Chapter 2: Desperation and A New World.
(I do not own Ben 10 or any of it's related material other than the ideas from my head. All material other than that belongs to their respectable owners, blah, blah, blah")
"So, what do we do now?" Ben asked as Gwen looked at him while pondering his question. There was an uneasy silence before she spoke slowly, "I think, if you want me as your girlfriend, we should continue to date. I think our parents or even Grandpa Max would be somewhat understanding about this". Ben smiled at this and grabbed her hand, "I just hope that nothing really comes between us...At least we know that we won't backstab each other for someone else or we'll kick either other's buttt, he joked before she kissed him again for a few seconds.
"Listen, do you want to stay over a bit longer and play video games with me? I need a break", Ben asked as he stretched. Gwen nodded and moved onto his bed, while he pulled out controllers for the both of them. Outside, it was beginning to get dark and Ben saw that large rain drops had started to splater onto the ground. "What type of game is this?", Gwen murmured as she adjusted the controller in her hands. "It's Sumo Slammers V, the latest edition. I just got it yesterday", he replied and sat next to Gwen as the menu screen finished loading.
The two played a few skirmish matches that lasted 10-15 minutes with Gwen apparently beating him in every round. "Ohh Yeah, another win for me," she playfully punched Ben on his shoulder to which he gave her a playful look of disgust. He was amused of how well she was beating him even though she wasn't really into video games. The clock read 6:00 pm and yet it felt longer since Gwen had come over. Ben glanced outside and saw heavy droplets of rain splatter across the pavement with distant thundering and lightening growing louder. "Ben, you really do stink playing against me", Gwen said as she gave a small smirk and Ben leaned over and gave her a small kiss on her nose to which she giggled. Another match was about to begin when lightening cracked and suddenly, both of them felt a large surge of energy run through their bodies.
"Ughhhhhh!", both cried in surprise and pain at the sudden jolt of energy that was running through their bodies that jerked in unison. Gwen felt herself begin to lose feeling in her legs and arms as the energy going through her and Ben. "Bennnnn!", she croacked and saw him groan in pain while turning to her with every effort. Both looked like they were having an episode attack as their limbs and arms were jerking in uncontrolled movements and fell onto the ground. Gwen felt a surge of energy rip through her and used the last ounce of her strength to clamp down onto Ben's hand as both of them blacked out. Their bodies materialized and soon were being transported into a different reality of unknown discovery and of origin. Ben and Gwen could only hold onto each other as they were hurling through reality and dimension while wondering when it was going to end.
"Arrgggghhh", they cried as both landed hard onto the ground with a loud thud. Ben struggled to choke out anything to see if he was okay. "Gwen!", he called and looked around and saw her a few feet from him. Her eyes were closed. He pulled himself up and ran towards her to see if she was okay. "Gwen! Gwen! Wake up, please!", he cried as he turned her over and began shaking her. She groaned slightly and finally opened her green eyes that made Ben breath a sigh of relief. "Ben? Where are we? What happened?", she asked as he pulled her into a sitting position and held her in his arms.
"I..I don't know. All I remember is a large lightening strike and energy surging through my body and now this." He looked around and saw something odd. Ben's clothing was entirely different than what he was previously wearing before the lightening strike. He was wearing a sleeveless armour and pants that resembleda furturistic design with three glowing nods on the back. He looked at Gwen and saw that she was wearing similar armor but hers was dark blue and she had a headband that covered her hair. All around them was a barren wasteland with burnt out buildings and houses. It looked like a nuclear holocaust. "Can you stand?", he asked her. Gwen nodded and slowly got to her feet with help from Ben.
All around them was the same surroundings. Burned out houses. Buildings. Completely Lifelessness except the two of them. Ben wondered if this was a nightmare that they would never wake up from as he continued to look around. Gwen's overall presence made him feel slightly better that he was not alone in this nightmare. She was going through the same thing and thinking similar thoughts; where were they and how would they get back home?
"Ben, look!", she pointed and Ben looked at her direction. It was a large building that resembled a school. The windows had been completely blown out with scorch markings and bricks crumbling from a fallen wall. It sent him a shiver just looking at it, "It's a school...but...wait?", he said suddenly. Letting go of Gwen's hand, he saw a sign that caught his attention. It was burned to a crisp though Ben could make a few words out as he gingerly wiped dust and debris away from it. He managed to clear as much of it as possible and uttered a low gasp of what he read.
"Bellwood Middle and Junior High. No...",Ben muttered while lookingat it again as the words seemed to burn into his mind. He blinked as he stared at it until he felt like his entire body was a statue until someone's hand touched his shoulder. Gwen looked at him and said softly, "I think I know where we are and what happened." She pulled a nearly burnted out newspaper that she found a few feet where Ben left her. There was an article on the front page and he began to read. "The President of the United States has declared martial law as of 8:30pm eastern time. All law enforcement, military, and medical officials, are to unite under direct control of the former United States Government remnants and citizens are encouraged to report to camps within each city or to stay within their homes if deemed safe. Any looters, rioters, or groups that plan on creating secession plans of the United States at this time, will be arrested, and processed without trial. We have confirmation reports that the entire United States has been hit by alien nuclear weapons. Outside reports of other European countries has not been confirmed but is believed to suffer similar effects. President Alexander Landshall has been sworn in for life and ordered all military for an immediate retaliation..."
Ben's eyes read the article again as if the words were telling him a lie. Everything was gone. The entire world destroyed and he and Gwen were the last only known survivors in terms of the human species. "Nooooooo!" he let out an emotional cry of anguish and disbelief. Tears had emerged from his eyes and he finally gave in as they rolled over his checks with choking sobs.
He stood there sobbing and Gwen could only watch with sadness and disbelief. She had never seen her cousin cry like this since they were 5 and she had pinned him after they wrestled over an ice cream bar. The thought of that memory made her feel slightly better for a split second before she turned her attention to Ben. She kneeled at Ben and wrapped her arms around him as a sign of comfort.
"Ohhh. Ben. Don't cry. We'll be okay.", she said unsure if it was actually true. His sobs nearly made her start to cry herself but she couldn't. Not in front of Ben or that would tell him that there was no hope left. "But...But. What are we going to do?", he choked and when he looked up at her, his expression nearly broke her heart. Ben's eye's and nose were completely red and soaked with tears due to him crying so much. "I'm scared, Gwen", he choked. Gwen tighten her grasp to calm him and felt his chest rise up and down rapidly, before responding, "We need to find shelter and food. Come on Ben, it's going to be okay", she repeated. Gently, she pulled Ben up onto his feet and continued to have her hands wrapped around him, "No matter what happens, we're in this together", she said and placed her lips in a comforting kiss on his mouth. Ben returned her kiss and felt his tears drop onto her face as Gwen closed her eyes. This comforted him enough that he placed his hands over her back and gently rubbed it that enlisted a small moan from her. She opened her eyes and broke off her kiss from him while gently nuzzling her nose against his, "Nothing's going to happen to us, we're going to get through this together", she said again. Nodding, he gave her a small faint smile before the two looked around and slowly began to walk past the school. Ben's hand wrapped around Gwen in a firm clamp and she lead the way to an uncertain future.
Walking past rows of burned out houses, Ben and Gwen looked tired and hungry as it began to grow dark, The sun, or what was left of it, appeared to be bleeding from the nuclear aftermath, and gave little light. "Should we try and go back to my house? You know, to see if anyone...survived", Ben finished slowly. Gwen sighed and looked around. All around them were burnt buildings, and cars melted into the ground along with what she secretly was afraid of, human remains. She nodded finally wondering what they would find but she had one glimmer of hope that this was all a bad dream and they would wake up again in Ben's room. The two made there way to Lane Avenue and saw what remained of Ben's house. One wall had completely caved into the house leaving a huge gap while the garage was completely destroyed.
Two burnt out cars or what resembled like cars stood in the driveway. Gwen hesitantly peered inside and saw nothing but twisted metal and ash. "Gwen", he said and her attention was diverted as Ben had moved up to the door without her and stepped back when it collapsed with a loud thud. A loud howl pierced the air that made them stop. "What was that?", he asked her and she didn't know how to answer. It sounded like an animal but they hadn't seen anything living since leaving the school. "Come on, we need to get inside", Gwen said as she moved towards him and looked inside. The glowing nodules on their armor's backs, gave the only faint light as both moved into the house and found it a complete wasteland. Everything had been destroyed and only a few things remained; a fridge, some faded papers, and a badly burned coach that was nearly gone due to sorch marks. Gwen moved to the kitchen and saw more scorch marks all over the room. A fridge was the only the remaining and stood in the corner with the hindges melted off. "Please don't let there be radioactive insects in here", she thought for a split second while pusing on the door and with a final push, the door fell open. She looked inside and saw nothing. Everything had turned to dust destroying any remains of food that was there. "Ben?", she called as she realized she was alone and had lost track of him after they entered what remained of the house.
Ben had wandered off into the upstairs second floor or what was left of it. The stairs had given away and he had to leap from one broken step to another before reaching the top with fear that they might crumble beneath him. "Mom? Dad?", he spoke hopefully. He walked down the hallway and saw one end completely blocked by debris and rubal which lead to his room. On the other end was his parents bedroom, and he moved towards it, hoping against all hope, that they were still alive. Ben's parents bedroom was gutted completely as one destroyed bed laid in the middle of the room and as he moved closer to it, he saw that was filled with white ash. "Oh my god", he said softly. It looked like human skeleton remains of two people and deep down in the pit of his stomach, he knew who they were. A metal ring that was once gold along with a neckacle was the only things that he found in the remains; tokens from when his parents got married when they were young. He clutched them in one hand as tears formed in his eyes again before feevishly wipping them away when he heard Gwen calling him from downstairs. Ben got up and looked at his parents bedroom for the last time. "I'm sorry", he said quietly while looking at his parents tokens and placed them back on the bed before getting up. "I'm so sorry", he repeated as he looked at the room for the last time and left.
Ben moved downstairs, and saw Gwen looking around under debris before sighing as she looked at him. "Did you find anything?", she asked him and he hesitated. He didn't want Gwen to know about his parents because that would make her think about her own and cause her to experience the same feelings he just experienced moments before. "I...Uh. No. Nothing at all.", he said finally." Gwen looked at him for a few moments and than around the room, Well, there's nothing around here than. We need to keep moving and hopefully find a place that hasn't been destroyed. Come on", she added as she stood up and together they walked out of the house.
"Gwen, I don't know how to say this...but...thank you", Ben said slowly as the two began to walk. "For what?", she replied and he saw that she was looking ahead and trying to see where to go or change direction on the path they were currently on. For you know, comforting me when I had that mental breakdown back there. I mean, it's not something you see everyday, you know?", he said slowly and saw they were leaving the main street and entering Bellwood Woods, a place he used to enjoy going to when he wanted to be alone. Gwen nodded, "I know it's not easy, Ben, but we have to keep going despite what's happened. It's overwhelming and I understand how this may come to you. I would have done the same thing", she added. "But you didn't", Ben stated as he moved ahead of her and stopped. "You're a lot stronger than me to not allow your emotions get the best of you that allows you to keep a level head".' She stood there looking at the ground and refusing to make eye contact towards him until he grabbed her arms and spoke, "What's wrong?".
"I have something to tell you", Gwen said slowly and she finally locked eyes with him while trying to find the right words to describe her experience that was nagging in the back of her mind ever since they got here. "Do you remember when we were playing that video game and the thunder and lightening occurred? Just when we got zapped with that jolt of lightening?", she empathized. He nodded and she continued, "I felt something weird. Not just the lightening. But a strange power that suddenly erupted inside me as if I was filled with energy. It was like something I never felt before...Like it was renewed energy or the feeling that you just drank 6 cupes of caffine to awake you. I felt like I was being filled with unlimited energy." Gwen finished and wrangled her hands in anixty. Both started at each other and said nothing for a few seconds before Ben broke the silence. "So, you mean, you think you have some type of untapped power, surging through your veins that just reawoken?", he asked slowly. Before Gwen could answer, something tackled Ben from behind and he landed with a loud, "Omphhh!" onto the ground face first.
"Ben!", Gwen cried as she looked at a creature that was trying to bite into Ben as he was wrestling with it. It resembled a wolf but looked much larger and more aggressive due to the mutation. She heard another loud growling noise and turned to see another creature circle around her. "Not good", Gwen thought to herself it finally took it's change and lunged at her and she back flipped while kicking it in the face with her foot on instinct. Years of martial arts had come in hand and she knew it as she deflected it's attacks with slight ease and saw at the corner of her eye, both of them were surrounded as more creatures were coming into the fray.
"Get off of me, you stupid creature, I'm not food!", Ben cried as the animal continued to snap at him hungry. He had placed his hands over the mouth and was struggling desperatly to keep it from closing around his face. Hot drool dripped from it's mouth as Ben let out a loud groan and used his strength in his knees to kick the creature off of him. The creature bounced off of him and for a moment he had thought it worked or scared it off but it turned towards him and lunged again. Ahhhhhh", Ben howled in pain as he felt claws rip into his face and shoulder.
Gwen continued to use her martial arts abilities to doge and deflect blows from the creatures that had now ganged up on her and managed to throw back a few hard hits at them. One of them circled around and pounced on her from behind and gave one big bit into her shoulder that remained somewhat unprotected by her armour. "Arhhggghhh, God!", she screamed in pain as Gwen felt blood begin to pour and she desperately punched it in the face with her fists. The creature let go but not before escaping with a small chuck of flesh it's mouth. Shouldering her now weaken shoulder and seeing Ben trying to fend off his own attacker, Gwen closed her eyes for a split second and felt the same sudden power growing inside her and the more angry she got, the stronger it felt within.
"Enough!", she cried as a burst of energy ripped from her hands and slamed the creature onto it's back. It whimpered and looked at her, who was now glowing in an alien form, and broke off into the woods. The others looked at each other wondering if it was still wise to attack her before deciding to take their chances and pounced at the same time in a second. "Heyah!" Gwen shouted as more energy blasted from her palms and hit them with such force that they slammed into the trees with one breaking it's back on impact with the others running away into the woods. Ben looked at her as he struggled to pull his attacker off him and Gwen turned towards him. Her body was completely engulfed in purple light and strange alien markings appeared to be glowing all over her arms and legs."Leave him alone!", she commanded and sent a large shockwave of energy at it that vaporized it into oblivion. Ben looked at her as she slowly walked to him before groaning at the amount of energy she was using and fainted just as Ben got up breathing hard and screamed, "Gwen!".
End of Chapter 2. Hopefully this entices others to read and review. More is coming up. I have a whole gameplan of where this story and hopefully saga is going to go. I just had to go back and edit a few things. Hope you really read it and tell me what you did and didn't like as it means a lot to me on what I should work on. Thanks!