Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10. That is all on Man of Action.

"Ben! To your left!"

"Thanks, Rook!"

One brown haired green eyes male dressed in green duck and rolled to the side from some pink veined glowing rock monsters, smirking as he was then twisting a familiar watch on his wrist and slammed on the timer, and soon a green light surrounded him in revealing a fiery being.

"Heatblast? Alright!" And soon was blasting fireballs at two of those creatures.

Once again, Ben was facing off with his cousin Gwen's mortal enemy; Charmcaster.

He didn't understand why the witch was still against Gwen even after five years of being defeated by said girl and winning the library in Friedkin University and had her stuck into her creepy pouch until Ben accidentally had her released during that stupid game show thing back when he was sixteen. But hey, he supposed that he could understand where Charmcaster's anger was coming from but...it has been years already. Already going into growing adults, couldn't she let this go?

"Couldn't you let this stupid feud go?" Gwen Tennyson shouted at the magic user, as she was raising her hands up and blocking a spell casted to her.

The silver haired woman growled and was spinning around as she was then casting her spell back at Gwen, who blocked it once more, "After everything you put me through? You think I'm just gonna let this go?!" She threw more powerful spells each time she spoke, "When you stole my spellbook and stealing my magic, stealing Michael away from me-"

"That's all on you! Also, for your information, Michael is a creep, and I didn't want him ever," Gwen made a face of disgust.

"You tell her babe!" Kevin Levin shouted out from the background, fighting off Charmcaster's stoned cronies.

"Less talk, more helping, Kevin!" Heatblast shouted as he and Rook were back to back defending themselves from the rock monsters.

"Worst of all..." Charmcaster growled as her eyes glowed a fuchsia pink, "You planned to keep me in that totem bag of mine for all time! TRAPPED LIKE AN ANIMAL!"

"It was better than putting you in jail with the Plumbers or worse! Thought we could be proper friends..." Gwen's own eyes were glowing brightly as she was readying her hands up, floating off the ground.

"We could never be friends. I'd rather die!" Charmcaster spat out harshly as she then raised her arms up, a powerful magical ball in her palms, "And now...I'll end you for good! Aswento eros selias~!"

Gwen yelped as she was crossing her arms like an X and felt the hit as she was then countering it away with her own spell.

"Arus felis nul!"

Suddenly the light around them was too bright, and Ben was rushing in to catch his cousin as Rook followed in. Unfortunately for them, they were caught in the blast and ended up being pushed backwards and hit against a building wall.

"Gwen!" Kevin shouted as he saw the light die down and Gwen was falling down.

Kevin had switched back into his human form and caught her. Well he did, until he yelped when he noticed her body was too hot and carefully placed her down instead and looked down at his reddening hands. Charmcaster had fainted on the other side of the road, and her monsters had all crumbled since their mistress was knocked out. Breathing out, Kevin then was glancing over to see Ben and Rook were also down for the count.

"Oh, this is not good..."

Groaning, toxic green eyes were slowly opening and glanced around, wondering where they were.

"And you sure that these things on them aren't like cursed or anything?"

"Heaven's no, Mister Levin. In fact, I'm just surprised that this spell was casted in the first place,"

Ben blinked even more as he was seeing Kevin...and Professor Hex.

"Um..." Ben breathed out and looked around again, sitting up once he spotted that Rook was awake, "Rook..." He then paused, seeing the Revonnahgander had some sort of...light bluish purple markings over his face, "Dude, what's up with your face?"

"Ah Ben Tennyson. Good, good, you're awake," Hex spoke up from the side and approached him, "How are you feeling?"

"Um," Ben hummed as he was placing a hand over his heart, then blinked as he looked confused as to why he did that, but he didn't miss the knowing look Hex was giving off, "I feel...light...yet empty. Um, what's going on exactly?"

"You and Rook got hit with a spell along with Gwen and Charmcaster after their little spat," Kevin explained and then shrugged, "Oh by the way dude, don't look in a mirror,"

"What? Why?" Ben asked as he was looking around.

He saw a body mirror nearby, realizing now that it was Hex's office, and then eyes widened at the side before him. His skin was covered in vein like glowing markings of fuchsia pink, almost resembling the kind of design on Charmcaster's rock monsters.

"W-what the heck happened to me?"

"Ah, yes, all will be explained as soon as Gwendolyn and my niece wake up," Hex hummed, hands folded behind his back then turned his head when he heard two female groans, "Ah, speaking of which..."

Gwen was the first to sit up, rubbing her head lightly and then breathed out, "Okay, I really should remember to be more careful with my spells," She then blinked as Hex approached her, "P-Professor Hex?"

"Good evening Gwendolyn," Hex nodded.

Charmcaster was then sitting up next and then held her head, but once she realized where she was, she was jumping back from the couch and raising her hands up.

"Uncle!" She breathed out but then paused as she looked at the fingertips, seeing the markings a little, "What...?"

She realized that no magic came out from her palms, and tried to cast a spell again, and nothing happened. Taking off her fingerless gloves, she then saw the markings once more, all green vein like and runes traced over her skin.

"W-what is going on?"

"I was getting to that, dear niece," Hex sighed as he walked over to his desk and sat down.

Charmcaster huffed as she was sitting down on the couch once more and Gwen raised a brow. She looked down at her own hands, and was surprised to see there was dark indigo colored vein like glow on her skin and runes pulsing as well. Glancing to Ben, she could see the markings as well on him and on Rook's fur. Just what was going on?

"Apparently the spell you casted on each other combined together made up a very ancient spell that hasn't been used since the dark ages," Hex explained, resting his chin over his linked hands that were resting elbows on his table, sighing, "It is called a scrutator meam, it's a spell that helps one track down their soulmates by revealing the person's markings on their skins. It's also why that your powers are not, dear niece, working. It is locked until-"

"Wait, what?" Ben looked back down at his own skin and the frowned, "So...then my soulmate...?"

"Benjamin, please take of your shirt," Hex spoke suddenly as he stood up, as Ben's eyes widened.

"What? N-No! Ew, dude I ain't taking off my-"

"It's not of perversion, dear boy, it's mostly to see the markings," Hex sighed tiredly with slight annoyance.

Ben pouted as he soon was removing his black t-shirt and soon was revealing a beautifully show of runes marked on his skin, and Hex hummed as he saw what he was looking for and pointed at where Ben's heart should be. A certain rune that Charmcaster recognise while made her pale.

Hope.

Standing up, Charmcaster growled as she pulled a bit of her collar down to see over her chest, and indeed the runic name of Benjamin was written on her chest and looked up to Ben, and snarled.

"You..."

Ben looked up and then felt his own face pale, and his nose scrunched up.

"Aw you gotta be kidding me!"

"This cannot be happening!" Charmcaster was marching up to Ben to deck him or something, but gasped when the runes on her skin started to glow a bright green, as Ben's was glowing a fuchsia kind, "No..."

Hex hummed, "Interesting...yet again, it makes so much sense,"

"B-But wait..." Gwen murmured as she looked at her hands, then at Kevin, "Kevin doesn't have my markings, or any markings at all!"

Rook tilted his head, and curiously, looked down at his hand and saw a particular rune on his right palm. Glancing back up, he then was approaching Gwen as she was still talking with Hex and Kevin, who was looking at her with a dumb-founded look. He soon was at the red head's side, and suddenly his runes on his face was glowing a bright baby blue, especially on his right palm, as Gwen gasped, feeling a glow over her own skin in a dark blue kind, and lifted her left hand up to see the rune on her palm and looked up at Rook in shock.

"Blonko..."

"Gwen and I...a-are soulmates,"

Kevin's face darkened, and if looks could kill, Rook would be seven feet under.

"This is wrong!" Ben shouted as he was standing up and placing his shirt back on, "How do we get rid of this?"

"Ah, well the markings should disappear once you and your soulmate acknowledges the bond and strengthen it. Usually through consummation, but-"

Ben cut Hex off as he was shaking his head and waving his hands in front of him, "Ew, ew, gross, no. I mean how do we get rid of the bond thing!?"

"Yeah, h-how?" Gwen spoke up as she was looking worried, sending questioning glances at a silent thoughtful Rook to a seething angry Kevin, "There must be a way to reverse this,"

"For once, I am in agreement with Gwendolyn. There's no way I can be paired with Tennyson!" Charmcaster yelled as she was gesturing Ben in a disgusted manner.

Hex looked confused and shook his head, "I...children, it's not a curse of any sort. It is a revealing spell, it's not easy to get rid of your other half,"

"Charmcaster can't be my other half! I have a girlfriend. You know, who's my future Mrs. Tennyson. Said girlfriend that will kill me if she finds out about this?' Ben shouted, as he was starting to sweat at the thought.

"I didn't think that Julie Yamamoto is capable of that," Charmcaster raised a brow and Ben froze, looking away.

"I-I was talking about Kai Green," Ben murmured, surprising the witch.

Huh, I am really out of touch on news aren't I? Charmcaster thought with a frown as she folded her arms and looked away.

"There must be a way to, you know...not be soulmates, isn't there?" Gwen asked as she was not catching the hurt look that Rook had, but that expression was gone as soon as it came.

Hex hummed, stroking under his chin and then stared at his star pupil, "There is a spell that could severe a bond, but it is dark magic, Gwendolyn. It was used back in the olden days to seperate one's from abusive soulmates..."

"Great! Then let's do that!" Ben piped up as he was looking hopeful now, "What would we need for this to work?"

"Well, some rare ingredients for one, if it's a potion spell. But I do not know the complete process of it so it will take some time to find out the true proper spell and what not...plus, even if we do find it, the brewing process would take a while,"

"How...long a while?" Gwen asked slowly as Hex looked back at her and shrugged.

"The shortest time is a year-"

"A YEAR?!" Ben yelped out as he was then looking panicked, "Noooo way! No way am I gonna be stuck with this crazy bi-"

"Not like I wanted to be stuck with you either, Tennyson," The silver haired woman turned to the other with a glare, "So don't think for a second that I'm enjoying this-"

"Yeah, I know," Ben rolled his eyes, "You've tried to kill me as many times as I could think of! You're not capable of loving anyone but yourself! You have no heart!"

He then retracted back for a second to see a little bit of pain in her eyes, but it was gone as it was replaced with anger as she was raising a hand to him, and Ben thought she was gonna try and cast a spell on him (which, he knew wouldn't work but old habits die hard) but instead, she slapped him square onto his cheek. Ben's eyes widened as he felt the numb sensation and slowly looked back at her, just in time to see her marks glowing brightly onto her skin as she was walking out the room.

"Okay...that could've gone better," Gwen murmured then looked at Ben with disappointment, "That was uncalled for, by the way,"

"Wha-You're defending her?" Ben then froze as he glanced at a blank-faced Hex, and felt himself looking guiltly, "Er, sorry I mean, no offense,"

Hex looked understanding, despite he looked a little miffed, "It's alright Benjamin. Although my niece has been through a lot, it doesn't mean she's truly evil. If she could be like me, seeing the errors of my way and change myself for the better...then perhaps she would, how you would say, be able to have a heart,"

"Okay, okay, I could've worded that a little better," Ben sighed as he rubbed the back of his head.

He supposed he had that coming. He was just...so shocked. That the enemy of his cousin (well, frenemies, at least that's what Gwen had said before) was his soulmate? Charmcaster, the woman that made their lives hell when they were children? It was kinda hard to believe, especially given what happened five years ago. But...with Ben always contradicting that Charmcaster should let things go, it sort of hypocritical that he himself hasn't let go of the past.

Guess it's not as easy as I thought...

Sighing, Ben was then marching out the room, leaving Hex with the last three people in the room.

"...This is all too much for me. I need some air," Kevin finally said as his face was stone cold, and ignored Gwen's outstretched hand and walked out the room as well.

Gwen felt her heart break in two, as she then helplessly looked at Rook, who was wanting to comfort her but didn't know how to without setting anyone off.

"...Seeing that this is tearing you apart, Gwendolyn. I shall begin research immediately," Hex spoke up and then folded his hand behind his back, "But try looking into my library for anything as well as I look here in my office,"

"T-thank you Professor," Gwen was wiping her eyes a little after removing her glasses and smiled weakly, "I...I should probably go find Kevin,"

And with that, Gwen left the room in a hurry to catch up with her boyfriend.

Rook hummed as he then was looking back at the Professor and nodded his head, as he was also leaving, a lot in his mind.

I must call home...

"Charmcaster?" Ben looked around to see where the woman went, sighing a little as he was rubbing the back of his head, "I'd be surprised she had gone somewhere to cry...if she's capable of crying...damn, I gotta stop thinking that,"

The brunet was then biting his lower lip as he then felt...this pull. Frowning, he felt his feet was moving on it's own as he then felt a warm sensation tingling up and down his skin. He looked down his hands and arms, seeing that his runes were glowing brightly and smiled. Bingo, he thought as he then kept walking, until he was out in some sort of garden at the back of the university, and tilted his head when he saw a familiar figure sitting on a stone bench. Sighing, he was approaching but froze when Charmcaster spoke up.

"I know you're there...my runes glowed up brighter," She looked behind him with a glare and then turned back, "What do you want Tennyson? Come to insult me once more?"

"No...I, kinda was over the line before," Ben shrugged and walked up beside her and grinned a little, "Mind if I sit?" He gestured to the space beside her.

"Not like I can blast you away anyways," Charmcaster murmured as Ben sat down next to her.

He hummed, and then softened, "Look, Charmcaster. It's not like I hate you or anything. Really, I mean it's five years already, I'd like to think that we're not in the stage of killing each other anymore. Unless you're still crazy-"

"Your point, Tennyson?"

"It's just," Ben looked apologetic for rambling and then sighed, "Your Uncle says it'll take a while until we can get rid of this bond, and you can get your powers back so...how about a truce until then?"

The young magic user glanced towards him to see that her hand was stuck out to her, and Ben smiling gently. Sighing, she rolled her eyes and then turned to take his hand and shook it firmly. "Fine, a truce until then..."

"That also means no trying to kill Gwen,"

Charmcaster removed her hand from his and scoffed, "Ugh, now you're just pushing it,"

"Hey, she's in this mess too," Ben then groaned, "Oh man, wonder how Kevin's dealing with it,"

"Knowing Levin? He's probably just punching walls like a possessive ape and brooding with that smouldering pouting look," Charmcaster mocked as Ben laughed a little but looked surprised as Charmcaster, and smirked, "Aha..."

"H-hey, you can be funny too, cut me a break," Ben grinned as Charmcaster rolled her eyes, but she had a small smile on her face.

"By the way," Charmcaster hummed as she was straightening herself out and hummed a bit, "Who is this girlfriend of yours huh? I mean last I heard, weren't you dating Julie Yamamoto? Unless somehow you fudged that up somehow?"

"I actually did," Ben said honestly, surprising Charmcaster once again, "But it worked out for the better. Julie's finally happy with a guy that could give her everything I couldn't. Even if the guy is kinda a scrub," He laughed, and then softened a bit.

"Huh...wasn't expecting that,"

"What did you expect?"

The silver haired woman tapped her chin, "I was expecting that you might've cheated by accident. Or roped into an engagement that made her jealous,"

"Oh, well, the last thing happened...plenty of times might I add," Ben hummed as Charmcaster made an 'ooh' sound.

"Ah, the Game Show..."

"Right," Ben nodded.

"So...what kind of girl is Kai Green?"

"Well-"

"BENJAMIN KIRBY TENNYSON!"

Ben and Charmcaster jumped as they turned their heads to see one familiar navajo stomping her way to them, anger was radiating in her body language and her brown eyes were almost black in a demonic way.

"Oh boy..."

"Ben! I can't believe you forgot our date...AGAIN!"

Oohhh riiiiight, Ben winced as he remembered that he had promised to taking Kai into a proper date since there were plenty of times that Ben had always canceled or the date was cut short thanks to bad guys always interrupting or there's worlds to save, yada, yada...and with Gwen calling in for help, Ben thought he had enough time until his date with her.

"Heyyyy Kai," Ben stood up as he raised his hands up, trying to calm her, "Look, a lot happened tonight and it kinda slipped out of my mind-"

"Oh, and I suppose this lots that happened tonight include some girl you're seeing behind my back?" Kai gestured to Charmcaster and narrowed her eyes, "Who are you anyways? Some other girl that Ben accidentally promise marriage to or an ex he forgot to break up with?"

"Charmcaster, we're just...acquaintances at best," The witch introduced curtly and looked at Ben with an amused look, "Wow, Ben, your girlfriend is a bi-"

"Hope," Ben all of a sudden said while turning to her, and he felt himself covering his mouth as Charmcaster looked at him with wide eyes as their markings glowed bright and warm.

"W-what is that on you? And why are you going?!" Kai demanded, as she was looking between them, feeling ignored when Ben and Charmcaster kept staring at each other in shock, "HELLO?!"

"Huh?" Ben snapped out of it immediately and turned to her, the dazed look he had before was gone, "S-sorry Kai, what were you saying?"

"What...the hell is going on here," Kai gritted her teeth and then stalked towards Ben, "And you better explain yourself mister, or I swear,"

As soon as she came close, Kai yelped as she had gotten shocked when poking at his chest, and stepped back, holding her hand as she saw that her finger was singed a little, and Ben looked worried for her while Charmcaster was grinning, too amused for this.

"Kai, you okay-?"

"S-stay away from me!" Kai waved her hand up and then glared, "Start explaining...now!"

Sighing, the omnitrix wielder was rubbing his head and then bit his lower lip, "You...might wanna sit down for this..."

"Kevin...Kevin listen to me...Kevin please!"

Kevin had stopped packing his car and turned to Gwen, narrowing his eyes, "How long have you liked Rook huh?"

"What?" Gwen blinked as she then shook her head, "I don't like Rook that way! He's just a friend, t-this is all some sort of mistake,"

"Heh, I bet," He murmured as he was then reaching for more of his stuff to place inside his ride, while their pet 'dog', Zed, was watching them with a small worried whine, "This is just...Gwen, what if you can't get this thing removed?"

"We will!" Gwen begged as she was then walking towards him to touch his hand, but gasped as suddenly an electric spark shocked Kevin's hand and soon the said man was thrown against the wall, "KEVIN!"

She rushed towards him and checked on him, but had stayed back from touching him in case that happened again.

"Kevin I-"

"Gwen," Kevin said in finality as Gwen paused, and Kevin softened, "Look, Gwen. I still love you baby, I do...it's just. When hearing that some other guy is your soulmate and it's not me. It kinda hurts a guy you know?"

"I know," Gwen sighed as she stayed knelt down and glanced at him, "This has to be all Charmcaster's doing. Mess it up or something so that we end up with someone that we don't love. I just hope Ben and Charmcaster aren't going to kill each other,"

"That is if Kai doesn't kill them first,"

"That's only if she finds out," Gwen then paused, glancing up at Kevin shyly, "So...a-are you still leaving?"

Kevin sighed and sat up straight, "If this really is a fluke..."

Gwen smiled brightly in hope, and was reaching to hug him again but then gasped as Kevin was shocked once more.

"GWEN!"

"Sorry!"

Meanwhile, Rook was looking at his communicator and sighed, as he then placed a hand over his heart and smiled a little, looking up at the night sky, feeling so...so happy.

"My bonded one...who would have thought I would find them here on Earth..."

End of Introduction.

A/N: Thank you for reading guys :D So, for those that know of my old story The Collar, sorry that I had to delete it. It just...I know a lot of you favorite it, followed it, and gave comments about it but...I just didn't feel for that story anymore. I kinda had to agree with some that wrote the reviews on how the plot was kinda dump and it was sort of all over the place. So, this is kinda the rendition from it and where I wanted to go with it. So for the one that guessed that Ben would end up with Charmcaster. Kudos to you xD But to know if Bencaster would be end game...that's all up to you know. Plus, added a rare pair in here too lol. So what do you guys think? Should I continue this? Or should I go back with The Collar, but a better clean version? Let me know in the reviews~! Until then! See you in the next chapter (hopefully, if you guys like it and all). Bye guys~!