Chapter 5: Enter Sublimino: Part 2

I Don't Own Ben 10 or Any of the Respective Characters, The Rights Belong to Man of Action Studios and Cartoon Network

Author's Note:

* Hello everyone and welcome to Chapter 5 of CWN Version II!

* So, this chapter here is a bit longer than the last one. I kind of struggled in spots to get this chapter written, but I ultimately ended up coming out with a chapter that I'm relatively happy with.

* Alright, with that out of the way, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Ben

Saturday, December 30th, 2017

Bellwood Center Mall

I was about to transform, however I felt my phone begin to vibrate from within my pocket. I sighed as I let the alien watch's top ring pop back down and reached into my pocket. I pulled out my phone to see that Gwen was calling me. I furrowed by brow in frustration.

Why does she have to be calling me now of all times?

I shut my eyes and began thinking back to a few days ago.

Gwen and Ken's parents had arrived to pick them up at around 11:00 in the morning on Christmas. Right before they headed out, Gwen turned to face me.

"Here you go." She said as she handed me a scrap of paper.

"What is this?" I asked with confusion as I took it.

"What does it look like, Doofus? It's my phone number! Text or call me if you ever want to hang out!"

For some reason, her face reddened a bit as she said that.

"Oh, um, okay. See you later, then."

She nodded.

"See you around." She said before turning away from me and heading out the door.

Later after she had left, I sent her a text.

Me: Hey, it's Ben.

She responded almost right away with:

Gwen: Cool! Thanks for letting me know!

And after that? Nothing. She hadn't texted or called me once, even though it was her idea to hang out or something. I came back to my senses and realized where I was again. Entranced people running all around me, smashing up storefronts and stealing stuff for what looked like a middle-aged psycho hypnotist. I decided to let it just go to my voicemail and slipped my phone back into my pocket.

She comes up with the idea of staying in contact and she doesn't try to call or text me until now? Grr, focus Ben, focus. Have to stop this Sublimino guy from robbing the mall. But I can't just pick any of my heavy hitting aliens. All of these people don't know what they're doing, they're still innocent. I have to move quickly, but I can't use too much force!

I made my decision as I dialed up the alien watch once more and selected a sleek, velociraptor-shaped silhouette. The only thing different about this alien is that he (or it) had wheels on the bottoms of his feet. I slammed down on the ring and within an instant, had transformed into my selected form. I called this form "XLR8", due to how incredibly fast he could move.

XLR8 will allow me to move quickly and strike with precision without doing too much damage.

I then took off toward the nearest group of entranced shoppers.

"You may be able to control every person in this mall, Sublimino," I muttered. "But what about a speeding velociraptor?"

As I moved, I came up with my game plan.

Hitting them head on isn't an option. I could seriously hurt them if I did that. But that gives me another idea... what about tripping them up with my tail? Sure, they still might receive minor scrapes and bruises, but they'd be much better off!

So, I began tripping up the entranced shoppers with my tail, hoping that it would be enough to stop them in their current state. Did it work? No, of course not! Why would anything that simple ever work? As soon as they were on they had gotten up from the ground, they went right back to trying to rob the storefront we were in front of. Unfortunately, it was about to get worse.

"You there!" I heard Sublimino speak over the mall's PA system. "Dinosaur guy! Stop and obey me!"

Dinosaur guy? No way did you just call me that!

"I command you, obey me!"

Sorry Charlie, I'm not budging!

After I didn't obey Sublimino's commands, I guess he got annoyed with the fact that he couldn't control me like he could the rest of the shoppers.

"Don't just stand there, my minions! Stop that thing!"

At this point, all of the shoppers within the immediate vicinity stopped robbing various storefronts. Instead, they began turning their attention to me as they started making their way closer.

Oh, great. Now I have to worry about defending myself as much as I have to worry about stopping them!

I zipped out of the way of one of the shoppers trying to grab me from behind, causing them to fall over onto their face. That didn't stop them, though. They got right back up and continued in their pursuit of me.

This isn't working. I can't just keep dodging, hoping that they tire themselves out. If I want them to stop, then I need to restrain them.

That gave me an idea and so, I zipped off to the nearest hardware store. I entered the place and stopped in the aisle in which they stocked their duct tape.

Man, I feel really bad resorting to thievery just so that I can stop them, I thought as I grabbed a roll of duct tape off of one of the shelves.

I then zipped out of the hardware store and back to where the mob I had been dealing with was. Once I got back, one of them immediately tried to grab me and as the person did, I zipped behind them and duct taped their hands behind their back. I then duct taped their legs together to restrict their movement even further. The person in question continued attempting to pursue me though, by using their legs to jump forwards.

They shouldn't be able to cause me any more trouble now. Once I handle the rest of the entranced shoppers, I can find Sublimino and put an end to this mess!

So, I zipped to the next shopper in my path and restrained them. And then I did the same to the next shopper. And to the one after that. I worked for the next five minutes or so, restraining shopper after shopper, until pretty much everyone in this part of the mall had been restrained. Now that left only Sublimino to handle. But that begged the question: where was Sublimino? I began looking around the mall.

He's not down here on the main floor, that's for sure. He has to be somewhere that he'd be able to broadcast himself to the entire mall. The security room!

I didn't know where the security room was, but with XLR8 it probably wouldn't take that long to find it. I knew I had to find a service corridor that only the staff were authorized to use. After a bit of zipping around the first floor of the mall, I eventually found a door that looked promising. I yanked the door open and was met with an even more promising hallway.

Bingo.

I zipped down the hallway, believing that I would find Sublimino in no time. I zipped past several storage rooms, employee bathrooms and break rooms that these service hallways were filled with. Eventually though, my patience was rewarded. The next thing I came across was a flight of stairs.

I have a feeling that I'm getting warmer!

I followed the stairs to the third floor of the mall and found myself in another series of hallways. I zipped my way down the hall and soon found myself outside a door that was marked with "Security Office". I tried the handle, but wouldn't you know it? It was locked. I zipped backwards and prepared to zip toward the door again, my goal being to burst right through it.

Alright, Sublimino! I have a good feeling that you're in there and I'm coming in!

I burst forward with the usual bit of speed and just as I had hoped, went right through the door, no doubt leaving a hole in it. Inside the room, there was everything that you would expect to see in a security office. A desk and chairs, several surveillance monitors and a computer. The only thing I didn't expect to find in there was a dwarf wearing a red ringleader coat standing in front of the monitors. He whirled around and I saw that he was wearing a white dress shirt with a black vest and red tie underneath that coat. Based on the face, I could tell that it was Sublimino.

"You! I will put you in a trance from which you'll never recover!"

I scoffed in response.

"Sure, you will. By the way, nice jacket! You get that from the Nutcracker?"

That remark seemed to anger Sublimino.

"Why, you... I'll teach you to speak to me like that!"

I bent my knees, getting ready to zip forward.

"Teach away."

I then zipped forward, catching Sublimino with a jab to the jaw using XLR8's foot. After that, he was on the ground and unresponsive. Knowing that he was now out, I picked him up and placed him in the desk chair, before duct taping him to it so that he wouldn't be able to move.

"Sorry Sublimino, maybe try robbing a gas station or something next time. A less high profile target may get you less attention."

But you wouldn't want that, now would you?

I looked around the room, looking for anything that I could use to control that clock contraption outside on the first floor. I didn't see any controls or any keyboard that hinted they would control that thing, but that's when I saw a pocket watch laying on the floor. I bent down and picked it up and began looking it over. I eventually saw a button and a speaker on the back of the pocket watch.

Maybe this is what Sublimino used to command the shoppers...

I pressed the button and spoke into the watch, hoping that my guess was correct.

"Everyone, wake up from your trance! You're all free!"

I then looked at the surveillance monitors and saw that the shoppers weren't necessarily trying to rob storefronts or track me down anymore. In fact, they appeared to be acting confused if anything. As if they had no idea where they were or why their arms and legs were taped up.

Good, it worked. The police can handle the rest now that it's over. It's probably best if I make myself scarce.

As I thought that, I found myself staring down at the pocket watch in my hands. I lowered my arm to my side, keeping the watch in hand.

This is totally evidence and I'm totally breaking the law by withholding it, but I don't know. I just kind of like the look of it. It would make a great trophy.

I looked at Sublimino, still unconscious and still taped to the desk chair. On the desk, I noticed a pad of sticky notes and a pen. I picked both of them up and began to write on one of the sticky notes. I then stuck a sticky note to Sublimino's forehead, with the words "Arrest Me!" written on it. I smiled in spite of myself.

That ought to do it.

I then decided to take my own advice, zipping out of the security office and out of the mall. By the time I had got outside, the alien watch had reverted me back to my human form. As I walked back to my car, I stuffed the watch I had taken from Sublimino into my pocket so that no one would see me with it. Once I reached my car, I got in and was about to put my key in the ignition, but then I remembered that Gwen tried calling me before the whole mall situation exploded.

I should probably call her back.

I took out my phone, turned on the screen and opened up my contact list. I selected her info and called her. I put the phone to my ear and after a few seconds, she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." I greeted her.

"Oh, hey. Why didn't you take my call earlier?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was busy with a thing."

"What were you busy with?"

I should have known that she'd ask that. I was busy stopping a psychotic hypnotist from unleashing an army of zombies against the working world.

"I was doing my homework."

I waited for her to answer, but she took a few seconds.

"Ben?"

"What?"

"Nobody gets homework during Christmas break, Doofus. What were you really doing?"

Figures that she would see right through my lie.

I sighed.

"I was playing video games." I replied in a lame tone.

She chuckled on the other end.

"You never change, do you?"

I didn't say anything in response to that. I eventually heard her clear her throat before speaking again.

"Anyway, I was calling because I had a question for you."

"Okay. What is it?"

"Were you ever going to ask me if I wanted to hang out?"

Her question left me dumbfounded.

"It was your idea. I was waiting for you to ask me."

"But I told you to text or call me if you ever wanted to hang out."

"But it was your idea."

"And I told—You know what? We'll never get anywhere if we keep arguing like this. Do you want to hang out or not?"

"Of course I do. I think it would be good to spend time with you."

"Great! When do you want hang out?"

"Um, we could hang out tomorrow."

"But we're meeting for a family function tomorrow! That wouldn't count!"

Really? You're going to be this strict about it?

"Alright, fine, fine. We'll figure something out when we see each other tomorrow."

"Okay. Well, I guess I'll let you go, then."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"See you tomorrow."

"Later."

"Bye."

After we hung up, I leaned back in my seat and let out a sigh.

Well, that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. I don't really know why I was nervous about calling her back.

I then started my car and got ready to head back home.

Sometime Later

The Tennyson House

I walked in through the front door and shut it behind me.

"Hi, honey." Mom greeted as I shut the door. "How was the mall?"

"Boring."

She looked back at me with a confused expression.

"Then why did you go?"

I shrugged.

"To get out of the house for a while, I guess."

She smiled in response to what I said.

"Well, I'm glad you got out for a while!"

I nodded.

"Me, too. I'll be in my room if you need me."

"Okay, hun."

I walked to my room and entered, shutting my door behind me. I pulled my winter jacket off and tossed it onto my bed. I pulled Sublimino's pocket watch out of my jacket pocket and went to store it in one of my desk drawers. As I paced around my room, I got to thinking about the events of today.

That was a close call at the mall. I almost didn't make it out of there before I reverted back to my human form. I have to find something to fall back on in terms of transportation. I can't use just the watch, because what if I need that to help out with a situation or fight crime? There has to be a better way to get around...

As I thought about that, a certain favorite fictional character of mine came to mind. I was about to sit down at my desk to start writing down some possible formulas that could help with my problem, when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

Oh, another thing from Gwen, maybe?

I pulled out my phone and saw that it wasn't Gwen who had texted me, but Julie rather.

I wonder what's up with her? Maybe asking if we're still on for our date tomorrow?

I unlocked my screen and opened my text messages. I tapped on her info and that's when I saw it. I just stood there, staring at my phone for what felt like minutes. I couldn't stop staring at it. Eventually, my grip on my phone loosened and it slipped from my hand, falling to the floor. I didn't bother to pick it up. Instead, I just collapsed backwards onto my bed.

Why, why, why? Who did I piss off in a past life to deserve this?

Author's Note:

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed.

* So, was there anything that stood out in this chapter? What are your guys' thoughts on the phone call between Ben and Gwen toward the end of the chapter? Speaking of Gwen, I just want to say that she wasn't originally supposed to appear (as a phone call) in this chapter. But the chapter was shaping up to be shorter than I would like and I thought that I should try to include Gwen in some way for each chapter, so I came up with something. Hope you guys liked it. What about Julie's message? Any theories on what happened?

* So, the last two chapters are obviously based off of the Season 3 episode, Midnight Madness from the original series. Um, I want to be honest here. I actually don't like Midnight Madness that much, nor do I really care for Sublimino. Sublimino seems to me like he is just as boring of a villain as he is a one off character. So, now that he's out of the way, don't expect to be seeing him again, I'll say that.

* I kind of think that Midnight Madness is a bit boring, but I don't think it's the most boring episode that OS has to offer. If you're interested in knowing what my least favorite episode of OS is, then go back to the first couple chapters and you'll see the name of the episode in question if you look hard enough. It also doesn't help that MM is a Season 3 episode and a decent chunk of Season 3's episodes are just kind of... weird, if you catch my drift.

* Is there anything I haven't mentioned that any of you would want to talk about? Please, let me know your thoughts about anything that strikes your fancy in a review if you want or a PM would be okay, too. Anyway, that's all I got. That's going to do it for me, so have a fantastic day and bye.

Review Responses

Adriandragonus (Chapter 4): "...mete advertisement for T.V. shows and movies.." huh? i kinda agree with Carl here. adaptations really spoils comics these days... and nice choice of villain. sublimino is such an underused villain,at least he's rarely used on ben 10 fics on this site. someone who's not into brute force like vilgax or kevin,but attacks your mind...

Thank you, Adrian. I wouldn't really say that adaptation spoil comics nowadays, what I was getting at is that sometimes it feels like these comics were made to mimic the movies. And I don't like that concept. The movies and comics should be separate entities. I especially don't like what's going on in The Amazing Spider-Man titles right now, in regards to what they've done with Mary Jane's character and her current... "relationship" with Peter.

If you know, you know. That's all I'll say about that. Um, sublimino is such an underused villain. Yeah, about that. I would assume you read the notes above, so you already know how I feel about Sublimino. Anyway, thanks for the review, as always.

Slayer 606 (Chapter 4): Nice to see your back, sucks that ff writers never give any updates and leave us on hold. Hell a number of times a good story or idea gets written and never gets done. The writer just quits and leaves. Love to see you'll try to be one a schedule, but try not to rush it. One thing though are you going to explore Ben's morality. Like heroism isn't black and white. People do become rash and have to make hard choices.

Like I might see Ben torture to save someone or become brutal or ruthless in his fighting. Not full anti hero and go full Punisher, but if I have to I'll do it. But I wouldn't see Ben become a villain of any sort. Like I wouldn't see him go killing his enemies with no remorse, manipulate or completely abuse the Omitrix. Last thing are we going to see that Ben become and use his Anodite abilities?

Both him and Gwen are part Anodite and Human. Am sure we are going to see Gwen use her magic at least. Finally is Kevin going to fight and use any of his powers that he developed in the series over the years? Keep up the work though.

Thank you, Slayer. I am trying my best to get this story out. I have no plans to abandon it and I hope to not take any long breaks again, but I can't promise anything. There is no schedule, it's really just me trying my damnedest to stick to something somewhat consistent instead of posts being months apart. About Ben's morality, I'm not sure it'll be as explored as you'd hope. I'm taking (what I feel) is a very different approach to his heroism.

What I will say, however, is that there will be two or possibly three moments where Ben will quit pulling his punches with his villains. Though, when these happen, they will be for justifiable reasons. Yes, Ben and Gwen are both half human, half Anodite. However, no to Ben using his abilities, but yes to Gwen using hers. I won't elaborate further on that, you'll just have to see.

As for your last question: There will be an entire dedicated Kevin 11 story arc, though I will be sticking to his abilities from OS only. I'm doing something different with Kevin's character that I've never done before in any of my other stories, so I hope that you guys end up liking it. Thanks for the review, as always.

jasongd (Chapter 4): And another great chapter congrats I'll be waiting for next chapter Regarding your questions:

1.

- Rather nothing special caught my attention or at least for me

- This chapter length is OK it can be a little longer but please don't write anything over 7k words it is better to split the longer chapters into two parts. I once read a story that was over 60k one chapter uuuuuggggghhh great story but way too long

- For me. your style is quite alright If you don't want to present Sublimino in one chapter only in two then do it in two

2.

- So far everything is fine Great chapters and great story Keep it up BWEN FOREVER

Thank you, Jason. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. So, about your request on chapter length. I apologize, but there is just no guarantees on that. I understand that 7k words is ideal for you, but I like writing/reading longer chapters. And there will just be chapters that I can't split in half due to the plot material and I know that cliffhangers can be really frustrating when something important or interesting is happening.

At the very least, I can definitely promise that you won't be getting a chapter from me that's 60k or over. I will say that the most words I may write in a chapter is 20k. However, that is just an estimate. As I haven't written what I believe to be this story's longest chapters yet, I can't say yet what the true longest chapter length will be. I hope you can understand. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben mopes his way through the New Year's Eve festivities. Gwen tries to get Ben to tell her what's wrong and when she doesn't get a concrete answer, she does her best to help him feel better.