I have just been informed by local law enforcement that I don't own Ben 10, and I have the right to remain silent.

Opposing Sides

Act 2

Chapter 21

After Max mentioned the Null Void Projector, as a viable option for the method of punching a hole in the dimensions, everyone but Gwendolyn agreed that it could work. it may not be powerful but it opened a hole to the null void, so it might be able to open holes elsewhere. The older girl had never seen one in action before, so she had no clue what they were talking about. The only problem with this plan was that the Null void projector that they had with them was broken beyond repair, and that meant that they would need a new one. Max offered to try and track one down using his old information network with the plumbers, although it would take some time.

He suggested that in the meantime, they spend a little time getting to know themselves. So he dropped them off at the local mall, so he could go check out some possible leads. The children had split up into two groups each choosing to go with there alternate selves.

"So whats it like being related to Ben" Gwendolyn said to her smaller variant, as they made there way into the bookstore.

"Its infuriating, he never listens, cleans, bathes, or any of the other ten thousand things that normal people do." Gwen said as she began looking for the non-fiction section. "also he has a tendency to want to play pranks on people, especially me." she huffed as her eyes began to look at the shelves around her.

"But you don't hate him right, I mean he's your cousin. You must get along sometimes." Gwendolyn said as she too began to look through the plethora of books around them.

"No I don't hate him...but don't tell him that." Gwen said picking up a book and skimming through it. "he may be annoying but he does have his moments, sometimes we have a nice family moment... then he has to go and say something stupid." she said putting the book back.

"I know what you mean, Ben, I mean Benjamin has the same problem." The older girl grabbed a large paper back book from the psychology shelf. "that and he has a habit of calling me a villain... so I put a curse on him. I can cause him to have a fit of hiccups if he says it again." she chuckled.

"Can you teach me that curse, maybe I could get Ben to shut up every now and again." she pleaded with her older self.

"I'm not entirely sure I should. Its technically dark magic...curses are dangerous. If the emotion your using as the trigger, like my annoyance at him calling me a villain, becomes to strong it can have adverse effects on the subject." Gwendolyn said as she read the introduction to the book in her hand. "Plus I don't think your grandfather would appreciate it, and Ben would hate me." she finished the introduction and set the book back on the shelf.

"alright...ill forget about it." the younger variant crossed her arms in defeat. "if you tell me what your hiding." she said trying to strike a bargain.

"What do you mean...what I'm hiding." the older witch looked at her younger self and taking a domineering posture.

"when you were talking about the museum and the ritual you seemed to be leaving something out. I just want to know what." Gwen said staring directly into Gwendolyn's eyes. "Even Benjamin seemed leery of the subject." she wasn't about to back down.

"Its not that I want to hide it its just that its kind of a touchy subject." the older girls eyes filled with resignation. "but, I don't think I want to hide it from what is essentially myself." she motioned for her younger self to sit in one of the reading chairs in the corner of the store, and she took up one directly across from it.

"Okay first of all...i accidentally caused a magical anomaly that put a clone of my brain into Benjamin's." she said beginning her explanation. "oh, and put him into a coma for about two weeks." she said it like it was no big deal.

"What... and he still talks to you." Gwen was shocked, if she was him she would have been furious.

"Well it was only after I saved him from being hit by a bus." Gwendolyn pointed out quickly. "however after he woke up the mental clone in his brain started to get stronger, so he sought me out to fix it. After he found me we talked for a while and I found out that it was because of the magical artifact at the museum that my sleep spell had this effect." She paused for a moment to let her younger self take in the information.

"Then what, did you go and fix him." The younger witch said looking to Gwendolyn expectantly.

"No, even though his condition was worsening, I asked him to wait two more days. So I could preform the ritual, and see my parents again." the older girl said, not looking very proud of herself. "i should have helped him then but I just felt so alone, you know. Charmcaster and Hex while excellent teachers...they lacked any interpersonal skills." she paused, it looked like Gwen had something to say.

"So you asked him to wait on this worsening clone brain thing. Did he throw it back in your face." the younger girl asked.

"No he promised he would wait two days and then he would break the spell on himself." Gwendolyn said somewhat shocked herself. " it may have been the feelings or thoughts that were implanted in his mind that made him say yes, in any case he lied anyway." she said sitting back in her chair.

"Why would he do that?" Gwen asked.

"to save me from myself." Gwendolyn looked at her younger self seriously. " Which he did. Hex and Charmcaster had turned on me, they decided I was going to be there virgin sacrifice." her face held a sour expression as she remembered the betrayal.

"Let me guess, Ben burst through the door all knight in shining armor-ish. You know just in the nick of time, and interupted the highly sensitive ritual which exploded in his face sending both of you here." Gwen said full of confidence.

"see thats whats bothering him... he didn't get there in time." The older girl said deadly serious. "they did sacrifice me." she waited for her companions reaction.

"WHAT? He didn't make it in time....he always makes it in time." Gwen said incredulously, as a clerk near the front of the store shushed her. Trying to keep her voice down she continued. "Wait that means...how are you still here." she said looking somewhat fearful of her older self.

"like I said Ben saved me, and stopped the ritual. His alien form, some crystal guy, happened to be able to absorb the magical energies. They healed me and opened the rift to this dimension." Gwendolyn slumped in her chair. "however its something I don't think you should mention to Benjamin. Thats why he reacted while I was talking about it. Apparently after we went through the rift, he thought I was going to die...and it broke him a little." she said remembering the look on Ben's face when he had first seen her awake after the incident.

"So its a traumatic experience for him... I wont mention it to anyone, but I'm glad you told me, I'm gunna have to make sure Ben never goes through anything like that." Gwen said with determination.

After Gwendolyn was done telling her story the two dimensional variants sat for a long while in silence, until Gwen decided to break it.

"Do you like him." she said flatly.

"WHAT?" the older girl yelled, as the clerk shushed them more fervently.

"I've seen how you two interact. I mean you laughed at some of his jokes...the way you two argue, its not like the way me and Ben do, you guys do it with less anger and with more playfulness. That and I saw you looking at him a couple of times...like I would look at someone I like." she said sounding both disgusted and apologetic. "that and you two aren't related." she said finally.

"what are you talking about. Hes obnoxious, hard headed, immature, and a doofus. Not to mention the fact that he broke his promise to me, even if it did save my life!" Gwendolyn said defensively. However she considered the boy for a moment. "Though...he did cry for me. When no one else would or could, he cared enough to cry for me. Thats more than anyone has ever done for me besides my parents." she said her Cheeks blushing bright red.

"So..do you like him." the younger girl asked both wanting and not wanting to know the answer. Gwendolyn looked at her askance.

"Maybe a little."

"so if we touch, would we do that thing from the movies where we turn into a blob and melt."Ben asked excitedly

"No, we don't have to worry about that. I asked Gwen about it before we made it to the wedding, and that only works if were from different times...since were from different dimensions it shouldn't matter." the older Ben said informatively. " yeah I guess it doesn't really work since your cells are always being replaced. So since we don't have the same outer cells, like on our skin, it doesn't matter if we touch since the cells aren't the same." Benjamin looked down at his younger self. "or something like that."

" You've been spending to much time with that brainiac. I guess no matter where or when she comes from Gwen's always going to be a nerd." the younger boy said poking fun at his cousin, as the two made there way into the game store.

"Well you know, its good to have someone around who knows whats going on." Benjamin said nodding to the shopkeeper as a hello. " And you've had Gwen around since you were little. I had to figure out lots of things on my own that I bet you just asked her about." he said cocking one eyebrow at Ben.

"yeah I guess so. Shes just so bossy sometimes, and acts like shes better than me." the younger hero said as he began sifting through a bargain bin. "Ben, clean up, Ben take a shower, why don't you study more, why don't you ever take anything seriously. She never gets off my back, so I play pranks on her as revenge."he said with a devious smile.

"don't you think thats just her way of caring." the older boy said sidling next to his younger variant, to check through the bin.

"Your just saying that because you never grew up with a Gwen." Ben said picking up one game to look at. "But your right its just her job as my dorky cousin." he put the game back, and decided to check the new releases.

"so what was up with you anyway." the younger variant asked suddenly remembering his counterparts behavior earlier that day. "You got this look on your face like you were remembering something terrifying...like clowns...you are afraid of clowns too, right."

"Yes I am...but who isn't." Benjamin said with a slight shiver. "that look was because of that ritual, it was a lot more gruesome than Gwendolyn...heh...let on, and it was just altogether unpleasant." he said trying to end the discussion. However his dimensional variant seemed to have even less tact than he did.

"so what we see terrible stuff all the time. Monsters, magic creatures, horrible aliens, plus we get beat on all the time. What could be worse than all those." Ben said as he stopped in front of the newer games. "I mean its not like anyone died." he said in an offhand manner. When he didn't get a response from his older self he turned to see what was going on. Benjamin was doing his best to look elsewhere.

"Right..." The older boy said weakly "no one died..." he said still not looking Ben in the eyes. "but they came close, it made me realize how easy It is to lose the people you care about." he said softly, as he thought of Gwen and that horrible experience.

"what did you just say." there was a lot of noise in the store so Ben wasn't sure if he had heard right.

"I said... it's unnerving coming so close to losing a fight." he said as his cheeks turned red. He hoped that his younger self hadn't heard him, and breathed a sigh of relief when Ben just shrugged and picked up another game from the shelf.

"i guess so." the younger boy said noncommittally. As he browsed the game collection, he suddenly had a thought. "whats your record as XLR8, mine is five minuets." the young boy said proudly.

"what record."Benjamin said looking at him suspiciously.

"Gwen was wondering how far and fast I could run as XLR8, so it took five minuets to cross the continent." Ben said beaming. "but I was wiped afterward."

"THATS AWSOME"the older boy said "i wish I had had someone to challenge me to that one. Ill have to try that sometime." Benjamin said scheming.

"hey would you show me some of the new aliens that I don't have." the younger boy said in pleading tone.

"i don't know about that. Wouldn't you rather find out for yourself when you get them." he said questioningly to Ben, who only raised an eyebrow at him.

"Would you?" his younger variant said already knowing the answer.

"alright then lets go." Benjamin said as they marched out of the store. "wait until you see Waybig."

A/N: Askance: with a side glance; sidewise; obliquely