Ben 10 (Reader insert)

Last Laugh

The night stretched out in a eternal slumber, blanketing the sky in a swarm of winking stars. No one paid attention though, blinded by the colorful lights that decorated one pier. The air was crisp with sweet smelling foods. Stalls were wrapped in striped clothes, trying to catch any eyes it could as people wandered pass. Tents stood tall in the back , each reaching out to touch the midnight blue sky but falling short as sharp points.

It was a night of joy, especially for two crooks down by the pier after a successful night of theft. They were climbing down into a wooden rowboat, each grinning like fools at the easy steal they had tonight.

"Knocking over that yacht was a piece of cake!" The one already in the boat exclaimed. He wore a red beanie, and a white tank top with jeans. Not really normal robber outfits, but it worked. He backed away from the ladder, letting his buddy, with a black bag over his shoulder, join him. They let out loud chuckles, finding the their theft, or lame pun, hilarious.

Bubbles began to steam aggressively near the red beanie man's side of the boat. It caught the corner of his eye. He sucked in a tight breath, cutting off the next laugh with a choking wheeze. The thought of police already catching up to them buzzed like a insistent knat by his ear.

Tensing his shoulders he edged towards the side of the boat, peering into the murky depths of the water below. It was a dark night, and the shadows from the pier made the ocean waves look endless and dangerous. When he saw what looked like a flash of green, glowing like a beacon in the black waves, his eyes instantly focused on it.

Beginning to tremble violently, half finished ideas of what it could be stormed across his mind. Fingers curling and digging painfully into the wood that made up the beanie guy's and his buddy's get away vehicle. Chips of the brown material splintered under his nails, but before any damage could be dealt, a large, monstrous hand burst from the inky abyss. It latched onto the man's face, and as he let out a blood-curling scream, dragged him in with a booming splash.

The accomplice whipped around, eyes round as he took in, the now, empty rowboat. His hands began to shake as he strode across the gently rocking boat, taking a hesitant gaze at the water. Hopeful that his partner had only tripped and fell into the water instead of the police, or worse. He saw his partner's hat drifting along the waves, yet not a single hair of the man that wore it.

A giant splash of surging water. The crook flinched back, eyes widening with fear as he caught sight of a ocean monster. Its jaw was large and lined with sharp, yellowed teeth that could easily tear through flesh. A pole extended from the middle of the creature head, the end glowing faintly in the shadows.

The crook ran for it.

Scrambling up the ladder with haste. He struggled to get up, almost slipping on the bars because of his sweating hands and the dew that collected from the damp air. He sprinted into the crowd of fair goers, throwing scared glances over his shoulder to make sure that the ocean monster wasn't close behind him.

The creature down below only tilted its head to the side curiously. Their was a flash of annoyance, but it was gone just as quick as it dove under the waves, swimming with a speed that no human could meet, in pursuit. Listening to the stomping, fast paced steps on the wooden pier, it kept up with the crook.

The petty criminal paused beside a hotdog stand, ragged gasp escaping him. He spun around to face the beast head on, but froze when he still couldn't spot it. Until a tunnel of water sprouted from over the railing. It crashed down on the wooden boards just a few feet in front of the crook.

Screams filled the air as the sea creature came visible for all fair-goers. It ignored the noise, eyes zeroing in on its target who stood gaping in horror.