Orphan (Ben 10: Ultimate Alien)

Chapter 2

(I don't own Ben 10)

I had a good view of the tv from where I was in the kitchen, my hands in soapy water as I washed the dishes. I had spent all morning trying to get the watch thing off of my wrist, but it wouldn't budge and it didn't seem affected by water.

An annoying theme song filled the air. I glanced up and scowled as Sumo Slammers came on screen. As far as I'm concerned, it's the worst show ever. So why did I find myself humming along? Ugh, maybe I'd gotten it stuck in my head.

"Turn that crap off, check the news," one of the older kids plopped down on the couch and ripped the remote from the other kid. Bill isn't that great a person, and he thinks that just because he's the oldest kid here that that gives him the right to be a jerk.

"-information on the disappearance of teen hero, Ben Tennyson."

I glanced down at the watch on my wrist. It couldn't be... could it? No, probably just.. I don't know.

It seemed that the tv had caught just the end of that news segment, for after that it moved onto the weather.

I finished washing the dishes and left the kitchen, heading for the rooms. If this was Ben 10's watch.

Omnitrix.

Omnitrix.. where did that come from?

If it is, then that means I have, like, superpowers now! I can leave this place!

"What's the hurry, hawk?"

"Ace," I greeted, pausing in my tracks. Ace came about last week, and apparently she's a fan of animorphs, which is one of the only things anybody knows about her.

Her eyes darted to the omnitrix almost immediately, "where'd ya get that?"

"Almost got me ran over," I said, raising my wrist to show her the device. "I think it's Ben 10's watch thing. The omnitrix."

She raised her eyebrow, "really? Have you checked?"

"Well, I don't know how he does it-"

Press the buttons.

I frowned before doing so. The dial popped up and a hologram popped up as well. I couldn't breath for a second before I beamed ear to ear. "No. Freaking. Way."

Ace grinned before pulling me into a side room, closing the door behind her. "There's a train that passes around this time everyday. If you're serious about running, you can go necofriggian, go intangible, and hitchhike."

"Necofriggian? What?"

"Big Chill," she stepped forward and messed with the omnitrix before twisting the dial to a mothlike creature before pushing the dial down. "I'm a real big Ben 10 fan, trust me."

A green flash filled the room. When it faded, I was a blue, mothman-like creature. I seemed to be wearing a cloak, but I spread it instinctively, and it turned out to be wings. My breath fogged in the air, as if I was outside on a cold day.

"Big Chill!" I heard a raspy voice shout. It came from me.

"Catch ya later, Ace," I grinned, feeling like a million bucks, "I have a train to catch."

"Later, hawk," she grinned.

It was like a second nature to me to become intangible to fly right through the wall. I found myself hovering over the pond, a train zipping across the tracks ahead of me.

I reached it in no time and settled into a train car. It was laughably easy, compared to all my attempts prior. I watched the orphanage disappear, quickly replaced by the new world flashing past before me.

Where we going?

I jumped, startled, and whipped my head around. A teen sat near the edge of the door, watching the world pass by. He wore a green jacket and blue jeans. His hair was brown, and his eyes emerald. There was a white ten on his jacket.

Took you long enough to notice me. I couldn't get you to notice me until now.

"Excuse me?" I asked. His voice was weird, as if I was hearing it in my head, like a thought. "Who are you?"

Tap the omnitrix symbol. The green one on your chest.

I frowned at him before opening my wings. The symbol of the watch was on my chest. I tapped it, and in a flash of green I was back to my normal self.

"That's no fun," I said before my attention was caught by the view flashing by outside the train car door. My smile was so wide, it might become permanent. "I can't believe I'm finally leaving. The world's so much bigger than I imagined it would be."

I sat down, beaming at the omnitrix.

"And this! This is the best thing that's ever happened! I should be freaking out but... but it's like a dream."

Yeah, guess the magic seems to fade a little after a couple years. Take it for granted. But I still remember how excited I was, even when I didn't know what it was.

I glanced at him, my smile fading, "wait, you're that Ben Tennyson guy, aren't you? You'll be wanting this back, huh?"

Not necessarily, he said. When I had moved my left wrist towards him, it had gone right through him. Ben looked unnerved by it.

I stared at him, then at the omnitrix. "Oh... OH!" I shook my wrist, "you don't have  like, your blood loss on this, right!?!? Cause that would be so gross! And creepy! But that's so insensitive, isn't it!? You're DEAD!?"

Calm down, kid. Wonderful grammar by the way.

"You're not freaking out over being dead!?"

I freaked out earlier. But if you shout your little head off, then you're going to get caught, kicked off the train, and then we'll have to go on foot, or we might even get sent back.

I took a couple deep breaths and went with my usual tactic. Best not to worry about it. Consequences later.

I wouldn't be too sure.

Great, a freaking psychic.

You have no idea, do you?

"Tobias Verendez," I said, holding out my hand. Ben raised an eyebrow and I smiled sheepishly. He was technically permanently intangible. "And I.... I've never actually gotten this far, actually."

I don't know how I died, if that's what you're wondering.

"Quit reading my mind!" I scowled at him.

He chuckled and held his hands up in a surrendering gesture, can't help it. It's like we're sharing a one sided mind. I think something happened when I died, like I was trapped in the omnitrix or something. Don't worry, I've already rummaged through all your memories. And that breakfast they fed you this morning? Gross. Give me a smoothie any day.

"Does privacy mean anything to you?"

That's actually most of what I was doing after you got the omnitrix.. skimming all your memories, that is, so I guess.. not really? You're taking this extremely well.

"What's the point in freaking out? How long did you freak out?"

Until I learned that even though I was on fire that I was perfectly fine.

"What?"

He grinned before beginning to tell his tale.