses, chatting in scattered groups – all completely oblivious to the scene that had just unfolded.

For a fleeting moment, Jen felt that victorious rush of having saved the day – well, half the day anyway. They weren't entirely out of danger yet, but it was a small win. And right now, that was enough for her. It wasn't a perfect victory, but as the sounds of distant laughter and shouting filled the air, Jen allowed herself a small grin.

"Let's hide in there," Jen whispered, pointing at a row of bushes nearly twice her height. The thick foliage seemed like the perfect cover, offering them a chance to catch their breath while staying out of sight.

Jen and Jasmine ducked into the dense shelter of the tall bushes, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath. The distant chatter of students and the final bell of the day faded into the background as the adrenaline that had kept Jen's heart pounding slowly ebbed away, leaving behind a quiet, almost surreal sense of relief.

Within the cool shade of the bushes, Jasmine, clutching her side, gave Jen a shaky smile. "Thanks... Thanks a lot," she said, her voice still breathless but filled with gratitude.

"Eh, it's nothing much. I was just trying to help," she muttered, her tone light but a little awkward as she wiped the back of her neck, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up before glancing away, hoping the tension would fade.

Jasmine's smile softened, her voice lowering but brimming with sincerity. "No, really. You saved me back there. I... I don't even want to imagine what they would've done if you hadn't stepped in." She hesitated for a moment, then, as if it had just occurred to her, she added, "You're my hero."

Jen blinked, momentarily taken aback by the compliment. She shifted uncomfortably, half-grinning as she leaned back against the bush. "I... uh... thanks. I just didn't want them—"

As Jen stumbled over her words, a faint rustling from the distance reached her ears. She froze, her senses immediately sharpening. There was something about the sound – footsteps, but not just any footsteps. They were heavy, deliberate, and... somehow familiar. Her heart skipped a beat as recognition washed over her, and her pulse quickened.

"Yeah, they went that way," Cash's voice rang out, dripping with malice. Jen could practically feel the pure, unbridled violence in her tone, and she knew, deep down, that no matter how much she wished otherwise, their brief respite was over.

Jen's breath hitched in her throat as she glanced over at Jasmine, who was tensed up beside her, her face draining of all colour. "Do you think they're coming this way?" she whispered, her eyes wide, darting nervously across the shadows.

Jen's heart hammered in her chest as the faint sound of footsteps grew louder and closer. She strained her ears, trying to catch the faintest of details, but the world around her seemed to have fallen into a deathly silence. Even the distant chatter of other students faded into nothing. At that moment, the only thing that mattered to them was that unmistakable sound – slow, deliberate, and closing in.

Unable to breathe quietly, the two of them froze, holding their breaths as the footsteps drew nearer. And by some stroke of luck, the sounds eventually began to fade, and the danger seemed to move away from them. Just to be safe, they waited a few more seconds, sitting there motionlessly, until the footsteps had dwindled into nothing but a distant echo. Then, as if on cue, they both gasped for air like dried-up piscciss volanns finding an oasis on the surface of Turrawuste, their lungs burning as they inhaled in frantic relief, shattering the suffocating silence that had gripped them by the throat.

…

A short while later.

*Squeaking*

A squirrel, perched upon the thin branches of the very same bush where the two girls were hiding, paused to observe them for a moment. It tilted its head, seemingly weighing its options, before quickly scurrying away in a flash, startled by the sudden honking of a yellowish-white RV. The vehicle, affectionately known as the Rustbucket, rolled up to the corner with a low rumble, its large, rugged tyres crunching against the gravel. The RV's body was a faded white, its worn exterior bearing the marks of age and countless adventures. Red and blue stripes ran along its side a bit beneath the windows, while patches of rust clung stubbornly to the lower edges around the wheels. But its most striking feature was the cluster of three satellite dishes and terrestrial antennas mounted on the rear roof. The vehicle's engine hummed softly as it coasted to a stop, pulling up to the corner with a sense of deliberate ease.

The driver was Magister Maxwell "Max" Tennyson, Jen's paternal grandfather. An older man in his very late 50s, on the verge of his early 60s, Max carried himself with a relaxed, almost effortlessly cool demeanour, though his face bore the subtle signs of time. His complexion was slightly weathered, and a modest bulge had settled around his midsection, the natural result of years spent savouring the leisurely pace of retirement. His once-brown hair had long since faded to grey, lending him a distinguished yet easygoing appearance.

He was dressed in a simple white shirt, neatly tucked beneath a red, buttoned-up Hawaiian shirt adorned with a faded floral design that seemed to clash with the RV's rugged, well-traveled look. His blue pants were practical and unremarkable, while his brown shoes, scuffed and worn from years of use, carried the kind of charm that only accumulated time could bestow. Despite his ageing exterior, there was a twinkle in his brown eyes that spoke to a wealth of experience and a readiness for whatever adventures life had yet to offer.

"Jen," Max called out, his voice carrying a familiar warmth across the open space with an effortless ease as he scanned the area, his eyes narrowing slightly as he searched for his granddaughter, instinctively knowing she couldn't be far.

"Grandpa Max!" Jen exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over as she momentarily forgot that she was supposed to be hiding. Her voice giving her away as she popped out from behind the bush, her grin wide and unapologetic.

"There you are. Come on, Jen. Let's go." Max urged, his tone upbeat as he gave a small nod upwards. "We're burning daylight! I want to get to the campsite by nightfall."

Jen froze for a split second, a flash of worry crossing her face as she remembered that Cash and J.T. were still after her. But just as quickly as the thought had come, she brushed it aside, comforted by the steady presence of her Grandpa Max. All the tension in her shoulders melted away, replaced by the familiar, reassuring sense of safety that his presence always brought.

Turning back to Jasmine, Jen asked with sincerity, "Do you need my grandpa to drop you off at home, or do you already have something planned?"

Jasmine shook her head, offering a small smile. "I don't want to be a bother. Plus I live pretty close to school, so it's really no trouble," she said, not wanting to interrupt the plans of Jen's grandpa.

"Are you sure? What if you run into Cash and J.T.?" Jen asked, her concern still evident in her voice.

Jasmine waved off Jen's concern with a soft chuckle and a reassuring smile, her tone calm and confident. "Don't worry about me. They've most likely already left the campus, so I should be fine, and it's really not that far." She paused, her gaze softening as she met Jen's eyes. "But thanks for looking out for me. I really appreciate it."

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you next semester," Jen said, her tone light but warm. She paused, then added with a slightly sheepish grin, "Eh… uh, I never got your name, did I?"

Jasmine smiled softly, her expression warm and genuine, with a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "Oh, sorry about that. The names Jasmine got it memorised," she replied with a few playful taps to her temple before offering her hand in a casual but friendly gesture. "It's nice to officially meet you, Jen."

'She knows my name?' Jen blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the realization, before she chuckled at Jasmine's playful gesture, a smile tugging at her lips. The thought still lingered in her mind, surprising her. She hadn't exactly thought of herself as popular. Yet, the unexpected recognition sent a small flutter of pride through her chest, and despite her best efforts to mask it, she couldn't quite suppress the warmth that followed.

'Guess I must be more popular than I thought,' Jen mused, her smile widening. "Got it, Jasmine," she said, tapping her own temple with a playful wink while shaking her hand firmly. "It's nice to officially meet you too."

Finishing their chat, Jen followed Max into the Rustbucket, her excitement practically bubbling over. "I've so been looking forward to this," she said, already feeling at home as she moved to settle into the worn passenger seat. But as she glanced towards the seats, her expression instantly faltered. Her eyes widened in surprise before quickly narrowing in irritation when she spotted her least favourite ginger lounging back, looking far too comfortable for her liking.

Gwendolyn "Gwen" Tennyson, Jen's first cousin of the exact same age down to the day, sat in the backseat with an evident look of impatience and displeasure. Her bright green eyes, and short orangish-red hair styled in a sleeked bixie cut with her bangs held by a blue hair clip, gave her a distinctive, fiery look. She wore sapphire earrings, an elbow-length blue raglan shirt emblazoned with a cat logo, white capri pants, and white sneakers with dark blue stripes without socks.

"What are you doing here? What is she doing here?" Jen exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief and frustration as she pointed at the unexpected passenger. Her gaze flickering between Max and Gwen in the backseat, her irritation building with each passing second. She hadn't expected anyone else to be tagging along on this trip – let alone her.

"Take it easy, dweeb," Gwen shot back, her tone dripping with annoyance. "This wasn't my idea. Somebody convinced my mom that going camping for the summer would be a good experience for me." She glanced over at Max, her expression shifting into something that was part disbelief, part resignation, as if already bracing for whatever inconveniences this trip might bring.

"Grandpa, please," Jen groaned, stretching out the last vowel in an exaggerated whine before turning her incredulous gaze to Gwen. "Tell me you didn't."

"I thought it would be fun if your cousin came along with us this summer," Max said, his voice calm and measured, his eyes soft with the warmth of a grandfather's intent. Then, in a flash, his expression shifted, his gaze hardening as he locked eyes with Jen. "Is that a problem?"

The two cousins turned to each other, eyes locking in silent understanding. Neither of them was willing to voice their displeasure, but the air between them crackled with tension as if two aerophibians were locked in a stare-off, each waiting for the other to fire the first neuroshock blast. They exchanged a few brief, charged glances, each struggling to hold back a storm of words they knew would only escalate the situation. In the end, they sat there, caught in the discomfort of silence, the unspoken frustration simmering between them, neither of them willing to break it.

...

——————————————————

First Posted: 27/12/2024

Last Edited: 06/01/2025

——————————————————

-Author's Note-

Still haven't completed the chapter but I wanted to post the first chapter on the 27th of December. I'll try and aim for 10k+ words per chapter which is a bit more than double the current word count

Sorry, I haven't added any more content, just polishing what's already written as I've been sick and am still sick.

——————————————————

-Copy Paste Stuff-

​​Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based upon the Ben 10 franchise. This narrative takes place in a fictional realm with the names, characters, businesses, locations, events, incidents, settings, and other elements within this story being either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. All original content belongs to their respective creators and owners, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is intended for entertainment purposes and is not meant to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. I do not claim ownership of any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction and fully support the original creators and their works.

Thanks for reading my work! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What did you think of it? Feel free to share your thoughts preferably in the chapter comments instead of paragraph comments as they tend to disappear when edited. Do note that lack of engagement, even if there are readers, can be disheartening.

If you have any ideas or suggestions you think would fit into the story, don't hesitate to share them; as I previously said in the chapter comments instead of paragraph comments. While I may not be able to use all suggestions depending on the direction of the plot, I greatly appreciate your input. Your ideas might even spark new ones that fit the story better, so thank you in advance.

I strive to make my work as polished as possible, but if you notice any mistakes – whether they're grammatical errors, misspelt names, factual errors, illogical statements, or anything canonically incorrect (unless it's part of the AU or caused by events in the fic), etc. please let me know. I'll make sure to promptly fix them. But for that, I need your feedback.

Support the fic through comments, power stones, likes, reviews, gifts, and any interactions with this fic, they motivate me and encourage this work, so please support! [change to 'continue the support!' in Ch2+]

If you want to support me check out my Patréon.

Not posting advanced chapters of the book on my Patréon at the moment. Check it out!

www.patréon.com/one_eyed_jason

(Replace the é with an e)

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

`Telepathy`

*Onomatopoeia*

[Written Text]