Ben 10 — An Omniverse of Choices and Consequences

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Two days later

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The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the concrete. The streets were quiet, with only a few people out. But the peaceful night was shattered by the sound of gunfire echoing through the alleyways.

"Get in!" The getaway driver fired back at the guards, his aim deadly accurate as they fell to the ground, their bodies crumpling like discarded rag dolls. Three masked robbers, their faces obscured by dark hoods, scrambled into the black car, clutching bags stuffed with cash.

"Hurry up!" The driver gripped the steering wheel. But one of the robbers, blood seeping from a wound on his arm, hesitated. He approached one of the fallen guards, a cruel smile twisting his lips.

"Serves you right!" He raised his gun. But before he could pull the trigger, a sudden green electric spark crackled around them, not enough to harm but enough to distract.

"What the—" He started, but the wail of approaching sirens cut him off. Both robbers dove into the car, and the driver slammed his foot on the gas, the vehicle screeching away.

As they sped through the deserted streets, one of the robbers rifled through the money, inexplicably rubbing the bills against his masked face as if savoring the feel of them. "And to think they say this kind of crime is outdated."

"Oh, it's because it's the case, my dear, simple-minded friend." The driver leaned back in his seat, "Don't you know? Money these days is like a chatty little tattletale! Each bill has its own special story to tell, complete with a unique ID. Use one of these blabbermouths to buy your morning milk, and whoosh! The store deposits it in the bank, and bam! They track it back to you faster than you can go home and say 'I got milk' to your children."

The bill-rubbing robber paused, a frown creasing his brow behind his mask. "But what was the point then?"

"Ha, ha, ha! Questions, questions, questions! You know what they say about curiosity and the cat." The driver waved his finger playfully.

He continued, "We're merely players in this grand game, my friend, and we're being handsomely rewarded for our roles. So, let's sit back and enjoy the ride, shall we?" His tone was light, but there was an undercurrent of menace that discouraged further conversation.

As they sped away, the car's dashboard lights flickered ominously. The vehicle began to slow, the battery indicator showing it was nearly drained.

"Are you stupid enough not to have checked this earlier?" One of the robbers clenched his fists.

"It was nearly full when we started." The driver's lips curled into a smirk. "Could it be? It seems that even deprived of my luck, I'm still lucky, what a funny paradox. HAHAHA!"

Suddenly, a spherical green spark enveloped the car, and all three robbers were electrocuted into unconsciousness. A green bolt of lightning shot out from the vehicle, racing towards an electric line with unmatched speed.

The sirens grew louder, closing in.

Anyone struck by that lightning should have remained unconscious long enough for the police to make arrests… however, one of them wasn't normal, the driver, stirred awake.

He sat up, dazed, and muttered to himself, "Was it this Ben Tennyson? It seemed strange and green (current universe color) enough to be him. All these crimes no-stop across the country, finally paying off after only a few days. HAHAHA! …I really should have asked for his address, to be honest, but to be fair none of us thought of this… HA!"

He gripped his mask, pulling it off to reveal a white visage beneath and green hair. "Since his reaction time was fast, I assume he lives nearby. The question is how to contact him without tipping off his cousin. Should I kill her? No, an abracadabra, and poof I'm immobilized. My lovely gas? Another abracadabra and poof! It's inefficient."

Little did the madman know, Ben had no permanent residence at the time.

He glanced at the unconscious robbers in the back seats, tapping his chin thoughtfully. 'Not like good old Batsy, this one. Perhaps I should orchestrate a grand symphony of chaos! Or… maybe I'll just wait for the other players in this universe to make some noise then contact him. Decisions, decisions!'

He playfully scratched his head.

'I have to hurry before they stop me… The unfunny future needs to change.' For the first time, since he became the Joker, fear filled his mind instead of laughter, but it was only a brief instant.

HA! HA! HA!

"Oh, why so serious?!" He clapped his hands together like an excited child. "I want to play NOW!"

His eyes darted to the unconscious robbers, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He reached into his pocket, fishing out his gas spray with a smiley sticker on it.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe." He sang over and over, pointing the spray at each of the robbers in turn. "Who will be my first volunteer? That will be you!"

"Uh, what happened?" One of the robbers woke up — he shouldn't have regained consciousness that quickly after the lightning strike, but the dread emanating from the Joker was too overwhelming for his instinct not to notice and force him awake to flee. Rubbing his head groggily, he added, "That is your face?! You look ugly, pal."

"...you've won a prize, my friend!" The Joker cackled, pointing his spray towards him and unleashing a cloud of green gas.

The robber's confused expression quickly morphed into uncontrollable laughter. One by one, the others succumbed to the same fate, their skin paling, lips reddening, and teeth yellowing as they howled with manic glee.

HA! HA! HA! HA!

He opened the car door and strutted out, then bowed theatrically. The approaching sirens provided the perfect soundtrack for his impromptu performance.

"Now this is more like it!" The Joker twirled, drinking in the chaos. "An Omniverse where anything can happen on a whim! How delightful!"

He began to sprint away, his long legs propelling him down the street like a deranged gazelle. Suddenly, he skidded to a halt, pivoted on his heel, and pranced back to the car with exaggerated steps.

"Oh, silly me!" He cackled, snatching up one of the money bags. "Can't forget my ill-gotten gains!"

He hugged the bag to his chest, twirling in a mock waltz. "Oh, you naughty, traceable bills! Aren't you just begging to be spent? It would be absolutely crazy to use you!"

With that, he took off again, his laughter bouncing off the buildings like a demented pinball as he zigzagged between parked cars, the stolen money clutched tightly in his arms.

Suddenly, he halted, almost toppling over in his haste.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" He slapped his forehead theatrically. "What's a show without a grand finale?"

The Joker began rummaging through his many pockets, pulling out an assortment of oddities — a rubber chicken, a bouquet of fake flowers, a set of chattering teeth — before finally producing a small remote control.

"Aha! There you are, my little friend." He caressed the device lovingly.

With a dramatic pause, he raised the remote high above his head, his finger hovering over the big red button in its center. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the grand finale!"

He pressed the button… but nothing happened. The Joker's face fell comically.

He shook the remote vigorously and began pressing the button repeatedly, each press more frantic than the last.

Just as the first police car arrived, a deafening explosion rocked the street. The getaway car erupted into a fireball, burning alive the three robbers inside, the force of the blast shattering nearby windows and setting off car alarms throughout the neighborhood.

With a final theatrical bow to his "audience", the Joker turned on his heel and sprinted into the night, leaving behind a scene of utter chaos and destruction.

'Hmm… creating a wildcard bearing an Omnitrix on the freedom side would be worth it, especially since its assistant… no, AI — in the case of great device artifact wielders — should have been generous, knowing the kid's expiration date was coming up so soon.'

'However… Even if I can't manage to contact him, this entity might act…' Joker let out a laugh, its madness known only to himself. 'No, I'm sure of it — its mindset is no different than any intelligent being, and I can read anyone like an open book! But since my days are numbered, why not make some preparations...?'