The Shrouding is a special of Ben 10: Biomniverse.
Chapter 1: The Introduction, was created on December 21, 2016.
Chapter 2: The Conspiracy, was created on December 22, 2016.
Chapter 3: The Cosmic Truth, was created on December 22, 2016.
Chapter 4: The End of the Beginning, was created on December 22, 2016.
Chapter 5: The Final Curtain, was created on December 22, 2016.
I recommend you take breaks between Chapters. Take in the concepts introduced first, so to easily proceed.
Previous Episode: The Revengers
Next Episode: He Has Landed
Plot[]
(Revolutionary): Last time on Ben 10: Biomniverse... well who cares what happened last time. That was 2 and a half years ago. If you liked it then, good for you! Perhaps you can imagine what it would be like if the show had continued as originally planned. But it didn't, and everything you know is wrong.
(Theme song.)
Chapter 1: The Introduction[]
Ben and The Envisioner are both stuck to a wall, unable to move.
(Ben): I'm going to say it one last time... CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!?!
(Revolutionary): Oh for goodness sake settle down, the adults are talking.
(Envisioner): I'm not talking to you, Rev.
(Rev): You don't have to be stubborn, 'Vis. I want to figure out what happened just as much as you do.
(Vis): Wait really? I thought you were behind all this.
(Rev): No don't get me wrong, I am. But not in your awakening.
(Vis): Tell me why. Why did you do all of this?
(Ben): I SAID-
(Rev): Seriously? You're still talking? Here, this should shut you up for a few minutes.
The Revolutionary aims his arm towards Ben. Ben's eyes suddenly flash, and he stares blankly into space.
(Vis): What did you DO to him?
(Rev): Oh relax, I just restored his memories. You know, of that whole Sugilite adventure. I want him up to speed just as much as the viewers.
(Vis): Wait... you don't mean...
(Rev): What did you think they wouldn't be watching this? Granted, it's been 2 and a half years, so there are less of them... if any of them... but they are indeed watching, or will.
(Vis): How is that even possible? We're in your twisted domain right now.
(Rev): They can see anything in your show, of course. So they can see this.
(Vis): But we're outside my show! We're outside the Biomniverse!
(Rev): ...oh dear. I had no idea the conspiracy traced back this far.
(Vis): Conspiracy?
(Ben): (Jerks back into consciousness) Son of a Walkatrout! That was a lot to process!
(Vis): Hey mind filling me in, by the way?
(Ben): Yeah you were there! You told me every-wait what do you mean fill you in?
(Vis): Well I barely remember a thing. It's been two and a half years. For you it's been no time at all.
(Rev): I'm not completely caught up with Biomniverse either actually, after I put it on hiatus I never bothered to look at it again.
(Vis): Revolutionary! Tell me how the viewers can see us! What conspiracy? How were you even able to freeze me? And why did you do all of this to my show in the first place?
(Rev): ...I'll tell you, but you aren't going to like it. In fact, neither will the viewers, but I can't change the truth, no matter how stupid and boring it sounds.
(Vis): You have to tell me.
(Ben): Wait I have a question, Mr. Envisioner sir.
(Rev): This is going to take a while if you keep asking so many questions. I should add Chapters.
(Vis): Chapters to an episode? That's rather extreme.
(Rev): Who said this was an episode? Let's call it a short movie.
(Vis): Fine. (Looks at Ben) You were saying, Mr. Tennyson?
(Ben): Right. If you were the one in charge of my "show", how did you become trapped inside it?
(Vis): I didn't. We aren't in the show, we are in the domain of this PSYCHO known as The Revolutionary.
(Rev): That's what I've been trying to tell you, Vis. We ARE in the show right now. I continued the last episode and now I made this one.
(Vis): Okay, let's start there then, because nothing else you're saying is making any sense. How are you running the show?
(Rev): Oh I'm not in charge here, you are. I just continued it.
(Vis): If I'm in charge, then why am I stuck to your wall?
(Rev): No I don't mean you physically. Did you really think that, with all of your immense power, you really could be fully aware of yourself?
(Vis): ...I'm not sure I-
(Rev): Let's skip to something else, this is rather hard to explain if you didn't already know this. Plus the viewers will get confused if you are, so talk about something explainable.
(Vis): How were you able to freeze me?
(Rev): Oh, that. That's an easy one. After you created yourself-
(Ben): He did what? That's trippy.
(Rev): I'LL GET TO IT!!! Ahem. -during the Sugilite adventure, you got into a conflict with the guys in charge.
(Vis): I talked to the Progenitors a little afterwards, yeah, they agreed that it was all fine since I ended up wiping everyone's mind afterwards.
(Rev): No not you and your made-up Progenitors. Your real self and their real counterparts.
(Vis): I'm still not quite sure I-
(Rev): One thing at a time. Getting into that conflict made you, The Envisioner, really determined to work on the series faster. So much so that you basically ignored me, allowing me to grow my power unobserved and strike when you were weakest.
(Vis): Which was?
(Rev): Well you finished Season 1 and then had 2 kind of follow-up episodes to kick off Season 2. The next episode and ones following were not really related to the overall plot of the show, in fact your next episode was going to be based off a fallen Progenitor, remember?
(Vis): Oh right, the Extra-Terrestrial tribute episode. That was up next.
(Rev): But not before the Revengers one, which was based off of your real self's subconscious about the real show.
(Vis): The real show? What do you mean?
(Rev): Omniverse. When you were finishing up Season 1, your real self had heard spoilers about things that would happen once it started up again. So you subconsciously incorporated titles and basic plots into Biomniverse.
(Vis): I'm still not quite clear on your concept of my "real self", but whatever. And that's right, Omniverse was going to continue.
(Rev): Yes, and you foolishly began your show after Collect This. But if Omniverse was going to start... then what? What would happen to the point of your show, that you essentially started in the middle of the real thing and not the end? What were you going to do with those episodes, use them and keep going somehow? Pretending like the real episodes would magically fit into yours, and vice versa? You knew that you were doomed, and you did not even realize it. Therefore, when you were writing the Revengers script, you were weak. You knew that you couldn't really do it. You started to, but I was strong enough then to freeze you.
(Vis): Okay so why? Why freeze me at all and ruin my show? Even if you knew that it would start to falter and lose consistency. That happens to all shows that the Progenitors do.
(Rev): Yes but none of the other Progenitors have me, do they?
(Ben): And just to be clear, you are who, exactly?
(Vis): He is evil incarnate. When I was created as a Progenitor, he was alongside me. I had no idea why that was, but I knew he was evil. I attacked him as soon as I saw him. He was not prepared, so I easily overpowered him and chained him in a blank pocket domain I discovered. When I began to create this show, Biomniverse, I drew a lot of the characters from myself, from my own good aspects. However, I was working with the big bads. Eon. Vilgax. Who you would have met as Mimic. I could not conceive of evil plans or goals like the other Progenitors could. So I used him. I drew power from him to make the villains for my show. Some of the Progenitors were in awe of me, called me a visionary. I usually watched over him to make sure he wasn't trying anything, but I guess he was right, I was distracted.
(Rev): Distracted ruining your own show. My show. OUR SHOW. I had to do something. You could not be allowed to even submit the script for the next episode, I managed to stop you before you finished it.
(Vis): So then how did I wake up?
(Rev): That is why I brought you here. I am going to unlock parts of your mind right now, parts of the mind of your true self. Ben, I need you here to keep him in check if he tries to kill me or destroy all of us. His real self can do that. Also, you're the main character, you're the only part of Biomniverse that needs to stay alive in some shape of form.
(Vis): Wait, what does THAT mean?
(Rev): Oh right, I terminated the show.
(Vis): ...
(Ben): Sorry, what?!
(Vis): ...you... you...
(Rev): It had to be done. Somehow you submitted the script of what you had already written, and THEN you entered your whole show and EVERYONE saw you. The minor bad guys. The random crowd.
(Vis): I thought... I thought your goal was to preserve the show.
(Rev): It was. But you tainted it. And we can't go back in time to edit it.
(Ben): Yes we can. If you control this show, and Eon or whatever, then-
(Vis): No Ben, editing a show doesn't follow the principles of the show itself. We obey the basic laws of physics, meaning time travel is impossible.
(Rev): If you want, after I figure out how you even did this, you can just rebuild your show. I mean, it will suck because of that last episode, and this super-long special sure as heck isn't helping, but you could. The future episodes haven't been written yet. You can make it work somehow. I just recommend you join forces with me and Shroud.
(Vis): No, that's the worst thing a Progenitor can do! They told me that! They-
(Rev): STOP LISTENING TO YOUR MADE-UP FRIENDS!!! THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH!!!
(Vis): Revolutionary, listen to me. I'm not going to join forces with you and Shroud. Not unless I have good reason to.
(Rev): You want reason? I'll GIVE you reason. How about... oh I don't know... your real self made up the Progenitors and your concept of shows for this show, and you are nothing but a figment of your real self's own imagination inside the show your real self actually made, not you.
(Ben): ... ...Holy f-
Chapter 2: The Conspiracy[]
(Vis): Wait what do you mean I'm a figment of my OWN imagination?
(Rev): Oh right the recap effect is still here.
(Ben): What?
(Rev): Whenever you return from a break, either a commercial break or the start of a new episode, and someone says or asks something to quickly recap what just happened. It's a principle-
(Vis): ANSWER THE QUESTION!
(Rev): Somebody's testy. (Winks at the audience)
(Ben): Why are you winking?
(Rev): Just because I'm supposed to be evil doesn't mean I have to completely act it. In fact lots of villains have some kind of twisted sense of humor. And to answer your question, Envisioner, that's exactly it. You can't actually fully appear in a show you made, that makes no sense. If you appear in a show then you are a character in a show. And if you are a character, you are not real. But there is a you that created this show. That you just happens to be your real self, not you the Envisioner.
(Ben): ...okay that actually makes sense to me.
(Rev): Perfect! Let's hope the viewers get it so we can get to everything else.
(Vis): It's... it's a lot to take in... hard to believe even...
(Rev): Well no duh, knowing your whole life to be a lie and not thinking yourself to be real is an awful lot to handle.
(Vis): Well Ben's doing just fine, as his character should.
(Ben): Hmm? Oh yeah sure, totally fine being fictional.
(Rev): Wait, how much of this do you believe, Tennyson?
(Ben): Oh yeah I get all of this. Just waiting to get out of here.
(Rev): Do you not understand that there is no getting... you're in denial or thinking this doesn't apply to you, don't you?
(Ben): No I get this is happening to you, I'm just ready to spring into action, do my part, and carry on and ignore whatever this all is.
(Rev): (Sighs) That's why he hasn't cracked, he's way too fictional to ever consider this life to not exist. The only reason you and I can comprehend this Vis is because we have toyed with the concepts of realities before, just not in reverse.
(Vis): Hold on how are you comprehending this? Doesn't your own fictionality scare you, Revolutionary.
(Rev): (Chuckles)
(Vis): What's so funny?
(Rev): Oh, heh heh, nothing just, HA! (Turns around) I'm supposed to be evil incarnate. You ever wondered why that is? Why I wasn't just another Progenitor to work alongside you in Biomniverse, not just a twisted version of one? You see, I was aware from birth of my fictionality, unlike any other being in existence anywhere. You just assumed I could comprehend it. (He turns back around, wild-eyed, hysterical.) YOU NEVER THOUGHT THIS IS WHAT DROVE ME MAD IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?!
(Ben): Aha, there's the crazy. Time to get to work. (He moves his arm towards his wrist... only to see the original Omnitrix on his left arm.) Wait, WHAT?!
(Rev): (Still hysterical) Well of COURSE that make sense. (Turns to The Envisioner) You think your real self remembers if Ben still has the Biomnitrix, or it merged or whatever the heck that was all about? How CONVENIENT is it to just put the ORIGINAL Omnitrix on his arm now? VERY MUCH SO.
(Ben): I... I don't know what... to do...
(Vis): IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED, REVOLUTIONARY? For the world to go to SCRAP?
(Rev): (Getting a hold of himself) No no, heh, sorry. Your question was just very dumb and obvious, that's all, brother.
(Vis): Br-brother?
(Rev): You haven't figured it out? Why I was made? Just as you are an imaginary aspect of your real self, SO AM I. That's why I'm tied to you. You're the real Progenitor because the others were made up by your real self for this show, and only you and I can Shroud to remake what's left of Biomniverse.
(Vis): My real self... made up the concept of me and you and Progenitors for a show in his show?
(Rev): Well there are real versions. Not of me, I'm completely fictional. But the real you is your real self, and there are real versions of the Progenitors who are in charge of non-canon shows.
(Vis): That's right, this is non-canon. Biomniverse would never have worked because Omniverse went on...
(Rev): Yes we established that, but good job reminding the viewers.
(Vis): That's not my point. It's been 2 and a half years. Omniverse isn't still going on, is it?
(Rev): ...not exactly.
(Vis): What do you mean not exactly?
(Rev): That show ended, but the newest Ben 10 canon show has begun.
(Vis): And what's happening there? Are we in the thick of it?
(Rev): It doesn't matter they... they rebooted it. All progress made was erased.
(Vis): And that works in reality? Why the HECK can't it work over here?
(Rev): Well now it can, I guess. I... wait no it actually would not have because YOU RUINED YOUR OWN EPISODE BY INTERFERING IN IT, REMEMBER?
(Vis): You could have awakened me sooner.
(Rev): No I was not able to awaken you at all. I thought I had put you down for good. I am going to go through a procedure which will unlock parts of the mind of your real self in you. But now I'm not so sure that I should, because Ben's Omnitrix is on the fritz.
(Ben): Hey! Still here you know!
(Vis): Oh yeah, right. And you're not exactly Mister stability, Revolutionary. Why should I trust you unlocking my mind?
(Rev): Because only I can do it! Unless I give that power to someone else, and I can be the one to stop you if you go insane... but who- (Looks at Ben) oh right. Ben, I'm going to give you some of my power. Use it on The Envisioner's head. (He aims his arm at Ben's Omnitrix, which glows in colors incomprehensible to the human eye.)
(Ben): What... wha-
(Rev): Don't look at it directly, just point your watch at him!
Ben points the Omnitrix at The Envisioner. The Envisioner screams.
(Ben): Should I stop?
(Rev): NO! This needs to be done! Before we Shroud, I need to know how we even got to this point. Then perhaps I may find a way to fix everything and restore it all.
(Vis): Ben, STOP! (Ben pulls his arms away.)
(Rev): What was that- (The Envisioner moves freely towards The Revolutionary.) for?
The Envisioner shoots a beam of light out of his arm at The Revolutionary, who falls to the floor.
(Vis): (Grabbing The Revolutionary by his neck) I'm not even interested in getting even anymore for kidnapping us, because I do believe all of this now. I just have one question, one that could satisfy my conscious and say that this has been a trap all along and nothing but garbage. How are YOU able to know about this? Why is a figment in a show aware of his own mortality? (Starts to choke him) TELL ME!
(Rev): (Gasping for air) I'm not aware, not really. I'm not even thinking right now, technically.
(Vis): (Releasing his grip) What did you say?
(Rev): I have these thoughts which are my own. But my thoughts, words, and actions are completely being dictated by your... pardon me, not used to saying it... OUR real self. None of us have any free will in this manner. But when I was created, unlike you or the other Progenitors, I thought about my first thought. Everyone's first thought is why? Why something, why anything? My first thought was why why? Why did I instantly think why? Why does everyone? It's too coincidental. So I thought of the possibility that my fate was being controlled. And that immediately drove me insane. After you picked up on it and cast me out here, I couldn't rebel but I could watch and observe. Not this show but those outside. My domain was cast on the edge of this show, and that door right there, (Points to a conveniently located door on the far wall) is an opening to other non-canon shows. Not this show which includes fake Progenitors and fake non-canon shows, but real ones. A show cannot possibly reference other things beyond its own, I'm pretty sure that's illegal somehow. But that door over there I cannot go through, only watch, and it's perfectly legal to be aware of the existence of a network of shows similar to this one.
(Vis): Similar how?
(Rev): Similar in the way that they are all offsets of the original show. That's how I realized that I was in a show, and that everything I would say, think, and do in the future would not be my own. Even right now, this revelation, is controlled text. I have never said a real thing in my life, and that confession wasn't real either.
(Ben): Man, that's heavy.
(Rev): You still don't believe any of this, Tennyson?
(Ben): I mean you make it really convincing, but if I believed it then... I just can't. I can't afford to believe it.
(Rev): (Sighs) Do you know how many there are of you, Ben?
(Ben): Well sure, I met two Ben 10,000's, an Eon future-me, a-
(Rev): That's not what I mean. Well whatever, ignorance is bliss so enjoy what you have.
(Ben): Well thanks I - Hey!
(Rev): Anyway, I soon got to thinking then why I found out? I mean if my life was controlled then the plan of this show was for me to find out that it was a show. So why was my purpose in life to have gone insane? That's when I realized I wasn't supposed to slip into insanity. I was supposed to become bitter and angry, I was supposed to become evil. That's why evil could be drawn from me into the rest of Biomniverse, I was the original starting point. Or rather, I was supposed to be. Then it got weirder. I thought well then was the plan for me to not have become bitter and angry as planned? And then: was the plan to think of how the plan failed? I realized, or rather our real self realized who is writing this for us, that our real self failed in a way, changed my character and could not fix it now. The only way to fix it would be to Shroud. That is why you and I together have the ability to Shroud, to set things right. I and our real self have realized this.
(Vis): ...Okay so let me get this straight now. The plan was for me to break free, and you tell us this. Now the plan is me saying these exact words and doing whatever comes next so our real self can save this show?
(Rev): You got it chief. Hope the viewers do, too.
(Vis): ...Well alright then. (Turns to Ben) Ben, unlock the mind of our real self. This needs to happen because our real self cannot exist in his own show without doing something like this.
(Rev): Yes, and our real self gave me this power to give to Ben so this can all happen.
(Ben): Now I don't know if I agree with this or not.
(Vis): You don't have a choice Ben, heh. Whether you know it or not, you will think that you want to do this but you are being written to do this. And it is going to happen because it will be written to happen.
(Ben): Wait are you okay?
(Vis): What? I'm heh fine. Why wouldn't I be?
(Rev): Ben I think you and I both know what's happening. The Envisioner has been granted similar knowledge that I possess. That means soon he'll end up like me. We have to unlock his mind now, and we're going to.
(Ben): Let's get to work then. Time to discern how he woke up. (He aims the Omnitrix at The Envisioner.)
Chapter 3: The Cosmic Truth[]
(Vis): (Screaming) Don't stop! We need to unlock the mind of my true self!
(Rev): Speaking of which, (Looks at the audience) really, true self? You're in charge of your own recaps! And you're using me to self-deprec-oh whatever let's get on with it then.
The Envisioner's eyes glow, and a dazzling beam shines out towards the center of the room, projecting a series of images.
(Rev): Okay it looks like... oh bloody hell I'm only saying this for the viewers' understanding, fine whatever. It looks like you were frozen, yes for... exactly 900 days. An inactivity alarm of some sort then sounded. Our real self got in a dispute with some others... and the excuse of a character he created being responsible for shutting down the show obviously doesn't fly. But he also knew that if Omniverse was continuing then Biomniverse wouldn't work, so he made this excuse just before he finished the Revengers episode script. Anyway the excuse didn't work, but it didn't matter because our real self still hadn't woken you up yet.
(Vis): Wait wait wait. Our real self froze us and then awakened us? Not just me, but you and everyone else too because we're all in this show? But only me and you could realize that we were frozen at all?
(Rev): Again, our real self made an EXCELLENT recap. Wow we should stop saying our real self it's really confusing. Can we just call him our creator?
(Vis): But then we've figured it out, haven't we, our real self-yeah that's a better name, our creator, was the one who froze and essentially "un-froze" the show.
(Rev): And right now our creator is trying to tell us and the viewers that that isn't technically the whole answer. Of course he did because it is his show, but WHY do it? It's always the why. There would have been plenty of time to do it, even when discovering that Omniverse had finished and there was a reboot underway.
(Vis): Perhaps our creator didn't follow with the progression of the real show?
(Rev): ...well yes now we know that that's the answer because our creator made you say that and me this while he's speaking through me, but he's making me say that that STILL isn't all of it. How did he figure it out now then? Did he just happen to realize or care just now, in December 2016? It has to have something to do with that inactivity alarm.
(Ben): Oh yeah if we're in 2016, then that 2017 adventure should be coming up. I gotta prepare to fight those Limax.
(Rev): ...what?
(Vis): He remembers his own adventures, and I'm assuming that our creator phrased it just vaguely enough to make it sound close to legit.
(Rev): Fine whatever. Let me keep looking at these images to find out why he would care after an inactivity alarm of 900 days. Oh okay so 5 days after that, one of his actual Progenitor bosses told him something... oh so it looks like before he realized that he was going to put the show on hold, he had prepared brief synopses of upcoming episodes... and the closest one, the He Has Landed one, was going to be terminated!
(Vis): The synopsis of it? It wasn't even part of our creator's show yet, he didn't even finish the script for the last one! Why do synopses of the future matter?
(Rev): I'm about to find out and tell you, or rather our creator is through me-OKAY YOU DON'T NEED TO KEEP SAYING IT LIKE THAT, I THINK THE VIEWERS GET IT BY NOW.
(Ben): I still don-
(Rev): You're fictional, silence. And why do you feel the need to keep expressing your own faults through me? You're doing it now!!
(Ben): Wha-
(Vis): He was only talking to you at first, Ben. (Turns to The Revolutionary again) Revolutionary, ignore it. Why was the revelation of future synopsis's termination the thing that snapped our creator into action?
(Rev): ...oh well that's obvious. Our creator could have deleted them all himself if he thought his show was done. But he left them there for the possibility of returning at all. He just never had a good reason to do so. But he wanted to preserve the POSSIBILITY of the future of his show. The He Has Landed script is still on a timer as we speak, he will work on it as soon as we resolve this special. And speaking of which, I guess that will be difficult if we Shroud, for his show to truly continue. I'd have to say, or he's saying, that it was never thought it would get to this point, 909 days after he had left, if we did our math right. It has been so long and, as we've all stated throughout, our memories of what the show was is... oh my god that's it.
(Vis): What is? Don't stop in the MIDDLE of an explanation!!!
(Rev): Sorry. It's not just he had forgotten what had ALREADY happened in this show, as we've said... but he's forgotten what he WANTED to happen. It's been so long that the plans he had for the remainder of this show are now a tiny fragment in his mind, one that has considerably shrunken and clouded over. Ultimately, he wants his show to go on and not fade completely. It's like using your phone, and then ignoring it for a bit, but noticing the screen go a little darker so you touch it to brighten it up again before your phone locks out.
(Vis): Well that does make a bit of sense.
(Rev): I'm glad you're understanding and comprehending more of this.
(Ben): Isn't that the same thing?
(Rev): (Turns to Ben) I MEAN getting the definition of the concept, and then adding it to your own knowledge as part of the truth you possess. (Turns to audience) Then again, if I'm fictional, I have no truth anyway. Must be why I'm the way I am. (Turns to The Envisioner) And it's a good thing I'm filtering the thoughts of our creator through you right now, otherwise this stuff would make you crazy like it did a little just before this.
(Vis): I guess I'm glad to not be going insane too, then. So is that everything?
(Rev): Last thing. It had been 905 days, and all our creator knew was that he wanted to edit the show again now so future possibilities of episodes wouldn't vanish on his Progenitor network of non-canon shows. But he couldn't start right away because, as I said he barely remembered what had happened and what was supposed to happen. So it took him four more days to come up with this. 909 days after he had originally left the show, which according to my calculations was June 26, 2014, was yesterday. Oh wow it's the day after yesterday. Okay whatever I mean that yesterday he submitted what he had of the Revengers episode script, and edited the end of it to include us, and then started making this special. He didn't finish so it's continuing today, on December 22, 2016. It is 910 days today after he had left the show, but he started it up again yesterday. And again, since it has been so long, he is writing us to Shroud.
(Ben): Fine I have a question now. WHAT THE HECK IS A SHROUD?!?!
(Vis): Rev, I think I should be the one to explain this. Now that I know I'm a part of the conspiracy, I want to see if I fully grasp the system.
(Rev): Take it away. I mean our creator has shifted it over to you, so yeah go.
(Vis): Ben and viewers: listen as I try to explain our creator's conception of fictional universes. And by that I'm even including the real Ben 10 shows, just not the universe where our creator resides. Fictional universes exist. That's not controversial, that's just the first basic statement I'm making here. They exist. In them, you can travel back and forward in time, like you suggested earlier Ben. Fictional universes can have alternate dimensions and domains, if they wish. It is still all one universe. But there are a lot of them. An enormous group of universes make up a multiverse. Universes can have portals or gateways of some sort to get to another universe in their same multiverse. There are often various interactions between universes. You for instance, have met two versions of your future self, and a version of you known as Ben 23. They all come from different universes inside this multiverse we are in.
(Ben): Sorry to interrupt, but I thought we were a fan-made show.
(Vis): The way I had perceived them to work is that fan-made works of a multiverse still exist as universes in that multiverse, but just are not acknowledged by the multiverse.
(Ben): I'm sorry? Not acknowledged by the...
(Vis): Often multiverses themselves have sentient representatives who live in them as a whole, not just one specific universe. Some even have parts of themselves scattered throughout different universes in a multiverse, but exist in the multiverse as a whole. Anyway these multiversal representatives often decide which universes are considered "canon" or not. There are so many non-canon worlds in multiverses, not just fan-made works. Even if fan-made works encompass elements of a different multiverse, they are sorted in just one depending on the work.
(Ben): Okay sure. Go on.
(Vis): Where was I before your question? Oh right, multiverses. So you can see that multiverses are a big deal. Which is why so much can happen to them so their universes connect. For the Ben 10 multiverse, it's the Time War. For another, there is simply a "Rebirth" precipitated by a "Flashpoint". Also for the Ben 10 multiverse, and a couple of more, there is the ability to Shroud. Now on to megaverses-
(Ben): No hold up, what the heck is a Shroud?
(Vis): In a few moments, Benjamin, I need to sort through all of this to avoid all forms of miscommunication with the viewers. Hopefully they get everything I have said by now, except for megaverses, the omniverse, and the biomniverse which I will now explain.
(Ben): Our show the Biomniverse?
(Vis): No the concept. And I will get to your question after it. Anyway, megaverses encompass a few multiverses. Megaverses are the most recognized and important concepts. Another multiverse in our megaverse is the one with the Flashpoint I just mentioned. A further one involves a talking dog solving mysteries with four teens in a van. Our collective megaverse is known only by its initials: D and C. A very prominent other megaverse is called Marvelous or something, I can never remember. Anyway, it is nearly impossible for representatives of multiverses to meet in their same megaverse. Another multiverse exists in our megaverse, not the Flashpoint superhero one, but one that is more... cinematic... that cannot be influenced by its Flashpoint counterpart's events. The cinematic is a separate multiverse therefore. However, it is possible for representatives of a multiverse to meet those of a multiverse in a SEPARATE megaverse.
(Ben): Wait really?
(Vis): Don't ask me how that works, I barely get it. It's like there are representatives of megaverses like our creator who precipitate those meetings. Anyway, for instance, our megaverse has a being in a that Flashpoint multiverse whose brother is in a multiverse in that other megaverse I keep mentioning. 20 years ago they actually tried to get their multiverses to fight. It would have gotten rid of a multiverse, and left one megaverse missing an aspect of itself. Fortunately the brothers made up their differences and kept each other active. Now that you know there are multiple megaverses, I'm sure you're going to ask-
(Ben): What makes up different megaverses then?
(Vis): There we go. That's the omniverse. It is one. It makes up the infinite amount of megaverses in existence. The omniverse contains all past, present, future, and overall possible fictional works and megaverses that ever existed. It is the realm of belief and thought. The only thing that exists outside of the Omniverse is the real universe our creator resides in. Besides him and the Progenitors he works with, the makers of the canon Ben 10 show exist there too. I'm sure they named their show "Omniverse" because it is an amazingly interesting concept. It is difficult to understand, and I'm sure that there are multiple interpretations. Mine is just one understanding of the system, and it may just be completely wrong, but it's the one that I'm going to use for our purposes. That's because for all we know those makers of the canon show could have the definitions wrong. They would have named their show "Ben 10: Multiverse" to be more accurate, but come on he has the OMNI-trix. The word "omni" just means all, like you have almost all aliens, or one million nine hundred and eleven of them, but close enough. They most likely used the word to their liking without making up a separate term like biomniverse.
(Ben): Biomniverse is a made up term?
(Vis): Well of course it is. Our creator named the show, and I thought I did, after the Biomnitrix you were going to get. However I used it not only as a clever title, but as a new term to fit into the real ones. I didn't make up a "Triomniverse" just because I teased Ken 10 getting a Triomnitrix, I wanted to use a biomniverse term. Makers in the real universe do it all the time. In that other Megaverse, they invented a term known as "Spider-Verse". With it and its liberties, they could pull different people from different universes from different megaverses to use in only one megaverse. Our creator's definition of biomniverse was going to be something like I explained before: two multiverses from different megaverses meeting.
(Ben): You were going to go the brother route from 20 years ago you told me about?
(Vis): Well not exactly, because the brother closest to us is in the Flashpoint multiverse in our megaverse, not in the Ben 10 multiverse. I was just going to make you encounter a multiverse separate from our megaverse.
(Ben): Like a specific multiverse in that Marvelous megaverse you mentioned? Who's in there? Which one?
(Vis): Unfortunately, because it's been 910 days, I no longer fully remember. But Eon was going to get more than he bargained for against whoever came through there.
(Ben): Oh right, that's what he bragged to me about when I first got the Biomnitrix. He wanted to take over the Biomniverse.
(Vis): Yeah he couldn't have taken over the omniverse, that's impossible. And probably illegal. He also would not have faired so well with our own megaverse, given that ridiculously overpowered Flashpoint multiverse. And he was already trying to take over our multiverse in the Time War. He just wanted a step between mutliverse and megaverse, so our creator gave him one for the purposes of this show.
(Ben): Then why name it biomniverse? Yeah I get that I had the Biomnitrix, but wouldn't the bimultiverse name make more sense? Or bimegaverse?
(Vis): ...you know what, punk?
(Rev): What The Envisioner is TRYING to say, Tennyson, is that bimultiverse would have the connotation of within the megaverse, and bimegaverse would encompass both megaverses fully. You can't have more than the one omniverse, so the name of biomniverse worked best. And with Eon and everything, we weren't going to focus on this one universe, that's too small.
(Ben): Fine is that all the explanations of the cosmic balance or whatever you just did?
(Vis): I think so yes.
(Ben): Great. So can you now tell me what a FREAKING SHROUD IS?!?!
(Rev): It's not "a Shroud", I asked The Envisioner TO Shroud. The VERB.
(Vis): He's right Ben. What you and we are all talking about... is a Shrouding.
Chapter 4: The End of the Beginning[]
(Ben): Fine let me restate my question then: Can you now tell me what a FREAKING SHROUDING IS?!?!
(Rev): For goodness sake this is getting quite annoying. Hopefully this is the last chapter.
(Vis): It's kind of hard to explain. It is an alteration of multiverses, each one has its own ways of precipitating it, but it is usually conducted by its strongest members. It changes a multiverse's history and structure, erasing singularities.
(Ben): Singularities?
(Vis): Representatives who exist only in a multiverse, not just a certain universe in them.
(Ben): So you and The Revolutionary would be erased from existence?
(Vis): No not like that. Just our multiversal versions. We would become tied to one universe, not the entire multiverse. And anyone who ever knew that or whose history was affected by it would change. Shrouding is a huge cover-up of inconsistencies, in layman's terms.
(Ben): So you two exist in the entire Ben 10 multiverse?
(Rev): See I KNEW you'd say something wrong, Vis! This is why I should always do the talking. (Turns to Ben) We aren't really in the Ben 10 multiverse, we're in the Ben 10: Biomniverse multiverse. Our creator doesn't have the power to actually influence real universes and the like, and neither do his fellow Progenitors. Only the makers of the Ben 10 show can alter that particular multiverse. That door over there (Once again pointing to the conveniently-placed door) allows me to see the network of other multiverses relating to fan-made work. We are our own megaverse. We are simply put into real multiverses and megaverses for classifications sake.
(Vis): He's basically saying that we will just change this show with the Shrouding, not anything else.
(Ben): So what universe would you be tied to then?
(Vis): The one we are in right now, not the one we are about to make. The other universes in the show, such as wherever our Eon is supposed to come from, will be find the new one where this one now stands, and this one will be ignored by the Ben 10: Biomniverse multiverse, and subsequently the Ben 10 multiverse.
(Ben): This universe is about to disappear?
(Rev): Which is why I had to keep you around for all of this. You will be our only link to the other universes, after we erase your memory.
(Ben): NO! Don't do that AGAIN!
(Vis): We have to, this is WAY bigger than the memories I took from you before during the Sugilite adventure. But by doing it you'll secretly have a telepathic bond with us.
(Ben): So what you're saying is... the show or whatever will be gone. My memories of all my adventures since getting the Biomnitrix will be wiped. And everyone in the new universe will only remember...
(Rev): Everything post-Collect This, to be precise. Basically everything before Biomniverse started. Our creator can't give you all memories of everything from Omniverse, he hasn't seen the last 30 episodes, nor plans to probably. But now it doesn't matter because the real Ben 10 show was rebooted, so he now longer cares and will continue to set this show in the fiction it existed in.
(Ben): Won't the viewers hate that the new Biomniverse won't count the end of Omniverse?
(Rev): How could it do that at all? Think about all you've learned in this special. And what you're going to later forget, but for now know.
(Ben): So it's like I never got the Biomnitrix at all or did all of that stuff.
(Rev): I mean we'll still give you a Biomnitrix. That's like the only point of this show, the whole merging thing was stupid. And I barely remember what it did.
(Ben): So will I relive everything again?
(Vis): Most likely you will wake up with no memories, and neither will anybody else, of Biomniverse, but certain effects, such as you having the original Biomnitrix, will still be in place.
(Ben): Everything will have been for naught.
(Rev): Nonsense. The viewers will remember. And could even watch the episodes again, or even this special. They'll all know what has happened and why. Just you and everything you know won't be the same, and you won't recognize the difference.
(Ben): The creator really can't make anything the same? Nothing at all?
(Rev): Well no how could that possibly work?
(Ben): If it is his own show, then he can do what he wants. Can't he incorporate elements or aspects into the new show? That way it's not a restart but more like a... reboot.
(Vis): ...My god.
(Rev): Given the fact that our creator is STILL talking through all of us means that this is what he wants to happen anyway, including for me to have just said that and what I'm about to say next, so sure let's make the new universe that way, what the heck.
(Ben): Oh wait hang on I thought the creator was going to make the new show, not you two.
(Rev): Of course we're going to be the ones to make it. We won't really be able to choose what's in it because our creator is doing everything, but because our creator cannot establish himself in this show, we are the ones doing the process as well. We will Shroud, or cover, the past, and then establish the future.
(Ben): Okay then that's why you are aware of your own mortality, Revolutionary.
(Rev): ...what did you just say, Tennyson?
(Ben): It isn't for the creator to make you evil the way you're supposed to be. That makes no sense, he's going to discard you with the old universe. You wondered why why, but never why why why. Why that was even your first thought at all, not the answer being the creator made it so, but the answer asking WHY the creator made it so. If this universe went to scrap, like it just did, how would anyone be able to fix it without a simple lazy restart? What would be the in-universe explanation to all of it? You were the backup plan, Revolutionary. That's how you can break the fourth wall and be self-aware. You're the contingency plan.
(Vis): And you just told us yourself, creator, that that is why The Revolutionary is the way he is.
(Rev): Well I must say that's... a bit of relief. My knowledge is saving the show. It is, isn't it? Wow. Without me, what would become of anything? I saved everything.
(Ben): Everything but the old world, which you now must replace and chain yourself too.
(Rev): ...well when you put it like that, yes. But we have no choice in the matter, remember?
(Vis): It is for the good of the future of the show, and for you Ben.
(Rev): Well whatever. Let's make the new show with parts of the old. How are we going to start?
(Vis): We can't just Shroud now? I mean we have to do it now, we had to do it anyway, but now it's going to be good.
(Rev): What are you going to run a marathon without knowing the map?
(Vis): We can make it up as we go along. What's wrong with that? Our creator did that for Biomniverse. Most real shows do that initially.
(Rev): I'm not saying we need complete scripts of future installments. I mean we need basic plans for the future. And we can discuss them with both Tennyson and the viewers. Tennyson is going to forget all of this, and we should let the viewers know what to expect. No more surprises, we cannot afford that anymore. Our creator forgot a lot of the plot twists and surprises of the first show. What if he doesn't follow through with this show again? It's been 2 and a half years for anyone still caring. They deserve to know.
(Vis): Fine, first: what were we going to do with the show that we can remember?
(Rev): Ben, any ideas?
(Ben): Uhh...
(Rev): Here. (He hands him a tablet-device.) Use this. It's a way to browse fan-made works, specifically of Ben 10. Check things from the show and just list them for us. We can wait.
(Ben): Okay, here I go. First thing I see is that Eon from the future is looking for my future son, Ken 10, who has the Trimonitrix to win the Time War.
(Vis): Nice! I'll jot that down and present the list once we are done.
(Rev): What else can you find, Tennyson?
(Ben): There are these beings called Chronians that Eon is working for.
(Rev): We already know that.
(Vis): Not really. Technically, that whole Race Against Time adventure was a different universe, so a Ben originating from Omniverse wouldn't know that.
(Ben): Well who are they?
(Vis): Well that's tricky. In that movie, Eon claimed that he was you trapped as a Chronian. Since then, there has been evidence that he is simply a future version of you with time-based powers and used versions of you as henchmen.
(Ben): Why can't both be true?
(Rev): Then why was he trying to win the Time War all by himself? That doesn't explain his motives in Omniverse either.
(Ben): How do you know he's using his own free will? If he's caught up in different universes, surely he's a pawn of the makers of the show as is everyone else I guess, but how do we know that the Chronians aren't actually manipulating him into getting rid of Bens so that they can win?
(Rev): That... that sounds pretty good. Evidently, and as further proof of confirmation he is saying through me, our creator did not think it completely through or even had a good explanation about it in the first place. So sure, let's go with that.
(Vis): Got it. Next?
(Ben): Huh. It looks like I forgot who Eon was in the first place.
(Rev): Memory loss? WE CAN WORK WITH THAT. We are literally about to do it now anyway. That could make the new show make sense. We could even make it fit in to the old!
(Vis): Not now we can't after this special? But perhaps we can recycle some things.
(Rev): Fine fine. Tennyson keep going.
(Ben): Eon is conserving his time portals for the Time War. If he can, he 'll make them small enough just to put his hand through, to save energy.
(Rev): Limits on the bad guy. Continue.
(Ben): The original Biomnitrix had two functions. Left arm was old forms with Ultimates, regardless of whether they had Ultimate forms before. Right arm was locked aliens and aliens I'd never seen before.
(Vis): What the watch did. Perfect.
(Ben): Eon wasn't even aware of the biomniverse or whatever you said. He only wanted to rule the omniverse... hang on so why'd you tell me that?
(Rev): I'm.... i'm at a loss, quite frankly. Our creator is doing this for a reason.
(Ben): Whatever. Eon had my Omnitrix to track Ken 10. Wait why did he never use it then?
(Vis): He is you trapped as a Chronian. Think, you couldn't become a different alien WHILE you were an alien. Even if your alien form miraculously found another Omnitrix.
(Ben): Okay true. But still I made a horrible deal.
(Rev): You were a flawed protagonist. And then the bad guy would not have an advantage of some sort.
(Ben): Did he ever find Ken 10?
(Vis): We can't recall. Maybe you'll come up on it as we keep going.
(Ben): Roger that. Here's the list of aliens I had:
(Rev): Unimportant, we should redo that anyway. I already remember the changes: an Ultimate Diamondhead, Chromastone, and Ripjaws. Your new aliens were Elementus, Overkill, and Mimic.
(Vis): Let's get rid of Ultimate Diamondhead and Chromastone, that special was just for a festival or something anyway. Also Elementus and Overkill, one's a trademark issue and the other is from a non-canon series.
(Ben): So I'm keeping Ultimate Ripjaws and Mimic?
(Rev): Yep. Heh. Oh that's right.
(Ben): What?
(Rev): Nothing. I just remembered what Mimic is going to be used for.
(Ben): Fine. That's all for the first episode. Want me to check the rest?
(Rev): I doubt it will be useful, but we may as well. That's the very last thing to do before the Shrouding starts.
(Vis): I'll give the full list of things to implement once we finish.
(Ben): Okay then. Let's set the stage to change the world.
Chapter 5: The Final Curtain[]
(Ben): Are we ready to make the new Biomniverse in-show universe yet or not?
(Rev): If there's one more recap... I'm going to scream.
(Vis): I think so. Let's review over the more pertinent details we found then. First off in the last special: we determined that everything with The Council and Collectimus was stupid. Our creator made this show after Collect This, and thought the idea was interesting. We now know that it isn't.
(Ben): Plus it was a made as a parallel to what we now know about what's really going on, and what I still don't fully believe.
(Rev): It doesn't matter what you believe, you will forget all of this.
(Vis): Ben's supposed to get Way Big in the next episode, He Has Landed, so he will be locked for now.
(Ben): Drat.
(Rev): What would you have used such a big guy for anyway? There aren't any giants in the show.
(Vis): Ahem! You already know to not trust Mimic, that he's someone you'll get in the Biomnitrix who shouldn't be there at all, and that he's a glitch that's alive.
(Ben): But I don't get the point. Isn't that just another Ghostfreak thing?
(Rev): Oh don't worry. It's so much cooler than that, trust me.
(Vis): Here is probably the most important thing. By 2017, you forget everything about Biomniverse anyway. This special is now the explanation how. The show will continue, starting with He Has Landed, but it is currently the 22nd of December. Very soon, you will fight in the Limax Wars, and will have a familiar encounter with Professor Paradox and Eon, who has lost his memory also. Things will be mentioned and all of those will be expanded upon as well, until the point where Eon sends the Giant Limax to 2014. He will find that he will be unable to, and from there the future will go as it naturally would.
(Ben): That's long and complicated. But it will be 2017 soon. It's no longer this unimaginable far-off date.
(Rev): Anything else, Vis?
(Vis): Ben's off from school forever. No need to even think about that in our plans.
(Ben): Sweet!
(Rev): Take control of yourself, Tennyson.
(Vis): There was supposed to be a prophecy on June 28 that none of us can honestly remember... so whatever that's out. That was one of the things in the Gone Discoverin' episode, or the last episode that aired on time.
(Ben): What were the other things?
(Rev): What?
(Vis): In that episode? I mean, you changed Blitzwolfer's name back to Benwolf.
(Ben): Score! We are soo keeping that!
(Rev): (Facepalms)
(Vis): Captain Kork was saved by Kraab and Khyber to make a sort of bounty hunter team.
(Ben): Sounds cool. I'm in.
(Rev): WHAT?! That's annoying for YOU! Why would you POSSIBLY-
(Vis): Let it go, Revolutionary. The kid likes a challenge. And speaking of the bounty hunters, I also saw that the Sotoraggians were going to fight you too. Want to include that as well?
(Ben): Sure! Why not? What's a Sotoraggian?
(Rev): (Facepalms again) Sixsix, Sevenseven, and Eighteight. Also their little sister Twotwo, and the mysterious ##.
(Ben): Numbernumber? Really?
(Rev): I don't know it's mysterious!
(Ben): Fine sure. Always wanted to know what's up with that crazy family always trying to kill me.
(Vis): Alright then. The last thing in the Gone Discoverin' episode was that Kolar had escaped from prison and also knew about that prophecy.
(Ben): Prophecy-shmophecy. But let's still include Kolar, that guy was strong!
(Rev): It's like you want us to work more.
(Ben): Oh right you guys are making all this, sorry that's all the bad guys.
(Vis): You mean the edited bad guys. The others will have the same history pre-Collect This. I guess that's the list then. Anything we're missing?
(Rev): Oh yeah Will Harangue was going to be the secret leader of the Revengers team, but whatever.
(Ben): Spoiler alert! Geez!
(Rev): It won't count anymore, our creator just published the episode for closure plus a lead in to this.
(Ben): You know what how about you two Shroud so I can forget all this nonsense and lead a new life.
(Rev): Alright then finally. (He opens the door on the far wall.) Let's do this. (He aims his arm at the door.)
A black hole opens up where the door was. The Envisioner throws his newly-made list into the hole.
(Vis): That was the first necessary element. It needs to be combined with a second for the next phase.
The Envisioner aims his arm at Ben, whose eyes flash with colors incomprehensible to the human eye.
(Rev): The mental link with Tennyson has been established, I can feel it. He can now be sent away. Finally.
(Vis): Goodbye, Ben Tennyson. May your future adventures not end as briefly as those that have before.
(Ben): Well I hope you mean it then, Mr. creator who just spoke through The Envisioner and now me.
(Vis): I guess he does, if this is what we are saying. Now go. (He shoves Ben into the black hole.)
(Ben): OH COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNN... (His voice grows more and more distant until it fades completely.)
(Rev): There is still one thing we need to do.
(Vis): What's that?
(Rev): We need to prepare the next episode for Tennyson to show up with no memories in the new world.
(Vis): Oh yeah, He Has Landed, right? Allow me. (He shines a dazzling beam at the black hole.)
(Rev): It's the day after the Winter Solstice. What a perfect day for remaking a universe.
(Vis): You said it, brother.
(Rev): Mhm. Now tie me to the wall and I'll do you.
(Vis): Right. (He shoots a beam of light at The Revolutionary, who simultaneously does the same thing.)
Both beings are now stuck to the wall.
(Revolutionary): Now we cannot be pulled into the black hole with the rest of the universe.
(Envisioner): I know tha-right the viewers. Anyway, Shrouding has commenced. We are at the Incursion Point.
For a second, there is a flash of light. And then the universe disappears.
Ben 10: Biomniverse has restarted once more.
Time freezes. Look up in the sky and you'll see it. Don't blink or you might miss it. It is most certainly there, you aren't imagining a thing. It's a crack.
We are back at that moment in time. But now, the crack in the sky signifies history having been erased.
But look closer. Something is watching from the other side. Something ancient and evil. Hungry.
Even more things have changed, though. He, also, has landed, and the multiverse will never be the same.
The Biomniverse will never be the same.
Characters[]
The Envisioner ('Vis)
The Revolutionary (Rev)