Can You Stand The Rain
Author's Note: Oh Jesus… When was the last time I updated this? October 23rd of last year?! I deeply apologize, guys. I really do. I explained a little bit of this in my Spider-Man: Fire and Desire fanfic, but now I can explain some things even more. Life got super, SUPER busy. Job, college, midterms, finals, everything and the kitchen sink was being thrown at me all at once.
Though, I guess one positive thing came from all of it. I graduated from college! I'm tired, but relieved. And somehow, I'm still alive. I was able to update my Spidey fanfic out of pure willpower, but that's been the only fanfic of mine I've updated during this time period.
HOWEVER, since everything is FINALLY over now, and summer break is FINALLY here, I'm also FINALLY able to update all my other fanfics at a consistent rate. At least, until summer ends, anyway. I plan to go back to college to get another degree so I can kill myself even more. BUT FOR NOW, you guys have my undivided attention. This is going to be a fun summer for all my fanfics, and I know you guys have been waiting on this Ben 10 one to get updated. The wait for chapter 5 is FINALLY OVER!
But first, to reply to a review from chapter 4!
Akira-Hayama: Charmcaster and Gwen's dynamic will definitely be a focal point for this story. And yep, Ben and Kevin getting along, while also adding in the fact that Kevin goes out with Gwen, is a funny mess of a situation. Oh, and Ben trying to comfort Charmcaster does have a lot to do with his hero complex, but he's also a good dude overall.
To all my readers, make sure to leave a review and I'll reply to it in the upcoming chapter! Especially if you guys have questions, don't be afraid to ask them. I will answer them the best I can as long as it doesn't dive into spoiler territory, because where's the fun in that?!
Intro Music: Ben 10 Original Theme
Chapter 5: Back to the Past Part 1
"Gwen… Seriously?"
Those were the words of Kevin, specifically saying them to his girlfriend Gwen. In their relationship, Gwen would usually be the voice of reason, but this time, the roles will be reversed.
Gwen raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she looked at Kevin. "What?" she replied, trying to act like nothing was wrong.
"What do you mean what?" Kevin said, sighing deeply. "The argument you had with Charmcaster?" he pointed out. "Or, orrrr… Get this, have you noticed that the people in this restaurant now think we're insane after seeing the argument first hand?" Saying this, Kevin only slighted tilted his head to make Gwen's head turn in that very direction, to which she did.
And yes, Kevin was absolutely right.
Gwen saw how all the people were looking at them, and they in fact thought they belonged in an asylum. She looked away in embarrassment, knowing that she played a huge role in this happening.
Kevin rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out what to say. This boyfriend thing can be pretty hard at times. Getting his thoughts together, Kevin took a deep breath, looking straight at Gwen. "There's a part of the story I'm still not fully getting."
Gwen looked at Kevin once more, saying, "I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say."
It was a lie. Gwen knew exactly what Kevin was talking about. She was just playing dumb.
"Gwen," Kevin said, being as calm as humanly possible. "I know you and Charmcaster don't really like each other, but it's like… You hate her. Like, really, really hate her."
Gwen shrugged. "So? You're acting like she never hated us."
"I never said she didn't," Kevin confirmed. "But currently, though? She doesn't hate us. Well, probably not me and Ben, the jury is still out on you after what happened."
Gwen rolled her eyes, remaining silent.
"I guess I'm trying to fit all the pieces into the puzzle, because obviously, I'm missing something here." said Kevin. "She's actually trying to change for the better. Your hatred of her goes deeper than some rivalry."
Gwen was about to refute that statement, until Kevin cut her off.
"And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about, because you shouted loud and clear that something happened between you guys during the 'legendary' summer vacation." Obviously, he was referring to the iconic summer vacation where Ben, Gwen, and Max traveled the world. "So, as your boyfriend, all I'm trying to do is understand. If I can understand what happened, then I'll be able to help you more."
Well, it's safe to say these words caught Gwen's attention. She was still pretty quiet for like a good 15 seconds, but eventually, she would give in.
Having a sigh of her own, while also knowing there was no possible way she could get out of this, she would say, "Okay, okay. How much do you want to know?"
Kevin wouldn't even have to think about his answer.
"Everything. Every. Single. Detail." Kevin sternly told her.
Yep, Gwen was in for a long night.
Now, it was her turn to get her own thoughts together. She was visibly struggling with this, but hey, if Kevin wants to know the entire story, then he'll get the entire story, dang it.
"Just know that you asked for this." Gwen reminded him.
"I think I already know that." Kevin assured her, waiting for the story to begin.
Knowing she's stalled long enough, Gwen composed herself.
She was ready to tell the story.
"It started when an alien device did what it did." Gwen began, making Kevin tilt his head in confusion.
"What?" he replied.
"It stuck itself upon his wrist with secrets that it hid." Gwen continued.
"Gwen, what the heck are you talking about?" Kevin questioned.
"Now he's got superpowers, he's no ordinary kid, he's Be-!"
"GWEN!" Before Gwen could even finish, Kevin cut her off out of frustration. He realized she was still stalling. "Can you please stop the stalling and just tell me what happened?!"
"I was warming myself up to tell the actual story!" exclaimed Gwen.
LIES.
Kevin clearly was getting annoyed by this, and Gwen knew she could only keep this up for so long.
So, now… Officially, she'll tell the actual story.
"It's a story I would like to forget..."
Five Years Ago…
The trio of Ben, Gwen, and Max Tennyson were continuing their summer vacation of traveling around the world in the Rustbucket RV. It wasn't that long ago when they visited Miami and fought Charmcaster.
Speaking of that situation, young Ben hasn't quite been the same since the whole thing happened. At this age, he was a whole lot louder, so when he's quiet, something was definitely off.
"Ben! Ben! Hey, Doofus!"
Ben shook his head quickly at his name being called multiple times. Though, it was important to note he only fully snapped out of it due to being called a doofus.
Gwen smirked at this development. "Well, at least you know what you are."
"Not in the mood, Dweeb." Ben responded seriously.
"What? You're too busy staring into space?" Gwen questioned.
"For your information, since you want to know so bad, I'm thinking about something important." Ben told her in an annoyed tone.
"Lemme guess. The new Sumo Slammers video game comes out tomorrow?" Gwen said.
"Sumo Slammers isn't the only thing I think about." Ben replied.
"Then what is it?" Gwen asked, clearly showing curiosity. "You've been reallyyyy quiet for the past few days. It's not like you."
During this time period, this was Gwen's way of saying 'I'm worried about you' without actually saying the words. Ah, what a complicated relationship they had when they were kids.
Ben's face barely showed any expression, and he wasn't going to say anything until Max added his two cents.
"Your cousin is right, Ben. If something's been on your mind, then you should tell us. It's not good to hold stuff in." Max told him, with Ben still being quiet.
He looked at Max, then at Gwen.
Then back to Max, then back to Gwen.
"You guys really wanna know?"
Gwen gave a confirming nod. Max was still driving, but he did say, "Yes," to Ben's question.
"It's about Charmcaster." Ben told them.
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Charmcaster? Why are you-… Ohhhhhh noooo, don't tell me you have a crush on her!"
"I don't have a crush on her, you idiot!" Ben quickly refuted that statement. Still, was there any truth to it?
A topic for a later date.
"Then why else would you be thinking about her?" Gwen accused in a teasing manner, making Ben's face turn into a face of frustration.
"I'm thinking about her because of what she told me when we were trapped in that… Magic world or whatever it was called, it's like… She was really, really hurt. She went through so much crap in her life, and a lot of those things she went through, she had no control over." Ben explained, fully catching the attention of Gwen and Max.
"What I'm trying to say is, after hearing her story, along with the stuff we went through together, and how it seemed like she genuinely cared for my wellbeing, I don't think she's a bad person. I think she just had bad luck."
Those were the same words Ben told Charmcaster when they were trapped in a version of Ledgerdomain.
"How many times has she tried to kill us this summer again?" Gwen pointed out.
"Gwen, listen to me. I'm telling you, deep down, I think she's a good person." Ben repeated. "I even offered her to join us."
"Now Ben," Max began, "It's good that you have compassion for others, and I'm not saying people can't change, but Charmcaster is with Hex."
"More like she feels obligated to be with Hex." Ben explained. "He's literally the only family she has left. He's the last connection she has to her family. If you were in her shoes, Grandpa, wouldn't you feel the same way?"
Max got quiet at this question, which was his way of acknowledging Ben had a good point.
"But you still have to factor in she can make choices for herself. If she really wanted to switch sides, she would've done it by now." Gwen gave her opinion, making Ben nod in disagreement.
"I don't think it's that simple." Ben said. "If you heard how she lost her family, her home, heck, everything, I think you would understand. It's honestly a miracle she still has some good in her."
"Well, don't leave us hanging then." Max told his grandson. "Help us understand so we can know where you're coming from."
With this statement, Ben honestly wasn't sure what to say. Like, he obviously knows what happened due to Charmcaster telling him what happened in her life, but should he be the one to explain it in detail?
If there was any chance whatsoever at Charmcaster switching sides, wouldn't it be best if she was the one to explain what happened to her?
This debate was going on in Ben's mind, until the Rustbucket came to a screeching halt due to Max suddenly slamming down on the brakes, catching Ben and Gwen off guard.
This usually meant an alien threat was close by.
Instinctively, Ben pressed the button on his Omnitrix, turning the dial to find an alien to turn into. "Alright, Grandpa. I'm going Hero!"
"Wait, Ben!" Max told him, making Ben stop in his tracks.
"What do you mean wait?!" Ben replied, the adrenaline kicking in as he was ready for some action. He ran out the Rustbucket, getting in front of it as he was still debating on which alien to turn into. "You chose the wrong day to mess with-…!"
As Ben was in the middle of his sentence, he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening.
Suddenly, now Ben realized why Max told him to wait.
"…Charmcaster…?"
BGM: Erykah Badu – Next Lifetime Instrumental
Charmcaster was lying unconscious in the middle of the street, her outfit being damaged, her hair being a mess, while having cuts all over her body. After Ben processed all of this in his mind, his attitude immediately changed. He wasn't looking to beat anybody up anymore.
He ran to where Charmcaster was, kneeling down to get close to her. "Charmcaster, Charmcaster." Ben said repeatedly, trying to see if she would wake up.
It didn't take long for Max and Gwen to come running out the Rustbucket. Max already knew Charmcaster was in the middle of the street, but Gwen had no idea.
"Charmcaster?!" she shouted, being on her guard just in case if any funny business was happening.
"Stay calm, Gwen. I don't think she can do anything to us in the state she's in." Max assured her. Gwen eased up a bit, but was still slightly tense.
"Come on, Charmcaster. Show me some kind of life." Ben said, but the young sorceress still wasn't waking up. This made him turn to both Max and Gwen, having a serious look on his face. "We can't leave her out here."
"Ben-" Gwen started, but Ben cut her off since he already knew where she was gonna go.
"Gwen, just listen to me. I know you guys don't like each other, but she's literally injured and can't do a single thing to us. We can't leave her like this."
Gwen looked at her cousin, then at Charmcaster to take a good look at her condition.
Welp, it's not like Ben was telling a lie. Charmcaster looked to be in bad shape.
In mere moments, Charmcaster started to show signs of life. Her eyes started to flutter a bit, her vision being blurry. The first person she saw was Ben who was the closest to her.
"T-Tennyson…?" she was able to force out, making Ben turn around. He smiled when he saw she was able to wake up, even if it would only be for a short moment.
"Hey, hey!" Ben exclaimed. "Don't worry, we're gonna help you, okay?" he said, trying his best to stay positive. He held her hand, the action itself basically telling Charmcaster he'll be there for her.
Charmcaster felt her hand being held, but she wasn't able to reply in any sort of manner due to how weak she felt. She tried to say something, but it was too painful. Maybe she appreciated the assurance that Ben gave her. Or maybe she wanted to rip his hand off for even having the thought of holding her hand in the first place.
Nevertheless, Ben would be the last person she saw, her eyes struggling to stay open, before slowly going unconscious again.
END OF CHAPTER 5: BACK TO THE PAST PART 1
BGM: Ben 10 Credits 2005
Kevin: So, there's more to the story, right?
Gwen: Obviously.
Kevin: The readers want to know what happens next!
Gwen: They'll find out what happens in the next chapter!
Charmcaster: You're a troll!
Next time on Can You Stand The Rain!
Back to the Past Part 2
Ben: Not looking forward to reliving this story again…
Author's Note: And there you have it, guys! Chapter 5 is done, after many, MANY months! I do realize this chapter is shorter than the other ones, but I'm mainly trying to get the rust off. Oh, and I do realize I did say in the last author's note I was going to explain the news Azmuth had, but I decided it would be best to focus on this backstory part for now so things won't get too cluttered. Because trust me, if I put EVERYTHING in one chapter, HOOOO BOY.
Chapter 6 won't take as long to release like this one was, trust me. I actually have time now. Before I go, I do wanna say you guys should check out my YouTube channel. It's called JonnyAdventure. I did a Spider-Man: Miles Morales playthrough on the PS5 last year, and I recently did a couple of Sonic discussion videos. I plan on doing more gaming stuff eventually along with some possible skits, and just overall nerd stuff. If my channel interests you in any way, be sure to check it out and subscribe!
In the meantime, while you guys wait for this to be updated, check out my other fanfics, too. I have a Spider-Man fanfic called Spider-Man: Fire and Desire, another Spidey fanfic that's a crossover with the 90's X-Men series called Spider-Man and The X-Men: Dreams and Nightmares. I have a Sonic and RWBY story called The New Heartbeats, a Ben 10 fanfic called Can You Stand The Rain, a Sonic and Avatar TLA fanfic called More Than One Lifetime, a Sonic and The Legend of Korra fanfic called Don't Think Twice, Whatever You Want is an MHA fanfic, Ready or Not, which is a Big Hero 6 fanfic, and finally, a Spidey/Avengers crossover called Just My Imagination. I also have other fanfics too, so be sure to check them out!
Finally, as always, if you guys like what you read, leave a follow and a favorite! DON'T FORGET TO READ AND REVIEW! See ya guys next time!
I'M BACK, BABY!