Inside the Chaquetrix, the world shifted and pulsed with a gentle energy. Buildings, stark and geometric, rose from the ground, all bathed in a uniform fuchsia hue. There was no variation, no texture, just flat planes of color stretching to the horizon. This was the waiting room, the space between summons, where Ben's alien partners resided when not called upon.
A colossal beam of light pierced the sky, shooting upwards like a beacon. It pulsed with a rhythm, a heartbeat of the Chaquetrix. Diamondheart sat alone, the only splash of green-blue in a sea of pink. She was perched on the edge of a featureless platform, her crystalline body reflecting the ambient light. The others were nowhere to be seen, probably off doing whatever alien summons did when they were bored. But Diamondheart could not bring herself to care.
Her thoughts swirled, a chaotic mix of emotions. Tetrax's words replayed in her mind: "You are an artificial creation…"
The phrase stung, a shard of ice piercing her core. She was used to Ben calling her a summon, his alien girl, but artificial? That was a whole other level. She examined her hand, the facets of her crystalline structure gleaming under the light. Was she truly alive? Or just a puppet, a construct animated by the Chaquetrix?
She knew the basics: Ben had activated the device, splicing his human DNA with Petrosapien DNA. She had been born in that moment, a hybrid of two species, a unique individual with her own thoughts and feelings. But if Tetrax was right, how much of that was real? How much of it was simply programmed into her? A false consciousness, a mimicry of life?
Was her loyalty to Ben genuine? Or simply an algorithm, hardwired into her code? Was her desire to protect others a reflection of her own values, or just a pre-determined directive? The questions hung heavy in the fuchsia air, unanswered and unsettling. She glanced up at the pulsing beam of light, the source of her existence, and a shiver ran through her crystalline frame.
"Diamondheart?"
The crystalline woman turned, her yellowish-orange eyes widening slightly as she saw Heartblast approaching. The Pyronite-Human hybrid radiated warmth, her inner plasma core glowing softly. Even here, in this manufactured world, she brought a spark of life, a reminder of passion.
"You seem down," Heartblast observed, her voice tinged with concern. She sat beside Diamondheart, the heat emanating from her body a comforting contrast to the cool, sterile environment. "What's wrong?"
Diamondheart hesitated, unsure if she could articulate her doubts. "Do you ever wonder... about our lives?" she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are we real? Are we even... alive? Or are we just... fake? We live inside a watch. We can't go outside unless Ben lets us."
Heartblast tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. "But we are alive, Diamondheart! I truly believe so." She reached out, taking Diamondheart's hand in hers. The warmth of her touch spread through Diamondheart's crystalline form, chasing away some of the chill. "Maybe we're artificial creations, in a way. But we can think, we can feel. We laugh, we cry, we fall in love."
A smile played on Heartblast's lips as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with genuine emotion. "Our lives aren't exactly normal, that's true. But why does that matter? We have each other. We have Ben."
Heartblast squeezed Diamondheart's hand, her gaze filled with conviction. "I love Ben. I want to be by his side all the time. I want to protect him, to make him happy. If these feelings aren't real, then nothing is." Her words resonated with a profound truth, a deep-seated belief that transcended their manufactured existence. "We can choose what we want to be, what we want to do. Even if we are made in a lab, we still can make our own choices."
Diamondheart looked at Heartblast, her expression softening. The Pyronite's unwavering faith was infectious, a beacon of hope in the swirling darkness of her doubts. Maybe, just maybe, she could believe it too.
"Thank you, Heartblast," she said, her voice now stronger, more confident. "I understand. I needed to hear that."
Heartblast beamed, her fiery aura intensifying. "You're welcome, Diamondheart! We have to stick together, right? We're practically sisters, after all!" Her words hung in the air, a testament to their shared bond.
A genuine smile touched Diamondheart's lips, the first since Tetrax's revelation. "Yeah," she echoed softly, a hint of warmth in her tone. "Sisters…" The word felt right, a confirmation of their connection, a reassurance that even in this strange, simulated existence, some things were real.
Not far off, obscured by the strange, geometric structures, Ghost Lady watched the two. The whole scene made her want to retch. Sisters? The saccharine sweetness of their exchange was nothing short of nauseating. Of all the beings Ben had summoned, Ghost Lady was the most estranged, set apart by her inherent superiority. The others—even Jawleene, whose vanity was an accomplishment in itself—were tolerable in small doses, if only for their usefulness. But this… this display of manufactured affection was too much.
How dare they debase themselves like this? she thought, her silver hair swaying despite the lack of breeze. It was a constant humiliation to be trapped in this fleshy, human form, but to witness such pathetic displays from her fellow inmates… it was beyond bearing.
She, after all, was Zs'Skayr, a being of immense power, a ruler of worlds. This Chaquetrix was nothing more than a temporary setback, an irritating inconvenience. One day, she vowed silently, her pink pupils glowing with repressed fury, I will escape this prison, reclaim my throne, and make them all pay for this indignity.
Oblivious to Ghost Lady's ire, and quite possibly everything in the world, Greymatter perched atop one of the taller buildings. She was easily missed. The Galvan-Human was overlooking the former Ectonurite overlord, carefully monitoring her actions.
The Rustbucket rumbled into the outskirts of a new city, the skyline slowly coming into view. Ben stretched, his joints popping after hours of driving. He needed to summon someone with better piloting skills, or maybe convince Greymatter to install an autopilot.
"Hey, look at that!" Gwen pointed out the window. "Zombozo's Traveling Circus of Laughs?"
A colourful billboard flashed past, depicting a sinister clown with a wide, toothy grin. Underneath, smaller pictures showed acrobats, jugglers, and exotic animals. Gwen's eyes lit up.
"A circus?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement. She turned to Laura, who sat quietly beside her, observing the passing scenery. "Have you ever been to one, Laura?"
Laura shook her head, her expression impassive. "No. The Facility had no use for such things."
"Well, that's just sad," Gwen said, her tone softening. "Circuses are amazing! The acrobats, the animals, the clowns…"
"I haven't been to a circus since I was a boy," Max chimed in from the driver's seat. "Back then, they were a real spectacle. Elephants, lions, tightrope walkers... Good, clean fun." He paused, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. "It does sound like a bit of fun, actually. Something lighthearted for a change."
"FUN!"
Flygirl, who was the summon for the day, popped her head between the front seats, her yellow eyes gleaming. "I think the circus would be FUN! I have never seen a circus before. I want to see the acrobats and the clowns!"
(Note: Changed Stinkfly to Flygirl)
Ben's brow furrowed. "I don't know, guys. Maybe we shouldn't go."
Gwen turned to him, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Oh? And why is that, Ben? Scared of clowns?"
"No! It's just…" Ben trailed off, struggling to explain. He just had a bad feeling. "It's probably a really cheesy show. I think it would be a waste of time and money."
"Aww, is someone trying to be a party pooper?" Gwen teased, poking his arm. "Come on, Ben. It'll be fun! Loosen up a little. We've been driving for hours. What else are we going to do?"
Ben just shrugged, unable to shake the feeling that going to the circus was a terrible idea.
In the classic Ben 10 series, Zombozo was a villain who steals people's positive energy. He and his crew, the Circus Freaks, travel from town to town, draining the positive energy of people. Zombozo would attract the town to his circus and drain their positive energy, while his Circus Freaks go to town to steal while the people were in the circus.
So, going to this circus is just walking into trouble.
Max turned around, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Now, come on, Ben. It'll be a good time! We can get some cotton candy, see some cool animals, and maybe even learn a juggling trick or two. Besides, it's been ages since we've done anything as a family."
Flygirl fluttered her wings, her antennae twitching with anticipation. "Please, Ben! I really, really want to go! Pretty please with slime on top?"
Ben hesitated, his gut twisting with unease. He knew what circuses could mean in his old life. Zombozo and his freaks were not the type of clowns one wanted to run into. Still, seeing Flygirl's excited face, and knowing how much Gwen and Max wanted to go, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Ben heaved a sigh, running a hand through his blond hair. "Fine," he relented, his voice laced with resignation. "We can go, but we are going to be extra careful."
"Extra careful, how?" asked Gwen.
"I have a feeling that this is not going to be a normal circus. There is going to be a whole lot of freaky stuff, so you guys need to stay close," Ben said. I'm just going to have to watch out for Zombozo and his freaks, he thought, bracing himself for whatever awaited them under the big top. He would do his best to protect his family from whatever sinister plots might be lurking behind the smiling faces and colourful costumes.
He could only hope his instincts were wrong, but he doubted it.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz