DoB10 Epilogue

Death of Ben 10 is a story designed to continue on from where Ben 10: Omniverse left off. It takes place before Ben's galactic road trip.

Scene 1
Ben 23: “So that’s it then? It’s over?”

Lodestar leans over the edge of the docks, peering down into the dark water. He steps back, and with a green flash reverts to his human form. He turns to look at his friends with a smile.

Ben Prime: “I don't think he's coming back from that one. Thank you, all of you, for helping me out.”

Gwen 10: “And for saving you.”

Ben Prime: “And for saving me.”

A moment of solemn silence falls over the small crowd, no one wanting to address the elephant in the room.

Ultimate Ben 10: “There's no way to bring him back, is there? Mad World Ben, I mean.”

Eon: “No.”

Paradox: “I'm afraid not. Time is a finicky thing.”

Ben 23: “We could go back and save Prime, but not Mad Ben?”

Ben 23’000: “Prime was still beaten by Apollo, that much didn’t change when we saved him. But Mad Ben’s death may very well have influenced our actions that later lead to the defeat of Apollo and his alternate selves. Saving him could undo all of our hard work.”

Gwen 10: “It’s a shame, too. It seemed like he was beginning to change.”

Eon: “He sacrificed himself to our cause, but at the end of the day the multiverse will not remember him. Before today he was just another wanderer in the wastelands of a dying planet.”

Ben 10’000: “I have a feeling that if he hadn’t charged Apollo like that, maybe he could have done some good for his world?”

The group stands in silence for a minute, paying respect for their fallen counterpart.

Paradox: “Now that this is over, I should get you all back home.”

Paradox begins to walk away, directing the crowd of displaced Omnitrix wielders with his arms and encouraging them to follow.

Ben Prime: “Not so fast.”

He stops, and turns back to Ben. Eon watches both of them intensely, before turning back to the other Bens and Gwen.

Eon: “Yeah I’m not dealing with this. Have fun Paradox.”

Eon walks away. He opens a large purple portal and gestures to invite the others to join him through it.

Eon: “Say your goodbyes everyone. It hasn’t been fun.”

Eon leaves, but his portal remains in wait.

Ben 10’000: “Yeah I’ve been meeting you on and off for a few months so I doubt this is the last we’ll meet. If it is, well you’ve got becoming me to look forwards to anyway. Bye, me.”

Ben 10’000 joins Eon through the portal. Ben 23 walks up to and fistbumps Ben Prime.

Ben 23: “Fun as always. Seeya dude!”

He saunters through Eon’s gateway.

Ben 23’000: “I guess this is probably the last time I’ll meet you then, huh? The young you, I mean. I never really got a chance to say this before and I couldn’t with the other me around, but thank you. I really don’t like thinking about how my life could have turned out if you hadn’t stopped me from… y’know, the first time we met...”

Prime nods

Ben Prime: “Don’t mention it.”

Ben 23’000 smiles before following his younger self.

Gwen waves at Ben Prime as she leaves.

Gwen 10: “Later dweeb.”

Ben Prime: “Dork.”

Ultimate Ben 10’000 walks towards the portal.

Ultimate Ben 10’000: “Goodbye Prime.”

Ben Prime: “I didn’t forget you, by the way.”

Ultimate Ben 10’000 smiles.

Ultimate Ben 10’000: “I know.”

As Ultimate Ben 10’000 takes his leave, Prime notices Ultimate Ben 10 staring at him from a few metres away with arms crossed.

Ultimate Ben 10: “So now that I finally have the opportunity to ask… Why’d you replace the Ultimatrix? With a normal Omnitrix no less.”

Ben Prime: “Why didn’t you? Ascalon, Diagon, and Ultimatrix in hand. Where’s the fun in being a hero if there’s never any villain that can stand up to you? After a while the weak regulars just get boring.”

Ultimate Ben 10: “I was curious.”

Ben Prime: “About?”

Ultimate Ben 10: “Ultimate Eye Guy.”

Ben Prime: “Ha! Really? What’s he like?”

Ultimate Ben 10: “Powerful, but underwhelming to be honest. And no, not really. I gave up Ascalon and Diagon, I had no need for their power. Just because I had no right to decide what people do with their free will doesn’t mean I have to let dangerous criminals go around hurting people, so I kept the Ultimatrix.”

Ben Prime: “Meaning you didn’t get the upgraded Omnitrix at all?”

Ultimate Ben 10: “Oh I got that too. Azmuth couldn’t be bothered to deal with me so he just compromised and fused the two together, effectively.”

Ben Prime: “So you got the best of both?”

Ultimate Ben 10: “Pretty much.”

Ben Prime: “Dammit.”

Ultimate Ben 10: “I know this won’t be the last time I meet you, but it’s probably the last time you’ll see me. So goodbye, Prime. Don’t get yourself killed again.”

Ultimate Ben 10 leaves and the portal closes. The docks are now empty bar Ben Prime and Professor Paradox. Ben turns to Professor Paradox.

Ben: “Mind telling me how Eon gave Ascalon to Apollo?”

Paradox: “So he told you about that, did he?”

Ben: “Yep. When were you planning to?”

Paradox chuckles briefly.

Paradox: “I wasn’t. But now that you’re twisting my arm I should at least straighten out the story. To Eon’s defense, he didn’t give anything to anyone. He stole Ascalon from Galvan Prime sometime after you gave it back to Azmuth, I tried to stop him and after some fighting we ended up on Pyros about thirty years ago. We fought some more, he dropped Ascalon, our fight moved elsewhere. I meant to go get it back, but the Time War kicked into gear and I didn’t get chance.”

Ben: “So what you’re saying is that, by inaction, you are directly responsible for my would-be death at the hands of Apollo?”

Paradox: “Ben you could say that about almost anyone across the multiverse and it would be true.”

Ben smiles.

Ben: “Yeah that’s true I suppose.”

Ben looks back into the water of the docks.

Ben: “So I was really going to die back there? Like, actually die? No-coming-back type dying?”

Paradox: “Yes. It wouldn’t have been the first time you’ve died, but it would’ve been the last.”

Ben: “Thank you. I don’t say this enough, but thank you.”

Professor Paradox steps forwards.

Paradox: “The world would be a worse place without you, Ben. There are things you can do that are beyond the realms of my own abilities.”

He goes to leave, generating a cyan portal in front of himself.

Paradox: “I don’t envy you.”

He steps through, and Ben is left on his own in the docks. Suddenly he notices a faint noise carried on the wind, the familiar hum of an engine he’d gotten to know quite well over the past year. He looks up to see the Proto-TRUK descending towards him. He steps aside to give it room as it lands. The door swings open and Rook steps out. He addresses Ben in a mildly annoyed tone.

Rook: “I have got so many questions right now!”

Scene 2
The Pyronite fleet hangs slowly on the edge of the star system. Free-floating rocks crash against the largest ship’s front end, only to be deflected by its superior armour. As the fleet closes in on the dull star Pyros, the smaller ships pull into the glowing orange docks on either side of the large ship heading the voyage.

In the bridge of the largest ship, a female Pyronite stands confidently at the helm. The hooded acolytes of Apollo stand hunched behind consoles of red rock, manipulating the fine controls. One of the Acolytes jumps to full height and turns to the female Pyronite in charge.

Acolyte: “Sir Ignis! I've received an update from Earth!”

Ignis: “Well then? What are Apollo’s orders?”

The Acolyte chokes on his words.

Ignis: “I’m waiting!”

Acolyte: “There aren't any… He’s dead.”

The entire room falls silent. The other Acolytes turn away from their consoles and devote their attention to the one that speaks. They regard him with a look of hatred for delivering the news -news that they do not believe.

Ignis: “Impossible. How can you tell?”

Acolyte: “The satellite we left in the Sol system is no longer detecting any Pyronite life forms, bar the escapee. Th-the signal flared up for a few minutes- Apollo ascended as he promised… But now… ”

Ignis: “How can you be sure that his new form is not simply beyond our capacity to detect?!”

Acolyte: “The satellite was built with his intended form in mind, and indeed it worked for a time…”

Ignis: “Maybe there were complications! Maybe he’s using Ascalon to hide from us!”

A second Acolyte speaks up.

Acolyte 2: “Why would he hide from us? We are his chosen!”

Acolyte 1: “There's more. The sensors he had us build to track Ascalon… That's not in the Sol system either.”

Ignis: “Well they can't have destroyed that as well!”

Acolyte 1: “Of course, but the tracker says it’s in the Galvan system now…”

Ignis: “Then that's where Apollo must be!”

Acolyte 1: “His plan required the Earth specifically, moving to the Galvan system would weaken his position, not strengthen it. Not to mention, Galvan Prime is where Ascalon was made, so the Plumbers likely just sent it home. Sir, I don't want to believe it either… He's gone.”

Acolyte 2: “You… He's dead because OF YOU!”

The second Acolyte aims his rage at Ignis.

Acolyte 2: “If you hadn't ordered us to retreat then--!”

Acolyte 3: “Watch your tongue! That order came from Apollo himself! Ignis is his chosen second in command, and as such is his chosen successor!”

The new speaker turns to Ignis, and points both his hands openly towards her.

Acolyte 3: “We stand in the presence of the new rightful ruler of Pyros!”

He kneels in place, and most of the other Pyronites in the room join him. After a moment the defiant Acolyte joins them, leaving only Ignis standing.

Acolyte 3: “All hail the Infernal Queen! Long live Ignis, the Covenant of Fire exists to serve you now!”

Ignis stands in awe at what transpires around her. She had seldom imagined that Apollo could be slain -much less that she would be chosen as his successor. Those in her presence begin chanting.

LONG LIVE IGNIS! LONG LIVE PYROS! A THOUSAND YEARS YOUR LIGHT SHALL GUIDE US!

ALL HAIL IGNIS! ALL HAIL PYROS! IN YOUR NAME SHALL NONE DEFY US!

Major Events

 * The alternate timeline characters return to their own times and places.
 * Apollo's fleet reaches Pyros.

Minor Events

 * The name of Apollo's Acolyte following is revealed.

Characters

 * Ben Prime
 * Ben 23'000
 * Ultimate Ben 10'000
 * Ben 10'000
 * Professor Paradox
 * Gwen 10
 * Ultimate Ben 10
 * Ben 23
 * Eon
 * Rook

Villains

 * Ignis
 * Apollo's Army

Ben Prime

 * Lodestar (cameo)