Chapter 7
"Well, that could have gone better." Ben sighed, rubbing his head as he got to his feet. Looking around, he found a force field behind him, between himself and the portal. The far side of the room had a giant window looking out towards the world instead of an actual wall and all the walls of the room were lined with plants of every type. The room had no furniture whatsoever and the only others objects you could see was all gardening equipment.
"Ok." Ben said slowly, sounding a little unsure. "This isn't exactly what I expected to see."
"No, I suppose most world conquerors aren't exactly known for having a green thumb." A voice stated from out of nowhere. Startled, Ben spun to his left, his hand already halfway to the omnitrix, and came face to face with an Organisation member. His hood was already down and despite himself, Ben almost laughed at the man's shoulder length, pink hair. "But I prefer to stand out among the crowd."
"Oh, trust me princess, you do." Ben taunted, fiddling with the omnitrix' dials. " And you would be?"
"I, shape shifter, am Marluxia, number eleven." Was his answer as the unusual Nobody threw some rose petals into the air and summoning his scythe. "But don't let the number fool you. I'm just as powerful as the rest of Organisation 13."
"Well then, this should be a good fight." Ben replied, slamming the omnitrix down and transforming in a flash of green light. "Swampfire!"
Scowling at the plant creature before him, Marluxia flung his scythe, sending it spinning towards Ben. The Nobody smirked as the blade cut clean through his opponent before spinning back towards him, but it quickly changed into a scowl. The separated parts of Ben's body quickly reconnected themselves, Ben smirking the whole time.
"It'll take more then that to stop me." He stated, raising his arms as a fireball appeared in each hand. "Now, I believe it's my turn." With that he threw the flames simultaneously.
Intent on not being hit, Marluxia spun his scythe in front of him rapidly and managed to block both of them. However, just as he ceased the spinning, Ben leapt right in front of him and landed a vicious left hook right into Marluxia's cheek.
Falling a few steps back, Marluxia quickly recovered and retaliated with a vertical slash of his scythe, cutting off Ben's still outstretched hand.
"Didn't you learn last time?" Ben taunted as vines left his severed limb. "My regeneration abilities make gore an impossibility."
Growling, Marluxia attacked wildly, slicing away a every part of Ben's body, only to appear more annoyed as it constantly regenerated.
"What do I have to do to beat you?" Marluxia scowled. Seeing his blade wasn't helping his situation, he swung the other end and hit Ben right in the head, disorientating him and bringing a smirk to Marluxia's lips.
Regaining his bearings, quickly blasted a flamethrower at the fellow plant powered warrior.
"ARGH!" The flames licked at his skin all over as the power and momentum of the shot knocked him back a distance before he hit the ground, rolling back and forth desperately in an attempt to extinguish the flames.
"Face it pinky, you can't win." Ben stated as he threw his hands out. All the plants around the room suddenly began growing as he directed his power over them, and sent roots and vines at Marluxia, ensnaring his scythe as they moved towards it's master. "I have your powers, plus a few extras that have proved to be more then effective in a fight with you. You can't win."
As the plants grabbed hold of his arms, the glare Marluxia directed towards Ben turned into a look of realisation before he smirked and held out his arms, keeping a firm hold on his constrained weapon.
"You're powers are impressive, but I think you've forgotten a few details." The blade of his scythe glowed pink and, much to Ben's surprise, the humanoid plant was thrown back against a wall, the resulting blow breaking his focus on the plants around him.
Removing the plants from his body and weapon with ease, Marluxia stepped got back on his feet and shoved his smirking face right up to Ben's.
"This form gives you all those useful powers, it still is a plant. Which means can control you. You're mine."
Ben grunted stubbornly as he tried to thrash about and hit Marluxia, but he could barely twitch. His panic rose to the point that he'd have been hyperventilating if we was in his human form as his body refused to listen to his commands.
Ensuring that his power was still in affect over his captive, Marluxia walked over to a far table and grabbed something Ben couldn't see before he swaggered back, a cunning smirk planted firmly on his face.
"I normally, don't find any need for this stuff, but when weeds like you show up, it's good to have around." He sneered, stopping just short of Ben and holding up a bottle. It took Ben only a second to figure out what it was.
"Weed killer?" He gasped, trying to struggle his way free again as his panic doubled. He didn't know exactly how plant poisons would affect Swampfire, but he knew it wouldn't be good. Even if his race was from another world, he was still similar enough to be vulnerable to anything specifically designed to kill plants.
"I see you're terrified of the potential results." Marluxia jeered, taking the lid off. "I've never seen a plant that thinks and acts like an animal. Your biology is interesting. Lets see how it handles poison." Lifting the bottle over Ben's head, he poured it's contents all over him.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!" Ben shook and rived in pure agony. The poison burned him like acid, polluting and destroying every molecule of his body it touched. His pained movements were so great that they broke through Marluxia's power, not that the Nobody cared anymore, and he fell to the floor, his screaming only stopping long enough for him to gather another strangled breath.
"Your shape shifting abilities have led you to your downfall." Marluxia sneered, watching coldly as Ben thrashed. "No one will ever defeat me with my own element. I know all the strengths and weaknesses of plants and have total control over them. You'll die here now. It's unfortunate, as the superior wanted all of you turned into Nobodies, but I'd doubt you'd make a good one anyway. You have no real power or mental capability. It's all technological. We'll just have to make do with your friends."
Though his screams and riving never ceased, Ben's mind had managed to process everything his tormentor had said and couldn't help feeling insulted, despite the fact that the poison should have been what he was focusing on.
I made a mistake, but I am able to think. I can fix this. He thought, managing to keep a part of his mind working despite the pain. I changed into the wrong form, but… that's it!
Though he was barely able to do anything with his agonised body, Ben focused all his willpower into getting his arm to go to his chest. It took a few spasms, but he finally got it there and held his hand firmly on the omnitrix icon.
"What are you doing?" Marluxia asked warily as a pained grin crossed Ben's face. Ben didn't answer, he just concentrated, and with one last scream, he was covered in a flash of green light, causing Marluxia to step back in shock and cover his eyes.
"Goop!" Turning back to his enemy, Marluxia's eyes widened at the sight of what looked like a humanoid pile of slime with a mini flyer saucer over it's head.
"Poisons won't help you now." Ben stated calmly as the mentioned, offending substance dripped right of off his body. Not giving Marluxia a chance to respond, he wrapped himself around Marluxia's legs and launched a brutal uppercut.
While Marluxia fell, screaming in pain, Ben unwrapped himself and pulled away, but not before his arm wrapped around and snagged Marluxia's scythe.
Scowling, Marluxia pulled himself off the ground with a grunt and glared venomously at Ben.
"You think that turning into that piece of filth will allow you to defeat me?" He snarled, raising his hands. "Try this."
Like when Ben was in control, all the plants in the room surged with long and strong roots and vines. The plants quickly grabbed hold of Ben, but the smirk the sight brought to Marluxia's face was almost immediately destroyed as Goop's slimy body liquefied itself and slipped through the plants with ease before he solidified right in front of the pink haired plant wielder slugged him in the chest, knocking him far back with another scream.
"This form does hold the strength to take you on." Ben stated, looking down at the stunned Nobody. "But I am aware that you are intelligent and I don't really have the time to spare with you, so…" Another green light flashed around him as Marluxia started to rise, indicating a transformation. "Big Chill! I'll end this quickly."
Ben took a deep breath and blew, freezing Marluxia in solid ice just as he got back to his feet.
"Plants can't survive in the extreme cold of ice. I've crippled your powers." He stated calmly, moving his hand to the omnitrix again.
"Brainstorm!" This time, a crab-like being with an overly large head emerged from the flash. "While the ice is perfectly adequate at containing and discrediting your powers, I am delighted to say that it's chemical make up makes it ideal for increasing my power's offensive capacity. In other words, you'll get a charge out of this."
Opening his head, Ben revealed his brain and released an electrical blast right at Marluxia. True to Ben's word, the ice encasing the villainous gardener increased the strength of the shock and Marluxia was covered from head to toe in a bright, electrical, yellow light. Though Ben could barely see them, a look of terror was clear I Marluxia's eyes for a moment before the electrical power exploded, blinding the shape shifting hero. When the white sparks left his eyes a minute later, he found there was nothing left of his opponent, or the force field holding him inside the room.
Changing back to his normal self, Ben left the room without a word, the safety of the others being the only thing on his mind.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Gwen yelled, constantly turning her head from left to right. She wasn't entirely sure where she was. After being blown through the portal, she'd found herself in the middle of a city or town. She had no way of knowing exactly where, because the place was destroyed and any landmarks or location signs had giant holes slashed or burned through them. If they even still existed.
Not finding anyone, Gwen turned around another pile rubble formerly known as a building, and her heart stopped, her eyes filled with dread.
"No." She whispered as her eyes filled with tears. "NO!"
Running down the rubble covered street, she reached her destination and dropped to her knees. As tears fell down her face like rivers and her body shook, she lowered her head, resting it on the lifeless chest of Max Tennyson.
"Grampa, no, please, you can't be gone. I can't lose you again, Grampa." Gwen just sat there, sobbing into the chest of one of the people she loved most as her world crashed around her. The pain she felt the last time they all thought Max was dead was unbearable. This time round however, being able to see what was left, felt a thousand times worse. She was dieing from sheer grief.
"So you're here Gwen." A cold, familiar voice stated behind her, causing her to start. She hadn't heard anyone coming. Dismissing it as a result of her grief, she turned to find a stone faced Kevin standing four feet away.
"Kevin, w-what happened? Where are the others?" Gwen asked desperately between sobs, moving in for a hug. As she approached, Kevin thrust his hands out, pushing her back as he stared hatefully at her hurt face.
"There all dead." He growled, causing Gwen to freeze. "They were no match for the Nobodies and they died. The town's destroyed and everyone in it's either captured or dead. And it's all your fault."
"What?" Gwen asked, her voice shaking both in grief and fear. "W-what d-do you mean all m-my fault?"
"You left us." Kevin yelled furiously, terrifying Gwen. "You ignored the needs of your home and your friends and took off. You were the only one with the power to save us and you left us to die."
"I left to save the world." Gwen said defensively, not believing what she was hearing. "Like you said, Ben and I had the power to stand a chance at stopping this. What good would it do if we saved this town while the rest of the world went to hell? More would just continue to come and attack like Grampa said. We'd never be safe."
"What's the point in saving the world if everyone worth saving is gone?" Kevin yelled back venomously, increasing Gwen's fear. "You failed Gwen. You failed to save the world AND the people you love. In our greatest time of need, you were a no show. You turned your back on them. You let this happen. Its all. Your. FAULT!"
Gwen fell to her knees at that, because of the fact and the raw hatred in his voice. Her tears somehow managed to increase, as did the pain in her chest. Seeing her grandfather had broken her heart, but Kevin had just shattered it into a million tiny pieces. The pain was so intense and consuming she could barely even breathe.
I'm a failure. I let everyone down. It's all my fault. I should never have left them. If I didn't they'd still be alive. The thoughts kept drifting into her head, fuelling her pain and depression and unknown to her, the more she felt, the more dark energy surrounded her, consuming her body.
Just as she was about to be completely consumed by it all, another part of her mind, the part holding her logic, snapped from it's place and back to the surface of her consciousness. I can't think like that. I went to save the world and I haven't failed yet. I still have a chance to make things right.
What am I talking about? The darker thoughts asked. The people you love are dead. Kevin's right there and clearly despises you. How could possible say you haven't failed? How could anything be made right?
The others all knew the risks of fighting and it was Grampa and Kevin that encouraged me and Ben to go. Her logical side responded fiercely, shoving the negative side back. And I haven't failed yet. I can still stop Organisation 13 and save the Earth.
Where's the point if everyone you know and love is gone?
Even if there gone, I can still save the rest of the world. Gwen's eyes opened and the tears stopped, replaced by fiery determination before they started glowing blue. "The world doesn't end because the people I care about are gone." She stated firmly, finally talking out loud without any doubt or depression. "A true hero fights even when those they love are gone. They fight so those who died doing the same don't die in vein, so everyone and everything that's good on the planet can live their lives safely. As long as there's one innocent soul under threat of the Organisation, I will continue to FIGHT!"
Gwen's power, in response to her emotions, covered her body in a blue glow and sent, pulsing with her determination. Focusing her powers, she looked around the area and gasped. The place was covered from top to bottom in energy. Nothing she had seen before was solid.
"None of this is real." She said softly, before her shock turned into rage. "It's an ILLUSION! AAAHHH!" Focusing on the scene before her, Gwen released a huge surge of energy and tore the illusion apart. The blast revealed a plain, white room containing nothing but bookcases full of reading material all falling down and a cloaked man where Kevin had been being knock back by the blast.
"You filthy piece of heartless scum." Gwen spat, glaring murderously as Zexion rose to his feet, his hood dropping to reveal a hurt and astounded face. "You took my home and everyone in it and created my worse nightmare. Then you twisted it to make me feel like it was my fault. How dare you. HOW DARE YOU! OCTEM MONTITUS!"
Thrusting her hands out, Gwen focused all the power she could and sent an enormous, blue beam right at Zexion. Before he could utter a single word, the shot collided with and obliterated him, taking an entire wall out along the way.
Gwen puffed heavily as she stared at her work, trying to calm herself. Despite knowing the truth, the illusion had definitely affected her. It was a perfect example of a very possible future waiting for her back home.
"If that is what I find when I return… I still know I made the right choice coming here." She said softly, but firmly, with no doubt to be found. "I'm not just fighting for them. I'm fighting for everyone in the world. Grampa, Kevin, Ben, we all know this is the best course of action. I just have to have faith that everything will turn out right." finally feeling her calm nature return, Gwen headed towards the portal back to where she came from and the next step to saving their world.