Eye of the Beholder (John Smith 10)

Story
John is going for his morning run, which he does early every morning. He’s wearing a simple white t-shirt and red shorts. He is running a trail that approaches the forest, going onto a dirt trail. John turns the corner, and sees a large crowd of fangirls waiting.

Fangirls: There he is. AHHHHHHH! (The girls start running in John’s direction.)

John: (Sighs.) Again. Why can’t I go for my early morning run without an attack? Oh well. This’ll allow me to try out my new guy! (Activates and slaps down Omnitrix. John turns into an insect, with fragile wings. He has four stalks on the side of his head, where his eyes were. He has four legs, two arms, and a blade-like tail. His body is white with black lines.)

Stinkfly: Stinkfly! (Stinkfly flutters his wings, and takes to the air, avoiding the girls.) Don’t worry girls. Today, you will finally get something for all your effort. (From his stalk eyes, he fires a stream of slime, hitting and covering the girls.)

Fangirls: EWWW!

Fangirl: Oh my god! We’ve got his slime!

Fangirls: EEEEEEEEH! (The girls start fighting each other to get their hands on the slime.)

Stinkfly: (flying over the forest) Kevin’s right. I’ve got some of the craziest fans. Aah! (Stinkfly grabs his head, as if having a headache.)

Voice: ''Come to me, my friends. ''(Stinkfly lands, and reverts.)

John: Ugg. Telepathy. Time to find out this source. (John runs off.)

Meanwhile, Julie is practicing tennis, Ship acting as a tennis ball machine. Suddenly, Ship stops, and reverts.

Julie: Ship? What’s wrong?

Ship: Ship! Ship!

Julie: What? Baz-el’s in trouble? (Ship then turns into a mini-rocket, and takes off into the sky.) Ship! Come back! End Scene

John arrives at an old, rundown building, in the middle of the forest.

John: This is where that guy lives? (John approaches the building, when he feels like he stepped on something. He looks down, and sees that he’s stepped on a beetle.) What the? (He then sees a swarm of insects crawling across the ground, going towards the building.) Not good.

John continues to follow, when someone comes out of the building. He has light blue skin, a goatee, long black hair, and a torn brown jacket.

Man: Who dares to disturb our home?

John: Again with the dare. John Smith. I got your message to come, so here I am.

Man: I am Clancy, and we (as a swarm of bees flies up) will not let you destroy our home.

John: Whoa, whoa! I don’t want to destroy it. (The bees fly forward, coming at John. John slaps down the Omnitrix.)

Heatblast: Heatblast! (Releases a stream of fire from his hand, burning through the bees.) Going to have to do better than that.

Beetles come at his feet, and Heatblast uses his flames to fly, burning the flames. He then flies towards Clancy, and lands in front of him. Heatblast then hits the Omnitrix.

Articguana: Articguana! You need to chillax, man. (Releases his ice breath. Bees form around Clancy right before he’s hit. Clancy and his insects are frozen.) That was weird, man. (Jumps down, landing on the ground, then reverts.)

John: Time to continue my run. (Runs off)

Sometime later, John is about to reenter the city. On the edge of the city, was Julie, who was waiting for him. John stops running, now walking towards her.

John: ''Oh man. What does she want? We haven’t even talked since we broke up.'' (Makes it over to Julie.) Julie. Hey.

Julie: John. Ship’s gone off into space. He says that he’s going to rescue Baz-el or something. Anyway, I need your help. I need to make sure he’s alright. (The two stare at each other for a moment. Then, John activates the Omnitrix.)

John: Kevin? You there?

Kevin: Yeah. What’s up?

John: Prepare your ship. Got a mission.

Kevin: What’s the mission?

John: I’ll let you know as soon as I get there. (Disconnects.)

Julie: Thank you, John.

John: Ship is as much my pet as yours. (John forces a smile) Let’s go. (The two run into the city.) End Scene

Kevin and Gwen are at Kevin’s garage, where Kevin was preparing his ship. Then, they see John and Julie approaching.

Kevin: This won’t end well.

Gwen: Julie! Hey.

John: We ready to go?

Kevin: Yeah. What’s going on?

Julie: Ship went off into space, and I need to make sure he’s alright.

Gwen: Of course. Let’s go. (Then, a swarm of bees appears, and Clancy appears on the roof, still covered in insects.)

Clancy: This isn’t over! We shall destroy you for burning our home.

John: It wasn’t on fire when I left. (The insects fly at John, and he slaps down the Omnitrix.)

Big Chill: Big Chill! (Uses freeze breath, freezing the insects.) Guys! Go! I’ll catch up! (Gwen, Kevin and Julie board the ship, it taking off.) Just you and me, Clancy.

Clancy: Correction. You vs. all of us.

Big Chill: (firing freeze rays from his hands) I froze you once, I’ll freeze you, Ahhh! (Big Chill grabs his head.) Clancy: ''Too bad. I can control all insects. Now, you will serve me. You will remain motionless until my friends devour you.''

Big Chill: (struggling) I won’t. I resist! (Hits Omnitrix.)

Ultimate Big Chill: Ultimate Big Chill!

Clancy: That won’t help you. (Ultimate Big Chill is hit by telepathy, but it has no effect.)

Ultimate Big Chill: You lose. (Breathes ice flames, freezing all the insects in the area, and Clancy.) That was a waste of time. (Hits Omnitrix)

Jetray: Jetray! (Takes to the air, flying off.) End Scene

On a small moon, at a shrine, Baz-el was chained down to the ground, surrounded by a series of green skinned cyclops aliens and cyclops stone guardians, each with a pearl eye. One cyclops with a blue, pharaoh-like hat approaches.

Cyclops: Now, where is the Occulent?

Baz-el: I’ve told you, Strabismus, I don’t have it. (Baz-el burps. Strabismus punches Baz-el, injuring him.)

Strabismus: We won’t stop until we get it.

Ship: Ship! Ship! (They turn, and they see Ship. Ship charges in, turning into a tank. One of the stone guardians, charges forward, and hits Ship, sending him flying.)

Ship lands out away from the shrine, and Kevin’s ship lands nearby. The landing hatch opens, and Julie runs off.

Julie: Ship! (Picks him up) Are you okay?

Ship: (weakly) Ship.

Gwen: Hand him over, Julie. I can heal him.

Julie: Thank you. (Gives Ship to Gwen, and Gwen’s hand glows with mana. Then, Jetray appears and lands beside them, reverting.)

Kevin: How’d you get here so fast?

John: Apparently, Jetray can go into hyperspace.

Gwen: There. Ship is healed.

Julie: Thanks Gwen. Come on Ship. Let’s go home.

Ship: (defying) Ship! Ship!

Julie: You still want to save Baz-el?

Kevin: Even though he’s a complete sleaze bag?

Ship: (slightly upset) Ship, ship.

Julie: Even though he’s a sleaze bag. Baz-el is, his father.

John: (sighs) Okay. Let’s get this over with. End Scene

The group walks over to the shrine, hiding behind a pillar. They see the cyclops and the stone guardians.

Kevin: Great. Churls. This’ll be tough.

John: They don’t look so tough. (Activate Omnitrix) It’s time for a little Shocksquatch. (Slaps down Omnitrix)

Vicktor Stein: Vicktor Stein? Close enough.

Vicktor Stein puts his hands on the ground, and a stream of lightning travels across the ground. The lightning electrocutes the Churls, the stone guardians, and Baz-el.

Julie: John! Can you do this without hurting Baz-el?

Vicktor Stein: Maybe. (Julie gives him a stern look.) Fine. I’ll give it a try.

The Churls notice them, and fire lasers from their black eyes. Vicktor Stein dodges, rolling to the side. Gwen fires mana disks, while Kevin absorbs the concrete, charging in. Ship forms around Julie, taking his battle armor form. Vicktor Stein claps his hands together, firing a single, powerful lightning bolt. The Churl fires a laser, and the attacks cancel out.

Vicktor Stein: Ha! Is that it? (He’s hit from the side by a stone guardian, and goes crashing into a pillar.)

Julie: John! (Raises arm, firing an automatic weapon, firing several lasers at the guardian. It turns, unharmed, and fires a laser from its pearl eye. Ship is hit, and the two go down.)

Gwen raises a mana shield to block a laser, but the shield breaks, knocking Gwen out. Kevin goes to strike a stone guardian, but it hits him, knocking him down and out cold, losing his stone covering. Julie is able to force herself to stand. Vicktor Stein breaks free from the rubble.

Vicktor Stein: Julie! Get out! (The stone guardians charge in, and Julie dodges a fist, going to punch a guardian. She hits it, and steps back, grabbing her fist in pain.) They’re too strong. These stupid statues with their pearl eyes and, wait. (Looks at one of the guardians, seeing that it was missing its eye.) That’s it!

Vicktor Stein charges in, firing lightning from his hands. The Churls move back, and Vicktor Stein makes it to Baz-el.

Vicktor Stein: Alright, Baz-el. Where is the eye?

Baz-el: I don’t know what you are (burps)

Vicktor Stein: You ate it!? How low can you go. (Raises arms, and hammers them into Baz-el. He then coughs up the pearl eye, and Vicktor Stein catches it. Vicktor Stein approaches the eyeless guardian, and gets down on one knee.) Please accept this back.

The stone guardian takes the eye, and puts it back in it’s socket. The stone guardians then retreat, going onto pedestals. They then become motionless.

Strabismus: Thank you, outsider. You may all leave now.

Vicktor Stein: No problem. Goodbye. (Reaches down, and uses his lightning to break Baz-el’s restraints. Baz-el gets up, and Vicktor Stein reverts.)

Baz-el: Why, thank you dear boy.

John: (stern) Don’t push it. I’m only here because Ship wanted to save you.

Baz-el: Oh. That’s. Interesting. (The two walk over to the others, who have woken up.

Ship: (happy) Ship! Ship!

Baz-el: Well, thank you for the rescue, though you did ruin my chance for a priceless artifact.

Kevin: You mean the eye?

Baz-el: Yes. I’m a bit of a treasure hunter. I’m gathering treasure so I can retire soon. (Ship is rubbing up against Baz-el) Um, there, there?

Julie: Ship seems happy with you, Baz-el. So, maybe he should stay with you.

Ship: Ship?

Baz-el: Well, if that’s what you want to do.

John: (with a sly smug) So tell me. How much do you think you could make, selling Ship on the black market?

Baz-el: (proudly) A fortune at least. He is considered a powerful weapon. He will be easy to sell.

Julie: Sell?

John: You’ve got to admit, it makes sense. Especially since Baz-el isn’t very good with sentimental stuff. But, it’s Ship’s choice. (They all look at Ship)

Ship: J, ju, Julie.

Julie: Ship! You, you said my name!

Ship: Julie! Julie! (Jumps into Julie’s arms) I’m so glad that you’re staying.

Baz-el: Darn it. You’re a tricky guy, John (He’s then hit by Four Arms’ fists, sending him flying through a pillar, which collapses onto him. The others look at Four Arms, stunned silence.)

Four Arms: That’s for destroying my hoverboard. (Four Arms reverts) End Scene

The group is in Kevin’s ship, flying home. Julie was sitting in the back with Ship, John sitting closer to the controls.

Gwen: Go talk to her.

John: You can’t just expect me to do that, especially after everything that’s happened.

Gwen: Which is all your fault.

Kevin: I agree with Gwen on this. Talk to her.

John: (sighs) Fine. (Gets up, and takes a seat beside Julie.) Hey Julie.

Julie: John.

John: Listen, uh, I know that you’re, still angry with me. But, I, uh, did it to protect you. I didn’t want you to get hurt because of me.

Julie: (not looking at him) I can handle myself.

John: I know. That doesn’t mean that your safety isn’t the first thing on my mind. I don’t want this to destroy our friendship. I miss hanging out with you. So, friends? (Extends arm)

Julie: (Looks over, and extends her arm, the two shaking hands.) Friends.

Characters

 * John Smith
 * Gwen Tennyson
 * Kevin Levin
 * Julie Yamamoto
 * Ship
 * Baz-el
 * Fangirls

Villains

 * Clancy
 * Churls (temporary)
 * Strabismus (temporary)
 * Sanctuary Guardians (temporary)

Aliens

 * Stinkfly (first appearance)
 * Heatblast
 * Articguana
 * Big Chill
 * Ultimate Big Chill
 * Jetray
 * Vicktor Stein (first appearance by Present John) (accidental transformation; selected alien was Shocksquatch)

Trivia

 * This is the first time that an Ultimate form is used sinced Ultimate Evolution
 * Julie returns for the first time since the break up.
 * John and Julie agree to be just friends.
 * Ship says something besides his name for the first time.
 * John finally gets revenge on Baz-el for him destroying his hoverboard.