//------------------------------// // Behind the Alien: Vapaw // Story: The Omnitrix Hero // by Banshee531 //------------------------------// Good evening, explorers and omni-planetary travellers. I welcome you to the final destination of our planet-hopping adventure. This may be the last stop, but it hopefully won't be the least. Today's trip has us taking a look at Flash Sentry's smokey alien, Vapaw. Please keep from rolling down the windows, as we are not equipped with gas masks. The scene opens up on a grey-looking planet that has black oceans and many rocky mountains that surround its coastline. Surrounding the planet is a thin layer of some kind of gas. Shroudose. This highly dangerous planet holds very little vegetation on its surface. This is mostly due to its atmosphere being filled with a strange gas that appears to be a chemical mixture of hydrogen and sulphur dioxide, the combination of these two gases producing a new gas that is both lighter than air and highly poisonous to breath for most forms of life. But that doesn't mean nothing is able to live here. We zoom down to the planet and find ourselves on the coastline, which is covered in volcanoes all across the cliffs. The planet is separated into five main parts. The top layer of the planet is made up entirely of rock, much like earth's crust, which is roughly ten miles thick. In certain areas this rock is entirely solid, whilst other areas are broken up. Beneath this crust is a thin layer of soil that is roughly ten or twenty miles thick, sandwiched between the top crust and a secondary one that is another fifty miles thick. Not much is known about the mantle of the planet, which is roughly fifteen hundred miles deep. And in the very centre of the planet is the core. Said core is an unusual design that is mostly spherical, but with inwards bubbles that trap the hydrogen and sulphur mixture as it spins around. Every so often, one of these bubbles will spin in line with a vent that leads up to one of the volcano-like structure on the surface. This results in the gas being expelled outwards from the bubble, up through the vent and out the top into the atmosphere. These tall volcanoes have multiple relief tubes, which cause the gas to be expelled in multiple different directions and surround the mountain. And it is here that we find the first and most dangerous form of life on the planet. The Fogavians Name: Fogavian Alien Type: Predatory bird. Intelligence: 0/20 Abilities: Flight. Claws. Sulphur spray Form: A bird-like alien of around three or four feet in height, with a long gray toucan beak and dark gray feathers covering its body. Sharp black claws on its wings and feet. The Fogavians are hanging around the volcanos, trying to get as close to the vents as possible. Many have even built rock nests near them, whilst others simply fly around. Fogavians. Unlike most forms of carbon based life, these creatures have developed the ability to instead breath the normally dangerous sulphur mix. The Fogavians stick their heads in the vent and breath in the gas as its expelled, whilst others higher up the mountain simply breath wherever they want due to the large amount of it in the air. Due to the mix of Hydrogen in the gas, Fogavians are also capable of flight despite how heavy their bodies appear to be. And this is quite useful when they need to make it down the mountain in order to hunt. One of the Fogavians jump into a nearby cloud of gas and open its large mouth, allowing it to suck up as much gasp as they can before diving down towards the ground. Fogavians have three separate sets of lungs that they use to store this gas. The first is specifically designed for breathing, whilst the second set is designed for storing a large quantity of the gas and separating the mixture. The Hydrogen removed from the sulphur is transferred to a flight blader, whilst the remaining gas remains so that it can be used as a weapon. The Fogavian looks around, trying to find something it can take down and eat before it runs out of gas. Down on the ground, something was wandering along the rocky landscape. It was a grey-coloured warthog-like creature that had six legs along with green tusks, ears and tail tip. The area it was walking through was made up entirely of rocks as far a the eye could see. It was like the entire land had been broken up by a jackhammer and left where it was. The warthog sniffed the ground before coming across a large rock, which it lifted up to reveal a bunch of small bug-like aliens crawling around. The pig started devouring them, completely unaware of the danger up above it. The Fogavian was flying down towards it and once it was low enough, by which point the warthog realised it was there, it opened its beak and let out a squawk that caused the sulphur it had previously breathed in to fire out and form a cloud around it. The warthog tried to escape, but it had already breathed it in. Seconds later, it fell to the ground as the Fogavian glided down and used its claws to finish the job. Once the pig was dead, the alien-bird started ripping it apart to start eating. Fogavians can go roughly thirty minutes or so without needing to breath, which does not leave much time for it to enjoy its meal. Most times, the Fogavian will only eat around a third of their hunted prey before needing to return to the sulphur filled air. And to do that quickly, they've developed an interesting method of take off. Spreading its wings, the Fogavian begins to shake its rear as the hydrogen in its flight blader begin to move lower through its body. Then, that hydrogen is expelled and combusts as it does so. This shoots the Fogavian into the air, allowing it to fly up super high and reach the sulphur filled air. As the Fogavian returns to its volcano home, another one glides down and sees the remains of the warthog down on the ground. Though mostly predatory in nature, the Fogavians will chose a free meal when it come around since it means they don't have to use their sulphur blast. The bird begins to feast upon the carcass, as two more Fogavians fly down and see it. They dive and the eating one notices them, the bird looking at them and getting into a defencive stance as it does. The other two reach it and the three get into a fight, attempting to earn this delicious meal. Fogavians will happily attempt to steal from one another in order to survive. They may even steal from Shroudose's other top predator. In another area of the planet, more inland where the sulphur-canoes aren't close too, a large group of warthogs are making their way through a boulder field. These large rocks make the perfect ambush area, which puts the pigs on edge. And sure enough, something is staring at them from atop one of these rocks. A creature with a similar hunting tactic of using smoke to capture its target, but in an entirely different way. Name: Smogleo Alien Type: Intelligent Feline Intelligence: 2/20 Abilities: Claws and fangs. Strong sense of smell. Black smoke production. Form: Grey lion-like alien with no mane, that stands at around four to four and a half feet tall. Black hand-like front paws, with a tail of between four and six feet in length. Gills on the neck, just behind its back legs and around its ankles, that produce a thick black smoke. Pipe-like appendage on tail tip that also produces smoke. Smogleos. Despite their predatory nature, these aliens have developed the ability to speak alongside their other amazing abilities. Male Smogleos can produce and expel a large amount of black non-toxic smoke, which they use in conjunction with their powerful sense of smell, long versatile tails and sharp claws and fangs in order to ambush their prey. A male Smogleo is looking down at the warthogs from atop a large rock. And once they're close enough, the creature flares its mane and sends the smoke flying out and completely covering the area. The pigs begin to panic and run, but each of them begin to crash into the rocks filling the area. The impact dazes them, as they stagger around slightly concussed. As they do, the rest of the Smogleo's pride attack. Suddenly, something wraps around a pig's neck and pulls it backwards before everything ends. Another pig is suddenly tackled and it squeals as something sharps slices through it. And finally, another pig is caught and a strong pair of jaws finishes it. The smoke begins to fade away and as it does, the Smogleo females are revealed. Unlike the males, they didn't have large manes of smoke surrounding their heads, neck and upper bodies. Instead. they had a single vent in the top of their heads that unleashed a thin stream of smoke that looked like a ponytail. Females of the species do not have the ability to produce large amounts of endless smoke. In place of that ability, their sense of smell is much more defined than the males alongside their vision, which can see in almost pitch black. The females used their tails to drag the warthogs away, the male jumping down and leading them back towards their home. Said home was about a mile or so away, which turned out to be a giant stone slab being held up by a bunch of smaller rocks on either side of it. This created a large cave that had a roof that completely protected the lower rocks from anything that might fall from above. A triangular rock also worked as a ramp, which they were able to walk to get to the cave. Inside, a bunch more female Smogleos were resting and taking care of younger members of their pride. A single Smogleo pride will consist of a single male and several females, with their birth rate being roughly one male born for ever eight females born. Because of this, a single male Smogleo will live a polygamist life with multiple females. The Smogleo male ate first with one of the cubs eating alongside him, this being the male's first born male cub. Once they had their fill, the two males headed out of the cave whilst the females began to take their fill. The pair moved around the back of the cave until they reached a section lower to the ground then the front, the older one picking its child up in its mouth and climbing up onto the rock. They both headed up to the very top of the rock, where they could look out at the entire area they had as a territory. A ways off was another rock pile, which was actually the home of another pride. And another rock pile could be seen even further away in the opposite direction. There were many prides in the large area, all having their own territories that they protected and were not happy should a member of another pride enter it. What appears to be a peaceful home here, can turn to a very disharmonious situation with the slightest of differences. For example, two males being born into a pride. When that happens, things can get very complicated. The scene changes to another pride of Smogleos, who are all looking down from atop their rocky home. The lot of them were looking down at a pair of younger males, who glared each other down as they circled themselves around. They then charged forward and started fighting, leaping at one another and wrestling against their opponent to try and pin them. They both launched out their smoke, trying to blind the other. But all this simply made it just as difficult for them as their opponent and the two started using their claws and fangs to try and take the other one down. All the leader and females could do was listen, as the sounds of their future ruler fighting for its kingdom could be heard. And after a few minutes of this, the smoke started to fade and reveal one pinning the other. The loser had a large cut going down his left eye, the pain having distracted him enough for his opponent to get the upper hand. The leader announced the end of the battle and the winner let to loser go, the loser picking itself up and beginning to stagger away. It gave one final look back at its former home before it began to leave, now a rogue without a place to call his own Fast forwarding a few weeks, the Smogleo rogue was continuing to wander in search of a new place to call home. The cut over his eyes had healed into a scar, something many Smogleos usually had by the time they were adults. He's currently in an area that hasn't been claimed by anyone, but that's because the area would be terrible as a Smogleo home since the rocks are all too small. But as he gets closer to it, he sees movement and looks up to see something small up on the rocks. Name: Illumeeruk Alien Type: Intelligent Rodent Intelligence: 3/20 Abilities: X-ray and night vision. Illuminating the stripes on its body Form: A marron meerkat-like alien, standing at around one and one and a half feet in height. Its body and tail wrapped in yellow stripes that mimic a vest. Large front teeth sticking out of its mouth, with white feet, hands, and tip of its two foot-long tails. Though it won't be exactly filling, an Illumeeruk should fill it up enough to keep going until it can find something more substantial to eat. The Smogleo licked its lips and charge forward, catching the rodent's notice and making it look around to see the charging lion-alien. The Smogleo unleashed the smoke and attempted to blind the rodent, but the Illumeeruk's eyes suddenly changed from white and black to entirely green. Illumeeruks are an interesting species, able to see in both infrared and x-ray vision. Because of this, a Smogleo's normal tactic will not be enough to make it panic. The Smogleo charged at the rat with his teeth primed. But before he could get him, the Illumeeruk leapt to the side and avoided it entirely. The Smogleo caught its scent and attempted again, spinning around and diving at him again. But this time, the Illumeerak closed its eyes as the yellow parts of its body suddenly exploded with light. The Smogleo's eyes had not been expecting this and it roared in pain, closing its eyes and covering them as they stung. The Illumeeruk cut its lights and opened its eyes, using its night vision to rush out of the smoke and return to its hole. Illumeeruks are the smartest creatures on this planet, using multitude of abilities to survive as it searches for food for it and its rather large family. The Illumeeruk uses its night vision to see in the darkness of the rock tunnel, but then stopped when it was deep enough and charged to a different form of vision. Its eyes turned to red as it looked around, being able to see through the rocks all around it. It then smiled when it spotted a bunch of bugs about five meters away and it started moving the rocks around, eventually finding the area where the bugs were located. It started stuffing its mouth with some of them and once it had its fill, it grabbed a bunch more and once it had incapacitated them, it stuffed them in the fur of its tail. It then headed back the way it had come and then went further down through the tunnel, all the way to the soil layer where a burrow had been dug out for it. Inside this burrow was a female Illumeeruk, who used a lower level of her light to keep the burrow bright so its children could see. Said children were half the size of their parents, their fur being mostly brown with no yellow on them and their eyes couldn't change to their special ones yet. A few moments later, the father returned and started passing out the bugs for his children to enjoy. They fed of the bugs as the parents moved to one another and held each other tight. Their world was a tough one to live in, but they would survive. Back on the surface, the Smogleo was staggering across the land looking like he was about to pass out. Many young rogues don't survive their first year on their own. Without the more talented females to do the hunting, many end up unable to feed themselves. This Smogleo probably won't have long to live. Unless... The Smogleo staggered over a rocky hill and as it did, he heard squawking and looked up to see several Fogavians flying up a ways away. And when he saw what they were hunting, his eyes went wide. It was a female Smogleo, who was running as fast as she could to stay away from the avian danger. But there were too many of them. The male knew he had to help her and rushed forward, none of them noticing him until he was close enough to unleash a large cloud of smoke. This blinded the Fogavians, but allowed the female to grab one in her tail and pull it towards the ground. The male rushed over and slashed it, ending one of the threats whilst the female brought the other two down and finished them off. When the smoke cleared, the two Smogleos looked at one another. The male looked a little worried and grabbed one of the birds in his tail, hoping she would let him take one. Instead, the female told him to follow her and bring the food. The pair pulled the three birds across the land until they reached a mountain, which was one of the few on the planet that wasn't a sulphur vent. In the side of that mountain was a large cave, which they walked up to and dragged the food inside. Doing so allowed the male to see it was full of many female Smogleos. He was inside a pride's den. And as he stepped inside, he spotted a male that was at the back. One who looked very old and unable to move anymore. The female dropped the bird and pulled him towards the male with her tail, the older leader of the pride lifting his head and staring at the younger male. The two stared at one another and the older one smiled, the younger realising what was happening. This was an old male. Too old to hunt and too old to have any more offspring. And he appeared to have been unable to sire a male child, or had one but lost it to the harsh world outside the cave. The pair continued to look at one another and both nodded, knowing what was gonna happen. Fast forward to almost a year later and that same young lion was sitting at the mouth of his new cave home. A moment later, the female he had saved the previous year stepped out of the cave. Her stomach was much larger now, hopefully carrying the future leader of the pride. The pair sat besides one another as the female placed her head on his shoulder, the male looking back at the cave where the older male was still resting but smiling as he looked around at all his pregnant children. Hopefully, he would live long enough to see all his amazing new grandchildren. Shroudose, a truly harsh world to live in. But luckily, we were just visiting. And thus ends our look at some of the amazing planets that gave birth to the aliens Flash Sentry wields. I hope to see you again on our next tour and can't wait to see what new aliens will be waiting for us there. Onwards, to our next big adventure.