Last Chapter! Yay!

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Ben 10.

The three waited for an explanation as Azmuth examined the ultimatrix and the strange discoloration of Ben's skin.

"So, what's wrong with Ben?" Kevin spoke up in masked anticipation.

Azmuth took only a few more seconds to complete his inspection. Then he nodded, satisfied with his conclusion, and said to Ben in a calm voice, "Ben, you are dying."

"WHAT!" Ben and his friends screamed.

Gwen tried not to faint. Ben was dying? Ben was dying!

Kevin couldn't believe it. If only he could take back those dark wishes he made while in prison, hoping to avenge himself by way of the demise of his former enemy. He hated that he had ever wanted his best friend dead.

Ben was no less panicked than the other two. He still had so many aliens to fight, so many people to protect. He would have to make sure the ultimatrix was given to a successor with a big heart and no ill will.

Ben took a deep, deep breath. "Are you serious?" he asked.

To which Azmuth immediately answered, "No."

The group each breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Azmuth! This is not the time for you to grow a sense of humor!" Kevin shouted.

"Aww. You were worried about me?" Ben kidded. Joking always seemed to ease the fast pace of his heart. He was surprised the perpetual state of his bad mood allowed for teasing.

Kevin scoffed. "I wasn't worried," he lied. "I just wasn't all that happy with the idea of you dying."

Gwen was chuckling. He was such a softie sometimes.

"Anyway," Gwen said, "What's really wrong with him?"

Azmuth resumed his serious, professor-like attitude. "It seems that some of the DNA in the watch has been leaking out, and you have been absorbing it through your skin. The aggressive behavior of Vaxasaurian, or Humungasour as you call it, is what has been making you feel irritable and easily angered."

"Why haven't I been able to sleep?" Ben inquired.

"The DNA of Necrofriggians, or the alien Big Chill, has been leaking as well. Those aliens have a tendency

to sleep very rarely. In fact, they sleep for approximately two hours each month. However, because you are human, your body has not been able to cope with these sleeping habits, which is the reason you feel tired whereas a Necrofriggian would not."

That actually made sense. It reminded Ben of how he had turned into Benwolf when he was ten. He had absorbed the DNA of a wolf alien through the watch and slowly taken on its characteristics.

"Can you fix it?" Gwen asked.

Azmuth assured them that he could.

After grabbing some tools and tinkering with the watch for as short a time as a genius like Azmuth needed, the watch was as good as new. "The DNA in your system is foreign, so your body will naturally get rid of it. You should return to your normal self within the next few days."

"Thanks, Azmuth. Although, could have done without that stupid joke of yours." Ben sighed at his rudeness.

Azmuth payed it no mind. "Of course."

While leaving, Ben felt glares stabbing the back of his head. "What?"

"You know, we could have solved this a lot sooner if you had told us," Gwen lectured.

Kevin shook his head at Ben in disapproval. "Honestly, I thought we were your friends. Weren't you the one that taught me friends depended on each other?"

Ben wanted to apologize, but he had an inclination to make up an excuse instead. "I thought it was puberty or something."

"Ben, what if you had been dying?" Gwen hypothesized. "You would have waited too long to say something, and then what would have happened?"

Ben knew she was right. Both her and Kevin.

"Noted," Ben said, a harsh tone forcing itself into Ben's voice even as he fought against it. How did Humungasours make friends? Were they always as angry as he currently felt? "Let's talk about this when I'm normal again."

Gwen nodded. "That would be best. But I want you to promise that you'll tell us when something's wrong now."

"Yeah, we're a team. You need to act like you're apart of it. Otherwise, you're just giving me an excuse to punch you," Kevin said.

Ben breathed. He let himself calm and become as Ben-like as he could. "I promise," he told them. "As long as it's a double standard."

"Well, duh," Kevin smirked. "Why don't we play video games tonight since you can't fall asleep."

Gwen nodded. "I'll go pick up some coffee for you and we can all hang out at your house."

Through his anger and annoyance and frustration, Ben was able to muster a small smile. "You don't mind putting up with me like this?"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "If we minded, we wouldn't have bothered offering."

For the first time in several days, Ben was happy.