Jp the VILE asked for this one. Here you go, Amigo! Enjoy!

A/N: This one was a little difficult for me as I rarely write stories with villains (current or former) as the main character, but I did have fun with this one too. Also, passion fruits are small fruits native to South America (I got that info from Wikipedia).

I own no one in this story. All characters belong to their respective owners. Also, in this story, Charmcaster uses her birth name Hope instead. (Her true name was revealed in the Ben 10 Ultimate Alien episdoe: "Couples Retreat".)

Even An Enemy Can Be A Friend

Charmcaster sighed as she helped clean the bookshelves and put books back, thinking about her old life and how she felt different after Ben 10 had saved the entire universe once again. Her uncle looked at her, knowing she was deep in thought. "It's not easy to make a new start when you've been a villain for so long, Hope," he said gently.

"No, it's not," she agreed. "Why don't I feel like I made a good choice, Uncle?"

He didn't have an answer for her. "You will in time, dear," he said. "Why don't you go do something fun? You've been helping me all morning. You've earned a bit of time for yourself."

Looking at her uncle gratefully, she headed out and looked at herself in the mirror. She had changed a bit and had decided to go by her birth name Hope instead of Charmcaster. She even changed her looks a bit to wear a purple shirt and blue jeans with high-heeled boots. She still wore a red, robe-like jacket, only it was glittery, something that gave it a more friendly appeal. She then headed out of the mansion and walked down the street. It looked different now that Tennyson had made it better, but she wished he could have also wiped out the bad memories, but he couldn't do that, which she understood. She put up the hood of her robe as she kept walking and passed a street vendor and saw he had passion fruits. Those were her favorite and her uncle's favorite too and so she went over to the vendor, who gave her a look that said she wasn't welcome, but she took a deep breath.

"Two passion fruits, please," she asked politely and put down the money for the fruits.

The vendor's look didn't change much, but handed her the fruits quietly. "Thank you," she said and walked away, pocketing one fruit for her uncle and munching on the other one. It helped lift her mood a bit, but she was still sad that she couldn't earn someone's trust.

Suddenly, she saw some bullies picking on someone smaller than them. One time, she would have laughed at it, but now it didn't seem funny to her and she went over. The bullies noticed her.

"Hey, it's that creep girl," said one.

"Did your no-good uncle kick you out?" asked another with a sneer.

Hope didn't say a word, but the boy that had been the bullies' target sneaked off, giving her a look that said he was still scared of her, but she saw a bit of relief too in his face. She then walked on, ignoring the bullies, who didn't like it and were about to go up to her when something landed in-between them and her.

"You punks are through bullying," Humungousaur growled as he sent them running and whimpering. The dino then turned back into Ben Tennyson and he turned to the girl. "I saw what you did and I'm curious as to why you did it, Charmcaster."

She turned. "How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"You look the same," he said. "But usually, you'd help the bullies, not distract them."

She looked away and began walking away. "Charmcaster?" he called to her.

She flinched. "I…don't like that name," she said. "I go by…my birth name."

"You mean your true name?" he asked.

She flinched again. "My birth name," she insisted a bit more confidently and he nodded.

"So, what is your name?" he asked.

"It's Hope," she said.

She saw him smile. "That does sound better than 'Charmcaster'," he said.

"If only they thought so," she said, indicating to the other people. "Why are you here?"

"Got a call from someone that you were here, but I told them if you weren't causing trouble, you couldn't be arrested," said Ben.

Hope nodded. "Well, I guess I should get used to them doing that," she said. "I won't have anyone but my uncle, I guess."

"You haven't found any friends?" asked Ben gently.

"Who wants to with my reputation?" she asked sharply before sighing again, taking a bite out of her passion fruit.

Ben gave it some thought. "You know, I could talk to my grandpa Max," he said. "I could put in a good word for you to be a Plumber."

She looked at him. "Um, why?" she asked.

"Well, it would give you a chance to prove you're different," he said gently. "Maybe we could find you a partner too for missions."

Hope looked at him. "Ben, that's…nice of you, but why would your grandpa give me a job?" she asked.

"Because your uncle talked to me about it," said Max Tennyson, who had been with Ben and Rook while they had been patrolling.

"Magister Tennyson!" she exclaimed and hid her face in the hood of her coat, ashamed.

"Hope, correct?" he asked gently. She nodded. "Your uncle spoke with me about perhaps letting you go to Plumber's Academy to become a Plumber. He's been noticing how you've been reading and studying several books on law enforcement."

She looked at him. "How could he? I hid those books," she said.

"But not your notebook, dear," said her uncle as he came up to her, having also taken a walk and found her speaking with the Tennysons. "It would be good for you and you'd have a better education than what I gave you."

Hope looked up at him. "Go on," he encouraged gently. "I know you'll make me proud."

She smiled and hugged him and he returned her hug before nodding to the Tennysons. Hope turned to them. "Um, what do I need to do to get into Plumber Academy?" she asked.

"I've already arranged for that as the person running the Academy is a good friend of mine," he said. "Not only that, my grandson and his partner put in a good word for you too."

Hope looked surprised. "Classes start in two weeks," said Ben. "I think you'll do great there."

She smiled. "Thank you," she said.

Later that afternoon, after they had made arrangements with the Academy, Hope and her uncle went home and she gave him the passion fruit she had bought for him and he smiled at her.

"I know you'll do me, your father, and your mother proud, Hope," he said. "And I approve of Tennyson to be a friend of yours."

"Thank you, Uncle," she said. "For looking out for me."

"You're welcome," he said.

Three weeks later, Hope had just finished her first week of classes and was so far doing alright. She studied hard and also trained hard. Ben and Rook were up at the Academy looking for new recruits and found her training with one of the trainers and was doing pretty good. Ben glanced at her record there and showed Rook. Hope's scores were high, a good sign.

"Magister Tennyson did say we could choose a rookie partner," said Rook.

"How about you pick, since you're the Magister?" said Ben. "You know these recruits better than I do."

"True, but I think we have already found the rookie recruit," the Revonnahgander said. "The head of the Academy informed me that Hope has the highest marks and grades and has good standing in the classes."

"Wow, she really has been working hard," said Ben.

"Yes, she has," said one of the trainers. "Hope excelled in the simulator too, higher than the others. I would guess she's done it before."

Ben and Rook looked at each other with knowing smiles, knowing that Hope had practiced a lot after she had been released into her uncle's care. It was paying off now.

Nearly a year later, the new recruits into the Academy were honored and one teacher called her aside. "Hope, one of the Magisters came and has asked to see you," he said.

She wondered who it was until she saw Ben and Rook. Smiling, she hugged them. "Wow," said Ben. "Uh…,"

She smiled hugely. "Thank you," she said and held up her medal of honor. "For cheering me on."

"You're welcome, Hope," said Ben.

"Hope, I have been informed that you were among the top students here," said Rook. "Magister Tennyson sent us to pick the new recruits for the Plumbers and I am pleased to say you are one of them."

Hope's face lit up and she hugged Ben again, who laughed as he returned her hug. "Thank you," she said.

"Hey, that's what your friends do," he said.

She smiled happily, a feeling welling up inside her as she followed him and the other three recruits to Rook's Proto-Truk. As they headed down for Plumber HQ, Hope looked at her honor medal again and thought of her dad. "I'll make you proud," she said softly.

Ben looked back at the new recruits, feeling almost the same way he did when Rook had first been assigned as his partner. He had a feeling it was going to be a similar experience for them all.

Especially for Hope, who he was glad to call a friend.

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GoldGuardian2418