Full Disclaimer:
I'm not exactly a devout Ben 10 fan, I liked the original as a kid, watched Ben 10 Alien Force and loved season 1 and 2, meh on UAF and didn't watch Omniverse or any of the reboots. I only know that Ben 10 lore gets wack as the series progresses, time traveling is involved, interdimensional stuff goes hard and many, many crazy stuff happens.
But I'm still going to write this anyway because the stupid idea in my head won't go away. So consider this an AU of sorts, because things are going to get wild and wack.
He glanced at the pristine lake that glistened in the light of the afternoon sun. Surrounding the large lake was a field of lush grass and children running around in joy and glee. His lips curled upwards at sight of their carefree behavior, how nice to be wild and unchained by responsibilities and duties. Yet before his envy could further manifest itself, the graceful mercy that is the school bell finally gave the young Tennyson some much needed relief.
The rapturous shouts from his classmates were followed by a long, tired sighed from the classroom teacher. She placed down her teaching materials and raised her voice to assert her authority and restore some semblance of order among the rowdy crowd.
"Wait! I know the long weekend is here but before I let you kids go off-" Her eyes glanced towards the side at that moment and smiled at the very person she was referring to, perfect! She is here on time, just what the teacher expected from her native culture. The esteemed educator clapped her hands, instantly earning the attention of the class and pacifying their incessant chatter.
"I would like to introduce a new transfer student to the class, please treat Miss Yamamoto well and show her the Bellwood hospitality okay?" At that moment, the Japanese native entered the class. The absolute silence, the disbelief and surprise, all of it gradually become murmurs and whispers among the students. Undeniably, she was cute. Short black hair, warm brown eyes and a comfy pink hoodie to go along with it. She bowed courteously to everyone in class with her hands in front of her white pleated skirt. Naturally, the sight of a cute girl was enough to stammer and enchant most of the boys, which includes Ben Tennyson.
"Hello everyone, my name is Julie Yamamoto. Please treat me well. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu." The pleasant and soft voice from the Japanese native was oddly soothing, a nice sounding voice that was both courteous and polite. Ben sighed inwardly and continued to stare at the window outside, though a new classmate is by far the most interesting that happened today, his body yearned for the freedom that is the long weekend. As his cheek leaned against his hand, the drowned out voice of his teacher speaking to the class went over Ben's ears.
"Ben Tennyson! Good grief! Is it that hard to pay attention in class?" The young Tennyson sighed inwardly and faced the teacher, only to find Julie slowly walking towards his general direction. Panic set in for the moment as footfalls became louder. The empty desk next to him remained unoccupied for weeks due to everyone having a deskmate, and it didn't take a genius to realize what was about to happen.
"Hello! May I sit here?" Sheer unadulterated fear struck Ben's heart, tongue tied and in disbelief of the situation he found himself in, he mustered a nod and watched Julie beamed a smile at him before sitting down next to him. With the new student seated and acquainted, it was time to dismiss the class.
"Alright class is dismissed, don't forget to finish your homework-" The sight of students stuffing their stationeries and book into their bags brought out a sigh from the teacher. For Ben, he hastily joined his classmate and shove all of his learning materials into his bag. But just as he was about to book it and head home to play video games, the curious stare from the Japanese student froze him momentarily. Her warm brown eyes stared at his emerald one's, before they softened into a more mellow look.
"Aren't you going to show me around Bellwood?" He bit his tongue lightly, he didn't recall agreeing to such terms but the mere side eye from his homeroom teacher had told him everything. He was supposed to be her guide now isn't he? The young man sighed but nodded nevertheless, the last thing he wanted was to be responsible for his new deskmate's misfortune if anything happens to her. The unoccupied desk next to him was considered a sign of curse by many of his classmates, and Ben himself had always wondered if there was any merit in those rumors.
"Sure." Pleased with the results, the teacher watched the two students walk off the now empty hallways of the school and smiled at Ben's attempt to get to know Julie. The pair of deskmates descended down the stairs, passing by the crowd of students who joked, chatted and gossip with one another. As they exited the school entrance, the busy streets of Madison school were filled with parents picking up their kids, yet thankfully police officers were controlling the flow of traffic.
"So you're from Japan?" Julie smiled at Ben's inquisitive tone, she presumed her name and asian heritage was a dead giveaway.
"Mhmm I'm actually born in America but my dad is from Tokyo." The image of a sprawling metropolitan city with towering skyscrapers and crowded streets filled Ben's mind. Like many boys, Japan is this mythical place where futuristic technology blends with traditional culture. Almost all of Ben's favourite video games and manga all originate from Japan, so to say he was a little curious and stoked that a half Japanese girl was his deskmate would be an understatement. Of course, he would never verbally admit that.
"Then what made him come to Bellwood?"
"My father moved to America for work and met my mom. We moved around from San Francisco and Denver before settling down here." It became apparent to Ben that the lack of accent and her fluency in the English confirmed her statement, making Julie an Asian American.
"So you get to move around all the time, that's neat." They crossed over the street and walked below the shaded walkways. They were a few important landmarks that Julie should familiarize herself with, just in case an emergency happens, parks, hospitals, police precinct and grocery stores.
"Yeah but it's hard sometimes, saying goodbye to friends and having to start all over again." The sentimental tone and the tint of sadness in her voice made Ben sighed inwardly. He wished he knew what to say to her but cheering people up is probably his second worst skillset, the first one is table manners. As they slowly walked towards the public park in town centre, Julie found her lips curled upwards at the sight of families and couples spending time with one another. The occasional dogs chasing after the flying frisbee and the attention seeking cats pawing for their owners really made her day.
"Bellwood is nice." It's calm and peaceful, unlike the big cities where rubbish and cars are everywhere, here everything seemed more peaceful and serene.
"Mom always said that Bellwood is the perfect place to raise a family, safe and boring. Over there is the park, if you want to have a picnic you can go wild like those people there. Over there is-"
"The residential district where all of the cafes and restaurants are located." Ben slowly glanced at Julie who shot him a cheeky smile. He lowered his gaze into a more deadpanned one, what's the point of him showing her around when she is already well acquainted with everything?
"Right… are you sure you need me to show you around?" The young lady placed her hands behind her back and nodded in response to his question. Though she was familiar with the local surroundings, it helps to have an escort or guide to show her around. Besides, having a friend on her first day helps with getting used to her new environment.
"It helps." The former Omnixtrix chosen softened his features, Julie is remarkably friendly and warm, he would do well not to squander his chance of friendship with her unless he wants his life to be devoid of genuine friends. They walked over the rows of shops and cafes, narrowly squeezing past the dozens of customers queuing outside and the pedestrian enjoying an afternoon stroll.
"So what do you do in your spare time?" Julie beamed at the mention of her favourite activity.
"I play tennis! It's my favourite sport." Ben glanced at Julie's figure and he could tell despite her lean and slender body, she is toned and a little muscular. The young lady noticed Ben's flushed cheeks and his wandering eyes before they irises met, earning a red face and a quick stammer from Tennyson.
"C-Cool, I'm more of a soccer guy myself." The transfer student chuckled at his flustered expression and placed her arms behind her back, she was definitely curious about Ben's life.
"What about you? Other than soccer, what else do you do?" The temptation to boast about his hero exploits and saving the world was there, but rationality prevailed and Ben chose the safer and saner options rather than looking like a lunatic to a new student.
"I spend my free time playing video games." Julie wasn't surprised by the answer, boys in her old schools were all gamers and cartoon enthusiasts.
"What kind of video games?" He smiled at the mention of his favorite gaming title and grinned, he could nerd out about Sumo Slammers at any time.
"Mainly Sumo Slammers, some Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry-" At that moment, Julie stopped and walked towards Ben with a bright smile on her face. The sparkle in her eyes and the look of admiration made Ben double take at the sudden shift of her mood.
"Really? I love Sumo Slammers too, and Final Fantasy! Are you into JRPGs Ben?" He bit his tongue lightly at the direct question, he has been very careful of not revealing his love for anime culture or Japanese oriented video games to other people. God forbid people found out his love for manga and anime, his reputation in school would lie in tatters.
"Yeah, I like playing video games and just being the hero of a story." The nonchalant and defensive response was well observed by Julie, she bumped his shoulder with her own and spoke in a more softer tone.
"Hey there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone wants to become a hero at some point right?" Encouraged by the supportive response, Ben loosened a little and nodded. Many of his classmates were way too judgemental, peer pressure and the urge to fit in sucks. But Julie is really nice, not too pushy yet perceptive enough to make him feel comfortable.
"You like video games? I don't know many girls who like video games." Then again Ben doesn't know that many girls at all, so who can say?
"Mhmm! I practically grew up with them. You can say they keep me company when my parents are out working." The honest confession from her was really surprising to Ben. Julie is really the type to speak out her mind, a rare characteristic among the sea of dweebs. Also a tomboy too, who doesn't mind geeking out on video games, Ben considered himself lucky to find a friend with so much common interest.
"I get you, it feels so good to enjoy something you like without anyone judging you for it-" He trailed off slowly at the end when he noticed Julie suddenly stopped and stared at a cafe. The pleasant smell of grinded coffee beans and freshly baked bread permeated the streets of Bellwood. Seeing Ben's perplexed expression, Julie broke her stupor and placed two hands together, smiling sheepishly in the process.
"Sorry, but I really love this cafe, it's really popular in Japan." Komeda coffee, a nationwide coffee chain that had powered a nation. From overworked office workers to caffeine addicted fellows, Julie found much comfort and familiarity to see the coffee chain operating here in America. Though she often visits Tokyo during the holidays, escaping to the countryside and gazing upon the awe-inspiring misty mountains and cycling along the large stretches of paddy fields during the evening remained as her most treasured memory. Her grandparents would often create the yummiest of dishes like tonkatsu and sukiyaki for her when she returns home from exploring the countryside. It just invoked a warm and fluffy feeling of being at home.
"Do you want to go in and have a drink?" Ben asked cautiously, hoping that she wouldn't mistake this as his attempt to try to date her. Julie turned to him with a hint of sparkles in her eyes, seemingly interested and excited at that idea. She enthusiastically nodded but quickly regained her composure once she realized how excited and childish she looked.
"Sure!" With Julie leading the charge, the young Tennyson found himself stepping in the café with the doorbell going off. They quickly found themselves escorted to a table near the window by a dapper waiter. The atmosphere of the café was cozy, warm and had an authentic vintage feel to it. Naturally, being a 11 year old with a limited allowance made Ben conscious of how much money he would have to spend but if it makes Julie happy, then he is more than willing to do it.
Julie was quick to order her favourite mocha drink while Ben was struggling reading through the text heavy menu that explained each item with such meticulous detail. For Ben, a cup of coffee is a cup of coffee, spare him the flavour text and tell him what it's made of.
"I'll have the mocha too." The waiter nodded, quickly taking away the menu from the duo and leaving the two in their own world. Julie gingerly stretched her limbs and eyed Ben who sat across her in an awkward manner, almost as if he never had a decent conversation with a girl before. She leaned her cheek against her hands and stared at Ben, eyeing the young brunette who was uncharacteristically quiet.
"Tell me more about yourself Ben." The barrier of awkwardness gradually broke down as Ben talked more about himself, omitting the notable events during Summer break, he chatted more about his upbringing, his hobbies and passions. Certainly, it was weird to discuss his likes and dislikes with a fellow classmate, but it was a nice change of pace, liberating even. It was clear to Ben that he didn't need to pretend to be cool or be a different person when making friends, talking to Julie so openly gave the feeling of hanging out with Gwen.
Just with much less bickering and arguing.
As their coffee arrived and Julie slowly drank from the cup, the bitter taste of the mocha and the scalding tongue drew a different response from Ben Tennyson. She giggled over Ben's expression and misfortune, the way he fanned his tongue and reached for the nearby glass of water to gulp the entire beverage was amusing in itself.
"Slow down Ben, we're not in a rush." He quickly wiped his mouth with a tissue and darted his eyes around to see if anyone other than Julie caught his blunder, fortunately for him, the only person who saw his foolishness was Miss Yamamoto.
"I don't think I like coffee." The murmurs of embarrassment drew laughter from Julie.
"You could have said so, I won't have pressured you to drink something you wouldn't want, Ben." He sighed but nodded nevertheless. Great, now Julie thinks he is an idiot because he wanted to look cool in front of her. Yet his blunder did little to ruin the vibe and conversation between them, in fact Julie was quite the chatty person than Ben initially thought.
"I do think MMORPGs are hard to get into, it takes a lot of time just to get invested in them." The lament from her was replied with an understanding nod from Ben. High fees, cluttered UI and storylines that stretched across different expansions, how do you even keep up with it? The microtransactions too, why are games starting to charge for content that should have been released in the base game?
"And the monthly subscription is suuuuper expensive." The sound of the evening crowd entering the cafe made the two realize how much time they spent talking with one another. The duo promptly paid their bill and exited into the orange hue skies of Bellwood. The brush of twilight painted over the horizon was reflected onto their irises. With nightfall quickly closing in, Ben decided it was his gentleman duty to escort Julie home despite the fact he is a 11 year old child too.
The numerous street lights slowly illuminated and the dark storm clouds gathering above hastened their footsteps. Ben, perhaps realizing that he is finally walking a girl home that isn't his cousin, was admittedly a little nervous throughout the journey. It was a brief stroll around the neighbourhood until they finally reached Julie's home, not far from the school they were attending.
"This is my house." The spacious single storey house made Ben nod slowly. It was clear that Julie came from a well-off family, not the super rich type, but enough to afford all of her needs or wants should she ask for it. Yet for Ben, he was more alarmed of the close proximity of the house to their school.
"You live this close to school?" The livid tone made Julie chuckle.
"Mhmm! Makes commuting so much easier."
"Man, I don't think I could ever stay close to school." The raven haired child waved him off and entered the porch of the house with her house keys dangling off her palm.
"Its not that bad, you don't have to wake up early." Ben immediately rallied to the idea that staying close to school is the most awesome thing in the world and that waking up bright and early sucks.
"Okay that does sound awesome." The sound of the front door unlocked drew their attention. An elderly Japanese man stood strong and tall, towering over the two children with a stoic and gruff expression. He eyed his only daughter and grunted that she came back home safe, with a boy no less.
"You're late." The strict tone made Julie nod in apology. They recently arrived in Bellwood with no family or family around to help them, it made perfect sense he would be worried over her safety in a foreign state.
"Father, this is Ben, a friend of mine. I'm sorry for not informing you but-"
"That's fine, as long as you're safe." With cold steel eyes finally set on him, Ben felt a chill down his spine and an unyielding pressure brewing within his heart. Not even when he fought Vilgax, Malware or any of his villains that Ben felt such primordial fear of a protective father. He slowly walked forward to the porch and placed both hands on his side.
"Hello, my name is Ben Tennyson." Mr Yamamoto observed Ben for the briefest moment, features, postures and composure, the older gentleman gave a nod and softened to a small smile when he switched between his daughter and the boy that accompanied her home.
"Thank you for looking after my daughter." Ben's eyes glanced towards the side and saw Julie's lips curled up.
"S-Sure." Seemingly earning the approval of friendship from her father, the Yamamotos walked into the house with the young lady waving to Ben with her head poked out.
"Bye Ben! I see you on Monday okay?" The young Tennyson nodded and waved goodbye, a cheery smile plastered on his face.
"You too Julie, see you." As the door closed shut and their farewell was made, Ben loosened out a sigh and made the long walk home. What a torrent of events that happened today, a cute transfer student would be his deskmate and he is arguably her first she made in Bellwood. Perhaps the universe had finally decided to reward his decision of living a normal life. His green eyes rested on the branches of lightning that stretched across the skyline, and at the moment, stars were aligned and he had only one thought, and one thought in mind.
'That girl is way too nice for me.'
The Tennyson car pulled to the front porch. After a short drive from their home, Carl managed to reach his brother's house. The father of one let out a stretch and unbuckled his seat. It's been quite some time since they visited his brother's side of his family, though their wives never seemed to see eye to eye on certain issues and parenting styles, they share a warm relationship nevertheless. He turned behind the backseat and smiled at his only son holding onto the casserole container like his life depends on it.
"Excited to see your cousin?" The teasing smiles on their parents' faces quickly made Ben shake his head defensively.
"No way." Sandra grinned but decided to keep mum nevertheless. The two have grown quite close after summer break with Ben showing a noticeable sign of maturity and understanding at home and at school. If his recent grades were anything to go by, he had shown remarkable progress in his studies. Mother intuition told her that Ben had made a new friend in school, but she would allow him to be the one to introduce her to them.
Quick on his feet, Ben walked up the front door of his cousin's house and knocked on the maple door. He waited for a few moments before the door was wide open. His uncle appeared and smiled at his nephew who had grown taller than he last saw him.
"Hey Ben, you've grown up sport! Let me help you with that." Handing over the casserole, Ben took off his shoes and placed it on the shoe rack before entering the Tennyson household.
"It's good to see you too Uncle Frank." His uncle chuckled and waved to his brother and his sister-in-law. Natalie and him have been spending all afternoon preparing a lavish dinner for the Tennysons. Their father Max would be joining them too, but the adults decided to keep that news from their children, they would be ecstatic to see him after all.
"Gwen is expecting you, she's in her room, don't keep her waiting yeah?" The dweeb is expecting him? Ben bit his tongue lightly, it became apparent to their parents that they noticed their newfound closeness, enough to make a comment on them even.
"Uh sure." Still, he assumed a more nonchalant persona and entered the household. As expected, the clean and well decorated interior of Gwen's house was something he expected from the prim and proper side of the family. He waved to his aunt Natalie who was in the kitchen to which she reciprocated with a smile as she was busy preparing her garlic sauteed mushrooms. His eyes finally set on the wooden stairs and felt his heart beat faster out of anxiety, what does he even say to her after so long? They scarcely hangout with one another after Summer Break given different time schedules.
'Gosh, how long has it been since we last saw each other?' He sighed inwardly and walked up the stairs, finally standing before his cousin's room. He knocked the door with his knuckles, raising his voice just slightly to inform her that he is here.
"Dweeb?" The sound of the bed creaking, footfalls stomping and closet opening made Ben chuckle to himself, nice to know that she could be as tardy as him too.
"I'm here doofus, give me a minute." With the door swung open, Ben resisted the urge to smile when Gwen smirked at him. On closer inspection, She decided to grow her hair longer until it reached shoulder length. She also wore a white tank top revealing her creamy and smooth skin and a pair of dark blue jeans that clung to her legs. Ben won't admit it to her, but she was looking good, pretty even. She put a significant amount of attention into how she looked and dressed while Ben is still, Ben.
"Couldn't bother to greet me at the door huh." She rolled her eyes at the obvious attempt at rolling her up and opened the door wider, allowing her doofus of a cousin to enter her room.
"I'm letting you enter my room, consider that an honor and privilege." Gwen crossed her arms and watched him plop down on her studying chair, as expected he spun around the chair and stopped once he began feeling dizzy. She eyed his bare wrists and found it strangely comforting that he was still plain old Ben despite the watch's absence.
"Thank you, your highness." With the door closed shut, she sat down on her bed and leaned against the wall next to her bed. There were many questions that rapidly ran to her mind, but she would reserve those for later. For now, something simple and easy to start the conversation should do the trick.
"So what have you been up to?" The instantaneous image of Julie hanging out with him filled Ben's mind. From Julie teaching him how to play Tennis, cycling together, hanging out at cafes and doing homework at her place, the past few weeks of fun and good times all had Julie in them in some shape or form.
"Nothing much." The astute redhead raised her eyebrows, Ben is still a terrible liar. The twitching of his left eye and the slight tint of redness on his cheeks told her enough that he probably was thinking of someone he fancies. Still, she played along with his shenanigans.
"Nice to see that your life is as exciting as ever." Ben waved off the sarcasm and placed the chair directly in front of her bed, dangling both hands off the backrest.
"Oh yeah? What have you been doing? Reading books all day?" Gwen scoffed and placed a hand on her chest, a smug smile that showed off her accolades and achievements.
"Been taking karate classes, I already mastered jujutsu. Mom is planning to enroll me in more co-curriculum classes, helps with networking and building up social circles." The overachiever of a cousin made Ben blinked twice. How she managed to cramp all those activities in her already busy schedule boggles his mind. In fact, it was her impressive academic prowess and awards that made him feel uneasy over his own lackluster achievements. Still, Ben is proud of her and accepted as gifted as Gwen is, talent without hardwork would not bear results.
"How do you- you what, never mind." She grinned and placed one leg over the other. Is this jealousy she's hearing here? She pulled her pillow to her arms and held it tight, resting her chin on top of it.
"Seriously Ben, what have you been up to? We haven't talked to each other for months now. Don't tell me you've been sitting home playing video games all day." She seemed awfully curious about his life after the watch, which made sense after all. The high octane action during summer break had numbed them to the mundane daily life of a regular human, if Ben doesn't have a creative or safe outlet, it might lead him to do stupid things to fill that boredom. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, and a little boredom can be a dangerous thing.
"I've met a new friend in school." The smile of pride plastered on Ben's face was supplemented with Gwen raising her eyebrow. Though not necessarily a loner, Ben doesn't have many friends to speak off. From what she heard, boys only need a few close friends and they are set for life so she hopes something comes out from it.
"Okay now that's shocking." The brunette placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, relishing the cool air conditioned room.
"Cut it, dweeb. Her name is Julie, she's nice." A girl no less? Now Gwen was definitely intrigued.
"Julie huh, got yourself a girlfriend?" Ben shot up and shook his head, why is everyone assuming their relationship! Can't a guy and girl have a perfectly platonic relationship that has no romantic subtext or tensions? Julie and him are just friends, nothing more but nothing less!
"N-No, we're just friends. We hangout a lot, she's really supportive." The soft and endearing tone from Ben genuinely surprised her. She softened her expression and realized that Julie is probably the first good friend Ben has in his life and had left a positive impact on him. As much she likes to tease him, she also felt happy that he met someone who is so supportive of him.
"I would like to meet her, I don't think I heard you compliment anyone so glowingly before." Ben grinned and gave a thumbs up, Julie and her would honestly be good friends. Level headed, smart and athletic, the two are honestly quite similar.
"You'll like her, she's awesome." Satisfied with his answer, Gwen went over her drawer and pulled out a familiar looking book. The various charms and trinkets neatly tucked in the compartment sparked Ben's interest given their last escapades in summer. She held the grimoire in her hands and showed it off to Ben.
"You still have the spellbook?" She managed a nod and flipped the pages of the book, using telekinesis and mantras. Ben watched in awe as her cousin's eyes started to glow a pink rather than the usual blue he associates magic with. What is the purpose of her showing off her magic is unknown but none can deny the cool factor behind it.
"Your eyes are glowing pink, weren't they blue before?" His cousin's mastery of magic and sorcery would still be something he is amazed by. To conjure incantations and spell with a sleight of hand or glowing eyes allowed so much versatility in combat and daily lives. Though he was stripped of his powers, Gwen's innate abilities manifested through rigid hardwork and talent.
"Recently I've noticed when I'm chatting spells, my aura would be blue. But when it comes to energy projection, telepathy and telekinesis, it becomes pink." Ben crossed his arms, ignoring the levitating cousin floating above her bed and the myriad of books surrounding her in a clockwise fashion. Her heightened focus state really allows her to manifest her powers to new heights, clearly she is actively practicing her witchcraft.
"How does that work?" Gwen shrugged, but the clear visual separation of her spells would be informative to her. The spells she acquired from charmcaster's spellbook were all mantras, requiring her to cite specific words to invoke its effect; these spells would have a blue glow. The fuchsia coloured spells are all instantaneous energies she conjures through mental fortitude and quick thinking, materializing the effect in a flash. In a way, she has a choice between instant effects that are not as powerful or reciting long invocation for devastating spells. This flexibility works just fine for Gwen.
"I don't know either, but it's cool." The young brunette sighed and leaned against his hand. Their lives may be peaceful but the hero complex within Ben still lingers on, hoping that one day he would bust out from retirement. He twirled the pens and pencils on the desk, nimbly spinning them between his dexterous fingers.
"Good for you." Gwen ceased her chanting and returned to her normal state. Her books were neatly placed on the shelf with her prized grimoire back into the drawer. The redhead swung her legs over and supported her weight by placing her hands on the bed.
"You know, I can teach you Ben." The former shapeshifter blinked at her suggestion and placed the pen down. He sat upright and found it amusing Gwen is willing to teach the one thing he had difficulty grasping.
"Magic?" She managed a nod. They have been down this road before, but back then Ben had the Omnitrix and was confident that the watch would not fail him in situations most dire. Now with no watch to his name, Ben is just a regular human and could no longer rely on the alien tech that made him borderline unstoppable should he call for it. The sheer flexibility and versatility of powers the Omnixtrix has allowed Ben to have a counter or solution to any problem they face, at least in theory. Most of the time, Ben would choose brute strength over practical solutions, a man of action all things considered.
"Nah, that's more of your thing, besides learning magic and spells needs reading, and you know how I feel about that." She sighed and shook her head. He does have a tendency to give up on things quite easily unless a competition with her is involved. Conceding on his point, magic is not for the illiterate or reluctant reader. Even so, he must try.
"It's a little difficult to grasp but once you get a hang of it, it's fun." The former watch wielder slumped to the chair, gazing upon the ceiling as he slowly spun it around. Unlike her, he had no passion in learning cool magics or using tomes. In fact he seemed a little quiet, more calm and mature than their previous travels together. It really made Gwen question if removing the watch from him had truly changed her cousin. She bit her lower lip, hesitated for a moment.
"Do you miss those days Ben? Going hero and having the Omnitrix on your wrist?" The whiplash of a question earned Ben's attention. He clicked his tongue lightly, wrapping his head around such a direct question. Of course he missed having the watch, it made him a hero, it made him feel special. Everyday is exciting and knowing that he can turn into different aliens and beat up the bad guys was the highlight of his otherwise lackluster life. But despite the power, pride and prestige the device had brought to him, the Omnitrix had essentially outlived its purpose after Summer break and he is thrust back to his mundane daily life of a school student again. The risk of drawing unnecessary attention to their family who knew nothing of alien life became quickly apparent and the lack of alien threats that intend to end the world was basically non-existent. There was scarcely an occasion that required its use and Azmuth was more than willing to take it off for him when he requested it.
"Life has been different ever since I took the Omnitrix off but I'm glad I did. It's- peaceful." Mellow and sentimental, Ben stared at the picture of him and Gwen on her study desk. It's honestly surprising that she even has a picture of him on her table, a detail that left Gwen's cheek flushed when Ben took the photo frame with his hand.
"I'm glad you feel that way Ben." The unexpected voice of their grandfather spooked the both of them. They turned towards the door and found themselves running into the arms of Max Tennyson with gleeful smiles.
"Grandpa!" The esteemed plumber laughed and hugged his grandchildren close to him. It's been a while since he last saw them and to see them getting along and not bickering with one another was reassuring. Summer break really did forge a closer bond between the two cousins, just like what he had hoped.
"You should have told us you were coming!" The voice of unison between them drew chuckles from him. He placed a hand on their hair, ruffling them softly to show his appreciation.
"Good to see you too kiddos. Your parents wanted to surprise you two. Come on, dinner is ready!" Hands linked together, Max led the grandchildren down the dinner table with the rest of the family already sitting down. The lavish feast of casserole, pasta and chicken potato roast with parsley and thyme quickly rumbled Ben's stomach. The plate of sauteed garlic mushrooms prepared by her mother was noticeably pushed to the side by Gwen, presumably because of past experience with the fungus aliens.
The dinner continued with salad, pasta and casserole filling their plates. Ben was quick to gobble the delicious food down while Grandpa Max did most of the talking, mainly about what he did during the past few months and reuniting with old friends and acquaintances.
"That reminds me! I need some help in setting an event for the folks at the Senior Village. Are any of you all free?" All eyes were placed on the two children, the pair of cousins glanced amongst one another and slowly realized their parents were expecting them to fill in their stead. Gwen spoke slowly and poked the lean chicken meat with her fork.
"When is it grandpa?"
"Next Saturday, it's a surprise party for one of the residents there. A good friend of mine asked for a favour from me, so I'm here asking for yours." The hopeful tone from Max was met with two sighs from the young Tennysons. They really don't have the heart to tell him that they didn't want to spend their entire day with a bunch of old people.
"Oh I would love to grandpa, but I won't be available since I have club activities, Ben would be free right?" Ben slowly turned to Gwen and glared daggers at a smirking Gwen, of course she would throw him under the bus. Worse still, he and Julie had plans that Saturday too but to reveal it and use it as an excuse to dodge his grandpa's request is just uncalled for. But there were stakes on the line and Ben would rather let the whole world know about his plans with Julie than cancel it outright out of pride.
"Umm, I'm meeting Julie that day." The table went silent, with Ben's parents noticeably grinning ear to ear at some juicy news. Max was tad confused over who Julie is but the bashful expression and the red cheeks from his grandson told him enough of the significance and importance of this Julie. Still, Max loves to play the fool to get more information out of people.
"Julie? Who's Julie?" Panic overwhelmed Ben for a moment, he twirled around his pasta out of pure fidgeting and flailed his legs out of instinct.
"A friend." The quick retort was met with smirks plastered across the table. The young Tennyson cringed at the situation and slowly sunk to his chair until his eyes reached the level of his plate, he never thought he wished for death until this very moment.
"It will be quick Ben, when are you meeting Julie?" Ben slowly sat upright after Gwen pulled his shoulders up out of formal table manners. The livid Tennyson cleared his throat and assumed a more calm facade after realizing that his family was just happy that he made a new friend and was just teasing him about it.
"2 PM." Max couldn't help himself, this was a golden opportunity.
"Doing what?" Ben murmured and found his plate of food to be the most interesting sight in the world. The plan was to finish their homework, play Sumo Slammers and go out for a walk before going home. It's simple but nice, nothing like two friends bonding over their shared hobbies and interests.
"I'm going over to her place to play games." The grizzled plumber expected that much. He scooped some of the aglio olio pasta and sauteed mushrooms on his plate before replying.
"The party starts at 10 AM, it will be quick, don't worry." Seeing his reluctance, Max pulled his secret technique of guilt-tripping his grandchildren and appealing to his heroic empathy to see his way.
"It will be just one day Ben, and it will mean a lot to these folks." The brunette gave one long sigh but nodded nevertheless. His parents were already giving him the look, no use dodging filial responsibilities now when they were expecting him to do so.
"Okay grandpa, I will help you." Max chuckled when Gwen patted Ben's head patronizingly, seemingly proud of her cousin taking the bullet in her stead.
The rust bucket 2 rolled up to the Senior Village and promptly parked at the side. With a dozen of streamers, balloons and party confettis in the RV, the whole village would soon be covered in all things bright and cheerful. Many of Max's friends all decide to retire in the senior village, with some still actively involved in community projects or traveling around the world. The former galactic peacekeeper turned to his grandson and softened a smile to show his appreciation for being here.
"I appreciate you're here Ben, we need the extra hands and mine is getting old." He scoffed at his grandpa's words, at his age Max Tennyson still struck fear into the hearts of villains and aliens marauders alike. Summer Break had revealed firsthand that Max's retirement did little to dull his combat prowess and this old man can be deadly if the situation calls for it.
"You still kick ass grandpa." Max sighed and raised his voice, kids these days should watch what they say.
"Language."
"I'm 11, not 10 anymore." The elderly senior chuckled at the response and ruffled his hair. The pair disembarked from the RV and took the box of decorations in their arms. They entered the front entrance and were greeted by beautiful fountains, neatly trimmed hedges and tall oak trees sprawling around the courtyard. Everything here had such a warm and soft colour palette to it, from the laminated wooden boards to the smooth gray stone walls.
"Whoa, this place is nicer than I thought." The young child marveled around and entered the building. A receptionist by the counter greeted them and registered both of them, allowing the Tennysons to partake in the decorations. They entered an event hall and were immediately greeted by darkness and dust gathered on the folded tables and stacks of plastic chairs tucked away in a corner. This was one of the few times Ben wished he had the Omnitrix, XRL8 would have finished this in a flash.
"Let's get to it." With the flick of a switch, Ben winced from the sudden intensity of the light and found a broom handed to him by his grandpa. He sighed and begrudgingly swept the room, slowly cleaning up the hall in the process.
An hour of rigorous cleaning and becoming a professional furniture sorter, Ben slumped onto the chair with his arms collapsed by his side. Tired, exhausted, and drained by his handiwork, Ben blew a gust of wind to his palms after they were stained with dust and soot.
"Good work Ben." He glanced up and smiled when grandpa Max handed a bottle of soda to him. The once dilapidated and tattered event hall was now clean and decorated with colourful streamers and ribbons. Soon, the long tables would be filled with food, cake and fruit juices fitting for a grand feast.
"You sure you don't want me to drop you at Julie's?" Ben winced and shook his hands, he does not want anyone in his family to meet Julie, not even Gwen. The conversations his cousin and his best friend would have would scar Ben Tennyson for life, enough to change him both emotionally and spiritually.
"No it's okay, I can cycle my way there." Max sighed but acknowledged his grandson's independence nevertheless. Ben had the hindsight to bring along his bicycle and adamantly stated that he preemptively planned to go to Julie's place as soon as possible.
"Alright, stay safe okay?" Ben gave a thumbs up and headed to the Rustbucket. He passed through the courtyard and breathed a sigh from the crisp cool air of the morning wind. Gentle breeze ruffled his hair and he closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the serenity and peace of a quaint senior village.
"Hya!" The sound of a large tree snapping caught Ben's attention. Fight or flight mode instinctively overtook him and he swiftly went to the source of the sound. His pensive and serious expression was replaced with a look of shock when a frail old man was standing before a fallen tree with a wooden sword in his hand. The elderly senior grumbled at his apparent shoddy cut and cleaved the splinters and protruding chunks with a slash of a sword. Such speed and precision behind his strike smoothed out the stump of the tree, exposing the perfectly shaped and even tree ring. The old man grunted and nodded, he still got it despite being in his twilight years. He briefly inspected the wooden blade's tapered edge before noticing someone was staring at him.
"Can I help you young man?" The courteous tone from him made Ben slowly walk forward with his mouth agape. The young Tennyson kept darting his eyes between the old man and the freshly made tree stump.
"H-How did you do that?" Placing both hands on his practice sword, the mysterious senior merely spoke with a smile. His long flowy white hair and beard was a testament to his health, drawing the envy from many of his friends and peers.
"Practice and experience, but where are my manners? My name is George but you can call me Old Man George. What is your name?" A hand was extended towards Ben which he shook firmly. Despite appearances, it was apparent that George is very strong with his firm and unyielding grip.
"Ben, Ben Tennyson." The veteran swordsman raised his eyebrows, he was sure he heard that name somewhere. He watched the young man in awe at his strengths, staring at the fell tree trunk that honestly didn't deserve any of the culling. Unfortunately the nurses did not want to order cutting mats for him or repair the training dummy he broke, so the tree would have to suffice.
"George, you're strong." Impressed by such a feat, Ben was wondering if it isn't feasible for anyone to do that, with a wooden sword no less.
"As strong as an old man can be. Enough about me, what is a young boy like you doing here? You're 50 years too early." Concerned by the fact a lone child happened to wander him the village, George was tempted to call the nurses out of concern he is a lost child.
"I'm here to help my grandpa, Max." Immediately George snapped his fingers, yes I remembered that name now. Known for his warm and friendly spirit, Max was a welcomed visitor among the folks here. Though his cooking left much to be desired, the boisterous personality and the tales of his many adventures was much appreciated.
"Ah I was wondering why the name Tennyson seemed familiar, yes I know of him. I assume you are here to help with the preparations for the party?" The former watch bearer blinked, how on earth did he know that? Did he mention it or slip up? No, that can't be right, even the nurses were in cahoots with them and kept mum from the old timers.
"You knew?" George chuckled and sat on the stump, he laid the wooden sword against the bottom trunk just to rest his hands.
"I've been living in Bellwood for a long time now. When you live long enough, life becomes a pattern." The reflective tone and the gaze into nothingness made Ben wonder if George was having an existential crisis. But quick to remind himself that he has the company of a child, he sat up right and smiled to reassure Ben.
"Don't let an old man's rambling get to you, you're still young, live your life as you see fit you hear?"
"Sure George, but uh, the party is going to start soon. You're not joining?" George narrowed his eyes, he remembered the absolute horror when a charity buffet event was held and the carnivorous horde that followed suit. Nothing, nothing was left untouched with all of the food, desserts and drinks practically devoured like locusts to crops.
"Later, the crowd tends to go wild when food is involved." Ben chuckled at the deadpan expression. His eyes were naturally drawn to the wooden sword that George wields and found it amazing that such a simple weapon is capable of felling a tree. Even Four Arms would have trouble splitting the logs in half, and that is without splinters involved.
"Interested?" Ben shook his head out of instinct, earning George's chuckle. The swordsman stood up and handed the wooden sword to Ben, lightweight and sturdy, this would make a good training tool for a young squire who never held a blade.
"Here, give it a few swings, get a feel of it." Though reluctant, Ben slowly reached out to the handle and held firmly in his hands out of the cool factor. This wasn't necessarily his first time using a sword, in fact he previously had experience using it when he was stuck in a Sumo Slammers game with Gwen.
Immediately, Ben swung the sword wildly. Although the technique and finesse was lacking, George did notice that there was some care put into his stance, his footwork and the overall physique of his swings.
"Good, you have good body coordination and stamina." Just as his praise came to an end, Ben panted and dropped his arms down out of fatigue. Man, it is not easy swinging a wooden sword around continuously without stopping and it felt so awkward and rigid too! The old man laughed at his panting state and sat back down on the stump, eyeing the young man with his azure eyes.
"Tell me Ben, why were you so drawn to my display of strength?" Was this a trick question? What George did was cool and awesome! Culling a tree with one slash is something you see in video games or anime, imagine if George sheathed the blade after the slash and the tree immediately fell, now that's a badass image.
"I mean it's cool! What you did is borderline impossible!"
"Impossible? Nay, anyone can do it, it's a matter of practice and perseverance." The 11 year old highly doubts that anyone can do this, basic logic and physics should have destroyed that wooden sword into smithereens with the sheer force of impact. Yet it looked perfectly intact, with no dull edges or cutting profile affected too.
"I don't know, I don't think I will ever get to do something like that ." The skilled swordsman didn't dismiss Ben's words, truth is no mortal human could pull such a feat even after rigorous training. But the world is filled with mysteries and magics that couldn't be explained by science or conventional means. Anything is possible so as long you are willing to commit to it.
"Why not just try? You won't know you like something until you try it. It may even play a big part of your life, something you might look fondly to everyday." Ben resisted the urge to snort, swinging a wooden sword around does not scream cool. In fact, he had better things to do like playing Sumo Slammer with-
"Crap! Julie!" The pure existential horror from the young Ben made George a little concerned. The high pitch scream was swiftly followed by him placing his hands on his head and his eyes dilating in fear and panic.
"Julie?"
"My friend! I'm supposed to meet her, but now I'm late!" The tennis enthusiasts would definitely think he stood her up and bailed out at the last second. Fortunately, George raised the wooden sword and placed it above his shoulder.
"We can continue this on another day." Ben broke out of his panic state and stared at George, what do you mean they can continue this?
"Another day?"
"If you're interested, I can teach you how to swing a sword better." The Omnitrix chosen was honestly baffled why this old man is willing to teach a kid how to fight with a sword. They aren't knights in the age of the yore anymore, guns and firearms exist for a reason.
"Teach me? But why?" Old Man George closed his eyes, merely thinking why he picked up the sword in the first place. It was for a cause, galvanizing men like him to draw swords to fight against horrors unknown. Now his days of hunting down monsters, heathens and heretics are over, and with it comes a life of peace and serenity. If he could shepherd a new generation of youth to lead a noble cause, then there's no greater legacy than that.
"I think the question you should be asking yourself is what do you get from learning this? Why learn how to fight and defend yourself when you have others doing it for you?" Time seemed to stand still for a moment, grass dancing to the tune of wind while leaves rustled in motion. Ben softened his expression, Gwen and Max had always thought him reckless, that he didn't appreciate the powers and gifts of the Omnitrix. But Ben knew full well that Hero Time meant no mistakes, that he must always win because people could get hurt if he wasn't up to the task. Everytime he became an alien, it was as if a part of them contributed to something greater. Aliens of different species across the divide coming together as one to safeguard the universe and stopping bad guys, becoming peacekeepers in the process. The Omnitrix is a symbol of unity, where the bridge between humans, aliens and everything in between could be forged through cooperation, where everyone can coexist peacefully without strife or conflict. Ben had always appreciated and acknowledged the gift Azmuth had given him, nor was he naive to the sheer devastating power and heavy responsibilities that rested on his shoulders.
But for now, with the weight of the universe no longer strapped to his wrist, Ben just wants to protect the ones he loves and make them happy.
"I don't want others to fight my fights." The simple yet genuine response was enough for George. He stood strong and tall, tapping the wooden sword on Ben's shoulders as if he was bestowing knighthood to him.
"Then we will start next week."
Dozens of get well soon cards were neatly stacked on Gwen's desk, with walking crutches leaned against the wall near her bed for convenience sake. She loosened a sigh and stared at her legs wrapped with bandages, wincing every now and then when she moved her injured leg. She closed her eyes briefly, just her luck that she received a serious injury when her parents weren't around. Ah, it's better not to inform them or-
The sudden ringing of her phone from the nightstand made Gwen lean to the side, she groaned when it turned out her mother was the one who called her. She mentally prepared herself, hoping to conjure a variety of excuses to not make her worry. So with a reluctant sigh, she took the phone and answered it by sliding her thumb across the screen.
"Gwen! I just received a call from your teacher, are you okay? Do you need me-" Her calm and stoic mother went into full panic mode by the moment, given that her parents were thousands of miles away from her for their long awaited honeymoon, it was to be expected. The timing couldn't be worse.
"I'm fine mom, don't worry." Natalie won't have any of it, from what the teacher told her, Gwen was seriously injured and needed adult supervision.
"It doesn't feel right leaving you alone and unattended, what if you need to go to the bathroom or you need help getting around?" The ginger haired child brushed off her concern, just because one of her legs is injured doesn't mean she can't use the crutches to walk around.
"It's just a few days, you and dad should enjoy your time together. You two have been planning your honeymoon for ages right?" She could hear a frustrated sigh from her mother over the phone, clearly she didn't like the circumstances that toyed between her responsibilities as a mother and her desire to spend time with her husband.
"I will get your brother." Gwen placed a hand on her nose bridge, she didn't need her brother to babysit her.
"Don't, it's just a little injury." At the moment, her mother's voice flared up and Gwen jerked away from the phone over how loud she was.
"Little injury? Gwen, you fractured your leg and you're bedridden!" The sorceress stared at her injured leg and briefly pondered why Charmcaster never had any sort of healing spells in her grimoire. In fact, healing or regeneration mantras would come in very handy right now.
"Nothing I can't handle, didn't you tell me I can handle anything?" Her mother had raised her to be independent and strong willed, that a girl like her can aspire to great heights and achieve her dreams so long as she works hard in everything she does. High expectations are placed on her and this paltry little injury would do little to dampen her spirit.
"Don't use my words against me young lady. Regardless, your father already informed your uncles and aunts. They should be dropping by soon to check up on you and make sure you're okay." Gwen rolled her eyes, she really is making a big deal of this, enough to rope Uncle Carl and Aunt Sandra in. She won't admit it, but she did wish the news of her injuries would spread to Ben in hopes he would pay her a visit given how bored she was, though that was wishful thinking on her part.
"Alright, thanks mom."
"You sure you don't want us to come back?" Exasperated by her motherly concern, Gwen sat upright and raised her voice.
"Yes mom, I'm fine! Now go spend some time with dad okay? Love you." Natalie conceded defeat and sighed.
"I love you too, call us regularly okay?" The sound of the front door downstairs being open drew Gwen's attention as she was sure that she locked the door, but she brushed it aside for the time being given her mother was waiting for a response.
"Will do-" Stomping footsteps became louder and the sound of an intruder running in her house became apparent. Now, alone and bedridden, Gwen feared that a thieving burglar was seizing their chance to rob the Tennysons of their precious belongings with her parents off to Hawaii. Her eyes glowed deadly pink and she prepared an assortment of spells to assault her assailant when-
"Gwen?" She breathed a sigh of relief at the muffled voice, she recognized that voice anywhere. She dispelled her intensive mana generation and placed the spellbook back to her drawer, it was just doofus.
"Come in Ben." With a twist of a doorknob, her cousin opened the door and waved to him. On appearance, she noticed he was wearing his PE clothes with a duffel bag slung across his shoulder, presumably after soccer practice. Drenched in sweat, Ben looked like he ran through a marathon just to get here.
"You're okay? Mom told me that you're injured." His question was answered when Gwen merely pointed to her injured leg, making Ben whistle at the leg cast and find it amusing that there were some get well soon messages scribbled onto them.
"I'm fine Ben, also you're sweating a lot." Displeased by her sweaty cousin storming in the room and permeating it with his essence, the voice of her mother coming through the phone reminded her that she was still in a conversation with her.
"Is that Ben?"
"Mhmm, let me put you on speaker."
"Hi Aunt Natalie." Gwen peered over Ben's duffel bag and raised her eyebrows over a peculiar object protruding from his bag, it looked like a wooden stick of sorts.
"Hello Ben, please look after your cousin on our behalf. I'm honestly surprised how fast you were, we only informed your parents an hour ago." The two cousins shared a look to which Ben glanced aside out of embarrassment, he definitely did not cycle all the way from Bellwood Senior Village to Gwen's place after hearing the news, and he definitely didn't cancel his soccer practice with his friends just to see his injured cousin.
"Don't worry auntie, I'll keep an eye on Gwen."
"Mhmm! I feel better already knowing you're there for her." She cringed internally at the implications, Ben is not a reliable person even when he has the heart in the right place.
"Ben can hardly take care of himself mom, in the end I'm the one who will need to babysit him." The glare from him was met with a smug grin.
"Gwen, be nice to Ben, you know he cares about you." The blunt statement from her mother silenced both cousins and drew flushed cheeks. Ben averted his gaze and crossed his arms, staring at the piles of cards stacked on her desk with the faintest of interest.
"Anyway, there's spare cash on the table okay. Call me if you need to." With that Gwen ended the call and placed the phone on her nightstand. She crossed her arms and demanded that Ben go tend to his personal hygiene first.
"Ben you're sweating a storm, go shower first. Did you bring any spare clothes?" He rolled his eyes over nagging but reached for his duffel bag and pulled out a pair of short t-shirts and pants nevertheless. In the process of pulling his clothes out, his training wooden sword fell to the floor and instantly caught Gwen's attention. Is he still playing pirate at the age of 11?
"Is that a wooden sword?" Caught red handed, Ben shoved the sword back into the bag and brushed off the fact he was under the tutelage of a veteran swordmaster who can cleave a tree in half in one fell swoop.
"Story for another time." Gwen wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily, she was way too curious as to why Ben is carrying a wooden sword around.
"I want to hear that story now, but go shower first, you're going to catch a cold." The drenched shirt clinging onto his skin was definitely uncomfortable and a cold shower does sound like heaven right now. A relief for the muscles and for the mind.
"Alright, try not to go anywhere okay?" The poor taste of a joke earned Ben a throw of a pillow before he cackled his way out of her room with his clothes. With the silence back to her room, Gwen collected her thoughts and used telekinesis to bring the pillow back into her arms again. She rested the pillow on her lap and stared at the spot where Ben just sat.
'Can't believe he came to visit as soon as he heard the news.' She was touched by his concern of course, deep down she knew he cared for her wellbeing. But honestly, she wasn't used to him not being considerate or nice, he did mellow out throughout the months and this Julie person must be responsible for his maturity given the timeline.
'She must be a real angel then.' How could anyone stand being around her cousin for more than 5 minutes was truly perplexing to her. Before she could ponder her cousin's questionable friend that may or may not exist, Ben returned with a fresh pair of clothes and towel in hand, boys do shower quick.
"So what actually happened?" Ben spoke while drying his hair, he only knew that Gwen was seriously injured during karate classes, which was surprising given her brown belt status. At the mention of her injuries, Gwen leaned against her pillow and lamented the unfortunate chain of events.
"Ugh, we went full physical contact today during karate lessons. The protective gear I wore wasn't strapped properly and my opponent quite literally swept me off my feet." The strong roundhouse kick made her fall down in the wrong way with her body adding to the pressure and weight. The painful sprain and force fracture her bone that made her scream in agony, it was a pretty horrific sight to the rest of class all things considered.
"He must be pretty dashing then." Gwen chuckled at the witty response from Ben as he sat down next to her.
"He is cute so I will give him that, but that does not excuse him for this ." He stared at her injury and frowned at how bad it looked. It was obvious that it's swollen and the internal bleeding must be horrible.
"How bad is it?"
"The nurse said it would take a week to recover but it's nothing permanent or serious, just need plenty of rest that's all." The aspiring swordsman nodded and draped the towel over a cloth hanger to leave it dry. A keen eyed Gwen however noticed that Ben had bruises and even lacerations on his forearm, suggesting that he was involved in serious combat.
"Speaking of injuries, your arms Ben, are you okay?" He brushed off her concerned tone and pulled the study chair next to her bed.
"Oh it's just some bruises I got from sparring, nothing compared to your injuries."
"Sparring? Does it have to do with that sword?" He bit his tongue lightly, well no use hiding this from Gwen now. He proudly pulled the wooden blade and felt its smooth contour with his finger tips. He held the pommel wrapped in cloth and rested the flat side of the blade on his other hand.
"Yeah, I'm practicing HEMA." A new term that she didn't know and it came from Ben nonetheless? What has the world come to?
"HEMA?" Ben took a moment to recall the exact words from George and pronounced the full name slowly.
"Historical European Martial Arts." His cousin tilted her head aside and crossed her arms, Ben's preference for certain martial arts can be considered exotic. In fact, their mothers had suggested that Gwen should teach Ben basic martial arts, an idea that she did admittedly entertain given it gave her an excuse to beat him up.
"What made you want to practice HEMA?" Ben fondly stared at the sword that George gave him, it was the same sword that fell the tree, albeit with some wear and tear, probably because its current wielder wasn't as careful and as skilled compared to its predecessor.
"Got a good teacher showing me the ropes." Gwen would never imagine Ben be humble enough to receive tutelage from someone else, other than grandpa Max of course. His arrogance and bratty nature seemed to have simmered down after he took off the watch and returned to a life of normalcy. All and all, a good thing for his personal growth and a sign of maturity. Still, Gwen is terribly curious who impressed Ben enough that he wanted to become his student.
"Someone I should know about?"
"I will introduce you to him soon, he's great." She crossed her arms and poked Ben's chest, making him jerk back from the sudden prodding from her.
"Uh huh, I still haven't met Julie yet." Everytime, everytime! Whenever Gwen brought up the idea of meeting Julie, Ben would always dodge the question and stated that one day, they would meet. It was as if he was hiding something from her and didn't want her to find out, surely this Julie person is not someone he made up right? She had yet to find evidence if she really exists.
"Another time! I promise." She shot him an unamused look but decided not to chew him out of it. Her cousin pulled his bag and pulled out his exercise book and pencil case, surprising her by actually doing homework and not leaving it at the last second to copy from others.
"Are you doing homework?" Confused by the disbelief tone, Ben stared at her and nodded slowly. Was it that shocking that he is capable of finishing his homework?
"Duh?"
"You don't have to do it here." Ben smirked at the mom-like tone from her, she seemed awfully intent on getting rid of him.
"Chasing me out already?" The mocking tone did little to sway Gwen's point , she knew he was staying here just because of her injuries but at this point there was no point. It wasn't as if staying by her side would magically recover her wounds faster.
"Ben, I'm fine." Her no nonsense and stoic demeanor made Ben drop everything and stared at her with a more mellow and sympathetic look.
"I know, but when I was seriously injured, you stayed by my side. I thought I could do the same." She was honestly touched by his concern, but the situation was different given the gravity of their injuries was not comparable, one which was dealt by a classmate by accident, the other was by a galactic tyrant hellbent on conquering planets and subjugating the galaxy to its rule. Still, she would allow that excuse and was admittedly happy that he is willing to go above and beyond for her sake.
"Alright." Thus the silence set in again, the occasional sound of graphite dancing against the papers echoed the room, and Gwen seized the opportunity of calm to read a novel. She occasionally glanced between her cousin and book, realizing that he was wearing something different for once.
"New clothes?" A black-shirt with cuffs and a pair of khaki pants, serviceable for casual wear but also good enough for important occasions.
"Julie bought them for me." Again with her name, Gwen bumped his shoulder and gave a cheeky grin, she was careful enough to not aggravate her injury.
"You're really into her aren't you?"
"Cut it dweeb, I don't like her like that." It was painfully obvious that he did, from what she's hearing Julie is sweet, compassionate and shared the same interest as Ben. A tomboy, a tennis enthusiast and a Sumo Slammer gamer, she practically fits Ben's taste of girl in spades. If Ben plays his cards right, the two are practically set.
As the pencil movement came to an end and Ben tossed his finished homework into the bag, the young man felt a hand tapping his shoulder.
"Bring my laptop over, I want to watch a movie." He grunted at his cousin's request and reached for the laptop and the foldable table on her desk. The redhead child reached for her prized possession and placed it on her table. Her fingers rapidly tapped against the keyboard and the latest teen drama she was watching came to screen after a few clicks.
"Wanna watch?" Ben merely pulled the chair closer to the bed and crossed his legs over, might as well watch some boring teen romance drama that had half baked mysteries and unsatisfying conclusions that eventually milks the franchise dry.
"Couldn't hurt." The tension between the characters on the screen brought Gwen to the edge of her seat. Her heartbeat thumped wildly when the star heartthrob of the show slowly walked up the the main heroine, his strong and muscular hands cupped her chin and his bright blue eyes gazed sensually into her dilating pupils. The charismatic smile and the seductive bedroom eyes made Gwen clenched her blanket tighter when suddenly the screen fades to black, and- its ends just like that!?
"What!" Ben, who was near comatose's door, shot back up and instinctively reached for his wooden sword for potential threats by assuming a long point guard position. He loosened up and gave a grumbling sigh when it was just his cousin upset that the show ended up on a cliffhanger and placed the blade back to the wall. He chuckled at her fuming expression when his phone in his pocket started to vibrate at that very moment. He flipped the phone out and answered it promptly.
"Hello?"
"Hi Ben, are you free tonight?" The soft melodious voice of Julie Yamamoto instantly rallied Ben's spirit as he sat upright. He was about to say yes when he remembered the injured cousin laying next to him.
"Umm, not really." Gwen caught his disappointed expression and leaned forward, is that a girl's voice she was hearing?
"Oh Okay, maybe tomorrow night?" That voice, she recalled that voice when Ben was conversing with Julie over the phone! The young redhead grinned, this was her chance to talk to her now. The swordsman trainee was about to end the call when Gwen quickly snatched the phone from Ben's palm with a sleight of hand.
"Gwen!" She paid him no mind and placed the phone against her ear, smirking at her cousin's flustered expression given she has the power to humiliate or embarrass him as she pleases with only a few words.
"Yes he is free tonight." Julie blinked at the sudden change of voice, she didn't recall Ben having a sister or a close female friend. Naturally, she was cautious as to who this person is.
"Who's this?"
"I'm Gwen Tennyson, Ben's cousin." The asian american's lips curled upwards, so this was the cousin Ben always complains about. She was wondering why he never introduced Gwen to her, she sounds like an interesting person to hang around with judging by the conversations they have.
"Gwen? Oh I know about you, Ben always talks about you." That was news to her, she stared at her cousin and raised her eyebrows. What kind of dastardly misinformation and badmouthing had he inflicted on her stellar reputation hmm?
"Really? Nothing bad I hope?" The cheeky giggling from the girls was Ben's deathknell. He leaned over in an attempt to snatch his phone back, only to be met with resistance from Gwen who somehow managed to overpower him despite her injured state, damn her martial art prowess and strength.
"Gwen give it back!" With one hand placed on his forehead, Gwen leaned towards the otherside.
"Julie, Ben is absolutely free for tonight so I'm saying yes on his behalf." Livid by his lack of consent, Ben watched in horror when Gwen flashed a grin at him.
"That works for me." Julie was really digging Gwen's style, the girl knows how to be straightforward around things and don't dance around topics.
"W-Wait!" At that moment, Gwen pressed the speaker button and shook the phone a couple times to get Ben's attention, telling him that Julie is in fact on speaker and that he should be careful of what he's about to say.
"Come on Ben, are you really going to leave a girl begging?" In an obvious attempt to make Ben look like the bad guy here and the fact Julie is listening to their conversation, Ben Tennyson conceded defeat and sighed at his cousin's shenanigans.
"I will see you tonight Julie." Another victory for Lucky Girl.
"Great! My dad would be picking us up, are you at your house?" Gwen widened her eyes at how casual that statement is, she never heard of a girl's dad picking a boy up to chauffeur them to their date. Just how close are they really? In the midst of her contemplation, Ben snatched the phone back and glared at Gwen before talking to Julie with the phone in his palm.
"No, I'm at Gwen's, I will send you the address."
"Sweet, see you later and say goodbye to your cousin for me okay?" Gwen pipped in and placed two hands on Ben's shoulders to put her weight on him.
"I can hear you loud and clear Julie, I would love to meet you someday." Ben was physically cringing at the absolute chaotic mess they would cause for him should they combine forces.
"Sure! Let's arrange a day to go watch a movie together." And of course Julie agrees to it, why wouldn't she?
"Totally." With an intent to end the conversation, Ben swatted his cousin away and hastily said his goodbyes.
"Bye Julie, see ya later." The brunette hero sighed and placed the phone back in his pocket, he crossed his arms and was not pleased with Gwen's actions. Seriously, who snatches someone's phone while they are talking, rude!
"That was not cool." Gwen ignored his tantrum, she argued that she did Ben a favor given how cold feet he was. Julie clearly was the assertive one in their dynamic, while Ben is more of the passive type.
"She's a keeper." Ben grumbled at that assessment, from his parents to his classmates, everyone thought the two of them were an item. It wasn't as if Ben was against the idea of dating Julie, far from it! But the time they knew each other was quite limited and Ben still remembered the incident with Kai Green that left him slightly reluctant to be in a relationship.
"I know she is." Gwen poked his shoulders over the melodramatic tone from him.
"Then what's the deal? It's clear she likes you, I mean asking you out at night with her father picking you up?" That does sound ridiculous when you put it like that, Ben rubbed his temples and spoke matter of factly.
"This isn't the first time, we've done this plenty of times." Flabbergasted by how casual he said it, Gwen placed both hands on his shoulders and gripped them tight. The messages and signs are clear, how could her oblivious doofus not see it?
"Ben, are you serious? Are all boys this dense and clueless?" Irritated by her pushiness, Ben raised her voice and pointed at her injuries.
"She's just a friend okay? Besides, we only knew each other for a few months. Anyway, I promised your mom that I would look after you, it doesn't feel right to leave you alone when you're like this." Gwen softened her expression, she knew he was being considerate to her but just because she's injured doesn't make him responsible to stay by her side. She is capable of handling herself and she hopes Ben could see that.
"I appreciate that Ben, really I do, but you have your own life now."
"Doesn't mean I have to leave you out of it." The quick retort silenced her for a moment, she rationalized his serious and pensive demeanor and merely sighed. No use lecturing him about this, their lives were intertwined the moment they decided to become Watch Boy and Lucky Girl together. If he was adamant of taking care of her out of pride and familial care, then she would allow that much.
"Fine, you can make it up to me by visiting me tomorrow." Ben mustered a nod, leaving an injured Gwen alone was not ideal but he would hang out with Julie since his cousin made him promise her.
"Deal." Geez, since when did he become so nice and amenable to reason? Did puberty hit him hard? A solemn awakening that enlightened him of his bratty ways? She leaned at her pillow and found her stomach growling from hunger.
"If you want to look after me, order pizza. I'm hungry." Ben was definitely taking advantage of this moment, pepperoni pizza does sound good though.
"Only If I get a slice." Gwen rolled her eyes but smiled nevertheless, having pizza in her bed without her mother knowing was just awesome.