Change in hope
Chapter 2: now in the dark
Ben chapter
Ben was still trying to make sense of everything that happened. From what he could tell Charmcaster switched bodies with him. He was a girl, he was repulsed of even the idea of having cooties, now he was not just covered in them and producing them. Going from a ten-year-old to a probably sixteen-year-old girl, he has literally transformed into different alien species yet even that didn't feel odd for him compared to this moment.
But that was the least of his issues, his family is genuine danger. Not that he could do anything being bound and gagged not to mention the pepper spray still burned in his eye a bit.
Ben was taken to a maximum-security juvie. He had what was charmcaster's bag of tricks taken away from him and then he was told he was going to be placed into a single room filled with other troubled teenage girls. However, when they got the tape off his mouth, he immediately demands his right to have a phone call.
This was a problem for ben however, he did not know grandpa max number or Gwen's phone number, it saved on his phone so why would he remember it, only his and his parents phone numbers were the only ones he remembered. His phone was in the rv in the passenger seat if his grandpa picked it up he would be fine. So, he dialed his number after a while it was answered.
"Hello, grandpa, this is ben, charmcaster switched our" then the sound of the call ending remained. He realized that charmcaster must have been the one who picked up. In which case the officers told him or that her time was up. All while ben kept pleading.
"But, I'm innocent, you have the wrong person" not that the policewoman seemed to care. She still shoved him in and left all while nonchalantly saying.
"Yeah, that what they all say" ben realizing his best attempted failed. He needed to change his approach. ben looked around and noticed all the girls around him.
They were all giving him strange looks, no doubt from the outfit that charmcaster wore, it looked like he was wearing a Halloween costume in mid-summer. He didn't know which was worse the pilgrim outfit or this outfit. Regardless he just carried on avoiding eye contact with any of them until he reached a table and sat down by himself.
When he sat down, he felt odd coming from the insides of the long sleeves. He searched through and found Charmcaster's spellbook. He continued to search through the inner parts of the sleeves and pulled out what looked like chocolate eggs stones. ben knew better however charmcaster threw these things like grenades. He went back to charmcaster spell book flipped through it not that he could read it.
A few seconds later his concentration was broken by another girl approaching him. A tall red-haired girl with a mole on her face and another smaller brunette girl.
"So, what are you in for princess, wearing your Halloween costume in the summer" the tall one appeared to be one in charge.
"Ha good one Pinky" the short brunette girl remarked but was told to shut up somewhat sharply by the tall one. From what he could tell of their names were pinky and jazz.
ben sighed as he could tell immediately these two were just like JT and crash. It was bad enough he had to deal with people like that in school now in prison. although school and prison don't really seem that different to him at all. Pinky got close to her trying to establish some kind of presence of domination.
"Only two rules in here, rule one I'm in charge, so what I say goes" ben just gave them a fed u look. These were the stereotypical girls like rojo that no doubt felt like they had to punch others because, to prove they are stronger than guys or feel good about themselves. Ben did not have energy. So, he decided to just remain silent too and acted uninterested.
"What you got their chocolate candies and a book; well, they are ours. now" ben put the bombs and books in his sleeves and tried to walk away.
When they tried to take it, he basically pushed them to the ground. pinky then swung at her. Ben reacted dodge and made it so that pinky ended up punching herself. When jazz tried to ben dodged and pushed on top of pinky.
Another girl started speaking and she started speaking with a sense of authority along with all the rest of the girls around them paying attention.
"Oh, look at princess, she thinks she is though girl. Well, you're at least your higher then these two in the hierarchy" the girl said as she approached.
"queen" pinky responded with some fear. About to continue before the girl called the queen told her to shut up. Ben still remained unresponsive.
"They were testing you for me, because you see here princess. I run this place not the guards. Me and every girl you see is apart my gang." ben noticed how they all seem to be agreeing with her while pinky and jazz were picking themselves up.
"So, while you can take on these two, you can take me on. Just know if you don't get in line, you will be dealing with all of us. Come nighttime when you're sleeping in bed," all the girls around them started to crack their knuckles.
Ben still tried to remain calm all while wondering what to do. It seems like he had nothing but bad options in front of him.
"Now, hand over those chocolates and book. If you want to stay on my good side. Understand" ben then paused for a couple of second then let out a clear breath of air. He took out one of the chocolate egg looking stones.
"Yeah, I understand. But you see this, this is not chocolate." ben then threw it at an empty wall no one was at and then, BOOM.
An alarm rang loudly and smoke was around them. Everyone was confused of what just happened. They all then spotted the wall had a hole in it, ben then ran through it to escape.
Ben figured if he had already crossed it is going to be worth it. Ben pulled out another egg looking rock, this one however turned out to be what looked like rock bird spawner. He then threw another one until he got another bomb that lead to the outside.
ben then heard what sounded like a bouncing sound, he turned back and saw charmcaster bag bouncing towards him. He grabbed it, He searched inside the bag were these larger stones were, no doubt the spawners of the other rock monsters. With one officer coming towards him. He threw one out. One rock monster that caused the police office to be hesitant to approach him. Then a few moments later all the other girls were running towards.
"She blew a hole in the wall lets go." Pinky stated as they were all running towards freedom.
Ben was conflicted about this, but he was sure these were just petty small-time girls. These girls escaping would get the cops off of him. Considering the police would have gone solely after him if there were these many trying to escape, he could get hopeful get away easily.
With guards shouting telling them freeze and using their cars block them in a way. Ben ordered the rock birds to help him get away but don't harm the police to much. The rock birds and rock monster one attacked the cameras and two attacked the tires of the police cars. Ben kept on running the chaos intensity Lessing as he got farther away.
Ben's heart pounded as he continued to sprint through the darkening streets. He thought he made a good break but the police cars and helicopters in the area were searching for them. He had no idea where to go really, since his grandpa max and gwen were going to leave shortly after, so it wasn't like he knew were to run to get to them. Right now, he was still just trying to outrun the cops like in New York. Then all of sudden a SUV car drove in front of him.
The man was telling him to get in fast, seeing pinky and jazz hiding in the back. Ben decided to get in and got down to hide so he could escape, and they did.
about Thirty minutes of hiding in the back of the car they were told they had arrived and the close was clear. sitting up ben looking out the window more they appeared to be in a nice neighborhood.
They were then told to get out which they did, the men then drove away. They were in front of what looked like a nice two-story house with most of the lights were turned off. pinky and jazz told him the rest of the girls escaped with should or be will inside.
Ben remained unresponsive even before pinky opened the gate. ben was looking out into the lit streets; he was wondering if he shouldn't just take off right here now.
However, considering that the police were looking for him right now, laying low for the night should help him so he can get away better tomorrow.
"By the way princess what's is your actual name" pinky stated as she opened the gate gesturing him to enter.
ben was going to say his name before he did though he realized he can't call himself Ben Tennyson, now that he is in charm caster's form it wouldn't make sense. So, he came up with a random one.
"Caroline" ben stated. It was the first name he thought of after his mom Sandra and Gwen. The thought of using their names would be weird though even for this situation.
"Caroline huh, really cool how you busted all of us out. You really need to ditch that outfit tho, we have got extra clothes inside" pinky stated as ben followed them inside.
Ben really didn't mean to bust them out, but if they did take what they thought were chocolate eggs and tried to eat them, they would have died. He really hopes he doesn't hope to regret it.
He walked inside with them when they entered, It was a nice house even with the lights off. He was told they all agreed to keep the lights off or at least most parts of it since a lot of them broke out, they would make their way here. They didn't want the cops to suspect this place for their sake and for the sake of their patron, the big man as they called him.
The place looked nice, it looked like it was filled with at least a dozen girls, a modern-day gang funded by some guy called the big man. They brought ben to what was a room filled with clothes, they claimed one of them to be her size, they then left him alone claiming they were going to go eat.
The room was dark, before ben turned on the lights and facing the uncomfortable task of changing clothes. Ben just laid on the floor processing everything today.
His body was stolen and now he may be stuck like this. The real charmcaster had the omnitrix and was long gone with his family, assuming she didn't kill them already, He clenched his fists at that thought.
Mentally telling himself that she better not have otherwise nothing would save her from him. He thought about what to do and what charmcaster was going through as well. maybe charmcaster is having problems of her own as well. Otherwise, he is surprised he hasn't heard anything, so that means she is staying with max and Gwen.
ben just needs to get to max and Gwen, so they can fix this. The thing is he has no idea where they currently are. They would have left Salem by now, so he is going to have to find some way to catch up to them.
Grandpa max told them they were going to head toward the Navajo nation in Arizona after this to meet an old friend. That was part of their plans they had for the summer.
Although the chance of him making it there in time was kind of a stretch, but not impossible. The rust bucket was old but as old as it was, it was still a car, unlike him would have to walk or hitchhike and this would only work if he got the Navajo nation before they did otherwise ben has no way of finding max friend.
The reality of his situation in this dark room was really starting to hit him. For the first time ever in ben life he was all alone and not alone like he liked to be, in which he would kick villain butt and then have grandpa max and Gwen to go back to. No genuinely on his own.
Charmcaster was out there with his family and the omnitrix. Sitting alone in the dark room was kind of getting to him. Now that he was in dark, alone he didn't know why but he was starting to feel like he was going to be stuck in the dark for quite a while for now. So, ben got up and turned on the lights.
He had avoided looking down at himself too much, this scenario really hit him rock now being alone. He wasn't just wearing the charmcaster body he was living it. He looked in the mirror at charmcaster form, the silver long hair, the violet if not magenta eye color, the oversized magenta battle coat and purple bodysuit underneath. This wasn't his body; this wasn't his life. But until he could fix it, he would do what he always does and adapts. So, after letting out a breath he searched for clothes to change into.
So, he changed into a pair of gray cargo pants, a black shirt, sneakers and a purplish jacket of sort. Ben then looked at the crumbled heap of charmcaster outfit and supplies he took out while taking it off. The spell book and rock eggs a few moments later charmcasters bag bounced to it. Then it looked like it ate it, It then bounced into his hands.
That was creepy, sure he saw it come to him in the prison but still knowing the bag was sentient to a degree. Ben opened it up and it was like a black void inside, he reached inside tried to feel around he then thought of the outfit and felt it he then thought of those rock eggs, and he felt what those rock eggs were. This is like a genuine magic satchel like in cartoons.
Ben brought the magic satchel close to him, He then turned off the lights. Ben then opens the door into the darkness of this house. This whole situation was messed up but like everything he would face it head on.