Plumber's Charm

Epilogue

The brass pocket watch sat still on the table in front of Gwen and she watched it searchingly hoping for an epiphany. She was sitting on benches behind Bellwood hospital after the rush and hustle that accompanied their return from Ledgerdomain. Ben and Julie had been rushed off to be examined since they were still unconscious and the rest of them got looked at for the large series of cuts and bruises they'd accumulated from a full day of fighting nonstop. Gwen got by with a few bandages and Kevin didn't even need that, so they found themselves with idle time to hang around the hospital and wait for news on everyone else.

And so they had a bit to eat, called their respective parents, and were now drinking sodas in the parking lot watching the sun set. Well, Kevin was watching the sunset, Gwen was watching the pocket watch.

"What is that?" asked Kevin after he'd had enough of her only passingly paying attention to his discussion of what to do with Hex's enormous manor.

"It's Paradox's pocket watch," said Gwen. She poked it gently and its cover popped open to show it's stopped hands. "Charmy found it where he died and brought it with her when they came forward."

"Is it magic?" asked Kevin with a raised brow.

"Don't think so," said Gwen.

"So it's just an old watch," said Kevin.

"Paradox's old watch."

Kevin grunted and folded his arms. "So why has it got you so perplexed? Take to a jeweler and get the battery changed."

Gwen shook her head. "It's a wind-up, and even that isn't working."

"Then it's broke," said Kevin.

"I know," nodded Gwen. "But why?"

"Probably because Brozz busted it," said Kevin. "Why do you think there's another reason?"

Gwen studied the watch carefully. "Because of what happened to Brozz."

Kevin turned to more directly face his girlfriend. "What do you mean?"

Finally sitting back, Gwen put her hands behind her head and noticed the sunset for the first time. "The way he suddenly dissolved into dust, it sounds like what happened to Paradox when he died. Left nothing but a jacket and a pile of ash." She shook her head. "And there was this one thing that he said to us the last time I saw him."

"In the restaurant?" asked Kevin.

"No, the rooftop." Kevin stared at her. "Charmcaster and I ran into him when they first got back from the past. And earlier incarnation of Paradox came to talk, before he went back in time and died."

Kevin's eyes nearly crossed. "Man, nothing makes sense with him."

"Anyway, he said that a time walker must always be moving forward or else he'll be destroyed between the ticks of a clock." Gwen sighed. "I wonder if he was trying to hint at something."

"What does that have to do with Brozz," said Kevin.

"Well, time is not an absolute in Ledgerdomain, you sort of have to carry your own inertia with you – as Charmy says – to stay in sync with everything else." Gwen lowered her arms again and rested them on her lap. "Without the Alpha Rune and with Kai nullifying all of his energy, I doubt he was paying much attention to his personal time. I think it caught up with him."

"Literally?" asked Kevin. "Like, that wasn't just a metaphor for missing a chance at something?"

"He certainly seemed serious about it," said Gwen. "I don't know. But it just ... it seem curious. Like there's a piece left unsettled."

"And you think it has to do with this watch," said Kevin.

"It's all we have left of him," said Gwen. "We sorta gave his bag of gumballs to his younger self." She paused. "I wonder if that means those gumballs are caught in a temporal loop."

"The watch, Gwen," reminded Kevin.

"Right, so, what if it was just something simple?" asked Gwen, picking up the watch and holding it in her hand. "What if his time is literally connected to the ticks of not just any clock, but this one? I mean, I've never seen him without it."

"I've never seen him without that coat either," said Kevin. "Or the goggles."

"But he didn't mention the coat or the goggles," said Gwen. "And maybe it's nothing but... I think it's important."

"So what do we do?" asked Kevin. "Fix the watch?"

Gwen held her hand over the watch face. "I think I just have to get it to move again." Her eyes glowed as she moved her fingers swiftly above it. The second hand on the watch radiated with her energy as she slowly made motions like she was grabbing it. Then she twisted her wrist just enough to start the second hand moving again.

Brigh white light poured out of the watch and it lifted itself out of Gwen's hand to hang suspended in the air for moment. Then the light became blinding and Gwen and Kevin had to look away and cover their eyes for a second before it died away.

Gwen rubbed her eyes and then looked back to find Paradox, standing on the bench, with a look of surprise on his face.

"Oh my," he said, looking around. He noticed the watch on the table in front of him and bent down to pick it up. "What did I miss?"

-(X)-

"Hey, champ."

Ben's eyes slowly opened and he tried to focus on the blurry shapes in front of him. He felt like he was immersed in a thick liquid. Moving or even feeling anything was slow and numb. He blinked slowly and deliberately to try to clear up his vision. Eventually he saw his grandparents, Max and Verdona, standing beside his bed in a white hospital room.

"Grandpa?" asked Ben, frowning. "Wha... what happened?"

"You pushed yourself a little too hard," said Max. "The Ultimatrix bore the brunt of it, but once you changed back to your regular old self, well, it caught up to you all at once."

Ben blinked again and looked down at the bed. "Am I alright?"

Verdona reached out and gently stroked his head. "A little sleep, some good food, and you'll be fine."

Ben closed his eyes and turned his head. "As long as it's not earthworms, that's fine with me."

"Ben," Max said before he could drift off. "There's something else you need to know."

With effort, Ben opened his eyes again and looked up at his grandparents. "What? Is Brozz back?"

Max smiled. "No, he's gone for good."

Ben nodded. "Good."

"It's... about the Ultimatrix," said Max hesitantly. He reached over to the table and picked up a blackened and twisted piece of metal that bore the Plumber's logo on the top of it. "It's ruined, Ben."

"What?" Ben said, his eyes opening wide. He tried to sit up but felt so dizzy he could puke. He fell back against this pillow and covered his mouth. "How did—"

"Don't know," said Max. "Gwen thinks it was holding the Alpha Rune while in that Ultimate Ben mode."

Ben stared at the Ultimatrix. "We need to find Azmuth."

"I don't know where to look," said Max. "Kevin found some information in the central database that hints at a 'Galvan Prime Mk2' but we don't have any idea where it might be. As usual, we'll probably have to wait for him to come to us."

"Surely with the Ultimatrix destroyed..." said Ben, but then sighed. "He probably thinks this is opportunity for me to learn something."

"He would be right," said Verdona softly. "Maybe you should take some time off, not throw yourself into danger at every single opportunity." She looked sad. "Nobody can be so lucky forever."

"It's not luck," said Ben, then he yawned. "It's skill. I'm just that awesome." He yawned again.

"So modest," said Verdona wryly. She looked to Max. "You agree, right? He should at least have a childhood first."

Max looked grimly at the Ultimatrix. "It's certainly not a typical after school job," he said. "But I wonder what would have happened to me if Ben wasn't there. What would have happened to the world?"

"You can't put that pressure on him," said Verdona sharply.

"It's okay—" Ben yawned again. "—Grandma, it's what I do. I'm a hero."

Verdona patted Ben's shoulder. "I'm trying to get you to survive to be a old and aged hero."

Ben's eyes drooped and his head fell back against the pillow. "Like grandpa?" he said before falling asleep.

Verdona looked at Max and motioned towards the door. They quietly walked out and into the hospital hallway.

"He looks up to you," said Verdona.

"Recently, anyway," said Max.

"You can get him to stop," insisted Verdona.

Max laughed. "He's not going to stop, surely you must see that. It's in his blood."

"Cursed blood," Verdona said in a hollow voice. "How much of our family has been dragged into such violent action?"

Max sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, there are fights to be fought or people will suffer. People who don't have the means to defend themselves like we do."

Verdona bit her lip and then reached out and hugged her once-husband tightly, pressing her cheek into his shoulder. "Tell me you're done. Tell me you're ready to Anodyne with me." She hesitated. "Tell me I don't have to hear about your death on the Plumber network again."

Max wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Not just yet. Ben isn't done needing me."

Verdona pulled back just a bit. "When? Won't he always need his grandfather? Will it only end in your grave? You died once already."

"I wasn't really dead," said Max.

"That's not the point," said Verdona angrily and she pushed them fully apart. "I had to read about you, Max. I don't... I can't see that again."

Max looked down. "I'm not sure how much longer. Ben is still growing, his importance to this galaxy is still on the rise. I need to see it through. Then... when he's fully grown into his own, then I'll be ready to come."

Verdona looked at him skeptically. "What makes you think I'll keep waiting?"

Max smiled warmly and took Verdona into his arms again from behind. "When you left, all those years ago, you told me it was your people's way to be fickle. That all our mortal beings were just passing fancy. That it was human to cling to a person." He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Why have you waited so long already?"

Verdona looked down. "Yeah, I'm a bit of a liar," she said with a smile. She turned in his arms and punched him gently in the shoulder. "But you knew that and still have made me wait."

Max nodded. "There will come a time... soon... that I will be ready to leave this all in the hands of the next generation. You have to believe me."

Verdona reached up and caressed his face. "I believe that you believe it. I just don't know how true it is." She looked into his eyes. "And it terrifies me that even this, the Highbreed, and Brozz, is still not the toughest challenge ahead."

"There is always someone bigger," said Max.

-(X)-

Nobody was quite sure what to do with him, so he ended up locked in an equipment shed in the hangar where Kevin kept the Rustbucket III. There was little for Hex to do or see in the windowless room, save for sit on the folding chair or stare at the bare bulb protruding from the ceiling.

He'd been in there days now, fed and given access to a bathroom, but offered very little hospitality from his jail keeper, the ignoramus named Phil. If it weren't for the absence of his staff, his books, or any magical items at all, he would have blown the metal shed apart and fled into space.

As it was, though, he could only sit and think. And he hated to think.

The sound of grinding metal announced Phil's attempts to open the door. The shed was not designed for prisoners so they had hastily affixed several extra locks and barriers on the door that were apparently not easy to remove given the screeching and ear piercing grind that accompanying its opening.

The door finally creaked open and Hex was taken aback. Instead of the lumbering form of Phil the former Plumber, stood a beautiful woman in a flowing, colorful gown with a regal looking, but ultimately simple and restrained circlet.

"Who are..." started Hex as the woman walked in but as soon as she reached the light inside the cell he could see her facial features clearly. "Charmcaster?"

"Uncle," Charmcaster said simply. "It seems we must meet like this from now on."

"Why are you..." he asked but couldn't finish. She looked down at him with such authority, such inner strength, he found it hard to bear speaking without permission.

"I have come to offer you a choice," she said. "I have reached an agreement with the Plumbers, who are willing to let you pass into my care so that I might bring you home."

"Home?" asked Hex. "To... Ledgerdomain?"

Charmcaster nodded. "Yes. To stand trial."

Hex blinked. "Trial?" he said, sounding outraged, but Charmcaster quieted him with a raised hand.

"We know you betrayed our plans to Adwaita to save your skin," said Charmcaster. "And we know exactly how well your efforts worked out for you... and our people." She turned away. "Adwaita killed thousands before we arrived and our battle – we allowed even more to die." She rubbed her temples.

"There was no way to know—" started Hex.

"It doesn't matter!" shouted Charmcaster as she turned back. "You understand there are things like right and wrong, correct?"

"The morals of lesser—" started Hex.

"Wrong answer!" said Charmcaster.

"Since when do you care?" asked Hex. "I raised you for ten years and you never once balked at what we did. At WHO we did it to. When we did it. Did you shy away from attacking guards at Bellwood prison? Did you have a problem hiring intergalactic bounty hunters to chase down Ben Tennyson and his worthless cousi-"

Charmcaster slapped him. "That cousin was there for me in a way you never were. And don't talk about her family. Or her friends." She crossed her arms. "Because I'm one of them."

She pushed Hex back into his folding chair. "I'm here to offer you something you don't deserve, for a reason that defies all reason."

"What's that?" asked Hex. "The pleasure of being held trial by the princess of Adwaita."

"We won, Hex," said Charmcaster. "There is no Adwaita."

"So I have been told," Hex said. "And in you come looking like a queen. What should I conclude from that?"

"That your trial will be short and sweet," said Charmcaster. "And you will endure it to see what we have made." She stared her uncle in the eyes. "It's our home, Uncle. You tried to sell out our home. And this isn't the first time."

"I tried to save you from what was obviously a suicidal move!" said Hex.

"We won!"

"And you knew that was going to happen?" asked Hex, standing. "You were so certain you could topple the owner of the Alpha Rune with a bunch of teenagers and a team of Plumbers who used to be retired? You took a risk with everyone in your 'home' – which was a place you couldn't even remember living in when you were there – and you did it for vanity."

"Vanity? It was the right thing to do!" said Charmcaster.

"Maybe," nodded Hex. "But that's not why you did it. You did it because you wanted to be your father." He sat back down again. "And now you are your father, and I'm sure that feels real good to you." He turned away from his niece. "I am not as simple as your new friends want me to be. I cared about your father, and I care about you. But I had other things I wanted too, and I made a choice to leave that world behind me."

"Come see it," said Charmcaster in a much more moderated tone than she had been using. "It's not what you remember. It's a garden now. It's completely reborn."

Hex looked up at his niece and shook his head. "Then it's not my home anymore." He leaned back in his chair. "No, I'll take my chances in the Null Void. "

Charmcaster stared at her uncle for a long while before turning towards the door. "Very well," she said. "I had hoped to show you father's dream, but it seems it's most important for your to be able to choose the lesser of two destinies, so I will let you have your fate." She walked out of the light. "I wouldn't expect us to meet again."

She had made her way to the door and knocked on it twice before Hex sat up again.

"I'm glad you're still alive," he said softly.

Charmcaster stood in the open doorway with her mouth open but unable to pick the right words. She eventually just nodded and left.

-(X)-

She had checked his house, the manor, and Gwen's place before trying to look for him in the garage, which was arguably the place she should have started from. She found his legs sticking out from under his car, tinkering endlessly on the sports car with the worst luck. Over in the hanger area she could see Phil and Max walking and talking, but she had already said to them what she had cared to.

"Kevin," she said to the pair of legs.

"Yeah, what is it?" said Kevin.

"Grandpa is all packed up and ready to leave," replied Kai.

Kevin's legs moved and the rest of his body came into view. His face was smudged with a small amount of grease on his forehead and his hair was disheveled. "I guess that means you're ready too."

Kai nodded and watched as Kevin got up onto his feet and stood. He held out his hand after wiping it on a rag he had hanging from his belt. She shook it timidly.

"Back to the reservation?" asked Kevin.

Kai nodded. "It's our home."

Kevin released Kai's hand and shrugged non-committed. "I thought you might want to stick around a bit, since you know about your parents and all. You held your own in the fight, too."

"I, uh, thought about it," said Kai as she walked around to lean against the car next to Kevin. She crossed her arms. "But I don't think I'm really ready to do what you guys do on a regular basis. It's one thing to defend yourself or your friends, it's another to... go looking for things to fix." She looked up. "I'm not ready to commit to being a planetary defender." She looked towards Kevin and gave him a smile. "I will miss my teacher, though."

Kevin waved his hand dismissively. "It's not a big deal. I just gave you a few suggestions, it's not like I knew what I was doing. I'm not really the teacher-type."

Kai shook her head. "That's not true. You helped me a lot." She frowned slightly. "You changed my world. It's only because you believed in me that I could help with Brozz. Without your help I wouldn't have even been involved after grandpa got hurt."

"It won't always seem so rosy," said Kevin. "You'll never be able to think of yourself as normal again. That's not going to make your life easier."

"My life was never easy, trust me," laughed Kai. "I won't regret it though."

Kevin gave her a half-smile. "I'm glad. We might need your help again someday."

Kai stood up from the car again and moved in front of Kevin, holding her hands behind her back. "If you ever need me, just call."

"I'll hold you to that," said Kevin, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Kai looked down. "I hope you do," she said quietly. Then she spoke up. "I'd better go."

Kevin nodded. "Stay safe, Kai."

Kai smiled and looked down for a moment, then shifted her weight subtly between her feet a few times. She looked awkwardly at Kevin's shoes for a moment then his car.

"Is there—" Kevin started.

Kai quickly threw her arms around Kevin's neck and gave him a hug. Then she turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. "It was a big deal for me," she whispered.

Then she released him and, after a brief glance at Kevin's befuddled face, ran off to meet up with her grandfather.

-(X)-

"Built from scratch, huh?" said Wes as he walked with Phil and Max next to the Rustbucket III. He put his hand against the fuselage and ran it across the smooth surface. "Puts your RV to shame, Max."

Max laughed. "He started from a Plumber RN-0995, so not entirely."

"And you started from a Winnebago," said Phil. "At least that has four wheels. The RN-0995 is a personal transport, this is nearly a frigate."

Max looked over his shoulder where Kai and Kevin were talking on the other side of the garage. "Don't let him hear that, it'll go to his head."

"Raising all of them, are you?" asked Wes.

Max froze, then looked guilty. "They're just kids."

"Who save the universe," said Phil.

"I don't... it's not like with Carl or Frankie," said Max. "I just... try to help them mature."

"Max, I don't think what we did even compares to what these kids are doing now," said Phil. "Maybe the Capson Vortig comes close."

"Or the Alpha Normal," added Wes. "That was six weeks of strange."

"I admit that it's a new world," said Max.

"One that we may not be suited for anymore," said Wes.

"I... can't just leave them alone," said Max. "I had to for a while and—"

"Clearly they couldn't handle it?" asked Wes.

"No, it wasn't that," said Max.

"They got in trouble and you had to bail them out then?" said Phil.

Max looked between his two former partners. "No, they're very capable on their own." He paused under the combined stare. "They're my kids."

"We know, Max," said Phil.

Wes stepped around in front of Max. "How long are you going to give up your life for your family?"

"It's what you do, Wes, you're a father too," said Max.

"Yeah, Max, and I let my children grow up. And I don't keep Kai on a leash. She's going to leave someday soon and I'm not going to chase her because she might get hurt. If I do she'll never learn how to help herself."

Max shook his head. "They may not need me but I want to help. It will at least make it a little easier on them."

Wes laughed. "That's why we're here too," he said. "But it's not my whole life. Not anymore. It's why we retire."

"Or get arrested," said Phil, trying to be lighthearted.

Max sighed. "Can you really say I should let something else take priority over my family?"

"Your family is more than your children," said Wes. "I noticed you sent Verdona away again."

"I would have to really leave my children if I went with her," said Max.

"No you wouldn't, they're her kids too," Wes shook his head. "You just wouldn't be able to be here all the time. But you can always visit, and come back when they really need you."

"Grandpa!"

Wes turned to see Kai running over and waving. She looked once over her shoulder at Kevin, then quickly sped up until she was right in front of the trio of old men. Wes smiled at her. "Ready to go?"

Kai nodded. "It's good to see you again, Max," she said. Then she looked to Phil, and held out her hand. "Thank you for the help."

"My pleasure, miss," said Phil with a smile. He shook her hand briefly then turned and offered the same hand to Wes. "Take care of yourself."

Wes returned the shake. "You too." He eyed Max. "Just some advice, old friend. Take back your joys. We don't have much time left for them."

Max nodded and gave Wes a hug. "I'll consider it. Be safe."

Kai and Wes then both nodded and headed out of the garage. Kevin walked up to them shortly afterwards looking in the direction the Greens left while rubbing his cheek.

"You okay?" asked Max.

"I guess," Kevin said absently. He looked supremely confused.

"Can you give me a lift, then?" asked Phil.

Kevin looked over. "Huh? Where?"

"Back to the Academy," said Phil, putting his hands on his hips. "That instructor, Korwak, was looking for volunteers to go after the former chairman."

"Former chairman?" said Kevin.

Max nodded. "After the information you sent to the rest of central command, a formal inquiry was launched into the death of Ion. Lorbil tried to get it stopped and when he failed, he fled. No one's seen him since."

"We still don't know what his angle was," said Phil. "Or how involved he's been with Brozz's other activities. But finding him is a good place to start to get answers."

"And he doesn't mind working with an ex-con?" asked Kevin, grinning.

"He's seen fit to look over my transgressions given our role in exposing Lorbil and stopping Brozz," said Phil. He looked sideways at Max. "And, apparently, a recommendation from an influential Magister from a backwards tech level two planet."

Max smiled. "I don't just look after my kids."

"So, how about it?" asked Phil. "Can you drop me off? It's a quick trip for your ship."

"Everywhere is a quick trip in my ship," said Kevin as he walked towards the gangway.

Max could hear Phil laughing as they walked up into the ship. He watched as the doors closed and engines started firing up. A few minutes later it was taxiing out and then flying away, leaving him alone in the hangar.

He kept his eyes on the horizon long after they had faded from view and wondered what the next thing to fall out of the sky would be, and how much it would change his world.

-(X)-

Ben knelt as he studied the pieces of the burnt out Ultimatrix laid out on his bedroom floor. Julie was laying on his bed looking down at the collection of parts while Ship slowly moved around the device in a circle, occasionally making motions like it was sniffing the air around the watch. He let out a sad moan when he was done.

"He can't do anything with it," said Julie as Ship jumped over to her. She rubbed his head softly as he purred.

"I figured," said Ben. He sighed. "It was worth a shot."

"Any chance Azmuth might stop by and fix it?" asked Julie.

Ben shrugged and got back up to sit on the bed next to her. "I can never tell what Azmuth is going to do. He might never show. He might show up later today."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Julie. She rolled onto her back and held Ship above her. The mechamorph squealed in delight.

"Get by, I guess," said Ben. "There are lots of Plumbers without powers, like Grandpa. I'll just become one of them."

"Ben 10 without an Omnitrix," said Julie. "What is that going to be like?"

"Hard work, I guess," he grimaced. "It sucks, I was getting really good at slacking off."

"Yeah, that's not something you should be proud of," said Julie. She dropped Ship beside her on the bed and turned on her side. "Are you going to be okay?"

Ben nodded. "Yeah, I'm just going to miss it. Being an alien hero is a lot of fun, even if occasionally I have to fight for my life or the survival of the planet."

"You're still a hero, Ben," said Julie. "The Omnitrix doesn't make you that, it just makes it easier."

"You're right," said Ben with a smile. "I'll be fine."

Julie looked at him skeptically and then her watch chirped. She looked at it. "Oh, I gotta go." She rolled off the bed and picked up her bag of tennis equipment. "Mom said she won't tolerate me being late."

"You're still in trouble with your parents?" asked Ben.

"Well, I did kinda leave the dimension without giving them a heads up," said Julie. "On a mission I didn't know if I would survive on. I can understand why they're angry."

"It was the for the fate of the Earth!" said.

"Doesn't mean I couldn't have called them first when we were planning it," said Julie. She shrugged. "It's alright. It'll only be a week." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "See ya later!" She bounded out of the room with Ship trailing behind.

Ben watched her go and his smile slowly faded.

"She didn't believe you, you know."

Ben yelped and turned around to see Paradox behind him and chewing on something. He quickly pulled out a bag and offered it. "Gumball?"

"Paradox!" said Ben, surprised. "Are you okay? Gwen said you came back but, she didn't explain everything."

"Everything would have taken considerable time," said Paradox. He put the bag back into his pocket. "A briefer summary would be that I was gone and now I have returned."

"I... think I'd ask for a few more details than that," said Ben.

"I'm not clear on all of it myself, to tell you the truth," said Paradox. "My personal time had been stopped by Brozz and I would have thought that was the end. The sandweavers of ancient Persia spoke of legends that when a time walker stopped the great Dahaka beast would come to claim their soul." He shrugged. "I'm glad that wasn't the case. I hardly noticed the time I was gone."

"We noticed," said Ben, gravely.

Paradox smiled. "And you, Ben," he said. "I have noticed you are not quite yourself. And your efforts to hide it from your girlfriend went equally poorly. We are all concerned."

"I'll be fine," said Ben.

"To borrow from a not so ancient colloquialism: Pull the other one."

"What?" Ben said, confused.

"Quite simply: I don't believe you," said Paradox. He walked around and placed his hand on Ben's shoulder. "It's more than the Ultimatrix, isn't it?"

Ben looked skeptically at the professor but nodded.

"So?" prompted Paradox.

With a reluctant sigh, Ben sat back down on his bed. "When I was a kid, just after getting the Omnitrix, I was visited by Gwen... from the future."

"I see," said Paradox, stoically.

"She used some... Archamada spell to turn back time and had me and Gwen - younger Gwen – come to the future to convince Ben – my older self – to stop being a jerk to his family." Ben rubbed his head. "This is confusing to explain. It made sense when it happened."

"I'm sure it did," smiled Paradox.

"Anyway, there were all these things that... looking back now are really strange," said Ben. "I still had the Omnitrix, for one thing, it hadn't been destroyed by Vilgax. And Gwen was like Charmcaster and didn't know about Anodyne, and there weren't any other alien Plumbers..."

"It was only a possible future for you, Ben," said Paradox. "It clearly didn't come to pass."

"But, that future me – who called himself Ben 10,000 – he turned into a mean person who pushed everyone away because he stopped caring about anything other than the job." Ben looked at the pieces of the Ultimatrix. "I swore I'd never become like him. But... I think... kinda... that I am."

"You're not alone by any measure, Ben," said Paradox.

"But am I headed there?" said Ben. "I think about the things I've done recently and I feel like, every time I make a hard decision it gets a little easier to make the next and... I'm losing myself. I'm becoming more like that jerk in the future, all alone, sitting in a tower."

Paradox nodded. "Maybe you are," he said. Ben looked at him in shock, but Paradox held up a hand. "Always in motion, is the future. The only thing that controls its direction is you, and you can take it anywhere you want it to go." He put his hand to his chin. "But perhaps you are you are focusing too myopically on a single possibility." He held out his hand to Ben. "Can I show you an alternative?"

-(X)-

Ben stepped onto the green metal plating of the ship's bridge and his jaw dropped. The huge panoramic view showing the Earth and the Moon was one thing, the fleet of a dozen other ships in near orbit was another, and the giant ship's bridge with dozens of officers in black and green uniforms were yet another! Everyone was moving about or waving their hands in front of giant holographic displays, all before the view for a slightly raised platform that sat a single chair and with a single occupant.

Paradox cleared his throat loudly and then spoke. "Permission to come aboard, Admiral?

The chair turned around quickly and sitting it was an older man with black hair, a shortly cropped beard, and a regal uniform trimmed in silver. The frowning face on the man was familiar and it took Ben a second to realize who it was.

"You're late," said Kevin in a gruff voice. "You're a time traveler, and you're late."

"Of course I'm late, didn't Ben tell you, forty years ago, that I would be late?" said Paradox. He gently pushed Ben forward as they walked up to the captain's chair.

"Yeah," nodded Kevin. "But you told me, yesterday, that you wouldn't be."

"As that is clearly an older Paradox than me, I would blame such oversights on senility."

"I'll remind you of that," said Kevin with a laugh. Then he looked down at Ben. "You just gonna gape at me?"

"What is all this?" asked Ben, finding his voice. "You're captain of this giant ship?"

"No," said Kevin, grinning. "I'm Admiral of this giant fleet."

"Woah," said Ben. "A Plumber fleet?"

Kevin laughed again. "Of course not." He turned and motioned to the giant windows at the perimeter of the room. "This is the 101st Fleet of the Planetary Federation, and you're on its flagship, the Omicron." He looked to Paradox. "Permission granted, by the way."

"Thank you, Admiral," said Paradox.

"What's the Planetary Federation?" asked Ben.

"That's a long story, but the short of it is this, a bunch of 'officially' Tech Level two planets got caught in the Khundian invasion and were being wrecked. The GP and the Plumbers refused to get involved in any meaningful way so Earth and the other planets rallied together under a third option: you."

Ben blinked. "Me?"

"Well, we all helped, but you were at head of the treaty," said Kevin. "The first act of the Planetary Federation was to form the First Fleet under the lead of Ben 10,000 as a defensive measure."

"How did you form a fleet with Tech Level Two planets?" asked Ben.

"They didn't," said Kevin. "The First fleet was – well, still is, really – made up of your friends. The allies of Earth came out in droves to protect the Planetary Federation, some because they owed us one, some because they couldn't afford not to, but most because... well, because they're our friends. It's why you have the name you do."

"My name?" asked Ben. "Ben 10,000? Isn't it because of all the aliens I can turn into?"

"You've been able to turn into over a million different aliens since you were in high school," scoffed Kevin. "It'd be a pretty inaccurate name if that was what it referred to."

Ben shook his head. "I don't understand."

Kevin smiled. "The reason why you were able to orchestrate such a monumental treaty, the reason why you are known as Ben 10,000, is because there are over 10,000 friends of yours out there across the galaxy who would come to your help if you asked them. It's probably the greatest force in the galaxy, all united because they know you."

Kevin stood up from his chair and stepped down next to Ben. He looked fondly at him, then punched him in the arm. "So don't go being stupid and worry about being alone some day. I'm certainly not going to let you do it."

"Ow," Ben said weakly. "Okay, okay, I get it! There's more to being a hero than the Ultimatrix."

"Good," nodded Kevin. He turned and walked back to his chair. Instead of sitting down, he pushed on a panel beside the armrest. "Number one, can you bring the good doctor up?"

There was a pause and then a female voice replied. "On our way, sir."

Kevin nodded. "So, we've got a gift for you, to keep your spirits up."

"A gift... for me?" said Ben. "Really? Isn't there some time paradox thing we need to worry about?"

"It'll be alright," said Paradox. "This time."

"The Paradox of this time approved it too," said Kevin. "Though he was more reluctant than yours, even though he remembered approving it in the past."

"Time is fickle," said Paradox.

"Ain't that the truth," mused Kevin.

The doors onto the bridge opened up and the trio turned to look. Standing in the doorway in a black and green uniform with similar silver trim to Kevin was Kai. She was older, but still as shapely as ever, and walked purposely forward with a knowing grin.

And beside her was Azmuth, who... looked identical to how he always did.

"Azmuth!" Ben said. "Geeze, don't you ever get any older?"

"I'll take that a compliment, Tennyson," said Azmuth as he walked up. "You, of course, have looked better."

"I... wait, me now or me of the future?" asked Ben.

"You of our time," said Azmuth.

"Our time as in your time or—"

"By the gods, I forgot he was such an ignoramus at this age," said Azmuth.

Kai laughed and came over to give Ben a hug. "You look fine, in either time," she said.

"Uh, thanks," Ben blushed. "You also look fine." He paused, and then blushed harder. "I mean, you are good... you look good. Now... and then."

Kai smiled and walked over to stand next to Kevin. She pointed a thumb at Ben. "I think I remember why I found him so cute back then," she said.

"Don't remind me," said Kevin.

"So, uh, you said something about a gift?" asked Ben, trying to hide blush by not looking anyone in the eye.

"It's just a loaner, you understand," said Azmuth. "I'll want it back when you get back to this time again."

"What's a loaner?" asked Ben.

Kai cleared her throat loudly and then held up her arm to point at her wrist. Ben looked at her strangely, then his eyes widened. He looked down at his own wrist and saw a gleaming white watch there with green accents that formed the hourglass-like shape on the Omnitrix.

Ben smiled widely. "You fixed it! It's... so small now."

"I fixed nothing," said Azmuth, grumpily. "That is the Omnitrix."

"The... one I blew up?" asked Ben.

"That was a prototype," said Azmuth.

"The Ultimatrix?"

"That was yet another prototype," said Azmuth. "And a terrible one at that. Albedo had no idea what he was tapping into with his 'Ultimate' mode."

"So this is not a prototype," said Ben.

"Correct, this is the final version," said Azmuth. "So don't break it."

"So..." Ben said looked innocent. "Do I get to have the master code?"

"I'll leave that to the me from your time," said Azmuth. "Take it up with him."

"Awww," said Ben.

"And with that, we must go," said Paradox, placing a hand on Ben's shoulder.

"What? That's it?" asked Ben. "What about me? Do I at least get to meet myself? What about Gwen?"

"It's never too good to know too much about your own future," said Paradox. "You'll see what happens to everyone in time."

"Okay, okay, but at least tell me this," said Ben quickly. "Do I at least get to keep my hair?"

There was a popping sound and Ben and Paradox vanished.

Kai, Azmuth, and Kevin watched themgo and then looked awkwardly between each other.

"We should have told him," said Kai.

"'Return it to me,'" quoted Kevin angrily. "What the hell, Azmuth?"

"He deserves a chance," said Azmuth. He looked away. "You all do. Especially Guardian Gwendolyn."

"Yeah, and what if your little stunt screws up this future," said Kevin. "Because things could have turned out worse! What if now it does for that Ben? What if that Ben never becomes our Ben?"

"Then at least he'll have a chance to do it better," said Azmuth. "That's worth a little risk."

Kevin turned and sat back down in his chair with a scowl. "I sure hope you're right."

-(X)-

Sunny floated lazily in her physical form beside Gwen as the latter walked across the lawns of the manor. She had her arms folded behind her head and was flying backwards.

"Seriously, cous', you need to bail on this place," said Sunny. "It's a drag."

"It's my home," said Gwen with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not going to leave. Not now, anyway. Maybe someday."

"Ah, don't do it because of Grandma's stupid training," Sunny said with a wave of her arm. "You're clearly not limited by not having been to Anodyne. And the training is seriously boring. You want to know why it takes seventy-five years? So. Much. Repeating."

Gwen stopped and looked at her cousin. "Really?"

"YES," Sunny said, turning around to hang her arms and legs limply from her floating form. "I must have done basic mana making 101 like eighty-five times."

"No, I mean... you really think I don't need to go back for training?" said Gwen.

"Sure," shrugged Sunny, turning around on her back again. "Grandma talks it up a huge bunch, but adepts like you rarely find it anything other than mind numbing. You should leave here, but only because it's boring, not because you gotta go to Anodyne or anything."

Gwen sighed and after a moment she smiled. "Thank you."

"Hey, I'm no expert," said Sunny. "You still might lose your mind the next time you drop your skin, but I doubt it. You're not an idiot. Though you should still ditch this place."

Gwen nodded and continued walking towards the manor. She saw Charmcaster in the distance waiting patiently by the front door. "I'll have plenty of time to explore the universe," she said. "But right now I want to be here for Ben and Kevin."

"Your loss," said Sunny casually. "Either way, I'm heading back. Antonio is going to miss me."

"Antonio?" said Gwen.

"Oh, I haven't mentioned Antonio?" said Sunny with a grin. "He's my boyfriend. I'll have to bring him around next time. You'd find him a blast!"

"Uh... sure, I guess," said Gwen. "Next time."

Sunny flew up in the air, flipped around, and dropped down to land right in front of Gwen. She held up a finger and pointed it at Gwen with a smile. "I'll hold you to that." She winked. "Take care, cous'."

With a spin, she flew up into the air and vanished into the sky. Gwen wondered if she'd come to regret some aspect of that conversation, but she mostly was glad that somebody didn't believe she needed more training. She smiled and turned back towards the manor and walked up to the door.

"She heading home?" asked Charmcaster politely.

"Finally," said Gwen. "Though she really did help us. I shouldn't be mean."

"I know you don't mean it."

"Eh," shrugged Gwen. She and Charmcaster began walking around towards the back of the manor. "So what's next for you?"

"Back to Ledgerdomain," said Charmcaster. "I need to visit the outer realms and see if any of the cities out there survived. After that I need to meet with what remains of the ruling council and see... where I fit in. I doubt I'll be back anytime soon."

Gwen looked surprised. "Ruling council? I – no offense – I thought you would have..."

"Taken over?" asked Charmcaster with a small smile. "No, I can't lie to myself anymore. That's not what father would have wanted. I can't do much about the worship but I shouldn't force myself into power." She shrugged. "Now, that said, not much remains from the pre-Adwaita days. As Spellbinder's only daughter I may BE all that's left of the ruling council. If that's the case I'll probably hold elections or something, but given all the worship I just mentioned it could end up on my shoulders anyway."

"Wow," said Gwen. "Are you ready for that?"

Charmcaster sighed. "No, but that hardly seems to matter."

Gwen reached over and patted Charmcaster on the back. "You'll do alright, Charmy."

Charmcaster looked over at Gwen in a bashful way. "Thank you." She looked up as they walked around the back corner of the house to where the Door to Anywhere was still standing. "In the meantime, since I won't be around, I've set some things up for you."

Gwen blinked. "For me?"

Charmcaster nodded. "Hex 'arranged' for the purchase of this property and land through a fake identity – Gideon Sands – which I've taken ownership of and used to transfer all his remaining assets to you."

Gwen stopped dead in her tracks and Charmcaster paused and turned a few steps later. "W-what? I own this house?"

Charmcaster nodded. "And all the property around it, including some miscellaneous accounts and records. It's all laid out in the study." She motioned towards the house. "You can review it whenever you want. I can't ... vouch for the legitimacy of all of it, but at least the land and house were purchased honestly."

Gwen stepped forward as if in a daze. "What—what am I going to do with a house?"

Charmcaster smiled warmly. "That's up to you, Gwen, though I'd consider moving the headquarters of your 'hero' work out of the Mr. Slushy parking lot."

There was a few moments of silence before Charmcaster continued walking towards the Door to Anywhere.

"I don't know what to say," said Gwen.

"You don't have to say anything," said Charmcaster. "It's me who has to say everything." She turned her head to the sky. "I spent years being angry with you. Almost a lifetime it seems. And I was wrong." She looked down as she walked. "I know I explained to you why I felt the way I did but never said how sorry I am that it took me so long to get over it." She turned to Gwen again. "I am sorry. We could have been... friends, a long time ago."

Gwen smiled. "We're friends now. That's good enough."

Charmcaster closed her eyes for a moment and swallowed. "I don't know if I could have been so forgiving in your shoes." She shook her head. "I don't think anyone has been so kind and honest with me since my father. Everything I have now is because of you, because you didn't give up on me, because you believed me special when I wasn't."

"I just gave you some advice," said Gwen. "You did it all on your own. I said it before, you were always special."

Charmcaster nodded. "You're a kind liar." She rose her eyes to look at Gwen. "It's been... fun, fighting beside you this last week. I hope we can do it more."

Gwen laughed a little. "If you don't mind, I hope it isn't too soon, I would like a break before world destroyers."

Charmcaster laughed with her. "Alright. But I hope at least you'll visit. I've gone and left a very large door in your back yard just for that purpose."

Gwen laughed louder. "I will. I need to see this great world you're making."

They walked up to the dais of the Door to Anywhere. Charmcaster stepped up onto it while Gwen stayed on the lawn below. "This is it then," said Charmcaster. "My last look at Earth for a while." She stared intently down at Gwen.

"Well, you're welcome back any time," said Gwen.

Charmcaster's expression turned melancholy. "I wish I..." she started and then stopped herself. She laughed a little and squeezed her eyes shut for a second. "Everything I wanted, but..." she stopped again.

"Charmy?" prompted Gwen, looking concerned.

Charmcaster leaped down from the dais and quickly grabbed Gwen in a tight hug. "Don't wait too long to visit," she whispered urgently. Then she released her and fled up the stairs and through the portal in the Door to Anywhere.

Gwen stared, confused, as the last wisp of fabric of Charmcaster's dress was sucked into the swirling mana, and she felt the Door's gentle tug on her soul.

- ( THE END )-

Afterword:

What started on this laptop as a simple idea for a story about Max being a horn dog became an epic about the redemption of Charmcaster as a character. I rarely know where I'm heading when I begin a tale, which is probably why I'm so much more successful at fanfiction than I am at original fiction. You are all blessedly more tolerant of rambling works.

So, really, why did I write this? Yes, the genesis of this story began with the idea that something about the Tennyson blood makes aliens hot for them. The original series certainly seemed to establish Max as quite the player in the galactic space, and that only expanded in Alien Force when we discover Ben and Gwen are part-Anodite. I figured I'd show Ben struggling with Julie (as he does in the series) and bring back Kai as a previously established romantic interest. Then contrast that with the long history of Tennyson Plumbers getting their freak on. I even came up with a title, "Plumber's Charm", which was mostly a reference to how charming Max is established as being.

Then, shortly after starting, I decided I wanted to use more characters from the series and brought in Charmcaster, what with her name being so close to the title I picked. But as soon as she became involved, the story shifted focus. Why?

Because I hate what happened to Charmcaster in the series.

She started out as fairly interesting in the original Ben 10. Spunky, arrogant, a little dependent on Hex but she quickly grew out of that. But by the time she appeared in Alien Force she'd become a DC Comics villain with muddy intentions. Then by the time Ultimate Alien came along, she suddenly had a home dimension she always wanted to return to – which is completely at odds with her behavior up to that point. By the end of Ultimate Alien, they even went so far as to redeem her, then turn her into a basket case! She even dated the slimy Darkstar!

Nope. I couldn't stand for it. So Plumber's Charm became my fix fic for the awful abuse Charmcaster suffered. And, well, while I was in there mucking around with continuity, I figured I'd tinker with everyone else's backstory as well. So I harvested the better ideas from Ultimate Alien, and created my alternate Series 3.

Am I satisfied now? Nah, never. But I'm a little happier. Charmcaster isn't quite where I want her to be, but it was as far as I could push her in a week of character development. I'm also a shameless femslash tease, so naturally I tossed in some unresolved sexual tension with her and Gwen. Will it go anywhere? Not sure. I'm really disappointed with what I've seen of Ben 10: Omniverse, so I may continue this universe someday so as to fix that series too. (Yes, my arrogance is unbounded.)

Kai and Phil – These two bit characters appear in single episodes in the original series and are then forgotten. Kai is particularly interesting because Ben fixates on her for a while, if 'Perfect Day' is any indication. There is even a possible future where Ben marries her, as 'Ken 10' shows us. I thought it might be fun to bring her back at an age where Ben's interest is much less pre-teen and much more sexual. Unfortunately, that got derailed because I don't actually dislike Julie all that much. She's kind of a single-dimensional character in the series, but not an offensive one. I disliked the idea of putting her through pain. So Kai ended up adrift in this story for a while, until I latched onto the idea that Kevin would be a companion character to her. Thus, probably the first ever Kevin/Kai shipping fic was born.

Phil, on the other hand, was needed because of how much this story relied on the contradictory history of the Plumbers on Earth. He plays an important role: he's a former Plumber, one of Max's many partners, and he ended up getting shafted by the organization. But... why? How could that happen? The series goes on to develop the Plumber organization but the more it does, the more it brings into doubt that what happened to Phil could have been as simple as it was presented in the episode in question. The only answer that I could come up with to rectify this was that there were actually two Plumbers organizations, one that Max was running on Earth, and the one that protected the galaxy. Once that idea existed in my head, I had fertile ground to tell conspiracy stories.

Brozz – My poor villain gets the shortest straw in this story. We never REALLY find out what he was doing with Paradox's powers, and he kind of goes down like a chump in the end because he ignores the first rule of adventuring: 7 on 1 always goes badly for the 1. I wish I could say I had a terribly interesting backstory for him that I simply couldn't find room for, but that would be a lie. Brozz was a means to an end, a way to push the pieces around the board when I needed them to move. I hope it wasn't too transparent while you were reading, obviously it's pretty clear now.

Oh, in true StargateSG-1 tradition, I introduced a number of 'advanced' races and left one completely undescribed: the Thermians. Of course, if you've watched Galaxy Quest, then you already know what they're capable of.

The Future – I really love time skips. They give me the ability to seed new stories without actually having to commit to writing them. It also allows me to further my Kevin/Kai ship without explicitly stating anything. I also wanted to codify my distaste for how it appears the Plumbers run things in the galaxy, it's not a very effective solution, so my conclusion was that it really has to be a temporary one. Thus, the Planetary Federation makes sense. It also allows for an escalation over the futures shown in Ben 10,000 and Ultimate Ben.

The real future: I don't suspect I'll be revisiting this universe very soon, but I hope to be back someday. I just have a billion things on my plate right now and I need to wrap them up before starting anything new.

I'm just happy that a story I started writing in 2010 finally got completed in 2012. 390 pages and 105k words later.

Thank you for coming along for the ride! Leave a review if you liked it!

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