Disclaimer :All characters and themes are the property of their respective owners.

AN: I think I need to add some back story on how Ben killed Diagon as well as how Vilgax was able to keep the Gemini Switch from doing its wacky cloning thingy.

Chapter 8: Let me explain everything part 1

It was hard to believe that it's been over a week since all this craziness started but for the most part Ben was used to it by now. While Kevin wasn't too thrilled about what happened to his car he was still willing to use his connections to get their oddball guest a house to stay in since with the additions of Erin and Ran Ms. Leven's house wouldn't be big enough for all of them. Ben was staying with them as were Julie and Manny but still there was some doubt in Ben's mind. 'Just how am I going to deal with my car with the money I have?' he thought sadly to himself. Manny meant no harm but the damage was beyond what he could fix and since he didn't really know how to work the new Omnitrix he couldn't use Upgrade to work his nanotech magic on it. For all he knew he could turn into Rath or worse Ghostfreak and just make things worse. Plus while he was fond of his new friends they tended to be somewhat louder than he'd like. So he would spend some time in his temporality room to get at least a little peace and quiet. But today he would have no such luck as Gentaro was somehow able to unlock the door with a old gift card he found a few days back.

"Dude, I'd love to play with your friends but I've been having these monster headaches and your loud voice doesn't really help that at all" Ben grumbled as he covered his head with his pillow. But the young Rider would have none of that as he yanked the pillow from the poor boy."Can you just let me sleep it off?"

"I can't let my friends suffer in silence. My parents told me to treasure my friends as they would save me and you are a friend of my friends so I think I need to help you out. That's the code of the Kamen Rider after all." Gentaro politely answered. "I think Yuki may have something to help you out with your headache problem. Let's go downstairs and see if it's ready for you" Ben got up since he knew by now Gentaro would not let anyone be unhappy, no matter what. But he was dreading what was about to happen.

It wasn't easy to make congee with the American rice cooker but still Yuki was resourceful. She really wanted to make her special space congee but lacked the ingredients to do so. But if there was one thing she loved as much as space that thing is spending time with friends and family. Having parents who loved to cook was quite a good experience for the girl as she learned all about great things to make and she was quite good at it too. But she was fond of space and her space-themed recipes didn't go over quite so well with others. She still remembered the day she made the curry overly spicy and poor Shun fainted from the heat. Still no one was hurt thankfully but that was embarrassing to have food you made knock a friend out cold. As Ben and Gen walked down to the table she was pleased indeed as for the fulfilled looks on JK, Ran, Erin, and Julie's faces told her that her congee was very good indeed. "Gen-chan, Ben-san breakfast is served. I made vegetarian congee for everyone so I hope you enjoy." she happily stated to the two boys. Yuki then raised her arms overhead and proclaimed that "Breakfast is here!" Gentaro joined her in her cheerful statement and Ben had to cover his ears since while Gen and Yuki are friendly people who love to help out whenever they can the concept of indoor voices was something they have yet to understand.

Manny however wasn't happy about having congee for breakfast. He wanted bacon and mancakes but he was outvoted by the girls and to his surprise JK as well. He never in all his life have ever met a man who didn't want meat for breakfast. But still someone was nice enough to make him food to eat and he was never one to turn down free food. and he slowly ate the congee. "Hey Ben how are ya holdin out there buddy? Still having those spells from the Ultimatrix?" he asked with his mouth full of food. Erin looked a little grossed out by Manny's lack of manners but she was worried too as Ben looked like he wasn't his usual cheery self. The ill look on the Omnitrix wielder was noticed by Julie as this has been going on and off for the last month.

"Ben are you feeling OK?" she asked him, a look of worry on her face. As Ben sat down he was not looking like he wanted to eat right now. "Gen I know you meant well but Ben might need to go lay back down. He's not looking so good-" Her discussion with the Rider was cut off by Ben vomiting on the floor. His face looked even more haggard than before but he just raised his hand to say he wanted to tell them what they needed to know.

"I'm sure you're all worried about me right now but this is nothing new to me. You may be surprised to hear this but it has something to do with Vilgax" What he said got their attention as he told them the story of what happened to him that long month ago...

30 days or so ago

As Ben swung Ascalon at the fused form of Vilgax, Diagon and a Lucurbra he was worried that he should have gone alien instead. But now was not the time to be doubting himself right now. If he failed there the Earth and then the universe would fall to Vilgax. Parrying his energy balls Ben tried to stab the former ruler but Vilgax dodge rolled away and kicked Ben away. Before Vilgax could crush his head underfoot Ben stood up and did a two-handed slash on his chest, causing Vilgax to howl in pain. "C'mon Vilgiy you really want to be Diagon's slave for the rest of eternity? The Vilgax I knew at least had some sort of pride! He'd never let some lame squid brainwash his to become his lackey!" Ben's words did nothing to stop the onslaught of attack from the chimera as Vilgax glared at him. Seeing that Vilgax's breath was on his face Ben tried to stab Vligax so he can end this and free everyone from the spell of Diagon. However Vilgax was too fast for him and grabbed his head, the helmet the only thing keeping Vligax from crushing his head. Ben grunted in pain as he attempted to do SOMETHING, anything to get free but so far no dice.

"Ah hahahaha! You may be the wielder of both the Ultimatrix and Ascalon but only I hold true power! A pity you effects are in vain. But history only favors the victors and your story ends not with a triumph, but with a whimper." As he tried to finish the job Ben was finally able to stab the Gavan sword directly into the heart of Diagon, deep in the chest of Vilgax. With a blinding flash Vilgax was back to his normal form with the energies of Diagon in the sword Ascalon, Ben holding it by his side. He didn't know how and why he got his missing equipment back but he didn't care. Ben now had the power to reshaped the universe as he saw fit. That may prove useful to him. But no matter what he tried Ben was deadset on curing the Flame Keepers and turning them all back to humans. But in the end to Gwen and Kevin's horror Ben finally considered doing Vilgax's bidding and wiping out everyone that threatened the universe. But before Ben could do Vilgax's will Julie flew to where they all were with Ship as her battle armor. To Vilgax's eternal rage she was the one to save Ben's soul and get him to do what he intended to all along and cure the Flame Keepers. When that was said and done the power of Diagon faded as the old god finally died to the conqueror of ten worlds' anger. To make matters worse Ascalon crumbed to dust, all the power in it being too much even for Gavan science to withhold.

"Julie, thank you for telling me what truly matters. I think for now I need to make things right by you and from now on you're looking at the new and improved Ben Tennyson. More thoughtful and kind than ever" But before Kevin could make a quip about Ben being even more girly than before Vilgax shot off a Ruby Ray at Julie. But Ben thought ahead and turned into Diamondhead to block the shot off."And I thought I was the sore loser here. Just admit you lost and we'll call it even, OK?" Vilgax snarled at his innocent question and tried to cleave Diamondhead in half. But his sword only hit the ground below them as Ben turned into XLR8 to speed Julie away from his hopefully last battle with Vligax. As Ben rapid punched the ruler to little or no effect Vilgax grabbed his tail and slammed him down brutally around five or seven times. Ben changed form to Swampfire and burned Vilgax's face with his fire attacks, rolling away before Vilgax could regain his bearings. "I don't think it's hero time right now. It's time to go Ultimate!"as he clicked the dial to the Ultimate form setting.

"ULTIMATE SWAMPFIRE!"

Hitting Vilgax with a blue tornado as he also blasted him with blue balls of fire Ultimate Swampfire thought that would be the last he saw of Vilgax. But to his horror he saw that he protected himself with that lousy shield of his. Switching to Ultimate Cannonbolt he sped to where Vilgax was and rammed his head-on, breaking his shield in the process. As Vilgax tried to keep U. Cannonbolt away from him with his claws now smoking from his attempts he then was able to kicked the evolved alien away from him. Ben however didn't want to give up just yet. Powering down and switching to Chamalien he stabbed Vilgax in the face with his stinger then cloaked himself and ran around the ruins of the Mount Rushmore base, Vilgax cursing the fact that he knew not where Ben was. Vilgax gave up on finding the boy and bashed the heads of Gwen and Kevin together, knocking them out to the utter shock of Julie and Ben. To this day Ben still has nightmares about what transpired next.

Vilgax impaled Julie with his sword and threw her limp form over to where the viewing window was. As Chamalien ran over to where she laid, her face looking as pale as death he then turned to where Vilgax was gloating as his face grew hot from his understandable anger."Look at it this way Ben. Julie just isn't all that popular with some of your fans. I did you a favor here this day" he evilly told him with a sick smile on his face. Ben had just about heard enough of his madness. Morphing to Rath, his body shaking with rage he then activated the Ultimate setting. Soon his body was covered with white fur as his hand now had two talons jutting out of them with his mouth now having two saberteeth in there as well. He was much larger than before and his fingers and toes had sharp claws at the ends of them.

"ULTIMATE RATH!" he thundered, the air around them vibrating from the sheer volume of his voice. Vilgax however wasn't worried at all. but that soon ended when U. Rath stuck him in the eyes with his larger talons. As Vilgax fell back in pain he was stunned that Ben would go this far for the human girl. But U. Rath was beyond the ability to speak as he charged at the ruler, Vilgax doing the same as his eyes have finished healing. Soon the air was quaking from their blows as the both of them were not gaining any ground but they were too angry to even care at this point.

It was early in the morning as both combatants were still going at it, giving no care to the new day as it greeted them all with the promise of something better. "LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN VILGAX! YOU CAN HURT ME, YOU CAN HURT MY FEELINS IF I HAD ANY BUT IF YOU MESS WITH MY GIRLFREIND THEN YOU'RE GONNA DIE! PAINFULLY!" Vilgax was pleased that Ben had finally given in to utter rage and was about to give him the battle to the death he wanted even since Ben was a young boy. But nothing lasts forever as at along last Vilgax grabbed the Ultimatrix from Ultimate Rath's chest and tore it clean off, blood stepping from the fresh wound as Ben slammed both hands on Vilgax's head, knocking him unconscious. "Guess I'm the winner at long last Vilgax! That's what ya get for messin with Rath's lady, ya dumb mook!" as he changed back to being plain Jane Ben and falling down, a sad smile on his face as he slumbered. Sure he won but at what cost to Julie? As the Ultimatrix laid forgotten Gwen and Kevin tried to give Ben and Julie medical aid but so far nothing wanted to work for them. But soon Azmuth showed up and then things would change forever.

NOW

While everyone was gripped by Ben's tale he had to stop for a bathroom break. When he got back he would finish his tale and then they would all know why he was the way he is now.

Let me know about how this story's going in the review section and be here for the exciting conclusion to Ben's shocking tale as well as how Vilgax was able to control the darker side of the Gemini Switch!