Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration and characthers.

                                           Belwood a suburb, not too small, nor too big, but within distance from the sea, forrests, mountains, deserts, it has wharehouses, factories, and is near military bases, and despite not being very big it has tall buildings, and some secret places, at the begining of the century, it had less populattion and among them there are two brothers, Frank and Carl Tennyson, the elder, Frank got married first and already has a son, Kenneth Tennyson, four years old, soon he will be five and on this day he is about to become a big brother and an older cousin, his mother Natalie Larsson-Tennyson  has started with contractions and is being taken to the hospital, although the brothers have a strained relationship with their father, in the latter years they have mended somewhat their diferences, so Frank had called him to ask him to look out for Kenny, but Max could not and as they arrive Frank sees on the parking area his father's RV and knows he was telling the truth, he stops on the entrance and gets a wheelchair for his wife, an orderly takes her in while he parks his car and then gets the things for her wife and future baby girl and also his firstborn son and he goes to admitance to help his wife with the paperwork, the ob-gyn attends his wife and after exploring her she simply says that she will stay and the next fifteen minutes they fill out paperwork and Natalie is taken to a room and put in an obstetric bed, Frank waits in the room designed for that and then he sees him, his father Max who looks like he has not slept, even if he is clean shaven and with clean clothes

"Dad!"

"Huh? Who?.....Frank!"

'How long have you been here?"

"Uhm!.......About twenty four hours!"

"And Sandra has not given birth? Why is she taking so long?"

Max shakes his head and sighs

"You know the first delivery takes a long time! She can still last another twenty four hours!"

Frank huffs in frustrattion

"I couldn't get anyone to look over Kenny! I was hoping you could......"

"Sorry son! Your brother beat you to the punch!"

"Where is Carl anyway?"

Max sighs

"He was called by his boss! He is the only one who can fix and supervise the repairs of a special valve!"

"A likely story!"

Max chuckles sadly and says

"He wants to be on the birth of his son Frank! I hope he understands it would be betetr to do it slowly so it goes faster!"

Frank huffs in frustration and looks around with Ken's hand on his and then he says

"With any luck Lilly will give birth first!"

"It is not a competittion son!"

and in a low voice

"Yeah right!"

Max looks at him and sullens, if only Verdona were here

"Frank..........things don't always work out as we want and planned! That is life!"

Frank Tennyson is usually a calm and methodic man but he does have a temper

"Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?"

he curses himself inwardly, but Max just brushes it off

"I learned it at the Air Force! Things don't always go as planned! And we improvise on the fly!....Literally!"

"Didn't the Air Force believed in gremlins?"

Max chuckles

"Some do! But it does not help us determine what went wrong!"

and they stay quiet as each gather their thoughts

"Look! Kenny can not go in to see Lilly!........Can you look after him?"

"You know I will!..........I just hope we are not both called at the same time!"

"They are so selfish!"

"Neither of you has to check with the other about your sex lives and planned family!"

"It would be courteous!"

"Frank be reasonable!"

"Sandra announces everything!"

"Then you know what was coming! Right?"

Frank glares and then they hear

"Dad! Frank! How's everything going?"

Max answers first

"Sandra's labor is going all right! According to her Ob-Gyn she should give birth in less than three hours!"

"What? Lilly is also in that time frame!"

rolling his eyes Carl says

"Of course she is!"

"What are you implying?"

"What do you think?"

and before it goes any further Max says in a cold tone

"This is not the time for this! Behave yourselves!"

they stop and and also in a cold tone

"Yes sir!"

he sighs and

"Look both of you need to tend to your wives! I'll wait here! I'll look after Kenny! If he needs to sleep I'll take him to the RustBucket!"

"Fine!"

and both of them go to their wives who are in the throws of pain, and despite the fact that the hospital does not attend a large amount of deliveries, both Sandra and Natalie evolve at the same pace, ironicly they are side by side on their rooms and when they pass to the delivery rooms it is side by side, Frank and Carl go to the side of their wives and stand by them, and from the outside the screams are in stereo and the cries of a newborn are also in stereo as the personnel coment that it is the first time two babies are born at the same time and are also relatives, the babies are cleaned and seen by the pediatrician and it is determined they are healthy newborn babies and their mothers are also okay, but bruised and in pain, but tolerable considering the pains of labor are more intense, and again they are put in adjacent rooms, it is easy for Max that way, he can go from room to room to visit his younger gradchildren and hoping he can defuse the situattion between the two families, of course Kenny is interested on both babies, he doesn't care about the grownups squabbles, what many did not notice is that after they were cleaned they were put on the nursery and they were side by side and somehow they faced each other and unlike other babies they did not cry, unless they were separated and not looking at each other, only Kenny but nobody listens to him, after twelve hours they are discharged at the same time and both women glare at each other, Kenny just looks at his sister and cousin and then they get on each other's cars and they go home.

                                                 A week later Max receives a call from both of his sons and they meet up in a restaurant, they asks for a table far from other patrons and they are taken to a table that is far from others, they order some drinks and Max looks slyly at his sons and admits to himself that the temperature has lowered, and once the drinks are delivered Max takes a drink and then he looks at his sons and

"Okay! What's up?"

they tense and Carl says

"Why do you say that dad?"

"The isolated table, the fact that both of you called this meeting! I am not dumb you know!"

"You could be wrong!"

"I am not! So stop beating around the bush and come out and say whatever it is you want to say!"

"Dad......"

"I know I have not been the best father!.......But I know neither of you is a coward!"

Frank and Carl look at each other and they nod and Franks says

"Look dad...........we can not stand each other!..........I received a job offer from...........and I have accepted!"

"So you're moving away! Big deal!"

Carl looks at him and

"It is not just the move dad!"

"Then?"

they look at each other and sigh

"We are erasing each other dad! We are cutting ties completly! I plan to raise my family without ever mentioning I have a brother!"

"WHAT??????!!!!!!!!"

"We are doing the same dad!"

he looks at them and

"This is crazy!!"

"It is for the best! We will never find a common thread!"

"You are the common thread! Natalie and Sandra are throwing a temper tantrum and you are not standing up to them!"

"Don't talk about my wife!"

"Nor mine!"

"They are the cause of this! Don't deny it!"

Carl scowls

"I am tired of him looking down to me!"

"And I hate him justifying any mistake he makes!"

"You don't know everything Frank!"

"And you are not blameless!"

"That's enough!"

"Fine!"

"You want to erase your brother! That is crazy!"

"It is for the best!"

"When are you leaving?"

"Next month!"

"Are you going to throw a party?"

"With my colleagues!"

"But not family!"

"Right!"

Max sullens and then he senses it is not over

"What else?"

they look at each other and Frank says

"You can still visit each of us dad!.......We simply ask that you not mention the other to each family!"

"WHAT?"

"To not mention Carl's family to my family!"

"And not to mention Frank's family to mine!"

"That is crazy and childish!"

"That's how it has to be!"

"And if I refuse?"

"You will not be welcomed in our homes!"

Max glares at them and

"Unlike the four of you I am mature! I will do as you say! But not because I am afraid of you! But not to harm the children! Gwen and Ben!"

"Yeah! Right!"

"How do you plan to convince your aunt Vera? Gordon and Betty Jean? Joel?"

"We hardly visit them! Or them us! And we hope you talk to them!"

"Leaving me the dirty work!"

"Come on dad! All of you share something! We believe you are in an exclusive club! You can tell them!"

Max glares at them

"I will!.......What about Ken?"

"Huh?"

"What about Kenny?"

"He will forget!"

"He is almost five! He will retain some memories!"

"Only if you remind him! And if you do..........We'll cut you off permanently!"

Max looks at them

 "I understand!"

there is a tense silence and Carl says

"Let's order food! It will be the last time we will do it!"

and in silence they eat.

                                                  In the next six months Max informs his sister and brother about the decision of his sons as Frank moves, Vera and Gordon are naturally anoyed and scold Max, but he explains why it has to be that way and bedgrundgely agree with him, after the discussion Gordon returns home and since they are at Vera's house she talks to Max

"You know they are being silly! Don't you Max?"

"Of course! This is a silly squabble  due to Sandra and Natalie's pride!"

"I want to give a piece of my mind to both of them!"

Max sighs

"It wouldn't do any good! Verdona could not change them!"

"I know!.........It will most likely blow up on their face! You know that right?"

"Perhaps! But I will keep my bounderies!"

"Of course Max! Just remember karma is a bitch!"

Max chuckles and nods and they continue talking.

                                          Since Max is not so tied up to his grandchildren, Max takes on more duties and missions for the plumbers and manages to slow Vilgax operattions for some time and forced him to stay within his borders longer, so when he returns home he is more relaxed, but can not take his grandchildren on the summer trips since he can not take all of them at the same time so they continue their normal lives, still Gwen wanted to practice karate and martial arts, Ben meanwhile is an underachiever but he makes friends with the hispanic kids on his school he starts to play soccer and he likes it so he joins the soccer team at school, Ken is a good big brother to Gwen, but sometimes he wonders and thinks he remembers another, still Max tries to take them on summer trips

"Frank! It would be best for Ken to travel and know the country!"

"No dad! You may remind him about his cousin and parents! He stays!"

"We would be alone! And not go to Belwood!"

"You might reveal something! No dad!"

"Not even Gwen?"

"You'll want to bring Ben along! No!"

he nods and when he asks Carl 

"No Dad! You will take them to...them! No!"

and Max nods and he only visits them, so they never meet Joel's bride and her family, there was trouble but despite that they get married even if it is a longer battle, Max informs his sons about Joel's wedding and for the moment that is all that can happen, but things start to turn, as Max visits Carl and Sandra 

"So Ben got a sports scholarship?"

"Yes! Soccer may not be very big but it is growing!"

"Where is he going?"

"Friedkin University!"

"I see! You have no news about Frank's family?"

"NO! Please don't tell them anything about us!"

"Fine!"

and the next week as he visits Frank and Natalie's house

"So Gwen's college fund has enough money?"

"Yes! That is why she did not accept a scholarship!"

"I see!......Do you know about Carl?"

"NO! And we don't want to know! Don't tell them anything about us!"

"I know!........Wich school will she be attending!"

they look anoyed and

"Friedkin University!"

Max puts his best poker face and hours later once he is driving the Rustbucket away he smirks and chuckles, he knows karma is on a collission course.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                            Friedkin University, somewhat near Belwood, despite not having a high ranking like Yale, it is a very good university, that is why Gwendolyn Rose Tennyson chose it, to her parents and grandparents she is studying history, but in reallity there is a faculty unlike any other university, the faculty of magic arts, to many where the crackpots go, but Gwen is interisted and believes she can learn magic, and since she is studying history it is the perfect excuse to go to those classes, still she wishes she could do something more, as she walks on campus she is joined by a girl with long braided hair, black, and tan skin, she looks fit and while she looks girly, she knows how to defend herself, she is the daughter of a colonel after all, an army brat

"Thinking about the dreamy intern in the physics lab?"

"Huh? Who? MIchelle!"

"Hello Crazy!"

she rolls her eyes

"Still calling me that?"

"It still fits!"

Gwen chuckles and shakes her head

"Despite the fact we have seen each other sporadacly, you seem to understand me Michelle!"

"You're the classic overachiever! Even now! You are thinking of ways to fill up your schedule! You should have some fun!"

"I want to learn and...."

"You'll burn out! You are young! Relax a little!"

"Look MIchelle, each year tuittion increases! And despite having a college fund!..........It may not be enough to pay for all of my studies!"

"Then do what the rest of us are doing! Get a part time job! Interact with more people! You may find someone you like!"

she rolls her eyes

"I don't want a boyfriend Chelle!"

"You never had one!"

"Yes I have!..........They didn't last! But I had boyfriends!"

"Have any of them passed second base?"

"Michelle! No!"

"See?"

"What about you?"

Michelle tenses and looks at her

"One or two!"

"Did any go farther?"

she scowls

"No! Once thye learned about the colonel....."

"And you didn't want to!"

"i did want to! But......"

"That's bull Michelle! If you wanted to..........You would have!"

she sighs and huffs and false glares at her

"Fine! No one has made feel butterflies in my stomach!"

"So you know why!"

she chuckles and nods

"You're right!............Still you should have some time for yourself! And to make friends!"

"I'll try!..........I just want to continue practicing karate!"

"What about the clubs in the university?"

"None are at my level!"

"You are strict!"

"I have three belts! I want to learn more! Most clubs have only one black belt! If any!"

"I see!.........It would be as if any of us were sent back to elementary school!"

"Yes!"

"You may have to go outside campus!"

"It will open in two months!"

"It will soon!"

"But I need to practice, I need to keep my flexibility!"

"Right!......Uhm!........Maybe.........Gymnastics?...........Wait! It is a temporal club but it can help you!"

"What?"

"Dance!"

"Dance?"

"Contemporary dance!"

"I didn't like ballet too much Chelle!"

"This is not ballet! Contemporary dance! You need to move like a martial artist!"

Gwen frows and ponders, and after a while nods

"Yes! You're right!.......Where do they?"

"I'll take you! It is in one of the theathers!"

"Wich one?"

"The closed one! You'll need leotards!"

"I have a few!"

and soon they arrive to the theather and Gwen talks with the instructor, it will be three times a week, the instructor is a young woman, brunette, fair skin, fit, she mentions they were lucky they had found her, but next day to come ready to practice and Gwen does as she is told, the next day she enters the theather and goes to the stage and the backstage to the dressing rooms, she has the leotards under her clothes since there is not a lot of privacy and she joins the others on stage and they start the stretching exercises, Gwen is the most flexible on the students, she concentrates on the exercises and it is when she relaxes that she notices they have an audience, a group of male students, she notices they are looking at them with desire, part of her wants to scold them, part feels flattered, and looking at the rest of the group they seem used to it and don't care, and they keep somewhat quiet so she pays no attention to them and for the next few weeks she practices.

                                            A week later on the university's sports complex from the soccer field a young man, fit, broad shoulders, not very large for now, unruly brown hair, green eyes, he wears a soccer uniform with the number ten, Benjamin Kirby Tennyson  looks somewhat anoyed when a blond man aproaches him, he is older but seems to know the soccer player and

"That bad Ben?"

"Who? Paul?"

and as they shake hands

"Who else?"

"Why come here to the soccer field?"

"Just passing by!"

"Really? So the coach did not call you?"

Paul chuckles and shakes his head

"He did call!"

"So he didn't like my sugesttion!"

"You may have a sport scholarship Ben! But you are still a freshman! You haven't earned your position yet! Too suggest what style to train with!"

"I am the best forward Paul! I have been given the number 10! He knows I won't disapoint!"

"But to sugest training styles!....Why?"

"Look! Hispanic style soccer is kicking the ball on the ground from player to player, it is ground based, european style soccer is aerieal since they kick the ball from one end to the other!"

"Okay!......So wich did you suggest?"

"Brazilian!"

"Brazilian?"

"Yes! They use the two styles! Ground and aerial!"

"They use the two styles?"

"That is why they are the ones that have won more World Cups!"

"Makes sense! But why do you want to train with that style?"

"Look if we play good I may be selected to the US soccer team!"

Paul looks at him and

"You have big dreams!"

"Dream big Paul!"

he nods and then

"Hey I get it!.......But no coach will like you making sugesttions Ben!.............You need to earn the trust to make suggestions!"

"I want to....."

"Ben from what I understand! There are youngsters World Cups!............If you played on one of them you would have a step up!"

"I started to play soccer late Paul! One of the hispanic kids that JT and Cash were bullying and I protected invited me to play with him and his friends and I was hooked!"

"I see!.........But you still need to earn your posittion and trust to make recomendattions!"

"Fine!"

"Just work at it!"

"Yeah! But he doesn't let me practice more!"

"Yeah! Well you need to rest also!"

Ben looks at him and

"Why did they call you?"

"Some of the older players know you are part of my band! They told the coach and figured you would listen to me!"

"Right! But if they know I play with you! They know I rest!"

"Actually.....they worry you will burn out with all your activities!"

"Not gonna happen!"

"You are starting Ben! You haven't reached a breaking point yet!"

"Are you trying to scare me?"

"No! Just warning! And advise!"

"I can!"

"Ben! You just started! You also need to have fun!"

"But..."

"If you burn out....You won't make your dreams come true!"

Ben wants to argue but stays quiet and nods

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Be a teenager in campus!"

"And do what?"

"Get a girlfriend!"

"No thanks!"

"Your relationships have never lasted long Ben!"

"They are either too bossy or too needy!"

Paul chuckles

"You haven't fallen in love yet then!"

"Look I know that during college we are suposed to hook up with many girls and me being a jock gives me an edge!.............But I just...."

he gets a pat on the shoulder and an understanding nod from Paul

"Don't follow clché actions Ben! Follow your path! But have some fun!"

he sighs

"Okay!"

"Look come with me!"

and he starts to walk and Ben follows him

"Where are we going?"

"To the theather!"

"Why?"

"You'll see!"

and they walk, after a while they arrive and the enter and at the entrance to the seats Ben asks

"What is going on?"

"Look! There is a dance club practicing! You can enter and watch them!"

"I don't want a girfriend!"

"You can watch! It would be like a day on the beach! You see women in bikinies without starting a relationship! Go enjoy yourself!"

"I don't know!"

"Give it a try! If you don't want to come back! You don't! Simple!"

he nods and he goes inside, it is not dark, it is well lighted and he sees a group of male students who are looking at the women, he sits near them, some look at him and nod and continue talking, many of them admiring the instructor, he looked at her and agreed that she was very atractive, and he looked at the students, diferent body shapes and sizes, young, atractive and then he sees her, a young woman, orange-red hair, pony tail, some hair on her forehead, fit, long legs, green eyes and the way she was moving on her stretching, it was obvious she practiced a sport, he looks at her face and considers her the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, she does a split as she continues her stretching, Gwen does not look at the audience, she ignores them,but this day is diferent she feels she is being observed more intently, so slyly she looks and sees the usual faces and the new ones and sees a new one, a young man, unruly brown hair, broad shoulders, fit, a jock, but not overmuscled, and she has to admit he is handsome and unconciouslly she stretches more as she made sure she was in front of him, and they look at each other for the next hour, and when the practice finishes, the men leave and the women get their street clothes.

                                                 For the next few weeks the routine repeats itself, with the exception that Ben starts to arrive earlier and Gwen arriving at the same hour but she starts to use her tighter leotards, they are vertically striped in blue and white stripes, Ben makes small talk with the other guys and for the ,most part they liked the instructor and some of the girls, incredible not the redhead, as for the dancers, they had noticed the students and smirked, they analyze and discuss the diferent guys and who they would date or go out and bang, Gwen gives ratings to most of them, the girls avoid asking her about Ben, but they all notice that they look at each other, they wanted to tease her but the way they looked at each other told them it would be a lost cause, Gwen stretches and does more splits making sure Ben looks at her, he enjoys the show and looks forward to the days when they practice, so when the day comes as the instructor says

"Well girls.....this is our last practice! So be ready! Let's start!"

Ben listens and sullens, he wishes this would have continued for more time, Gwen feels the same and looks at him and decides to give him a parting gift or a bigger incentive, so she does a split but this time she makes sure her cunt is in front of Ben, who widens his eyes and almost gasps and moans, she stretches and gets up and does her split again facing Ben, stretches and she gets up and does it for a third time, Ben moans in a low volume and the practice continues, this time lasts a little longer, and then it finishes and the males leave, Ben follows them, and after some minutes the girls dressed leave and they leave the theather, Gwen walks as she takes a direction, Ben has been waiting for her and walks towards her but then another girl walks topwards Gwen and they welcomed each other and start talking and Ben feels frustrated and looks on

"Shit! There goes my chance!............Hhmm that girl! The girl with the long braided hair!........Hallan? Michelle Hallan! She studies accounting!..........She is good friend with her!..........I will talk to her and hope she will introduce me to her! Or at least learn her name!"

and Ben walks away hoping he will succeed, and the karma train is nearing the collission point.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characters, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, Bytehoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration. 

                                        Gwen and Michelle walk towards their dorm and Michelle notices that Gwen is a little flushed and she wonders if she has talked to the guy she has noticed so they hurry a little and once they arrive, they enter their room and after closing the door and making sure they are alone she asks 

"All right Crazy what happened?"

"What are you talking about?"

Michelle rolls her eyes 

"Whatever happened between you and your crush!"

"I don't have a crush!"

"Pleeeeeeeease! You have been talking about him ever since you started your dance course!"

"I......I,,,,,,,,,,I haven't!"

"Yes you have! So what happened?"

she sighs 

"The instructor told us that today was our last class!"

"That sucks!'

"Yeah well the guys sounded disappointed! So........I..........decided........to.........give him............a view to remember!"

Michelle gasps and frows 

"What did you do Crazy?"

"I..........did a split in front of him! Three times! He got a view!"

"YOU DID WHAT!!!!!!????????"

"You heard me!"

"Why would you do that?"

Gwen can not answer 

"I don't know! I just wanted to do it! To him! And only him!"

she shakes her head 

"You got it bad for him,  you better be careful!"

"Why?"

"Gwen you were very forward! He will want a lot!"

"I only flirted a little!"

"You went beyond that "

"I wasn't that bad! It was a little flirt!"

"A little flirt would have been you smiling to him! Maybe a wink! Pushing it licking your lips! But spreading your legs and putting your cunt upfront is telling him come fuck me!"

Gwen seems to sullen and then says 

"He won't take advantage of me!"

"How can you be so sure?"

she ponders and 

"I don't know why and how but I do!"

Michelle looks at her and 

"I hope you are right, otherwise you are going to have a horny guy demanding to break your cherry!"

"He won't demand! And I want to!"

"You really have it bad Crazy!"

" I can't explain it Michelle! I feel like I should know him! Be with him! "

" I just hope you are right Gwen!"

and they talk more about other things. 

                                                   Ben meanwhile is walking for most observers he is simply doing his routine, but to those who know him, he is letting off steam, he is remembering the redheaded girl who spread her legs and showed him her cunt,  and he enjoyed it, he wonders if the rug matches the drapes and he feels his temperature rise along with other parts of his body and then he hears 

"Where are you going so fast Ben?"

"Huh? Paul? Just doing exercise!"

"Uh-huh! And yet I don't believe you!"

Ben chuckles 

"What do you want to hear?"

"That everything is fine! But I want the truth!"

"If you must know!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Today was the last day the dancers practiced!"

"And that has you depressed?"

"Actually remember the redhead I talked you about?"

"Sure!"

"Well before she left she did a split in front of me and I got an unobstructed view of her cunt! Her camel toe well defined! She did it three times!"

"She did?"

"Yes!"

"Man! You got it made! Easy score! You got her name and phone right?"

"Not yet!"

"Aw come on! Don't let her slip through your hands! She is an easy score!"

"I doubt it!"

"You don't know her Ben!"

"True! And yet I have the feeling she is not easy! And somehow she is only doing this with me! And I have no idea why I think this!"

Paul looks at him and 

"You really don't have a reason Ben! But if your gut tells you something,,,,,,,,,,,follow it! ..............Even if it seems improbable "

"Gee thanks!"

"Dude she is not being subtle! She is willing to get laid! She doesn't seem to to mind!"

"I like her!"

"How do you plan to ask her out?"

"She seems to be friends with a girl with long braided hair! I believe she is called Michelle Hallan in accounting. I plan to talk to her to get her name!"

"And if she doesn't know her?"

he sighs 

"Then I'll go to all schools!"

"Good luck!"

and they make small talk. 

                                                      In the next two days Ben goes to the accounting school hoping to find the redhead girl without any luck and then he sees the girl with long braided hair and aproaches her, Michele is walking without a care in the world and she notices a guy walking towards her and she looks slyly to him, she sees a tall man, unruly brown hair, green eyes and she admits to herself that he is handsome and the way he moves suggests he is athletic,  she decides to play hard to get but she then hears 

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you?"

she nods and they go outside and 

"How can I help you?"

Ben struggles and finally asks 

"Do you know a redheaded girl that went to dance practices?"

Michelle looks at him part of her annoyed and disappointed at the question and the other part amused at the lenghts he is going for Gwen 

"Maybe "

"What is her name?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"So I can.............ask her out!"

"He has guts! And he is handsome! No wonder Crazy has the hots for him!    What are you willing to do for the information?"

"You want money?"

she chuckles 

"More like asking me out and showing me a good time!"

Ben looks at her 

"I want to ask her out! Only her!"

"Damn He really likes her! I can see why! If he wasn't invested on Crazy I would show him my breasts! But I sense he would not bite! Gwen is lucky!          Look I can't give you her number and address,  she is called Gwen and you can find her in the crank  school!"

he frows and realization comes to him 

"The school of magic?"

"Yes!"

"But you won't tell me her schedule!"

"You have to prove you are for real!"

"I am!"

and he leaves as Michelle looks at him go and nods. 

                                                     Over at the building of magic Gwen is listening intently to the teacher and makes annotations  and after class as she prepares to leave the classroom the teacher aproaches her and 

"You made a lot of questions Gwen! You are applying yourself to this subject!"

"Thank you professor Hex! Look I know many people don't believe on what is taught here.......but sometimes I believe I can cast spells!"

"You may be one of those who can!"

"I doubt it! Anyway see you next class!"

"Until next class!    She can easily cast spells! She may be Hope's superior! She needs to be taught and guided!"

and Hex watches her go, and as Gwen reaches outside she is concentrating but sees the person she has wished to see as Ben is in front of her, her heart pounds on her ears as Ben's is pounding on his

"Oh! Hello!"

"Hello!"

there is silence for the next few minutes and 

"Long time no see!"

"Uh yeah! I didn't have your name, phone number and your major to know where to look for!"

"I just wanted to see if you were really interested!"

"I am!"

she smiles and 

"Good! What's your name?"

"Oh! Right!....Tennyson! Benjamin Kirby  Tennyson!"

she giggles and 

"Sorry! I have the same last name! Gwendolyn Rose Tennyson!"

"We have the same last name? Curious but my parents would have told me if I had a cousin named Gwendolyn!"

"And my parents would have told me if I had a cousin named Ben!"

"Anyway do you want to go out?"

"I hardly even know you!"

"That is why I am asking you out! So we can get to know each other!"

"When?"

"How about now? So we stay in campus and you can feel safe!"

she smirks 

"I can take care of myself! But to stay on campus is a good idea!"

and they walk all over campus and as the sun is setting they arrive to Gwen's dorm 

"So here we are!"

"Right!.............I had a good time.!"

"Enough to get a second date?"

she looks at him and nods 

"Sure! Now we know each other and you have my phone number!"

"I'll call you soon!"

"Okay!"

and they look at each other as they ponder on what to do next and finally Gwen gets closer to Ben and he gets closer and as they kiss they feel a jolt and they kiss more deeply and when they finish, they separate and smile and giggle as Ben leaves looking back as Gwen watches him go and she finally enters the dorm and Ben goes to his, neither of them knowing they are reaching the point of no return. 

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I get inspiration.

                                          Friedkin University, two weeks have passed and Ben and Gwen Tennyson have been seeing each other, they have had lunch together in the universtity's cafeteria and walked around campus, proper dates have only been three, a combination of Ben's training and Gwen's working on her grades to keep them up as to show that she deserves her college fund, not that she needed to, her maternal grandparents do not need proof, they know her, but she needs to show her worthyness, thus so far their make out sessions happen during their dates and they have not pass the make out limit, and in all of this they have talked about their families and discover something, they have small familes, and with that, they talk as little as they can, so they do not talk about their grandparents so they do not discover that they share a grandfather Max and of course grandmother Verdona, so they focus on them and at most their parents, so on their last date they talk a little about their families

"And that is what mom told me! I better not drop my average if I get a boyfriend!"

"Man! Your mom is though!"

"I know! Specially with Ken playing bass in a band since middle school! He is a good student! But hardly calls!"

"Who is Ken?"

"My older brother! By four years!"

"I see!.......So he plays the bass in a band?"

"Yes!"

"Cool!"

"Huh? You also play in a band?"

"Not as much anymore!"

"What do you play?"

"Guitar!"

"You two would get along!"

"Maybe! Is he any good?"

"Of course!"

"Like Paul?"

"Who's Paul?"

"My friend! The blond guy I sometimes talk with!"

"Right! Does he play the bass?"

"Yeah! He lets me play with him and his friends on their band!"

"I see!........I suppose you and Ken would hit it off! You would make a duet!"

"What about you?"

"I don't play any instrument!"

"But you dance!........And maybe sing?"

she chuckles

"I don't!......I have never tried!"

"Look maybe you should try it! If we can't finish school or don't get a job maybe we can work as a band!"

"And be the Ben's?"

he chuckles

"Well our names rhyme!.........But we share our last name!.............The Rhyming Tennysons!"

she looks at him and chuckles

"The Rhyming Tennysons! Ken! Ben and Gwen!"

he chuckles also

"We may not even need to be good! Our names may be our calling card!"

and they both laugh

"It would be funny!"

"Yeah!......Your brother sounds cool! Makes me wish I had an older brother!"

"What about Paul?"

"He is the closest to that, that I have!"

"So you're an only child!"

"I am! From what my parents tell me..........I was the only pregnancy to reach full term!"

"So they conceited you!"

"Mom is a little strict!"

"That is not enough to whine about her!"

"I know!.....The only thing I can complain about s her cooking!"

"It can't be that bad!"

"The newest fad is always what she cooks! And badly!.........And she tends to be vegetarian!"

"It is not that bad!"

"If I wasn't for me playing!...I need animal protein!"

"Right! You need many calories! Due to playing soccer!"

"That is why I sometimes pig out here!"

she chuckles

"When you look fit!"

"I exercise daily!"

"I know! You have great legs!"

he blushes slightly

"You do also!"

she also blushes

"You have never seen my legs!"

"I saw you in a leotard!"

"Right!..........But not completly!"

"But they are shapely!           Man! I am being bold!"

"He sure notices me! But I do notice him also!          Flattery will get you everything!"

he kisses her

"Good!"

and they continue making out and only that.

                                               Next day Gwen is humming happyly and Michelle looks at her and smiles, she is happy for her friend, ever since they met at the private school they have been close, they have gone through middle school, high school and all that implies that, her brother Elias crushed on her, Michelle crushed on Ken, and they shared about their boyfirends, heartbreaks, although Michelle has gone through more than her, so after class they talk

"So Crazy.....How's your relationship going?"

Gwen smiles and puts a face of satisfaction

"Great!"

she looks at her and

"Have...you.....done it?"

"Huh? NO!"

"You have cooled him down?"

Gwen ponders and frows

"No!.....I told you he would not try anything!"

she rolls her eyes

"Yeah! Yeah! You were right!............But you were very forward! I expected him to at the very least be all over you!"

Gwen looks on and

"It is more than lust Chelle! We are conected! I don't know how! But I feel we are meant to be together!"

she sighs

"You have fallen heads over heels Crazy! Be careful!"

Gwen chuckles

"It is decided Michelle! Soon he will have me! And I am happy!"

Michelle looks at her friend and shakes her head, but stays quiet and hopes for the best.

                                                 Ben has been happy during the last two weeks, sure he has had girlfriends before, but they were meaningless, he was young, inexperienced, inmature and more importantly, he now knows, he was not in love with them, he wonders if he was a jerk, but it is too late to do anything about it, and he believes that if he were to apologize to one of his exes it would be Julie Yamamoto, but he had learned she had started a new relationship soon after their break-up and her new boyfriend was more willing to drop everything to follow her tennis matches, but now, he can not describe it properly and then he hears

"Yo! Ben!"

"Paul!"

"How are you doing?"

"Fine!"

he nods and looking at him

"What about?"

"It's going great!"

he smirks

"Have you?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

Ben stays quiet and seems to be looking for words and finally

"This girl is not like the others I dated before!.........I have a conection with her!.............I don't just want to fuck her! I want....more!"

"Man you sure have fallen for her!"

"I told you before Paul!"

"So.........You will wait till both of you say I do!"

Ben chuckles

"No!........I just want her to know I am serious about our relationship!"

Paul looks at him and shakes his head

"She knows!"

"Oh? How do you know?"

"She spread her legs and you haven't fucked her! She knows you are serious!"

Ben nods and

"I know!........I just want my first time to be memorable!......I mean our first time!"

Paul chuckles

"Better get a room then!"

Ben looks at him and nods and starts to make plans.

                                             A week later Ben asks Gwen out, she says yes and she notices he is very nervous and understands it is time, she feels a little nervous, but at the same time she feels expectation and want and she decides to be ready so the day before the date she asks Ben

"Where are we going for our date?"

"We are going to Mr. A's!"

"Nice place!"

"I don't like to use them a lot! But I will use my suit and tie!"

she smirks

"Then I'll use one of my dresses!.......And you'll get to see my legs!"

"If I'm lucky I'll see more!         Good!"

and they hug and kiss, next day Ben picks her up, he is in a grey suit, blue tie

"Nice suit!........Is it the only one you have?"

"Actually I have a black suit!........A blue one.........and a light one!"

"I thought you didn't like suits!"

"Yeah well.......I had to use a suit for all interviews! I had to accept I needed suits! I also have a sport jacket!"

he looks at her in a black dress, skirt above the knees, but not to short, her arms were bare and she showed some cleavage, she does not use a lot of make-up, but still looks beautiful, so they walk to Ben's car and they drive to the restaurant, they eat a delicious dinner, and even dance, Gwen is pleasently surprised since he is a good dancer, and after ten o'çlock they leave and they talk and Gwen acts like she has noticed he is not taking the route to the university and she sees as he aproaches a hotel, a mid level one and he stops and seems to ponder and she asks

"Having second thoughts?"

he looks at her and chuckles

"Mostly how to ask you!"

she turns on her seat and smirking and in a low husky voice

"Directly!"

he smiles

"Do you want to........get laid?"

she kisses him and in a husky voice

"Sure!"

he puts the car in gear and drives to the hotel, he parks and they get out of the car and go to the lobby

"Reservation for Ben Tennyson and wife!"

""Humh! Yes! The room with the inside balcony! King sized bed! The champagne is cooling! Room 304! Any luggage?"

"No!"

"Very well ! Understood! Joe take the Tennysons to their room!"

and the Bell Boy does as he is told and once Ben gives him his tip and Gwen says

"Champagne! Fancy!"

blushing Ben pops the cork and serves a glass for her and one for him

"Yeah! Well...........This is my first time!"

she almost chokes on the champagne

"Cough!.........Really?"

"Yes!"

she chuckles

"You a jock? A virgin?"

he feels flustered and

"I never used that for my benefit!"

"I see............Don't feel bad!........I'm a virgin too!"

"You? As hot as you are?"

"They only want to get laid! Not be in a relationship!"

"But you are willing with me!"

she looks at him and

"You want a relationship!.............And I feel a conecttion with you!"

"Like we are meant to be together?"

"Yes!"

"So we feel the same!"

"We do!"

and they kiss and before long, they start to take off their clothes

"Wait!.......--------------------------she looks around and------------------This is the first time!-------------------she separates and seems tp be lsitening to atune on her head----------------------------------If I am to take off my clothes in front of a man for the first time!.............It will be a strip-tease! Like True Lies!"

Ben takes off his jacket and tie and sits on a chair as Gwen strats to dance and she takes off her shoes, then a brazelet and teasiling she takes off her dress and she is left on lingerie, with a belt and garther, Ben is mesmerized, as she unhooks her stockings and then takes them off one leg at a time, and throws them at him, then she takes off the belt amd she dances in her bra and thong, she unhooks her bra and gets her arms free, she dances and then throws her bra to Ben who sees her breasts, she then dances and then starts with her thong, she teases him with lowering it repeatdly and finally she shows him her bottom and she turns around covering her cunt and after a few rotations she throws her thong to Ben who sniffs them and watches her orange-red muff, he gets up and unbutton his pants, and lets them drop as he takes off his shoes and then his pants and he lowers his briefs and Gwen is pleasently surprised as his shaft is pointing straight to her, and while her disrobbing was graceful, Ben's is not so much, she looks at him and he unbuttons his shirt taking it off along with his t-shirt, his watch and finally his socks, they are completly nude and they hug, Ben feels her breasts and cunt on him and she feels his well toned body and his shaft poking her, he lifts her and takes her to bed and lays her down with care, she looks at him and she spreads her legs, he gulps and she nods, he starts to poke her cunt untill she grabs his dick and guides it to her entrance, she puts his tip in her entrance, he looks at her inquisivebly, she nods and he pushes finding resistance, he pushes with more energy and suddenly he is inside her, she yelps and moans, they kiss and he starts thrusting, Gwen moans, he does the same, he starts to move his cock around and Gwen moans louder and louder, they do so for some minutes and finally she screams as she orgasms and he does the same, specially with Gwen milking him, he finishes as does she, they kiss and they lay down side by side

"That was great!"

"It was amazing!"

"You have no regrets?"

she looks at him and

"Of course not!........Why are you so worried?"

Ben lowers his head and finally

"You are so smart! So proper! You have a brigth future! I'm just a jock! And from a sport not popular here!"

"That is not important!.......Youi are a good man! You stand up to bullies! Protect the weakes students! You are what I want!"

he smiles and kisses her, they drink more champagne and he eats her, she blows him, they fuck once more, they do a sixtynine, she rides him, they do it doggy-style and they finish the bottle of champagne and they finally go to sleep, it is late in the morning when they wake up, they see each other and smile

"Good morning!"

 and they kiss and look around and Ben notices the sunlight and deduces it is late, he looks at the clock on the night stand and sees they are two minutes away from ten o'çlock

"Shit! It's late!"

Gwen frows and looks at the clock and it's her turn to curse

"Damn! It is!"

"Good thing we decided to come on a Saturday!"

"No classes or training!"

Ben sits and

"We still better return!"

"Yes!"

and they get up and they go to the bathroom and they shower and there Gwen takes care of Ben's morning wood, their shower takes longer than usual and after they dry themselves up and they leave the room, they eat breakfast, Ben pays the rest of what he owes and they get in his car, they ride along town and finally they return to the university, he acomponies her to the entrance to the dorm and they kiss and make plans for the next day, and he goes to his dorm, Gwen goes to her room and gets in confortable clothes, she finiushes her work and when Michelle arrives she sees her looking out dreamly and understands her v-card has been taken, she has a lot of questions, but decides to wait for a better oportunity, Gwen looks towards Ben's dorm as Ben in his usual clothes as he looks towards Gwen's dorm, and they understand things now will never be the same.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whon I take inspiration.

                                              The next day they return to their usual routine, going to class, studying, training and be with each other every chance they have free, not an easy task considering the responsabilities that both of them have, not that it is a problem, Ben and \Gwen continue to talk, make out and when they are sure there is privacy they have intercourse and explore each other and learn new things, on this day they are on Ben's room, Gwen is sucking Ben's dick as he lowers her pants and panties and carries her to get her cunt on his face and he also starts licking, he explores with his tongue and finds her clit and sucks, Gwen moans and he continues to use his tongue more, so Gwen sucks even more and as they seem to suck more each other Ben cumms as does Gwen, they tense and then relax, Gwen gets Ben's cock out of her mouth and gives one final lick to make sure it is clean and Ben licks her pussy as she gets it off his face

"You are getting better at this!"

"You too Gwen!"

"Practice makes perfect!"

"Yes it does!"

they get up and start to dress

"You know this is anoying!"

"Getting laid?"

she chuckles and rolls her eyes

"No!........Having to hurry up because our roomates may return!"

"That's the problem when we live in diferent dorms!"

"I know!.......I wish we could solve this!"

"We can't move in together till next year!"

"Yeah!..????????What? You already asked?"

"Of course! It is the next step right?"

"Yes! But we may be moving too fast!"

"Maybe! But I feel it's right!"

"We have till next year!"

she smiles and kisses him

"Yes we do!"

and they leave the dorm, they walk down the campus holding hands when they notice they are on a lonely place of the campus, both of them act cool and they look around to see the shortest route to where is company and then they notice a group of athletes, they don't recognize them, but by their body build they assume they are football players, they act like nothing and search for the route when they hear

"Hey Babe! Leave that nerd and come with some real men!"

they tense, they are five of them, Gwen prepares to fight as Ben puts himself in front of her

"She is spoken for!"

the jocks laugh

"Look the pipsqueak wants to act though!------------and in a cold tone they say----------------Run away shorty!"

not that Ben was short, but he was lean and he raises his fists

"We are leaving!"

the laughs stop and they glare at him

"We tried to be nice! Don't cry for what is going to happen!"

and they go towards him and two of them go down surprised as Ben pounched them hard and a third one is flipped, he gets up quickly and tries to hit Ben from behind when he gets a kick to his midsection, he doubles in pain and gets hit on his chin and that is the last thing he remembers, the two jocks who were hit first say

"Wait till we get our hands on you bitch!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

and both Gwen and Ben fight side by side and the jocks are beaten, before they leave Ben tells them

"If I were you I would keep quiet about this!............Otherwise everybody will know you were beaten by a girl!"

they glare at them and nod, Ben and Gwen leave and once they can not see them

"Think they will keep quiet?"

he nods

"They are bullies!..........And entitled! They will not want to admit to being beaten by a woman! They are football players after all! They will be laughed at!"

"I guess!........You know martial arts?"

"Amateur!........My friend Paul is a black belt! When we were living in Belwood I had bullies after me constantly! So I asked him to teach me some moves! Mom never wanted me to go to a dojo! So Paul taught me in secret! I'm not as good as him but I can hold my own!......And he ingrained on me that I must use karate as a defense! Not to attack!"

"He is right you know!......A black belt?"

"Yeah!....Why?"

"I need someone to spar with! I haven't found a dojo!.....Maybe Paul can help me?"

he nods

"I'll ask him! Both of you are black belts! Maybe this way both of you can keep your edge!"

she nods and soon they ar surrounded by other students and make small talk.

                                              The next day in the afternoon Gwen is studying, she talked with Ben and told him she needed some time to finish her work and have more free time later in the month, he understood and decided to finish his asigments and to train more, so Gwen is lost in thought when she hears

"You're not with your boyfriend?"

she chuckles and rolls her eyes

"Don't act so surprised Michelle! We spend time together! But not 24/7!"

"Right! Just 23/6!"

Gwen laughs softly

"We're not that bad!"

"Crazy! You have a smile of satisfaction you haven't hidden well in the last few weeks!......You did it! Right?"

Gwen blushes and smiles

"Yes!"

"How was it?"

"Great!"

"That's all?"

Gwen rolls her eyes

"We have done it! If you want more....read Lady Chatterly's Lover, some things are private!....Intimate!"

"Aw! Come on Crazy!..........Just a little bit?"

Gwen chuckles and

"Okay!........But not too explicit!"

"Boooh!"

and Gwen laughs and then proceeds to talk about her intimate life with Ben

"And that is all!......Thus far!"

Michelle just says

"Damn Crazy! You sure made up for time!"

"Yes we have! We are thinking of moving in together next year!"

"Well I would prefer to keep you as a roomate!......But it is understandable you want to live with your boyfriend!"

"We don't want to hide! And we need privacy!"

"It is the logical next step!...........And meeting your parents! And you his!"

Gwen sullens

"Oh! Right!"

Michelle looks at her and

"Your parents don't seem too traditional Gwen!"

"I just hope mom doesn't want me to marry one of the sons of her friends!"

"You think they won't accept Ben?"

"I don't know!"

and they stay quiet for a few minutes and then continue talking about other details of the relationship.

                                                Ben is finishing his latest cycle of exercises, he then goes to hit the ball towards diferent points in the goal box, and he does from diferent distances and diferent positions, of course he knows that during a game there are more people and hitting for a goal, but continues training and then he hears

"You have energy to train? I'm impressed at your stamina!"

"Come on Paul! Why should I not have energy?"

"Drop the inocent act! You have done it right?"

Ben looks around and

"Not so loud! It is a private matter!"

Paul looks at him and nods

"Right sorry!"

"Thanks!"

he nods and

"How are things going on?"

"Great!..........We are planning to live together next year!"

"That is a big step! Are you sure Ben?"

"Yes!"

he looks at him and nods

"You are no longer a kid!"

he nods

"I will need guidance from time to time!"

"Of course! Just remember that the final decision falls on you!"

"I know!"

"Has the sex been great?"

he reddens

"Yes!"

"Your first sex partner is always special!"

"It's more than sex!"

"Even better!"

"By the way!.............I told her that you were a black belt in karate and had trained me!"

"What happened?"

"Hum!.....Nothing!"

he looks at him and

"You beat up the football bullies?"

"No!..........we both did!"

"Wow!"

"Don't say a thing! Please!"

"Of course! It would end badly!"

he nods

"Anyway! She asked me if you will consider sparring with her!"

"I don't know!"

"She is a black belt!"

he nods and

"I will consider it!"

"It would benefit both of you!"

"Yes!.....Have you met her parents?"

"Not yet!"

"Have your parents met her?"

"No!"

"When that happens it will be serious! Very serious!"

"I know!"

"Your parents are cool! It won't be a problem!"

"I hope so!"

Paul looks at him

"If you are unsure don't force the sittuation Ben!"

"I understand!"

and they talk about their future gigs and small talk.

                                               A few weeks later as the relationship between Ben and Gwen grows and gets stronger they decide to inform their parents, by telephone, wich is the most convinient way, so one day Gwen calls her parents

"Hello? Gwen?"

"Yes mom! Hello!"

"Is something wrong?"

"No! Everything's all right!"

"Good!......So what's the problem?"

"I.....I.....I have a boyfriend!"

"That's good Silly Bean!"

"Maybe we will visit you in the next months!"

"The it's serious!"

"It is!"

"Just rememeber that not all college romances are for life!"

"I believe we are!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself Gwen!"

"Okay mom!"

and they talk about her grades; a day later Ben calls home and

"Hello? Ben?"

"Hi mom!"

"Sandra! Call me Sandra!"

"Yes mom!"

she sighs and

"Is something worng?"

"Nothing!"

"Then?"

"Ihaveagrilfriend!"

"Oh! Good!"

"We have been going out for a few months!"

"You are in the phase of your life,that you must be with someone!"

"At some point I plan for you to meet her!"

"I'm looking forward to it! I hope she is a nice girl!"

"She is!"

"I hope you are right! You men fall for a pretty face and don't look at the important things!"

"Moooommmmm!"

and they continue talking and the crossroad is getting closer and closer.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, apecially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                          In the next few months the relationship between Gwen and Ben grows and strenghten, they learn more from the other's parents, but not more from the extended Tennyson family, they omit the tension with their parents thus avoiding talking about their grandparents so a way to find their common relatives is avoided, they practice karate and Ben admits that Gwen is the better fighter and better student, still Ben is a good student and a good athlete and Gwen confirms that Ben stands up to bullies and protects the weaker students, they have their diferences, but nothing major, they are able to work it out and the make-up sex is great, also Michelle and Paul are good confidants and advise them, so all seems in bliss, during the holidays, they both visit their parents, telling them as little as they can about their relationship, but their parents decide not to press and decide to let them be, they remember how college relationships are, and know that untill they decide to meet the in-laws it is not serious, they text each other and when they return to class thyey act like they have not seen each other in months, they restart from where they left of, they present their exams and pass to their next semester, and a few weeks before spring break they talk

"What are your plans?"

Gwen looks at him

"For Spring Break?..........Truth be told I am not interested on going to the beach! I have been to it, many times! And I don't want to get drunked!"

"Bad experiences?"

she ponders and

"No!.....But I have seen many classmates drinking.............it is not cool!"

"I know!......I understand!"

"What about you?"

"I am conflicted!.........I want to train!.........But many people tell me not to do it to avoid burn out!"

"So you want to go with the others to......"

"No! I risk injury in a wild party!"

"You are being a little too careful!"

he chuckles

"I am on a sport scholarship!"

"Right! I over looked that!"

"So it apears we are going to be the two most boring students in Friedkin then!"

she chuckles

"Yes!......It apears so!"

they stay quiet for a few minutes and Ben speaks

"And if we visit each other?"

"But then, that would mean?"

"Yes! Let's meet our parents!"

"Are you sure?"

he looks at her

"Of course!.......You don't want to?"

"Yes I do! I just worry.........that it will be a lot of pressure for you!"

"I think the same about you!"

"It would be a big step!"

"We'll have to take it eventually!"

"Yes!.............How would we do it?"

"We would go and visit my parents so you can meet them!"

she looks at him and

"I thought we would go visit my parents so you can meet them!"

he looks back at her and

"My parents are closer!"

"The man meets the in-laws first!"

"From what you have told me.....your parents, specifically your mother is very strict!......I figured that my parents are not so it would be easier to have support from them!"

"My mom is not an ogre!"

"I know!..........But am I the boyfriend your mother wants for you?"

she glares at him, and finally sighs

"No you're not! But she won't say anything!.......She will if I meet your parents first!"

"Great! My mom will also be upset!"

"So what do we do?"

he ponders and

"We think it over"

"Agreed!"

and they ponder for the next few days.

                                             The next days the relationship cools somewhat, they still talk and go out and have sex but not as frequently as before, Ben proposes flipping a coin but Gwen of course opposed, and they continue to be at a standstill and one day as Gwen is leaving class she is called

"Gwendolyn! Can you stay for a few minutes?"

"Sure profesor Hex!"

and Gwen follows him to his office, they enter he sits behind a desk and she in front of it

"You are once more the most advanced student in the course Gwendolyn!"

"Thank you profesor Hex!"

he nods and

"Look! I know most students consider this a......fad course! Influenced by the Harry Potter fans!"

she chuckles and nods

"Yes they do!"

he chuckles and nods and then he says an incantion and a book flies from his bookstand to his hand and Gwen looks at him in awe

"Magic is real! Most wizards and Sorcerres hide to avoid persecuttion!.........And there are people who can harnnes magic in the general populattion!.......You are one of them!"

"I...I...I can not do what you can!"

"Yes you can! You can learn spells, concentrate and be a sorccerres!"

"How?"

he gives her the book

"You can read and learn spells from this book!"

"I can't take this book!"

"Nonsense! You can! It is the next step in your educattion! Don't worry you will not join a cult or a covenant!"

"So all magic users are friendly?"

"No! That is why you must learn spells! So you can defend yourself!"

"I see...............and if I don't want to?"

"Sadly.......for some magic users......that does not matter!"

she sullens and sees the spellbook

"I don't know if I can learn anything!"

Hex looks at her and

"Did you have a fight with Ben?"

"No!......It's just...........you know?"

Hex chuckles

"He comes around this faculty a lot!......And you go to the soccer match! You have not missed one match! It is obvious!........Along with you walking around campus holding hands!"

"Oh! I figured no one would notice!"

he chuckles

"You haven't hide! And there is nothing wrong with what you are doing!"

"Right!"

and she seems to sullen

"Is something wrong?"

"It's something silly!"

"But it is gnawing at you!"

Gwen sighs and

"We want to meet each other's parents!"

"It is serious then!"

"But we can't decide wich parents to meet first!"

"Ah! I see!"

"I worry.........I worry this will separate us!"

"You need to talk with him!"

"We can't reach a decision! What if?"

"Comunicattion and compromise is the key Gwendolyn!"

"Compromise?"

"Both of you must compromise!...........Otherwise each of you will resent the other!"

"I see!"

and Gwen ponders, on the soccer field as Ben is leaving he is aproached by his friend Paul

"So Ben! What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!"

"So you and Gwen have decided to cool things off?"

Ben stops and sighs

"Not exactly!"

'Then?"

Ben seems to struggle and finally

"We want to meet each other's parents! We haven't decided who to meet first!"

Paul chuckles

"is that all?"

"Hey it's serious!"

"I know!.......Look regardless of who wants to meet the in-laws first!..........It does not have to be option A or option B! You can have more options!"

"More options?"

"Come on Ben! You usually are the one to come up with creative soluttions!"

he nods and starts to ponder and looks for alternatives.

                                             A week later Gwen and Ben meet up, they have considered what they were told and finally have a propossal, once they are alone and hug and kiss they look at  each other

"I have an idea!"

"Me too!"

"What is it?"

and they stop and look at each other and Ben nods and Gwen talks

"How about we meet our parents at the same time?"

"Yes!...........We invite them for lunch on this town so they can also meet each other!"

"Yes!"

"Of course it must be after spring break! So we do not deal with partygoers!"

"Yes! Good plan! So what do we do during spring break?"

"Rosarito!"

she nods and

"San Felipe?"

he shakes his head

No!"

"Why not?"

"Look the water is warm and the sea calm! But it is an incline! Two three steps and you are up to your neck! And the sand is black and you can sink easily! A lot of devil rays! And if there is a storm.........it's like boiling chocolate and you can be pulled down under and drown!"

"Really?"

"It's not like La Paz!"

"But in Rosarito the water must be cold!"

"True! But there is a better night life!"

and Gwen smiles and nods, so by spring Break they go to Rosarito, Paul and his grilfriend acompany them and since they are two couples they rent two rooms and each couple sleep in one, Ben and Gwen enjoy their time, Paul has visited before and he guides them to avoid problems, and they return happy to school.

                                            A week later Ben and Gwen look at the calendar and decide on the date for the meet up, Gwen asks if she can invite more people and Ben says yes as long as he can do the same and she agrees so they make plans and they call their parents, Gwen calls late afternoon, early evening and

"Tennyson residence!"

"Hello mom! It's me Gwendolyn!"

"Gwen! Hello! How is school?"

"Fine mom! How are you and dad?"

"Fine Silly Bean!"

there is silence and finally Gwen speaks

"Mom! I have a boyfriend!"

"Oh! Good!"

"I want you and dad to meet him!"

"Okay! When are you coming?"

she tenses and

"We want to meet up in a restaurant, so you can meet his parents also! I will meet them also!"

"Why so convulated?"

"We want to meet our parents at the same time!"

Natalie sighs

"A compromise?"

"Yes!"

"Then it's serious!"

"I have never felt this way before!"

"And quoting old songs!"

"Mooomm!"

"I'll talk to your father! When is this lunch?"

and Gwen gives the day, time and address for the lunch; and on his dorm Ben calls his parents

"Hello? Tennyson house!"

"Mom? Hi! It's me Ben!"

and in a happy tone Sandra answers

"Ben! How are you? Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine mom! Everything's fine!"

"Good! So what's up?"

Ben ponders for a few seconds and

"I have a girlfriend!"

"That's nice!"

Ben doesn't hear the hint of jelousy

"I want you and dad to meet her!"

"When are you coming?"

"Actually we are inviting you to lunch so I can meet her parents and you meet them!"

Sandra is surprised

"Then it's very serious?.....Is she?"

"NO!! But it is serious!"

"Okay! So when?"

and Ben tells her all the relevant data: Gwen after calling her parents called her brother Ken

"Hi sis! Is there a problem?"

"No! Why does everybody ask that?"

Ken chuckles

"You are in university sis! We are not suposed to call our parents and relatives unless something is wrong"

"So cynical!"

"I already have gone though it sis!"

"I know!.........Look I have a boyfriend!"

"Good for you!"

"We are having a lunch so he can meet mom and dad! And I can meet his parents!"

Ken stays silent and finally

"Serious then!"

"Yes! I want you to be there also!"

"Sure! When is it?"

and Gwen give shim the details

"I'll call grandpa Max also!"

Ken chuckles

"if he arrives on his hawaiian shirt mom is going to have a fit!"

"He sure likes it! You made a good gift Ken!"

"I knew grandpa would like it! I'll be calling you to learn more about my brother-in-law!"

she chuckles and they make small talk, after the call ends she calls her grandfather

"Hello Pumpkin! How are you?"

"Fine grandpa! And you?"

"Also fine! So to what do I owe the honor?"

"I have a boyfriend grandpa! We are inviting you to lunch so you can meet him along with mom and dad and his parents, and I believe his grandpa also!"

"When is it?--------------------and she tells him-------------------------Can you repeat it Pumpkin?-----------------------and she does-------------------I see.........I'll be there!"

"Thanks grandpa!"

"Sure Pumpkin!----------------------------and Max looks at the date, hour and address and compares it to the previous note he wrote by the informattion given to him by Ben---------------The same date! The same hour! The same address!..............And the same reason!.......Karma is a bitch! Big time bitch! This is going to get ugly!"

and Max looks on and sighs and knows it will be big.

                                              The big day arrives and the Tennyson brothers with their wives arrive at Jimmy´s restaurant, Carl and Sandra arrived first, they entered the restaurant and asked for the Tennyson party and they are taken to a side hall with a big table and they are seated, they order some drinks, mostly juice and water, five minutes later Frank and Natalie arrive and follow the same proccess and they are taken to the table and they are shocked when they see who is sitting there, Sandra and Carl are also shocked when they see who arrives, they stay quiet as the waiters bring their drinks and once they are alone Natalie says

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Ben! What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Gwen!....Get out!"

"NO! You get out!"

Frank and Carl look at each other and huff and finally Frank says

"Lilly wait! Gwen must arrive soon! We'll clear this up!"

Natalie and Sandra glare at each other and they stay quiet, Frank and Carl sit and look away, outside Ben parks his car and gets out and helps Gwen and they look at each other and nod and they enter the restaurant as the awesomemobile parks and Ken gets out and goes to the restaurant as the Rustbucket enters the parking lot; inside the restaurant Ben and Gwen are taken to the table and as they enter, they see their parents seated and when they see them they ask

"What are you doing with him/her?" 

they look at them and Ben says

"She's my girlfriend!"

"He's my boyfriend!"

there is a tense silence as Ken arrives, he frows and looks at Carl and Sandra, and then Ben and he frows and ponders

"Uncle Carl? Aunt Sandra?..............Ben?"

Gwen looks at him

"You know them?........They are our uncle and aunt? How?"

"I am unsure! I had not seen them since you were born!........And after that I never saw them again!"

"And you never told me?"

"Mom and dad told me we would never see them again and to never mention them again!"

"What is their relationship?"

and they hear from behind

"They are brothers!"

"WHAT?????"

"Then we are........cousins?"

Max sullens

"Yes Kiddo! You are cousins!"

"No! No! No! No! No!"

"Gwendolyn calm down! Just dump him and get it over with!"

Gwen looks at her mother in shock and then frows

"Why did you keep this from me?"

Natalie tenses and

"We don't want them to be in our lives!"

"We don't want them to be in our lives!"

Ben looks at his mother

"Why?"

both women look the other way from the other and Gwen asks

"Why?"

"Just end it Ben!"

Ben and Gwen look at each other and holding back tears they turn towards their parents

"You don't tell me what to do!!!!!"

"We will decide on our own!"

Frank speaks

"We are your parents! You will do as we say!"

"End this now!!!"

Carl finishes

Gwen glares at them

"Don't ever talk to us again!"

"You don't tell us what to do!"

and holding hands they leave the restaurant and they ignore their parents as they call to them, Ken follows them and looks as they board Ben's car and drive away, he turns towards the table where his parents are and shakes his head and leaves, meanwhile the couples are discussing without raising their voices as Max sits and looks at them, Frank finally says

"This is your fault dad! You should have told us!"

"Yeah! Why didn't you say anything?"

Max looks at them and glares at all of them

"Because my spoiled brat sons and their wives forbade me to tell them anything about the other, and did not want to know anything about their nephew/niece! You are responsible for this mess! If you allowed to tell them that they had a cousin and that they were in the same university.............all of this could have been avoided!"

they are shocked at Max{s bluntness and try to protest but Max glares at them and they stay quiet, they stay quiet for a few minutes and after a while Carl and Sandra get up and leave, a few minutes later Frank and Natalie leave, Max looks at them go, the waiter arrives and asks if the party is cancelled, Max nods and asks for a menu and eats and ponders and he gets his phone out and makes a call.

                                                  Friedkin University, on the parking lot Ben parks, the ride was in silent, or rather mostly silent, he has heard Gwen's sobs and he controils his inner turmoil, he turns towards her and

"Are you okay?"

she finally cries and he hugs her and stay that way for a while, and finally she controls herself and then

"Ben! How could they do this?"

"I don't know!.........We better ask grandpa Max!"

she nods and

"It won't change a thing though! We can't be together!"

he looks at her

"Why not?"

"It's ilegal! We will be pointed out!"

"It is not ilegal! Not everywhere at least!"

"Ben!"

"Gwen!"

they look at each other and

"We must think this through!"

"But!"

"This is not an easy decision Ben! We must do was right!"

and she leaves as Ben ponders on what to do next.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characters, I alos like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                             Friedkin Universtity, a somewhat conventional university in the United Sates, there are students from all over the country and other parts of the world, and among all of those students there are two who untill very recently learned that they were related, that their fathers are brothers wich makes them cousins, first cousins, under other circumstances it would not be a problem, but they are in a relationship and it has not been platonic and that is what has them in a bind and they have not talked ever since they learned the truth wich only has compounded the problem, it has been two weeks and as Gwen is leaving the class of magic arts she hears her name

"Miss Tennyson?"

"Uh? Profesor Hex!"

"May I have a word?"

"Of course!"

and they go to Hex's office, they enter and he shows her a chair and she takes it as he puts himself in front of his desk, he looks at her and

"Have you learned any spells?"

"Uh! No!"

he looks at her and

"Are they too dificult?"

"A little..............No! I haven't tried to cast any of them Profesor Hex!"

"I see!...............Is something wrong?"

Gwen looks at him and wants to say what is wrong but

"Nothing profesor!"

he looks at her and she feels he is looking through her and

"So you have no problems with Ben Tennyson?"

"N...n....n...no!"

"And yet you have!"

she lowers her head and

"Please profesor......"

he smiles and

"You don't have to tell me anything Gwendolyn!.........I will give you a bit of advice!..............Whatever the problem you may have..........talk to him! It is the only thing that can solve problems!"

"Not always profesor!"

he frows and

"I see!..........But you must talk together to find a solution! Regardless of what the problem is!"

"I'll try profesor!"

he nods and watches her go and sighs and hopes she takes his advice; later that day Gwen is in her dorm and looks at her books and might as well look at the ceiling, paint drying, when a girl with long braided hair enters and

"Okay Crazy.......Spill it!"

"Michelle? I don't know what you are talking about!"

"Bullshit! You have not talked to me in two weeks after you went to meet your parents and his! And you and Ben have not talked ever since! Something happened! And it's big!....WHAT HAPPENED???!!!!"

Gwen looks at her and holding back tears says

"I can't tell you Michelle!"

"Why not? Is it about the mob?"

"No!"

"Is it the a state secret?"

"Of course not!"

"Are your families sworn enemies?"

"Might as a well!"

Michelle looks surprised

"Really? You can't stop a relationship due to your parents hang-ups!"

"It's worse than that!"

"What can be so bad?"

Gwen sullens and

"We are cousins! Our fathers are brothers!"

and Gwen sobs quietly and some tears run down her cheeks

'Is that all?  I expected something worse or bigger!"

"Michelle this is big!"

"Is it?"

Gwen looks at her stuned

"Michelle cousin marriage is frowed upon, it is ilegal in some states!"

"I seeee............is it ilegal here?"

"No! It is ilegal in half of the states!"

"Sooo....you have iunvestigated! It is not as big as you have said!"

Gwen stays quiet

"It is Michelle! Ben could posibly loose his scholarship!...........And I am sure my parents will not allow me to access my college fund!"

"So you can't live without money!"

"It isn't that!...........I declined scholarships due to having a college fund!.........I doubt I could apply for one now!"

"And your parents control your fund?"

"No! My grandparents do!"

"Maybe they'll be more tolerant!"

"It may hurt Ben!"

"But you don't know that!.....You should ask him!"

she chuckles

"He won't care!"

"So....what's the problem?"

"It is wrong!"

"Because you make it wrong! It's no big deal!"

"You don't know what you're saying!"

she looks at her and rolls her eyes

"Crazy! You remember the authographed photo my mom has in her room?"

"You mean the Jamie Farr photo?"

"Yes! You know why mom has it?"

"????????She's a MASH fan?"

Michelle chuckles

"In part.........but Jamie Farr looks like her first love! Her cousin!"

"What?"

"Mom was in love with her cousin! And if not for unforeseeble sittuattions they could not get married! Otherwise....."

"There wouldn't be a problem if they had married?"

"None! Cousin marriagge is not ilegal in my mother's country of origin!"

"But here......"

"Is divided! And I can bet you that the people that will opose you more and make more fun of you have at least made out with their cousins!"

"Michelle!"

"It's true Crazy! Sometimes they believe they are not being heard! But they are! And alcohol loosens tongues! You are not as unique as you think you are!"

"I don't know what Ben will do!"

"You better talk to him then!"

and Gwen nods and ponders on what to do.

                                           Ben Tennyson has been a ghost during the last two weeks, he has gone to class and been present, even his training and training with his teammates, he is mostly reacting, and he mostly lays on his bed and looks at the ceiling, on this day he is walking towards his dorm he is aproached by his friend Paul

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Who?...Paul!"

"Yeah remember me? Where?"

"I'm going to my dorm!"

"Are you going to study?"

"Y-y-y-yeah!"

"Sure!...........What happened with Gwen?"

"N-n-n-nothing!"

Paul looks at him

"I have never considered you dumb Ben! Don't consider me dumb!"

Ben looks at him and wants to consider lying

"What happened was..........our fathers are brothers! We are cousins!"

Paul looks at him and frows and finally

"Shit! That's heavy! Why didn't you know about?"

"It seems our mothers had a big fight and separated us! To never mention to each other the existence of the other!"

"What the fuck?"

"I know!"

"To avoid!.......To deny your existence!"

"More! It apears that we were denied the existence of more family members! I have been asking my/our grandfather!"

"I see....now what?"

"I don't know!"

"Haven't you talked to Gwen?"

"She said we shouldn't talk anymore!"

"And you accepted?"

"I had no choice!........And she's right!"

"She is?"

"We are cousins!........It may hinder Gwen!"

"Why?"

"It is ilegal! It is a sin! It is socially unacceptable!"

Paul looks at him and

"Not on all states! Not a sin! As for being unacceptable.......Darwin married his cousin and also did Enistein! No biggie!"

"This is serious Paul!"

"I am serious Ben! Darwin and Enstein married their cousins! As for not being a sin............in the Bible there are a lot of cousin marriages!"

"Still......she may lose her college fund and then what?"

Paul looks at him and

"That is up to Gwen! Not you!"

"I would be selfish Paul! I will not be able to renounce to her!"

Paul nods

"And what if she doesn't want to renounce to you?"

"It would be a mistake!"

"I can't!"

"You must!"

and Paul leaves and Ben is left pondering.

                                             For the rest of the day they ponder and are unable to reach a conclussion and they go to sleep and the next day they go to class and do their projects, once Ben finishes his training Ben goes searching for Gwen, she is pondering as she walks around campus and finally she sees him, Ben and he sees her and walks towards her and she takes a few steps towards him and they finally are face-to-face

"Ben!.........We......have.......to....talk!"

"Yes! We have to!"

"We are cousins Ben! We would not be able to visit all fifty states!......You could lose your scholarship!"

"I don't care!.......What about your college fund?"

"I have no idea!........It is not important! But I can't be the cause of you losing your tuition!"

"I'll work! And if it comes down to it!........I'll work to pay yours also!"

"No Ben! Don't! I don't love you!"

she says as she turns to leave but he puts his hands on her shoulders and turns her around

"Tell that to my face! Look at my eyes!"

she controls herself and tries to say no but she can not speak and then she cries and starts to kiss him

"I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Ben returns the kisses and carries her to some bushes, this is a lonely part of the campus so they kiss as Ben puts her skirt up and sees her panties, he lowers them and she spreads her legs, he unbutton and lowers his zipper and pants along with his briefs as his cock springs forward, he puts it on her cunt, she grabs it and puts it on her entrance and Ben penetrates her, she moans as does he and he thrusts as she responds and they continue for the next minutes and they both tense and a few moments later they orgasm, Ben cumms and fills her up, and then they kiss and then they separate

"So this means we are back on! Right?"

"Yes!"

she nods and he does the same

"Look whatever they send against us! We'll face it together!"

she smiles and kisses him as she feels herself feel invencible.

                                            They stay quiet and still for a few minutes and then they look for their clothes and making sure they are not being seen they get dressed and they get out of the bushes and then they walk holding hands and as they prepare to get to the central garden when they hear

"So you made up?"

"Who?'

"Ken!"

"Hi sis!----------and turning to Ben------------------And cousin Ben! I hadn't seen you since you were born!"

Gwen hugs him and Ben looks at him as Ken gives him his hand and Ben shakes his hand

"That long ago?"

"Yeah!"

"Why didn't you tell me about Ben, Ken?"

"i was a kid Gwen! And we never saw them again! Never mentioned them again!...........I was unsure if they were real!"

"But you remembered them!"

"With dificulty! But once I saw them again I remembered!"

"Don't be hard on him Gwen!...........Our parents are the real.."

"Ben!"

"Fine!"

Ken chuckles

"Look I understand your anger! I am also angry!....Of course you should be angrier! It sure dampened your relationship for a while!"

"It is not an easy situattion Ken! maybe if we had known we would never had..."

"Or you still would have!"

"Don't joke Ken!"

"Cousins crush on each other Gwen! They fall in love! You are not the first pair of cousins to fall in love! You will not be the last!"

Ben and Gwen look at each other

"Our parents wil oppose us! Right?"

"Right!"

they sullen and then Ben gets a determined look

"I won't let them stop me!"

"Me too!"

Ken chuckles

"Good! I may not be able to help you a lot! But I'll do as best I can!"

"Thanks bro!"

"Besides I always wanted a little brother! To go to soccer games with him!"

"I play soccer!"

"I know!"

"Boys!"

"Hey we also play music! You play the guitar right?"

"Right! And you the bass! Right?"

"Yes! So the Rhyming Tennysons?"

Ben chuckles

"Only if Gwen can sing!"

"We're doomed then!"

"Hey!"

and they laugh and

"Look let's go eat some burguers! My treat! If you want to go to clean up after you....."

"Ken!"

"Sis! You don't hide it very well!"

"Be more discret will you?"

"Me? What about you two?"

and they talk as they walk to have some family time.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                            Max leaves Jimmy's restaurant, he is anoyed, although he expected this, he hoped that his sons with their wives would rise to the ocassion, but their pride is bigger, also Ben and Gwen dropped an H-Bomb on their parents, who are after all the ones responsible for this debacle, he made a call, it had to be done, he knows what is next and he warned them, as to not be blindsided, he drives and looks for the road out of the town and he sees him, parked on the side of the street is the Awesomemobile and Ken is leaning back on the door, Max slows down and parks ahead of Ken and he walks towards his window

"Is something wrong Kiddo?"

"Besides our family relations? Nothing!.........But I am hungry!..........And we need to talk!"

Max smirks and nods

"Yes we do!"

Ken points ahead and

"In the next corner turn right three blocks ahead and then turn left and to your right there will be a burger place!"

"Got it! Let's go!"

and they drive, Max arrives first and a few minutes later Ken, they park and go inside, order their food and once they have it, they go to the Rustbucket and sit down and eat, they eat slowly and finally when they are almost finished Ken asks

"Why didn't you tell me grandpa?"

Max exhales and looks on and

"You have noticed that my relationship with your father and uncle is........tense!"

"I know!"

"In order to be with the three of you I had to agree to your parents demands! I did not like it! But I had no choice!"

Ken nods

"I wish I could say I am surprised!.........But I expected this!"

"I should have tried something!"

Ken ponders and

"Grandpa........why did mom and aunt Sandra fight?"

Max looks at him and sighs

"Sandra resents your mother because she is too controling! She reminds her of her mother! She hasn't talked to them ever since college! They haven't met Carl and Ben,......in fact the only relative from her side of the family is her brother Eric"

"He is the only one who talks to them?"

"He is disowned by his parents!"

"Why?"

"Your aunt Sandra's parents are very religious and strict! And Eric is gay....for them he lives in sin! Sandra doesn't care! She has never stoped talking to him!"

"Like she should!"

Max nods

"Yes!"

"Mom is not intolerant though!"

"I know! But she is controlling and strict!"

Ken nods

"That is why aunt Sandra doesn't like mom! Who does mom dislike aunt Sandra?"

"Your mother rebelled towards your grandparents Ken! She didn't want to be like your grandmother!"

"But she turned into her!"

"To a certain point anyway!.....And she is envious of Sandra because she avoided turning into her mother!"

"Jelousy! Envy! Man! And what was the excuse to....?"

Max sighs and

"Your aunt Sandra and uncle Carl had problems concibing! They had trouble to concibe Ben!"

"Was it that bad?"

"Yes!....... And your parents easily had two children!"

"Oh! I see!"

"It was also the timing Ken! Your mother getting pregnant at the same time Sandra finally got pregnant with Ben!............It was bad!"

"Mom should not have gotten pregnant!"

"It was not on purpose Ken!...........Your father told me it was the time that your mother had to stop using the pill and the other anticonceptive methods were not as efective!"

"And that made aunt Sandra mad?"

"She took it as a jab towards her situattion!"

"And?"

"Your mother acted a little snoby as always!"

Ken shakes his head

"Unbelievable!"

"And the rest is history! Till today!"

Ken stays quiet and finally asks

"Do we have more family?"

Max nods

"Yes! My sister Vera! My bother Gordon and his wife and their son Joel with his wife!"

"We have lost family relations due to a silly fight?"

Max nods

"Yes! Sorry Ken!"

they ponder and

"What now grandpa?"

he sighs and

"We give Ben and Gwen space and time and when they deal with their issues we will see!.........But I will support them! Whatever decision they make!"

"I agree!...........Just one more thing grandpa!"

he raises his eyebrows

"Yes?"

"Describe Ben to me and the rest of the family!"

Max smiles

"Very well!"

and for the next hours Max talks to Ken about the Tennyson family and mostly Ben.

                                              A few days later Max is driving towards Belwood, he received a call from his son amd was asked to go and visit them and talk, Max knows it is to berate him, he allows it because he feels guilty for not spending more time with his sons, so he arrives to his younger son's home, he parks on the curb, he steps out and knocks on the door, Sandra opens the door and invites him in and in the living room Carl is sitting and is pondering and he looks at his father and frows

"How could you allow this dad? It's a disaster!"

Max looks at him, he was prepared for the berating but suddenly he says

"I followed what you and your brother demanded of me!"

"You should have told us!"

he looks at his son and chuckles

"I tried to Carl! I tried to! You shut me up each time I tried to tell you about Gwen, Ken, Natalie and Frank! You told me to stop or I would be ghosted! Like kids today say!"

Carl wants to retort but stays quiet and Sandra says

"Max you could have found a way to inform us!"

"Then I would be ostrascized! I would not be here!"

Sandra lowers her head and

"I know!"

"Look dad! I would apreciate if you would talk to Ben and tell him to break it off with Gwen!"

Max looks at them and

"No!"

"Max! Please!"

"No! You do your own dirty work!"

Carl scowls

"Fine! I'll talk to the dean and have him transfer schools!"

Max chuckles

"You think he is in High School? He is in university! He doesn't need parental consent!"

"We'll take away his tuition!"

"He has a sports scholarship! You don't send him too much money! In fact he works part-time in town! He won't miss your money much!"

"I can make things dificult for him and the university!"

"Go ahead!.............You do that he will not be able to get another scholarship and you will have to pay then!"

Carl tenses and

"He doesn't know what he is doing!"

"I already had this conversattion! And it didn't do any good!"

"Look I don't care what Frank did!"

"I wasn't talking about Frank!"

Carl tenses

"It was diferent!"

"Of course! But the basis is the same!"

"He is in a relationship with his cousin! That has never happened!"

Max smirks

"Really?.......If Becky had not been impregnated by her then boyfriend!............What would you be doing now?"

"No! I would still be with Sandra!"

and Sandra says

"Carl! Please! You sometimes give her longing looks!"

"No! Sandra! I love you!"

"But she was your first crush! And she has the slut vibes! She used to smirk towards me as to dare me that she could take you at any time!"

"I love you Sandra!" 

"I know Carl! That is why I never engaged her! I Know to who your heart belongs to! She is an entitled narcissistic bitch!"

"And you wonder from whom Ben got it?"

"Not now dad!"

"Then when?----------------he then turns to Sandra----------------Is this what you want Sandra?"

she sullens and

"I don't know!"

"What? They are cousins Sandy Bear! It is wrong!"

"It's our fault Carl! Maybe they would have met and be friends if they knew they were cousins! We prevented that! We can't cry over spilled milk!"

"We must stop them!"

"They are not kids son! They will make their own decision! And it may not align with what you and your brother want!"

"It is wrong!"

"There is no consensus Carl! I have looked it up and there are conflicting conclussions!"

"So what do you ptopose?"

she stays quiet and Max speaks

"Let them work it out! Let it fizzle out on its own!"

"And if it doesn't?"

"There's nothing that can be done!"

he scowls and

"I'll find a way to put an end to it!"

and Carl leaves slamming the door, Sandra quietly sobs and Max  shakes his head and he also leaves after saying goodbye to Sandra and asking to keep him informed.

                                              Frank is driving silently, he feels confortable driving his rented car, he would prefer his car but a drive from his home to the house of his in-laws would take a lot of time and action must be taken soon, he looks at his wife who looks tense and scowling and understands she is thinking the same and he parks the car, he gets out and then helps Natalie get out and they enter the mansion, the butler takes them to the back patio where Sigmund and Helga sit on chairs, they welcome them and they exchange pleasentries as the maid brings them cool drinks and finally they ask

"What brings you here?"

they stay quiet for a few moments and then Natalie talks

"Gwen has a boyfriend!"

"Not unexpected! She is in college after all!"

"The problem mom! Dad! He is her cousin! The son of Frank's brother!"

"The brother you are stranged from Frank?"

he exhales and nods

"Yes!"

"They didn't know they were related! Right?"

"And whose fault is that?"

Natalie tenses

"We can place blame later mom!"

her father looks at her and

"You could have informed us by telephone Natalie! What do you want to tell us?"

Natalie sighs and

"We want to ask you to do something!"

"What is it?"

"We want you to stop giving money to Gwen!"

"You want us to take away her college fund?"

"Yes! Would you please?"

Sigmund and Helga look at each other and nod

"No!"

"Thanks moim! Dad! It will..........What??? No???????"

"No Natalie!"

"She is throwing away her life! It is for her own good!"

Helga smirks

"I said that some years ago! It did not happen!"

"Is this your revenge?"

"No Natalie! It is to avoid to make the same mistake!"

"Same mistake?"

"The two of you are making the same mistake your father and I made with the two of you! Don't make it Natalie!"

"NO! He is not good enough for my daughter!"

"Because he is from the wrong side of the tracks? Like Frank?"

"it is not the same!"

"Yes it is!"

Natalie huffs and Frank says

"They are cousins! They can't be together!"

"Not on all states or countries!"

"Mom! Dad! How can you support this?"

Helga looks at Natalie

"if you had not fallen in love with Frank.....You might have gotten married to one of your cousins!"

"Mom!"

"In the old country it is not ilegal or frowed upon the marriagge between cousins!"

"He may not be a good candidate mom!"

Sigmund gets out a small notebook and

"He is not a good student! He is smart but doesn't apply himself! He has done so recently and his grades are improving! He likes and plays soccer! Ken and him  would get along! He stands up to bullies and defends and protects weaker students! He defends the underdogs........reminds me of someone!"

and he looks at Frank

"If you asked Max or his parents they will praise him!"

"I paid good money to the PI to get this informattion! And it is verified!"

Frank looks at him and

"You are spying on Gwen and her beaus?"

"Only Ben!.........The relationship is serious!"

"How did you know?"

Sigmund looks at them and

"Max called us and explained everything to us! We decided to investigate!"

"How can you not help us?"

Helga looks at her daughter and

"We now have age and experience Natalie! We know that what you want will backfire and make Gwen resent you! Let them be! If it is a serious relationship it will continue to grow, if not it will end naturally!"

"But..."

"Little flower! We will not take away Gwen's college fund! She has excelled! We will not punish her! Besides Ben is the kind of man that I would accept for any of my other grandaughters!......And if you look at him without prejudice you will see he is a good man! You can take away your financial support! We won't stop! Specially since Gwen is using her college fund for college!"

Natalie scowls and gets up and leaves in a huff, Frank looks at her go and

"We understand Sigmund! Helga! Natalie is just frustrated!"

Sigmund shakes Frank's hand and

"Make her see reason Frank!"

"I'll try!"

and then he leaves and goes to the car where Natalie is fuming and they leave.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do  not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                         A few days after Ken leaves, Ben and Gwen feel good, they have at least a relative who supports them, he and Ben played bass and guitar together and Gwen danced to their music and they had fun, Gwen was very happy and Ben felt he could trust him, like he did with Paul, although Ken somehow knew him better, and as they go to Gwen's dorm they see a limousine in the parking lot, Gwen wonders and they go to her room and as they open the door they see an elderly couple and 

"Mormor! Mofar!"

and she hugs them as they hug her back and then

"Silly Bean! Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Oh! Right! Sorry Mormor! This is Ben Tennyson! My boyfriend! Ben these are my Mormor and Mofar! My maternal grandparents!"

"Nice to meet you Ma'am! Sir!"

they shake hands and Ben feels he is being seen through and

"He is Carl's and Sandra's son that's for sure!"

"Uh! Yeah!"

Sigmund chuckles

"Don't worry Ben! We don't opose cousin relationships! And from we have heard.........you are the kind of man we like for our grandaughter!"

"I won't disapoint!"

"Good!"

Gwen looks at her grandparents

"Then you are not taking my college fund away?"

"Of course not!"

Helga looks at her sternly and

"You must keep grades high though! That requirement still stands!"

"I understand!"

Helga shakes her head

"You should have met since you were children! Of all......."

"Helga!"

she huffs

"Right!"

"Thanks Mormor! Mofar!"

"You are a good student! We will contiue to support you!"

Gwen nods and looks at them

"Did mom and dad call you about?"

"They visited us! We rejected their petition!"

"Thanks!"

Helga looks at them

"We are not giving you a free pass Silly Bean! We expect you to be responsible! And continue your studies!"

"I-We will!"

"Good!"

and they talk about school and how they met, of course they give them the G-rated version of events, they mention that they have part time jobs and they go to a restaurant for dinner and they feel more relaxed now with their support.

                                             The next day between classes Gwen meets up with Michelle, since when she returned from dinner she was asleep and in the morning Gwen had to leave early for her first class so she could not talk to her so they meet up at cafeteria in the outside tables

"So Crazy! Who were the visitors?"

Gwen chuckles

"My maternal grandparents Chelle!......I have mentioned them before! And you have met them"

"Yes I remember! Mostly on your birthday parties!"

"Right!"

she nods and gets a serious expression

"Did they come to tell you they are taking away your college fund away?"

"No! They support me!........And Ben!"

"So you have one less worry!"

Gwen chuckles and nods

"Yes! But they expect good grades from me!"

"No problem then!"

"No pressure right?"

Michelle giggles

"Despite you and Ben going out! Despite your depression!........you have kept your grades up! You are not in danger!"

"I guess so!"

she rolls her eyes

"Crazy! You seem to have a handle on things! You are in no danger!"

"You are right! I just don't want to get overconfident!"

"You have never let success get  up to your head!"

and they continue talking. 

                                             Meanwhile on the other side of campus as Ben hurries after one of his classes to the training sections of the sports complex and having some time before training he sits on the steps and then he hears

"You and Gwen have been very popular lately right?"

"Oh! Hi Paul!...........I guess"

"You have been visited by your grandfather, a red headed guy wich I assume is Gwen's brother, and another set of grandparents yesterday!"

"You have been spying?"

"Heard it through the grapevine!"

"Big Brother is watching us!"

Paul chuckles

"An old RV! A hot guy and a limousine stand out! I was able to summarize what happened!............I just need details!"

Ben chuckles

"I should have told you before!.............Grandpa Max came to give us his support!..........Then Gwen's brother Ken did the same!.........And finally Gwen's maternal grandparents came and gave their support and assured Gwen she would keep her college fund!"

"That is good!....Right?"

"Yeah!"

he nods

"So only your parents opose?"

"Only them!"

"Well as people learn you will receive some ribbing!"

"Yeah right!"

"They may sing Home Sweet Alabama! So you may have to get used to it!"

"Great! If that's the worst!"

"Unless there is a morallity clause on your sports scholarship!"

"What?"

"Morality clause! If you commit crimes you may lose your scholarship!"

"Aw man!"

Paul chuckles

"Don't worry! There is no clause about cousin relationships!"

"Are you sure?"

"I read the small print! You better start doing that Ben! Specially if you turn pro and have to sign contracts!"

"Right! Thanks Paul!"

"Anytime! So what else did you discuss?"

"Good thing you don't like gossip!"

he chuckles and then Ben talks about the visits they have received.

                                                A few days before finals Gwen and Ben see the Rustbucket, they want to go to it, but it is too early and they have to attend class so they go after class, Ben waited for Gwen and they go holding hands and as they arrive Max points to the side door and they enter the Rustbucket

"Grandpa!"

"Pumpkin! Kiddo!"

"Something happened?"

"No!............Look knowing your parents..........They will try to........do an intervention!"

"We are not using drugs grandpa!"

"I know Pumpkin! They want to separate you!"

"Great! How can we?"

"Look! When you were younger I wanted to take you on a trip around the country! Your parents refused!"

"Why?"

"They were afraid you would find out about each other when we visited my relatives! Since they could not force them to continue with their silly lie!"

they nod

"We can do that this year!"

"Exactly!"

"Yes!"

Max nods and

"Both of you have driving licenses?"

"Yes!"

"We must go to the DMV so you can get a license to drive a RV!"

"Why?"

"So you can help me, and if I need to do some work you can continue on your own the trip!"

"Makes sense!"

and they make plans, in the next two weekends they both practice driving the Rustbucket and getting their licenses and they prepare for summer vacation, and they take one more step to the trip that will change their lives forever.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           Before they know it Ben and Gwen are days before finals and they are expectantly waiting for their summer vacation, they have each earned their diver's license so they can drive Max's RV, the Rustbucket, they know that once they make the trip both parents will throw a fit and that Max will be the lightning rod that will be hit the most, and they will get hit, but Gwen is not worried since her maternal grandparents will not take away her college fund, as for Ben with his sports scholarship his parents can not take away his money, also he talked with his coach and athletic director not to listen to his parents about demanding a trade or telling them he will no longer practice soccer and before final examans Max visits and they sit in the Rustbucket

"So kids ready for summer vacation?"

"Yes!"

"None of you have to do summer courses?"

"No!"

"Good! Since both of you finish school the same day........we will start our trip that day! Agreed?"

"Agreed!"

Max nods and then

"Look!.........Yesterday I received a call from a friend of mine! I will not be able to start the trip as planned!"

Ben and Gwen sullen

"We'll wait grandpa!"

"Yes don't worry!"

Max chuckles

"It's okay kids! Here! A copy of the Rustbucket key for each of you! You both have your driver's license right?"

"Yes!"

"I will leave the Rustbucket here and you start the trip without me!......I will catch up to you!"

"But grandpa!"

"It's all right kids! You can not lose days due to some of my unfinished businnes! My friend will take me to you!"

Ben looks at him and

"I thought you were retired!"

Max looks at him and

"I am! But sometimes I am called to help in small matters!"

Gwen looks at him

"We understand grandpa!.........But how will you know where we?"

Max nods and gets out a map wich has a route in red and

"This is the route I had planned! We'll see some landmarks!..........And visit relatives!"

they nod and

"Got it! You will be able to find us easily!"

"Besides with GPS it will also be easy!"

"We would prefer to start the trip with you grandpa!"

"You will have a few days alone.....so you can share the bunk!"

"Grandpa!"

"I am old kids! Not senile! I know you do more than hold hands!"

"Just don't tell our parents!"

Max chuckles

"They are not dumb Pumpkin! They know or at the very least suspect!"

"Aw man!"

"Sorry Kiddo!"

"We better be away from our parents!"

"Like we had planned Ben! I just wish you would start the trip with us grandpa!"

"Me too Pumpkin!       I couldn't avoid this mission! But hopefully it will be a quick one!"

"Do it quickly grandpa! It won't be the same without you!"

"Don't worry Kiddo! We'll have fun!"

and they make plans and sugestions for the road trip.

                                              In the next days they study and present their exams and they pass with flying colors, Gwen with the highest score of course, Ben slightly higher than average so they are happy, they go out with their classmates and friends, so Gwen spends time with Michelle and Ben talks to Paul, they get their things ready and loaded into the Rustbucket the night before, so next day they say goodbye and confirm the dates of their return and they meet outside the administration building and they compare notes and after going to their dorms to pack the last of their things and clothes and they meet outside the Rustbucket, Ben uses his key and opens the door so Gwen can go inside and aafter her he gets in and they put their bags on the closets and look around and they see the driver's seat, Ben says

"You wanna drive?"

Gwen shakes her head

"No! I want to see what food we have in the fridge and the rest of the Rv!"

"Okay!"

and Ben goes and sits on the driver's seat and turns the key on and the Rustbucket starts easily and he drives off the university's parking lot and he soon is on the road and is driving towards Max's  iterinary, he is concentratred on driving, still some time later he knows that Gwen has seated on the passahger's seat and looks at the road and finally

"Do you know where we are going?"

"Yes!.........Grandpa marked a campsite to spend the night! We should be able to arive with light still!"

"Are we going to set up a tent?"

"No! We'll sleep on the bunk! But we need to walk and stretch the legs!"

Gwen nods and gets a serious expression

"We have enough food for two days!.............And there is some rather.........unique foods!"

"How unique?"

she looks on and

"I doubt any one can trully make dishes with them!"

he nods

"Maybe it is for something else!"

"I sincerely hope so!"

"We will need to go to the market then!"

"It shouldn't be a problem!"

he nods and they continue talking, in the late afternoon they arrive to the campsite, they pay the entrance fee and Ben finds a place a little isolated and parks there, they look around and then get a grill and cook some hot dogs

"Some of the food is for kids!"

Ben chuckles

"Maybe the food is from his previous attempts to take us on a road trip!"

she chuckles

"Hope not!"

they laugh and they finish dinner and then they clean up, and once they finish they look at the sky and

"Want to go hiking?"

"Are you kidding? It will soon be dark!"

"Short hike!"

she looks at him

"Fine!"

and they walk and then Gwen looks around

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot a flashlight!"

he rolls his eyes

"We aren't going far!"

"We better be safe!.....Be right back!"

and she goes back and Ben sighs as he shakes his head and he looks at the sky and

"Man! Look at the sky! Stars are starting to be seen! More than in the city sky!..................Look at that falling star!.................It seems to be coming here!.................It is coming here! Shit!................I better get away!------------------and Ben tries to get away as the falling star hits near him--------------------Shit! That was close!.................What is that? It looks like a sphere!-------------------and Ben aproaches the crater wich is not very deep and Ben gets near the sphere-------------------It's a sphere! Not hot! Nor cold! This can't be natural! Huh? It's opening? What is that? Looks like a tube! And it's floating?.............What? It's liquefying?....No! Get away!.......NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!----------------------Ben tries to get the device off, to no avail, he looks at it and it is tubular with tubes conecting to a dial wich has the image of a green hourglass on it, and there are diferent buttons around the dial--------------------What the fuck is this? I can't get it off!"

and Ben tries to get it off when he hears

"Ben where are you? What is that?"

Ben climbs out of the crater

"I don't know! I went to investigate and the sphere opened and this thing attatched itself to my arm!"

"What? That's crazy!"

"Well I don't see a clip to open and get rid of this!"

"Why did you do such a dumb thing?"

"Hey! I was curious! And nobody can expect this!"

"Maybe if you push some of the buttons!"

Ben moves the dial and the siloutte of strange being is seen and he pushes a button and the dial pops up, he frows and tries to push it down and then a green flash almost blinds Gwen, Ben meanwhile feels his weight increase and his skin harden and feels cold and then he sees his hands who look rock-like and in flames

"What the fuck?"

he looks at Gwen who is watching him in shock and

"What happened to you?"

"I don't know!"

"You look like living charcoal in fire!"

"I do?"

he looks around as he tries to look at his body and confirms what Gwen said and

"Don't move!"

"Why not? I can move easily!"

"You are seting the forrest on fire!"

"WHAT??? SHIT!!!!!"

Ben moved to where there is no grass and trees, but where he had been there is a fire, he inhales and he notices that the flames go towards him, he frows or he believes he is and concentrating and the few flames there are go towards him and incorporate into his body

"You did it! No more fires!"

he looks at his body and

"I can do more!"

and he aims his arms to the sky and discharges fire blasts

"Yes you can!"

"This is fun!"

Gwen then glares at him

"Fun? Are you crazy? How will you return to normal?"

Ben seems to wake up and

"I'm sorry! I don't know!"

and he notices a disc like emblem on his chest and touches it and in a red flash Ben reapears

"Ben!"

"That's all I had to do? That's easy!"

and Gwen embraces him

"I was so scared you had been changed permanently!"

"You worry too much!"

"What is that thing?"

"I don't know!"

"Why did it attatch to you?"

"Who knws?"

"Wasn't there a book with instructions?"

"No!"

"Great! How can we know?"

"I don't know! It's not like I can ask the watch!"

"Why not?"

"Oh sure! I will ask Watch what are you?"

and in a female voice

"I am the Omnitrix!"

they look startled at each other

"Omnitrix?"

"Yes!"

"What are you?"

"Genetic receptacle! Comunicattion device! Genetic Healer!"

they look at each other

"Why did you attach yourself to Ben?"

"I received orders to attach to Max Tennyson! Current wielder has similar DNA!.....As does the companion!"

they look at each other

"Grandpa Max?"

"Affirmative!"

"Why?"

"Unknown!"

"So that's that!"

"We better go back to the Rustbucket!"

and they do, once they arrive they go inside and

"Why was I changed into?"

"You activated the comunicattion aspect and changed into a pyronite!"

"Boring! It was a blast and fire...heat.....Heatblast!"

"Ben!"

he looks at her and

"Omnitrix! How can I..........take you off!"

"Only creator can do that!"

"Where is the creator?"

"Unknown!"

"Who is the creator?"

"Unknown!"

"You don't know who created you?"

"File is encrypted!"

they nod and stay quiet and Gwen says 

"We'll find a way Ben!"

"I know! Grandpa must know a way to get this off!"

"I'll call him!"

and she does and after a while she turns to Ben frowing

"What's wrong?"

"He doesn't answer!"

he nods

"We'll call tomorrow!"

and they embrace and start kissing, soon their clothes are on the floor and he carries her to the bunk and they have sex for a while.

                                           Morning of the next day, they wake up and feeling his morning wood she rides him till he cums and they kiss, they get up and shower together, and they eat cereal for breakfast and once more they call Max and again he doesn't answer, they make some humorous coments and deep down they are worried and they decide to take a hike before leaving for the next stop, and they do, they follow the previous night path and they arrive to the crater and they notice that the spehere has rusted into dust and as they ponder on what to do next when they notice another shooting star

"A falling star?"

"It can't be Gwen! It should not be seen!...............It's artificial!"

"Where do we?"

"Behind those rocks!"

and they do and a few minutes later there is an explosion and they wait and after a while they look at where the crash is, Ben gets up and starts to walk towards

"BEN! Don't do anything crazy!"

"Maybe they can take the Omnitrix off!"

she looks at him and nods and she follows him when they see a robot wich is scanning around

"Can we trust them?"

and before he can answer it turns towards them and weapons protrude and there is a sound

"Shit!"

"What was that sound?"

"Didn't you hear it? It is demanding the Omnitrix! And if we don't comply they will kill every living thing in fifty miles!"

"It said that?"

"Yeah! You didn't hear?"

"I heard a screech! You uinderstood it?"

"Yes!"

"Will you give it to it?"

"No!"

"Why?"

"Good guys don't thraten to kill people! Bad guys do!"

she nods

"I know!"

and the robot gets closer so Ben repeats the actions of before and as the tube pops up, Ben touches it

"Heatblast!"

and in a green flash an alien apears, an alien that looks crystaline

"What the?"

"You look like a giant diamond!"

he nods

"Diamondhead!"

and he goes towards the robot as it fires at him, his left arm grows into a shield and he is not harmed and his right arm grows into a sword lance and impales the robot, but it continues to attack and in a lucky punch he throws Ben backwards and Gwen sees as he gets up and a blast destroys his right arm

"BEN!!!!"

he looks at his arm and he simply grows a new arm, he looks as the robot aproaches him he puts his arm on the ground and from it spikes of crystal and it impales the robot and tears it apart, he surveys his handiwork and then touches the emblem and in a red flash Ben reapears

"We better leave!"

"Right!"

and they go to the Rustbucket, they tidy up and once they are finished and they drive away, once they feel are far enough they talk

"Now what Ben?"

he ponders as he drives and

"Look at the route by grandpa Max!"

she frows and looks at the route planed by Max and

""I see it but......"

"Are there people who may know grandpa Max?....Really know him?"

Gwen looks and

"Grandpa's siblings!.........And the closest is aunt Vera! His older sister!"

"Is there another route to?"

"No!"

"The we follow the route and hope we learn what is going on!"

she nods and looks at him and he turns towards her and smiles, she gets near him and they hold hands as they prepare to learn more about their grandfather.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characters, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                              Ben and Gwen are driving down the road in the Rustbucket, their grandfather's Max RV, in the last twenty four hours they saw a meteorite fall near them, Ben went to investigate and a device called the Omnitrix attatched itself to him, and after a while they learned he could change into aliens and change back to his human form, also that the Omnitrix was sent to Max, coded to his DNA and Ben being a relative, a direct descendant of Max it attatched to him, they faced a device that was after the Omnitrix, Ben destroyed it using one of the aliens and they decided to follow the iterinary set by Max hoping to find him, since they have been calling him without success, so they are looking for clues, Ben is driving without going over the speed limit, he is not confident driving since this is the first year he is driving a RV and he is aware that Gwen is in the back searching the Rustbucket, every drawer, under the tables, the medicine drawer in the bathroom, she even looks unders the mattresses in the bunks and in the portable bed that she suposses Max would sleep in so he does not drive fast and finally with a huff of frustration she seats on the passenger's side seat

"Didn't find anything?"

"Nothing!"

"Maybe there are secret compartments!"

"Too many spy films Ben!"

he chuckles and

"Not exactly!"

"Oh?"

"Sometimes important documents are put in secret compartments so thye are not stolen!"

Gwen nods

"Right!...........So how do we find?"

"Not easy to find Gwen!...........Besides we don't know what to look for!"

"I know!...........There must be something!"

he looks around and

"Have you searched the glove compartment?"

"Not yet!"

and she opens it and looks into it for a while and she frows

"Did you find something?"

she nods

"Two things!........This white disc wich I would consider a white puck, no latch or way to open it! And this envelope with dollar bills!"

"The disc is intriguing!......The envelope not so much!"

"There are a few twenty dolar bills  on the outside...........and in between hundred dollar bills! A lot!"

Ben frows and 

"How many?"

"I am unsure!.........But it must be thousands!"

Ben ponders and

'That is strange! I would expect him to have the money on the bank! Travelers checks! Not cash!"

"It is a lot of money!"

he nods

"Maybe he is a secret agent!"

"Ben be serious!"

"I am!"

"Why?"

"Grandpa was in the Air Force!"

"Right!"

"He probably worked with NASA!......Or in intelligence!"

Gwen looks at him and

"I want to argue with you!...........But it is pausible!"

"Or I could be completly wrong!"

"Posibly!"

"Untill we talk with someone who knows....."

"You think aunt Vera will know something?"

"I hope so!"

and Gwen continues searching the glove compartment and

"There are four more envelopes Ben! And they have more bills!"

"I hope he is a secret agent!..........Mercenary or assassin for hire is the other options with so much money around!"

"I hope he is a secret agent!"

and they continue on the road, making stops along the way, they buy provisions on a market and they fill the tank of water and the tank gas, and by late afternoon they arrive to a campsite.

                                               Once they pay the fee Ben searches for a site as isolated as posible and makes sure the Rustbucket is near a trail and once more they set up camp and they make lunch, they sit to eat and then clean up and some time after they finish Ben looks around and takes a walk on the trail, Gwen follows him and once he is sure they are far from the camp site, they look around and making sure they are alone Ben looks at the Omnitrix and starts fiddling with it

'What are you doing?"

"I have only used two aliens! I need to know the other ones and what they can do!"

"Makes sense! But why bother?"

"You really think they only sent one robot?"

Gwen frows and sullens

"No!"

"I need to know what the other aliens can do!"

"You are very cool about this!"

Ben chuckles and

"I wanted to be a superhero as a kid! To have superpowers! To save people!..........This may be a wish come true!"

"Life is not a comic book Ben!"

"I know!........But right now our lives seem like a comic book or cartoon show!"

"I can't argue with that!"

and Ben moves the dial and nods, he fiddles and a tube pops up, he touches it and in a green flash he transforms into a tetramand

"Fourarms!"

"Obvious! Why not call him Red Hulk?"

"Ane be sued by Marvel and Disney? No thanks!"

Right! What can he do?"

and Ben shows how strong he is in that form and after moving he touches the emblem in his chest, he once more moves the dial and the tube pops up and in a green flash a kynecerian apears, he starts running and notices he does not tire and is very fast so he returns to the clearing and

"XLR8!"

"Cute! You are fast as a flash! Why not?"

"And be sued by Warner Brothers and DC?"

she chuckles and for the next hour he changes into diferent aliens and sees what they can do and naming them, and after that they return to the Rustbucket and once they are there and making sure they can not be heard

"Only ten aliens?"

he chuckles

"Ben 10!"

"Funny! But seriously only ten?"

he looks around

"Omnitrix! How many aliens do you have?"

"One million, two hundred thousand, five hundred, thirtyfour species!"

they are surprised and

"Then why only ten aliens?"

"You are not Max Tennyson! Only ten aliens and add more as you master device!"

"Great I have training wheels!"

"You better learn to use your aliens so you can use more!"

he nods and they rest and ponder on what is next.

                                        In the morning they wake up, Gwen first and she notices Ben's morning wood and she takes advantage and Ben wakes to Gwen's cunt on his face and he starts to eat her as she sucks him, and after that she rides him till they both orgasm, they relax and cuddle and then they take a shower together and they repeat, they follow a routine and soon after tiding up they leave and hit the road, Gwen continues looking for clues but understands she is repeating what she did the prior day and she goes to the table and turns on her laptop she looks for Max Tennyson and has no results, she frows, she uses variations and nothing, she enters others names and once she understands she can not go further she turns it off and she goes to the passanger's seat and

"Found anything?"

she shakes her head

"Nothing!"

he nods

"Aunt Vera should knoiw something!"

"And if not?"

"We'll look the rest of the family!"

she sighs and

"We have no choice! But we should lay low!"

Ben nods and before he can answer he sees as somehow a car flips out and is rotating about to land on a pick-up wich has a group of teenagers on the bed, he quickly fiddles with the Omnitrix and in a green flash his kynecerian form apears and he gets out of the Rustbucket and runs and he notices that everything is still and he runs, he gets out the teenagers from the bed of the pick-up and then he gets the ones in the cab, and then he he moves to the car and finds only one person, he gets him out and by the expression and smell he understands that he is under the influence, so he puts him next to the others and ties him up and return to the Rustbucket and sits on the driver's seat and changes back into his human form and slows down as the crash happens, he then sees the other cars stop and he does the same

"Accident!"

"Ben! What happened?"

"An accident!"

"I know! I am asking about you!"

he looks at her

"I changed into XLR8 and saved the people in the pick-up and the driver of the car!"

"You are that fast?"

"Yep!"

she nods and they wait as they hear sirens and soon they see the firefighters putting out the fire in the crash, and the cops and paramedics tending to the other side of the road with the passengers and watch as a screaming man is put in the back seat of a patrol car, but he is tied up, Gwen  turns to him

"Why did you tie him up?"

"He is higher than a kite! I tied him up so he wouldn't run away.....or hurt himself and others on his high dash!"

she nods

"Good!..............You might not be able to keep a low profile will you?"

"Hopefully this will be a one in a million situattion!"

she sighs

"I doubt it!"

and after three hours they finally get on the road again, Gwen looks up her laptop and

"You find anything?"

"Another campsite! We are and hour away!"

"Just tell me where to..."

"Stay on this road! we will see it!"

and a little over an hour later they see the campsite, and they enter, pay the fee and once more they park, and once more they hike on the trail and |Gwen tenses and Ben looks up and he sees a falling star, he looks around and making sure they are alone he changes into his kynecerian form and carries Gwen they go to a more isolated part, Ben stops and puts Gwen down and he runs ahead and as expected the falling star goes towards him and lands and a bigger robot comes forth and Ben changes into Fourarms, Gwen runs towards him but he waves her away and continues fighting, and soon his fists starts to crumple the robot and in a quick move he crushes it, and after making sure the thing is destoyed, he changes into Heatblast and he incinerates  the pieces and soon it is carbonized and he uses his flames to move away from the carbonized pieces and he soon joins Gwen as he transforms back into his human form

"Let's go back to the Rustbucket!"

"Yes!"

and they walk, it is somewhat far but a little over an hour later they arrive and

"We should reach aunt Vera's house tomorrow!"

""Hopefullky she will have answers!"

he nods and they look around and prepare mentally on what is to come.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                          The Rustbucket is being driven along the road, it is outside Phoenix, it is isolated but not completly, but enough not to be seen from the city, Ben drives with caution, it is a two-lane road, they have seen the home from afar, a typical house with a big garage, the road ends on the house like a cul-de-sac and Ben parks on the curb, he looks at the house and ponders and Gwen asks

"What worries you?"

he chuckles and

"We are about to meet an aunt for the first time in years.........And we are to ask about grandpa Max!"

"Will she help us?"

he sighs

"I don't know!"

she looks at him and

"Let's not give up on hope Ben!"

"I'm not! But we really don't know our relatives! And they don't know us!"

she nods

"Does she know we were coming? Is she expecting us? Does she know we are here?"

"Most likely!"

"What now?"

"We knock on the door and finds out! She must have seen us already!"

"Yes! If she doesn't open we'll know!............Specially if we see a police car!"

Ben looks at her and smirks

"And you say I am pessimistic!"

she chuckles

"I never said that!--------------and getting a serious expression--------------------And she is grandpa's older sister!"

he nods and they get out

"Toasty!"

"You've said it!"

and they walk towards the door, they see the garden and at first they thought it was unkept and then they understand that it has plants of the desert, they are about to ring the buzzer when the door opens and they see an elderly woman, who smiles and

"About time you arrived! Get inside! It's hot outside! I have the A/C working!"

and they get inside and feel they have entered a freezer, they shiver a little

"Thanks!"

"You're welcome!-----------------she looks at them and----------------You are definetily Max grandchildren! Gwen and Ben!"

Gwen speaks

"And you are aunt Vera! Grandpa Max's younger sister! Right?"

she looks at her and smirks

"As much as I would prefer to be younger! I am his older sister!"

"Right!"

Vera smirks

"Making sure by testing me Gwen?"

she blushes and Ben speaks

"Don't take it the wrong way aunt Vera! This is the first time we have met!"

Ver smirks

"I met both of you when you were born! Of course you can not remember!"

they nod

"Right!"

Vera nods

"Your parents have been very silly!"

Ben sighs

"Can't argue with that!"

Vera chuckles

"Max has been informing about you two! So in a way I know you!"

Gwen looks at her

"But person to person is better!"

"Yes it is!......You met in college right?"

they blush and nod

"Yes!"

"And what had to happen, happened!"

"It did aunt Vera! We couldn't help ourselves!........We can't stop!"

"It's okay Gwen!..........Love is that way!"

they nod and

"Thanks aunt Vera!"

she nods and

"Anyway it is almost lunchtime! Come to the kitchen and sit on the island! My worm casserole is almost ready!"

they follow Vera to the kitchen as they look at each other in horror as they understand they have to endure to get information on Max, Vera serves them the casserole and they eat it, being surprised it is not as bad as they had expected, but not as great as they wished, still they say

"It's good!"

Vera chuckles

"Don't lie kids! It's good but not great! You are not used to this kind of food! But if you travel around the world you will have to eat things you never expected!"

"Really?"

"Yes Ben! Have you ever seen the Indiana Jones films?"

"Yes!"

"Temple of Doom?"

"Yes!"

"Remember the dinner scene?"

Ben thinks and realization comes to him

"Right! But that is too extravagant!"

Vera chuckles

"If you cross the border you can eat worms and grasshoppers!"

and they all laugh and they talk to Vera about their lives to the point they met and how they started their relationship, being careful not to reveal everything, until they talk about the big blow-up and how they had decided to spend their vacation with Max and then they make their move

"Aunt Vera, what does grandpa Max do? What is his job?"

Vera tenses and

"He is a plumber you know that!"

"Is that all?"

"Yes Gwen! Why do you ask?"

"We can't find him! We have called him! It is like he has fallen from the face of the earth!"

Vera keeps her calm and

"Some jobs are very big Gwen! He may be out of service! Lost his phone!"

Ben speaks

"But as a plumber doesn't he need to be available? Have his phone close to him?"

"He also has to work underground Ben!"

he nods and asks point blank

"Is he in something else aunt Vera?"

"What?...NO!"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

they look at her and

"The why are extraterrestrials after him?"

Vera is stuned but recovers quickly

"Are the two of you high? This is a bad joke!"

"We are sober aunt Vera!"

"Then why would you make such outlandish questions?"

Ben and Gwen look at each other and nod as Ben rolls up his left sleeve and

"Because of this! It was sent to grandpa! But it attached itself to me! It is the Omnitrix and I can change into ten aliens!"

Vera looks at the Omnitrix wide eyed and tries to deflect but

""It may be a...a.....a............fuck it! I'm sorry Max! I know what you wanted but it can not be helped!"

Gwen looks at Vera

"What is grandpa into aunt Vera?"

Vera stays quiet for a few minutes and sighs

"He is a plumber kids!"

"We know!"

"Not that kind!..........The Plumbers are a galactic peacekeepers force! Integrated by many species!.....Your grandfather is one of the best plumbers!........If not the best!"

Gwen looks at her and

"Did he confide in you?"

she chuckles

"No Gwen! I used to be plumber! Just like our younger brother and his wife Gordon and Betty Jean! Their son Joel!"

"Our granduncle and our uncle are also plumbers?"

"Yes!"

they ponder and Ben asks

"Do our parents know about this?"

"No! Max never wanted them and you to know!...............But fate had other plans!"

"Does grandpa have alien tech?"

"Of course! He's been in outer space!"

they are shocked and Gwen takes out the disc

"Is this alien tech aunt Vera?"

she looks at it and

"Yes!"

and she touches it and the disc glows and a hologram apears, it is Max and

"Vera! If you are listening to this I have been unable to return! Contact Labrid and teel him that his suspicions are well founded! That he may need to contact more plumbers and send more! I'll contact you as soon as I can!----------------and the hologram disapears, and a few seconds later it reapears-----------------Please tell the kids that something unexpected happened and keep them safe!"

and the disc finally turns off

"What is he doing?"

"Investigating! And the fact that he left this message it means it is something big!..............Sorry Max! But I can't keep the kids out of this!"

"What can we do aunt Vera?"

"Ben! We don't know what to do! We have been lucky thus far!"

Vera frows

"What have you done kids?"

Ben sighs and tells her about the robots they have faced and how they saved people

"And that has been all aunt Vera!"

"Can you draw the robots Ben?"

he nods and does as asked

"Here aunt Vera!"

she looks at them and she frows

"Vilgax!"

"Who is he?"

"A galactic tyrant! A galactic conqueror! Someone who is a torn to the plumbers and Galactic Alliance!..........He has a bounty on Max's head! That is why he has not left earth anymore! He must be after the Omnitrix!"

"What for?"

Vera sighs

"I am pretty sure it was designed for peace! But it will be used as a weapon!"

Gwen asks

"Can you take it off aunt Vera?"

she shakes her head

"I have never heard of the Omnitrix before child!........I am guessing it is galvan!"

"Galvan?"

"Grey Matter!"

"Right!"

"The smartest aliens known!"

"Great! We have to travel to outer space!"

"You can not fly to space on the terrain transport!"

"Huh?"

"You are using a plumber vehicle!"

"It is not diferent from a RV!"

she nods and 

"Ben can you park the RV in the garage?"

"Sure!"

and Ben goes outside and drives into the garage as Vera opens the gate and Ben gets the Rustbucket inside.

                                            Ben and Gwen look around, surprised at the size of the garage and the fact that it has A/C, Vera is walking around the Rustbucket inspecting it and noding, she sighs and walks towards the side door and gets inside and Gwen and Ben follow her, she starts to press diferent sections on the disc and she goes to the drivers seat and she puts the disc in the middle of the dashboard as it opens like a DVD player and the disc flashes like a child's toy and the dashboard changes its dials, the steering wheel looks more like the steering wheel of a plane and from diferent parts of the Rustbucket drawers open and they see alien devices

"This has been here all along?"

she nods

"Thisis like a SWAT truck with all the equipment!"

"Man! What can these things do?"

"Most are blaster riffles! Analyzers! First aid kits! Alien equipment!"

"Wow!"

Vera goes to the drawer that is as big as a closet and opens it and they see a white armor-suit

"This is a plumber armor! This one is Max's!"

they look at it

"Only one armor?"

she shakes her head and shows three more suits, they look small

"The vehicle is suposed to transport a patrol unit! It has more than one suit! They haven't been used for a long time! If ever!"

Gwen nods and ponders and then

"Why didn't grandpa tell our parents about his life? And not us?"

Vera sullens and

"When your parents were children...........Max had to go on a mission with his unit!............It was a dangerous mission!...............And he succeded!...........But the price was too high!.........Max and another were the only survivors! The other plumber was maimed and had to retire! After that Max decided not to tell your fathers about his work so none of them would follow his footsteps! He didn't want to bury any of his children! And he continued the same policy with you!..........But it was not meant to be!..........He won't be happy when he learns about what you have done!"

"Maybe we can avoid!"

Vera shakes her head

"The Omnitrix will atract trouble Gwen! You can not take the Omnitrix off! They will kill you to get it! You better be ready to defend yourself!"

Ben nods and so does Gwen and Vera starts to explain the functions of the devices, how to fire the blasters and makes them practice on firing them as she puts the blasters on the lowest setting, she informs them about how she lives on a plumber camp and sometimes used as a training site so it is soundproof, she shows them the first aid kits, and tells them about the armors, how they function and how it had healing nanites in them, Gwen looks around and

""What is this aunt Vera?"

"A compass that functions as a GPS device!"

"Oh! Good!"

and she continues looking and

"What are you looking for?"

she looks at Vera

"I am wondering if there is an universal translator!"

"Oh? What for?"

"Ben has one! He can hear what aliens say and understands them! I can't! I am looking for a translator!"

she nods and grabs a hypospray like the ones on Star Trek, and goes to Gwen and puts it on her arm and injects her

"There dear!"

"What?"

"The universal translator are nanites Gwen! Ben must have been injected by the Omnitrix! You had to be injected also! So you can know when there is danger!"

"I don't feel diferent!"

"You're not suposed to!"

"Do they work?"

Vera smiles and nods and 

"Look it's late we'll continue tomorrow! Let's eat dinner!"

they tense and nod and they go inside the house and contrary what they feared Vera gives them instant dinners and as they eat Vera turns the TV on and puts a chanel and Ben looks at the show and laugh at the jokes and listen to the music, Vera smiles and then changes the chanel and puts another station wich has asian artists and they listen and they say

"I didn't know they aired this chanel in english!"

"Actually it's in chinesse!"

"WHAT???"

"And the previous chanel was in spanish!"

"You are not punking us are you aunt Vera?"

"No kids! The nanites will translate any language! You may find that some languages will not be instantenous!......But as you hear more of it, it will be faster each time!"

"Can we read and write in other languages?

"No! You have to do that the old fashioned way!"

"Working at it!"

and they finish dinner and they talk a few hours more and then as thye prepare to go to bed Vera says

"Use this bedroom kids! It has a full bed and is soundproof!-------------they tense and blush and Vera chuckles----------------I am old not senile! And I am not a prude! You are not kids! It is to be expected! I won't tell!"

"Thanks aunt Vera!"

"It's okay Gwen!"

"Did you had a significant other?"

she chuckles

"That is for me to know and you to never find out!"

"Aunt Vera!"

"I was young during women's lib and the sexual revolution!"

"Oh my gosh!"

"You better not know!"

and they go to bed, they see around and notice a good sized room with its own bathroom and looking at each other they take off their clothes, Ben aproaches her and carries her as she kisses him and he puts her in the bed as he gets on top of her and she spreads her legs, she grabs his dick and puts it on her cunt on the entrance and Ben penetrtates her and starts thrusting her as she moans loudly and they moan once they orgasm, and after a small respite she gets on top of him and they do it four more times, and finally they sleep the rest of the night.

                                             For the next two days Vera explains how and what equipment they have and they train on the use of the weapons and the other devices and on the second complete day once they are acustomed to the weapons and equipment they say to Vera

"We want to follow the iterinary left by grandpa aunt Vera! We may find him this way!"

"No you won't!"

they look at her and

"Did something happen?"

she shakes her head

"No! But he is deep into the investigation! It may take a long time for him to report!"

"No problem!"

"Don't get so cocky Ben!"

"Hey! I'm awesome!"

"Ben don't get complaint! The robots you faced were the scouts! The next one will come prepared for you! Don't underestimate them!"

Ben looks at them and sighs

"I know!..........I just can't act scared! So far we have fought on isolated places! Sooner or later I will face them in front of inocent bystanders and if I look scared.....panic will spread and people will get hurt!"

Vera nods

"Just don't be too full of yourself! In exccess it causes the contrary effect!"

"I understand!"

"You should put your things into the Rustbucket!"

"On it!"

and Ben starts loading the Rustbucket

"Thanks aunt Vera! Ben needed that!"

"He will need help Gwen! You better be ready!"

"i will be! I have trained enough!"

"Good! But he will need help from your talents!"

she looks at her

"My talents?"

"You know!"

Gwen tenses and looks at her and nods and

"Ready!"

"Just one more thing Ben! Gwen!"

"The Rustbucket may look as an old RV it is a highly equiped transport! The reason why you have driven it so easily is because it is designed to be driven that way! Just don't force it!"

"I understand!"

"Good!.........Look I recomend you go to your uncle Gordon's home next! His son Joel is an active plumber! He must know more of what is going on! Maybe even help you to take off the Omnitrix!"

they nod

"Then we'll go!"

"Good luck!"

and they wave goodbye as Ben drives the Rustbucket out of the garage and they continue their road trip.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                          The Rustbucket is going down the road, they are going on the route and roads, the reason are various, they are following these routes to avoid detection, and in case they are found and attacked, these roads are less used so they hope to avoid collateral damage and also to avoid being filmed and found out, Gwen has been spending less time on the front seat of the Rustbucket, she spends more time on the table in her laptop, and also she is now really reading the spellbook that Hex gave her, she concentrates more now after her talk with Vera and she is surprised since she has observed that she can cast spells, the only problem is learning the incantations, she is learning the basic spells so she can move to the more complex ones, and she hears

"We will leave Arizona in less than an hour!"

"And we'll be in New Mexico then!"

she gets up and walks up front

"Right! And after that Texas and to find uncle Gordon!"

she nods

"You think he'll know anything?"

he shrugs his shoulders

"I don't know!.........But uncle Joel is an active plumber! He should be able to give us information!"

"Right!...........And if not we can call aunt Vera and ask for advice!"

he nods

"I can hardly believe that grandpa has had this secret life all these years!"

"I know! And our parents oblivious to it!"

he nods and

"We have been talking about the rift between our parents!..........We have avoided the fivehundred pound gorilla in the room! The rift of our parents with our grandfather!"

Gwen looks at him and

"I knew there were some hard feelings! I wonder if he had confided in them if...."

he sighs

"We'll never know!"

she looks at him

"What are we going to do when we talk to our parents?"

he tenses

"What do you mean?"

"Do we keep the secret? I just think our parents should know the truth!"

he looks on and almost nods and then he shows her the Omnitrix

"I am not ready to tell my parents that I have a watch that can change me into diferent aliens and that would be conquerors are after it and I may be hunted! Mom and Dad will try to keep me inside the house forever!"

"There is that!"

he stays quiet for some time and

"But we will have to tell them at some point in the future!"

she nods and then she sees a blinking light

"What is that?"

Ben looks slyly and tenses, he grabs the disc and puts it on its slot and new gauges apear on the dashborad and Gwen pushes some buttons but Ben asnwers

"Space ship! It must be coming for us!"

"Yes it is!"

Ben looks around and is thankfull that there are no other cars and gets out the road and stops

"Let's go!"

"Ben wait!"

"I am puting on my armor!"

she nods and she does the same, they grab some weapons and they go outside and they walk away from the Rustbucket after they close it and go towards the spaceship

"I believe the desing is diferent Ben! They may be diferent!"

he nods

"Makes sense!....Be ready for anything!"

and they watch as the ship lands and a hatch opens and three armored beings come out, their amors are purple with diferent acents, they are two tall ones and one short one, they look around and then they see Ben and Gwen and point towards them or rather mostly Ben and they speak, both of them frow, it is almost like lsitening to the adults on the Charlie Brown cartoons

"I thought the nanites would translate them!"

"Yeah!............But somehow I understand them!"

"True!............Somehow I know one of them is SixSix, the other SevenSeven and EightEight! The female!"

"Whatever! They are demanding the Omnitrix!"

"Not happening!"

and then suddenly they fire and as they hit the ground realizattion comes to them

"They can understand us!"

"We better be careful with what we say!"

he nods and they aim and fire, the bounty hunters are surprised

"I believe they were expecting to be attacked by aliens of the Omnitrix!"

"Let's try to keep them off-balance!"

and they fire and put them on the run as they get hit and return fire but Ben and Gwen hide behind rock formations

"They have a strong armor!"

"But not indestructable! Let's continue hitting them!"

and they do as one of them fires at the rocks with a bigger blaster and Gwen is pushed back and falls

"GWEN!!!"

"I'm fine Ben!"

she feels lightheaded and sees her readings and notices the armor in injecting nanites to deal with her injuries and she sees as Ben  growls and moves the Omnitrix

"NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!!!!---------------------and Ben changes into-----------------------FOURARMS!!!!!!!!"

the bounty hunters aim their weapons but Ben grabs a giant rock and throws it at them, they disperse but SevenSeven is hit and almost crushed, SixSix looks worried and he does not see where he is going as he looks at the damage to his colleague when he runs into Ben, he draws his guns and Ben grabs them with his hands and he squezes them, SixSix howls in pain as the weapons and his hands are crushed, he continues howling till he passes out, EightEight takes aim towards Ben but before she can fire, she is hit by fire from Gwen and since it hits her full on she falls unconcious

"BEN!! BE CAREFUL!"

"Sorry!"

she sighs

"It aplies to me too! I also got carelless!"

he nods as he picks up the hunters

"From what I heard......these aliens are siblings! No wonder they came towards us with all they got!"

"Well we fought who we had to! You fought the males and me the female!"

he chuckles and then they hear

"Finished scanning subjects! Species sotoraggians! Home planet Sotoragg! Subjects present genetic damage! Do we heal?"

Ben is about to answer when SevenSeven speaks

"No?................You get power this way?..................You are bounty hunters?.................No genetic healing? But!"

"You should heal them Ben!"

he shakes his head

"No! I won't do anything against their will!"

"But!"

he lowers his head

"The prrojector!"

she looks at him and nods, she presses some buttons on her armor and a projector is freed from a side holster

"Here it is!"

he grabs it and

"Omnitrix! Do not heal!"

"Understood!"

he looks at the bounty hunters and

"You get your wish! But you have to go to another place!"

they hiss and Ben uses the projector and the bounty hunters disappear

"Did we do the right thing Ben?"

"We can't impose our will on others Gwen! And from what aunt Vera told us...........they have been transported to another dimension and will be incarcerated!"

"It is like the Phantom Zone right?"

"Like! Not completly!"

"They didn't have a trial!"

"If they are inocent they will be freed!"

she nods and

"We better get on the road again!"

"Are you all right?"

"Yes! The healing nanites did their job! And it wasn't a lot of injury!"

and they walk and get inside the Rustbucket and after puting everything away and making sure Gwen is fine, Ben drives and puts the Rustbucket on the road.

                                              Next day after eating breakfast and cleaning up they are on the road once more, they crossed into New Mexico late, Ben got into bed late as he inspected the Rustbucket making sure nothing was broken and after that he went to sleep, Gwen was already asleep and he did not want to wake her up for sex, he figured she was still hurt and did not get her more hurt, he huged her and went to sleep, in the morning Gwen was grateful to him for caring for her, she continues to study the spellbook and she starts to understand it better, and when she takes a break, she talks with Ben

"Did grandpa plan anything for New Mexico Ben?"

"Yes! To visit a Native American museum! It is on a reservation!"

"Does he have friends here?"

"In the reservation!"

"Maybe we should visit!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Aunt Vera is family! So are uncle Gordon and his family! They will trust us! I don't see that from a friend from grandpa!"

"And if?"

"Aunt Vera did not trust us at first!"

she nods

"Right! She tried to deflect!"

"To grandpa's friends we are just teenagers! And we may or not know anything!"

"Driving the Rustbucket should be enough!"

Ben chuckles

"We drove it without knowing of its secrets! It is not a very strong card!"

she chuckles

"You're right!"

and they continue driving, by late afternoon they have parked on a campsite and after dinner

"How do you feel Gwen?"

"Fine! Just a little tired!"

"Rest! It will be for the best!"

she nods and then gets a devilish expression

"Let's have some fun!"

"How?"

 and she goes to a drawer and returns with a deck of cards

"Poker strip!"

he chuckles and nods

"Only that!"

"Sure! It will be fun!"

and they play inside untill no clothes are left, in the morning they get once more on the road, they make some stops, for gasoline, food and some rest and they park early on a RV Park and Gwen asks

"Why so early Ben?"

"If we continue driving we will arrive to a campsite it would be after midnight!"

"Not good!"

"Come on let's hike!"

she nods and they walk on a trail, she sighs

"If not for grandpa missing! This would be a great trip!"

"Yeah!............Shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"Look!"

Gwen looks at where Ben is pointing and she pales

"It's coming this way!"

"We won't be able to reach our armors!"

"With only the Omnitrix then!"

he nods and gets ready and they go behind some rocks as the ship lands and sends a shockwave, so they look on as a robot gets out and fixates on Ben

"Hero Time!"

and he changes into Wildvine, he tunnels underground and apears behind the robot, wich reacts quickly and atatcks with his fruits wich he uses as bombs, the armor is strong so there is no visible damage but Ben observes and putting a cluster of bombs in a specific point in the robot wich manages to cut one of his arms, he simply regrows it and then the explosion separates some metal plates on the robot and Wildvine gets his fingers and then hands inside the robot, it starts to move wildly trying to get Ben off, but he hangs on and soon there are sparks coming out of the robot and soon smoke and Ben gets way from the robot, he grabs Gwen and puts her inside his body as he moves quickly and finally they hear an explosion, he waits for awhile and then he opens the teeth and they look back and see the remains of the robot as they burn, Ben changes back into his human form and they walk away and later they hear sirens and they see as cops, firefighters and more walk towards the fire and others ask around, once they are alone

"Ben maybe we should look around! There may be plumbers!"

he shakes his head

"And if we reveal to the people we shouldn't?"

"We must trust someone!"

"Our family! And we will trust who they say we should!"

she sighs

"It's the sensible thing to do!"

"We must be sure Gwen! And right now we can only trust family!"

she nods

"When will we arrive with uncle Gordon?"

"Two days! we should be on Texas tomorrow and one more day to reach uncle Gordon's ranch!"

and they look on as they ponder on what to do next.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                              The Rustbucket goes down the road, as Ben and Gwen look at the scenery, they look on expectantly, once they crossed into Texas and know they are closer to their uncle Gordon and his wife Betty Jean, along with their son their uncle Joel who as a plumber should have the latest news on what is going on, maybe even get the Omnitrix off from Ben, although he does not want to admit to it, but he likes using the Omnitrix, helping people, he has done rescue work and stoped some robberies, thus far he has managed to avoid being seen, Gwen on the other hand has been reading the spellbook and is learning more each day, but keeps it a secret from Ben, she is unsure if she can help him and before Gwen goes to the table they hear sirens and Ben rides to the side and lets the police cars, sherrif's cars whiz by and once all of them have passed he gets back on the road

"What was that Ben?"

"Something big!"

"Are you planning to use the boosters of the Rustbucket?"

he shakes his head

"Too many witnesses!"

"Then?"

he puts the disc on the dashboard and more dials apear

"Autopilot!"

and he gets up from the driver's seat

"Will the autopilot keep us on course?"

"It should!...........But that is not the plan!"

she frows and looks at him

"What is the plan?"

"I will explore ahead and see what is the problem! You continue driving! I'll catch up!"

"But Ben! What if you need help?"

and in a bad austrian acent he says

"I'll be bach!"

she chuckles and then in a green flash

"XLR8!"

and he runs out of the Rustbucket and Gwen sees a blue streak fade in the direction of the patrol cars

"Good luck Ben!"

and she wonders and worries.

                                           Ben in his kynecerian form is running down the road and catches up to the patrol cars and plans to pass them and wait for them when he sees smoke further ahead and decides to pass them and go to the source, he soon is on the place from wich smoke is coming out, he moves fast and when he arrives he stops suddenly in shock, he sees knights, men in armors and wielding lances wich were firing rays, he looked to where they were firing and saw a young man, probably a teen, raven haired, he has one hand near a power line and gives them discharges of electricity

"Leave me alone!"

"You must leave earth filthy alien!"

he discharges with more intensity, and after that exchange Ben makes up his mind and runs towards the armored guys and while his form is small but uses its speed to hit with more energy and manages to put down more than half of the knights

"What?"

"The alien has accomplices!"

the black haired youth sees an opening and discharges, the knights who are still standing make two groups, one atacking the young man, and the other trying to hit Ben, he avoids easily the blasts, but now can not get as near as before and when he does he does not hit with force, he then puts himself in front of them and changes into Diamondhead, they fire at him and he creates a shield with his left arm and he is not harmed, he then puts his hand on the ground and crystals erupt from the ground and the knights are trapped and his lances broken since spikes pierce them, he turns towards the other group and the other guy, and sees as the knights fall from the discharges and he aproaches him

"You okay?"

he nods

"Yeah!"

"Who are these guys?"

"They call themselves the Forever Knights!"

"What do they want?"

"To push their weight around!"

"Is that all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Get out of earth!"

"Right!............Their mantra is earth is for earthlings! And only earthlings!"

"Xenophobes!......And?"

he sighs

"They want all alien tech! Specially weapons!"

"Not so xenophobic then!"

"Yeah!"

"And you are?'

"OH! Right! Kevin Levin!

"Tennyson! Ben Tennyson!"

"Ben ten?"

he chuckles and

"Yes! Like Kevin Eleven!"

they both chuckle, Ben turns towards the road

"Authoroties are almost here!"

"Shit! I need to get out of here!"

"Where are you going?"

"Uh! East!"

"Us too! Come!"

"Us?...Okay!"

and Ben changes into his kynecerian form and puting him on his back he runs and passes the patrol cars and runs towards the Rustbucket.

                                          Gwen is driving the Rustbucket, she feels aphrensive and worried, she sees that Vera's information about it is correct, the Rustbucket is easy to drive, Vera not only informed them about the plumbers, she explained the equipment and also inspected and repaired the minor damages, so despite its apearance, it is a modern vehicle, she looks at the smoke column and decides to drive there when she hears

"I'm back!.......And I brought a friend!"

"Huh? Ben?"

"Autopilot!"

and he aproaches her and kisses her, Gwen says in a low voice

"Are you crazy? You brought a stranger!"

"He is an alien! He's okay!"

"Actually I am a mutant! I am an earthling!.............And you are plumbers!"

"What do you know about plumbers?": 

"My father was one! Galactic peacekeepers!"

"And you are?"

"Oh! Sorry my mannners! Kevin Levin!"

"Right! My girlfriend! Gwen Tennyson!"

"Tennyson? Are you married?"

"No!...........We are cousins!"

"Ben!"

"With the same last name? Are you related?"

"Cousins!"

"I see!........So you have known each other for a long time!"

"We met in college!"

"Ben!"

'It's the truth!"

she sighs in frustration

"I don't need your personal information!...........This is a plumber unit!........In good state! Nice!"

"You know more than us Kevin!"

he smirks arrogantly

"Are you a plumber?"

he shakes his head

"No! My father was killed when I was very young and my mother did not want me to join them! I know of them! I don't interact with them!"

they nod and

"You are a mutant?"

"Yes! An osmossian!"

"Osmossian?"

"I can absorb matter and energy!"

"You were taking electricity from the power line! And discharged the knights!"

"Knights?"

"Forever Knight! They are...............................and that is their story!"

Gwen nods and looks at Kevin, tall, lanky, bad boy vibe and admits to herself he is somewhat handsome

"I see! Would be conquerors!"

"That's them!"

Ben looks at him

"Where to?"

"There's a town an hour away on this road! My car is there!"

"Why is your car there?"

"Uh! Well I was captured and taken prisoner! I managed to free myself and that is when you found me!"

"I see!"

"So you are not plumbers!"

"No! Our grandfather is!"

"Is he training you?"

"Uh! No!............We were suposed to be on a summer road trip! But he disapeared! We are looking for him!"

he chuckles

"It sounds like a child's cartoon!"

"Maybe! If we weren't living it! We would agree with you!"

"Right! Sorry!"

"Look I'll drive Ben! The two of you exchange information!"

and Gwen goes and sits on the driver's seat and disconects the autopilot and starts driving, Kevin looks at her walking and admires her butt, she feels his gaze and moves her butt more, Ben motions to the table and they sit and exchange information.

                                           A little more than two hours later they arrive to the town Kevin had mentioned, it had taken double the time since they passed where they had faced the Forever Knights and trafic was at a standstill, they saw as the Knights were taken in police transports, once they passed the trafic resumes and by late afternoon they arrive and Kevin gives directions and they see a green car wich looks as a Dodge Charger

"Your car is a Hot Rod? Cool!"

Gwen rolls her eyes

"Boys!"

"I built it from the ground up!"

"Wow!"

Gwen frows

"Where did you get the money?"

"I have worked on auto shops my whole life! I know how to get parts on the cheap! You wanna ride it Babe?"

Gwen blushes and that is when Ben starts to notice the lustful looks that Kevin is giving Gwen and he frows slightly

"Well here you are! We will hit the road soon to the next RV park!"

"You are far from the next park! It would be smarter to stay the night here!"

"It would be better Ben!"

"How far is the next park?"

"Four hours!"

"We'll arrive very late Ben!"

"Is there a place we can park?"

"Follow me!"

"I'll drive!"

"Good! Want to come with me Babe?"

"She'll stay here!"

she glares at him

"She should be the one to say it!"

she continues glaring at Ben

"I'll stay!"

he nods and smirks as he boards his car and the cousins follow him, they arrive to a street with no parked cars, they park, the trip was tense as Gwen glared at Ben but said nothing and Ben did not start a dialogue, once they park Kevin gets out of his car and walks towards the RV and says

"There's a diner ten blocks from here! It has great food!"

"You think I will find parking once more?"

"I will drive you there!"

"Uh! N.."

"Yes! Thank you!"

Ben feels anoyed but agrees, they board the car and he is sent to the back seat and Kevin and Gwen on the front seat, wich irks him more, specially since they talk and ignore him, Gwen seems to enjoy their talk, they arrive to the diner and the food is quite good, but Gwen and Kevin talk more, they stay a long time untill they are informed that the diner is closing, Kevin motions to leave and once outside and

"There is no night life here! But we can talk more!"

before Gwen can answer

"We want to start our trip early in the morning! We should sleep!"

Gwen nods

"We must sleep!"

Kevin shrugs his shoulders

"As you wish!"

Still he talks to Gwen while Ben is a third wheel in the backseat, they talk for a half hour and then finally they enter the Rustbucket as Kevin leaves

"It is late Ben! Let's go to sleep!"

"Sure! Don't worry! I'll sleep on the top bunk!"

Gwen looks at him and watches as he gets into his pajamas and gets on the top bunk, she takes the bunk they had shared and she tries to sleep while he does, meanwhile Kevin arrives to a hotel and gets into his room and he turns on his phone and sees all the missed calls and messages and he answers after the third call

"Levin here!...................Your thugs tried to kill me!.......................Sure! They were only taking me to you! Don't insult my intelligence!..............................................I told you the weapons were not a sure thing! That the plumbers were investigating!................................................I was to offer you compesantion! But your men did not leave me a choice!.........................Stop whining! I have something better for you!.....................................How about a plumber terrestrial transport? It has all the bells and whistles! It is an older model! But has all the weapons and devices!........................................I knew you would!"

and Kevin smirks in satisfaction as he hatches a plan.

                                              Next morning for the first time, Ben and Gwen do not shower together, she is anoyed and hurt, since he had not waited for her or kissed her like every morning, they eat their breakfast in silence, they clean up and before they can decide what to do first, they hear a knock, Ben looks at the door and recognizes Kevin, he frows but goes and opens the door

"Yo! Tennyson! I have good news!"

"Great! What is it?"

Ben glares at her

"Really? Timing is suspicious!"

"Look Tennyson! A group of Forever Knights! The plumbers will transport them! And a Tennyson plumber is in the group!"

"This is our chance Ben!"

Ben ponders, it is a great chance but his inner voice tells him that Kevin is not to be trusted, but he has no valid reason to refuse so he nods

"Follow me!"

and they tun on the Rustbucket and follow Kevin outside of town and arrive to an abandoned ranch, Ben looks around with mistrust

"What is wrong Ben?"

"My spiders-sense is tingling!"

she rolls her eyes

"You are such a child!"

he frows and parks and turns off the Rustbucket, they get out, Ben closes and locks the Rustbucket

"What's the matter Tennyson? Afraid someone will steal your RV?"

"It has very advanced tech Kevin! We must be careful!"

"And if you need to enter quickly?"

he shows the disc

"This will open the door automaticly!"

Kevin nods

"Smart!"

and they walk around the ranch

"When are they arriving?"

"Soon! Can I see the disc?"

Ben looks at him

"Okay!"

and Kevin looks at the disc and walks away and then he waves his hand and then there is distortion and three groups of Forever Knights apear

"Stand down!"

Gwen is shocked

"Kevin! What is this?"

"What do you think?"

"You are betraying us!"

"Yep!"

"The son of a plumber!"

he laughs

"I don't know who my father is! I know of the plumbers because they have tried to capture me!"

Ben looks at him

"You are a smuggler! Probably a gun runner!"

he smirks

"Yes! And you have provided me with a great prize! A plumber transport!"

"Can you make it work?"

he smiles and shows him the disc

"This will open the transport!"

and the leader and some knights acompany Kevin as Ben and Gwen are taken away, Ben looks as the group arrives to the door and by the movements when Kevin is about to open the door, he looks at Gwen and he points to the ground with his eyes and times it and then they drop to the ground as Kevin and the Knights are pushed back and a wave does the same to the other knights and then as some of the knights get up and go towards Ben and Gwen

"Fourarms!"

and in his tetramand form he takes down the knights, the ones that are far aim their lances towards Ben and as they fire a magenta shield apears near the lances and the back lash makes them explode taking out not just the ones that fired but also th ones near them, Ben moves quickly and knocks down the Knights till only the group with Kevin remains and they try to attack them, Kevin walks towards Gwen

"Stay back!"

as she prepares to unleash her powers on Kevin

"Gwen no! He absorbs energy!"

Gwen stops and prepares to fight hand to hand

"Not only energy Tennyson!"

he grabs a stone and he turns into stone

"You absorb matter also?"

"I told you!"

and he is pummeled by rocks, Ben meanwhile takes down the remaining knights

"Give up Kevin!"

he looks at Ben and looks at the Omnitrix on his chest, he jumps towards him but he touches crystal as Ben changes into Diamondhead and covers the Omnitrix in crystal, he changes into crystal

"What?"

and in a green flash Ben is once more Fourarms and hits him with all his strenght and the crystla cracks and Kevin is knocked down

"You okay?"

she nods

"Yes!"

"Ooooooohhhh!"

"Don't try anything Kevin!"

"You tricked me!"

Gwen glares at him

"As did you!"

"Nothing personal! Just business!"

"It is personal to us!"

"Help me get away!"

Ben looks at him

"No!"

"Come on!"

"You can not be trusted! You're on your own!"

he scowls

"I'll get you Tennyson!"

"I'll be waiting!"

and they walk away and board the Rustbucket and drive away, soon they are once more on route to their relatives, they are driving in silence

"We can't trust everybody Gwen!"

"I know!"

"We better be more careful!"

"Yes!"

and they continue driving in silence.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                        The Rustbucket is in the roads of Texas, it seems that it is just cruising on, but it is in reallity following a iterinary towards a specific point in Texas, it is not near the big metropolitan areas, mostly suburbs, inside the RV Ben is driving while Gwen is in the kitchen practicing her magic, they both remember the conversation they had by late afternoon after defeating the Forever Knights and Kevin Levin

"You have powers?"

"I am learning spells!"

"How?"

she sighs and

"Profesor Hex gave me a spellbook and told me to practice! That I would be able to wield mana...magic!"

he looks at her

"Ever since when have you been?"

"Seriouslly ever since we visited aunt Vera! But I have been practicing since a little before we started vacations!"

he looks at her

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You know that magic is looked upon as a joke Ben!"

he sighs in frustration

"I would not have made fun of you!"

"I know!....I was just ashamed!"

he shakes his head

How much spells do you know?"

"About twenty!"

"You don't get tired?"

she sighs

"At first! Now I last longer!"

he nods and

"Maybe you should practice more!............As much as I want to be the knight in shining armor............I will apreciatte any help I can get!"

"I will!"

they shared the bed once more that night, but did not get intimate, the next night they did have sex and in the morning Gwen took advantage of Ben's morning wood and it was a fuckfest, so they got into the road late but Ben accelerated and made up the time, and soon the GPS tells them they are very near the home of their uncle Gordon and aunt Betty Jean, they look at a ranch with a single house, a big one and no one around

"Does this remind you of anyone?"

Gwen looks around and

"Aunt Vera's house!"

"Right!"

"Do plumbers live isolated?"

"Who knows?-----------------he looks around---------------------Or maybe they have unobstructed views!...........It may be a defensive method!"

Gwen looks around and nods

"Yes! They can see land and air easily!"

"Except underground! An alien can burrow and invade the house like in Starshp Troopers!"

Gwen rolls her eyes

"Fascim is the best and only way to live!"

"It was a satire!.........But some took it seriouslly!"

they stay quiet and

"You think they will help us?"

"I hope so!"

they follow the road and park, they get off the Rustbucket and they see as the front door opens and see an elderly man with cowboy hat, grey hair, grey mustache, they notice he looks like Max but is thinner, he walks towards them

"Ben! Gwen! Welcome!"

and he hugs them

"Uncle Gordon?"

"Yep!"

"You recognize us?"

he laughs

"You look like your grandfather! When Max was thin and young!"

"Don't tease him Gordon!"

and they see a woman, dark haired and with glasses but a twinkle on her eyes

"Aunt Betty Jean?"

"Yes! You look like Vera!..........But you also look like Verdona!"

"Come in inside! Meet the rest of the family!"

Ben and Gwen follow  them and they go inside the house they see a young man with dark hair, good build, by his side a young woman, pretty brunette, and in the other side a young blond woman, somewhat volupttuos, college age, and

"This is our son! Joel!"

"Nice to meet you!"

"He is a plumber!"

"We can talk with?"

"Are they plumbers?"

"Camile my wife is not a plumber! Her cousin Lucy wants to be the first lenopan plumber!"

"Lenopan?"

and at that question the blond girl transforms into Gwen

"Yes lenopan!"

"My eyes are a diferent shade of green!.....And my boobs aren't that big!"

"Hey! Men like big boobs!"

Camile rolls her eyes

"Not all men Lucy!"

"Joel may be the exception!"

"Gwen is perfect as is!"

she looks at him and smiles

"Good!"

"Lucy it would be better if you resumed you form!"

"Okay!"

and she changes into a dark purple form, almost mud like

"Your human form!"

"You didn't specify!"

and Camile changes into her lenopan form

"Lucy!!"

and Lucy morphs into her blonde human form

"Okay! Okay!"

and Camile regains her human form and

"You married an alien?"

Gordon sighs

"Yes!"

"Dad!"

"They don't know Joel!"

"Then let's tell them!"

he nods as he shows them the sofa and they sit

"Some time ago there was a war between the lenopans and the plumbers! Our families fought against each other! The war was at a standstill!"

"So both sides decided for a truce!"

"And Camile and I met and fell in love! And we were used as part of the truce and peace!"

Betty Jean then says

"I am ashamed to say that we oposed the wedding initially!"

"So did my parents! They tried to sabotage the wedding!"

"Fortunatelly Max adviced Joel and Camile and helped them get married!"

"And catch my aunt and uncle! Camile's ex and others! And they have been happily married for eight years!"

"Very Romeo and Juliet! Almost like us!"

"Not almost Gwen! Like us!"

"Have you reconciled with your parents?"

she shakes her head

'No!.........I hope we will some day!"

"Hope is strong!"

"You said it Ben!"

"Well now you know what we went through!........Vera told us about you two! Your relationship and oposittion, Joel and Camile understand your plight!.............Also Max's disapearence and the Omnitrix!"

"Anything new to report?"

Ben and Gwen look at each other and they narrate what they have been through, the fights, the rescues and facing the Forever Knights along with Kevin Levin, Gordon, Betty Jean and Joel listen and nod

"Can you give us informattion?"

Gordon and Betty Jean look at their son

"Joel?"

he looks at them and sighs

"I have nothing!"

Gordon looks at him while Ben and Gwen look despondent

"That is very irregular son!"

"I know!.....Uncle Max may be in undercover duty! Very deep undercover!"

"Not surprising right Gordon?"

"Yes!....Other options?"

"He is doing freelance work!"

"Preprosteous! Max would never be a mercenary!"

"I have no more intel!"

"And the Omnitrix?"

"Same thing!"

"How can that be?"

"Unknown dad!"

"No idea?"

Joel stays quiet and pondering anf then he speaks

"It may be something big!"

"What makes you say that son?"

Joel gathers his thoughts and walks around the room

"We are receiving the usual information! But less content! We are receiving less content and we are sending less information outside!"

Ben frows

"Why is that?"

Joel sighs

"Some of us believe that comunicattions are being monitored! That is why nothing is mentioned about uncle Max! The same applies to the Omnitrix!"

Gordon and Betty Jean look at him and

"Then it may be big trouble!"

"Yes!"

"What do you mean big?"

Joel looks at Ben and

"Invasion!"

Ben looks at him and

"That is big!"

"But you are not sure!"

"Not completly!................What I have been able to find out is that magistrate Labrid talked with uncle Max! There is no report to it! But it happened! That says volumes!"

"You're right son!.....................What about the Omnitrix?"

"All I can say it is not a plumber device! Probably galvan! They are hiding it from someone!"

Gordon ponders and

"Vilgax?"

"Most likely! The robots are chimeran! So it is almost a slam dunk!"

"Why send it to Max?"

Joel chuckles

"The greates plumber dad!...........I believe Xylene sent it here!"

Gordon nods

"Who is Xylene?"

"She is a plumber!"

"An uroxite! Max's partner!"

Gwen looks at them and

"Is she more?"

Gordon nods

"They've known each other for a long time! She trusts him completly!"

"Why did it attatch itself to Ben?"

"You know Gwen! It said it was coded for grandpa! I have similar DNA!"

"Actually Ben almost all of us have similar DNA! With the exception of Camile, Lucy and Betty Jean!"

"Maybe Joel would not be cosidered!"

"He is Max's nephew!"

"But has my DNA also Gordon! He is not a direct descendent like Ben and Gwen!"

"And Ken, Carl and Frank!.....Right!"

"So dumb luck got me the Omnitrix!"

Gordon chuckles

"We have gotten reports of your fights Ben! And from what you have told us...........you are adept at the abilities of the diferent aliens! You are the most qualified person to wield the Omnitrix!"

"There are reports of my activities?"

"Yes there are!........But they are not being transmited outside from earth!"

Gwen ponders and

"But people will report!"

"They don't have proof Gwen! So it won't make it to the media!.........Except the tabloids!"

"So the plumbers are are like the Men in Black!"

"Except we don't neuralize!"

"So....now what do we do?"

Joel speaks

"We teach you more about the plumbers and weapons!............And how to use it better!"

and they look at each other and nod.

                                              After having lunch, they all go to the Rustbucket and they give Ben and Gwen a more detailed explanation of the devices and the Rustbucket, and Joel uses his badge to upgrade it, and give it updated information, and then as Ben and Gwen are talking alone with Joel

"Is Camile okay being cut off from her family?"

Joel stops and sighs

"Yes!....She does miss them!.........But she was one of the proposers of peace! She could not side with her parents!"

"Must be hard!"

"Yes!.......Although she is happy not being on her home planet!"

"Why not?"

"They don't have color! Here is very colorful!"

Gwen nods and Ben asks

"Are they living mud?"

"More complex! But it is a way to describe them!"

"So it would be like fighting a being of mud!"

"Why do you have to make everything about a fight Ben?"

"We have been runing from fights Gwen! And we have faced robots and bounty hunters! Lenopans may come to chase us!"

"Unlikely! But not improbable!"

"We must be ready!"

"Forewarned! Forearmed!"

"I can't believe that every alien is after us!"

"They're not! But right now you can't trust everyone completly!"

they nod and then

"Joel! We have visitors!"

he frows and he looks out

"Who are they?"

"We don't know!"

Gwen and Ben look at each other and nod, they get outside, Gordon is outside looking at the group that is getting near and he looks at his wife who is inside and she nods and in afew minutes they arrive

"Joel! Gordon! Lucy! Good! We are on time!"

there is confusion and Lucy looks surprised and

"Camile look out! It's your parents!"

"WHAT!!!???????"

"Lucy! Calm down! We come in peace! And to warn you and help!"

"What nonsense is this?"

"Dad!...........What do you mean?"

"Let's go inside!"

Gordon and Joel look at each other and then Lucy and she nods and they go to the door and enter, Camile looks tense and

"Hello mother! Hello father! Cousins!"

"Camile!"

there is a tense silence and finally

"We have no time for this! We will apologize later!............You are in danger!"

Gordon looks at the couple and companions

"The last time you were the ones who put us in danger!"

"I know! It was easier to hang on to hate! But we have had time to..........meditate! We were wrong!"

"Okay!.............So........."

Camile's father sighs

"The peace treaty has been good to both sides! Our children are the best symbols for the treaty!"

"But?"

"There is a small fraction of lenopans who do not accept this!...........They have hatched a plan to........murder Camile and Joel! And everyobe else!"

Joel looks at them and

"Why didn't you report this to the plumbers?"

"If this is known...............the treaty will be broken! The peace nust be kept!.............And we can't let anything to happen to our daughter..........and son-in-law!"

"Thanks for the information! Get ready!"

and they get their weapons as they look outside

"Has anyone visited you?"

"Outside of my brother's Max grandchilden?"

"Are they who they say they are?"

before Gordon can say anything, Betty Jean says

"Yes they are!"

"They should have arrived already!"

Ben looks on and asks

"Do your powers only change you into humans?"

"Huh? No! We can change into other beings!"

"I see!----------------------he looks outside and then looks at Gwen who also looks outside and she nods---------------------So you can pass off as animals also!"

Gordon frows and then sees the cattle and realization comes to him

"Those bulls! They are too close to the house! They must be sludgepuppies!"

they go the outside and point their weapons at the cattle as they are followed by Camile's relatives

"Stand down! You can not win! Come home peacefully!"

the steer turn purple and they melt and take their lenopan forms

"They are an aberrattion! They must die! Along with you!"

and the fight starts, at first Gordon and his family shoot but they avoid it and before they can get hurt Camile's relatives block the lenopans, Gordon huffs in frustration

"Pull back! We can't fire! We may hit you!"

"Acceptable losses!"

"No! You are Camile's family! We won't!"

meanwhile Ben is moving the Omnitrix

"Ben! We have to help!"

"Living mud! Then! Him!...Heatblast!"

and in a green flash Ben transforms into his pyronite form. he jumps and lands on a floating rock and he flyes, Gwen nods

"Got it!"

and she starts to create rings around the lenopans and Ben says

"Leave the group alone!"

Joel says

"Do as he says!"

and Camile's relatives do as they are told, the assasins frow and look around and then they are surronded by fire wich gets hotter by the second and soon they crumble into dust

"Is that all of them?"

the other lenopans look around and count how many they are and

"That's all of them!"

Ben nods and he lowers himself and in a red flash Ben reapears

"I assume you have a way to contain them!"

"Yes we do!"

the parents of Camile look at Ben

"The rumors are true! The First Creator did it!"

"The First Creator?"

"Azmuth!"

"A galvan!"

"What did he do?"

"Create a device for peace! But others want to use for war!"

"Vilgax?"

"Yes!"

he looks at Joel

"You were right!"

and as the cousins take away the other lenopans there is an awkward silence and

"We must leave now! So we can dismantle the splinter group!"

"Thanks mom! Dad!"

Camile's mother says

"You are our daughter Camile! We will always protect you!.........And your husband!..............We were wrong! Maybe some day you will forgive us?"

"Yes mom!.....Maybe you can now visit us?"

"We can't!...........They are happy with the peace treaty!............But many consider marriage wrong!.............They know of you! But do not support you!........And Lucy is also exiled due to her support of you! They send they love to you Lucy!"

she nods and looks away

"Mom!"

"We'll find a way!..........Just be happy!"

her father talks to Joel

"I was not happy when she said she would marry you! But you are making her happy and that is all a parent wants!"

and he puts his hand out and Joel shakes it and after some more exchanges they leave as the Tennysons ponder.

                                           Next day they are all at the table eating breakfast, making small talk and Ben and Gwen learn more about Max's childhood and youth, and they get more details about Joel and Camile's wedding and

"You know if your parents had allowed you to make the trip with Max! You would have been Lucy's chaperrone in the wedding!"

"Lucy's chaperrone?"

"She was the flower girl!"

"I don't know!.......I don't know how to dance!"

and they laugh and then Gordon speaks

"I know you feel disapointed  since we could not help you on finding Max!"

"From what uncle Joel said and Camile's parents.........there is something big brewing! We will continue searching!"

Gordon nods

"Look! Near here lives a friend of Max! Wes Green! Maybe he knows something!"

"But dad he is almost retired! I doubt he knows anything!"

"Maybe because of that! He may be off grid!"

Joel nods

"Will he receive us?"

Gordon ponders

"Probably not! But if Joel goes with you!"

Joel looks at him and nods

"Good idea! I will call my team so they can pick me up on the reservation!"

"And you can train them more!"

"Agreed!"

Betty Jean then speaks

"You need to train more Gwen! You can do more with your powers!"

"I only have been studying magic spells for a little while aunt Betty Jean!"

she frows and

"Then you don't know......"

"Know what?"

Gordon and Betty Jean look at each other and then Joel

"We can't tell you!"

she frows

"Why not?"

Gordon looks at her and

"It's a family secret! Your family secret! Max is the one who must tell you!"

"He is not here!"

"You will find him! And then...."

"But uncle Gordon!"

"We made a promise!"

Gwen and Ben look at each other and nod

"Understood!"

and they prepare for their trip, before they leave Lucy aproaches him

"Good luck!"

"Thanks!"

"Hug?"

and Ben looks at her and then her boobs get bigger

"No thank you!"

she smirks and walks away, they board the Rustbucket and they go to Arizona.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from  other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                         On the roads of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona is team Tennyson on the Rustbucket, although one member is temporary, the eldest of the trio, Joel Tennyson, despite the fact that calling him an elder is an exagerattion, he is not even middle aged, but he is older than his niece and nephew.......and more experienced, on the second day of travel Joel has supervised the Rustbucket and has updated it and put the computer with newer information and once they are on a section with a straight road and without trafic Joel puts the boosters rockets and Ben and Gwen are surprised at the speed it can go, and then Joel stops and exchanges places with Ben and for the next few hours he practices with both teenagers and finally they control it and they resume their route, later Joel makes up for time by using the booster rockets and

"We knew the boosters were fast! But why didn't aunt Vera told us and to use them?"

Joel chuckles

"Because you are teenagers!"

"That is not a crime!"

"No! But you are impatient and may get over your head!"

Ben looks at him

"We have done fine so far!"

"If you want to survive you can't be learning on the fly Ben! Not always!"

Ben nods and looks on

"What kind of fuel does it use?"

"Diesel! But the engines are more eficient and don't polute as much!"

Gwen looks out and

"We have noticed!"

"There is also some hydrogen power cells around! Don't worry! They are not as explosive as in Terminator!"

"That's a relief!"

"Can the boosters make the Rustbucket drive upside down like in Men in Black?"

Joel chuckles

"Physics say that the Rustbucket is too big and too heavy for these boosters! So no!"

"Ben! That is a movie!"

"Yeah well! The plumbers do almost the same work as MIB!"

"Similar Ben! Just similar!"

he nods and then

"You think grandpa's friend will know something?"

Joel ponders

"I don't know!..........I believe that since he is retired he is going cold! Making him the perfect confidant!"

Ben nods and then Gwen asks

"You think Lucy will become a plumber?"

he nods

"Yes! She is studying very hard!"

"She doesn't take things seriously and is a flirt!"

Ben chuckles and

"She is shy! And lacks confidence since she is in exile from her home planet!"

"How do you know?"

"Usually the bigger the loud! More shyness! At least that is what I have observed on my teamates! Specially those who are out of state....or country!"

Gwen looks at him

"She was flirting with you!"

"She was provoking you! And did a good job!"

she pouts in anger

"You enjoyed it!"

still chuckling Ben says

"You did see me rejecting her! Right?'

"You did?"

"He did! Camile and I saw it!..........She talked with Lucy!..........Still she may continue to tease you!"

"Hurmph!"

and Gwen goes to the table and uses her laptop while Ben and Joel look at each other and shrug their shoulders.

                                             Two days later they are in Arizona and near the Navajo Reservation, although they have all driven, it is Joel the one driving arriving to the reservation and he drives towards the museum, once there he parks and they get out, and walk towards the museum and then Joel says

"Look in case magister Green says he wants to talk to me alone..........please leave us alone!"

"But!"

"No Gwen! Remember when we left aunt Vera's home and that we saw mr. Green's name and address? I told you he didn't know us! That he might not trust us! He will trust uncle Joel!"

"Still"

"The important things is to get information!"

"Yes!"

"We'll do as you ask uncle Joel!"

and they go in, Joel looks at the map and nodding he walks with intent followed by Ben and Gwen and they arrive to a hall room and they see a man with gray hair, dark skin, dark eyes

"Magister Green?"

"Yes?...............Of course you are Gordon and Betty Jean's son! Joel!"

"That's right! I am! I also have with me my uncle Max's  younger grandkids!"

he looks at them and smiles

"Not exactly kids are they?"

"No! They are in college!"

"Where?"

"Friedkin University!"

"Same school?"

"No!"

he looks at them and

"You met there! Right?"

"Yes!"

"I see!"

"Mr. Green?"

"Right! Will you give us some time? We need to talk!"

Gwen wants to argue but Ben nods and he walks away and Gwen follows him, they go outside and walk around the streets of the reservation admiring the sights, when they come upon a young navajo girl dancing, Ben looks at her and sees a fit girl, well toned, long raven hair, dark skin and pretty, Gwen sees the same and notices Ben watching the girl and she frows and before she can pull him away, he walks away and then they see at the sky

"Aren't those storm clouds"

"Did that girl perform a rain dance?"

"Who knows?"

"We better return to the Rustbucket!"

"Right!"

and they return and they meet up with Joel and Wes Green

"Quickly! Get to higher ground!"

"Huh?"

"Flashflodd!"

and they follow them and observe a lot of people are leaving town

"Why?"

"Flashflodds are very dangerous!"

"KAI!.........KAI!!!!!!!!!!!..........KAI!!!!"

"GRANDFATHER!"

and they see as she is on a tree trunk as the flodd has already arrived and the water current was taking her away, Ben looks around and

"Ripjaws!"

and he swims with ease and grabs Kai and brings her back to Wes and he regains his human form

"Thank you!"

"I could have swimmed to save myself!"

"Oh! Sorry! You want me to take you back?"

she is stuned and Wes says

"Just be grateful Kai!! Okay?"

"Ok!"

"How long will this last?"

"A few hours at least!"

"It's hard to believe that there can be flashfloddings in the desert!"

Wes chuckles

"I know! Always so arid!...............But water does fall! And usually all at once! So we have floddings!"

"The museum is at high ground!"

"Best way to protect the relics and exhibits!"

"Understood!"

"I have some information on your grandfather! But not much!"

Ben and Gwen look at him with hope and there is a tremor and they look at Wes

"Another flodd?"

"No!"

"Then?"

"The mountain!"

and they walk towards it, Wes and Joel upfront, Kai and  behind Ben and Gwen, she notices that while Kai is distant with Ben, she is moving her hips too much and she frows, Ben is looking around with mistrust and suddenly a creature apears and it looks like a werewolf

"Yenaldooshi!"

"What?"

"Yenaldooshi! A spirit wolfman! A demon!"

as the werewolf aproach them Ben moves the Omnitrix, he goes for a flying alien but changes into Wildvine, the werewolf attacks and pushes Joel and Wes off the trail, Wildvine uses his tentacles to grab htem but he is put in awkward position and he can not fight back, the werewolf almost bites him and manages to scratch the Omnitrix, and as Ben tries to regain balance and the werewolf escapes

"We better get back!"

and they do and as they arrive, they see as people are leaving

"What is going on?"

"I'll see!"

and Wes walks towards the people and some talk to him and then leave, he returns

"Is something wrong?"

"They are leaving town to avoid the Yenaldooshi!"

Joel looks on

"How can we help mr. Green?"

"It will be better if I go alone! I'll hit it with a tranquilizer dart!"

"It may be dangerous mr. Green!"

"I know! But I must go alone!.........In order to avoid accidents!"

"But..."

"I know what I'm doing!"

and Wes leaves and they go to the Rustbucket and they enter

"This is a dump!"

"If you don't like it you can always leave!"

Kai glares at Gwen

"You are not nice!"

"You lack manners!"

and Ben frows as he acts like he is listening to something loud and Joel aproaches him

"Ben are you all right?"

"***********I don't know!..........But I'm hungry!"

Joel frows and Ben gets a painful expression and he looks at his feet and take soff his shoes and socks and they see as his feet have gotten bigger with long nails and Ben gets a grey color and pointy ears

"BEN! What happened?"

"I don't know!"

and then he goes to the fridge and starts eating

"It sure didn't afect his apetite!"

"Actually it has increased!"

then the door opens

"I missed! Ben?"

"Something is happening to him mr. Green!"

"Ben were you bitten by the Yenaldooshi?"

"No! He didn't break any skin!...........Or bark!"

"He is turning into a Yenaldooshi!"

"How can we stop it?"

"We need to use a spiritual silver pendant! Along with fluids of the arbol de matrimonio cactus! And put it on his heart.....he will stay a Yenaldooshi forever!"

"Forever? I'll protect you Ben!"

"He will kill the person closest to him!"

Ben looks horrified and Gwen tenses

"We must get the things then!"

"Let's go!"

"Umh! Uncle Joel?"

"Yes Ben?"

"If I can't be cured!.............Kill me before I attack Gwen!"

Joel looks at him and nods, as Gwen holds back tears

"I will!"

"It won't come to that Ben!"

he sighs

"Hopefully!"

and they leave the Rustbucket and once outside he becomes more wolf like and they understand they have little time.

                                        In the next hour Ben becomer more wolf like and fights the werewolf, Wes finds the spiritual silver pendant and Gwen finds the arbol de matrimonio cactus with her butt and catches up to the group, Wes crushes the cactus and puts it on the pendant, he tries to put on his chest but is unable to do so, untill Gwen grabs the pendant and puts it on his heart amd nothing happens and then she notices that the Omnitrix is gone and she remembers that the Omnitrix had been yellow, Ben runs towards the mountain and fights the werewolf, Wes does not understand why the cure failed and Kai says it is probably because  he is an alien werewolf amd Joel says

"Of course! A loboan! From Ansur Transyl!"

and they arrive as they learn that the werewolf has been stealing tech, and then as Ben is fighting the werewolf the Omnitrix symbol apears on his belt and they fight, the volcano almost erupts but Ben changes into his torterra form Cannonbolt after getting the others to safety he returned and stop the eruption, so later that day they are talking and Wes

"I saw Max some weeks ago!"

"Where is he?"

"I don't know!..........He received a message from Magister Labrid! It apears that there is a planed invasion!"

"By who?"

"Unknown!.........Labrid suspects it is power that dwarfs the Chimera!"

"You're kidding!"

Wes shakes his head

"I'm not! That is why there is not a lot of information exchange!"

"So we can't find grandpa!"

Joel looks at him and

"At least we know what he is doing! And that he s alive!"

Ben and Gwen nod and they learn more about Max's mission and whereabouts, they also exchange information and as they prepare to leave Kai talks to Ben

"So you changed into a alien werewolf!"

"Uh! Yeah!"

"Shame!"

"Why?"

"I wanted you to be a Yenaldooshi!"

"What for?"

"To tame you! To be my pet!"

he looks at her and

"I'm not!"

"Maybe I can still do it!"

Ben looks at her and shakes his head

"I am happy I am not!"

she smirks

"You would like it!"

"No! I could never be with somebody like you!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"Who do you think you are? Lycanthopher is a sentient being! You want to enslave it! And if the Yenaldooshi exists..........he may be sentient! You want to enslave people Kai! I can never be with someone like you!"

Kai glares at him

"You will regret this!"

Ben ignores her and then he hears

"That is enough Kai! Ben is right! You want slaves!"

"But grandpa!"

"Enough! Let them go! We'll talk later!"

and they say goodbye and they leave the reservation, next day they are on a town and they see as a plumber transport is nearing

"Well Gwen! Ben! Continue with your trip! You may find uncle Max! And you can share a bunk once more!"

they blush and

"No! Uncle Joel! We..."

"You are teenagers! Healthy teenagers! It is to be expected!"

"Do uncle Gordon and aunt Betty Jean?"

"Of course they do! They are more strict! But you are not little kids! So they didn't say anything! And uncle Max is the one responible!"

"We'll be more discreet!"

Joel chuckles and as the transport arrives he gets off the Rustbucket and gets on the new transport and Gwen and Ben look at him go and they prepare to continue their trip.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                            For the next few days Ben and Gwen drive the Rustbucket following as best they can the iterinary left by Max, despite how irregular it is, along the way they stop criminals, rescue people and stop the robots they learn are called mechadroids, before leaving Joel programed the plumber badge to call him, he wants to know the details of what they do and where, he also explained how to access funds with the badge, they have enough but one never knows, and how to find specialized mechanics to repair the Rustbucket and where to reload ammunittions for their weapons, Gwen has been practicing and learning more how to cast spells and whenever he can Ben practices with his aliens and they are improving, on their personal relationship things seem fine, they have been having sex, still Ben feels that Gwen is not opening completly to him, and she looks at him with some distrust and finally three days after leaving the reservation she finally asks

"Miss her?"

Ben is puzzled

"Miss who?"

she glares at him

"Kai! Kai Green!"

"Uh! No!"

"Liar!"

"Huh? What the fuck? What has gotten into you?"

"I saw you!.............You like her!"

Ben frows and sighs in frustration

"Autopilot!-----------------------and as the Rustbucket engages the autopilot he turns towads her--------------------------Tell me more! Please!"

"I observed how you looked at her! You like her!"

Ben scoffs

"I don't!"

"So you say!"

"Look Gwen! Yes she is atractive!..........But she is entitled and narcissistic!.........She wanted my loboan form or the spirit wolf of their legends!...........She wanted to tame it and keep it as a pet!"

"You would like that!"

Ben glares at her

"I don't know about their spirit creature!.........But my loboan form is a sentient being! She wants to enslave a sentient being!...........I don't want to interact with someone like that!"

Gwen stays quiet and

"But you like her!"

Ben chuckles

"I like her less than your dance instructor!"

she glares at him

"Funny!"

Ben gets angry and

"Just like you! You like Kevin! You should have told me and I would have left you with him!"

"YOU'RE A JERK!!!!"

"You started!"

she huffs and turns towards the road and they stay that way for some time and

"You don't want to be with her?"

"NO!"

"She flirted with you big time!"

"Yeah! So what? I'm not interested!"

"Really?"

"Really! Do you like Kevin?"

she tenses

"No!"

"Then why are WE fighting?"

she looks away

"A misunderstanding!"

"Is that all?            Let's stop then!"

"Okay"

"I'm sorry Gwen!"

"I'm sorry Ben!"

they stay quiet for few minutes and

"Autopilot disengage!"

and Ben takes control of the Rustbucket once more

"I'll continue practicing spells!"

and they return to their routines and both wonder if they are going to have problems in their future.

                                           They stop for lunch wich has become also a bone of contenttion, Ben likes red meat and fast foods, and while Gwen also enjoys them, she favors green salads and since she knows more about cooking she makes decisions that favor her, still Ben agrees that the food is tasty and delicious, they clean up and once more are on the road when the plumber badge beeps and Ben puts it on the dashboard and a map apears and a point on it

"It apears to be a beacon signal!"

"Could it be grandpa?"

"I don't know!"

"What do we do?"

"We go there!"

and Ben follows the quickest route to the beacon, less than an hour later they arrive, Gwen looks around

"I don't see anything!"

"When suddenly there is an explosion and they see an alien, mint green skin, tall, two tentacles from her head and one from her lower back, she is wearing a grey jumpsuit, she seems to concentrate and rocks get a purple glow and they go and hit a mechanical construct

"We now know who sent the call!"

"Can we be sure Ben?"

"She is being attacked by a mechadroid! I believe we can trust her!"

"I guess!"

and they get out of the Rustbucket and they attack the mechadroid, Ben changes into Heatblast and flies around it and hits it from diferent angles and all the while Gwen and the alien woman attack it also and soon it explodes and they look making sure it is totally destroyed and after a while they nod and Ben changes into his human form

"You are not Max Tennyson!"

"Uh! No! I am his grandson Ben! Ben Tennyson!"

"What are you doing with the Omnitrix?"

"I found it!........Or rather it found me!"

"If you are Max's grandson then your DNA is similar! I should have made it more specific!"

"And you are?"

"Xylene! I am a plumber!"

"And you know grandpa!"

"More than know him!"

"Oh?..........OH!"

"Are you grandma?"

"Don't be dumb! I could not be your grandmother!"

"Did grandpa cheat on grandma?"

"No! We had our relationship before his marriage! He met Verdona later!"

"I see!"

"Anyway I am not here to gossip!..........I am here for the Omnitrix!"

"WHAT???"

"Give me the Omnitrix!"

"Gladly!.,.....How do I take it off?"

"You don't know?"

"Well it did not come with an instruction booklet!"

"Max would have figured it out already!"

"Untill this contraption, I didn't know grandpa was a plumber!"

Xylene makes a gesture wich sugests she is rolling her eyes

"Omnitrix detatch!"

"Unable to comply!"

"What? This is Xylene! Code 011010! Detatch!"

"Unable to comply!"

Xylene looks stuned and soon angry

"Who can unlock?"

"Creator can!"

"No!.....Did you listen?"

"Of course!"

"Repeat! Just use your name!"

"This is Ben! Code 011010! Detatch!"

"Only creator can detatch!"

"How can you stay with an ignorant boy?"

"Only creator can answer!"

"Frustrating!"

Ben looks at her

"Who is the creator?"

"Azmuth!"

"Where is he?"

"On.......I don't know!"

"Great!"

"Maybe you can narrow where?"

"It may be light years! Besides my ship is damaged! I am stuck here!"

they stay quiet and

"Where is your ship?"

she looks around and

"There!"

"Let's see what we can do!"

they walk up to it, and as they aproach they see a group of aliens, they are grey, with one eye and tentacles on their mouth and wearing green jumpsuits, they see a trio of human arrive and talking with them and then they put their hands on their faces and they change into the grey aliens

'ID Masks!"

"ID Masks?"

she rolls her eyes

"You really are ignorant! Basic tech!"

"Not here!"

"Right! Level Five!"

"What do we do?"

"I need my ship!"

Ben sighs

"Fight then!"

"Just be careful!"

and Ben changes into XLR8 and goes and hits the aliens, some try to stop him but fail to hit him, and soon they are knocked down, he puts them in a pile, Xylene and Gwen knock down the remaining aliens and with their powers they take them to the pile and Ben changes into human and then hears

"Genetic damage detected!............Genetic restoration posible!..........Does wielder agree?"

Ben looks at Gwen and she nods

"Yes!"

and in a white flash the aliens are changed into humans

"How did you do that?"

"It was the Omnitrix!"

"You freed them!"

"And healed them! The Omnitrix can do anything!"

Xylene looks on and inspects her ship

"It needs a lot of repairs!..........Give me the Omnitrix!"

"How?"

she scowls and goes to Ben and starts to push diferent places on the face but it does not respond, she scowls and repeats her actions two, thee times without success and then she pushes a diferent secuence and the Omnitrix face chnages to orange

"Omnitrix will self-destruct in an hour!"

"Huh?"

Xylene pales

"No! Stop self-destruct mode!"

"Unable to comply!"

Gwen asks

"Who can stop it?"

"Only creator can!"

"Find Azmuth in an hour and travel to him? Imposible!"

"How will Omnitrix self-destruct?"

"Explosion!"

Ben tenses

"How poweful?"

"The more time passes  for the explosion, the stronger it will be!"

"How about an hour?"

"Complete destruction on a one mile radius!"

"That sucks!"

Xylene growls in frustration and

"No there must be a way to stop this!"

and she continues pushing the face of the Omnitrix when

"We are wasting time! I will change into XLR8 and go to a secluded area so I will not hurt anyone!"

Xylene tries once more when

"Stop doing that!"

"Who? Azmuth!"

they look at Azmuth who is on a floating disc

"The self-destruct was activated! I came to see who did the wise thing!"

"The Omnitrix is needed Azmuth! The plumbers need it!"

"it is not a weapon Xylene! But the plumbers will use it for that! Right?"

"To do good Azmuth!"

"Like the Null Void projector? It was not a weapon! But it is used as one!"

"Gray Matter?"

"I am Azmuth! The First Creator! A galvan!"

"I see!........Will you take it off from me?"

"And if I don't?"

"I will change into XLR8 and find a secluded place so when it explodes........I will not hurt anyone!"

"I see!..........But if you change you will acelerate the destruction of the Omnitrix!"

"That is why I should go then now! Not wait to the last second"

Azmuth nods

"Interisting!"

he turns to Gwen and

"I have to go Gwen! This is goodbye!"

"Ben! No! Take me with you!"

"No!"

"But..."

"Enough!"

and Azmuth aproaches them and pushes some specific points and then a tube rises and Azmuth detatches it and he presses diferent sections and the glowing sections change from orange to green, he inspects it and nods and puts it back in and the Omnitrix gets its usual form

"The self-destruct is deactivated?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"I didn't plan for this.........But I decided to spare you!"

"Why didn'you use the code First Creator?"

"it was better this way!"

"He received the Omnitrix by accident! He should give it back!"

"No!"

"I knew you would agree with.........What?? No?"

"The Omnitrix relays information Xylene! Ben Tennyson has been acting selflessly! And he used the Omnitrix for one of the reasons it was created!"

"But he is not a plumber and...."

"It is why he has used the Omnitrix in ways that his aliens do what the others have not!"

"But!"

"He healed the genetic damage of these victims! That is why I will not use the Omnitrix agains them! Or him!"

"Yes First Creator!"

and the disc glows and Azmuth disapears not before he said to Ben

"You come up with new ways to use the abilities of your aliens! You are a great wielder!"

and he disapears as Xylene huffs in frustration, Ben looks around and

"We must repair this!"

they nod and they inspect it and Xylene says

"It can be repaired! It will be easier if you use your galvanicmechamorph!"

"Huh?"

"It is like a black liquid with green lines!"

"Upgrade!"

and Ben goes to the Omnitrix and the face is black

"What the?"

Xylene looks and frows

"What did Azmuth do?"

"Whatever it was..............I am grounded!"

and they work without the Omnitrix, Xylene does most of the work, Ben does as he is told and from time to time he inspects the Omnitrix but nothing, so they continue working when Xylene tenses

"Intruders!"

"What? Where?"

"Three hundred yards to the south!........Many ID Masks!"

"Are there any blasters here?"

"Yes!......You know how to use them?"

"Out aunt Vera! Uncle Gordon and aunt Betty Jean! And our uncle Joel thaught us!"

"Good! Let's get in our defensive positions!"

they do and soon a group of twenty arrive and they get off their vehicles and they look around

"They are looking for the others!"

"They were probably called or did not receive a message they were suposed to receive!"

they nod when suddenly they screech and start shooting from their mouth, they avoid getting hit and they fire but are unable to stop them and before they can get overwhelmed

"Update complete! Omnitrix ready for use!"

Ben looks at the Omnitrix as it gets smaller and almost watch like, Ben smiles and he moves the dial and instead of siloutes he sees holograms and he looks at the ten aliens and sees a moth man and he touches the tube and in a green flash a blue giant bug man

"Big Chill!"

as he is about to get hit he turns intangible and the discharges pass through him, and then he goes towards the aliens and freezes them

"Good job Ben!"

"Not just this!"

and he changes back to normal and the Omnitrix cures the aliens and after puting them away and

"Ben use Upgrade!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

he moves the Omnitrix and Gwen sees 10 diferent aliens but none of his previous aliens

"What now?"

he moves the dial and

"This one!-------------------he chooses one and in a green flash-------------------Brainstorm!"

and his cerebrocrustacean form apears and he walks towards the ship and starts to repair it and soon he finishes

"Will it work?"

"The damamge was minimal! Still you better reach a plumber base so it gets a diagnostic!"

"I will!.........You are a great wielder Benjamin!...........I will make my report and return to help you find Max!.....Something tells me that these aliens are conectted to his disapearence!"

and she leaves, they walk towards the Rustbucket and they gather some ID Masks and get on and they drive away.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, Bytehoarder and Nate-MIhael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           The Rustbucket is driving along the road, from the outside it seems like a middle age couple are on it and driving it, but in reallity the autopilot is driving and the couple is not middle aged, they are teenagers, college agen Ben and Gwen are sitting at the table, she is reading and learning spells, as for him, he is fidgeting with the Omnitrix, thus far he has seen ten aliens and he has named them all, since he has gotten an idea of their abilities just by looking at them, Big Chill, Jetray, Echo-echo, Swampfire, Chromastone, SpiderMonkey, Goop, Brainstorm, Humungosaur and Alien X, he has named this alien this way because he does not know what it can do, but senses it is very powerful, and wonders if he can stay in control, his other aliens had a speedester, and aquatic one, and of course Upgrade wich could repair or improve anything mechanical, he didn't complain still the X factor was present with these aliens, Gwen looks at him from the top of her book and wonders, but decides to ask other things

"Are you sure the false IDs will work Ben?"

"They have so far!"

"But why disguise ourselves?"

"Look we have acted normally and the motor patrol do not pay attention to us! But they must wonder how two teenagers can afford a RV, and why they are alone driving around the country!"

"You worry too much Ben!"

"We are minors Gwen! An overzelous officer and we will be detained!"

"You really think it can happen?"

"Murphy's Law!"

she sighs in frustration

"Right!..............But that will happen if they discover the fake IDs!"

"The equipment on the Rustbucket can reproduce any ID and make it 99% real! And the ID Masks cover the remaining 1%!"

"But if you did it wrong!"

"Grey Matter supervised the proccess Gwen! I have no worries!"

"I guess so!"

"Look a Grey Matter built the Omnitrix! I am pretty sure they can make good fake iDs!"

Gwen looks at him and

"He let you keep the Omnitrix! He may not be as smart as we think!"

"Hey!.............Xylene agreed with Azmuth!"

"I know!.........It would have been better if she had taken the Omnitrix with her!"

"Azmuth decided otherwhise!"

"How many aliens does that thing have?"

"More than a million!"

"That many?"

"Yes!"

she nods and

"What are our next moves Ben?"

he ponders for a few minutes

"We'll continue our iterinary!..........But listen to reports and if there are reports about unusual activity we go investigate!"

"You think that will be enough?"

"We can call uncle Joel and ask for reports of unusual activities!"

"You are fixated on unusual activities!"

"It seems whoever is attacking earth, is doing it underground!"

"Like the aliens who attacked us?"

"They pass off as humans! But must act unusually!"

"But not by much!"

he nods

"Let's hope that the plumbers investigate more!..................And maybe Xylene can get us more help!............Or information!"

she nods and then notices the Rustbucket slowing down

"What is going on?"

Ben gets up and looks ahead

"Probably an accident! Anyway Highway Patrol is surveying!"

"ID Masks?'

"Yes!"

"The smell is finally off!"

"Well the good thing is that Wildmutt did not smel them!"

she rolls her eyes and they put their masks on and they wait till they reach the checkpoint, and as the cops inspect their IDs he asks

"Is there a problem officer?"

he looks at them and sighing he says

"There are some girls missing mr. Tennyson! We are inspecting cars! Specially Trucks and........RVs"

"If you wish you can inspect it!"

the officer looks around and

"No!...........Not necessary!"

Gwen looks at him and

"How can you be so sure?"

"We can see the RV's interior ms. Tennyson!.............And the RV is not as low if there were more than two persons in it!"

"Ah! I see!"

"You observe everything!"

he smirks

"Part of the job!"

"Good luck! Hope you find the girls!"

he nods and

"If you see anything unusual please call 911! Do  not engage!"

"Understood!"

and once they are far

"We are investigating?"

"Yes! And we will engage if necessary!"

and Gwen looks at the reports on the web and conecting to the sensors of the Rustbucket and gets information from the police files and using the computers

"There are a lot of girls missing! But no bodies!"

"I see! Could it be sex trafiquers?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Young girls! No bodies!"

she nods

"Maybe they haven't found the bodies!"

"Posibily!.....Is there a pattern?"

"Outside of them being young? None! That I can see!"

"Damn!.....Let's see!...............How big is the area of the kidnapings?"

she triangulates and

"It's a small area!"

"Where to?"

and she walks over to the front and shows him and he nods

"We'll be there by afternoon!"

and they drive and prepare to investigate.

                                               They arrive to Oakland, a small town surrounded by forrest, oak trees, they find a RV Park and leave the Rustbucket and they walk around town, and after a while they sit on the park and making sure they are alone

"Are all the girls from this town?"

she frows and

"I am not sure! I don't think so! Why?"

"I would expect if all the girls were from this town it would stand like a sore thumb.........and there would be a bigger police presence!"

"I know!.....I just don't understand how......"

they stay quiet and ponder and then Ben says

"Maybe they live close to each other!"

"Boarding school! They are students of a boarding school!"

Ben looks at her and nods

"Yes! Is there a boarding school near on inside the area?"

Gwen looks at her smartphone and nods

"There is!"

"How far is it?"

"Not far!"

"Let's go!"

and they go towards the area, they hide and Ben changes into Jetray and he carries Gwen towards the area and they first fly low and look around and then they see a girl walking slowly and erraticly, Ben lands near her and regaining his human form, he and Gwen aproach the girl and look stuned as they observe a young girl who looks consumed, they try to talk to her but she is unresponsive and they look at her forearms and notice marks in form of stars inside a circle, black in color and Gwen inspects them

"They are not scars or tatoos! I have never seen them before!"

"Are they related to what has happened to her?"

"Maybe! I don't know!"

and then they are surprised as they hear

"You found her! Thank you!"

they turn around and see a young man, blond, handsome, well built and charismatic, Gwen feels her heart flutter and smiles, Ben looks at him and feels uneasy

"Who are you?"

"Michael Morningstar! And you are?"

"Tennyson! Ben Tennyson! And she is my..."

"Gwen Tennyson! His cousin!"

Ben tenses, his first instict is to make a snide remark but controls himself, but knows his expression is not hiding his anger but continues on his mission

"You know this girl?"

"Yes! I have seen her around from my home! It is beside a boarding school!"

"Really?"

the tone of awe on her voice cuts Ben's spirit but he puts his feelings aside and

"Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?"

"Uh! No!.....Something like what?"

"Don't mind him! We just noticed that there are a lot of girls missing from that school! And we are curios!"

he frows specially as he sees Michael smirks and looks at him

"Are you an amateur detective? You put your cousin in harm's way?"

"Are we in harm's way?"

"Ben!"

"It's okay! I spoke out of turn! Without malice!..........I doubt it!"

"That's good enough for me!"

"Why don't you think there is trouble?"

"I know!"

"I need more!"

"Look I'll take Angela to the board school! You go to the house! It's mine! Wait for me!"

Gwen walks happyly towards Michael's house wich is a mansion! Ben walks sullenly and once there, they wait and soon Michael is there, Ben asks

"Is Angela all right?"

"Yes the nurse is looking after her! Let's go inside!"

and they walk inside, Ben is distrustful while Gwen is walking on cloud nine

"This place is wonderful!"

Michael chuckles and

"My parents gave me this shack till I finish my college! They live on the big house on the next lot!"

before Gwen can answer

"So you have money! Why are you?"

"Because we are in the same business Tennyson!......I am a plumber!"

"You are?"

"Of course he is!"

Ben glares at her

"Can you prove it?"

Michael smirks and he signals them to follow him and he stops in front of a door and enters a code on the keypad and the door opens and they enter a computer room, they recognize the designs as plumber tech

"You recognize the equipment?"

"Of course!!"

"Yes!"

"This looks newer than our...."

"Gwen!"

"You can trust me Ben! I have read the reports of both of you of your activities!"

"Maybe he has information!"

"I doubt it! You have heard our contacts! There is not a lot of information!"

"We have to trust each other Ben!"

"You know about us!........We don't know about you!"

"We are all plumbers here!"

"No we're not!"

"Ben!"

"We have tech and some knowledge! But we are not plumbers!"

Gwen glares at him

"A diploma does not a plumber make!"

"No it doesn't! But we need more training before we can call ourselves plumbers!"

Michael chuckles

"As you wish! But we have to investigate regardless!"

Ben looks at him and

"How many girls have gone missing?"

"Uh! A few!"

"Really? It's been going on for a while! I doubt it has been a few!"

"I...I...I haven't been able to find victims!"

"Gwen found many missing girls!............Without all these fancy tech!"

"Don't be rude Ben!"

he ignores her and

"We believe that the kidnaper works on this area! He may have a hideout around here!"

"We don't know that Ben!"

"The area is very small Gwen! His hideout must be near!"

Michael asks smirking

"What do you propose?"

"Look around! Maybe guard Angela since she may be the key to uncover the mastermind!"

Gwen looks at him and

"It is a good plan!"

"Very well! Let's do it!"

and as they go to the boarding school, Michael slams the door on Ben's face, who controls himself as they walk Michael turns towards Gwen

"There are more reports about your cousin! But you have powers! What are they?"

"I am a sorcerress!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I can cast spells!"

"So you have magic!"

she blushes

"Yes!"

she doesn't see his smile and then

"What can you do?"

Gwen glares at Ben, and Michael smirks and he points towards a rock and he fires a beam wich shatters it

"I can do more! I am an energy being!"

"WOW!"

Ben looks at him and wonders

'We're here!"

Ben looks around and

"It seems that nobody is around!"

"They have a curfew!"

he nods

"How?"

"I have a back door!"

they follow him and they arrive to a section of the wall and Michael opens a door

"Clever!"

"Is it? Why do you have a back door to a girls boarding school?"

"You have said that there have been girls missing for a long time! I needed a quick access!"

"Right!"

and they enter and move around and Michael says

"We better split up! Ben gp to the north wing! The infarmery is there! Gwen and I will go to the south wing!"

Ben looks at him and then Gwen who is blushing and smiling and he simply goes, Michael and Gwen go the oposite way, and Michael smiles, once Ben is far from them and he can hide he changes into Big Chill, he flies as he turns invisible, he reaches the wing quickly and he turns intangible he enters and looks around, the place has no people, he looks around and sees no one, he ponders and then he phases into the ground and finds a basement and finds a group of girls, who looks consumed and with the star markings, he sees Angela and understands who is the kidnaper, he goes to the door and sees there is a lock, he freezes it and it breaks and he opens the door and lets them see it and he notices they are starting to move towards the door, he leaves the wing and goes to the other and looks out for Gwen and Michael, and nothing until he looks around and he sees a room with a glow, he enters and he sees Michael with his hands on Gwen's shoulders and it seems he is draining her and being consumed

"GWEN!!!!!"

"What? Tennyson! You followed us!"

"I searched for you! I found your victims!"

he smirks

"How unfortunate!"

"What are you? An energy vampire?"

"Yes! I am a mutant! I can absorb energy from other beings! But those with latent magic powers are the best! And Gwen has enough energy to keep me goig!"

"No she won't!"

and Michael absorbs more mana and takes a golden look and he discharges against Ben who simple changes into Chromastone and returns it to him and he staggers backwards

"What alien is this?"

"A new one!!"

Michael snarls and fires once more but the bolts return to him and then he smirks and suddenly Ben is buried by rocks and dirt, but before he can smirk Ben phases through and he freezes Michael over

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH! You are cheating!"

"So you say!........................GWEN! WAKE UP!!! YOU ARE STRONGER THAN HIM!!!!!!!!!!!"

"She is under my control! I will take more energy from her!"

and as Michael tries to absorb more of Gwen's mana she puts her hands over his face and she starts to absorb his energy

"NO! STOP!!!!! STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

and Michael weakens and he falls to his knees, Ben keeps his distance as Gwen separates from him

"You okay?"

she nods

"I'll...."What?"

and the girls who were missing suddenly apear and cover Michael and they start to take his energy and soon Michael is on the floor and the girls look more recuperated and leave

"Let's go Gwen!"

"Okay!"

and they leave as he changes into Jetray and he flies to near the RV park and they walk towards the Rustbucket, they get inside and

"I'm so tired!"

"He drained your energy! You must be tired!"

"Right! I must sleep and replenish!"

he nods and he pulls out the bed

"Get ready!"

"What are you doing?"

"Getting ready to sleep!"

"On that bed?"

"Yes!"

"Why not?"

"You really have to ask?"

she tenses

'Ben! I"

"We'll talk in the morning!"

and Ben puts on his pajamas and he goes to sleep, Gwen puts her nightgown and gets into bed and soon she hears Ben's snores and then she cries herself to sleep.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           As the Rustbucket leaves Oakland, Ben and Gwen ponder on the events of the last twentyfour hours, since they did not want to have the spotlight on them so they worked fast, they called Joel who called the nearest plumber unit to them to capture Michael and he instructs them to go to Michael's house and search for the plumber's badge and tells them to destroy it, wich they do and they activate markers on the computers so they can be found easily and after that they leave as Ben looks at the map and is deciding wich route to follow so they can get on their proposed iterinary, on that aspect things are good, but there is a lot of tension between them, and each one is keeping their counsel, Ben did not sleep with Gwen the previous night and he plans to sleep alone once more, he is frustrated, angry, hurt and yet he does not talk to her, not that Gwen is any better, she feels frustrated, angry, ashamed and does not understand why she has acted the way she has, or rather does not want to know why she has done it, in the next day they do some rescue work amd they act coordinated and get the people to safety and they also stop some robbers before they can start a car chase, they sleep apart and the next day they arrive toi a campsite wich does not have a lot of people, Ben drives in and parks and sets up camp on the isolated part of the park, the camp is set up quickly, Ben gets the food ready and then

"Gwen! I have lunch ready to cook! You can use the gas grill!"

"Understood! When do you want to eat?"

"I'll cook for myself when I return!"

she feels an opression on her chest and she sullens

"You don't have to ignore me so much Ben!"

he turns towards her and

"It's not that Gwen!........I want to know what Alien X can do! That is why I chose this park!"

"Why is it so important to know?"

"Look if we face someone like Kevin or Morningstar, I need to know if Alien X can stop them!"

"You have not had that problem with your other aliens!"

"I sense he is diferent! I feel it will be better if I know before we are in danger!"

she nods and Ben follows a trail and soon he is not seen from the Rustbucket as Gwen sullens.

                                              Ben follows the trail, he confirms that it is lonely, he wonders why there is not a lot of people considering that it is a beautiful place, but he decides not to look a gift horse in the mouth and soon he arrives to a clearing he looks around and sees nobody, he wishes he still had Wildmutt, he would detect any living being around, he sighs he knows he must risk it, he moves the dial of the Omnitrix and looks over the aliens and finally he sees the hologram he was searching for, Alien X, he looks at it and looking around one final time he presses the tube and there is a green flash and Ben feels like he is flying through space, but it is not space, he can breathe and then two giant heads apear before him, he would describe them as masks that represent theater, but instead of one smiling and the other sadnnes, one looks peaceful and seems femenine, the other is scowling and angry and seems masculine and then he hears

"Look Belicus! It is Ben Tennyson!"

"Hurmh! So what? He will not help us settle matters!"

"You do not know that!"

"Uh! Excuse me!......Who are you?"

"Oh! Right! Sorry! My name is Serena and I am the compassion of this celestialsappiens!"

"And I am Belicus! I am the anger of this celestialsappiens!"

"So thei celestialsappiens only has compassion and anger?"

Serena chuckles

"No Ben! I encompensate compassion and similar feelings!"

"And I encompensate anger and similar feelings!"

"Okay! And what can you do?"

they look at each other and

"Almost anything we decide to do!"

"Anything?"

"Almost anything! We can't change the emotions of living beings, create life or bring back to\life beings! Nor make them do our bidding!"

"So if you are needed to put out  an eruption down...."

"We debate on what to do! And then we put it to a vote!"

"But if you go on oposite actions you will do nothing!"

"That is where you come in!"

"What?"

"We ususally come to a draw! You decide what we must do!"

"I'll be the filcrum?"

"Exactly!"

"And if I come during an emergency?"

"We have a backlog!"

"Great!"

"First matter for consideration.........do we stop the asteroid from hitting the earth and exterminating the dinosaurs?"

"Aye!

"Nay!"

"Ben?"

he ponders and

"Nay!"

"But the dinosaurs will perish!"

"If the dinosaurs prevail humans will never rise! So I have to say nay!"

Belicus smirks

"Selfpreservation then!"

"Correct!"

in a sad tone Serena says

"Very well!"

"Next matter to attend to.,...."

Ben sighs and knows it is going to be a long list to go through.

                                           Gwen stays inside the Rustbucket, she brought her gi and is doing her training, she wishes she had a sparring partner, but the summer trip prevents that from happening, of course training with Ben would help her, even if he is below her ranking, but she knows it is not easy to ask him, not after him being so cruel to Michael and Kevin, she only flirted with them and.....she stops, she follows another path, she does not want to face the thruth, once she finishes her training she takes a shower and after that she reads her spellbook and is learning more spells, she is lost on the spells that when she looks outside she notices that is late afternoon, she frows and looks around, she closes her book and goes outside and nobody is there, her initial reaction is to go out to search for Ben, then her rational mind tells her that he is fine, if not he would have called or there would be a rackett and she would be able to follow it, she turns around to go inside and then she turns towards the trail and she goes searching for Ben, she walks hoping that Ben did not deviate from the trail, and then she decides to use one of the spells, she concentrates and detects the mana around her and then she focuses on one Ben's and once she has fixated on him she follows the trail, she does not know how she knows it is Ben's, maybe because it feels odd and after a few minutes she arrives at a clearing and she notices a body, an alien, humanoid and inside it looks like a star field, he has face but featureless, two eyes and three protussions on his head that look like horns

"Ben? What are you?"

the alien stays inmobile, Gwen looks at him and tries to come up with a way to free Ben when she hears a sound like a countdown and in a red flash Ben apears

"Gwen! I'm so glad you came!"

"What were you? What happened?"

"I was a celestialsappiens! Very powerful but......"

"But?"

he ponders and

"The best way to explain it........he is not integrated! He needs the voice of reason! And that is my job!"

"How bad can it be?"

"I had to decide if the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs falled or not!"

"That was millions of years ago!"

"I know! It is anoying!"

"What are his powers?"

"Warping reallity!"

"It may come in handy!"

"He is unreliable!"

"No help then!"

"I will find a way to make him work!.......But it will take some time!"

she nods and

"Let's get back!"

and they walk towards the Rustbucket and as they walk Ben makes up his mind and

"Gwen we need to talk!"

she tenses as she enters their campsite

"About?"

"You know what! Our relationship!"

"We can talk tomorrow!"

"NO! Right now!"

she sighs and

"Fine!"

and as she prepares for an attack fueled by jelousy

"What do you want from our relationship?"

she is stuned but recovers quickly

"To explore! To get to know each other!"

Ben nods and

"But you really don't want to be with me!"

"It is nothing........like......that!"

Ben chuckles sadly

"Yes it is! I play second fiddle to Kevin and Michael!"

"You are too jelous Ben!"

"I was the third wheel to you and Kevin! You did not introduce me as your boyfriend to Michael!"

"I....I.....I just thought we could get more information that way!"

"Did you?"

Gwen gets angry

"What about Lucy and Kai? You flirted with them!"

he huffs and

"I DID NOT!!!"

"Yes you did!"

Ben looks at her and smirks

"You should be more honest Gwen! Just say you don't want to be with me! That is why you look at others to be your boyfriend!"

"N..n...no!"

"Yes! You are trying to shift the blame to me! I won't accept it! Let's end it! Let's not be angry!"

"I...I....I"

Ben looks at her holding back tears and with an opression on his chest

"Then it's done!"

Gwen feels despondent

"Now what?"

he sighs and 

"I don't know about you! I plan to keep looking for grandpa Max!.......I can take you to your home or Friedkin University!"

"He is my grandfather too Ben! Why do you have to be the one looking for him? Why don't you go home?"

he chuckles and raises his left wrist

"I have a bull's eye on my wrist! I can't go back home! I'll endanger mom and dad! Neither can I return tio universtity! I have to look for grandpa!"

"Not alone!"

"Why?"

she looks away and

"I am learning magic! I can do it while we travel!"

"Understood!"

"So?"

"We continue traveling together! But as cousins! We sleep separate!"

holding back tears and feeling opressions on her chest

"Okay!"

he nods and looking at the grill

"Let's make dinner! I'm starving!"

and they do and after eating and cleaning they go to sleep, Ben now on the kitchen bed and Gwen on the bunks and they cry quietly themselves to sleep.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           Night, on a diner on one of the roads, it is isolated, the kind of place where boredom is the norm, where truckers arrive to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, even brunch or after hours meals, and a car parks outside, from it a mature man gets out and enters the diner, he sits on a table and a waitress gets him the menu card and he orders coffee as he seems to be deep in thought, but he is looking around and knows he is being watched, he receives his coffee and he smells it and seems oblivious to the trucker who has gotten up and seems to leave the diner and knows he will bump into him on his way out, he readies himself so when it happens, he is ready and the trucker falls to the floor, the rest of the patrons leave any sense of hiding and they get up and try to gang up on him but he fights them of, he knocks off an ID Mask and the one eyed tentacled face of a grey alien and before it can spit out he is knocked out, there is a screech and they finally gang up on him and manage to contain him, the waitress looks at him and

"Max Tennyson! Finally!"

he looks at her and smirks

"Not the leader obviously!"

"Like he would bother with such a lowly species!"

"And yet he has been trying to catch me for the last few weeks!"

"You are an anoyence!"

"Then how can he be so superior?"

she glares at him

"Kill him!"

"But!"

"Do it!"

but before they can carry out there is an explosion to the far side of the diner and Max takes advantage and frees himself, and before they can tackle him he tazes them and Max moves quickly and gets out of the diner, he gets on his car and drives away, as expected he is followed, but Max expected it and he loses them as he hides and , he watches as his persuers pass on and soon disapear, he drives back to the diner and from a vantage point he observes, after an hour he sees his persuers return, he watches as they confer and then they get on their trucks and leave, so from afar he follows them hoping they will take him to their hideout, and not be spoted in the proccess.

                                              Next day on a road the Rustbucket is drving along, on the wheel is Ben Tennyson, he has mastered driving it and using the GPS and most of the high tech devices aboard, they have been following the route by Max but have not been able to find him, they have heard from Joel and learn that there is no information, they continue patroling, stoping crime, figting mechadroids from the person after the Omnitrix, Vilgax, doing rescue work, and whenever they can they practice their abilities, wich has not been easy ever since the break-up, despite Gwen being more mature and smarter she wanted to practice on her own, but Ben argued that they needed to practice together so they could coordinate their attacks, sometimes he feels frustrated, he does not understand her reasoning, of course Ben fails to understand, like Gwen, Gwen practices martial arts wich in essesnce is a solitaire sport, even if she practices with others, her actions are on her own, and Ben while being the player who scores more goals, works on a team wich requires coordinating with the other players, at the moment Gwen is reading her spellbook and Ben looks ahead at the road and he sees it an old car by the side of the row, he puts the autopilot and looks at the car and he understands it was recently abandoned, he turns off the autopilot and drives the Rustbucket and parks behind the car, Gwen had not been paying attention, she has been retreating to learn spells in order not to talk to Ben but she notices the Rustbucket slowing down and finally stoping and she gets up

"Where are we?"

"According to the GPS we are some miles from Santa Mira!"

"Why are we stoping?"

"There is a car abandoned by the side of the road!"

she nods and looks at the car and she frows and then pales

"NO! The Awesomemobile! KEN!!"

and she gets out of the Rustbucket as Ben follows her

"Ken? What about him?"

she turns to him

"This is Ken's car!"

he frows and looks at the car and finally realization comes to him as he recognizes the car

"It is the Awesomemobile! Where is Ken?"

she looks around and

"I don't know!"

"Give him a call!"

she nods and gets out her smartphone and dials Ken's number, she listens and listens and

"He doesn't answer!"

he nods and looks inside the car

"Can you use your powers to open the car?"

she nods and she concentartes and the car opens

"There!"

and they look over the Awesomemobile and soon

"Nothing!"

"What happened to him?"

Ben looks at everything and

"He was kidnaped!"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?"

"All his things are here! Even his money! Someone took him!"

Gwen nods

"Right!"

he seems to ponder and

"How advanced are you on your spells?"

"I....I am unsure!"

he grabs one of Ken's shirts

"Can you use your spells to detect Ken with one of his things?"

she looks at him and nods

"I should be able!"

and she grabs the shirt and concentrates and starts to rotate and then she stops

"That way?"

"Yes!"

and they close the car and board the Rustbucket and Gwen points where to go and Ben notices to where they are going

"We are going to Santa Mira!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Maybe he is beyond Santa Mira or before Santa Mira!"

"We'll see!.........Continue sensing him!"

she nods and continues concentrating and then she directs Ben to a mine shaft outside the town, Ben decides to park somewhere far from the mine, once he makes sure the Rustbucket can not be seen they walk towards the mineshaft as they arrive it is getting dark and they hide as they get near and

"Now what? How do we get inside?"

Ben looks at the grey aliens who are doing work, pushing carts and

"Where is Ken?"

she concentrates and

"He is down the shaft.........and his mana signal is getting weaker!"

he nods and pulls out from a bag two ID Masks

"I programed these so we look like the aliens! Just follow my lead!"

before Gwen can protest she looks as Ben goes to a cart and starts pushing it, she joins him and they follows the rails and they pass what she assumes are the sentries and enter the mineshaft, they look around as they continue pushing, soon they reach an elevator, they look around and they board it and go down, and they move around till they go behind some crates and they take off the ID masks

"Shouln't we keep the masks on?"

"Whatever these guys are doing......they are the grunt work! We may be sent to do it and we don't know how!"

"That is true!"

"And we don't understand them! We better not be in the situattion where they make us be in a conversation with them!"

"Why don't our nanites translate them?"

"Maybe they don't have a proper language! Like Wildmutt!"

she nods and they look around as she frows and sullens

"I am losing Ken!"

"We better hurry!"

they look around and they observe a tank were there are aliens, how there are more tanks with egg like beings, and they see as they are taken to trucks

"They are taking these things out? Why? 

Ben frows and

"This is like Invasion of the Body Snatchers! But without the pods!"

she nods

"That's scary!....What?"

a human walks by them and he says

"Why are you wearing the masks here?.........No! Humans! Hurmph!"

Ben looks at Gwen who looks furious as she glares at the alien

"We are looking for someone!"

the alien looks at her at first he looks defiantly at her and then he starts to look scared

"You better tell her what she wants!"

the alien nods and

"He is attacking now!"

she frows

"Who?"

"Max Tennyson!"

"We are not looking for him! He can take care of himself!"

"You are looking for the kid?"

"Kid?"

"Ken!"

"Yes!"

he turns and points with his head

"There! The splicing is almost complete!"

Gwen throws the alien towards a wall and he falls unconcious

"Let's go!"

and they go and look around and they see a human silouette with some deformities and they see him, Ken almost turned into one of the grey aliens

"KEN!!! WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU????!!!!!"

and then they hear

"DNA splicing! Do we repair?"

"YES!!!"

and a yellow flash envelopes Ken and he soon regains his human form

"KEN! Are you all right?"

"Uhn! Yes!"

"We better leave!"

"NO! I was bait! They are after grandpa! And he is here!"

"How do you know?"

"I retained some of the knowledge of the DNAliens!"

"DNAliens?"

"Those guys!"

"How were they changing you?"

"With a xenocite!"

"The alien that attatched itself to me!"

"Like Starro!"

"More like the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers!"

"Or Alien!"

"No the aliens eat you! These change you!"

"We can compare later! We need to find grandpa!"

"The hatchery!"

"How?"

"I was one of them!"

"Why are they putting them on trucks?"

"They plan to distribute the hatchglings to all over the world and enslave earth!"

"No they won't!"

and as they get near the hatchery Gwen starts to destroy the trucks and the hatcheries

"You destroyed all of them!"

"I'm just starting Ken!"

when they hear

"It's a good start Pumpkin!"

"Grandpa?"

and she hugs Max as Ken and Ben go towards him

"Grandpa!"

and they do a group hug

"Are you all right Ken?"

"YES!"

"And you two! You have something to tell me?"

"I have learned magic grandpa!"

"Riiight!"

"And this was suposed to be for you grandpa! But I found it and I am now using it!"

"What is it?"

"The Omnitrix! Azmuth built it!"

"Why was it sent to me?"

"Xylene!"

"I see!"

"We can catch up later! What do we have to do to stop these guys?"

"You think you can stop us filth?"

they turn around and see a tall alien, white with hands and feet black, four eyes on the torso. and in the head there is a big circle with many navy blue circles on a black field

"A Highbreed!"

"Who?"

"A Highbreed! The big kahunas!"

"We already have destroyed your distribution operation!"

"Fool! I can restore the operation in a second!"

"So we fight!"

and Ben changes into 

"Humungosaur!"

and he goes towards the Highbreed and they start to fight, the Highbreed starts to dominate and Ben increases his size and for a moment seems to get the upper hand but soon the Highbreed manages to tople him, Ben regains his original size and then in a red flash Ben reapears

"Are you all right cuz?"

"Yeah!"

Max looks at him and

"Report this to your uncle Gordon and Joel! That this is on a grand scale! That they comunicate with Labrid! And to contact Azmuth to take away the Omnitrix!"

"Azmuth said I must keep it!"

"I see!.....It is a great responsibility! You are up to it!"

"Grandpa?"

"He is right you know!.......He can rebuild this place in an instant!........It has to be destroyed!"

and Max goes towards the Highbreed and he has a device on his hand

"Grandpa! NO!!!"

and Ken fires at the Highbreed and DNAliens

"Filth you think you can stop me?"

"I can! This is a null void projector! It lacks a focusing lens so it is a big bomb!"

"You are bluffing!"

"I'm not!"

the Highbreed grabs Max and tries to take away the projector

"Give me that!"

"Grandpa NO! There must be another way!"

"There isn't! Gwen Raise a shield! Protect Ben and Ken!"

Gwen holds back tears as she nods and a dome apears over them and then there is an explosion, Gwen keeps the shield up and soon the air clears and they see they are on a giant crater, they look around, Ben changes into Jetray and flies over and soon he returns and lands

"How big is the crater?"

"Half a mile!"

"Santa Mira is gone!"

"All those people!"

"They were all DNAliens!"

"Still Ken"

"I know!"

Ben looks devastated and

"Let's go to the Rustbucket! We'll drive you to your car Ken!"

and a somber gtoup pf Tennyson cousins walk towards the Rustbucket.

                                        They walk towards the Rustbucket and during the time they get up to date, Ken informs them that he was stoped by a patrol car, of course he did not know that they were DNAliens so he did not suspect anyhting, he was taken out of his car and then he was sedated and when he woke up he was in the hatchery and they interrogated him, but since he did not know anything he did not give any information, of course they made public his capture so Max would go to rescue him, they reach the Rustbucket and considering the hour they sleep, Ken notes that Ben and Gwen sleep separate, he believes that his pressence is causing this, but he doubts it, they go to sleep, him on the upper bunk, Gwen on the lower bunk and Ben on the kitchen bed, in the morning they wake up, they freshen up and they eat breakfast and clean and then Ben drives the Rustbucket towards his car and in the meantime Ken speaks with Gwen

"What's wrong sis?"

"Nothing!"

"Gwen"

she looks up front and

"We broke up!"

he frows

"Why?"

"He is too jelous towards me and he is too flirty with other girls!"

"Really? Tell me more!"

and Gwen tells him what has transpired and

"And that was it!"

"I see!"

"I can't be with someone like him!"

Ken looks at her and

"So if I ask Ben what happened he will tell me the same story?"

"He will make it in his favor!"

"Like you did right?"

"Ken! How can you think that?"

"Because something tells me that Ben is not how you describe him sis!..............You say that Kevin drives a muscle car.....like an old Challenger!"

"Yes!"

"Who rode shotgun?"

"Uhm...........me!"

"So you talked with Kevin while Ben was in the backseat being ignored"

"It wasn't that bad!"

"And with Michael..........did you tell him Ben was your boyfriend?"

"Uh! Well I figured it woud help us get information!"

"Is that your story?"

she glares at him

"Yes!"

"If a girl had done to me what you did to Ben! I would have dumped you!"

"Ken!"

"Sis! You insulted him! You acted as someone who has no feelings towards him! And that you were available!"

"You men stick together!"

"As if women don't do it!"

"He flirted with Lucy and Kai!"

"Did he?"

she looks away

"Yes!"

"You don't believe it sis!.............I don't know what is really bothering you Gwen! I just hope you figure it out soon! Before it's too late!"

and Gwen simply sighs, less than an hour later they are by the Awesomemobile, as Ken goes to his car he is followed by Ben

"So the two of you broke up eh?"

"Yeah!"

"You should talk Ben!"

"She doesn't want to!"

"Don't let anger rule you cuz!"

"I don't know what is bothering her and I am not a mind reader!"

Ken sighs

"You can not give up Ben!"

"She is not interested!"

"She won't with that attitude!"

"I've done my best!"

"Have you?"

"Yes!"

Ken shakes his head

"Gwen is smart! You should consider her opinions!"

Ben looks at him and then Gwen aproaches them

"What are you going to do now Ken?"

"I'll catch up to my band!"

"When will you grow up?"

Ken looks at her as she tries to muffle her chuckles

"I have one year left of being irresponsible! Let me enjoy it!"

she chuckles along with Ben and then she gets serious

"We could use your help Ken!"

"Uncle Joel is the better option sis! Maybe Lucy would be better!"

"But.."

"I don't have powers sis! Or a device! I know basics on the weapons! But Not by much! I would be a hindrance on a real fight!"

"I doubt that!.......But if you believe you can't! We respect your decision!"

he looks at Gwen and she nods

"Thanks Ben! But I will keep the blaster! I will be more alert now!"

"Just don't get over your head!"

"I won't! I'll keep you informed if I find out anything!"

"Good! And if we learn anything we'll call you!"

"All right!"

and Ken gets on his car and drives away waving his arm till he can not be seen, Ben and Gwen look at him go and then sullen, they get into the Rustbucket and they drive away and once they are alone they cry as they proccess what has happened in the last twenty four hours.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                         Ben and Gwen are in the Rustbucket as they drive along the roads of the United States, it is their summer road trip, wich has not gone as planned, it was suposed to be a voyage to reconnect, meet their other relatives, to strenghten their relationship, but instead they had to start on their own, Ben found an alien watch called the Omnitrix wich can change him into diferent aliens, Gwen can do magic, they have met other relatives and they have informed them the truth about their grandfather Max, who turns out to be an interstellar policeman, a plumber, the best one, and many members of the family are on the same businness, their relationship has ended and they saw Max blown away saving them along with Ken, Gwen's older brother, they called their relatives, specially Joel to inform them about Max and what Ken had learned, and although Ken did not join them, he got the number of the others so if he found anything to inform the family and the plumbers, they feel numb, like they are on a dream, and they have cried going to sleep, Gwen wonders if they should go back home, but knows they must continue the work of Max, she looks at Ben and understands he has no choice, still she wonders if he can not really take off the Omnitrix, and as they drive they receive a call from Joel, they link with Vera, Gordon and Betty Jean and Ken, they make small talk and they get up to date, untill they go to the heart of the matter

"Anyway....I finally talked directly with the higher ups of earth! I gave them the reports from uncle Max and what you three found out!"

Ben asks

"What did they say?"

Joel stays quiet for a few moments and

"They knew some things! Suspected others! With the report they have filled the mosaic more!"

Gordon asks his son

"Will they send reinforcements?"

Joel shakes his head

"No!"

"WHAT????!!!!!!! WHY NOT????????!!!!!!!!!!!"

Joel sighs

"It apears that the treath is universal! At least our known universe!"

Vera asks

"All of the Alliance?"

"Yes! Even the other powers are a target!"

Betty Jean says

"I can hardly believe it is on such a grand scale!"

"I was also surprised mom! That is why intergalactic comunicattion has gone down!"

Gordon looks slyly at Joel

"So how do they know how big it is?"

"Regular transports dad! They deliver messages the old fashioned way, and the messages self destruct to avoid leaving evidence!"

"Undercover reporting! It may still alert the invading force!"

"Transport activity has increased! That way the invaders don't find out!........hopefully!"

"Right!"

there is silence and finally Vera asks

"Ben! Gwen! How are you holding up!"

they tense and

"Fine!"

"Really? Are you telling us the truth?"

"Yes!"

"You sure put up a strong front you two!"

Ben sighs

"We are sad! Of course we are!.........But from what has been said here..........We better be ready for what's coming!"

they all look at them and nod

"Very well! But you two better take a few days off!"

"But uncle Gordon!"

"We are all afected! You need to deal with your grief!............Acording to the GPS! You are fifty miles to the south from a lake! It is a great spot to stop and relax! And consider your next moves!"

"Understood uncle Gordon!"

"What about you Ben?"

he nods

"Understood!"

"In case there is something we need your help with.....we'll call you!"

"You think they will build another hatchery?"

"Probably!........We don't know if they got out some before you destroyed it!"

"They did!"

"Ken? how do you know?"

"Look ever since my encounter and Ben healing me!...........I started to sense DNAliens!"

"Are you sure?"

"I haven't found out all my hunches!..........But yesterday a patrol stopped me, I remembered what happened before and I had the blaster hidden by my side, and when the sherrif interrogated me I was sure!.......he told me to get out of the car......I did! And he told me to turn around! But I saw his shadow raising a gun, I felll to the ground and then he pointed at me with a blaster! But I fired first!"

"Did you kill him?"

"No! But I left him there after I called the plumbers!"

"So it was you! We wondered who had stoped that DNAlien! We got a lot of devices from him!"

"Glad I could help!"

"We can hold the fort kids! Go deal with your feelings!"

"What about Ken?"

"I dealt with my grief sis! As much as I could! I rejoined my routine yesterday!"

"Of course you did!"

"Gwen! Ben! You need to unwinfd and deal with your grief!"

they stay quiet and nod

"Okay!"

"We are not robots! We have to deal with emotions!"

"Understood!"

"Contact Joel when you are ready!"

"We will!"

and the call ends and Ben looks up the GPS, he inputs the coordinates  and they drive towards there.

                                             More than an hour later they arrive to the camping site, they pay the fee and they camp near the lake, although the last few days before Max's death they hardly talked, just the bare minimum, and after Max's death they talked more, but avoiding intimate feelings, so when Ben parks and they go outside Gwen looks around

"This is beautiful!"

Ben nods and

"Yes it is!"

"It's early! Can we walk around?"

"Sure!"

and they start walking and inspecting and then Gwen looks at a tree trunk and

"Ben look!"

"What is it?"

"The carving!"

he looks at the carvings and

"It's a heart with a M and a V inside it! A couple carved their initials! Big deal!"

"I would agree! But look at the root of the tree!"

"A white flower?"

"Yes!.....But I don't recognize it!"

Ben frows and looks more closely

"You're right! How?"

"I don't know!"

he nods and inspects more and

"There are more flowers! They seem to have dried up!"

They look as the other flowers are in diferent stages of drying up, Gwen looks at the flowers and

"It seems that someone brings them and leaves one at a time! A day at a time!!"

"So tomorrow or today a person will bring a new one!"

"Yes!"

he ponders and

"We should do a stake-out! See who brings these flowers!"

Gwen nods

"It may be nothing! But if it is!"

"We'll see what to do!"

she nods and they return to the Rustbucket, later that night, they are hiding in the bushes and observe the tree

"Nothing!"

Ben looks at the Omnitrix and

"It is early Gwen!"

"Just because it is before midnight it does not mean it is early Ben!"

"But it is before ten o'clock!"

"Fine! It is early!"

Ben chuckles and Gwen false glares at him and it almost feels like old times and then Ben tenses and points at the tree and they see as a robbed figure arrives or rather apears, looks at the tree and then puts a flower on the ground, they look at each other and they walk towards the figure

"Wait! Who are you?"

the robbed figure looks back and sees them and stays still and observes them

"We just want to know from where you bring those flowers!"

"From far away! With some of my mana!"

Gwen looks at her

"Mana? Are you a sorccerres?"

"Sorccerres? What kind of nonsense? Is that what the people of this planet think?"

"This planet? Are you an alien?"

"Yes!"

"I see!"

Ben looks at the woman and

"What kind of alien are you?"

"An anodyte!"

"Anodyte?"

"Yes! We are energy beings and travel the universe!"

Ben looks at her and

"Excuse me! Why are you bringing flowers here?"

she sullens and looks at the carvings

"Some years ago I met a human and fell in love, I stayed with him for  some years! had a family!............But the wanderlust overcame me and I returned to the stars!"

"You left him?"

"Yes! He knew the day would come and we parted as friends and lovers!"

"And he died!"

she says in a low voice

"Yes!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Thank you!"

and she looks at them and she is frowing

"How long ago?"

"A few days ago! By your time standars!"

Gwen nods and holds back tears

"I see!"

she looks at her worried

"Are you all right?"

Ben says

"We lost our grandfather a few days ago!"

"I see! How?"

"It sounds fantastical! But you obviously have been off-world!...........He died stoping an invading alien force!"

she chuckles

"Max was also a plumber!"

"MAX????"

"Yes! His name was Max! Max Tennyson!"

"Our grandpa?"

she looks at them and

"Gwen? Ben?"

"YES!"

"I am Verdona! Your grandmother!"

"Grandma?"

"Yes my children!"

and they hug her and she hugs them back

"We thought you had died!"

she nods

"I believed it was for the best! I could have returned to earth years from now!"

"How did you know grandpa died?"

she stays quiet and

"I had a telephatic link with Max! I lost contact with him suddenly and I knew!"

"We couldn't save him grandma!"

"It was always a posibility kids! But how were you present?"

"Oh! I got this device called the Omnitrix and I can change into diferent aliens!"

she looks at the Omnitrix

"Galvan design! Azmuth really did it!"

"Oh! Yeah!.......You know him?"

"No! But I know of him!"

he nods and Gwen says

"I can cast spells grandma! I use magic!"

Verdona chuckles

"No child! You have the spark!"

"Spark?"

"You are part anodyte! Your fathers are part anodyte! The two of you and Ken also! But you have the spark! You can access mana!"

"I am part alien?"

"Yes you are!"

she looks at her hands and

"I never knew.........That explains grandpa's reaction!"

"Right! That is why he seemed not to believe you when you said you were using magic!"

Gwen ponders and

"So I don't need spells?"

Verdona meditates and

"The spells are helping you concentrate your mana! But your powers are yours!"

"But I don't have a lot of power!"

"Your human body is limiting you!"

"Does it?"

she nods and

"Look!-----------------------------and she changes into an energy being, her body is navy dark, her eyes become white without irises and tendrils from her head as if they were her hair------------------------------This is what you can do!"

they look in awe

"What happened to your body?"

"It was just a skin suit!"

"Then how could grandpa and you concibe?"

"I can create a new body whenever I want to!"

"I can do that?"

"No! You need to learn!"

"How long it would take?"

"Seventy years!"

"Seventy years?"

"You are thinking like a human Gwen! Time is meaningless to us! We can live as long as we want!"

"Where would I learn?"

"Off-world of course!"

"Leave earth for seventy years?"

and she looks at Ben

"It would be for the best child!"

"I need time to think!"

and she goes towards the Rustbucket Ben looks at her go, he doubts and then he follows her, he arrives to the Rustbucket and looks around and then he notices she is on the roof and he climbs up and sits besides her

"Are you all right?"

"Yes! I just found out I am part alien! Everything is peachy!"

"We are part alien!"

"I know!"

"What are you plannng to do?"

she sullens and

"It would be a great oportunity!"

"Yes it would!"

"You think I should?"

"If you want to! You can be more!"

"What would you do about the Highbreed?"

"I will think of something!"

"So you want me to go?"

"I don't want to hold you back!......I would prefer you to stay! But I won't stand in your way!"

"Really?"

she kisses him on the cheek and gets down and goes to Verdona followed by Ben

"Have you made a decision child?"

"Yes grandma!"

"And?"

"Thanks grandma! But I prefer to stay on earth!"

Verdona looks at her and sighs

"I had hoped you would agree but since you have not!"

and she waves her arms and mana tendrils inmovilize Gwen

"What are you doing grandma?"

"I will destroy your body! And we will leave earth and I will teach you how to use your powers!"

"Gwen!"

and Ben changes into Chromastone and uses his blasts to free her, Verdona huffs

"Children!"

and she blasts him, but Ben absorbs the energy and returns it to her, she raises a shield at the last second and is pushed back, she snarls and for a moment she forgets about Gwen as she casts spells and tries to hold her but Verdona overwhelms her and she manages to  imprison Ben in a rock straightjacket, but he changes into his necrefriggian form and he phases out and tries to freezze her, but Verdona shatters the ice and she blasts them destroying things and this goes on for a few minutes till she manages to contain both of them

"Gwen!"

"Ben!"

"Now you will lose your physical body and lose your meaningless feelings! They are not important!"

Gwen looks at her and

"But they are important! Right grandmother?"

"I don't know what you are talking about!"

"Yes you do! You are bringing flowers to this place why?............You protected that tree!...............M and V! Max and Verdona! That is a sentimental decision!"

she looks away

"You are wrong!"

"Then destroy that tree!"

Verdona glares at her and looks at the tree and sighs, she lowers her shoulders and frees them

"Yes! Feelings are important!.............I also wanted you to come with me so I could have a part of Max with me!"

Gwen aproaches her and

"I can't leave earth! Not to the Highbreed!"

Verdona looks at her and she smirks

"And you don't want to leave him! Right?"

"N-n-n-no!"

she chuckles

"He reminds me of your grandfather!"

"Grandma!"

she smiles and in a flash everything is as before, they look around in awe

"Thanks grandma!"

"You can do that you know!"

"It will take me some years right?"

"Yes!"

Ben walks to her

"So grandma! You need the spark to?"

"Yes child!......Your toy is supressing your mana! Maybe you also have the spark!"

"Yeah well!.......I can't take it off! I'm stuck!"

"You may have some abilities! Like Frank!"

"Dad? What abilities?"

"He can sense other anodytes!"

"I didn't know!"

and they walk towards the Rustbucket, Ben observes them and he leaves them  alone and once alone

"What is your relationship?"

"We are cousins grandma!"

"Is that all?"

"Yes!"

she shakes her head

"You are more! You should accept it!"

she looks away and

"No!"

"Both of you should let go of your pride!"

she lowers her head, Verdona sighs

"It's not like that grandma!"

she shakes her head

"Ben!"

he catches up to them

"Yes grandma?"

"The tree you discovered!.........Your grandfather and me spent a lot of time here!............It is very beautiful!"

"Can you tell us about it?"

Verdona smiles and during the next two days she tells them about her relationship with Max, she teaches some tricks to Gwen and how to contact her through the mana field, and after she leaves they return to the road and looking on how to stop the invasion.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I would also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                             It has been two days since Ben and Gwen met up with Verdona and she left, they restarted their trip, they have decided to follow Max's iterinary, they believe that it probably has tactical and strategical meaning, or at least they hope it will and before the family group call they contact Ken and inform him about their grandmother

"We are part alien?"

"YES!"

he shakes his head and

"She looked like a normal grandmother!"

Ben chuckles

"Normal is relative cuz!"

Ken also chuckles

"True that!"

"Glad you can joke about this! But we need to come up with a plan!"

"Yes ma'am!"

she glares at them and

"We have learned a lot of secrets about our family in a short time!"

"That's an understatement!"

"Ken is right! With all we have learned we should be in therapy!"

Gwen sighs

"Yes! But like you have said Ben! We don't have time to lick our wounds!"

"We have done so far! And regained strenght! But it has to be in short periods!"

"So sis.......You have the spark?"

she nods

"Yeah! I can access mana and do things as if like magic!"

"But not magic!"

"Right!"

Ben looks at Ken and

"Maybe you have the spark Ken!"

"I doubt it!"

"Maybe it is like dad's!"

"Dad?"

"According to grandma he can sense other anodytes!"

"Really? I never suspected!"

"Can you sense other anodytes Ken?"

"No!.......I can sense DNAliens thus far!"

Ben ponders and

"We may need to meet up so I can analyze you with one of my aliens!"

"We will compare iterinaries and we may be able to meet up!"

"Now you know Ken!........We plan to tell the rest of the family in the next group chat!"

"They probably know about grandma Verdona!"

"It would not surprise me!"

"Maybe now they will be more open about secrets!"

and they nod and they get up to date.

                                                Next day they are on another state, ever since the visit of Verdona, they talk more, but they do not get beneath the surface, they do not face their feelings and deal with them, but at least it is no longer a convention of mutes, when they hear a report about an attack of men in armors towards people who run away from them, they frow and

"Forever Knights?"

"Most likely!"

"How far are we?"

Ben looks at some readings and the GPS

"Damn! Thirty minutes!"

"Can it be any faster?"

he shakes his head

"Too many curves! Too risky! We may not arrive if we use the boosters!"

she nods

"Too bad this can't fly!"

"According to uncle Joel the newer models do!"

"Maybe grandpa would have gotten a newer model soon!"

they chuckle and then sullen

"Can you look up the Forever Knights?"

"We already know about them!"

"On the surface! And what Kevin wanted us to know! We need more complete information!"

she nods

"On it!"

and she looks on her laptop conecting herself to plumber files and she reads as Ben navigates towards the town of Arlene, as he passes the last of the curves as Gwen sits on the passenger's side seat

"Was there more information?'

"Lots!..........The Forever Knights have been around for centuries!"

"Centuries?"

"Yes! They are a xenophobic organization! And despite their apearance! They hoarde the latest technology!"

"So the lances and swords are a camouflage!"

"Yes!"

"Why are they not more prominent?"

"Because they are divided in many groups!"

"Did they pop up in diferent times?"

"No!............The files do not know a lot! But it seems at the begining they had a sole leader! George is the more likely name! Something happened! The deed is lost in time! But it seems they saved earth! But  in time they were unable to have a leader! And there are a lot of groups! Each one with their own leader!"

"I see!...........Could they be a treath if they get a leader they will rally around?"

"Probably!"

he nods and

"George?....Like Saint George?"

"There is some speculation!"

"I would laugh it off! But after all I have learned in the last weeks!.........I consider it posible!"

she mods and looks ahead and

"There! A group of men in armor following a couple!"

"Nobody's around! Specially the authoroties!"

"They probably incapacitated them!"

"Or they agree with them!"

"Anyway! Intercept course!"

and as Ben maneuvers the Rustbucket between the Forever Knights and the couple they get out of the RV and

"Stop right there!"

"Do not atempt to stops us on our mission! Or you will pay also!"

"We are not going to roll over for your convinience!"

then one of the knights says

"Master! I recognize them! They were the ones who denied us the transport! And the boy has a watch who changes him into aliens!"

"Sacrilege! KILL HIM!!!!!!"

and then they go towards them with weapons raised and they fire and hit a magenta shield, they are startled and they notice Gwen with glowing magenta eyes

"She's a witch! She's an alien!"

"Take her down!"

and as they charge towards her,  they are stoped by Ben as Humungosaur

"You have to pass over me!"

and before they can fire they are knocked down as Ben increases his size, and despite his size he moves quickly and he knocks them down when suddenly

"Enough!"

"Master! We can..."

they stop as they see an old man along their leader and

"Master!"

the old man says

"Earth is for earthlings! Leave our planet now!"

"We are earthlings! This is our planet also!"

the younger man says

"How dare you talk back?"

"Wanna do something about it?"

"Enoch! I told you to say nothing!"

"Sorry Master!"

the old man says

"You threw a challenge! Continue!"

and he smirks and draws his sword and lightning sparkles are visible

"You will regret this whelp!"

"We'll see!"

then the old man speaks

"What will be the prize?"

Enoch smirks

"When I win you will leave our planet forever!"

"All right! When I win you will stop forcing aliens to leave!"

"Agreed!"

and they circle each other, Gwen notices that the old man frows and almost shakes his head, but then she observes as Enoch and Ben circle each other, throwing fints and searching for an opening, untill finally Enoch tries to stab Ben but he avoids getting stabbed and as Enoch is wide open he hits him and he notices as Enoch seems to lose his footing but does not fall and Ben understands he must have a force field generator, so his blows can not injure him, but he continues to hit him, Enoch raises his sword and tries to cut Ben in half when his arms are held in place and he can not do anything with it, then Ben shakes him and although he resists as much as he can, he finally yields and Ben lowers him and lets him free, and as Ben walks away Enoch raises his sword and prepares to impale Ben when he is hit from behind with a lance

"Don't dishonor us!"

Enoch looks at the old man and he falls dead

"Did you have to do that?"

the old man smirks

"I just saved your life you know!"

Ben looks at him and nods

"I thank you! But I thought yo wanted me dead!"

"No alien! I wanted you defeated! He failed to understand that we are not barbarians! We have word! Honor!"

"So you will honor your word and not expel the aliens of earth?"

"We will!............But after I defeat my enemy we will revisit this!"

"What about your honor?"

"When dealing with alien scum honor does not apply!.........................You are human and I believe that we have a friend in common!.......Sir Driscoll! You will now order the surviving knights of Enoch!"

"Yes my liege!"

"Who are you?"

he turns and looks at Ben and he smirks

"George!"

and he leaves as the knight follow him, Gwen walks up to Ben

'What was that about?"

"I don't know!....I have a feeling we will know in time!"

she nods and they look at the couple who are looking around

"You can stay! Nobody will force you to leave!"

"Thank you!"

and they leave going to Arlene, Ben sighs and goes towards the Rustbucket when Gwen frows and

"BEN! LOOK OUT!"

Ben quickly looks around and from the corner of his eye he sees as a fist goes towards him and he avoids getting hit

"KEVIN!!!"

"You remember me! How sweet!"

Gwen throws at him mana constructs and tries to restrain him

"Gwen! NO! He is absorbing your energy! Like Michael!"

she continues to attack him and Kevin smirks

"Keep doing it Babe! You are helping me!"

she smirks as Kevin just stays there when suddenly he is hit by many rocks, he snarls and he hits the rocks

"Want my help?"

he snarls and he throws himself towards Ben and tries to touch the Omnitrix but he falls and passes Ben as he flies away in his necrofriggian form

"Come back you coward!"

"I don't know what will happen if you touch the Omnitrix! But I am pretty sure it wil be bad!"

Kevin discharges electricity from his hands, Ben turns invisible and as he looks around and suddenly Ben apears as Echo-echo and multiplies himself and he unleashes a sonic attack and Kevin doubles in pain, he discharges but he does not hit anyone, Ben is unafected since his sonorian form is silicon based and non conductive, he atatcks him once more, Kevin falls and Ben understands that he is not down, he has absorbed too much energy, at any moment he would get up and best them so

"Ben! Is he down?"

"For the moment! But he may get up very soon!....Come!"

and they run into the Rustbucket, he turns on the engine and moves the RV towards the road and soon they are on the pavement. Gwen looks at Kevin from the rear windows, and as Ben had said, Kevin gets up, his gestures towards the Rustbucket and he runs towards an specific point and he gets on his car

"Ben! He is on his car!"

"Shit! Hold on!"

and he hits the boosters and soon they ar driving at incredible speed

"Ben we can't drive like this into town!"

"We're not! We are going back!"

that is when Gwen sees they are going towards the road with a lot of curves

"Ben! We can't drive on that road!"

"Neither will he!"

soon they arrive and Ben lowers the speed but still fast

"Ben! Go slower!"

"I already took the boosters down!"

"We are going too fast!"

"If I hit the brakes I will lose control!"

and Gwen notices as the Rustbucket is losing speed, and then she goes to the back and looks and she relaxes and then she sees a glimpse of Kevin's car

"He is coming Ben!"

Ben hits the gas but as expected the speed does not improve, he slows down as the curve that is ahead is very forced, then there another curve and another forced curve, it is almost a horseshoe form and then before they got to the other they hear a roar and Gwen looks outside and then Kevin tries to do the curve but he is going too fast and as Ben slows almost to a stop as he observes as Kevin drives off the road and falls to the bottom, Gwen gasps and Ben is just shocked, they look at the front and the back windows and they see nothing so he stops and puts the Rustbucket by the side as best as he can and they get off the RV and they go towards the curve and they see down and they see smoke from the wreck of the car

"Is he?"

she concentrates and

"I don't sense anyone! Or anything!"

he nods and

"Let's go!"

she looks at the wreck and nods

"Did you do it on purpose?"

"Of course not!"

she nods

"I know! I just had to ask!"

and they get inside the Rustbucket and soon they are driving away and they decide where to go next.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, they are a property of Man of Action and Cartoon Network, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                          Port City Texas, a small city, somewhat large town, but with large wharehouses and conections to major highways making it one of the best places to use as a comercial port towards Europe but mostly the Caribean and Africa, the Tennyson cousins have decided to meet there and compare notes and for Ken to get analyzed, since Port City is not a tourist destination, they can relax more than in other places, so the RV park where they arrived is not full and there is a lot of empty spaces so they are not disturbed, even if the price is steep, but worth it for the privacy, and as Ken is laying down on a bed, Ben is his cerebrocrustacean form is using sensors and modifying them, he has been using them for a while on Ken and finally he stops and goes to the computer and reads and analyzes the data, Ken gets up and looks on as does Gwen and then it seems that Ben finishes and in a red flash he apears

"Ready for the results?"

"Yes!"

"As expected, you have anodyte DNA, it is inactive, or so it seems!"

"Seems?"

"What do you mean Ben?"

he looks at them and

"It can not be registered by usual sensors!............But if you use more sensistive sensors an energy can be sensed! Not enough to manipulate reallity! But it can interact with you and your enviroment!"

"Can he use mana like me?"

"No!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I analyzed you first Gwen! Your mana levels are higher than Ken's!"

"I see! But why can I sense DNAliens?"

"The xenocite that was changing your DNA activated your spark! It is very low! But there it is!"

Gwen asks

"Are you sure he can not increase his spark?"

"He can try to learn spells! But from what grandma Verdona told us.............it will take a long, long time!"

"Why DNAliens?"

"You almost became one!"

Ken nods

"I see!"

"It is like your dad's ability to sense anodytes!"

"Dad can sense anodytes?"

"Yes Ken! Of course dad would not say anything!"

"I know! He likes to keep secrets! Big ones!"

Ben chuckles

"Him and his brother! Dad!"

"And their spouses! Our moms!"

"Control yourself sis!"

"I'm controlled!"

"I know you! I know your angry face and tone!"

"Hurmph!"

as Gwen crosses her arms and glares at her brother

'Maybe if you concentrate you will be able to sense aliens!"

"You think so?"

"It's posible!"

Ken nods and looks at them

"All right! Why did you choose this place?"

"It's isolated!"

"Little survailence!"

he nods and

"The Highbreed probably is using it right?"

Ben and Gwen look at each other and

"Yes!"

"Have you found out anything?"

"Not much!...........But we believe that one of the wharehouses has alien tech!"

"So what's the plan?"

"Stake-out!"

"From now?"

"Night!"

"What do we do now?"

"We tour the city!........And try to look at the posible routes!"

"Right!"

"Let's go!"

"We need the Awesomemobile!"

"Ugh!"

"At least I have a car sis!"

she glares at him and rolls her eyes as she chuckles and they board Ken's car and drive around town.

                                             Night on the outskirts of town, a small factory with a small wharehouse as the Tennyson cousins are looking on, they see as semi-trucks arrive, they seem empty, but they notice as many start to arrive

'Think they will distribute from here?"

"Or receive!"

"It makes more sense if they distribute!"

Ben nods

"I know!..........But they are alien!"

"They are invading on a grand scale Ben! Keeping them all on one place is not smart!"

"The good thing is Ken sensed the DNAliens and where they were!"

'Yeah! Good!"

"What's wrong Ken?"

"Nothig!"

"Ken! Speak your mind brother!"

he sighs and

"They are not discreet! Almost bolden in their actions!"

"They have never been discreet!"

"Right now they are bold!"

"Ken is right Gwen! Trap?"

she nods

"Trap!"

"Great! What now?"

they stay quiet for a few minutes and

"We trip the trap!"

Ken looks at Ben

"Are you sure?"

he nods and

"If we don't engage they may do something to draw our attention! And hurt bystanders!"

Ken sighs

"You're right!"

"You can stay behind Ken!"

"I'll go! You may need help! Specially if it's a trap!"

they all nod and they go towards the building and soon they are out in the open and the DNAliens see them and they start to run

"That's a first!"

"Definately a trap!"

"Do we continue?"

"Yes! Just be careful and alert!"

and they go on until one of the DNAliens makes a move and they react, Ben turns into Humungosaur and Gwen throws mana spheres and they mow down easily their oponents and the others run away and Ken says

"This is too obvious! Something's wrong!"

they nod

"Agreed!"

"But what?"

"HALT! STAND DOWN! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST BY ORDER OF THE GALACTIC ALLIANCE!"

"What?"

"You are under arrest for impersonating plumbers!"

they frow and look at each other

"Huh? What?"

"You are telling people you are plumbers!"

"No! We haven't!"

"Don't lie!"

"We are not!"

"At no time have we ever said we are plumbers!"

"Your victims say otherwise!"

"Victims?"

"Yes! Victims!"

"They wanted to be DNAliens?"

"You attack defenseless beings! And call yourselves plumbers!"

Ken looks at the being who is talking, he is wearing a plumber armor suit, red skin, humanoid but not human and

"Who the hell are you?"

the plumber glares at him and

"I am Magister Gilhil! I overlook this sector of space!"

"You sure do! Earth is being invaded!"

"There is no proof of that!"

Ken looks at the DNAliens who are running away

"What about those aliens?"

"Earth is considered a safe haven for visitors!"

"They are humans who have their DNA spliced to obey the Highbreed!"

"So you say!"

"They were changing me!"

"Really? How did you undo it? No one can undo splicing!"

"The Omnitrix can!"

"You should surrender that device!"

"Azmuth gave it to me! And did not tell me how to get it off!"

"You must have tricked him! He is getting old after all!"

"He seemed pretty sane to me!"

"Give the Omnitrix to me!"

"I don't know how to take it off!.....Besides if I knew how I would demand you ask for it if you acompanied by an eart plumber!"

"You are in no position to demand that!"

Ken speaks and

"If I am not mistaking.........you are a police force! You must follow rules and laws! I doubt you can do as you say!"

Gilhil glares at Ken and

"I'll let you go with a warning! Don't attack the DNAliens!"

"And if the earth plumbers call us to do so?"

"No one would call you!"

Ben smirks

"They have!........You should check up with them!"

"Do as I say!"

and he turns and leaves, as does team Tennyson and they  get into the Awesomemobile

"Is he a plumber?"

"He has the equipment!"

"We should call uncle Joel! He should know!"

"Makes sense!"

Ben looks around

"We should go to an abandoned building!"

"Why?"

"We were set up! I don't want to lead them to the Rustbucket!"

Ken looks at him and nods

"I remember where one is!"

"Let's go there! And we make the call!"

and Ken drives to the specified place.

                                              An hour later they are at an abandoned wharehouse and they try to call Joel, Gordon or Vera and are unable to do so, they try and try and after a while they believe they are being jammed

"Great! Now what?"

"We have two options! One we drive away till we get a signal! Or two we stay here till we are attacked again!"

Ken chuckles

"The first option is the smart one! But you will do the second option!!"

"You know it!"

Gwen sighs

"What are we going to do?"

and before Ben can say anything a Highbreed bursts in and starts to attack them, Ben simply moves the Omnitrix and

'Humungosaur!"

and in a green flash Ben transforms and engages the alien, there are a few DNAliens and Gwen and Ken take care of them, but it is done so easily, and Ben is besting the Highbreed wich he notes and he starts to hold his punches but then he hears

"HALT! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST BY ORDER OF THE PLUMBERS!"

"What? Really?"

"YOU WERE WARNED! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST! YOU WILL GIVE UP THE OMNITRIX!"

"Thank the lords! Magister I was being attacked by these group of eartthlings! I am here for peaceful purposes!"

"Do you wish to press charges?"

and before he can answer the DNAliens fall down as someone tuches them and they are almost consumed, they look at him and they see a person in a helmet, grey, almost Doctor Doom like, Ben goes towards him and he is touched and he feels weak and falls to his knees, Ken goes to him but he also is weakened, Ben looks at him and realization comes to him and he shouts

"Gwen! Run away! You are in danger!"

"What?"

"Run away! It's HIM!"

Gwen looks at him and then the enemy and she runs away

"What is going on here?"

and he falls down as he is energy is drained, as does the Highbreed, Ben loses conciousness, when he wakes up he sees Ken who is restrained, as he is, he turns to the other side and Magister Gilhil and the Highbreed are also restrained and then he sees the man in the iron mask as he touches them and they are drained and the man walks away

"Let me go! We had a deal!"

"You can't trust him genius!"

"Shut up filth! We will conquer you!"

"You need more?"

Gilhil glares at him

"He was the one who told me about your activities!"

"He obviously had a secret agenda!"

"Yes! I see it now!"

"Nothing passes by you!"

Gilhil glares at him

"You have an armor on! Do you have anything to help us escape?"

he sullens

"Nothing!"

"You have to save me! I am a wictim here!"

"You are an acomplice who was betrayed! Big deal!"

their captor returns and Ben says

"We already know who you are Michael! Stop covering your face!"

he glares at him

"You think I am hiding my face so you don't know my identity? Fool!"

Ben frows

"Then why?"

"Because of what Gwen did!"

and he takes off the mask and they are shocked, his face is mumified

"Gwen did this? How?"

"I now need more energy! If I want to regain my looks and powers I need more energy now!"

and as Michael raises his hands there is an explosion and Gwen is in hole left by it

"Morningstar! I came for my family! Stand down!"

"It is now Darkstar sweet Gwen! I need your energy!"

he turns towards him and she sees his face

"Ugh! I can't believe I used to like you!"

"You will restore me!"

"I won't! I brought reinforcements!"

and a large group of DNAliens go towards Darkstar and try to hit him, but he drains them and they fall but they are many, Gwen takes advantage of him being ocupied and frees the other except the Highbreed

"Free me filth!"

"Yeah! Right!"

Gilhil and Ken go towards their weapons and Ben says

"Don't use energy weapons! You will only make him stronger!"

"How then?"

Ben smirks

"Like this!"

and in a green flash Echo-echo apears, he multiplies and attacks Darkstar, he reacts and attacks him, but he evades the attacks and he increases the attacks and their intensity, the DNAliens stop attacking him and he is unable to absorb energy so he starts to get weaker and weaker, Ben then fuses all of his aliens and then changes into Big Chill and freezes him in a block of ice, he shatters it and then he is hit by a blaster shot and he loses conciousness, they turn towards Magister Gilhil

'Don't worry! It was a shot of negative energy!"

they nod and Ken asks

"Now what?"

Gilhil handcuffs him and

"There are special restraints! His powers are nullified now!"

Ken looks towards where the Highbreed is and

"Well the Highbreed is gone now!"

"What?"

"The DNAliens must have freed him and chose the better part of valor!"

Gilhil nods

"It apears you were telling the truth!.............But we are stretched thin! I can't send reinforcements!"

Ken asks

"The Highbreed are all over known space aren't they? Why did you believe him?"

Gilhil glares at him and sighs

"Some hope there can be a peaceful resolution with the HIghbreed!......I was following orders!"

"That is not what we have been told!"

"You said you were not plumbers!"

"Our uncle is, another uncle was along with some of our aunts! Our grandfather was!"

"Who is your grandfather?"

"Max Tennyson!"

"You are Max's grandchildren? You are nephews of Joel?"

"Yes!"

"Why didn't you say so?"

"You didn't give us a chance!"

"I have not been able to contact Max!"

they sullen and they tell him what happened and how Max was lost, after they finish Gilhil ponders

"And that is all!"

"I see! I will contact my superiors!.....But more plumbers are needed!"

"But you said you can't send reinforcements!"

"The reinforcements are already here!"

and he gets a pair of plumber badges and gives them to Gwen and Ken

"Does this mean that?"

"You are plumbers in training! You will have to go to boot camp after the crisis has passed!"

"Uh! What about me?"

"You have the Omnitrix! And its symbol is the plumber insignia! You don't need one! It functions as one!"

"Okay!"

"You can now use all plumber bases and ask them for help!"

"Understood!"

and he tells them more about the functions and is updated about the Highbreed actions and later he leaves taking with him Darkstar, they return to the Rustbucket, and they go to sleep excited on what they have achieved.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                         Next day the Tennyson cousins have left the port after destroying the wharehouse where the Highbreed and DNAliens kept their cargo, although they escaped, Magister Prior Gilhil took some of the cargo and took it with him to plumber headquarters, so before they get on the road they are talking with Joel

"Before leaving Gilhil informed us that he made you honorary plumbers!"

"Yes he did!"

Joel chuckles

"But he did say that you are insurbordinate Ken!"

"Yeah well..........it apears that the Highbreed are doing this all around the galaxy and he acts like we are kids taunting the principal!"

holding back chuckles Joel says

"Magister Gilhil is one of the Magisters that had been doubting the reach of the HIghbreed! You showed him evidence! He is now siding with us!"

"So now we will get more help!"

"Uhm! No!"

"No?"

"Like you said Ken!.......The Highbreed are attacking all of the galaxy!.........Earth is now with a skeletal compliment!.........Only human plumbers!"

"But that leave us defenseless!"

"Not completly!.....But undermaned and undergunned!"

"That is why you are honorary plumbers!"

Ben chuckles sarcastacly

'Oh great! Us three to protect the planet! No problem!"

"And one of us a simple human!"

"Now Ken! Uncle Max was a simple human! But he was the greatest plumber! No reason for putting yourself down!"

"Right cuz!"

"Easy for you to say! You have the watch! Gwen has the Spark and has powers!.........And grandpa went to boot camp!"

"You want out?"

"No!..........But we need reinforcements!"

"I know! But right now there are not a lot of plumbers!"

"We'll do our best uncle Joel!"

"I know you will Gwen!"

"Anyway! Do we have intel to investigate?"

"Yes! But it doesn't seem to be a Highbreed matter!"

"Then why?"

"The kingdom was lost due to a nail sis! It may come to bite us later!"

she looks at Ben and nods

"You have to go to New Orleans!"

"Jazz! Cajun food! And?"

"Some supernatural reports!"

"Up your alley Gwen!"

"I am not a real sorcerress you know!"

"I know! But you have a spellbook! And know spells!"

she rolls her eyes

"Yes!"

"I'm sending you the information! Now with your badges you can access our archives and call us directly!"

"Without hiding right?"

"You got it Ben!"

and the call ends

"You coming bro?"

he sighs

"Yes! I have a few days before I meet up with my band!"

and they get on their way after Ken boards his awesomemobile and follows them.

                                         The next day they arrive to New Orleans, after they find a park and camp, they walk down Bourbon Street and look around, also they look around on other sections of the city, they considered separating but decided against it since Gwen was the only able to detect mana so they decided to stick to her and look a round as a team, still from time to time one of them separated to investigate, Ken notices that Ben and Gwen do not stay together, so on an ocassion that Ben leaves them alone he asks Gwen

"Will you be able to work together when I'm gone?"

she sullens and

"We have before you know!"

he looks at her and nods

"Okay! Maybe it won't be so bad!......Or it will! Exes being together ends badly!"

"We can work together! It won't be so bad!"

"Are you sure?"

she looks away and in a barely hurt tone she says

"Women will flirt with him!"

"You are the one who flirts Gwen! You even admited to it!"

"I have not!"

"Have you forgotten what you said to Michael?"

"I said n-n-nothing!"

"You admited to liking him! While you were with Ben!"

"Hurmph! You men are so possesive!"

"Look who's talking!"

"He did the same with..."

"I talked to Lucy Mann! And yes she flirted with Ben!.......And he did not engage! You are scolding him for no reason!"

she looks at him and tries to talk and finally finds her voice

"What about Kai?"

"I doubt he did! And I wouldn't trust what she said even if she were under oath!"

"But you believe Lucy!"

"Lucy is flirty! But honest! And she likes both of you!........Kai.......from what both of you have told me.........is entitled and narcissistic! And Ben rejected her and you called her out! She will lie just to get back at you!"

"He has no right to..."

"Sis if a girl I was going out with me said to one of her suitors what you did! I would have dumped her without explanattion!"

"That would be harsh!"

"Would you like me to be with a girl like that?"

"No!"

"So Ben would be justfied!"

"I-I-I guess!"

he looks at her and

"Apologize!"

"No!"

"Let go of your pride Gwen! Before it's too late!"

she chuckles sadly

"You said you would dump a girl like me!"

"True! But Ben may act diferently!"

"Why would he?"

"You know why!"

she looks away and stays quiet and Ken shakes his head, an hour later he is with Ben alone and

"Will you and Gwen be able to work and get along just the two of you?"

"We have so far!"

Ken nods

"Why don't the two of you talk things out?"

Ben sighs and looks at him

"She doesn't want to talk! And she finds ways to anger me!.......-------------and in a low voice-------------To hurt me!"

"Stop being pasive-agresive!"

"I'm not!"

"Ben!"

he sighs and

"I don't want to lose control Ken! She made her decision!"

"Despite at how much it hurts you?"

he chuckles sadly

"Happens to a lot of people everyday doesn't it?"

Ken looks at him and sighs and wonders if he can help them.

                                           By the afternoon they have looked at all the places where there are reports and find or detect anything, they feel frustrated and

"Nothing!"

"Maybe the intel is wrong?"

"Or they have moved from here?"

and they ponder and Gwen looks up and sees a museum

"How about we go into the museum? Unwind! Get a fresh perspective!"

"I don't know!"

she rolls her eyes

"Maybe you will learn something Ben!"

"Aw man!"

Ken chuckles and

"Come on Ben! It won't hurt! She likes to go to museums!"

"Great!"

the three of them chuckle and they pay their entrance and look around, and despite his attitude Ben looks at the exhibits and is interested, it seems like a normal vacation day and then Gwen tenses, at first the boys do not notice but soon Ben does and then Ken

"Gwen? Is something wrong?"

she wants to say no, but stays quiet and she circles around and

"I sense mana!"

"Another anodyte or?"

"I don't know!"

Ben looks around and

"Can you pinpoint it?"

she nods and she concentrates and feels as Ben puts his arm on her shoulders and guides her as she walks towards the point of origen and Ben making sure she does not bump into anything or anyone and finally she stops and

"Here!"

Ben and Ken had seen the old looking book on display and Gwen finally looks at it

"An old book?"

"No!........A Spellbook!"

"For real?"

she rolls her eyes

"I have one you know!"

"Right! I just thought they were on the hands of persons like profesor Hex!"

"Oh! Please!"

"All right! Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

Ben chuckles

"Gwen this spellbook is not on a book store! Pawn shop! On a dump or someone's house! It's on a museum! Well guarded! So what can we do?"

Gwen looks at him and she nods

"I don't know!"

Ken is pondering and

"What if you call your profesor Gwen?"

she looks at him and nods

"Yes! Of course! He may be able to get the book through oficial channels!"

"Let's go outside! Not call attention to ourselves or the spellbook!"

they nod and they rejoin their group and as they are near the exit they hear explosions, they frow and look at each other and they nod and they go towards the noise taking advantage of the panick and confussion and reach the display where the book is and they are surprised to see a young woman with platinum hair as she casts spells and the glass turns into gas and she grabs the book

"STOP!!"

she looks at them and smirks and she walks away and she waves her hands and a portal opens and she goes into it, Gwen does the same and the portal does not close and they run and enter and they apear on the outskirts of town, the woman senses them and turns and looks at them and she frows

"You are after the book! You can't have it!"

"You can't have it! You stole it!"

"It is an ancient spellbook from my land! I have to protect it!"

"Yeah! Right!"

and Gwen concentrates and she starts to cast spells against the young woman who deflects them and she casts spells of her own and throws them against Gwen, Ben and Ken look on and then Ben moves the dial of the Omnitrix and changes

"Echo-echo!"

and he runs towards the woman and multiplies himself and surrounds her and he does a sonic attack, for a moment  she doubles in pain and then she waves and all of Ben's clones are blown away, they fuse into one and in a red flash Ben reapears, Gwen tries to inmovilize her but she is blocked but Gwen keeps attacking and her oponent falters when suddenly both of them sense something and they look as a creature apears

"SHIT!!!! ADDWAITYA SENT ONE OF HIS SERVANTS!!!"

"WHAT DOES HE WANT?"

"The spellbook!"

"Why?"

and they raise shields

"He wants to posses all magic ever! He wants the spellbooks to keep magic all to himself!"

"Is that why you stole the spellbook?"

"That.....and I need to save my land and free my people!"

Gwen nods and

"Truce?"

"Truce!"

"Alliance?"

"Yes! I need all the help I can get!"

and they attack together and then the creature envelopes himself in flames and starts to throw at them, they raise shields and do as best as they can

"Does this guy use fire to attack?"

"Yes! 'We need spells to put fire out!"

and Gwen  waves and her spellbook apears and

"I'll find one!"

and then there is a green flash and Gwen looks and sees nothing, she shakes her head and then she sees as the creature starts to freeze

"What is happening?"

"My bo.....cousin!"

she nods and watches as the creature is frozen and

"We better send him back before he thaws himself out!"

"What do we?"

"Follow my lead and they do and a portal opens and they  send the creature through it and the portal closes

"There! Done!"

"Won't he send him back?"

"No! I cast a spell to prevent that!"

Gwn nods

"I see!.........I'm Gwen Tennyson!"

"Right! I'm Charmcaster!"

"And they are my brother Ken Tennyson and my cousin Ben Tennyson!"

"Pleased to meet you!.....Where did you get that spellbook?"

"This book? From my profesor Hex!"

"You are a disciple of my uncle Hex?"

"Uh! I guess so!"

"He gave you a spellbook! You are his disciple!"

"But why?"

"You can access mana! Cast spells!"

"I am part anodyte! Not really a sorcerress!"

"Even if you are an alien.....you access mana! You are a sorccerres!"

Gwen nods

"Who is Addya?"

"Addwaitya! A powerful wizard! Who desires all the mana in the universe! Years ago he came to Ledgerdomain and enslaved my people, those who oposed him paid with their lives, my father included!"

"He killed your father?"

she sobs and her eyes fill with tears

"Yes! He was the king! He was the prymary target! He sacrificed his life to send me here! Along with uncle Hex! I wanted to train to return to Ledgerdomain and free it! Uncle Hex wants to remain here!"

"He seems to be gathering magic-wielders!"

"Probably to defend this planet if Addwaitya decides to invade!"

Gwen nods and then looks at the spellbook

"What about?"

Charmcaster looks at the spellbook and

"It needs to be protected!"

and she puts it inside her purse, Gwen frows

"A magic purse?"

"Yes! It can no longer be detected!"

"There will be an investigation"

a spellbook apears and Charmcaster says

"This is a copy! It will seem real since it can not be translated nobody will know!"

and Ken aproaches her

"How do we know if you don't want to use it against us?"

"Good question! As an advamced practitioner of magic I could use it now and take care of you!"

"Good point!"

she smiles and looks at him

"Soon I will face him and I will prevail!"

"If you need help!...."

"Thank you! But it will be war!"

and she nods, Ben and Ken walk away to let them talk

"I should try to stop you!"

"You know it must be this way!"

"Do you have a message for profesor Hex?"

she shakes her head

"We said our piece! He knows!.........Your brother is handsome!"

Gwen looks at her

"Really? I doubt he will..."

"I know!......Don't be selfish! You have your own boyfriend! Ben!"

she tenses and

"We are not!..."

she looks at her

"You should apologize!"

"How do you?"

"A combination of magic and.........woman's intuition!"

"It can't be!"

"Really? I doubt that!"

and she stays quiet, Charmcaster waves at the boys who aproach them

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm going! I want to say goodbye! And thanks Ben! You sure helped me!"

"I hope you have succes against..........whatever his name is!"

Charmcaster chuckles

"Okay!.........Don't give up!"

he looks at her and sullens, she smiles and aproaches Ken

"Good luck on your quest Charmcaster!"

"Thanks!------------and in a low voice---------------And my name is Hope!"

Ken looks at her

"Why tell me?"

she says in a husky voice

"You know why!"

Ken reddens and smiles and she smiles back and she opens a portal and walks away, they watch as it closes and then they walk back to the city, Gwen asks

"What did Charmcaster tell you Ken?"

"Uh! Nothing important!"

she looks at him and roills her eyes

"Say it was something private! It was obvious it was!"

"Okay! It was something private!"

and they all chuckle and from time to time Ken turns towards where Charmcaster disapeared, when they arrive they listen to the news and watch on television about the robbery in the museum and how the police found the book and it was returned and they know the truth and they return to the Rustbucket.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                              Going east on the roads and highways both tthe Rustbucket and Awesomemobile are driving, on this ocassion Ken is the one driving the Rustbucket, while every two hours Gwen and Ben drive the Awesomemobile, as they left New Orleans and Louisianna, they decided it would be a good idea for Ken to learn to drive the Rustbucket, in case of an emergency it will help, and in solitary portions of the roads they let him drive with the boosters, and how to return so the Awesomemobile is not left very far behind, specially once they arrive to Florida Ken will rejoin his band and travel with them, for a while at least, on this day as they eat lunch they discuss on their next moves

"How will we explain grandpa's death to our parents?"

they all sigh and Ken says

"I wish we could keep from telling them!"

"Yeah!"

"Boys! Ignore your problems is your solutions!"

"Look who's talking!           What do you propose Gwen? We can't tell them about his double life!.....Heck! How do we explain grandma Verdona?"

"He's right sis! The plumbers are somewhat a secret organization! We can't easily explain whta happened!............And you are not suposed to be on a trip with him!"

Gwen frows and sullens

"I know! But we can't ignore  what happened!"

Ken looks at his badge and

"Specially since we are for the moment on the same businnes!"

Ben has been pondering and he nods

"We will talk with uncle Gordon, aunt Vera and uncle Joel! They know how to explain............the unexplainable!"

Ken and Gwen look at him and nod

"Yes! Good idea!"

Gwen looks at Ben

"Maybe we should talk to them soon!"

"Yes!"

and eyeing Ken Gwen asks

"And what will you say to mom and dad about Charmcaster, Ken?"

"Hey!"

"You like siver haired chicks Ken?"

"Girl! Woman! Don't be so demeaning!"

"Gwen I'm calling her like that because she is pretty.....and hot! He is lucky!"

"It's chauvinistic you know!"

and before Ben can respond

"Not all women like to be objectified Ben!"

he looks at his cousin

"You really are interested in her!"

he reddens

"No!"

he chuckles

"Yes you do!"

"He's right Ken!...........And you are no longer a kid!"

he looks at both of them and sighs

"I know! But it is not like I can pick up the phone and ask her out on a date you know!"

Ben nods

"I know cuz!...........But it was obvious you like her! And she likes you!"

he nods

"She has her mission!"

Gwen looks at her brother

"Maybe she is near to complete her objective Ken!"

he sighs

"I can only hope!"

and they talk about other matters, the next day Ken drives away on his own route and Ben and Gwen go the other route.

                                             The Rustbucket is going down the road, they look at the ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, without Ken to act as a buffer Gwen and Ben don't talk as much, Ben concentrates on driving while Gwen concentrates on learning spells when her badge buzzes, she frows and activates it as she goes to the front of the Rustbucket

"Gwen Tennyson here!"

"Gwen? This is Joel! Is Ben with you?'

"He's driving! But he can hear you!"

"Understood! According to the GPS you are on Florida on the gulf coast!"

"Yes!"

"You are two hours away from Mayfield!"

Ben looks at the map displayed on the dashboard and

"Yes we are!"

"You two are the closest!"

"To?"

"Right!....Look over there lives a plumber apprentice!"

"Is he reporting activity?"

"In a way! He is hiding from groups that are trying to kidnap him!"

"The he is in danger!"

"Correct!"

Ben has been pondering and

"Why?"

Gwen looks at him

"Excuse me?"

"He is a plumber apprentice! Why are they after him?"

"Good question!.......He has special abilities! He can be an asset to whomever kidnaps him!"

"What kind of abilities?"

"You have to see him!"

"What's his name?"

"Cooper Daniels! Here's a picture of him!"

and a hologram of a young man, blonde apears before them

"He is handsome!      Does he know we are going?"

"Yes!"

"How will he recognize us? How will we recognize him?"

"By Gwen's badge! And his badge!"

"Understood!"

"What if they are counterfeited?"

"Can not be done Ben! Besides he will know!"

"We're on our way!"

and following the coordinates they drive to their destination, they arrive later to Mayfield and drive around, Gwen is looking and

"How will we find him?"

"Turn your badge on! It will locate the nearest badges!"

"How will we know then?"

"According to uncle Joel he is the only one with a plumber badge!"

she nods and she activates it and a map apears and

"He's over there!"

Ben looks at the dot on the map and then the best route and he follows it and after a few minutes he stops and parks

"We're here! We must walk from here on!"

and they do, they walk some yards and

"I don't know how to make the badge pinpoint the other one!"

"We're a few yards away!"

"But we're almost on the same spot!"

Ben looks up

"He must be some level ups!"

Gwen looks around and

"There's a door over there! Let's go!"

"Wait!"

she frows

"What's wrong?"

"He's hiding and there's a door!"

she nods

"Right!"

he moves the Omnitrix

"Big Chill!"

and in his necrofriggian form he phases through the wall, he turns invisible and looks around and sees the door with sensors and a few devices near it, he looks around and finally finds him, he is checking the sensors and seems to wait and he returns outside

"Well?"

"There are sensors on the door! There are some devices near the door! He is waiting for us!"

"Great! How do we aproach him?"

he ponders and

"Call him!"

"What?"

"Call to his badge! Ask him to let us in!"

"That easy?"

"What do we got to lose?"

she looks at him and nods, and she does

"Cooper Daniels?"

"Yes! Who is this?"

"I'm Gwen Tennyson! Along with my cousin Ben Tennyson! We're here to protect you!"

there is silence and then the door opens, they look to each other and nod, they walk in and look around and they notice Cooper looking at readings and then he looks at them and motions them to come up, they nod and they do, as they aproach he smiles as he sees Gwen, she blushes and Ben notices, he feels a pang of jelousy but controls himself

"They didn't tell me you were so beautiful!"

blushing she answers

"Thank you!"

and he looks at her smiling and Ben sighs

"Do you know who is after you?"

"Oh! Right! From what I have observed.......Forever Knights and DNAliens!"

Ben frows

"Both of them? You must be very important!"

"I dable!"

Gwen asks

"What can you do?"

he smiles and takes a mini blaster and his eyes glow and it disassembles, and then it assembles

"Now it can capture your necrofriggian form!"

he looks at him and

"You know?"

he smiles

"I have read the reports! I adjusted the sensors!"

"So you knew I was exploring!"

"Yes! I did not say anything since you were being cautious!"

"As are you"

Gwen looks at him and

"You can defend yourself here!"

"I am under siege! I can not trust anyone!"

"We are somewhat far from your destination!...........We better get going!"

he nods and then there is beep from his console

"What is that?"

"Intruders!"

"Who are they?"

and before he can answer there is another beep and he looks at the readings and

"In front we have the Forever Knights! On the back the DNAliens......with a Highbreed!"

"Shit! It's not going to be easy!"

"I know! I have been unable to create a weapon to nullify the Highbreed!"

"Old fashioned then!"

"Yeah!"

"Maybe we can!"

"Gwen! It's two fronts!"

she sighs, and nods and concentrates"You have traps on the back?"

"Oh yeah!"

and they wait as the two groups try to enter and they are repelled by Cooper's devices, but the two groups are too many to be contained and finally they enter and they are pushed away by Gwen, and Ben looks at his aliens and then he finds one and in a green flash

"Lodestar!"

and then Ben dismantles the Forever Knights and their weapons, so they start to retreat and

"Ben! We need help!"

he turns around and

"Echo-echo!"

and he multiplies and does sonic attacks, he fuses and in a red flash Ben reapears, Cooper frows and then he hears

"DNA damage detected! Initiate genetic healing!"

and soon DNAliens are turned to human, but they are too many, Cooper observes the Omnitrix function and his eyes glow and his gun disassembles once more and after a while he assembles it once more and he starts to fire at the DNAliens and they return to their human form, he pulls a lever and his weapon goes into machine gun mode and soon there are a few DNAliens left

"SCUM! YOU WILL PAY!!!!"

and the Highbreed leaves, Ben turns towards the Forever Knights who also have left and they survey around

"Are they gone?"

Cooper looks at his readings and

"They are leaving!.....The only remaining are the DNAliens who are human once more!"

Gwen looks at him and

"How did you manage to make your weapon do as the Omnitrix?"

"I'm  a tecnopath! I saw what the Omnitrix was doing and I duplicated into my weapon!"

"Can you make more than one?"

"Sure!"

"We better take you to Plumber headquarters!"

and they go to the Rustbucket and board it and leave.

                                                   And from two points from where they are being observed

"Get more reinforcements! We must find a way to neutrilaze that weapon! And the aberration! And put that inferior being to work for us!"

and over the other group

"Call more knights! That alien must work for us so he can improve our weapons!"

"Are you willing to pay now?"

the leader sighs and

"Yes! We'll pay you!"

"Don't worry! I expected this! I put a tracker on their vehicle we will find them easily!"

and the Knight nods and smirks as they prepare to attack once more.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                            Along the coast roads of Florida on the gulf side drives the Rustbucket, Ben is looking at the road, at the dashboard and the readings on it, he doesn't have the GPS on display, he doesn't need to, he knows he has a long way to go, this is one of those moments that he wishes he still had his original aliens, he thinks that XLR8 would be able to take their guest to headquarters quicker than the Rustbucket, even with the boosters, and he can not use them, since there are many witnesses, the only roads that are without trafic have too many curves, he looks at Cooper from the corner of his eye and after a while

"What are you working on?"

he seems startled but answers quickly

"Sensors! I think I can detect the energy signature of the DNAliens and the Forever Knights!"

he nods and

"They are most likely following us!"

Cooper nods and after a time

"I believe there is tracking signal!"

Ben tenses and

"Can you be more specific?"

he shakes his head

"No!......At least right now! In a few minutes I should!"

Ben nods and

"You were faster when you duplicated the action of the Omnitrix!"

he nods

"It's easy to duplicate the actions of machines! I have to create the machine and that takes time! Not as much as non-technopaths!"

"I see! Tell me when you detect it!"

"Will do!"

Gwen is listening as she studies her spellbook and asks

"We should call for back-up Ben!"

"I already called uncle Joel!...........The plumbers are stretched thin! That is why we are going to one of the posts!"

"Will there be plumbers there?"

"Yes! They have been getting ready for Cooper!"

"Everyone wants me!"

"You can be the deciding factor on this fight!"

he chuckles

"Lucky me!"

Gwen smiles tryng to confort him

"Just remember that our side will be more confortable!.......And you'll have the freedom to do as you want to!"

"I know!"

there is some silence and after a while

"Are the sensors ready?"

"Very soon!"

Ben nods and

"The Forever Knights will attack when we are on a section without trafic! despite their actions they care about collateral damage!....The DNAliens and the Higbreed do not care!..........But want secrecy!"

"So we wait till we are on a section without trafic!"

"We stll have to be vigilant! They may try to surprise us! Specially since both sides are aware that they are after the same objective!"

Cooper nods

"That is why you want the sensors soon!"

"Correct!"

"Why not take a back road Ben?"

"The homing signal!"

"There's a homing signal?"

"Yes Gwen! I have detected it! But not the precise place!"

"Lost on your spellbook?"

she glares at Ben

"Yes!"

"Cooper detected it a while back!"

"Once you pinpoint it I will destroy it!"

"NO!!"

"No? Why not?"

Ben looks at her from the rear view mirror

"If the homing signal is destroyed they may attack then!"

"You think so?"

"They are waiting for a good place to ambush us! We'll force their hand if we destroy the homing signal!"

"Then what will we do?"

"Finished!"

"Take the readings Cooper!"

he puts a thumb up and looks at the readings and

"One of the groups is closer than the other! They must be the ones who don't have the homing signal! The other do so they stay further back since they know where we are!"

"Makes sense!"

"Can you detect the homing signal?"

"It's on the rear bumper! Right side!"

"Can you duplicate the signal and send them on a wild goose chase?"

"I need to see it in action.............Could you get it?"

"Uh! Sure!"

"Let me see the road maps!-----------------and he does and after a while he nods------------------This fork in the road!"

"Huh? Gwen can you drive?'

"Sure!"

and as Gwen takes the wheel, Ben walks to the back as Cooper is taking some devices apart and reassembling them and once he finishes

"Now Ben!"

he nods and in a green flash Big Chill apears and he goes to the back and phases while invisible and finds the device, he gets solid and takes it and once more he becomes intangilable and reenters and goes to Cooper and in a red flash he gives Cooper the device

"Here Cooper!"

he nods and puts it on his device, a mini car, almost toy-like he makes a final check-up and carries it to the door

"How far is the fork?"

"One mille!"

he waits a few seconds and then opens the door, he lays down, he pushes some buttons and drops it on the pavement and the minicar drives along and then when they reach the fork on the road it takes the other route and soon lose sight of it

"There! I doubt we'll  fool them for long! But now we can only worry about one group!"

they all nod and they prepare for what is coming.

                                               They drive for the next half hour and they look around, Ben from all the windows, Gwen concentrating more on the road and Cooper looking at the readings and

"Well Cooper?"

he continues looking at the readings and

"The group that was further away is getting farther away! They are following the homing device!"

"As long as your mini car  does not get off the road or crashes!"

"Actually Gwen I programed the drone to move at the same speed as the RV and to follow a route!"

"Oh!"

"Unless they send an advance party and discover the ruse!"

"That's a pessimistic view Ben!"

"But posible!.........It has to be considered!"

"He's right Cooper!"

he nods and

"You have to consider that the Forever Knights will prepare for your magnetic alien Ben!"

"Of course! I am looking at other options!"

"Uh! Guys? A portion of road devoid of trafic is coming up!"

they look at the road map and the trafic reports and

"We better get ready!"

and they nod, half an hour later as they are on the trafic free zone the sensors blare and they see DNAliens coming out of nowhere and

"Clever! Hologram projectors! If not for our sensors!"

"We are still being attacked!"

"Big bomb now!"

and Cooper presses a button and from the Rustbucket's antenna there is a discharge and all the DNAliens on a radius of four hundred yards turn human

"It worked!"

"We need time for a recharge!"

"Right now we don't have anyone to fight!"

and then there is an explosion and Gwen almost loses control of the RV but manages to stop without crashing it and

"You spoke too soon Gwen!"

"I know! I know! I jinxed it!"

Cooper looks at the readings and

"It's a small group!........But with a Highbreed!"

"Of course! It can not be easy!"

"We still need more time!"

"We have to take the fight to them! We can't wait!"

he sighs

"I understand!"

"Stay close to us Cooper!"

"Sure Gwen!"

and they go out and they see a Highbreed surrounded by DNAliens

"Put the filth down my servants! Keep the technopath alive to serve the Highbreed!"

and they go against the group and Cooper fires his rifle and many DNAliens turn human, but the ones that are not turned attack and do their sludge wich is stoped by a mana shield, the Highbreed rushes to punch the shield, Gwen looks pained but the shield holds and Ben goes towards the Highbreed and

"Humungosaur!"

and he faces the Highbreed directly, at first Ben tastes the ground repeatdily but as he once more is being thrown he uses his tail and he drags the Highbreed and he falls

"SCUM! YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT! AND FOR THAT ABERRATION YOU USE!!!!!!"

but Ben hits him quickly and manages to falter but not for long, so he changes into Echo-echo, he divides himself and does multiple sonic attacks and puts him on his knees

"Stand down!"

the Highbreed snarls and before he can punch him he changes into Swampfire and he does a fire attack, and after that he throws some seeds wich grow and entangle him, for a moment it seems he might but he pulls the vines and his left arm almost grabs Ben when a piece of metal amputates the arm

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"What happened?"

"They blew up one of their vehicles and it sent that sheet of metal like a saw!"

he nods and looks at the Highbreed who seems devastated

"It was an accident!"

"I am worthless now! I am no longer worthy! I must end my life!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Not need to be so extreme! Here!"

and Ben reattatches the arm and uses his alien form to reconnect nerves and vessels, he does it in less than a minute

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"I reattatched your arm! It is like you never lost it!"

"But you put part of you on me! I AM UNPURE!"

"You are whole!"

"I AM UNPURE! I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE A HIGHBREED!"

"What?"

"I HAVE TO LEAVE!"

and he runs away

"WAIT!!!"

but the Highbreed soon is far away, the remaining DNAliens run away and they are left alone

"What was that about?"

"Why did he freak out at being healed?"

Ben ponders and finally says

"It apears that the Highbreed are space nazis!"

"What are you talking about?"

"He said he was unpure! That having part of another species taints them!"

Gwen says

"Racial purity? Unbelievable!"

"Even in outer space!"

"We better emphasize this on our reports!"

and they nod, and they return to the Rustbucket and drive away.

                                           An hour later as they drive, they are looking at the sensors and finally Gwen asks

"Maybe they are completly fooled!"

Cooper shakes his head

"Maybe for a short time! But by now they have found the model and know we tricked them!"

"But they won't find us easily!"

Ben says

"They can with drones!"

"That is not mediaval!"

"So are enenrgy lanzes!"

"They do have high tech! Despite their wardrobe!"

"Now guys people like mediaval fairs!"

"But not living it!"

and they all chuckle and then a beep is heard and

'They found us!"

Ben looks at the trafic reports and

"No trafic ahead!"

"Do we make a run for it?"

Ben shakes his head

"No! Let's wait for them!"

and Ben parks the Rustbucket and they get out of it and wait, and fifteen minutes later the Knights arrive along with a green car and the Tennyson cousins recognize him

"Kevin Levin!"

he smirks as Cooper looks on intrigued

"You know this guy?"

"Yes!"

"Who?"

"As far as we can tell he is a smuggler, a profeteer, a weapons dealer!"

"I see!"

"I'm disapointed Gwen! You already have replaced me!"

"I don't need to replace you Kevin! I don't remember you!"

he scowls

"He is the one who found the homing device! Right?"

"Yes!"

"I should kill you!"

"Enough Levin! We need him alive!"

"I can get better weapons than this guy!"

"He builds them!"

all the while Cooper looks at Kevin and he frows

"Fine! Do we do this the easy way? Or the hard way? Please say hard!"

"Of course!"

"I'll make you regret it Tennyson!"

"We'll see!"

and they raise their lanzes and fire, as Ben changes

"Chromastone!"

he receives the discharges and returns it to them destroying their vehicles, Gwen casts spells and the Knights fall, Cooper uses his blaster to take down the rest, Kevin goes after Cooper as he absorbs stone and increasing the size of his fists, Ben looks and he changes into Echo-echo and multiplying and uses infrasounds and soon Kevin loses his stone skin and he howls in pain and then he loses a mask from his face

"An ID Mask? What are you?"

and they look at Kevin who covers his face, but Gwen uses her mana and separates his hands from his face and they finally see his face, there is a long scar from his foehead to his chin on his right side

"This is your fault Tennyson!"

"I did not hit you to make a scar Levin!.....................It happened during your accident!"

"You tricked me!"

"No Kevin! You drove recklessly! It's your fault!"

"Girls don't want to be with me now! Give me Gwen!"

"She is not an object! She is a human being!"

"No! She's mine!"

and as Kevin tries to grab Gwen he receives a blast and he falls, he glares at Cooper, then Ben does a sonic attack, he howls in pain and then he runs away and the Knights follow him and soon they are alone

"It wasn't as hard as we thought!"

"We were prepared!"

and they board the Rustbucket and soon they are on their way to the post.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           After the last attack the drive goes without a problem, no more attacks and they drive without stoping, the oficial reason given by Ben is to keep Cooper safe, but Gwen wonders if he wants to get rid of him since he is interested on her, but admits to herself that his reasoning is sound, Cooper needs to be safe, and hopefully mass produce the weapon that repairs DNA and cures DNAliens and maybe get better weapons to defeat the Highbreed, and later deal with the Forever Knights and probably more when she hears

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Huh? Oh! Sure!"

Cooper nods and reddens as he fiddles with his fingers and

"W-w-will you go out with me?"

Gwen looks at him, she is not surprised, she expected the question and had decided to say yes but to her surprise she says

"I'm flattered! But I don't like you that way!"

"Oh! I see!"

Gwen tenses and then

"Let me think about! Okay?"

he chuckles

"Gwen I'm a nerd! I have been rejected many times and many ways!.......I apreciatte you trying to spare my feelings! But it's okay!"

"You don't look like a nerd!"

he smiles

"I was a late bloomer!....Three years ago I was short and chubby!.......I got rejected a lot!"

"But you're a nice guy!"

"Thanks! But people say good guys finish last!"

Gwen smiles

"You are making a good case for yourself you know!"

he nods

"But I am not for you!"

"We should try!"

he shakes his head

"I won't stand in the way of true love!"

Gwen tenses

"What are you talking about?"

"You and Ben!"

"There's nothing between us!"

"I know! But there is! And very strong!"

"You are wrong!"

"Even I can see that!............You are trying to hide it! But it's obvious!"

"There was! It ended!"

"Not completly!"

"What makes you think that?"

"You are ignoring each other too much!"

"It's....it's......ít's not easy!"

"Both of you need to talk!"

"Ben is not interested!"

"Yes he is! He look pained when I asked about your status and if I could ask you out!"

Gwen looks away

"It's too late!"

Cooper chuckles

I doubt it!"

and they stay quiet for the next hours, once they cross the state line and an hour later they meet up with a convoy vehicle of plumbers and after confirming identities Cooper boards a transport as he thanks and says goodbye

"Good luck Cooper!"

"Thanks Ben! Gwen!"

"It was nothing!"

"You saved my life! And although I don't know how the Omnitrix works! I was able to decipher its ability to undo the xenocites damage! We should be able to save a lot of them!"

"That will be good!"

and they watch as the convoy leaves

"Think he will be all right?"

Ben nods

"Yes! He is guarded by experienced plumbers! And he can build any device with ease and fast!..........He'll be fine!"

Gwen nods and they board the Rustbucket and continue their trip.

                                              The next day they are on one of the backroads and as always tension is thick, it can be cut with a knife, they feel unconfortable, both of them want to talk to the other, but neither of them want to give the first step, Ben puts the auto pilot and looks at the map left by Max and he looks at it and ponders, Gwen looks from the corner of her eye and decides to take the first step

"What are you looking for Ben?"

"The map marked by grandpa!"

she nods and

"What is so interisting?"

"The route!"

"What is so interisting about it?"

Ben ponders and

"It's crazy route!"

"Crazy?"

he sighs

"Look it crisscross states! And diferent times and dates!.......It would be easier and more eficcient to visit all the places in one state and then go to the next state!"

she nods and

"Maybe there are some events at diferent times and days Ben!"

"I guess!...........I just wonder if he was planing to investigate!"

she looks at the map and nods

"It's posible!"

he continues looking at the map and

"I just wonder if there are plumber bases on all of these locations!"

Gwen looks at the map and frows

"I doubt there are bases on every place Ben! But on some of them there should be!"

"And maybe some of his old plumber friends!"

"So what are your plans?"

"I doubt we'll now who they are! So we can continue to follow grandpa's iterinary like we have done so far!.........................Or follow our own iterinary!"

"We already had this discussion Ben!...........Why discuss this again?"

"To be sure!"

she looks at the road and

"We continue as is!"

he nods and then sirens glare and he looks at the readings and he turns hard left and avoids getting hit but gets off the road and he hits the brakes, he stops and looks at her

"Are you all right?"

"Yes!............What was that?"

"A beam! We better get out of here!"

she looks out and 

"Ben! You can't maneuver here!"

"Shit! You're right! We better get out and run for it!"

"We'll be easy targets!"

and they get outside and in a green flash Ben changes into Jetray and grabs Gwen and flies away

"If I could access XLR8 it would be easier!"

"LOOK OUT!"

and Ben sees another beam and he dodges it but manages to see from where it came and he dives towards it and he tenses when he sees him

"DARSTAR!!!"

and he flies away

"Why are you runing away?"

"He is too powerful?"

"We can't run away!"

"We're not!"

"What's the plan then?"

"A desperate one!"

"An indirect one will work and......"

"It won't work! He is absorbing more energy and needing more! He will suck you dry! If not now, later!"

"Then what can we do?"

Ben sullens

"I need you to distract him!"

"And you?"

"I'll be getting ready!"

Gwen frows but does as she is asked as he lands and Ben changes into his human form and then he moves the dial and he hits the dial and Gwen sees a tall alien who sems to have horns and his body is like looking at the stars, she moves away from Ben and she waves her arms as her eyes glow and she starts throwing rocks

"Ah sweet Gwen I will drink your energy today!"

and a chill runs down her spine, meanwhile Ben is in front of Belicus and Serena

"Look Belicus! Ben is back!"

"Hurmh! He wants something!"

"After we attended the last time the past matters I told you about!"

they look at him and

"You understand what must be done!"

"I know!"

Serena says

"You will risk your life Ben!"

"I understand!"

"He understands! He knows the risks to save the world!"

Serena looks at him

"But mostly her right?"

"Does it matter?"

"Perhaps!"

"Let's put the motion to vote!"

and they do, meanwhile Gwen continues fighting and she is starting to feel desperate, she has avoided getting close to Darkstar but he is relentless and wonders if she can hold on when from the corner of eye she sees as Ben raises his hand and then Michael also notices

"Energy! Unlimited energy!"

and he goes towards the alien as he receives a discharge and Michael starts to get a golden look, he takes his mask off and he laughs maniaccly

"Ben! Don't give him so much power!"

"I will have you for dessert Gwen!"

and he gets closer to Ben when suddenly he grabs his arms

"Motion passed!"

"What are you doing?-----------------------he tries to break away but he is unable and he receives more energy and he starts glowing more intensily---------------------STOP!!!! STOP!!!!!!!! Stop!!!!!!!!!!! Stop!!!!!!!!!! stop!! stop!"

and then there is a star wich shines intensily bright and suddenly disapears, Gwen looks stuned and she concentrates and she can not sense Michael's mana and she looks at the alien and understands what Ben meant

"Ben?"

and then she hears the sound as the Omnitrix winds down and in a red flash Ben apears and Gwen gasps, he looks pale, like he has no energy and he falls

"BEN!!!!!"

she gets on her knees and she looks for a pulse and finds it, but it is slow and weak

"No! No! No! No!"

she concnetrates and carefully she gives some of her energy, Ben gets some color and his pulse faster and stronger, she stops, she is unsure of how much energy she can pass to Ben without hurting him, feeling confident that he is better now, she uses her mana and Ben floats to the Rustbucket, she puts him on her bunk and inspects the Rustbucket, she does not detect any malfunction, she secures Ben and slowly Gwen gets the Rustbucket into the road, once on the road she confirms that the damage is just cosmetic, she looks at the GPS and road maps and she selects where to go and she takes the route as she prepares to do what is neccesary to save and help Ben.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           A camping site, somewhat isolated, but not completly, the Rustbucket seems like a normal RV, what is unusual for the few that have seen it, is the fact that a middle aged woman seems to be the only passenger on it, she answers questions and talks a little, but for the most part keeps to herself, they wonder if she can fix the RV if the need arises but there is an air of self-reliance that intimidates some and in others they sense that she is not in danger, and inside the Rustbucket at the bedside on the lower bunk sits Gwen she is concentrating as she passes mana to the man in the bunk bed, her cousin Ben, he has not regained conciousnness in two days, as far as she can determine, Ben lost a lot of energy, Gwen wishes she could understand the Omnitrix better, it seems that Ben's energy is tied to the alien in wich he transforms, and that would explain why Ben feels pain after some of his fights during his transformations, she concentrates and passes more of her mana to him, but she is doing it with caution and in low intensity, she does not want to do what Ben did to Michael, overchatge him and making him explode, but she worries she will not be able to replenish him in time and then she sullens, she ponders if she should increase the dossage of mana when

"Oooohhhh! Did anyone get the license plate of that truck?"

she holds back tears and laughter at the same time as she embraces him

"BEN!!!!!!!"

"Yeah! It's me!.............Can you let me breathe?"

she laughs and loosens her grip

"Sorry!....I was so worried!"

"Why?"

she huffs as she looks at him

"You're joking right?"

"No!..........What happened after I.........took care of Darkstar?"

she looks at him and sees the truth of his inquiry and

"You passed out! You have been asleep for two days!"

"TWO DAYS????!!!!!! They said it would be a few hours!"

"Who said that?"

"Serena and Belicus!"

and they are?"

"Oh! Right! Two aspects of Alien X!"

"That's the name of the alien you used?"

"Yes!"

"What....What is it?"

he sighs

"He is a celestialsappiens!"

she frows

"Celestial sappiens? Like the celestials in Marvel comics?"

"Yeah! Except  they don't wear colored armors and they are more powerful!"

"How powerful?"

"Nothing is beyond their power!"

she looks at him and

"Why don't you use him to stop the Highbreed? The forever Knights?"

he sighs and

"Because they are locked in eternal debate! I play filcrum to their decisions!"

"It's yes or no Ben! What is so hard about?"

"The morallity of their actions! They were debating about stoping the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs on earth!"

"And you helped them decide?"

"Yeah! Sorry dinosaurs!"

"When did you do that?"

"Remember the times we stoped and rested during camping?"

"Yes! I needed to know the abilities of my aliens!........I changed into him and once I undestood him I startled to settle their debates!"

"Are you up to date?"

"Probably not! But I have pointed out that since some decisions have been made it has nullified the need for some of their past debates!"

she nods and finally asks the question

"Why did you take a final decision with Michael Ben?"

he looks at her and he sighs

"There was no choice Gwen!..............Michael's hunger and power were growing exponantiolly! Once he started he could not help himself! Nor did he want to!"

"But maybe..."

"Gwen he would absorb your energy and he would increase his powers but then need more so he would absorb more! And then more!..........He would be able to absorb all of your power and then go after other anodytes! Getting more powerful each time and finally.......even be able to defeat a celestialsappiens!"

"Are you sure?"

he nods

"Yes!........He was able to escape the Null Void! Maybe if there weren't so many fronts up! There could have been a way to contain him! But he would have needed constant monitoring!"

"I understand! It's just so final!"

"We had no choice! Serena and Belicus did not debate! They knew what was at stake!"

"Self-preservation then!"

"I guess so! Like allowing the meteor to fall and wipe out the dinosaurs!"

she nods and ponders

"How do you feel?"

"Weak!.......But not too much!................Gwen we need to talk!"

she tenses

"About?"

"Us!"

"There's nothing to talk about!"

"I disagree!"

she looks away

"It's better this way Ben!"

"Are you sure?"

she tries to nod but shakes her head

"I'm miserable Ben!.......But we can't.."

"Why not?"

"I..I.."

"Why did you want to break up? Tell me the real reason! Because I have not cheated on you!"

Gwen looks at him and

"I'm afraid Ben!"

"Afraid? Of what?"

"Our parents! Of what they will do!"

"We'll face them Gwen! We already have!"

"I am still afraid Ben!"

he looks at her and

"What is really troubling you Gwen?"

"N-n-nothing!"

he looks intensily and

"The truth Gwen!"

she wants to deny but she drops her shoulders and head and

"I...I...I listened to you when you talked to uncle Joel!"

he frows 

"About?"

"When we thought you were transforming into a Yenaldooshi?"

"Yes! What about it?"

holding back tears she says

"You told uncle Joel to kill you if you could not be cured! So you wouldn't....."

"It was the last resort Gwen!"

"i know!......But you were more worried about me!"

"With good reason Gwen!.........You are the closest to me!"

he holds her hand and she sobs

"I am afraid I will not love you as much as you do me!"

"What?"

"I am afraid! I will never match with your love!"

Ben tries to raise from his bed and

Gwen??????????What is this?"

"What?"

he feels around and

"I'm wearing a diaper?"

"Huh? You were unconccious for two days! Of course you needed diapers!"

he looks at her

"You mean I soiled myself?"

"Yes!"

"And you cleaned me up?"

"Yes! Of course!"

he looks at her and

"And you think you don't love me as much as I do you?"

"Ben! It was nothing!"

"I'm not a baby Gwen! You must really love me to have done what you have done to me! Don't ever doubt yourself!"

"But Ben!"

he holds her hand and

"Gwen! This is not a competition! It doesn't matter who loves who the most!  It only matters that we love each other!"

Ben looks at her and she tries to say something but she sobs and

"Oh Ben! I love you so much! I don't want to stop seeing you!"

and they kiss and after they stop

"I will never give up on you!"

"Forgive me!"

"I do! Will you forgive me?"

"Yes!"

and they kiss once more and after a while as they separate

"Maybe we can?"

"God! Ben! No! You are still too weak!"

"Aw! Come on!"

"You need to regain your strenght!------------and in a low huski voice------------------I also want to!"

he chuckles and they continue talking.

                                           Next day the Rustbucket is going down the road, Gwen is driving and Ben is sitting on the passenger's side, he looks better today as he looks at  the road and Gwen asks

"Do you really feel better now Ben?"

he nods

"Yes!   Now that I am eating!"

"I couldn't feed you that way Ben!"

"I know! I guess in a hospital it could have been done!"

"It was too far!"

"Those are the risks!"

"We better have a quick route from now on!"

"We better program it into the Rustbucket's GPS!"

and they drive on, Ben and Gwen eat lunch at a diner and dinner on the Rustbucket, they camp and they go to sleep, once more on the same bed, and in the morning Gwen is the first one to wake up, she feels happy and she feels his body with her hand and then she feels his cock

"WOW!! His morning wood is big and very hard! I better take advantage!"

and she take off her clothes and she puts her breasts on his face, and moves them around, Ben wakes up

"Wha??????"

and he starts kissing and licking them as Gwen moans softly, she then takes them away from Ben and Ben looks around but then she goes to his dick and starts licking it and soon it is entirely inside her mouth, Ben moans and she sucks with gusto and then he cumms, Gwen is surprised but swallows as he unloads, and after a few seconds, she gulps everything down

"You unloaded a lot Ben!"

"We hadn't done it in a long time Gwen! I was waiting for a moment to unload big time!"

she nods

"I know! I wanted to fuck! Still do!"

he smirks

"Get ready then!"

and he gets his cock on her cunt and with Gwen's humidity he slips easily and he trust into her and she quickly gets in rhytmin with him as they enjoy themselves, they climax and in the afterglow

"That was GREAT!!!!"

"We wanted to do it after all!"

"I hope we don't fight again!"

he sighs

"We will! Hopefully we'll make up sooner!"

she giggles

"We will!"

and they laugh and kiss and make out as they prepare to continue their trip.

Chapter Text

Disclaiemer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characters, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                            Rosewood, a small town, no chain supermarket, no Walmart, no Target, much less a Costco, probably one of the few places with a Sears but who knows for how long, still local businnesses rule and there is a supermarket, a local one wich happens to own the supermarkets on the four towns around, so Ben and Gwen go to buy their groceries to John's and while they felt it was a small market, it was well sujplied and they find everything they are looking for and stock their pantry and fridge, they go to an RV Park and fill up the water tank and drain the septic tank, once they finish thye park and decide to go to a diner and eat there, once thye finish the main course they eat dessert wich is blueberry pie for Ben and an apple pie for Gwen, and as they make small talk they finally speak

"You look better and stronger Ben!"

he nods

"I feel better and stronger! Thanks to you! And no thanks to you!"

she mocks glares at him

"That's the price for sharing the same bed!..........I missed it a lot!"

"Me too! And I am enjoying myself!"

"Biys! Always thinking with your small head!"

"Don't act like you don't like it!"

she smirks and licks her lips sugestively

"Poor baby!"

"You want me to take you here?"

"Better in the Rustbucket!"

"Not the shower! We use a lot of water!"

"I know! We also have to drain the septic tank!"

"We just did!.........We will when we leave!"

"You're incogerrible!"

they pay, leave tip and walk to the RV Park and Gwen looks around, Ben asks

"Is anything wrong?"

"No! It's just so peaceful! We can probably go to everywhere walking!"

Ben looks around and

"Probably! But to visit some people we would need to drive!"

she chuckles and they arrive to the Rustbucket, and as they enter they tense, they sense someone and they get in a defensive posture and

"Stand down! I come in peace!"

"Azmuth!"

and they see him on the table

"I was wondering when you would return!"

"We took some days for Ben to regain his strenght!"

"So taking care of Michael Morningstar took its toll on you Benjamin?"

"Yes!"

he nods

"It was the only way! He absorbed too much energy! If it had been small quantities............a shame!"

"You are spying on us?"

"No! I just receive readings of the Omnitrix when it is in use! Your private time is private!"

Ben reddens and Gwen blushes

"Uh! Well....."

"It is obvious! And your personal lives!"

"All right! Why are you here?"

"I need you to get to Ascalon before George does!"

"Ascalon?????"

"We better get moving! I'll explain as we travel!"

they nod and they pay as they drive away and prepare to listen to Azmuth.

                                               In the next few hours they drive the direction shown by Azmuth and make adjustments to follow roads, both of them look at Azmuth from the corner of their eyes and finally he says

"Ascalon is a sword I made! The most powerful sword in the universe!"

Ben looks at him and

"I thought you never built weapons!"

he sighs and lowers his head

"It was the only one!"

Gwen asks

"Why did you build it?"

he chuckles and

"I saw some stars align and got the idea to make a sword!"

"Just like that?"

"Yes!.......Zennith disagreed!"

"Zennith?"

he sullens

"My girlfriend!.....Mi ex!"

"What happened?"

he stays quiet for a few seconds and

"I decided to build a sword! But I made it with properties that increased it powers! It could harnness the powers of the universe! Zennith oposed me! And then told me to be careful with it! I did not listen!.............It was stolen by a hero who tried to stop a war on his home planet! He missued it! He destroyed his planet!"

they look at him in shcok and Gwen asks

"It's that powerful?"

"Yes!"

"Did you ever get the sword back?"

"Yes! I got it back! But the consequences still persue me! The loss of the Incursean world and loss of life! The surviving incurseans have gone on to invade other worlds to take their resources! And....and....and Zennith left me!"

Gwen says

"I'm sorry Azmuth!"

"I should have listened to her!.............I built the Omnitrix to compensate for the lives lost!..............And for her to return!"

there is silence for a few minutes and then Ben asks

"Why is the sword here?"

and Azmuth says

"Centuries ago earth was the first step in the conquest of this universe by an extradimensional being! A demon some might say! His name is Dagon!"

"Dagon? Like the characther of Lovecraft?....Just like Vilgax? Why didn't I notice?"

"I don't know who this Lovecraft is! But maybesome residual genetic memory! Or ancient tales!"

"So Dagon tried to conquer earth?"

"Yes! And in this planet I found a great warrior! Centuries old! George is his name! He used Ascalon to face Dagon!"

"And he won!"

"Yes and no!"

"How is this posible?"

Azmuth sighs

"He was a very skilled warrior and defeated Dagon! But he was/is too overconfident! He cut Dagon's heart and sealed it! He defeated Dagon but not destroyed him! Dagon is returning!"

"George can beat him! Right?"

"Maybe not Gwen! Dagon will be ready for him!"

Azmuth looks at Ben and nods

"You understand Ben!"

"How did you make George inmortal?"

"He already was inmortal when I met him Benjamin!"

"I see!.........Why didn't you take Ascalon away after the battle?"

"He founded the Forever Knights to keep aliens away from earth and hid Ascalon!.........And I knew Dagon would return! So Ascalon had to remain here!"

they nod

"How was he able to convince people to join his group?'

"People knew he had defeated Dagon! So he was popular and people wanted to follow in his steps!"

'George defeated Dagon!..............Are thye basis for Saint George and the Dragon?"

"Most likely!"

"How do you know where Ascalon is?"

"I finally made a device that can detect it!"

"But George is looking for it also!"

"That is why we need to reach it first!"

they nod and Ben increases the speed and hopes they are on time.

                                              As they get near the place where Ascalon is Ben and Gwen get more alert, they know the Forever Knights and George are nearby, they finally have to stop and walk towards the place and Ben takes the oportunity to ask

"Uh! Azmuth! Why did you change the Omnitrix?"

"Hmmm! The prototype needs to update Benjamin! Of course it restarts each time! And after a big update it even changed form! It reset the alien archives! The first aliens are still there! In time you will access them!"

"Right!...................Wait! Prototype?"

"Of course! You didn't really think this was THE Omnitrix did you?"

"Oh! In how much time?"

Azmuth chuckles and then he checks his readings and points to an abandoned shed

"There!"

and as they prepare to aproach the shed they tense and they look around and as they aproach the shed when

"STOP THE ALIENS!!!!!!!!!!"

Ben and Gwen get on a defensive posture and defend themselves easily but the knights acomplish their objective when George says

"I HAVE IT!!!!"

and thye all stop and look as the old man waves a sword effortlesslly and Ben can almost swear George looks younger and soon he confirms it, George gets taller, buffer, his hairline goes forward and gets blonder and soon he is young once more, Azmuth gets in front of him

"Give me back Ascalon!"

"Give you my sword? Are you mad?"

"It is not yours! It's mine! I lendt it to you!"

"An alien made this magic sword? What a laugh!"

"Like I have told you before! It is not magic! It's science!"

"It is still mine!"

"Don't make me take it away from you!"

"As if you could!"

"You doubt it?"

he growls and tries to cut Azmuth in half but before he can connect in a green flash Humungosaur apears and stops him

"TAKE YOUR PAWS OF ME ALIEN!!!!!"

"MAKE ME!!!!!"

and they struggle and at times Ben gets the upper hand, and at times George gets the upper hand, despite George using Ascalon powers, Ben nullifies them and finally George says

"Enough! You are good alien! We are too evenly matched! We can fight for days till finally I get the upper hand! And in the meantime Dagon will come and we'll have to face him at our lowest!"

"You are still a great warrior George! But naother warrior has to face Dagon!"

"NO!!! I defeated him before! IU can do it again!"

"You surprised him the last time! He will be ready for you now!"

"I am the only one who can defeat him!"

"You are not! There is another!"

"I will not give up Ascalon!"

meanwhile Ben looks around and

"A compromise then! You face Dagon! And if you are unable to best him! You will pass Ascalon to me!"

"That will never happen!"

"So why not make the deal! You lose nothing!"

George looks at him and smirks

"You remind me when I was younger! Very well! Deal!"

"Then it's settled!"

"It will never happen! But you are my relief! We still have work to do! Till we meet again!"

and the Forever Knights leave along with George and Azmuth aproaches Ben

"You could have defeated him Benjamin!"

he nods confidently

"I know!........but the knights would have retaliated!.........And I believe we'll need their help when the time comes!"

Gwen nods

"They could have overwhlmed us by sheer numbers!"

Azmuth sighs and

"You are right! And with so many fronts open! Useless battles are not wise!"

"We betetr keep an eye on them!....George will not call on us!"

they all nod and they return to the Rustbucket and they are once more on the road.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                           After the fight with George the Tennysons drive towards the next county, Azmuth had teleported away after talking with them and exchanging impressions and trying to be ready for what is to come, specially with three fronts open and tells them he will be analyzing events and try to predict attacks, he leaves and they continue driving, for a moment it seems they willl return to their previous pattern but Gwen asks

"Why not best George now Ben?"

he ponders and

"Various reasons Gwen, it would have taken a lot of time and energy, to avoid a bigger fight and we are facing a foe we know nothing about! I know it is the same from all of our other foes...............but to a certain point we can predict the Forever Knights, the DNAliens and the Highbreed! Dagon is completly diferent!"

she nods and

"But if he gets the upper hand!"

"It's risky! But a premature attack may leave us vulnerable! We need more information! And George and the Forever Knights have it!"

"I would think you would preffer to attack first!"

Ben chuckles

"I would if we were facing some of our oponents in our conference!..............But if we were facing a brasilian or european university teams!...........I would have to observe how their defensive line moves to surpass them without revealing a lot of my style for them to block me easily!"

"Thinking like a jock!"

"Yeah! Well contrary to what everybody believes us jocks need to think and analyze our oponents!"

she nods

"I know!............I have analyzed my classmates at the dojo, I know how they move and their tactics!..............But if I were to face someone from another dojo on another state!........I would analyze my oponents moves to look for an entrance!"

"Not so mindless are we?"

"Nope!"

and they continue exchanging opinions as they go to their desired destination.

                                             Next day they wake up late, although they arrived early, and went into the RV Park and toured the town, they turned in early but did not really sleep till late into the night, so thye finally went to sleep late and exhausted, so in the morning when they wake up and smile at each other

"Morning!"

"Good morning!"

"How about taking care of my rising problem?"

she smirks and licks her lips

"Sure! It will be...Shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"Look at the hour!"

he looks at the clock and he feels frustrated

"9:36! It is late!"

"We still have to travel and investigate!"

"Right!...........But we can have a quickie shower!"

"Yes we can!"

"Not with the water running!"

"I know! I know!"

and they do, they eat breakfast and they walk down the town once more and they notice more people this time around and

"Is there an event happening on this town?"

Gwen looks around

"There are n o signs or banners to sugest it!"

Ben nods and looks around and

"Maybe we should investigate!"

"Maybe we are getting too paranoid Ben!"

he nods

"Let's investigate just to be sure!"

she nods and they walk around asking discretly if there is an event in town but everywhere they are told no, untill fall but they have been observing around but do not notice anything and by afternoon as they look for a place to get lunch when suddenly everything changes as they run into a young japannesseamerican girl, Ben collides with her and

"Sorry! Excure me!"

"Excuse me! It's nothing..........Ben?"

"Julie?"

"What are you doing here?"

Gwen looks at them and raises an eyebrow

"AHEM!"

"Oh? Right! Gwen may I present Julie Yamamoto! World ranked tennis player!"

"Nice to meet you!"

"Likewise!......Only a tennis player Ben? Is your current girlfriend that jelous?"

Gwen looks slyly at Ben

"We only went out less than two months Julie!"

"A record for you!-----------------he glares at her-----------------Are you in your second month?"

Gwen looks at her and smirks

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! She sure proves it!     We are going on our tenth month!        Shit will now hit the fan!"

Julie frows and glares at her and then him

"You finally matured!"

Ben stays quiet pondering and before a discussion starts

"It happens to all of us!     By the way........what are you doing here? I would expect you to continue training to rise in the rankings!"

Gwen observs as her frow seems to dissolve at the question and for a moment seems panicked and then

"I need some respite Ben! I am taking a sabbatical!"

"I see! You have relatives around here?"

"No! I am traveling with friends! What about you two?"

Gwen answers

"We are on a summer road trip! mostly on the back roads of the country!"

"And you stand him?"

"He's not that bad!"

she glares at her

"Shit! It will get ugly if I don't defer this!        Why did you choose this town?"

Julie seems lost for a second and

"It's a small wotn Ben! A sleepy town! I can relax here!"

"Is that all?"

she wants to deny but she says

 "I am also here because I have joined a group The Flame Keeper's Circle, and they are reuniting here!"

Gwen gets  alert

"So that is why there are so many people here! But is that enough to suspect something?        What is this group about?"

Julie looks at Gwen and understands she is not to be underestimated

"Why do you want to know? You want to join?"

"No! Just curious! You are highly ranked tenis player! For you to come all the way from Europe is.........intriguing!"

"Not everybody understands!"

"Well we can't if we don't know!"

she understands she has been manouvered into explaining them she decides to avoid the explanation

"Look there will be a reunion and people are invited to observe and if they wish to, to join!"

they look at each other and nod

"Sure! Where and when?"

"The High School Auditorrioum at seven o'clock!"

"We'll be there!"

and they wave goodbye to each other, once she is gone

"Was she this angry back then?"

"No she was pleasant! She is angrier now!"

"She is pretty! And has a good body! What else attracted you to her?"

Ben ponders and

"Along with what you noted, she was pleasent! And the both of us being sports jocks it seemed a good match!"

"Did she stroke your ego?"

he chuckles

"Partly! She felt I did not support her enough! But I also had to train! And she didn't like it!"

Gwen chuckles

"You were too young!"

"Yes we were!"

they walk a few yards and

"Are we going to the event?"

he gets a somber expression and nods

"Yes! It may be a quack group! But there is something!.........I am not sure of what! But we better observe!"

"I agree!........Are we developing a Spider-sense?"  

he smiles

"Maybe!"

and they spend the rest of the day and a few minutes before the start they arrive at the auditorrioum in the High School and they notice that a lot of people entering and there is no control on who enters, Ben and Gwen enter and they sit on the back seats, Gwen observes Ben but he is looking at the stage, so she looks around and believes she recognizes Julie and then she confirms as she turns around, she believes she is looking for them, or rather Ben, and at seven o'clock on the dot a man takes the stage and starts a speech, the people who stay quiet are the followers and the others are posible recruits, and for the next half hour there is a lethany of world problems followed by promised solutions from a higher being, not everybody believes it though, Ben and Gwen and some other townspeople and then the man starts to mention diferent celebreties who are part of the circle, Jennifer Nocturne and more and with that some of the doubters join and with that Ben and Gwen understand it is a cult and they ponder, a big screen starts to exhibit the celebreties who make testimonials about the circle, and when it ends the circle has increased its membership and as thye prepare to leave they are aproached by Julie

"So you came!"

Ben looks at her

"Of course! We were curious!"

she nods

"Will you join?"

and Gwen answers

"It's not for us!"

and in a mocking tone

"She makes decisions for you Ben?"

"No! We had already decided! We both agree!"

she frows and walks away

"Thanks for having my back!"

"I will always have your back!"

"Thanks! Now what?"

he looks around and once he is sure nobody is listening

"We'll investigate at night!"

"We'll have to break in!"

"Easy! But we better be careful!"

she nods and they leave.

                                                 After midnight, almost one o'clock Ben and Gwen are moving near the parking of the hotel, while the cult's brass is sleeping on the rooms, they use a bus for transport and most likely as an archive, Ben is using dark clothes, while Gwen is using dark pants and a dark shirt with a cartoon cat on her chest and a cat like mask on, they move quietly and from afar they see there are guards watching the vehicles, Gwen looks on and then she turns to Ben and he nods, he looks at his alien selection and he changes into Big Chill and he caries Gwen and turns them invisible and they phase into the bus and look around and once they are sure it is empty they become visible and

"Where do we look?"

"In a lower voice Gwen! They are not deaf! And we look at the safe!"

Gwen looks at the safe

"How dowe open it?"

"One of your spells!"

she looks at him

"You think I have a safe cracking spell?"

"No! But something similar!"

"And I won't leave evidence right?"

he nods and she chuckles and she does anincantation and the safe opens, she then creates a small sphere of light and they look at the archives and they look at papers and finally Ben sees something and he shows Gwen who eyes widen when she reads and then the door opens and a group of amed men point their guns at them

"Raise your hands!"

they do and the cult leader apears

"Who are you? Reporters?"

"Yes reporters!"

"You are too young to be reporters! I doubt even this town full of hicks has investigating reporters!.............Maybe plumbers!--------------he turns towards the guards----------------Kill them!"

and as they cock their weapons, Gwen's eyes glow and the weapons fly away from their hands

" What??"

and in a green flash SpiderMonkey apears and jumps and knocks them down

"You! The enemy of the Forever Knights!"

they look at each other confused

"We are!"

"Then there is no need for us to fight! Join us! We can defeat them together!"

they scoff

"And leave the earth for Dagon? No way!"

the expression on his face changes

"I am Counduit Edwards! I speak for Dagon! If you don't join us.......you are against us!"

"Uh! Yeah!"

"Then now you die!"

and then Ben shoots a spider web towards him an ddisapears, Ben is surprised and he is hit from behind

"What?"

"You really thought I could be defeated so easily?"

Ben tries to hit him and he disapears again and once more he hits Ben from behind

"Ben! Be careful! He is esoterica! He can teleport through dimensions!"

"I can do more than that!"

and he creates a blast but Gwen creates a shield and they avoid damages, Edwards disapears but Gwen turns suddenly and throws a blast and Edwards apears and receives the blast and he goes flying backwards

"What more can you do?"

Edwards glares at her

"Dagon will give me more power!"

"And you will lose! You don't train! I may not have much power! But I know how to use it better!"

Edwards snarls and then he disapears, gwen concnetrates and after a while she relaxes

"Is he gone?"

"Yes! He knew I would defeat him!"

Ben looks around and then he sees her

"Julie? What are you?"

"BASTARDS!!! YOU HURT CONDUIT!!!!!"

"Sorry Julie! He was trying to kill us!"

"YOU ARE LYING!!!!! And even if it were true it is Dagon's will!"

"Julie! Dagon will conquer earth! The universe! He is the definition of evil!"

"You are the evil ones!........Don't ever come near me again!"

and she runs away

"Maybe I should...."

"No Ben! She is hurt!    And brainwashed! She will reject our help! She needs to learn the truth on her own!"

Ben stays quiet for a few minutes and nods

"You're right!........Hopefully she will understand before she gets in too deep!"

she nods and grabs his arm and puts her head on his shoulder as they understand that the road ahead is dificult.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                              The next day, early in the morning as Ben and gwen are driving west, they had decided to go to Vera's house for council and look if the Rustbucket needs repairs, they are in a conference call and Vera asks

"Are you kids all right?"

"Yes aunt Vera!"

Gordon chuckles

"You are getting better each day you two!"

Ben chuckles

"We have no choice!...........So we have to inform about "The Keepers of the Flame Circle!"

Joel says

"They are an offshot of the Forever Knights?"

"Their enemies actually!"

Gordon says

"I see!..........but they are enemy of humanity right?"

Ben nods

"Yes!"

Gordon ponders

"Maybe we should try a temporary truce with the Forever Knights!"

"Tell me you're joking dad!"

"It would be temporary Joel!"

"I can't trust them dad!"

"I know! But there is a bigger enemy lurking Joel!"

"The Forever Knights are xenophobes dad! Camile is a target for them! And Lucy! They are family! I know you have misgivings about lenopans!"

"It's not about that Joel! Like it not we have a common enemy! And we are losing time and energy fighting among ourselves when a bigger threath awaits to defeat us both!"

"They are like the plumbers wihtout aliens, they are the anathema of us!"

"I understand son! I am talking about a truce! Not an alliance! Or trusting them!"

"It would end up the same dad! I doubt they would trust us!"

"We would have to work with them anyway Joel!"

and Joel nods and Vera asks

"Did you two make up?"

Ben and Gwen look at each other and

"Yes!"

"Good!"

"Is our relationship that important?"

"YES!"

"Gee thanks! No pressure!"

"Even this old spinster can see love you two! And it's not just sexual! I can tell!"

Ben and Gwen blush

"Now sis don't embarras the kids! And maybe some things should be kept private!"

"We're all adults here Gordon! Besides they are in the Rustbucket alone! You really think thye only sleep?"

"Aunt Vera!"

"Remember our trips Gordon! They weren't that long ago!"'

Gordon chuckles and they hug

"Mom! Dad! Not now!"

Betty Jean looks at her son

"Think of looking forward to something Joel!"

"I don't want to learn from my parents!"

and they all laugh when suddenlly there is a buzz

"Who's that?"

"The Tennyson who is not in conference riught now....Ken!"

and they answer

"Hello Ken!"

"You are all here? Good!"

"Is something wrong Ken?"

"Yes!"

"What is it?"

"Look I was crossing a small town and saw this man running away from the police.......who had superstrenght! I believe they were DNAliens!"

"So a guy avoided getting transformed into a DNAlien! Just get him away!"

"He believes that the DNAliens want a device he hid! But is unsure!"

they all look at Ken

"Are you sure boy?"

"Yes uncle Gordon!"

they all ponder and

"How does he know?"

"It may be a trap!"

Ben speaks

"Even if it is! We have to investigate!"

they all nod

"Let me see if there are any plumbers nearby!"

"We'll go!"

"Yes we will!"

"Ben! Gwen! You may need back-up!"

"We can handle anything! And we are closer!"

they stay quiet and

"Okay! But you will have to use the boosters!"

"I am already puting Ken's coordinates!"

"Report as soon as you can!"

"We will!"

and the call ends , and Ben turns off the autopilot and looking at the route put forth by the GPS he activates the boosters and soon are on their way.

                                            A few hours later they arrive to Ken's coordinates and they stop and look around and at first they feel rustrated since nobody is there, they are about to leave when thye hear

"Over here!"

they turn around and see nobody and then 

"Where are you?"

"Here!"

they frow and then Ken comes out from uinder a car cover

"Ken?"

"Who did you expect?"

"Where did you get this car cover?"

"I bought some years ago at an auto car shop!"

"You fooled everybody with this?"

"One my car is not high tech so sensors did not detect it! Two the car cover is sand colored so it hid us well! And three.....thye are not very smart!"

Ben chuckles

"Hiding in plain sight! It works!"

"Unbelievable!"

"Come on sis! As long as it works!"

she shakes her head and

"Why did you hide?"

"Look my car works!........But is not supersonic! And since it seems that the town is a DNAlien base..........I can't buy gasoline!"

"I didn't think about that!"

"Not many action movies look into that!"

"Well we can talk about this all day! But we need to know about..."

"Tyler!"

"That's his name?"

"According to his ID! He remembers bits and pieces!"

"Anything more?"

"He is in a band! Bass player!"

"Another bass player? If this were a scripted show it would show a lack of imagination!"

"Just a coincidence cuz! Just a coincidence!"

"You were comparing notes about your bands?"

Ken looks at Gwen

"I was reforcing his memory so he can remember what he can't!"

"Has it worked?"

he nods

"He remembers some things more now!"

"Let's get him inside the Rustbucket!"

Ken goes and gets a young man, black haired, brown eyed, white, average height and weight, he looks distrustful but walks into the Rustbucket, he looks around and sits at the table as they ask questions

"What is it you remember?"

he struggles and

"I was taking a device to...to....to....Los Soledad!"

"What for?"

he frows and ponders

"A gate! I think!"

Gwen opens her laptop and does a search

"It is an abandoned military base! And that is all!"

"It is obviously more! Not just on the internet!"

thye nod and Ben asks

"Why did you have this device?"

he frows and after a while he shakes his head

"I don't know! At times I remember I was taking it to Los Soledad! And sometimes I remember I stole it!"

they ponder and

"Can you take us to where the device is?"

he nods

"Yes!"

"Let's go!"

"Ben wait!"

"What's wrong?"

"Let's go on the Awesomemobile!"

"WHAT?????Your car? You have to be kidding!"

Ben chuckles and

"Why cuz?"

"The Rustbucket is great but........too big! The awesomemobile can manuever more easily and pass off more easily!"

Ben nods

"Good idea!"

"Ben!"

"It is a good idea Gwen!"

"Hurmph!"

and thye get into the car and drive away, Tyler reveals more about his life but continues to have gaps about the device and thye finally arrive to a ditch and

"There!"

Ben nods and changes into Chromastone, and startsto cut trough the truck and after a while he finds a device and the others aproach and

"What is that?"

"An Oscillator Key!"

and they look at Tyler who is also surprised

"How do you..?"

"I...I.......I don't know!"

when suddenlly a group of DNAliens start to attack them, Ken uses his blaster to keep them at bay, Gwen raises shields and throws mana spheres that take them down, Chromastone hits them, and when they throw xenocites who are unable to attatch to him, and they manage to repel them

"Are they gone?"

Ken looks around

"It seems so!"

"So an oscilator key?"

"Yes! To make work a giant space gate! I was taking it to Los Soledad! Why do I remember now?"

Ben looks at him and aproaches him

"Because you're a DNAlien!"

and he takes off an ID Mask

"What am I?"

Ben looks at him

"You're a DNAlien but you are rejecting your  xenocite! Like Ken did!"

"What do we Ben?"

"How important is this piece?"

"The gate will not work without it!"

"We better take it then!"

and Ben changes into Humungosaur and starts to carry the key when they are attacked, but this time they are more and have a ship hovering over them, the four of them fight valiantly, Ben increases his size to sixty feet but they are too much, still they manage to hold on and for a moment it seems that they will best them when there is a tractor beam and they grab the key, and despite Ben's best efforts he loses the key, Tyler had jumped and tried to help Ben but he was caught in the tractor beam and he was being levitated, Ben changes into Jetray and Ken and Gwen say to hium

"Destroy the key!"

"But Tyler will be caught in the explossion!"

"Collateral damage!"

and Ben flies and as he aproaches the key Tyler says

"FORGET ABOUT ME! DESTROY THE KEY!"

Ben looks at him and as he prepares to fire a ray he points at the source of the beam and it explodes, both Tyler and the key fall, he grabs Tyler and glides towards Gwen and Ken as a new beam grabs the key and the ship flies away

"Why didn't you destroy the key?"

Ben looks as the ship disapears and

"Someone has to save earth!...................And that someone is us!"

Gwen and Ken look at him and nod

"What now? What about me?"

Ben looks at him

"You will go home! Omnitrix repair DNA"

"Acknowledged!"

and a beam touches Tyler and he regains his human form

"You are fine now!"

Tyler looks at himself and tears of joy are on his face

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"You'll be fine now!"

he nods and

"I want to expel all the DNAliens and Highbreed!"

"You remember everything?"

"Yes!"

"We'll put in contact with people that will use the information to take them down!"

"Good!"

"There's a plumber base a hundred miles from here!"

"Let's go!"

they walk towards Ken's car and

"SHIT!!!"

"What happened?"

Ben looks at the Awesomemobile and

"Stray blast!"

"Now what?"

Ben looks at the Omnitrix and looks at the aliens and

"Juryrigg!"

and in a green flash a gremlin like alien apears and it starts to disassemble the awesomemobile and parts of the truck, while he laughs manniacly, Ken looks in shock and Gwen says

"Ben fix this!"

he stops and looks at her and starts to assemble the awesomemobile and soon he finishes and the awesomemobile looks awesome, and in a red flash Ben reapears

"What did you do Ben?"

"I upgraded the awesomemobile!"

"How?"

Ben ponders and

"I am unsure! But the motor is upgraded! More powerful and more eficient! Boosters! GPS! Autopilot! Cloaking device! Chamaleon device!"

"And you were able to do so with the awesomemobile?"

"And pieces from the truck!"

"Even the paint?"

"I am unsure how he does it!"

Gwen says

"Let's take Tyler to the base! So he can give intel! And maybe recruit him!"

they nod and

"How long till they activate the gate?"

"it should be less than a week! But if they don't inspect it!..........weeks!"

Ken frows and

"What did you do?"

"As we were being pulled I opened a hatch and criscrossee cables! I have no idea what will happen!"

they look at him and smirk and they drive away.

                                             After they take Tyler to a plumber base they return to the Rustbucket and thye decide to sleep and they do, and in the morning they wake up, take showers and they eat breakfast and after they finish they coment

"You think Tyler's sabotage will slow down the Highbreed?"

"We won't know if the invasion is after one week!"

"It will be a little over a week!"

they are startled and look at who talked

"WHO?"

"No! I am not him! I am Profesor Paradox!"

"Paradox?"

"How did you get here?"

"You know!"

"No we don't!"

"Hmm? Of course! I have not met you on this timeline!"

"You better answers our questions!"

"You know I can not give you spoilers!"

"WHAT???"

"Oh! Right! On this timeline you did not get the Omnitrix at ten! Much later! Just recently!........And you were separated at birth!"

they look at him as he has been watching his pocket watch

"Ten?"

"Separated?"

"How do you know?"

"And Ken is with you instead of Kevin!"

"Kevin? That psycho? Why would he be with us?"

"He reformed! As much as he could!"

Ken looks at him and

"Who are you? Why do you act like you know us?"

"I have already told you!.....I don't remember my birthname, but I was a scientest who was working in quantum mechanics! And time travel! I was lost in the timestream! Now I travel through the timeline protecting it! Them!"

"Are you going to tell what is coming?"

"I can not! I will simply give hints!"

"How can we trust you?"

"You will in time! You have more time to face the Highbreed! You must face the creature from beyond first!"

and he walks ito a wall and disapears, thye look for him but find no clue

"Now what?"

"We keep this to ourselves and be vigilant!"

they nod and less than an hour later they are talking to the rest of the Tennysons

"And that was all uncle Gordon!"

Joel says

"We have been getting a lot of intel from Tyler! And we were able to put his family in protective custody!"

gordon says

"What he has told us is also disturbing!"

"What did he say?"

Gordon sighs

"He resisted the programoing from the xenocyte! And there may be more among the DNAliens!"

"That is good right?"

"We now have to be more careful on our fights with the DNAliens! They are inocents on this!"

"We already knew that dad!"

"We hoped they were unconcious during their possesion! But now we know they are somewhat aware and make us doubt ourselves!"

"We continue as is Gordon! We simply now know not to hard on the DNAliens!"

"Yes! And you did not do everything to stop the Highbreed from getting the key right?"

"It was my decision uncle Gordon!"

he sighs

"You will not be a good plumber Ben!...........But you are a great hero!"

Gwen and Ken look at him and nod

"Gwen and Ken are also heroes uncle Gordon!"

"All right! We better get ready for the HIghbreed!"

"We may have to deal with another threat before!"

"Yes! It apears that Dagon will come sooner!"

"We have too many fronts!"

"Ben this is not like a cartoon series! There is usually more than one villain!"

"I don't know what to say!"

"Real life is more complicated Ben! It is more like Star Trek!"

"Star Trek?"

"It wasn't just the Klingons! But the Romulans! Tholians! Cardiassians!"

"Right!"

"Right now we have these adversaries! But we have other out there! Incurseans! Techadons!"

"We have to be ready always!"

and they share more intelligence and make plans.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characthers, I also like to acknowledge the work from other authors, specially Shadows59, Ericobard, ByteHoarder and Nate-Mihael from whom I take inspiration.

                                            A day later as the Rustbucket drives down the road followed by the Awesomemobile Team Tennyson is pondering, for the moment Plumber intel is gathering information and they also are informed that the Forever Knights are on the move and that The Flame Keeper's Circle are also moving and they seem to be on a collision course so thye are going to intercept them, hoping to make a truce with Sir George and his Forever Knights

"Are you sure about this Ben?"

"Sir George should see reason Ken! It will work!"

"I don't know if you are a genius Ben or are full of it!"

"Now sis! No need to be so harsh!"

"Ken you are enabling him! You are the eldest! You should lead!"

"Yes I am the eldest! And Ben is the better leader! And you know it sis!"

she rolls her eyes

"Thanks for the vote of confidence!.........We'll come on top! You'll see!"

Ken nods and Gwen looks at him"I just wonder why we are the ones who must go!.......Besides being voluntered by Ben!"

he chuckles and

"You are our sorcerress Gwen! Probably the only one in the plumbers!"

she sighs

"Gee thanks! No pressure then!"

"The burden of being all important Gwen!"

"Don't you start Ken!"

"Sorry! Sorry!"

"Look we are closer! There is a sort of truce with the Forever Knights with our group and you know spells! We are the better choice!"

"I would prefer to have back-up!"

"Me too!"

"Me three!"

and they all chuckle

"So you are not so sure then!"

"I am! But it would be easier with a bigger group!"

and they continue driving as Gwen goes to study her spellbook.

                                             They continue driving, making some stops to refuel and eat, to people they seem typical college age kids, although secretive and some even think they are a little paranoid and in one town where they stoped at a diner to eat dinner they are talking

"Be more discreet Ben!"

"It's not easy! DNAliens! Flame Keepers! Forever Knights! Anyone could be one of them!"

she nods and rolls her eyes

"And you may give us away! Stop trying to guess!"

"She is right cuz! People will not give us information if they suspect us!"

"I understand!"

"Maybe you being a little full of yourself is better!"

he chuckles

"Make up your mind!"

and they return to the Rustbucket

"Are you sure I can stay here?"

"Sure!"

"I can stay at the hotel!"

"Nonsense!"

he looks at them and

"You don't want to be intimate?"