"What do you mean, self-awareness?"
Tyler's blood ran cold. He stared down at the Carnitrix, but before he could interrogate the System further, a sudden force shoved him back.
Tetrax had recovered. He scrambled for his hoverboard, leaping onto it with practiced ease. "You two... one has the power to end wars, the other is a weapon that forces the world to defend itself. I've seen enough. I'm satisfied for now!"
With a streak of light, the bounty hunter rocketed into the sky, fleeing the quarry before Tyler could land another strike.
Gwen crossed her arms, a smug smile tugging at her lips. "He says he's 'satisfied,' but Tyler clearly just scared the pebbles out of him. He didn't need your approval, Tetrax!"
Ben chuckled, then noticed Tyler's grim expression. He assumed Tyler was still stuck on the naming convention. "Hey, don't sweat the names, man. That lightning guy you just used? Let's call him The Volt-Siphon! He looked totally feral."
"Thanks, Ben..." Tyler forced a nod.
The group returned to the Rustbucket, leaving the destruction of the mine behind. As the RV hummed along the empty highway, Tyler leaned back on his bunk and whispered, "System. Open status."
Host: Tyler Levison Template: Carnitrix (Error Watch) Cooldown: 10 ~ 0 Minutes [NEW] Special Status: Killing Intent Unlocked.
"Explain the cooldown change," Tyler demanded. "Why is it zero?"
[Ding. Host can now bypass the cooldown and force a transformation at any time.]
[WARNING: Doing so triggers the 'Killing Intent.' The Carnitrix's primitive consciousness will attempt to override the Host's mind to ensure total termination of all life signs.]
Tyler clenched his fist. In the original story, the "Error" version of the watch didn't have a cooldown because the machine was always hungry. The System had stabilized it, but this "Active Skill" was a double-edged sword. It was a trump card that could turn him into a mindless butcher.
"I have to be stronger than the watch," Tyler muttered.
"I really envy you, Tyler," Ben sighed from across the RV, staring at the sunset. "You've got so many heroes... and I'm still stuck with my original ten. Life is so unfair."
The next day: Sparksville.
The town was a "Theme Park" in the loosest sense of the word. It was filled with bizarre roadside attractions like the "World's Largest Ball of Twine" and "Giant Globes." It was a tourist trap so boring it was almost impressive.
"Grandpa," Ben said, looking at the empty streets. "Do you come here a lot?"
"How'd you guess, Ben?"
"Because if you didn't pay for tickets, this place would have gone bankrupt years ago!"
As Ben delivered his savage roast, Tyler and Gwen shared a knowing look. The place was definitely a snoozefest. However, they soon stumbled upon a strange shack covered in warning signs.
DO NOT TOUCH!
DISSIPATE STATIC ELECTRICITY BEFORE ENTRY!
NO CHILDREN UNDER TEN!
"A haunted house?" Tyler's interest piqued. He led the way inside, only to find a massive ball of yarn sitting under a spotlight.
"Just a ball?" Ben groaned, reaching out. "Why can't I touch it?"
Tyler caught Ben's wrist. "Don't. Rules exist for a reason in this world, Ben. Let's not find out why today."
Tyler's intervention almost saved them a day of trouble—until the door slammed shut with a heavy thud.
"What the...?" Tyler tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge. "Is Fate just messing with us now?"
The lights flickered violently. Static began to hiss through the air, leaping from the yarn ball to the walls—and then to the Tennysons. Bang! Bang! Something was knocking from inside the yarn.
"Tyler, I don't like this..." Gwen whispered, clinging to Tyler's arm.
"I'll break the door down!" Max shouted, raising his elbow.
But Ben, fueled by that classic protagonist recklessness, marched up to the ball. "We can't hide forever. Let's see what this thing is!"
Ben grabbed a loose strand and yanked. The ball unraveled in a flash of golden light. From within the twine, dozens of small, battery-shaped creatures emerged. They had wide, mischievous grins and bodies made of pure, crackling electricity.
The Buzz-Shocks.
"They're aliens..." Gwen gasped.
"I've got this," Tyler said. He dialed the Carnitrix, selecting a form he remembered. If he played his cards right, he could contain them.
FLASH!
The blood-red light erupted, attracting the Buzz-Shocks like moths to a flame. They giggled, swirling around the red energy. One even bumped into Ben's watch, causing it to spark and glow green.
When the light faded, Gwen realized she was still hugging Tyler's arm. But he felt... different. Smaller. Colder.
"Tyler?" Gwen looked down and nearly screamed.
Standing where Tyler had been was a tiny, skeletal creature. It was the same size as the Buzz-Shocks, but instead of a cute battery face, it had a jagged, lipless skull-grin and a single, unblinking red eye.
"Is there something on my face, Gwen?" Tyler's voice was high-pitched but raspy, like a radio playing through a graveyard.
Gwen scrambled back in terror. Tyler looked at his own tiny, clawed hands. Then he looked at the Buzz-Shocks.
"KEE-HEE-HEE!!"
The Buzz-Shocks, sensing the absolute malice radiating from this tiny "Error" version of themselves, let out a collective shriek of pure terror. They didn't try to fight. They turned as one and smashed through the front door, fleeing into the town in a panicked swarm.
Tyler felt the electricity hum in his veins. He looked like them, but he was the predator in their midst.
"Why are they running?" Tyler wondered, his body flickering with red lightning as he prepared to give chase.
"That... thing..." Ben stammered, his hand hovering over his own watch. "I'm calling it... [Reader, what should we call this tiny horror?]"