But unlike my previous hosts, where a simple push led their subconscious to surrender, Gwen's was much stronger. Her will fought back, weakly at first, but slowly gaining more and more confidence. She was much stronger than the others, an energy inside her that was different...

Ben hesitated to approach Gwen, his eyes full of fear and concern. I smiled, laughing softly as I lifted up his cousin's head. Using her body's quick reflexes, I jumped up to attack. The kicks and punches I delivered did not bring even a scratch to Ben's tetramand's skin, but all I needed to do was stall. Stall till that ear piercing beeping began to play...

Not knowing what to do, Ben took a tight hold of Gwen's arm and threw us to the ground. The throw was not as powerful as the others I've felt, but it did send a shiver of pain go down Gwen's back. For a second, Gwen's subconscious cried out, pushing my consciousness to the side.

"...B-Ben!" Gwen stuttered in pain. "W-what are you doing?!"

No! I will not be overpowered again by a mere child!

Before Ben had time to react, I took back control of Gwen's body. Using her strength, I was able to jump and kick him in the face, leaping from to the wall of the prison and then climbing it. Every second that passed, I could sense Gwen's subconscious fight me more and more. It would only be a matter of time before this energy, whatever it was, would overpower me so much that I would have no choice but to retreat. But by the time that would happen, the Omnitrix's timer should go off...

And then Ben would be mine!

Hearing the crunching sound of the rock, I could sense that Ben was right behind me. Soon enough, I stood at the top of the wall, backing away till Ben reached the top. We stood face to face, him desperately trying to predict my next move.

"This ends here, Ghostfreak!" Ben exclaimed. "Get out of my cousin before I-"

Beep, beep! Beep, beep!

I chuckled softly. For once, I was glad to hear that awful, imprisoning beeping!

Ben's eyes widened as he transformed into his original human self. Smiling, I approached him, though it pained me so with Gwen's subconscious clawing at me as it was. But before I could get close enough to leap into his body, Ben's grandfather came up from the top of a ladder and throw him that sun gun.

"Come on out so I can fry your pale butt!" Ben shouted, sounding more confident.

I stopped in place. I trembled in Gwen's body, her will clashing into mine from within. I had to think fast, I had to get him to surrender!

"I…have a better idea," I replied. "Why don't you drop the weapon and allow me to take what is rightfully mine!"

"You'll never get the Omnitrix, you freak!" Ben shouted defensively. "To take over the world or whatever it is you want with it!"

I clutched Gwen's teeth together.

"…If you won't give it to me, then you better hope your cousin knows how to fly!"

With the slipping power I had, I jumped to the edge of the wall.

"One step, just one little step and she will be done for!" My voice became higher in pitch, my attention divided between talking to Ben and fighting off Gwen. "You have till the count of three to surrender or the last thing you'll ever hear from your cousin is her screams!"

For some reason, I gave off a harsh, pain filled laugh. I don't know why, but the thought of losing someone who I treasured like a sister, as Ben was being threatened with, felt like pure torture. Was this a memory of mine trying to come to light?

"One…"

I took a small step back.

Memory or not, it did not matter. Becoming whole did matter! I can figure out this pain later, so long I was not chained to a prison!

"…Two…"

I could feel Gwen losing her balance. One wrong move and she was dead.

Dead… His sister dead…

My sister…

"Fine, you win!"

The sound of Ben's voice brought me back to the present. He had dropped the weapon, and at the same moment, Gwen's consciousness had found its way to overpower mine. She screamed as I rushed out of her body and head towards Ben. From the corner of my eye, I saw that the Circus Freaks have arrived, Thumbskull holding the grandfather hostage.

"One of you grab the girl!" I ordered, seeing that Gwen was struggling to remain conscious. "We will kill them later."

"Hey, you Halloween reject!"

Attempting to reclaim the gun, Ben reached down for it. But I was close enough to where I could instantly possess him before he claimed it. I made my way inside him, Ben screaming as the Omnitrix's green electricity sparked from the watch.

My body was being pulled into the Omnitrix, a rush of energy and power flowing through me. Yes, I was regaining the missing part of myself! Cold replacing the warmth, the light beginning to fade just a slight… A flash of green, just like I saw when I first woke up.

I blinked a couple of times, Ben nowhere in sight, and the look of horror on his family's faces…

"Ah, together again," I said to myself, "just like be…"

I felt something was caught in my throat. Coughing and yacking, something came up into my mouth and fell off my tongue.

"Yuck… That's enough to make me gag too."

My eye twitched to see Ben's galvan form, sitting on the ground drenched in saliva.

"Why you…!"

I reached down to grab him, but Ben being so tiny and slippery he was able to escape my grasp. He ran, but while I was busy trying to get him, Ben's family was able to outsmart the Circus Freaks. I turned to see them escaping as well, my minions looking exhausted, weak, and confused. From the corner of my vision, Ben escaped into the building within a small crack in the exterior. I cursed.

"Go after the child's family, while I deal with him," I ordered. "Capture them alive and wait for me outside."

"But boss…"

I didn't bother to hear the rest of Acid Breath's excuse. Really, all I needed them to do was keep Ben and his family separated long enough for me to take over Ben. The Omnitrix shouldn't last much longer, not on borrowed time. It was a game of cat and mouse, but there were only so many places to hide and stall…

Entering the building, I found myself in a large, dark tower, boxes and sheets covering old storage. The air was musky, almost suffocating. The feeling inside this place reminded me of my asphyxiating prison in the Omnitrix. I began to feel unsettled, paranoid even.

Becoming invisible, I searched every little place inside the tower. Behind every box, every curtain, inside very little crack within the wall. Ben's galvan form was no doubt helping him slip past me, that damned species being so small that they were impossible to capture. Along with their enhance intelligence, being too smart for their own good. Like the creator of the Omnitrix...who must have known I was in his invention, but yet refused to act. If I ever get my claws on him...

Beep, beep! Beep, beep!

A bright flash of red came from behind me. I made myself visible, to where I saw Ben on his knees, his green eyes wide with fear.

"Oh man, not now!"

Our eyes met for a second, where I went straight at him. Ben swiftly got to his feet, running as fast as he could to escape. But there was no way out, for we were both trapped! Seeing that there was no way he could out run me, Ben climb over the railing and fell down to another level of the tower. I pursued, where he soon grabbed on to a wooden beam. I almost had him, but he let go just before I could reach him and fell down safely to another level. He ran off again, and I growled in frustration.

"There is no use running from me, boy," I hissed. "You cannot escape me, so long as you hold the Omnitrix!"

"You know, for a guy who has been complaining about being trapped for so long," Ben called back, "it's weird that you really want it back."

He ran up towards a wall, standing right beside some worn out window curtains.

"Foolish child, as if you could fully understand what you possess on your wrist!"

In his moment of distraction, I came up and grabbed him, holding him up so he couldn't escape. Ben struggled, but I used my tentacles to restrain him as I clutched onto his arm with the Omnitrix.

"I almost envy you for your ignorance towards reality," I said, my eye locking onto his. "Consider this merciful of me to put you out of your misery before your tragedy should truly begin. For the power you possess at such a young age shall only bring you suffering."

I had him right where I wanted him; I had nothing to stop me from possessing him and claiming the rest of me.

So why am I hesitating, why am I still talking to him, prolonging the inevitable?

A small slimmer of light began to brighten up the dark tower as early morning sunlight slipped through the cracks of the curtains. Taking notice of this, and having a curtain right next to him, Ben took a tight hold of it with his right hand.

"It is about time you see the light, freak!"

He tore the curtain away from the window, allowing the light hit me straight on.

I screamed in agony, the heat being too much for my skin. I let go of my hold on Ben, my nerves going up into flames as I felt nothing but pain. Ben pulled down three more curtains, lighting up the entire tower. I had to find some shelter; I had to find a way to escape! I felt parts of my flesh beginning to burn off, as I dived further down into the tower.

The intense heat and pain was making me feel faint, even though I felt some relief of the cool air hitting my decaying skin. On the ground floor, I saw that there was one corner still covered in darkness, the sunlight unable to hit it. I rushed towards it, barely able to escape from death as my wounds were large and many. The heat was gone, but the pain was still agonizing. I collapsed, bumping into a piece of storage and having its cover fall onto of me. But I didn't care, it provided protection from the light.

Blood rushing to my head, ears ringing, I felt myself slipping. With the taste of dust and dirt, everything faded into black.