Chapter Text
Previously, in “Freakazoid Friday”…
Lt. Steel is on the phone.
“You want me to what!?” Lt. Steel asks.
“I want you to test the children’s capabilities,” Colonel Rozum says on the other end.
…
An urban assault vehicle rampages down the empty streets of Bellwood.
…
Gwen smirks. “What this thing needs is a dismantling spell.”
…
Upgrade liquifies his body and moves toward the UAV, merging with the machine.
…
Upgrade spazzes out.
…
“I got this!” Gwen shouts.
She casts the dismantling spell on the UAV, which also affects Upgrade as well, in addition to the electromagnetic pulse coursing through him. The Omnitrix sparks and glitches.
Finally, the UAV blows up.
…
Gwen gasps. “Ben! Your wrist!”…“The Omnitrix is gone!”
“What!?”
Ben lifts his other wrist and he stares in shock. Gwen was right, the Omnitrix is off his wrist.
…
The Omnitrix is laying on the street, still sparking with mana.
…
When Gwen’s hand is close to the device, the Omnitrix stops sparking. And then it jumps and attaches itself onto Gwens wrist.
…
Ben, and everyone else in the cafeteria, is surprised as Gwen instantly transforms into a version of Four Arms with her hair and clothing (and obviously female). Then INSTANTLY changes into XLR8. Then Ripjaws. Then a female Diamondhead. Then back to Gwen again.
“You unlocked the master control!” Ben shouts, astounded.
“Better,” Gwen says. “I used Gray Matter to hack the Omnitrix and remove the limiter. No timing out and instant transformations.”
…
Ben grabs Gwen's wrist and he activates the dismantling spell. The Omnitrix detaches itself from her wrist and jumps back onto Bens.
…
“See you in class, Ben.”
Ben ponders something as Gwen begins to walk away. He looks around and, after making sure they are all alone, Ben grabs her hand.
“Gwen wait,” Ben says.
…
“Ok fine.” Gwen turns her head. “JUST on the cheek.”
…
Ben stands on his tippy toes. He leans in and puckers his lips.
…
“Ben! Gwen! Where are you!?”
Hearing Grandpa Max’s voice causes Gwen to unconsciously turn her head back. And then Ben’s lips come into contact with her own.
…
“I-I’m sorry,” Ben says. “I…I didn’t mean to.”
“Aw, isn’t this sweet?”
A chill runs down the cousins spines as they turn to see Max, with his arms crossed, smiling at them.
“Grandpa!?” they shout at once.
…
Ben turns to Gwen. “Gwen?”
“I…It was an accident. Lets leave it at that. Is that ok, Ben?”
Ben lowers his head. “Yeah. That’s ok.”
Present...
Ben’s front yard.
Ben laughs as he switches between his various alien forms at will. Gwen smirks, proud and happy, as she watches Heatblast change into Diamondhead, Four Arms, Wildvine, and Ditto.
“Thanks a lot for removing the limiter, Gwen…This is so awesome…it’s like…having the master control…again…”
Ditto transforms into Wildmutt. Wildmutt pants with his tongue out and licks Gwen like a happy puppy.
“Ew! Don’t make me regret the dog slobber!” Gwen cries.
Wildmutt whimpers and sits down.
Wildmutt changes back into Ben. “Sorry, guess I kinda got excited there.”
“So now that you can go hero for as long as you want, what are you going to do now?” Gwen asks. “You going to use Grey Matter to do all your homework now.”
“No,” Ben says. “Mom and Dad already forbade me from using aliens to help with my chores and homework. Although, Jack did like having a new playmate.”
The night before, Ben as Wildmutt played in the backyard with his dog Jack. Playing tug-a-war with a rope, and napping beside each other.
His father walks out.
“But remember what grandpa said, Ben,” Carl says. “Azmuth put that limiter in for a reason. So don’t spend too long in alien form.”
“Right, right, right,” Ben says. “Me and Gwen are joking to do a quick survey around town then head straight to school, ok?”
“Ben, you only have ten minutes left,” Carl says.
“Not for XLR8!”
In a flash, Ben changes into XLR8. Gwen grabs onto him, and they take off. XLR8 zooms all over town. People point at the blue plug as it runs bye. All over town.
“So far so good,” Gwen says, holding onto the fast lizard alien. “We should get to school now. I prefer to be early.”
“Bye the way, Gwen, did you think about what happened last night?” XLR8 asks. “I mean, the kiss? You’re talking to me again, so…”
“So not in the mood to talk about it right now,” Gwen says. “Let’s just get to school before anything crazy happens.”
In some prison far from Bellwood.
A prison guard walks by a row of cells, whistling a tube as he does. However, he turns back to look at once cell, where it seems like the occupant is sleeping while completely covered by his blanket.
The guard raises his eyebrow. He opens the cell door and approaches the bed. He reaches for the covers but, when he pulls the blanket off, all he sees is a bundle of pillows.
The guard gasps and pulls the bed out of the way, revealing a hole dug out through the ground.
“Sir, we have an escape!” the guard says into his communicator. “It’s the hypnotist guy!”
…
Outside of the prison, a balding dwarf with thick sunglasses emerges from a hole. It is the hypnotist, Sublimino. Mud stains his prison uniform and worn out sons are clutched in his left hand.
“Finally, I am free!”
Sublimino crawls out of the hole. He removes his shades, revealing a watches face in place of his right eye. Sublimino pops the face out and puts back on his shades. He holds his pocket watch in his hand.
“I must thank that prison guard for letting me have his broken watch! And my fellow inmates trading me all those replacement parts I needed.”
In the past, a guard tried shaking his watch to get it to work again, to no avail. Sublimino sticks his hand through the bars and the guard shrugs before handing it to him. At lunch, Sublimino gives a fellow prisoner his desert and the prisoner gives him a piece of wire.
In the present, Sublimino runs until he reaches the street. He stands in the middle of an oncoming car and activates his hypnotic watch. The driver falls under his thrall and stops before hitting the dwarf. Sublimino interacted car.
“Take me to Bellwood,” Sublimino orders. “If the news is to be believed, two very special children are there.”
Maddison Elementary School
Ben sits next to Gwen in class, putting their books away. These last few days has been an awkward silence, but Ben is atleast grateful that she’s sitting next to him again.
“Now remember, class,” the teacher says. “If you haven’t already, find someone to take to the Fall Formal this Friday.”
“Oh, right, the stupid dance,” Ben says.
He briefly glances at Gwen, but she looks away.
“You going this year, Tennyson?” Cash asks.
“Or are you going to bail like you do every year since you can’t dance?” JT asks.
“I learned how to dance during the summer,” Ben says. “WHILE I was fighting some alien mud monsters.”
Gwen turns to him. “Oh, remember, Ben. We’re visiting cousins Joel and Camille this weekend. Our parents want to meet their new alien in-law.”
“Right, right.”
…
After class, Ben walks down the hall beside Gwen. Ben awkwardly sends her a side glance. A part of him WANTS to ask her to the dance. But given everything, he isn’t sure she will agree.
Two girls approach him. One with long brown hair, one with dark skin.
“Hey Ben,” the girls say at once.
Ben narrows their eyes at them. “Candace. Stephanie.”
“We heard you don’t have a date to the dance,” Candace says.
“So we decided to offer ourselves,” Stephanie says. “We decided we’d do that for you.”
“After all, how can any guy pass an opportunity to go to a dance with two cute and popular girls?” Stephanie asks.
“Pass,” Ben says bluntly. “Neither of you liked me before you found out I was a hero. No girl at this school did.”
Candace and Stephanie narrow their eyes at him.
“Ok fine, Freakazoid,” Candace says.“Your loss.”
“Hey! Don’t call him that!” Gwen shouts.
However, Candace and Stephanie ignore her and walk away.
Gwen turns to Ben. “Hey Ben, about the dance.”
Ben blinks at her. “Yes?”
“Aaron asked me out, and I said yes.”
Ben’s eyes widen, he flinches, and he feels his heart sting a bit.
Ben blinks. “Aaron? Ah yes, the tall blonde guy who’s at the top of the class with you. Of course you would like him.”
“He’s ok,” Gwen says. “But he asked me out and I saw no reason to turn him down.”
Ben looks down. “Yeah, of course you don’t.”
“If you need a date. I can call up my friend, Emily.”
Ben raises an eyebrow. “Who?”
“Emily, you know her,” Gwen says. But Ben still looks at her, confused. “Blonde hair, blue eyes, paraplegic.”
“Para-what now?”
Gwen groans. “She’s in a wheel chair.”
Ben’s eyes widen. “Oh, her! Yeah, I think it’s remember her from a few of your birthday parties. Er…the ones I went too.”
“Yeah, she always had a tiny crush on you,” Gwen says. “I can see if she wants to go to the dance with you. I mean, if that’s ok.”
“Yeah, sure why not?” Ben says. “What do I have too loose? Wait, how am I going to dance with her if she’s in a wheel chair?”
Gwen elbows him in the ribs.
“Ow!”
The Morning of the Dance…
The principal of Madison Elementary School, in a somewhat dazed state, smiles while holding up a blank piece of paper.
“Your resume looks great, Mister Liminois,” the principal says. “You’re hired!”
Sublimino, now wearing a brown suit and holding his pocket watch, smiles evilly from his seat.
“Thank you, Madame. As your new DJ, I intend to give your students a dance they will never forget.”
The Night of the Dance…
“So how do you feel about this, Ben?” Max asks his grandson on his cell phone as he drives down the road.
Ben is back at his room, pulling a brown suit out of his closet. “I’m a little nervous. But Gwen says that Em is a nice girl, so I think I’m going to have a good time.”
“Do you need any advice?” Max asks.
“No thanks,” Ben says. “I watched some video’s online to help me. My mom says I should give her a corsage. Whatever that is.”
“It’s a flower that attaches to her dress, Ben,” Max says.
“Oh. Can’t I have Wildvine make one?”
Max pauses for a moment. “So, how have things been with Gwen?”
“We’re getting along again. Which I am happy about.” Ben gives a small, but not completely happy, smile. “She’s going to the dance with this other guy. It’s probably for the best. He’s smart like her.” Ben averts his eyes. “Although, I could ask if she would be into me if we just weren’t cousins. Maybe if she says ‘yes’ I could convince her to-”
“No, Ben,” Max says. “If Gwen doesn’t want this, then you need to respect that. Just because YOU want a girl, doens’t mean that the girl is obligated to be with you. Please remember that.”
Ben sighs as he puts his suit jacket on. “Oh, your right, Grandpa. I’ll take whatever answer Gwen gives me. Right now, I need to focus on the dance with Emily.”
“She’s is a nice girl, Ben,” Max says. “I stand by my belief that you and Gwen make a cute couple, but you could still give Emily a chance as well.”
Ben smiles. “Yeah, maybe. ”Ben holds up his tie. “But first I need to figure out how to put on a tie.”
...
Sandra and Ben are in their living room. The former is straightening her sons tie.
“Remember to thank your cousin for setting you up, Ben,” Sandra says.
“I know, Mom. I know,” Ben says.
His father, Carl, watches from the side with his arms crossed. “I’m proud of you, Ben. Watching all those videos on how to dance with a girl.”
Ben shrugs. “What can I say? I’m considerate like that.”
Sandra finishes with his tie. “Oh, my babies’ first dance! I’m so excited! Now you just need a corsage.”
“On it.”
In a flash, Ben transforms into Wildvine. He then creates a yellow flower from his arm, which he breaks off. Wildvine then transforms back into Ben.
“Like this?” Ben asks.
Sandra nods. “It will work. Now it just needs a pin.”
Gwen’s House
Gwen looks at herself in the mirror and smiles. She is wearing a beautiful yellow strapless dress. The same one that she bought from the mall before summer ended. She turns her shoulders and looks at herself from all sides.
Her phone rings, and Gwen answers. “Hi, Grandpa. Is there any trouble with S.E.C.T.?”
“No, no trouble, Pumpkin,” Max says. “I just wanted to call to see how you were doing.”
“I’m good,” Gwen says. “I’m wearing that yellow dress that Ben likes…” Gwen realizes how that sounds and blushes. “I mean, if he likes it I am sure that Aaron will too.”
“Ah, yes, your date. So how is this, Aaron?”
“He’s ok,” Gwen says. “Tall, handsome, smart.”
“But you like him, right Gwen?” Max asks.
Gwen shrugs. “Yeah, sure. I mean, maybe this could lead to something else. Maybe not. I mean, he must like me since he asked me out, so maybe I would like him once I give him a chance.”
“Speaking of that, what have you decided about Ben?” Max asks.
Gwen freezes for a brief moment.
“I recall that after you kissed his cheek you said you needed time to think about things,” Max says. “What are you thinking now?”
“...I-I decided that whatever feelings I am having are best being burried,” Gwen says. “Emily likes Ben, Aaron likes me, so we should focus on them.”
“Gwen, if you don’t like Ben that way and you like this other boy, I will support that one-hundred percent,” Max says. “But if you’re only rejecting these feelings because your afraid it’s taboo, then you should rethink things and determine what you really want.”
Lily Tennyson calls out to her before Gwen can respond to Max.
“Gwen, sweetie, Emily is here!”
“Coming, Mom!” Gwen yells. “Gotta go, Grandpa. We’ll talk about this later. Bye.” She hangs up the phone.
Shortly after, Gwen walks down the stairs. She spots her parents and older brother, Ken, in the living room, along with a blonde girl her age in a wheelchair.
“Gwen!” the blonde girl exclaims.
“Emily!”
Gwen rushes down the stairs ands hugs her oldest friend.
“It’s been a while,” Emily says.
“Yeah,” Gwen says. “I missed you, and Becca.” Gwen rubs the back of her neck. “I haven’t made a lot of new friends at Maddison.”
Emily looks up at her. “So, you and Ben are superheroes now?”
“Yeah.” Gwen shows off her blue magic to Emily, who stares in awe.
“Gwendolyn Tennyson, no magic in the house,” Lily says.
“Sorry, Mom,” Gwen says before deactivating her powers. “Hey, Em. I was looking for healing spells, and I’m afriad I haven’t foubnd anything that could-”
“It’s fine, Gwen,” Emily says. “So, uh, where’s your cousin?”
“He’s at home,” Ken says. “We’re going to get him now. Come with me to the Awesome Mobile!”
Frank sighs. “It’s a junker car, Son.”
“It has character,” Ken says.
…
Gwen wheels Emily to the door to Ben’s house. Ken waits in the yellow junker car on the street infront.
Gwen rings the doorbell, and Ben answers.
As soon as Ben answers the door, he sees Gwen all dressed up for the dance. His eyes widen and he represses a blush from forming on his cheeks. She is stunning. In that beautiful yellow dress he likes, a little bit of eyeshadow to emphasize her sparking green eyes, and there is even a flower hairclip in her nearly done red hair.
‘Woah, Gwen looks amazing,’ Ben thinks. But he shakes those thoughts out of his head and looks at the pretty blonde girl.
She is wearing a blue dress, with her short blonde hair neatly combed accompanied by a single black headband, and innocent blue eyes gazing up at him.
‘Ok, she’s really pretty too,’ Ben thinks.
“Hey, Gwen. And you must be Emily,” Ben says.
“I am,” Emily says. “We’ve met before.”
Ben rubs his neck. “Right, right.” He hands Emily the corsage. “Here, I, uh, Wildvine made this for you.”
Emily takes the corsage. “Oh, Ben it’s beautiful. And you look very dapper tonight.”
“I am going to assume that means good looking,” Ben says. “Thank you.”
Gwen had to agree that Ben was quite “dapper”. His hair was combed nicely. He seemed to have used some kind of cologne to give him a nicer smell (his scent had improved greatly since he started showering and washing his clotes, but this was a definate improvement). And he was wearing a nice suit that fit well on him.
Gwen shakes her head. ‘He’s your cousin and Aaron is handsomer.’
“Glad to see you two are getting along already,” Gwen says to both Ben and Emily.
‘Yes. Emily is a good girl for Ben,’ Gwen thinks. ‘Maybe they will hit it off tonight, and I’ll hit it off with Aaron. That way we can move on from these weird feelings.’
“Shall we get going?” Gwen asks.
Sandra comes out with a camera. “Hold on! I want to get some pre-dance pictures!”
Sandra snaps a picture of Ben between Gwen and Emily.
The “Awesome Mobile” stops infront of Maddison Elementary School. The sign in front reads: “Fall Dance”, with several children already headding inside.
Gwen and Ben exit the car. Gwen gets Emily’s wheel chair out of the trunk and Ben helps Emily into it. Ben and Gwen then head to the school entrance, with Ben pushing Emily.
“I’ll pick you up when the dance is over!” Ken yells. “Have a good time!”
“We will, bye!” Gwen yells.
“Bye, Ken!” Ben adds.
Ken drives off.
As Ben and Gwen wave him goodbye, a tall blonde boy in a slick black suit approaches them.
“Gwen! Ben! Hey!”
“Aaron!” Gwen exclaims. “Hey!”
Ben narrows his eyes slightly at Aaron as he gestures to the school entrance.
“Shall we go inside?” Aaron asks.
Ben then moves between Aaron and Gwen. “Hey, Aaron! Hows it going, man?”
“Oh, you know, just taking your cousin to the dance,” Aaron says.
Ben laughs. “Yeah, this is my date, Emily. She’s a friend of Gwens.”
“Nice to meet you,” Emily says.
“So, uh, just to warn you,” Ben says. “If you do anything to hurt Gwen, you’re going to meet either Wildmutt or Four Arms.”
Gwen gently pushes Ben to the side. “I can take care of myself, Ben.” She creates a blue flame in her hand. “Magic, remember?”
Aaron flinches slightly, but smiles nonetheless. “Come on. The dance is starting.”
Inside the school’s gymnasium, a disco hangs overhead, and flashing lights go off. There are streamers and balloons everywhere, with a table set up for punch and snacks. Tables and seats for hanging around. And a DJ wearing a thick yellow coat and a red cap that conceals his appearance.
Cooper is there, serving as the tech guy. He plugs in all the light projectors. He smiles as he turns ont he smoke screen.
Candace and Stephanie are dancing with Cash and JT, though it is clear that only the two boys are enjoying it.
Meanwhile, Ben sits at one of the tables, enjoying a cup of punch with his paraplegic date.
“So,” Ben starts. “Do you miss Gwen at your old school?”
“Of course I do,” Emily says. “Everyone misses her. She was rather popular.”
“She’s not so popular here,” Ben admits. “I mean, she’s not a loser like I used to be, and there are people who like her, but she hasn’t made any close friends besides me and Cooper.”
Emily smiles. “It’s nice to see that you and Gwen are getting along. I remember at one of her birthday parties, you two had this massive fight.”
Ben chuckles. “Ah, well, it’s my birthday too, and I was mad that she got to celebrate it on the actual date that year instead of me. Actually, I’m not sure what the plan for this year is now, since we kinda argued about it before. I’ll have to ask her later. But enough about that, what are some of the things you do for fun?”
“I take piano,” Emily says.
“Oh, neat,” Ben says. “Do you like Sumo Slammers, by chance?”
Emily gives a so-so-gesture. “I never really got into it.”
Ben frowns. “Oh, ok.”
Emily turns her head toward the dance floor and smiles. “It looks like Gwen is having a good time.”
Ben follows her gaze and sees Gwen dancing with Aaron, who is dipping her back. Gwen is laughing, clearly enjoying herself. Watching her, Ben recalls the time Gwen taught him how to dance for Camille and Joel’s wedding. A pang of jealousy fills his heart, feeling that he should be the one dancing with Gwen right now.
Emily glances up at him, noticing his expression falter. “Hey,” she says softly, touching his wrist. “You okay?”
Ben blinks, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Fine.” He hesitates before offering, “Want to dance?”
Emily laughs under her breath, glancing at her wheelchair. “I don’t exactly-”
Before she can finish, Ben hooks his hands under her arms and lifts her effortlessly. Emily gasps, her hands instinctively gripping his shoulders as he swings her onto the dance floor like she weighs nothing.
“Whoa!” Emily laughs and stares at him. “You’re strong!”
Ben blinks, suddenly realizing how easily he’d lifted her. “Huh. Guess I’ve been training harder than I thought.”
He adjusts his hold on Emily, careful not to grip too tightly, and starts swaying in place with her.
Gwen spins under Aaron’s arm, her dress flaring slightly as she laughs. “You’re actually pretty good at this.”
Aaron grins, twirling her again. "Thanks. I took Cotillion."
Gwen gasps. "Me too! Anything else amazing about you I should know?"
“I am taking violin lessons.”
Gwen’s eyes light up. “Violin? That’s so cool.”
Aaron shrugs. “Oh, it’s nothing really. I already know how to play the clarinet and the saxophone. I nearly enrolled at Bancroft Academy, but I decided it wasn’t the place for me. Too…stuffy.”
Gwen giggles. However, her smile falters as her gaze lands on Ben, “dancing” with Emily. Though Emily doesn’t know why, or atleast doesn’t want to admit why, seeing Ben smiling and laughing with another girl. Holding her in his arms. Dancing with her. It creates a knot in her stomach.
“Gwen? You okay?” Aaron asks.
“Huh?” Gwen says. “Sorry, I just kinda dozed off a bit.”
‘Gwen, this is what you wanted, remember? And Aarons a cool guy. Remember that.’
Emily laughs as Ben spins them both around. Ben actually starts to laugh as well. However, his gaze lands on the DJ, who lifts his head enough to reveal the face of Sublimino, sporting an evil smile.
Ben pales as he recognizes one of his enemies. Sublimino raises his hand, which is holding the pocket watch attached by wires to his sound system.
“No!” Ben shouts before he transforms into XLR8.
“Wha- Ben?” Emily asks.
XLR8 zips them away. The whole gym is shocked by his sudden transformation, and he rushes to grab Gwen in the blink of an eye, just before Sublimino activates his device.
Sublimino’s mind-controlling waves affect every child present at the dance.
Except XLR8, Gwen, and Emily. The latter two having been brought into the hallways by the former. XLR8 sets both girls down, and Gwen crouches to support Emily.
“Ben! That the hell!?” Gwen asks.
“The DJ! It’s Sublimino!” XLR8 says.
Gwen’s eyes widen, and then she frowns. “You have got to be kidding me?”
“Who’s Sublimino?” Emily asks.
“A freaky stage hypnotist we fought before,” XLR8 says. “Made me steal a bunch of stuff and tried to hypnotize the country! And then he joined up with nine other freaks we’ve fought before.”
Emily gasps. “Wait, is that what he did just now? Did he hypnotize everyone?”
...
Sublimino looks around the hypnotized students, and he grunts.
“Damn it! The Tennyson brats got away! They were the prizes here! Not you little sh-“ Sublimino grabs his head and takes a deep breath. “You brats, bring me Benjamin and Gwendolyn Tennyson!”
Hypnotized-Cooper steps froward, and Sublimino's eyes widen.
"Wait, I've seen you before," Sublimino says.
Hypnotized-Cooper extends his arms. The surrounding light and fog generators. The speakers and whatever technology is present disassemble themselves and reform into a ten-foot mech around Coopers body.
Sublimino laughs. "Ah, well, this round wasn't a total loss then! Tech boy, rest of you, bring me the Tennysons!"
The hypnotized students head to the gymnasium doors to fulfill their orders. Cooper marches forward in his mech. Sublimino smiles at him as he does.
"The THREE of you are going to serve me well," Sublimino says.
…
The gym doors burst open, followed by an army of glossy-eyed students. Ben, Gwen, and Emily gasp as the hypnotized students, Cash, JT, Candace, Stephanie, Jamie, Aaron, Arnold, Peterson, and more all move toward the three of them in a near-zombified state.
“This is bad,” XLR8 says.
The wall of the school breaks down as Cooper’s mech stomps toward them.
“That’s worse!” Gwen says, moving Emily behind her.
“You will come with us,” Hypnotized-Cooper says. “Sublimino wishes to see you.”
“Yeah, thats going to be a ‘no’ for me,” XLR8 says.
The segments of Coopers mech arms reconfigure into twin plasma cannons. They fire, but XLR8 moves out of the way just as Gwen creates a shild to protect herself and Emily, who cowers.
The students dogpile on XLR8.
“Hey, get off!” XLR8 says.
“Ben, we can’t hurt them!” Gwen says, consealing her and Emily in a magic bubble to protect them as the other students surround them.
“I know!” XLR8 snarls, dodging a trio of cheerleaders lunging for his tail.
Hypnotized-Cash puts him in a headlock and XLR8 throws him into Hypnotized-JT.
XLR8 chuckles. “Ok, I have to admit I liked that.”
“Ben!”
“Gwen, drop your barrier!” XLR8 says. “We have to get Emily out of here! It’s too dangeous!”
“You’re right!” Gwen shouts, releasing her magic barrier.
“Huh?” Emily says. “Wait, one second-”
XLR8 grabs Emily and runs with her out of the school.
Coopers mech swipes at her, but Gwen backflips over the arm.
“Maybe I can connect with you,” Gwen says as blue magic extends from the sides of her head, attempting to connect her mind to Cooper’s own.
However, before she can do so, Hypnotized-Cooper’s meches chest opens up to reveal a set of speakers. They release a sonic blast that not only interrupts Gwens concentration, but sends her flying back.
Hypnotized-Cooper sends multiple missiles from it’s legs toward Gwen, but she dodges them all. She attempts to wrap around Hypnotized-Coopers mech with magical ropes, but the other students pile on her.
…
Emily's stomach lurches as the world blurs around her. One second they're in the chaotic hallway, the next they're skidding to a stop infront of Ben's front door. He sets Emily on the ground.
"Hey!" Emily protests.
"Sorry, Em," XLR8 says. "But there's not enough time! I have to help Gwen asap!”
"Wait, Ben! Ben!" Emily calls out, but XLR8 is already gone.
Emily groans.
…
Back at school, Gwen grunts as Hypnotized-JT and Hypnotized-Candace wrap their arms around her from behind, keeping her in place. Hypnotized-Cooper's mech suit grabs ahold of Gwen and lifts her into the air, wrapping around her arms and torso.
"Cooper! You have to snap out of it!" Gwen shouts. "Sublimino is controlling you! Don't let him win!"
Hypnotized-Cooper controlls the mech to walk back to Sublimino.
Gwen sighs. “Ok, fine. Guess I’ll have to use that special move Ben helped me learn.”
Gwen flattens her hands on her sides and recites the strength-enhancing spell multiple times. Soon enough, Gwens raw-strength increases to the point that she is able to push apart the giant metal hand that was keeping her trapped. Hypnotized-Cooper turns around, and then Gwen uses the other trick Ben helped her learn. She pushes the mana in her body through her eyes, and blue eye beams cut off Hypnotized-Cooper’s mech arm.
Gwen lands on the ground, but mutliple students dogpile on her.
A blue blur appears and the hypnotized-students are flung off her. XLR8 skids across the tile.
“You miss me?” XLR8 asks.
Gwen smirks. “Nice of you to show up. Oh, and thanks for those tips on how to use my magic. I just did super-strength and eyebeams.”
“Aw man! I wish I had seen that!”
The hypnotized-students rush toward XLR8 and Gwen. Hypnotized-Cooper fires a beam from his remaining mech arm. Which Gaen blocks with her power.
“You guys need a time out,” XLR8 says, before turning into Stink Fly.
Stink Fly hovers in the air and rains down sticky slime at the students. It lands on their feet, trapping them in place. They lift their legs in an attempt to move, but the slime sticks them to the floor. But more students are coming.
Hypnotized-Cooper fires a beam at Stink Fly, but Stink Fly transforms into Upgrade and merges with the mech.
“Sorry, Cooper,” Upgrade says to Hypnotized-Cooper as he attempts to regain control of his mech. “But your toy’s being confiscated.”
Upgrade wraps thin sheets of metal around Hypnotized-Cooper’s body, binding him. Upgrade then de-assembles the mech while placing the bound Hypnotized-Cooper on the ground.
A hypnotized-student attempts to hit Upgrade from behind with a fire extinguisher, but Gwen telekinetically pulls it out of his hands and throws it away. More hypnotized-students latch onto her, but she tosses them away.
"I'll keep them busy," Gwen says. “You go take care of Sublimino."
Upgrade transforms into Four Wildvine.
“Kinda wish Lieutenant Steel hadn’t locked Mealymouth,” Wildvine says. “I coud show Sublimino what it’s like to be mind controlled for once.”
Wildvine rushes into gym, leaving Gwen to fend off the hypnotized-students on her own.
“All right, Sublimino!” Wildvine carries multiple spore pods in his hands. “Time for you go go night night.”
Wildvine flings himself toward Sublimino, but lands right infront of the stage. The evil drawf has kept five students, two boys and three girls, surrounding him like bodyguards or a human shield.
Sublimino adjusts his tinted glasses with a smirk. "Ah, Benjamin. Good to see you again.”
Wildvine growls. “You hijacked the school dance so you could make me your puppet again.”
“I still intend to.”
Sublimino snaps his fingers, and the hypnotized-students fan out, forming a tightening circle around Wildvine and Gwen. The cousins get into fighting position, but Sublimino hands a blonde girl with a ponytail by his side and a handgun. She presses holds it against her head, to Wildvine’s shock.
“What are you doing!?” Wildvine asks.
Sublimino smirks. “Unless you do as I say, I am going to make this take her own life.” Sublimino reaches into the inside of his jacket. “Take one more step, and she will pull the trigger. Change back, Benjamin. Now!”
Wildvine sighs and changes back into Ben.
“Now let her go!” Ben shouts.
“Hmm…Not yet,” Sublimino says before pulling out a taser.
Sublimino’s taser shoots out wires that stick onto Ben’s chest, electrifying him. Ben screams as the jolting pain spreads through his body and he falls to his knees. Sublimino laughs and turns off his taser, allowing Ben to fall to his belly.
Sublimino walks over to Ben and nudges him with his shoe. “Pathetic. Lift him up.”
Ben grunts and glares at Sublimino as the hypnotized-students lift Ben to his feet, grabbing him by the arms.
“Ugh…Four Arms. Diamond…ugh…” Ben says, too dissoriented to think straight. So the Omnitrix does nothing.
Sublimino takes out his pocket watch. “You’re mine again now, Boy. And after you, I’m getting your cousin next. With you two by my side I will be unstoppable!”
Ben’s eyes widen. “Don’t you dare touch her!”
“You’re the one whose going to bring her to me.” Sublimino holds the pocketwatch to Bens face.
Ben turns his head and closes his eyes. “No. I…”
The hypnotized-students force Ben’s head forward and force open his eyelide. Ben is forced to look at the pocketwatch. He can feel his mind slipping, just as it had done once before.
“You are my slave,” Sublimino says.
“No!” Ben shouts, using all his willpower to resist the hypnotism. “Not again! Not again!”
Suddently, Ben feels different. He feels heat surging through his body. He feels his muscles becoming denser and power surging through them. Ben squints and manages to close his eyes, despite the hypnotized students best attempts to keep them open. He lowers his head, despite the hypnotized-students best attempts to keep his head raised. Then, with a great yell, Ben throws them all off of him.
Sublimino steps back. “What!?”
Ben glares at Sublimino, but the dwarf holds out his pocket watch.
“You will obey me!”
Ben rushes forward, almost blinding speed at such a short distance, and forcibly grabs the pocketwatch.
“No!” Ben shouts, before crushing the watch in his hands.
Right then, all the students who had been hypnotized return to their senses. The kids in the gym snap out of their thrall, and the students in the hallway stop attacking Gwen. The red head smiles, knowing Ben was victorious.
“Woah.” Ben opens his palm and stares at the broken watch in his hand. “I guess those training exercizes with S.E.C.T. really are making me stronger!”
Sublimino tries to run away, but Ben effortlessly grabs his collar and lifts him into the air.
“Where do you think you’re going? Shorty?” Ben teases.
Sublimino grumbles.
Later, outside the school…
The students watch as Sublimino is loaded into a police car.
Emily is back, in her wheelchair, glaring at Ben.
"Em," Ben starts, rubbing the back of his neck, "I had to get you out of there. Sublimino was-“
Emily cuts him off with a sharp flick of her wrist. She silently turns around, with her nose raised, and strolls away.
Ben slumps in response. Gwen places a hand on his shoulder.
"She will understand," Gwen says.
Multiple students run up to Ben. One of which is the blonde girl with the pony tail.
“Ben, thank you for saving us!”
“You were amazing, Dude!”
“Do you wanna finish the dance with me? My date bailed as soon as we returned to normal!”
As Ben eases them down, Gwen notices Aaron and runs up to him.
"Aaron, I'm so sorry about all of this!” Gwen says. “Old enemies, you know?"
"No, no I don't know," Aaron says.
Gwen shifts, awkwardly. "Right...I guess you wouldn’t. So, um, I guess we won’t be having a second date then?”
Aaron sighs. “If it’s any consolation, Gwen, I wouldn’t have asked for a second date even if the crazy drawf hadn’t showed up.”
Gwen stares at him. Ben turns away from the praising crowd and stares at Aaron.
“What?” Gwen says. “But I thought we were getting along well.”
“I was mostly just trying to be nice,” Aaron says. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. You’re cute, and the magic is cool, and you’re smart,” Aaron says. “But your also kinda…how do I say this nicely?”
“A know-it-all,” a random boy beside him says.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Aaron says. “Actually, the main reason I asked you out is because a friend dared me too. And after all this…Sorry.”
Gwen furrows her eyebrows. She stares at Aaron and the other boy, a little heart broken.
Angry, Ben marches over and jabs his finger into Aarons chest.
“Hey! No one talks to my cousin like that except for me!” Ben shouts. “And, you know, she’s only a know-it-all because she DOES know it all! Let me tell you something, you’re an IDIOT to reject Gwen. She is the smartest, most awesome, prettiest girl in this school. No, scratch that, the planet! No, the UNIVERSE! And I’ve been to space, so I know what I’m talking about. Any guy would be lucky to have her, and if you can’t put up with a little attitude, which by the way isn’t nearly as bad as it was before summer, then you don’t deserve her.”
Gwen listens to every word Ben says. The more he talks, the more Gwen finds herself touched and smiling.
Aaron scoffs. “Then you can have her, Dude.”
Aaron walks away wlong with the other boy.
Ben scowls at them as they walk away, while Gwen wraps her arms around him from behind.
“That’s the sweetest thing anyones ever done for me,” Gwen squeals before kissing Ben on the cheek.
Ben blushes and puts his hand to the area where he was kissed.
“Thanks, Ben.”
“Er…Don’t mention it,” Ben says with a goofy grin.
Gwen and Ben look down at the dancing kids below. Everyone else in their school is enjoying the dance, except for them. They are standing on the roof, looking down through a ceiling window. Gwen’s dress is in tatters, as is Ben’s suit.
“Everyone’s having a good time,” Gwen says.
Ben turns to Gwen. “I’m sorry your date left you.”
“It’s fine. I understand his reasons. Most of them.”
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to go back?” Ben asks.
“Nah,” Gwen says. “I think after all that, I’d rather be up here. Watching the stars. Maybe practicing some magic. Really clears my mind nowadays.” She waves Ben off. “Well, what are you waiting for. Get down there. I’m sure you have a long line of girls who wanna dance with Bellwoods hero.”
“Yeah, they do,” Ben says. “But I kinda wana dance with someone who just sees…me.”
Ben extends his hand to Gwen. Gwen looks at him strangely.
“What are you doing?” Gwen asks.
“Well, you taught me how to dance and it looks like you need a partner,” Ben says. “I mean, unless you don’t want too.”
Gwen smiles. “No, actually I would.” She grabs his hand. “Thanks.”
Ben and Gwen grab hands and move closer to each other.
“Remember what I taught you?” Gwen asks.
“Uh, huh.”
Ben and Gwen do a simple waltz. Their movements follow a rhythmic patern as they flow with cofortable accuracy. Ben makes consicous effort not to step on Gwens toes, and he feels his grip on Gwens hands.
As they dance, Ben and Gwen find themselves smiling. After everything they have been through, they were both glad to be here with someone who truly understands the other. Gwen gives Ben a soft and sincier smile as the moon hits her from behind. Creating a shiny contrast with her features.
‘Oh man, she’s giving me that cute smile again,’ Ben thinks. ‘Oh, why does she have to look a million times better in the moonight. Ok, Ben. Calm down. Remember, she’s your cousin. She’s your cousin, who likely isn’t into you like that. She’s just your nerdy, dweeby, cool, cute, smart….No! She’s your nerd queen you really wanna kiss! Wait, no!’
As Bens mind fumbles to try and deal with his every growing attracting toward Gwen. Gwen’s mind thinks something else.
‘Oh, Ben. You’re such a sweetheart,’ Gwen thinks. ‘You could be dancing with any girl down there, but your saving yourself for me. You’re not the same doofus that used to drive me nuts. You’re so sweet, and thoughtful, and kind. If we weren’t cousins I’d kiss you.’
Gwens eyes widen as she realizes what she just thought.
“Uh, Gwen, are you ok?” Ben asks.
“Y-Yes, I’m fine,” Gwen says. “Don’t stop.”
‘Did I really just think that?’ Gwen asks herself. ‘Did I really just think about kissing Ben. No, no I was thinking hypoehttically if we weren’t cousins….No, even then I wouldn’t kiss this gross immature idiot!…although he’s not so gross and immature anymore. Sure, sometimes, but it gives him a boyish charm. And he’s actually kind of endearing…No, what am I thinking. He’s just Ben! My doofus cousin I’ve hated up until last summer where we just now became friends.’
Ben looks strangely at Gwen as she turns red.
‘Whats going on with Gwen,’ Ben wonders. ‘Wait, could it be? No, theres no way! Theres no way that Gwen would be messed up enough to fall for me like I did her.’ Despite this, Ben finds his hands moving down to Gwens waits, just like the couples on TV. ‘Maybe I can test it out.’
“What are you doing!?” Gwen asks
Ben freezes and pulls his hand away. “Oh, sorry! I was just-”
“No, its fine,” Gwen says. “Put it back.”
Ben smils awkwarldy and uts his hand back on Gwens hip.
Gwens mind races. ‘To be honest, Bens been nothing but a gentleman. Still a little annoying from time to time, but always endearing. He’s the person I always want to talk to most. He’s the person whose opinions I always wonder about. Arguably, he’s become my best friend. But he’s...’ Gwen gets a good look at him in the moonlight. ‘Actually he’s kinda cute in the moonlight-’
Before Gwen could finish that thought, Ben ducked Gwen down.
Gwen turns crimson as their eyes lock. they stare into each others green eyes for what feels like forever. Both their hearts race and their emotions skyrocked.
‘Damn it!’ Gwen internally curses.
Arizona Desert
Inside a cave, there are the charred remains of various pieces of satellite equipment and scorch marks reminiscent of an explosion. It is the very same spot where a certain alien werewolf, working for a certain alien-ghost, attempted to help his master transmit corredium energy all over the world, only for their efforts to literally blow up in his face. Thanks to a young witch, an old Plumber, and a boy with a watch.
Electricity sparks, and a portal opens up. A large green hand reaches through the portal and a hulking Frankenstein-esque figure pulls himself out. Dr. Vicktor.
He is accompanied by a mummy-like alien whose body is composed of white bandage-like tendrils and a head covered in a shell resembling a Pharch's headpiece.
Dr. Vicktor looks around the ruined remains of the device that had been crucial for their masters world-domination plans.
He scoffs. "All our efforts. Ruined by two children and an old man."
The Mummy gazes down at the body of the werewolf. Killed, damaged, and burnt by the blast, further emasculated by months of natural decay, followed by whatever vermin entered the cave and stumbled across it has reduced the once terrifying beast to a mere skeleton. The Mummy shoos away the rats crawling on the bones and gazes down at his fallen compatriot. The same one that freed him when he had been frozen and buried. He uses his tendrils to lift the jaw of the werewolf back onto the skull.
Dr. Vicktor approaches the Mummy. “We will bury him, but we can't waste any more time. We have to find our master.”
The Mummy moves his tendrils, communicating to Dr. Vicktor through sign language. He asks how he knows Zs’Skayr is even still alive.
“The master wouldn't allow himself to die so easily." Dr. Vicktor says. “I know he would have left his DNA somewhere." Dr. Vicktor narrows his eyes, thinking of Ben Tennyson and the Omnitrix. "And I know where to start looking.”