Chapter 11: Digging Deeper
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The basement stairs creaked under our weight as Gwen and I descended into the dim, musty space beneath Grandma Vera's house. Dust particles danced in the thin beams of light filtering through the small basement windows. The place smelled like mothballs and old paper—exactly what you'd expect from a retiree's storage space.
"Wow. This is so exciting," Gwen muttered sarcastically, flicking on a light switch. A single bulb illuminated the cramped room, casting long shadows across stacks of cardboard boxes and forgotten furniture draped in old sheets.
I hung back as she moved forward, scanning for anything suspicious among the clutter. A perfect opportunity had presented itself, and I wasn't about to waste it.
"Keep looking," I whispered, activating the Omnitrix with practiced ease. "I'll check the other side."
She nodded absently, already distracted by an old photo album.
I scrolled through the alien silhouettes, finding the one I wanted—the tiny, frog-like alien with an oversized brain. I'd have preferred Ghostfreak for this, but… I didn't want to take the risk. With a quick press, green light engulfed me, compressing and reshaping my body into something barely six inches tall.
"Grey Matter!" I squeaked, my voice high-pitched and nasally. Perfect.
[Image Here]
I scurried behind a stack of boxes, my tiny legs carrying me with surprising agility. Everything looked massive from this perspective—ordinary objects transformed into towering monuments. A spider the size of a small dog scuttled away as I approached, clearly intimidated by the superior alien predator. Or maybe just weirded out by a talking frog…
Gwen had moved to a dusty bookshelf, her back to me as she examined what looked like an old picture frame. I cackled a little, realizing how fun it would be. I waited in silence until she put down the book and looked around. "Hm? Ben?" She called.
I hopped silently from box to shelf to chair, working my way closer. She looked a little nervous seeing me vanish, and I held back a laugh. My enhanced Grey Matter intelligence calculated the perfect trajectory as I prepared to launch myself.
"This is going to be good," I whispered to myself, suppressing a giggle that would've given me away.
With a powerful leap, I sailed through the air and landed directly on her shoulder. I pressed my tiny face close to her ear and let out the spookiest whisper I could muster.
"Booooo!"
Gwen didn't even flinch. Instead, she slowly turned her head, one eyebrow arched in supreme disinterest. Before I could react, her hand moved with lightning speed, pinching me between her thumb and forefinger.
"Seriously, Ben? That's your scare attempt?"
I kicked my tiny legs uselessly as she raised me to eye level, examining me like some particularly unimpressive insect specimen.
"Put me down!" I demanded, my squeaky voice undermining any attempt at authority.
Her lips curled into a smirk as she turned me around, spotting the Omnitrix symbol on my back. "You're kind of cute like this, you know? Pocket-sized dweeb. You'd make a perfect keychain."
"Very funny, Gwen," I grumbled, annoyed at her. "Now put me down."
She brought me even closer to her face, her green eyes massive and amused from this perspective. "Hmm, let me think about it... maybe not. I'm thinking I could keep you like this—at least you won't cause any trouble."
I sighed dramatically and reached for the Omnitrix symbol on my back, barely able to touch it with my small arms. With a flash of red light, I transformed back, suddenly full-sized and standing eye-to-eye with Gwen.
"What's the matter, Mr. Hero?" Gwen crossed her arms, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. "Embarrassed your big scare backfired? You could have at least used that ghost alien from before. But you used a frog, seriously?"
"Whatever," I muttered, brushing imaginary dust off my shirt.
"Try better next time."
The basement suddenly felt smaller, with both of us standing so close. I stepped back, gesturing at our surroundings. "Anyway, there's clearly nothing interesting down here. It's just grandma stuff and cobwebs."
Gwen nodded, her expression shifting to one of thoughtful determination. "Yeah. But what about those strange noises Grandma mentioned? Maybe there's more happening outside. I say we explore the neighborhood."
My mood instantly improved. "Now you're speaking my language. Let's go!"
We bounded up the stairs, finding Grandpa and Grandma Vera comfortably settled in matching armchairs, deep in conversation that stopped abruptly when we appeared.
"Found anything interesting in the basement?" Grandpa asked, curious.
"Just dust," I answered truthfully.
"We're going to explore the neighborhood," Gwen added. "Is that okay?"
Grandpa waved his hand casually. "Don't wander too far—and don't be late for dinner!"
"We won't!" Gwen called as I practically dragged her toward the front door, eager to start our investigation.
****
The neighborhood looked painfully normal in the golden late afternoon light. Pristine lawns, white picket fences, and too-perfect houses lined both sides of the street. A few neighbors waved as we passed, their smiles almost unnervingly friendly.
"Maybe it's a cult," I suggested, waving back at a smiling couple pruning roses. "That would explain the creepy synchronized friendliness."
Gwen rolled her eyes, fixing the backpack she was carrying now. "Not everything weird is alien-related, Ben. Sometimes people are just... nice. This is a retirement neighborhood; people just want to relax here."
"When have you ever known regular humans to be this nice?" I countered, gesturing at a woman who had just offered to bring us lemonade despite being a complete stranger.
We'd been walking for nearly half an hour, and aside from the uncanny pleasantness, we'd found nothing remotely suspicious. There were no mysterious lights, no UFO, no mechanical humming, and no evidence of alien technology.
Gwen huffed, shooting me a sideways glance. "Looks like your paranoia is contagious. We've literally found nothing suspicious yet."
I frowned, refusing to admit defeat. "Give it time. These aliens are usually good at blending in." There had to be something here, right?
"Hey, kids! Stop sneaking around here!"
We both jumped at the gruff voice behind us. An elderly man with a deeply lined face and bushy white eyebrows glared at us from his porch, leaning heavily on a wooden cane.
"You two aren't from around here," he stated flatly. "It's dangerous to wander around aimlessly, you know. Strange things have been happening lately!"
I perked up immediately. Finally, someone talking sense in this Stepford neighborhood.
"Oh?" I adopted my most innocent expression. "Can you tell us where exactly? You know, so we can avoid that place?"
The old man narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then seemed to decide we were harmless. "...Maple Street, especially near the old park," he said, voice dropping to a near-whisper. "People say they hear strange noises at night. Mechanical sounds. And lights where there shouldn't be any. Be smart and keep your distance, kids."
I nodded solemnly. "Thanks, sir! We'll definitely steer clear!"
The man huffed back inside, the door closing with a definitive click.
"Wow, that was actually smart, Ben," Gwen whispered, looking genuinely impressed. "Didn't know you had it in you."
I smirked, nudging her shoulder. "Stick with me, and you might learn a thing or two, nerd."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't quite hide her smile. "So, Maple Street?"
"Maple Street," I confirmed, already walking in that direction. "We should hurry before the sun sets completely."
The street was easy enough to find, marked by an old wooden sign that had seen better days. Unlike the rest of the neighborhood, this area seemed slightly less maintained—the grass was a little taller, and the houses looked vaguely unlived-in.
I pulled Gwen behind a large hedge, checking to make sure we were unobserved.
"Time for some real investigating," I said, activating the Omnitrix again. This time, I scrolled past Grey Matter to a silhouette I hadn't tried yet—something quadrupedal and bestial.
"This one looks nasty," Gwen said as she loomed over my shoulder. "You sure?"
"Yep," I answered, pressing down on the dial.
The familiar green light enveloped me, and I felt my body shift dramatically. My spine elongated and curved, and my arms and legs thickened with muscle. Coarse orange fur sprouted all over my skin, and my face stretched into a powerful muzzle filled with sharp teeth.
I'd have shouted "Wildmutt!" if I could still speak.
[Image Here]
When the transformation finished, I found myself standing on four powerful legs, my senses overwhelmed with new information. Smells hit me like a physical force. Grass, dirt, distant food cooking, Gwen's shampoo, and something else... something metallic and alien that didn't belong in this mundane area.
I tried to tell Gwen about it, but I couldn't speak. Only guttural growls emerged from my throat. Even more disorienting, I couldn't see—not with eyes, anyway. But I could sense everything around me with incredible detail through other means—heat, smell, air currents.
That was why I'd chosen this alien.
"Ugh, gross! Ben, you look like a mutated dog!" Gwen's voice rang out, sharp with disgust but tinged with fascination.
I growled in response, pawing at my face where eyes should have been. The lack of sight didn't bother me as much as I'd expected—my other senses more than compensated, building a complete picture of my surroundings. No, rather, I experienced a 360 'view' of everything that eyesight didn't give.
Gwen approached cautiously, and I sensed her hand reaching toward me, testing if I was truly blind. I pretended not to notice, and she grinned. Then, a kick came flying my way. I easily dodged her finger, flashing a toothy grin in her direction.
"You still have your stupid attitude even like this. Ugh, figures!" she huffed, but I detected no animosity in her voice.
I shook my massive head, then crouched down in front of her, gesturing with a motion toward my back. The alien scent was growing stronger, and we needed to follow it quickly.
Gwen immediately backed away. "Absolutely not! I am NOT riding a giant slobbering dog!"
I shrugged—an odd sensation with four legs—and began walking away, following the strange metallic scent trail.
"W-Wait! Ben!" Gwen called after me. I heard her frustrated groan, followed by quick footsteps. "Fine! But if you tell anyone about this..."
Her weight settled onto my back, and her arms wrapped tightly around what passed for my neck. Her heartbeat quickened, and her body tensely pressed against mine. I couldn't help but let out a rumbling chuckle at her discomfort.
"Just... go slow, okay?" she muttered, grip tightening as I stood to my full height.
I ignored her request completely, taking off at a brisk trot that had her gasping and clinging tighter. The alien scent grew stronger as we approached the abandoned park at the end of Maple Street, overgrown and forgotten by the rest of the neighborhood.
My sensitive nose led us to a particular section of undergrowth that smelled different from the rest—metal and electricity rather than earth and plants. There was also an odd, yeasty odor. I stopped, letting Gwen slide off my back before I began digging frantically at the ground.
"What is it? Did you find something?" she asked, moving closer to watch.
My claws scraped against something solid beneath the dirt. Not rock or concrete, but smooth metal. I cleared away more earth, revealing what appeared to be a hatch, cleverly disguised as ordinary ground.
Gwen knelt beside me, running her hand over the surface in wonder. "It's definitely not human technology," she whispered. "Look at these markings—they're spooky."
I examined the strange circular patterns engraved into the metal. She was right—they were scripts that weren't common on earth, at least not any I'd seen. Before I could investigate further, the familiar beeping of the Omnitrix timing out sounded, and a red light flashed as I returned to human form.
My exceptional senses vanished, and I experienced the world through photons again. I blinked a few times to get used to it. "Well, that was new," I said, flexing my fingers appreciatively. "I think I'll call that one Wildmutt."
"Wow Ben, you're so creative," Gwen deadpanned, still focused on the hatch. "How do we open it?"
I brushed dirt from my hands and examined the surface more carefully. "There has to be some kind of mechanism here." I pressed what looked like a slightly raised section, and the hatch slid open with surprising silence, revealing a metal ladder descending into darkness.
Cool air wafted up from below, carrying that same alien scent Wildmutt had detected. A faint mechanical hum confirmed Grandma Vera's story about strange noises.
"Looks like we found our aliens," I said grimly, peering down into the darkness. "Stay here, Gwen. I'll check it out."
Gwen's response was immediate and predictable. "Excuse me? You're going alone? Nice joke, Ben. I'm coming with you."
I turned to her, observing her expression. When I saw she was serious, I sighed and stepped closer, my playful demeanor replaced with genuine concern. "No, Gwen. I'm serious. We don't know what's down there, and I don't want you getting hurt."
She frowned. Her eyes flashed dangerously, jaw setting in that stubborn way I knew all too well. "Getting hurt? Oh, because you're such an experienced superhero now? Did you forget what happened the first day you got the watch? I saved you."
"I was inexperienced then," I shrugged.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ben. You can't stop me."
"I'm responsible if something happens to you, Gwen," I insisted, crossing my arms. "So just listen for once and stay!"
Gwen laughed, the sound full of… gloom? She wasn't annoyed or angry. It made me realize she must feel envious, jealous and sad, that it was me who found the watch and not her. "Responsible? Since when did you become my keeper, Benjamin? Don't flatter yourself."
"Gwen…"
She stepped closer, jabbing a finger into my chest. "Last time I checked, I'm older than you. So I'm the one who's responsible here, and I don't trust your ten-minute trick to keep you safe. I don't have any time limit, Ben. Do you have any idea how many martial arts I know? It irritates me that you're looking down at me like I'm some damsel in distress. I'm not. You're the one who's useless without oh-magic-watch."
We glared at each other, neither willing to back down. The alien humming seemed to grow louder in the silence between us. While Benjamin Tennyson was stubborn as a rock, his cousin was no different. It could go for hours, and neither of us would back off.
Finally, I sighed, realizing I didn't want this standoff to last forever.
"Fine. How about we make a bet?" I proposed.
She raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself. "Oh?"
"If there's a situation inside where you're put in a life-threatening situation and I have to save you, you owe me a wish," I said, eyes looking deep into hers as I let her imagination run wild about what I might ask for.
"...Fine," she agreed after a moment's hesitation. "And if I turn out saving you, then what?"
I shrugged, confident in my aliens. "I'll owe you a wish. Fair?"
A slow, dangerous smile spread across her face. "Deal."
"I hoped you'd back off," I admitted. "But whatever. Stay close and don't do anything reckless."
Gwen stepped ahead of me, mockingly patting my shoulder as she passed. "Good. Glad you finally realized who's in charge."
I rolled my eyes as she carefully began descending the ladder. To be fair, Gwen wasn't a child, and she understood the danger. Despite that, she was coming with me. For all her annoying qualities, I had to admire her courage.
"Hey Gwen," I called down to her, my voice echoing in the metal shaft.
"What?"
"If you fall, try to land on something soft." I paused for effect. "Like your head."
"...."
I followed her down the ladder. The hatch silently closed above us, sealing us into the alien tunnel. With each step, the air grew colder and heavier with the smell of unfamiliar technology. "Stay close," I whispered as we reached the bottom, our shoulders brushing in the narrow space.
For once, she didn't argue.
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Author Note: Ayy at least there were some improvement even if we didn't cross Top 10. Currently #13. So I'll keep the goal same for tomorrow, Top 10, since we're less than a hundred behind the current #10. Once again, if we cross it tomorrow, I'll post 2 chaps together.