So how did the other Ben's deal with their respective Zy'Skayrs? Like has Ben 23 dealt with him?
For all the Alt Bens their story with Zs'skayr depends on what Zs'skayr is up to in their timeline. I can sum up ideas I would have for alt Zs'skayr in each timeline
-Gwen 10-
He's basically the same as the prime timeline, but now Gwen has to deal with him, sadly.
-Ben 23-
Zy'skayr 23 never got into the omnitrix, instead he's been in a constant war/fight with Vilgax and his empire. I mentioned elsewhere that Vilgax 23 is just a dude trying to run his kingdom, so here he is expanding his empire against someone no one really likes, hoping to take control of the Anur System and help it in his own way. Of course, Zy'skayr does not like that one bit.
-Ben 10k-
Similar to his Vilgax, he killed Zy'skayr a long while ago, another situation where a villain pushed things too far. Though thankfully not to the same degree as Vilgax had.
-No Watch-
With no omnitrix, Zs'skayr mostly spent his time trying to cure his boredom elsewhere, and partly running his kingdom. He did have an encounter with this timeline's version of Azmuth, and loves to bring it up to rub it in his face.
-Omni Ben-
Zs'skayr's escape from the watch was a little more complicated, and he knows he can't exactly possess Ben easily due to him being the omnitrix itself. But he finds Omni Ben to be fascinating, seeing how even a piece of tech can become so alive. He loves to see how Ben ticks, even via unpleasant means.
-Jen 10-
The same as his prime counterpart, but now a female called Zs'feear. Still an awful being.
-Julie 10-
Being that his timeline from escaping the watch happens during their version of the hybrid war, he tries to turn the tables in his favor by corrupting some DNAs and even a couple of highbreeds with corrodium. He also loves to torment Julie regarding her kindness and soft side.
-Sentient Omnitrix & Ben-
Zs'skayr finds the whole thing interesting, and finds entertainment having discussions with the Omnitrix, finding ways to push her buttons. He knows very well she would be willing to kill him, but enjoys walking on the thin line.
-Rooters Ben-
There was an entire situation where Zs'skayr infiltrated the Rooters, and it has left him as being high on the Rooters' hunting list. But he always finds a way to escape, living out in the Null Void to spread his own influence.
-Eon-
Like everyone in his timeline, dead.
-Bad Ben-
A soft, kind, and wandering ectonurite, having never fit in his monstrous planet of people, failing to keep them under his ruling as he didn't have it in him. He tried to possess Ben and the watch in hopes to gain power to do the right thing.
-Mad Ben-
The Anur System got taken over by Vilgax a long while ago, but Zs'skayr slipped through the cracks and now wanders, doing his own thing, engaging with the chaos around him. While he does miss being king, he's not burdened enough to do much about it beyond screwing with Vilgax wherever he goes.
-Negative Ben-
He decided to help Azmuth, becoming one of his assistance during the creation of the omnitrix, though it was clear he wasn't a great person either. Something sinister with him going behind the scenes, seeming to prefer using words to mentally mess with people, including Ben.
-Benzarro-
Fused with Ben during a possession attempted gone wrong. He still calls himself Zs'skayr, but it's clear it's not exactly him anymore. Having a mix of him and Ben's personalizes.
-Malware Ben-
Ben went to Zs'skayr once in a desperate attempt to try and get help removing Malware, and while Zs'skayr decided to give it a go due to being amused by Ben's pleading, he didn't calculate on Malware just storing him back into the omnitrix with high security measures in place.
-Forever Knight Ben-
He watches the Knights and Vilgax's empire at war with each other, along with others involved, and does a lot of puppeting behind the scenes. He rarely shows himself, and people didn't know how involved he was for a long while.
-Fusion Ben-
He is stuck within Ben's fusion, and has been trying to escape for a long while, however it seems his background influence makes things worse for him and Ben.
-Ultra Ben-
It seems he's gone into hiding since catching word of Ben killing many of his villains, no one knows where he went, though there have Ben rumors and people thinking they see him, with Ben often investigating.
-Light Magic Ben-
Something old, something clearly not a normal alien, Zs'skayr seems to be something similar to Dagon, but strangely there are no books or writing on him anywhere. He just merely exists, living in the shadows of Ledgerdomain.
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Original Zs’skayr
The original Zs’skayr was a cruel High Ecto Lord on Anur Phaetos. Enforcing his need for total control across its globe, handsomely rewarding his sycophants, and siccing his thralls onto dissenters.
At least until his tyrannical influence had begun intruding onto other planets, which caused the disparate populaces, collectively outnumbering his loyalists, to rise up and depose him. In a show of mercy he would never have afforded them if the roles were reversed, they banished a notably un-dismantled Zs’skayr instead of destroying him.
His own homeworld had forsaken him, and no place in Anur proper would have him. Few citizens of Anur had left the system, him included. The safest place he knew was remaining adrift in the vast expanse between planets and moons.
With no one to abuse or deflect to, having nothing left to his name, the cold vacuum of space gave him no choice but to begin introspection.
Zs’skayr lost the will to fight for his throne, as well as his hunger for power. There was little left to feel but shame.
With a new purpose in mind, he would explore the galaxy outside of his native system. In the face of his narrow-mindedness, Zs’skayr replaced his thirst for power with one for knowledge, and broaden his horizons.
To learn about the people and worlds outside Anur as well as he did the ones inside, he possessed various beings to explore.
A not insignificant amount took it poorly, such as on Vrykola—
They could’ve used their tools right then or come back with a mob holding pitchforks and torches, so he just counted his lucky stars and more discreetly picked a different host.
Most worlds were just confused, though.
A precious few took it well, like Aldabra—
The Geochelone Aerios were pleasantly surprised to meet an outsider who wished to learn and understand as much as they did, and they had a lot to discuss with him on autonomy and free will, as well as pacifism and de-escalation. Zs’skayr had much impromptu therapy there.
Some were even receptive to him outside of a more familiar host, or even outside of his (what he would come to recognize as appearing “less-threatening”) sun shade. In fact, the royal elect of the Chimeran Empire insisted on it.
That was mainly so it was easier for them and the snipers stationed around the capital to destroy Zs’skayr if he made a move they didn’t like.
Aside from the dawning realization he had just unintentionally threatened an imperialistic military state in front of its leader, the tour he received was enjoyable. They did not make mention of Vilgax.
It was strange, because he had heard developing stories of Vilgax’s conquests and reigns of terror upon other worlds. Maybe it wasn’t so strange the Chimerans didn’t acknowledge this sensitive, worsening stain on their history.
Considering what he and Vilgax had in common, Zs’skayr thought that his kind may have adopted a similar attitude about him. He ultimately would prefer for truth to prevail above all, including information embargos/taboos for the sake of his or anyone’s comfort.
Tales of the Omnitrix’s development similarly spread throughout the galaxy, in hushed whispers, and on his travels, Zs’skayr heard nothing but its prospects as the ultimate weapon.
He was none too pleased, already being surrounded with violence and advancing weapons. It seemed to be all talk and no bite, however. Equal in frequency of stories about the Omnitrix were the ones debunking its existence. It never turned up within Zs’skayr’s vicinity, anyways.
He helped others,
and he was helped by others.
Eventually, Zs’skayr had learned all he wished to, talked to more people than most do in their lifetimes. He was homesick, but knew no good would come from trying to return to Phaetos.
Still wishing to be close, he found a habitable rock on the outskirts of the Anur system, far from Phaetos and made a home.
Since then, Zs’skayr had lived a quiet, humble life in isolation. Built up a cottage, sewed furniture, cultivated a garden in the gnarled wilds that managed to sprout on this rock.
He didn’t feel he deserved to live with his people again, and he didn’t deserve an update on how they were doing, however they decided to govern themselves in his absence. Whether it was good or bad, it wasn’t his business anymore, and they wouldn’t want to be bothered. He respects their wish.
He writes (working on a journal of his travels), he gardens, he goes out for walks and floats, he sleeps, he’s become a tea-fiend, even leaving his rock to the nearest nebula to collect stardust for flavoring. Just a place to wait out his days in peace, hurting no one, retired from social interaction.
At least until an outsider entering the Anur system noticed the clearly inhabited rock and landed to explore. Though painfully shy, Zs’skayr politely greeted her and asked what she wanted, balking at the mention of contributing to the Omnitrix’s creation. As far as he was concerned, it was some superweapon that probably didn’t actually exist, and if it did, he wanted no part in it.
Myaxx gave Zs’skayr the boilerplate explanation of the Omnitrix project her boss Azmuth wrote out for her to read out to all potential donors.
The Omnitrix is a device, not a weapon, that allows its user to become another species. The wielder would become a symbol of galactic unity among its denizens, and to help them grow closer together. It pulls from a catalogue of DNA samples volunteered by willing members of their species. Would Zs’skayr do the favor and, on their behalf, volunteer for the Ectonurites?
The idea of someone who could step into another being’s shoes, or rather, assume the guise of another species to bridge the gap was personal to him. It was a radical, ethical, almost impossibly ideal version of what he had done across the galaxy to understand others better.
Zs’skayr could somehow contribute to the healing of entire worlds and systems. It was something he would have declined earlier in his life, and even doubted he could do now.
Moved by this, he agreed to be the Ectonurite donor for the Omnitrix and tore off a shred of his tentacle for her.
Unfortunately, a grave miscommunication neither realized had occurred. Zs’skayr knew that the sample had a copy of his consciousness on it, but believed that an Ectonurite was only being asked for a DNA sample because the Omnitrix project knew and had a way of correcting it.
Anur’s species are quite insular, rarely leaving or allowing outsiders, and as such, details of their anatomy are not common knowledge to them. Simply put, Myaxx didn’t know to ask, and Zs’skayr didn’t think to tell her.
The now original Zs’skayr then continued his isolation on the edge of Anur, secure in the knowledge that he, at last, could make a net positive impact.
He’d be proud to know of the difference Ben made with him, for the short while he could.
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