Uh…hello there

So, wow…This took me like months to get out, and it isn't my usual long chapter. Very sorry about that. A lot of stuff happened. My work got the better of me, and my proof-reader lost the chapter which he had read.

Believe me, this chapter (in its actual long and complete form) was already typed, and just needed someone to proof-read. But I felt hesitant at each moment, thus I never got to it until now.

So with no further delay, here is the next chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY CARTOON SHOWS (YET!)

Chapter 42: Diary of A Conflicted Sunny

While Ben was dealing with Esdeath and General Budo, another incredible battle was underway. Sunny, in her Anodite, and Paradox, one of the most powerful time lords in the multiverse, had finally clashed.

The shockwave was incredible, and spread across the Imperial Palace's grounds. Even the certain combatants at the other side could feel it. It affected Sayo and Aria the most, as they had to shield their ears with their hands from the constant booms around them. Paradox and Sunny were moving so fast that it was impossible to catch them.

Imperial soldiers who came to the rescue ended up regretting it. Though Paradox refrain from touching them directly or indirectly, that didn't stop Sunny from killing them by mana blasts or falling structures from the palace.

"Come on! Keep up!" Sayo shouted.

Both she and Aria were trying to flee the scene. Just then, an explosion happened behind them and flung them away. Aria screamed as they came close to hitting the ground. Fortunately, Paradox caught both of them with by hands.

"Oh dear, this wasn't meant to happen." said Paradox.

Aria looked up and saw the time-traveler's genuine smile. Despite everything going on, he didn't even have a scratch on his skin or his clothes. In fact, he was unfazed by the current situation.

"Are you two alright?" He asked as he put them down.

Before any of them could speak, Sunny appeared in front of them, charging headfirst towards him.

"HAHAHA! I FOUND YOU!" She exclaimed.

She drew close and made her right fist to grow past her body's weight. Then she swung straight at them, creating a huge hole in the trio's place.

"Outstanding…" Paradox commented. Sunny expressed shock, and looked behind her. The immortal was putting the girls down again. "You could've gotten them if I hadn't intervened."

"Hmph!" Sunny smug. "Stop acting like you're not scared. I'm sure that's the reason you keep dodging my attacks. After all, who would dare to fight a goddess like myself?"

Paradox chuckled. "A goddess, you say?" Suddenly, his mood changed into a cold and serious one. "You really are a stubborn girl."

Sunny's demeanor changed, with a deadly aura coming from her. Paradox's face softened a little, and he looked over at Sayo. The girl knew what to do, thus she looked over at Aria.

"Move! Now!" She yelled.

Sayo jumped to her left, and Aria jumped to her right. Sunny came straight for Paradox and swung a punch. But she didn't make any contact, as he was already behind her despite her incredible speed. He stood in the same place as before, with his back facing her.

"By the way…" Paradox said with his arms behind his back. "You said I was dodging your attacks. But you are only partly wrong. You see, what you think are dodges, I call it…walking."

Time slowed down in that very moment. Paradox raised his cane and struck the end of it at Sunny's back. Time then resumed as normal, but with a difference. Sunny was sent flying away through the compound's walls like a rocket, without even getting a chance to scream.

"Wow…" Aria awed, seated on the ground.

She could barely believe what she had seen. Sunny was seemed like an unbeatable enemy. Ben had only been the one to hurt her badly, but even then she had recovered. But Paradox handled her with no stress on his face. It even looked like he wasn't even trying.

Before she could drift further, Paradox came and stretched his hand to her. She looked at the human hand and at his face before accepting it. He easily helped her back to her feet and smiled.

"Just…what are you?" She asked.

"A friend." Paradox answered and looked to the other side. "And would you look at that? Your friend has finally caught on."

Aria and Sayo looked to where he staring at and saw Sheele coming towards them. She looked perfectly fine compared to the both of them. Not even a speck of dirt or blood was on her despite Seryu being her opponent.

"Aria, are you okay?" Sheele asked as she arrived. "I saw what was happening, and…who is he?"

Her eyes went over to Paradox, who smiled at waved at her. "Oh yes, you were still recovering when I visited your friends. You may call me Professor Paradox."

"Um…sure." Sheele said, sounding a bit taken off guard by his manner. "I think Mine mentioned something about you."

"Yes, I see." Paradox nodded lightly.

"We should go. Now." Sayo stated. "It won't be long before Sunny shows up."

"What do you mean? Paradox sent her flying away, right? She's probably hurt." Aria said.

Paradox shook his head. "Sayo's right. As much of an amateur as Sunny is, that hit wouldn't leave a mark on her."

"Well…" Sheele trailed and bowed her head. "At least allow me to thank you for saving them."

He chuckled and waved his human hand. "Oh, no need to thank me. We should really –"

Before he could finish, the ground underneath them transformed. They were no longer on the earth, rather they were now falling into the giant mouth of a giant worm. It had many rows of sharp deadly teeth before it bite down on the four of them, supposedly ending them.

Sunny laughed and gloated. "You're all dead now! Shame! But at least now you know what happens when you call me a brat!"

"You and I both know that isn't true…"

Sunny's eyes widened, and she looked around her. There was no sign of Paradox. But then she looked back at her creation, and saw that it was gone. Paradox and the others were standing on the earth again, though the confused looks on Aria and Sheele showed just how fazed they had been by Sunny's attack. Sayo was already used to stuff like this, so she just stood there, glaring at Sunny.

"But…" Paradox continued. "Perhaps, even you know just how much of a brat you have become."

Both Sheele and Aria looked at Sayo, who noticed and shrugged lightly.

"What? If you hang around him as much as I have, you'll get used to this."

Paradox laughed. "That was quite pleasant for you to say, young Sayo. However, I must do something about you three. The battle has hardly begun."

Aria and Sheele showed genuine concern on their faces. Judging from how Sunny and Paradox had reacted, they knew that it won't be long before they really start destroying everything.

Paradox had to tap the bottom of his cane just to teleport them away. The girls were gone from the imperial palace in a blinding flash of blue light.

Sunny seemed unfazed as she landed on the ground. She had purposefully stayed back just to observe.

"There's no point of hiding them. I can find them anytime I want." She stated with some pride.

"I wouldn't be too sure." Paradox debunked. "Young Tennyson's new hideout is outfitted with the best technology in this world. A barrier around it has kept you from tracking it. So as long as it's active, you shall never get a glimpse of it."

"Challenge accepted." She grinned.

"I see…" Paradox replied and did a fake cough. "By the way, though I know this is in vain, I urge that you stop now and allow me to return you back to your reality."

"And go back to Anodyne? No fucking way."

"Then how about somewhere entirely different? I have a proposition for you. If you promise to behave yourself, I'm willing to take you to a timeline where you and your family don't exist. In fact, there's even a reality where Anodites aren't even a concept. You can become anything you want, as long as it isn't a villain of any kind."

Sunny became mute, with the grin on her face disappearing. She was studying the time-traveler with her eyes.

"You…You're actually being serious, aren't you?" She asked.

"Yes. Quite surprisingly, I tend to be serious. I cannot lie."

"Then why?"

"You mean my offer." Paradox paused and placed both hands on his cane's top. "I am more than aware of your predicament. I do not approve of your grandmother's actions as of late. Leaving you here, and requesting your cousin to do something about it is…not the best of decisions."

"Hmph. Someone finally sees it." Sunny smug. "She acts all high and mighty just because she's the strongest Anodite in the universe. What a bitch."

"I…cannot agree with your statement. I do see the reason for her decision. Young Tennyson has a good history of turning old enemies into allies. However, the circumstances are different. You've been quite a lot in your life. Clearly, her direct interventions so far hasn't fixed the current problems with you, though it is clear that she only wishes the best for you."

"Seriously?! That's bullcrap!" Sunny snapped. "She wishes the best for me?! As if! All she ever thinks about is Ben and that stupid cousin of ours! I tried fucking hard to get her approval! I even went ahead to look like Gwen! Who else would do something like that?!"

'A lonely girl, I guess.' Paradox answered in his head.

"You feel hurt." He said.

"Hurt? I would hardly call it that." Sunny mumbled. "All I feel is unrelenting rage at everyone I thought were family."

"I see. But why is that? Your grandmother is a prominent figure on Anodyne. Surely, there must be some reason you hate her."

"Like you don't know." Sunny muttered and stretched her hand at him. "I've had enough of you."

"I see. But my offer still stands."

Sunny hesitated and smirked maliciously. "Ah, but I can't be a villain, right?! Sorry, but no deal, Paradox!"

With that, she unleashed a huge pink beam to engulf Paradox. The time-traveler stood still, and allowed his body to be swallowed by it. Once it was over, a huge trench stood in his direction.

"How disappointing." Paradox muttered. Sunny was unfazed when she turned back and saw him standing there. "A part of me hoped that in this reality you would accept."

"Oh, so you have done this to other versions of myself?"

"Me? Oh no. Other versions of myself have. Sometimes I have conversations with them. Now those are quite the fun times. One of them even brought up your grandmother."

Sunny growled and snapped again. She floated up before raining down mana balls straight at Paradox from her palms. This time he reacted, but only by 'walking' pass them as they all came crashing on him, destroying the earth underneath as dust rose up.

"Enough about my grandmother! What are you?! A lovesick puppy for her?! Do you thirst to sleep with her! Don't disgust me, Paradox!"

"Oh my, that's such a wild imagination." Paradox replied. Sunny stopped her attack, and saw him standing on the air, close to her. "I feel no special affection to anyone. That is, sadly, a curse of mine. But I do have respect for some of the things your grandmother has done."

"Don't say it!"

"She –"

"Shut up!" Sunny retorted by shooting a mana blast at him.

Paradox appeared behind her, with his back facing her. "She's very much respected by Anodites. After all, she was the first Anodite to venture off into the universe, at a time where they were banned from leaving their planet due to their chaotic nature. This was something that was placed upon them by the Celestalsapiens, sometime after the Big Bang."

"Are you actually lecturing me?! I fucking know about that!"

Sunny turned back and swung her arm, unleashing a huge mana slash at Paradox. She missed, as expected, and turned back to attack the time-traveler. However, he wasn't there this time.

"I know you don't like lectures…" Paradox said. Sunny looked down and saw him on the craters she had created. "But her respect by the Anodyne people is what you admired about her, is that not so?"

Sunny's face intensified, and she raised her hand, building up a mana charge. But then she hesitated, and lowered her hand.

"What's it to you?! Yes, I respected her fucking ass! She was a fucking rebel! Who wouldn't want to be like that?!"

She then pushed her hand up, causing a skyscraper-sized mana blast to shoot out of the ground and engulf Paradox.

"She truly was." Paradox's voice was heard again. This time, there was no sign of him, even as Sunny looked around her.

He continued. "But you know, even at those younger years of yours, you were a living contradiction. You admired her for being a rebellion. As such, you wished to be like her, but…you were young, and at the same time you were scared to leave your family."

"Enough!" Sunny yelled and slammed her palms together.

A huge cosmic wave travelled through the area, and pushed Paradox out of the dimension he was staying in. He gradually headed to the ground, and only released a small "oh my" when he was brought back.

"Die!"

Sunny came straight upon him, feet first. When they collided to the earth, it wasn't at the Imperial Pace anymore. Paradox teleported them both, thus they ended up at a mountainous region, where Sunny's attack tore the earth and the trees apart, and shot out a good portion of the mountain into the air.

Paradox skidded back and stood straight again. He was unfazed by Sunny's attack, and even lightly dusted his coat with his hand.

'Seems I struck a nerve. Excellent. I should push on.' He thought.

"Concerning…Young Gwendolyn wouldn't have done that." He said.

"Fuck you!"

Suddenly, the dust particles around Paradox ignited and exploded. When everything was clear, in his place was a huge hole, with an end so deep that no one could see it.

"Why does everyone keep bringing up that bitch!?" Sunny balled her fist and stomped the air she was floating on. "They're always like 'Gwen this! Gwen that! You should more like Gwen! Gwen wouldn't have spoken in that manner!' Do I look like I want to be her!?"

"And that is another example of your contradiction." Paradox said, catching her attention. He stood directly behind her. "Remind me, who was it that stole much of her appearance again?!"

Sunny growled, and when she turned to him, her pink eyes were glowing increasingly bright. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and unleashed a giant beam of mana. Paradox simply bent his knees and allowed it to pass. He heard the beam make impact and explode. Luckily, there was no human in sight. He stood straight again as if nothing happened.

"To be fair, I do not see why someone would hate Gwendolyn."

"Shut up! Shut up!"

Sunny swung her fist down on him, creating a powerful shockwave which made contact with Paradox. The impact was incredible, as the loud boom from it was heard from about a hundred miles away. But when the dust cleared, Paradox stood on the disrupted earth, fine and still unfazed.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot about people like Charmcaster. Those kind of people just don't like her character. But…" He paused and looked up at Sunny. "You're not like them. No, your hate for her stems far longer than Charmcaster."

Sunny continued to glare down on him. She launch another attack, but even she could see that she wasn't getting anywhere with it. Besides, she wanted to settle Paradox in another way.

"Yeah, and so what?" Sunny asked as she floated down. She touched the ground and crossed her arms over her chest. "You talk like you know me, but you cannot understand the pain I experienced."

"Then do elaborate?"

"And why should I?" Sunny inquired and raised her hand at him. "I haven't even gotten serious yet. You're fortunate to be alive right now."

Paradox just smiled and stood by. An intense and quiet atmosphere surrounded them for a moment. Sunny used it to contemplate, and put her arm down.

"Tell me, why do you people like Gwen?"

"Hmm?"

Before he could answer, she cut him off. "She's just some half-Anodite! She shouldn't have been acknowledged by my grandmother! But she did, and that made her special than me?!"

Sunny's mana energy grew exponentially. Her emotions were getting the better of her. Suddenly, she 'exploded', with the energy engulfing anything within a mile radius. When it calmed down, everything was torched, with the very earth underneath their feet now tens feet deeper.

Paradox was unaffected by the blast. He even stood as if nothing had happened.

"Crap…! Crap!" Sunny cried as tears kept moving down her face. "Stop it! Stop it! Why are these fucking memories coming back to me! I don't want this!"

Paradox frowned. "You've pushed away these feelings of yours for far too long. So, of course, they will make their comeback."

"Shut up! Like you would know!" She snapped as the tears kept flowing. "All of these is their fault! She shouldn't have gone to some planet and gotten herself pregnant! She already had a family back on Anodyne! And yet…And yet she did it anyway!"

Her legs suddenly wobbled, and she fell to her knees.

"I don't get it! I just don't get it!" She cried as she slammed her fist on the ground. "What's so special about humans?! Why couldn't she just stay with us, to stay with me! I did everything to please her! I even visited Gwen back when we were little kids! What's so special about her back then and now!?"

Paradox stood silent as he observed. This was basically what he wanted. Rather than fight her, he was hoping to get her to confront her hidden feelings, and now she was doing just that.

"I even…went a step ahead to copy her look! I just wanted to know what everyone loved about her…! But it didn't matter in the slightest! She changed her fucking look, making me the fool instead! Worse of all, thanks to her and Ben, I became a laughing stock when I was forced back to Anodyne! Whatever respect I had left was gone! Then my boyfriend broke up with me, and went off with some stretchy stupid bitch!"

"Now I see…" Paradox said, catching her attention. "All you wanted was the attention of your family. You wanted the respect of your grandmother."

Sunny looked up to him, baffled by what she just heard. It sounded like he actually agreed with her. But the longer she looked, the sooner she realized something. His serious face was back, and he wasn't on her side.

"However, do you even acknowledge your own faults?"

"My…faults?" Sunny asked. Anger lite in her, and she rose to her feet, obviously offended. "How is it my fault?! My grandma –"

"is not without flaws." Paradox completed. "Come now, Sunny, you must have been aware of it. However, the you of today is partly due to your own actions. That is true for everyone person in the multiverse. And while there may be forces behind it, sometimes we are given a choice, and that choice can lead us to the right path, or to astray."

"What the fuck are you even talking about?"

"You had a choice Sunny. Either become your own person, or become something like Gwen, just to appease your grandmother. Yes, it is very much clear that you admired Verdona. However, in your search for an answer, you strayed further into the wrong path. You shouldn't have strayed further from your parents. You shouldn't have put Verdona on that pedestal. And now, due to your Anodite heritage, your power has twisted your view on things, thus making you a danger to yourself and everyone around you. "

Sunny's face changed to a scowl. Paradox was losing her.

"Do not get me wrong, Sunny. I do not put your at complete fault. Anodites are powerful beings, but they can be the most emotional sometimes. If one is not given the proper training, they can cause trouble to everyone around them. The fact that you loved your grandmother so dearly is not without merit. But in doing so, without keeping your power in check, your love for her turned into a craving, and then jealousy. This in turn caused your inner contradictions to grow. So you became brattier, and allowed yourself to be swallowed by your own Anodite heritage."

Sunny bowed her head and steadily rose to her feet.

He continued. "It is time that you confront these faults of yours. Because you ignore them, you cast blame on everyone else without looking yourself in the mirror. Without a doubt, Verdona is partly to blame because she didn't address them when the time was right. But it isn't too late now, my dear."

A moment's silence went by without a word being said. Sunny steadily rose to her feet and cleaned away her tears. The scowl on her face remained, and even casted a glare upon the time-traveler.

"I can help you, Sunny." He said and walked closer to her. "Now that you have seen the truth about yourself, you can start afresh. Just say the word, and I will take you to a universe where you can be your own person. You no longer will you have to bear your grandmother's name, nor hear about young Gwendolyn and Benjamin. You will be your own person."

"Hmph…" Sunny cracked a small smile. "That would be nice. But…"

Paradox sighed through his nostrils. He had seen this coming. Sunny raised her head, revealing her sinister grin.

"You really are a fool." She added. "I can start over whenever I want. No one can stop me. So why should I? I have one goal in mind, and that is to have as much fun as I can until Benny kills me."

"Disappointing…" He looked down at the ground. "But I cannot say that I do not pity you. Again, you refuse to confront your past by the rein."

"There is nothing to confront, because it won't matter in the end." Sunny replied. She then grew four mana-created tentacles from her back, and allowed them to grow. "How about we resume our little battle? I have so much fun things to do after this."

Paradox stood and saw the tentacles slowly growing towards him. He sighed lightly before removing one hand from his cane.

"Do not blame me for what is to come, my dear." He said, and readied himself for the inevitable battle.


The Emerald Heroes airship continued to fly above the sky undetected. In the medical ward, Lucy was yet to regain consciousness, as Eunice was still being fixed by Ben 10,000. Other members like Sheele and Aria were yet to arrive. Sayo was with them too.

Spear had spent the past time, contemplating on the information the Kurome from an alternate universe had told her. It was nerve-wrecking to know that Aria was going to die. Sure, she always expected death. That was something everyone in the Imperial Fist knew. However, Spear was never the type of person to back down. If there was a way to protect her allies, she would do it in a heartbeat. That was partly why she tried to fight the Three Beasts Warriors alongside her guards.

But she was in a bit of a problem here. Aria was still alive in the present day. But she didn't know the circumstances that would lead to her death. All she knew was that a girl named Chelsea would be involved.

'Is she someone who will kill Aria? If so, how do I find her before she does it?' She thought.

As she continued thinking, Alternate Kurome stepped inside and stared at her. That look on the older girl's face confirmed her suspicion.

"You should stop." She said.

"W-What?" Spear asked, shaking her head as she came back to the present.

Alternate Kurome came closer. "You're thinking about how you can save Aria. You should stop before you do something that you'll ultimately regret."

"Ha…" She uttered and frowned. "If you hadn't known already, I'll regret if I don't save her."

"You don't get it." Alternate Kurome said. In her hand was a tray of food for Spear. She went and placed it at the edge of Spear's bed. "You're messing with forces you cannot even comprehend."

"That has never stopped me before."

"Yes, because Tennyson-san was involved." Alternate Kurome replied. "But you realize your own stubbornness is the reason why I never met you in my timeline. You died the same way you almost did in this timeline."

"Too bad for her. But I'm sure she didn't regret it one bit."

"Oh really?" Alternate Kurome raised an eyebrow while keeping her face expression numb. "In that timeline, you didn't die from your injury. You died from shock."

"Shock?"

"Yes. Nyau took his time when he craved your skin right off your face. Did he not mention that to you?"

Sheele tried to hide her fear, but it showed by a bit. She gulped her saliva and shook her head.

"Whatever the case, I am not her. I am stronger than her. So no matter the cause, I will always look to protect my allies. I hope you can relate to that, at least."

Alternate Kurome stared at her for a few seconds before seating on a chair.

"Indeed, I can relate. But I have not changed my mind. You must not interfere with Aria's death."

"So you're telling me that if you had the chance, you wouldn't have saved your allies?"

Alternate Kurome's eyes looked away. Flashes of her dead comrades came to mind. One of them was Lubbock, and the other was her version of Akame.

"Yes. I am saying that." Alternate Kurome faced at her with a monotone voice. "Losing allies is very painful, but we must make the best of our current situation. Think about Ben 10,000 right now. Do you know what he had to go through to become the man he is today?"

"I am certain he wishes he could have saved Aria."

"He does. But he hasn't dared to change that." Alternate Kurome stated. "Trust me, he can go back in time and save Aria anytime he wants. But he won't, because he knows they will be consequences."

"That doesn't sound like the Master Tennyson I know."

"That's because your version of Tennyson hasn't become him…yet." She mentioned. "Changing the timelines brings unpredictable aftermaths. Though it isn't unheard to save one's reality, that situation usually depends on some factors."

"I see…So what happens once I save Aria?"

'She's still convinced on that huh.' Alternate Kurome thought. 'I shouldn't have mentioned that girl's death in the first place.'

"A number of things can happen. You might die in Aria's place or –"

"I don't mind!" Spear jerked her body towards her. "As long as she's safe, I don't mind sacrificing my life!"

"You do realize that girl doesn't even want to live past this era, right? That would be a waste of t-"

"I still don't care! She's one of Master Tennyson's favorite persons! I am sure he will understand my reason, even if he won't permit me to die!"

"I see…" Alternate Kurome muttered. "But I still stand with my statement. Do not try to save Aria. She must die for the sake of the future."

"I will not let that happen."

"You're stupidly stubborn, you know."

With that, Alternate Kurome rose from her seat and walked away. Spear watched her leave the room, before turning away. As the metal doors closed, she sighed and bowed her head. She wasn't going to budge in any way at all. Even if her life might be gone, Spear was going to make sure that Aria was saved.

The future has now reached a point whereby it was uncertain.


And done!

Sorry. I know this chapter isn't as long as my usual, but I keep getting messages, asking when the next chapter is going to drop.

But I'm going to be honest with you. A good chunk of this chapter was rewritten. The whole interaction with Sunny didn't even expand as much as it did here. In fact, the original version kind of made Paradox a bit out of character.

That alone troubled me, and became a part of the reason that I didn't update for so long.

This isn't to say that this is all that I have been working on. There are actually more fight scenes between Paradox and Sunny that I have already written. Obviously, it'll need some rewrite so it doesn't confuse you guys, but I should be done with it within a week (if I am free).

Anyway, the last bit about Aria was added in due to the comments I got. So this is basically to set the record straight that Aria's death is not certain.

Of course, that isn't to say that she will survive. It's left to be seen. So keep following this fanfiction to find out.

Anyway, thank you for reading. Please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel "Facts and Fiction Studios". Next chapter is going to be majorly action packed, so look forward to it.

Bye.