DOUGH:Hey Your waste of space DOUGH here! Its been while i didn't upload any chapter here? I'm so sorry dear reader but man i was busy write chapters 9 10 and 11 on here and been busy with other thing and stuff...you know i write for fun and never search for refrensi to write on these Fanfics stories...i ain't writte these for serious stuff after all just for fun, then enjoy this ,btw ,shall we make this fast chapter or make it sloooow?
LEMON: i don't know,do what you like...you the author I'm just assiten.
DOUGH: That why i ask you fuck ass! A asisten should help me..
LEMON: meh....
AUTHOR: Don't "meh" me you MOTHERFUCKER!
LEMON: Meh :b
AUTHOR: AGH..Sigh,i should get myself beautiful lady as assiten then this femboy. Anyway here some warning:
WARNINH! this Chapter would be have heavy child violence...and tortune? If i write it good...but we all know its never be good.
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"Now, students, please open your textbooks to page 34," said the teacher to the entire 3rd grade class.
The students followed the order and flipped open their theory books. As the teacher began lecturing, one particular child sitting at the fourth desk in the row looked heavy with boredom, though he didn't show it on his face.
That child was our MC, Benjamin Kirby Tennyson—eight years old, sitting quietly at his desk, feeling the weight of monotony. Why? Because this kind of lecture was boring to him. He had already studied the material, already understood it completely. Yet, he still needed to attend school—for the sake of his social life.
In this second life of his, it was already a done deal. After all,that (unknown) damm God had reincarnated him as Ben Tennyson. So, boring as it was, school was necessary. Not fun, but necessary.
As the teacher keep explain the subject matter—ben didn't pay attention to the lesson,why? Because his mind fly to another place. Instead litsen to the subject of the lesson, it was filled with questions—questions that refused to leave him alone.
Earlier, in the boys' bathroom, he had run into someone. Someone he wasn't supposed to meet this early. Someone he only remembered showing up later in the story.
Cooper Daniel—the technopath.
But the thing that bothered him the most? In this world, Cooper wasn't a boy. She was a girl.
That was the surprise. At first, he didn't even recognize her—Because this Cooper had tan skin unlike the cooper he knew,well still have the same blue eyes, and long blonde hair,but that half-covered her face that why he didn't reconize her. The original Cooper he remembered was fair-skinned, and definitely a boy—but here? She was a girl.
"Geeez… this is giving me a migraine," Ben muttered under his breath, massaging the spot between his eyes—bridge of his nose. He already knew he was in some kind of alternate reality after Joel and Camille's wedding that happened early on—everything after that was something but that was just in surface,so be didn't care much.
But what really threw him off was Cooper. Or rather—how Cooper turned out in this reality—he been Genderbend. Different in ways Ben wasn't prepared for. It caught him completely off guard, left him sitting there with his brain spinning. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back in his chair, cracked open his textbook, and pretended to read—though his mind was busy stitching the pieces together.
His thoughts were cut short by the sharp clap of their teacher's hands. The woman at the front of the class had just wrapped up her lecture and now stood grinning at them.
"Alright, class! Today we're going to have a pop quiz on the material we studied earlier. Get ready!" she announced brightly.
A chorus of groans rippled across the third-grade classroom, while a few kids shrugged it off like it was nothing.
"Aw man!? A sudden test?! I should've listened to what she said earlier…" a couple of kids complained, realizing too late they hadn't paid attention. Some had been reading comics hidden under their textbooks, while others were too busy chatting with their friends.
Seeing all that, Ben relaxed a little and shook his head.
"Heh, kids," he muttered under his breath. For some reason, just watching them made the pressure in his head feel a bit lighter...
————
After a few minutes after the third graders finished their sudden pop quizzes, the recess bell rang from the speaker."Children, class is over now, please go to your lunch break! Enjoy your meal!"say the teacher as she take her belonging from her desk and walk out from the classroom.
"Finally, recess!" shouted a Black kid as he ran out with his friends.
"Robert, wait up!" the others called after him, chasing him into the hallway.
A few kids still lingered inside the classroom before heading to lunch. One was a chubby boy with spiky brown hair, the other a skinny kid with a carrot-shaped ponytail.
"Man, I'm starving. Wish they sold bacon in the canteen," the chubby one muttered, waddling beside his thinner friend.
"Yaaawn… whatever, dude. I just want a nap after lunch. That pop quiz was such a hassle," the skinny kid grumbled.
"Hehehe, yeah right! I was too busy eating chi-chips to listen to Mrs. Sammy's lecture earlier. Still, I bet it's easy for you, Seinkan," the fat one said, carefree as ever.
"Yawn… whatever, man. That was such a pain in the butt. Hey, could you grab me an apple juice if they've got any? I'm too lazy, Chojo."
"Hahaha, no problem, bud," Chojo laughed as the two third-graders strolled out, their voices fading into the hallway.
As the other kids rushed out—some straight to the canteen, others to the playground with their friends—our MC, Ben, slipped out too, hurrying toward his usual lunch spot in the playground yard.
He could've sat with Gwen and Lucy, sure, but he couldn't stand their constant bickering. He was used to it by now, but it still grated on his nerves. And worse than the noise were the stares—Lucy's little fan club glaring daggers at his back, or the nerd boys who liked Gwen muttering curses at him. That's what always happened whenever he sat with those two.
So instead, Ben had found his own safe spot: a secret, half-hidden bench tucked away in the playground at Madison Elementary. His little haven. His escape from Lucy, Gwen, and all the nonsense that came with them.
But there was also something else about that place. Someone he always ended up running into there. Her… Cooper.
Back then, before Ben even realized Cooper was a "she" in this reality, they'd always wind up sharing that same hidden bench during lunch—before he knew he–i mean she is Cooper Daniel. Day after day, like it was some unspoken rule. Neither of them ever said a word. They'd just sit there, side by side, eating in silence.
Why didn't they talk? Simple—because it would've been awkward as hell. Imagine minding your own business and the person next to you suddenly starts rambling about their life,or something else—a stuff you've got zero context for. Creepy. Weird. Totally awkward. So yeah, ever since that first time, neither of them spoke. They just ate. Quietly.
Aaaand this time was different. Way different. The awkwardness wasn't on both sides anymore—it was all on Ben. First he knew that kid indentity now and second its because Cooper wasn't just Cooper anymore… she was a girl.
That fact alone was like a rock jammed in his throat. Hard to swallow, especially for someone who, in his past life, had been a diehard Ben 10 fanboy. His brain kept short-circuiting every time he tried to digest that piece of information. And whenever the thought started to spiral—sweaty palms, cold shivers—he forced his mana to smooth out his nervous system, calming his body down like flipping a switch.
As he made his way down the hallway toward the playground, he caught sight of something that stopped him mid-step: two third-grade boys, same grade as him, cornering someone smaller. Ben didn't even need a closer look. He already knew exactly who those two punks were..
---
The first kid was about Ben's age, standing nearly eye-to-eye with him. Height-wise, he looked like a ten-year-old—same as Ben—but the difference showed in the build. The kid still carried baby fat on his face and arms, while Ben had already shed his and was starting to look lean, athletic, almost like he was edging into eleven. This boy had a football-shaped head, a tall forehead, oversized ears, and black hair. He wore a plain grey shirt that only made his awkward features stand out more.
(Author:kid that had football shape head? Stewie??)
The second boy looked younger—dame age he eight, judging by his height and smaller frame. His brown hair stuck out in messy tufts, and his thick brown eyebrows gave him a permanently annoyed look. Round, light-blue glasses clung to his face, sliding down every so often. He wore a dark olive shirt over a faded yellow T-shirt, with light olive pants and scuffed brown shoes.
Ben slowed down, his expression souring the moment he recognized them.
"Sigh… these kids again. For the love of God, what are they doing now?" he muttered under his breath, watching as the two cornered their victim.
He knew these punks all too well. They weren't random kids. They were bullies straight out of the original Ben 10 show—Cash Murray and JT.
"What the hell you think you're doing? You really think you can escape us that easy?" Cash snarled at the kid they had cornered. "You ain't going anywhere," JT added, puffing his chest out like he was tough. The two of them were shaking down the poor kid for lunch money—third graders, and already acting like seasoned bullies.
"C'mon, c'mon, we don't got all day! Hand over your lunch money!" JT barked again. Even with his attitude, he still looked like a sore loser pretending to play the part of a thug."P-please… l-leave me alone…" the kid whimpered. Ben's eyes narrowed. The moment he got a good look, his stomach dropped. Wait a second… no way. That's Cooper!
"Speak of the devil…that him—I mean, her," Ben muttered in his head, freezing in place as the scene played out. Cooper was curled in on herself, trembling, too timid to push back.
Pitiful. Absolutely pitiful. Watching a kid get bullied was one thing—but seeing it happen to Cooper of all people? Ben's head throbbed in frustration. Yeah, she gave him a headache just by existing in this reality, but there was no way in hell he could just turn a blind eye to this.
---
"Hey!" Ben's voice cut through the hallway.
Cash and JT whipped their heads around, eyes wide the second they saw him."Ugh—Tennyson!" Cash spat, his voice cracking with fear."Oh God…" JT muttered, following Cash's lead, both of them stiffening up.
Why were they so scared? Easy—because both had already taken more than a few beatings from Ben when they tried bothering him in the past. But to understand that, you'd have to rewind a bit.
———
Back in first grade, Ben was already known by everyone in school from day one—thanks to Lucy. Every time she made a new friend, she'd drag Ben into it too, introducing him whether he liked it or not. He hadn't even thrown a single punch yet back then, but hey, that was the life of being a kid again.
So, he ended up making friends—or at least acquaintances—with the kids Lucy met. Gwen, of course, always glared daggers whenever it was a girl trying to get close to him.
One of those early acquaintances was JT. Back then, JT wasn't the bully he is now. He was timid but friendly, the kind of kid who once tried to buddy up with Ben. And Ben accepted him—not as a close friend, but more like a classmate he didn't mind hanging around.
Then Cash moved into town. A walking disaster from day one. Even in first grade he was a handful—the kind of kid teachers dreaded dealing with. And once JT fell in with him? That was it. From a decent kid, JT slid straight into trouble—pranks, bullying, and every bad habit Cash dragged him into.
At first Ben didn't really care, since neither of them were bothering him. But it started to get on his nerves seeing kids their age cry from constant bullying. That's when his adult brain kicked in, annoyed, and he called them out. Cash, of course, started screaming at him like always, while Ben stayed calm.
At first the teacher tried to settle things down, but Ben told her everything those two boys had been doing. At first she brushed it off as just "kids being kids," until Ben started pointing out all the real problems Cash had already caused—and even called her out for being a useless teacher. That left her stunned, cause Ben actually made sense.
But then Cash snapped and punched Ben in the face. The teacher thought Ben would cry, but instead the six-year-old snapped back and beat Cash until the kid cried instead.
That ended with both kids' parents being called to the principal's office. When the parents showed up—both mom and dad of cash show up meanwhile Ben's parent that came was Sandra tennyson because Carl still on his work,she not alone tho she came with lucy's mom, they argued over whose kid was to blame while Mrs. Blythe Mann watch from side line. Ben, already sick of Cash's parents acting the same way as their brat,he's started pointing out all the problems and bad things their kid had done—straight to their faces.
Their faces shifted from surprise to anger. Same breed, really—like parent, like child. Cash's parents started yelling at Ben, trying to pin the blame on him and make him cry. But he didn't. Instead, he just stared them down, right in the eyes. That cold, judging stare—something you'd never expect from a normal kid.
Cash's mother felt it—the unease creeping up her spine under Ben's gaze. She snapped, going from words to action, raising her hand to slap him. But before she could, the principal stepped in, stopping her. The principal pointed out exactly what that was: child abuse/Violence against children. And she made it clear she'd report it to the police.
Thank God the principal was a woman with some common sense. With that threat hanging in the air, Cash's parents finally backed off and stormed away. That alone gave Ben a bit of peace, not having to hear the dumb noise of brainless monkeys for once.
But safe? Nah, not really. The moment Cash's parents were gone, his mom, Sandra Tennyson, jumped straight into lecture mode. She scolded him hard about not picking fights—even though deep down she knew it wasn't his fault. She knew her son better than anyone (well, except the whole alien and Anodite thing she still didn't know about). Truth is, she was actually proud seeing him stand up and fight back against them and their brat, but as a parent, she still had to give the lecture.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Blythe Mann just hung around, making sure Ben was alright. And Ben? He couldn't help but wonder, why's Mrs. Blythe even here with his Mom? Maybe she gave his Mom a ride here? Yeah, that seemed about right.
Then Mrs. Blythe patted Ben's head, smiling warmly at the eight-year-old who looked completely unfazed. By now, everyone around Ben was used to his calm demeanor. Yup—that's really Ben, alright.
(Author:nonsense on top nonsense...)
———
But if you think that kid would start behaving after that day in the principal's office—yeah, you'd be dead wrong. As the dumbass kid of dumbass parents, Cash's behavior just kept getting worse. His annoying mischief wasn't stopping anytime soon. In fact, it got more violent—he went full-blown physical, straight-up torturing his peers with JT tagging along.
Even the teachers had a hard time dealing with him. No matter how many horrible things that brat did, they couldn't really do much about it. Turns out, he was the nephew of some political big shot in Bellwood—and that's why the teachers were afraid of him. Cash always bragged about that crap too, even though the guy he bragged about didn't give a damn about him or his parents. So, the only thing the school ever did was send him to the principal's office—over and over again.
Until one day, Ben caught them doing something straight-up insane. Cash and JT were in the classroom while everyone else was out in P.E., planning to put a razor blade inside another kid's lunch. Ben happened to come back to grab his gym shirt — and that's when he saw it.
"What the—?!" Ben froze, staring as Cash unwrapped a small razor blade, grinning like a little psycho. "Hehehe, this's gonna be hilarious," Cash snickered, sliding the blade into a cupcake. JT, that geeky kid who always followed him around, just smiled like it was all fun and games.
"Oi! The hell are you two doing?!" Ben barked, storming toward them. He grabbed Cash's hand hard and yanked it away from the cupcake.
"Hey! What the hell, dude?!" Cash yelled, caught completely off guard.
Ben's eyes widened as he saw what was in his hand. "A fucking razor!?" He cursed, his voice echoing through the empty classroom. "Are you outta your damn mind?! You were gonna put that in someone's lunch? Why!?"
Cash flinched — nobody ever yelled at him like that before. "I-It was just gonna be funny, man!" he stammered, trying to sound tough but clearly panicking.
"Funny?!" Ben snapped. "You trying to hurt your classmate? For some sick joke?"
"W-Well… so what?!" Cash shouted back, but the tremble in his voice gave him away. For the first time, the so-called bully looked genuinely scared — not of getting caught, but of Ben. As JT beside him trembling scared seeing how angry Ben is.
Ben realized something as he looked at those two brats — this kind of behavior wasn't something he could just ignore. Even if this kid was just a side character in the original Ben 10 story, he couldn't turn a blind eye anymore. Not after everything he'd seen, not after that punch last time didn't fix a damn thing to this kid damm brain.
This… this was what he hated the most — spoiled little bastards who never got the discipline they needed. If their parents weren't gonna do it, then he would.
Ben let out a breath, his eyes cold. He released just 5% of his mana, letting it leak through the room like a dark green mist. The windows clouded over as the glass shimmered, soundproofing itself under the mana's layer. The whole classroom sealed shut — no escape, no noise leaking out. A mini-domain.
He didn't want to use this, but right now, he had no choice.
Ben closed the door, locking it tight. He grabbed Cash's wrist hard enough to make the kid wince.
"Hey! Agh—hey, let me go! You're hurting me!" Cash yelped, trying to pull away. "You don't know who I am! My uncle's a politician! He wouldn't let you—"
Ben didn't let him finish. His fist connected with Cash's face — a sharp crack! echoed as the kid flew back, slamming against the wall hard enough to make it fracture. JT screamed, "W-Waaa! Waaa!" and fell on his butt, eyes wide in terror.
"Fuuuck... I wish I didn't have to use it early... but man, I'm damn pissed right now," muttered six-year-old Ben, green smoke slipping from his mouth as his glowing eyes burned brighter.
He walked toward six-year-old Cash, who was curled up on the floor, crying his lungs out."Aaagh... waa... waa... it hurts... aaahh..." the kid sobbed after taking just one small punch from Ben."I–I... sniff... I'll tell on you... sniff... to my pare—"
Before he could finish, Ben's foot slammed into his gut, sending him flying back into the same cracked wall he'd already smashed earlier."Waaach!!" Cash cried out, hitting the floor again with a thud.Ben looked down at him coldly. "You think I care?"
JT froze in fear, watching a kid his same age—ben as he keep beating—then kick Cash into the wall like it was nothing."Waaaaa... it hurts... aaagh..." Cash groaned, rolling on the floor clutching his stomach.
"Oh no, don't you start crying now," Ben said coldly, his voice low and sharp. "Come on, I thought it was supposed to be funny, right? Seeing someone else get hurt?" JT panicked. He grabbed a piece of broken furniture and charged at Ben, yelling, "Waaah! Let him go, you monster!"
Ben didn't even flinch—he turned and sucker punched JT straight in the face. The kid dropped instantly, glasses flying off.
"Don't fuckin' worry, I didn't forget about you," Ben said coldly, shaking out his hand. "Wait your damn turn."Then he turned back to Cash, who was still crying and trying to crawl away. Ben grabbed a fistful of his short brown hair, yanking his head up.
Cash screamed, but Ben didn't stop. He started punching—again and again. Cash tried to block with his tiny hands, but it didn't help; every time he raised them, Ben's fist just smashed through them into his face.
Thud! Crack! Thud!
The hits echoed in the sealed classroom, the dark green mist muffling the sound from outside. After while Ben stop beating him Cash's face was already a bloody mess—nose leaking, lips split, cheeks red and swollen. He looked up at Ben, his eyes wide with terror. The slightly taller six-year-old watch the kid that beating him so easy and just stood there, breathing heavy, eyes glowing faint green from the mana haze that filled the room.
"P-please... hic... wuuuh... please... forgive me..." Cash sobbed, voice shaking. Tears and snot ran down his face, mixing with the blood dripping from his mouth. He tried to crawl back, slipping on the floor slick with dust and sweat, but Ben's hand grabbed him by the collar, yanking him up like a ragdoll.
Ben just stared at him coldly, jaw tight, breathing through his nose as faint green smoke slipped from his mouth.
"Don't start crying now, you little fuck…" his voice came low, rough, every word heavy with anger. "And what was that? 'Forgive you'? Oh, please. You tried to hurt one of our classmates with a razor, and for what? For fun? That's your damn excuse?"
He took a step closer, eyes glowing sharper green. "That's already way past the line, you little shit! You could've seriously hurt someone—could've killed them! Do you even think before you do this crap? Do you even get what kind of shit you just pulled?! The consequences of your damn cruelty?!"
Ben's voice roared out, raw and furious, echoing through the soundproof mana haze that sealed the classroom. His six-year-old throat burned from yelling, but he didn't care—every word came out sharper, heavier, like he'd been holding it in for years.
"I… I-I didn't know… I-I'm just a kid… please… forgive me…" Cash stammered through his sobs, blood and tears running down his face. His voice cracked, snot and saliva mixing with every breath. "I didn't mean—hic—I just thought—"
"Kid?! Just a KID?!" Ben barked, grabbing him by the shirt and yanking him up again. "I don't give a damn! Don't you dare use that excuse to get away with this crap! Don't play the 'just a kid' card on me! You don't get to hide behind that after trying to pull shit like this!"
Ben reached down, picking the razor from the floor beside the cupcake. The blade shimmered faintly in the green haze as he held it between his fingers, eyes narrowing. Cash's face went pale. "Wh-what are you doing!? Please—please, forgive me! Please! I'll stop! I swear I'll stop!" he begged, voice trembling, his small hands shaking as he tried to crawl back.
Ben's expression didn't change. The green glow in his eyes pulsed brighter as his hand tightened around the razor. His anger was like a storm bottled inside a child's body—small body of pure rage.
After a while, Cash finally passed out—his body limp from fear and the pain of Ben's punches and kicks."Tch… he's out cold. Well, that leaves you now… JT," Ben muttered, turning around.
JT sat frozen on the floor, one eye already swollen purple from Ben's earlier punch. His glasses were cracked, trembling hands clutching the frame like it could protect him. Ben's shadow fell over him as he took a slow step forward.
"P-please… please, I'm sorry… I-I just followed him… please, let me go… please…" JT's voice broke between sobs, his glasses slipping down his nose.
Ben stared at him for a moment—then kicked him in the face. Not too hard this time, just enough to knock him back and shut him up. Unlike he did to cash earlier, even though that was semi hard punch yet cash still Alive after hitting the wall earlier.
(Author: Bro what kind logic is that?? That kid should be dead!)
This time, Ben didn't mean to go all out like he did with Cash. He could control it a bit now. Cash had taken the full hit earlier—enough to leave him bruised, bloodied, and humiliated. Still alive, but he'd feel it for days.
Now, all Ben's focus shifted to the glass-wearing kid in front of him, still trembling, eyes wide with pure fear.
After a good while—and way too many hits—JT finally passed out. Inside that mana domain, the air was thick and quiet. Ben stood there, breathing hard, then finally cooled his head and let out a long sigh.
"For fuck's sake… what the hell am I even doing?" he muttered, rubbing his face. "I just beat up a bunch of kids 'cause I lost my shit? Damn it… I know what they did was messed up, but still… I should've handled it with a cold head, not like this."
He punched the bridge of his nose in frustration, then glanced at the two unconscious kids lying on the floor. Cash looked the worst—bloodied and bruised all over. Ben sighed again, walked over, and grabbed both of them by their shirt collars, dragging them up to sit against the wall.
With one hand glowing faint green, he channeled his mana over their wounds. The bruises started fading, cuts closing up little by little. Even the blood on their clothes evaporated into faint green mist until they looked almost untouched—except for the dried tear stains on their faces."Yeah… that should do the trick," he muttered quietly, looking down at them.
After he did that, Ben looked around the half-wrecked classroom and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the green mist and energy faded, and everything went back to normal—like nothing ever happened. The walls? No cracks. The floor? Clean from blood and dust. It looked like that whole fight never even existed. In a way, it didn't—it all went down inside a separate space he created. That's something he'd been experimenting with for a while, thanks to his Anodite bloodline—making small sub-spaces he could use later for storage as it original plan is or, like just now, as a private battleground so nothing around him gets destroyed.
"Aaagh... shit, my head feels like it's being split in half with an axe…" Ben groaned, rubbing his temple. "Even a semi-domain test still hurt as hell. Not too good either—it drained, what, sixty-seven percent of my mana? Geeez…" He sighed, slighly leaning against a desk for support. "I gotta remember to expand my mana pool later… need to cultivate more—ugh, I hate that word."
(Author: same)
His glowing eyes dimmed back to normal as he looked at the classroom clock. "Huh, only two minutes passed out here?" he muttered. "Well, that's a damn lifesaver."
Still dizzy, he walked over to the two unconscious kids and crouched down beside them. "Alright, nap time's over, dumbasses," he said flatly before slapping both their cheeks a few times. "Oi! Wake up, retards!"
"WUAAAAH!!" yelled Cash as he came to and saw Ben's face. JT jerked awake too, staring in horror."Hic!" Both of them hiccupped —seeing Ben look still pissed, but he keeping a cool head this time."Please, please, no more, please!" the two begged, crying.
"Relax, you fucks. I stopped beating the shit out of you — even though I want to grind you into meat paste!" Ben snapped, leaning in to threaten them. "So here's the deal: stop pulling fucked-up pranks that could hurt or, worse, kill our classmates. Or I'll torture you — and your parents too. I don't give a fuck who your family is or how powerful they are." Ben said, his voice full of hate.
"You understand that!" Ben shouted, punching the wall behind them.
"Y-yeah! We understand — we won't do anything like that again, promise!" they blurted out, voices raw with tears and noses running, the fear plain on their faces.
"Good. And one last thing—" Ben slapped both of them, leaving a faint mark on each as a warning,as he transfer some of his mana as bom to their body that could be trigger if—"Don't tell anyone what happened earlier. I'm not kidding — if you open your mouth, you'll lose your tongue to your own teeth. Try writing it down? Your hands'll give out and you won't be able to hold anything for the rest of your life. Got it?"
That was Ben's last warning. He tossed his gym shirt over his shoulder and walked off to PE class, leaving them trembling — one of them even peed himself.
After that day — the day Ben beat the shit out of them as a "lesson" — Cash and JT were never the same. They developed an unhealthy trauma; every time they saw Ben, they'd freeze up or freak out. Even when teachers asked why they reacted that way, they couldn't say a word or even write it down. The fear alone was eating them alive.
Still, the teachers felt a bit relieved seeing the two troublemakers stop pulling pranks for a while. But that peace didn't last long.
When they moved up from first grade to second grade, they were transferred to another class — away from Ben. After a few days in the new class, their old habits started creeping back. At least this time, it wasn't as bad or harmful… probably because the fear of Ben was still stuck deep in their heads.
———
Back to the present—Cash and JT froze when they saw Ben looking pissed after catching them bullying Cooper.
"What the hell are you two doing right now? Having fun bullying her?" Ben said, pointing at Cooper. When Cooper saw him, she smiled. From that reaction alone, both boys thought the same thing—"Ah crap. Did we just bully someone he knows!? Oh nononono!!!"
"W-whoa, h-hey, l-listen, Tennyson! W-we didn't know you knew her! Hehe… heh…" Cash stammered, stepping back and awkwardly helping Cooper up."Y-yeah! We didn't know! Hehehe… please don't beat us!" JT added, nervously brushing imaginary dust off Cooper's clothes."Yeah, please… show us mercy this time! Please!" Cash begged pitifully, his voice shaking despite being the taller eight-year-old.
Ben sighed, clearly tired of their crap. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and said flatly, "Scram."Without another word, both of them bolted down the school corridor, nearly crashing into a few fourth and fifth graders on their way out.
As Cash and JT disappeared from view, Ben turned his full attention to Cooper. The blonde, tan—well, slightly brown—girl with freckles looked fine, not hurt at all."You alright?" Ben asked as he walked closer, still holding his lunch bag."Y-yeah… thanks. You saved me twice today," Cooper said timidly, glancing up at him. Even though they were the same age, Ben was noticeably taller than most kids their age—same case with Gwen and Lucy.
"Yeah… guess I did. And looks like we meet again, huh?" Ben said, scratching the back of his head with a faint, awkward smile. "Umm…" Cooper nodded slightly. That's when Ben noticed the lunchbox she was holding — it looked exactly like one of his own franchise that become hot hit in this world—heros of outworld.
"I… I was just gonna have lunch," Cooper said, snapping back to reality. "Then those two came up and asked me for my lunch money."
"Oh, both of them? Cash and JT?" Ben said casually. "Yeah, those idiots always pull that crap. Sorry if they messed with you… guess they haven't been beaten enough yet."
Cooper let out a small nervous laugh, unsure if he was joking or serious.Trying to break the awkward tension, Ben pointed at her lunchbox. "By the way, that's a pretty cool lunchbox you got there!"
Cooper was caught off guard — someone was actually complimenting her stuff.
"'Hero of Outworld,' huh? Or what people like to call it 'Hero Outworld' for short? That show was the best," Ben said, casually praising his own creation.
Hearing that, Cooper's eyes instantly lit up. The person who had saved her twice today also liked the same show?
"You like them too!?" she said, grabbing his hand, her eyes sparkling.
"Well, yeah, I'm a fan," Ben said with a small smile, trying to fight the cringe of basically fangirling over his own work.
"Me too! Oh my God, you're the first person I've met who likes it too! That show was awesome, right!? All those original aliens, the powers — it was the best cartoon ever, right, right, right!?" Cooper went from shy and timid to full-blown excited fan mode, reminding Ben a lot of Lucy.
"Do you see that one episode of the scene when that kid transforms into one of them? Oh! Oh! And they actually have their own consciousness!"
Yup — just like Lucy, Ben thought, scratching his cheek awkwardly.
"Hehe, yeah… I've seen that episode," he said. "Umm, anyway, if you wanna talk more about it, how about we do that over lunch? Break time just started. Instead of standing here, let's go to that spot — you know, the long wooden bench in the playground."Ben smiled warmly. Cooper snapped out of her excitement, realizing she was still holding his hand. She quickly let go, her face turning a little red.
"Ah—yeah," she replied shyly. And with that, the two of them walked to the playground — toward the old wooden bench tucked under the building's shadow, where it was always cool and quiet.
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BEN POV:
Wow… just wow. I never thought this would happen so fast. I mean, I just met a kid who's supposed to be one of the supporting characters from the original Ben 10 franchise. Well—more like I realized who she was rather than met her for the first time today.
Cooper Daniel.
If I remember right, in the show Cooper was that technopathy kid — the one who could control and build machines like it was nothing. Not just human tech either, even alien stuff. He was a total super genius when it came to anything mechanical.
But now… he's a she. And I only found that out today. Honestly, I'm still trying to process it. I had a massive headache in class this morning the moment I figured it out.
And now here she is — sitting right next to me on the same bench we've been using since second grade. Back then, I didn't even know who she really was. I thought it'd just be another normal lunch break… until I mentioned her lunchbox earlier at hallway— the one with characters from my franchise — right after scaring off Cash and JT for bullying her.
From what I've seen so far, this Cooper's the quiet, timid type — shy like a closed-up flower. But the moment she starts talking about something she loves? Damn, she lights up. Talkative, excited, and full of energy — she really reminds me of Lucy.
"So! And then— and then!" she said, her eyes sparkling as she went on about her favorite parts of the show I created.
I'm not gonna lie… I was blushing on the inside, seeing a real fan geeking out over my work. (Well, except for Lucy — I'm already used to her nonstop fangirl mode.)
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Meanwhile in the some place:
"Hachoo!!" Lucy sneezed loudly, the sound echoing through the school hall. The blonde girl with long braided hair and faint, whisker-like freckles on her cheeks sniffled and rubbed her nose."Bless you, Lucy," said her friend — an eight-year-old Black girl wearing a long red AC/DC shirt.
"Sniff… yeah, thanks, Rebecca," Lucy replied, wiping her nose with the back of her hand."It's weird," said the tomboy of the group, raising an eyebrow. "It's super sunny today, but you keep sneezing like crazy."
Lucy chuckled, her grin spreading wide. "Heh, I think someone's talking behind my back, Lee Suah… but it's fine. Pretty sure I know who it is, so I'm not mad."A faint blush crept across her cheeks as she smiled even wider.
"Let me guess… Ben, right?" said the tomboy, smirking as Lucy's face turned red and her usual cheerful grin gave her away.
"Figures," both girls said at once — they already knew how hopeless Lucy was when it came to Ben. Ever since first grade, she'd been glued to him like a magnet."Hehehehe…" Lucy giggled, her hyper energy kicking in as she imagined Ben probably talking about her somewhere."Anyway, I'm gonna split here—need to find him before Gwen does," she said, grabbing her lunch bag.
"Hmmm? And how are you gonna find him this time?" asked the red-haired girl with glasses. "You know he's always hiding from you and Gwen whenever it's lunch time."Lucy grinned and pointed at her nose proudly. "This time, I can find him."
"Uh-huh, sure you can," Rebecca said with a teasing smile."Yup! Well See ya, girls!" Lucy waved and dashed off down the hallway, ignoring the little crowd of fanboys calling her name as she made her way to hunt down Ben once again. Just like gold retriever find their owner.
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As I kept listening to her, I realized… this actually wasn't bad. I kinda enjoyed hearing her talk. It felt peaceful, sitting here eating the lunch my Mom — Sandra — made for me. Warm fried rice and chicken, perfectly seasoned. While I ate, she just kept talking, her voice full of life.
Usually, when I'm around Gwen and Lucy, their constant bickering gets on my nerves. But Cooper… she's different. Calmer. Softer. Being around her feels—nice.
And the more I looked at her, the more I noticed… she's actually really cute. Not gonna lie — like one of those manhwa heroines. The way she talks, the spark in her eyes, the way her hands move when she gets excited about something… she's just adorable.
She kept rambling about what she loved most about the franchise I created, and honestly? This was… nice. Really nice.
…Wait.
Hold on.
What the hell?! Why do I think she's cute!?
Damn it! I shouldn't be thinking like that—
I'm mentally and spiritually older, for fuck's sake!
I sighed, trying to push back the headache forming from that mental war between my physical age and my real, older mind.While I was lost in that inner mess, Cooper noticed my change in expression. Her excited chatter faded, replaced by a worried look.
"Umm… are you alright? Di–did I talk too fast? Or too much? I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" she said, lowering her head, looking all guilty.Dang it, even when she does that, she's ridiculously adorable.
"No, no, no—it's alright, hahaha," I said, trying to ease her nerves. "It's just… I've got a bit of a headache. I think My Mom put too much salt in my fried rice, that's all."
I tried to laugh it off, but she still looked worried. So, I used one of the most useful things I'd learned over the years — something I always did whenever Gwen, Lucy, or even Mom got upset. I quietly surrounded us with a gentle, calming aura of mana.
"Is that so? Haaah… thank goodness. I thought I was bothering you by talking too much—" she said, her smile returning, bright and sweet again as it my trick always work.Then came the part that hit me right in the chest.
"This is my first time talking a lot with someone other than my family. Most kids here don't really like it when I talk too much," she said with a small, sad smile.Oh dear… not the sad puppy look.
"Hm? Why's that?" I asked, looking at the tan girl beside me — same age kid, but with a heavy look in her eyes. "You an outcast or something?"The moment I said that, she flinched a little, then slowly nodded.
"Y-yeah… you could say it like that," she murmured. "I… I don't really have many friends. Just my dog at home, mostly."
She looked down at the half-eaten sandwich in her hands — her fifth one, actually; she'd already gone through four like it was nothing.
"They started staying away from me after I showed them something I thought was awesome–back at first grade,i show them I'm secret," she continued, her voice trembling. "But… they thought it was weird. Called me a freak…conni parents already warn me to not show it out to stranger,i should litsen to them."Her eyes were starting to glisten, like she was fighting to hold the tears back.
Don't tell me… she already has her ability?
As a technopath — someone who can mentally control and communicate with technology, whether human or alien — that would mean she can assemble, disassemble, and even pull data straight out of machines. Not to mention, it also gives her enhanced strength and superhuman intelligence.
If that's true, then… damn.
I don't even remember how the original Cooper got his powers in the first place. Does that mean this Cooper was born with it already?
Wow… as a hardcore Ben 10 fanboy, I'm actually embarrassed. I don't know nearly as much about some of these character backstories as I thought I did. Shame on me.
(Author:yup shame on you!)
And then it hit me — what those fifth or sixth graders said earlier, right before I beat the crap out of them this morning. Something about Cooper messing with a broken vending machine. That had to be it. That's how I knew… she really did have that ability.
I glanced back at her. She looked up at me, a bit confused by my sudden silence.
"Coo— I mean, Conni," I said, catching myself before saying her real name. "Could you… show me what you showed them?"My words made her freeze. Her eyes widened, and her shoulders tensed up."I–I can't…" she said softly, her voice trembling as her expression turned sad.
"Why not?" I asked gently.
"B-because…" she whispered, clutching her sandwich tighter. "You'd think me a freak if I showed you. You'd look at conni with that face — the same one everyone else made."Her words felt heavy — really heavy — like she'd been carrying that wound for a long time.Her pale blue eyes, which were light and lively moments ago, darkened — filled with the kind of pain no kid her age should have to hold.
I looked at her gently, trying to ease that tension in her shoulders. Quietly, I let out a bit more of my mana — a soft, steady aura meant to calm her emotions down.
"I wouldn't," I said softly. "I'm not like them — you saw me beat their a— I mean, butts, right? I'm not like those guys."My tone stayed warm, steady — I wanted her to feel safe.
"You… you wouldn't? Promise?" she asked, her voice small, her eyes wide with a fragile kind of hope only an eight-year-old could have.
"Promise," I said with a reassuring smile.
That smile seemed to reach her, slowly melting away the fear in her expression — like she was starting to believe that, maybe this time, everything really was going to be alright.
She hesitated for a moment, her small hands fidgeting nervously — then she reached into her bag and pulled out a broken old flip phone.
"Wait… that's—" I started to say, but before I could finish, she focused.
Right before my eyes, the phone began to tremble. Tiny screws, wires, and chips floated up, rearranging themselves midair — spinning, clicking, snapping together with precise motion until the junky flip phone had turned into a tiny robot no bigger than her palm.
"Wooow…" I breathed out, completely amazed.
She looked down at the little robot, then back up at me with a nervous, pleading look. "W-what do you think? You probably think me a weird girl, right? Or that conni making things up? But see… it's real see..see. Connie Made Tiny robot…" she said, her voice small, her lips forming a faint frown.
"No, I don't think that at all," I said quickly, shaking my head. "To be honest… that was awesome!"
My green eyes lit up as I said it — literally, glowing faintly from excitement. Cooper's face turned bright red as she looked away, flustered, clearly not used to someone being amazed by her instead of scared.
"Hueeeh… a-awesome?! Hueeeh!" she stuttered, the sound that came out of her mouth so unexpectedly cute it caught me off guard.
"Yes! You were awesome, Conni!" I said again, grinning wide.I swear, I could almost hear steam coming from her flushed red face.
"Heeeeeh!!" she squeaked, her voice high-pitched with surprise before she nearly lost her balance and almost fall down from the bench. I quickly reached out and caught her by the shoulders."Whoa—hey, are you alright?" I asked, my tone full of concern.
"I–I'm fine! S-sorry, me just… me just don't know how to deal with that… it's conni first time being praised by someone else," she said softly, her eyes flickering away, cheeks still bright pink. Then, in a small, trembling voice, she asked again, "Y-you really don't think conni a freak, right?"
"Freak? No! Of course not!" I said firmly. "You're the opposite of that. You're talented you had hidden talent!—born with power that's straight-up awesome!"Her eyes widened, and for the first time, her nervous lips curled into a shy smile. The little robot on her hand chirped happily as if agreeing with me.
"You were awesome, Conni. You need to believe that," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Don't listen to what those kids said—they don't even understand what they saw. They probably can't handle how awesome someone with real ability looks like in real world. So don't keep your face down… lift your chin up, alright?"
Her pale blue eyes glimmered like glass art catching sunlight, wide and stunned, as if every word I said struck deep inside her. She just stood there, silent, lips parted slightly, her little robot twitching in her palms.
Before she could say anything—before I lost my chance—I leaned in a bit and asked softly, "Hey… Conni, can I ask you something?"
"Y-yeah…? W-what is it?" she asked, her voice trembling—not from fear, but from something else. Like she was holding her breath, waiting for something she never thought she'd hear.
"It'd be awesome to have you as a friend, Conni."
The words slipped out naturally, and the moment they did, I saw her freeze. Her eyes widened, her mouth slightly open in shock. Friend. That one word seemed to hit harder than any punch I'd ever thrown.
"F–friends? You… what?" she stammered, her eyes starting to glisten as tears built up at the corners.
"Yup," I said with a grin, extending my hand toward her. "I said it'd be awesome having you as a friend. That's why…" I smiled wider. "Cooper Daniel, would you be my friend?"
She just stood there, staring at my outstretched hand, disbelief painting her face. Like the world suddenly became something warmer—something she thought she'd never get to feel."Y… you m..mean it?" she asked, her voice shaky, eyes shimmering with tears that threatened to fall.
I didn't even need to say anything—just nodded with a small smile."T-thank you…" she whispered, and before I could react, she took my hand and pulled me into a hug.
Her small frame trembled as she buried her face against my shirt, her soft sobs muffled by the fabric. I could feel her shoulders shaking with every breath, every tear that finally escaped after being held in for who knows how long.
That hidden wooden bench was the perfect place for this—tucked away behind three old trees and overgrown bushes, out of sight but not too far from the playground. Behind us, the tall concrete wall of the elementary school stood like a quiet guardian, sealing us in our little world.
No one from the playground could see or hear her. No sound escaped—not even her quiet cries. It was just me, her, and the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind.After a while, her crying slowed down, replaced by soft sniffles.
"Heheh… s-sorry… sniff…" Cooper muttered, rubbing at her eyes with her bare hands, smudging the last traces of her tears."Hehe, don't worry about that," I said, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.
Honestly, I was just glad no other kids were around. If anyone saw us like this, it would've looked… weird. I mean, yeah—I'm only eight, same as her—but I'm a bit taller, and having some girl crying in my arms like that? Yeah, that would've been a whole rumor factory by lunchtime end. Still, I couldn't help but smile a little. Even with red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, she looked… peaceful now.
"Heheh, yeah…" she chuckled softly—cute, lighthearted. That smile wasn't bad at all; honestly, it reminded me of Gwen and Lucy when they weren't arguing.
"Friends now?" I asked again, just to make sure.She nodded with that bright grin of hers. "Yeah! Friends! Conni happy!"For a second, everything just felt… right. But then it hit me.
"Oh shoot—I totally forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? Heheh, sorry, Conni. That's kinda rude of me… after all that. You told me your name." I said, rubbing the back of my neck, feeling the embarrassment crawl up my face.
"Well, I guess I should introduce myself, right? Well, Conni, my name is Be—"
Before I could finish, she cut me off.
"Ben Tennyson, right? I, uh… kinda already knew you, actually. A lot of kids from different grades do—'cause you're close friends with Lucy Mann, right? And you've got that super smart cousin, Gwen Tennyson? Hehe, me have known about you for a long time… since second grade, actually. Me just—" she looked away, blushing a little, "—I just couldn't bring myself to talk to you every time we had lunch on this bench."
She said that with a smile—less shy than before—and wow, guess I'm more well-known in this school than I thought. Seems like being the number one enemy of Lucy's fan club really gets your name around.
"Ah, also… me have seen you at some local competitions before," she added, glancing away a bit shyly. "Me went there with my mom, so—"And at that point, I was just… lost for words.
"I see... well, I'm glad then," I said with a warm smile—but then I felt it.That spine-chilling aura creeping up from behind me."Biiig… brooo…" came a low, angry voice. I froze instantly.Turning my head just a little, I saw her—an eight-year-old ginger-haired girl with a blue hairpin, green eyes burning like emerald fire, wearing her favorite turtleneck jacket and brown shorts.None other than my cousin, Gwen Tennyson.
"G-Gwen!?" I yelped, my face instantly pale.
How the heck did she find me here?!
And right beside her—oh, great—stood another eight year old. With fair skin, those little whisker-like freckles on her cheeks, long braided blonde hair, light blue eyes burning with anger—lucy. She wore her black star-print shirt and that red skirt she always liked to show off in front of me.
"Benny!" she snapped, pouting but with murder in her tone—ah nah that not the Lucy i knew.Both of them glared straight at me… then at Cooper.Yeah… this is definitely not gonna end well...glup..
'Hahah I'm in danger..'
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As the school day finally ended, our MC, Ben Tennyson, was on his way home. The yellow school bus rolled down the familiar streets, driven by Mrs. Anny, the cheerful African-American driver who hummed along with the old songs playing on her radio. Inside, the usual chaos of kids filled the bus—laughing, shouting, tossing paper balls—just happy to finally be heading home after another long day at Madison Elementary.
But not Ben.
He wasn't smiling, laughing, or even talking. Nope. He just sat there with a stiff face, staring out the window as the world passed by. Not because he hated going home—he loved heading back after school—but because of one particular reason.
Right now, he was being sandwiched.
Yup. One arm locked tightly by Gwen, and the other by Lucy. Both girls had him pinned between them on the bus seat after what went down during recess.To put it simply… Ben Tennyson was trapped.
Both Gwen and Lucy sat there pouting, glaring holes at Ben from both sides. Why? Well, from their point of view, Ben had been avoiding them just to hang out with some other girl they didn't even know. Every time they'd tried to drag him off for lunch, he'd vanished somewhere else—and now they knew why.
Of course, that wasn't the truth… well, not completely.
"Ummm… girls?" Ben asked quietly, trying to sound calm."What!?" Gwen and Lucy snapped in perfect sync, their combined tone sharp enough to cut through steel.
"I already said I'm sorry, didn't I? It was just a misunderstanding, really—here, let me explain—"
"Nope! No misunderstanding!" Lucy puffed her cheeks like an angry hamster, her blue eyes glaring up at him. "We saw what happened!"
"Yeah!" Gwen crossed her arms, tightening her grip on his arm. "Does big bro prefer that type of girl instead of me—uh, I mean us?!"
Ben blinked in surprise. 'Wait… did Gwen just include Lucy in that?'
Yup. That was new. Even they usually couldn't stand each other—so if they were teaming up, Ben knew he was really in trouble.
'Oh boy… this is gonna be a huge problem if I don't clear this up. If they start hating me, I'm screwed,i'll lost my allies.'Ben thought that as he took a deep breath and finally spoke up.
"Listen, you two… just let me explain this, please…"
That one word—please—hit harder than he expected. Both girls froze for a moment, their angry expressions softening when they saw the honest, pleading look in his eyes. Even Gwen's glare faltered a bit, and Lucy's puffed cheeks slowly deflated.
"Fine… whatever," Gwen muttered, crossing her arms again but not pulling away.
"Make it quick," Lucy added, her voice quieter than usual—less of her usual upbeat tone, more like she was trying to hide that she'd actually been hurt.
Ben scratched the back of his head nervously. 'Okay, crisis maybe not averted yet, but at least I've got a chance.'
Ben took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady."Listen… the reason I keep disappearing whenever you two try to drag me to lunch—it's not because of her. And it's not because I prefer her over you guys, okay? I love you both, seriously. You two are my closest friends after all."
He didn't notice it, but both Gwen and Lucy's faces went red the moment he said love. Gwen tried to act like she didn't care, looking away with a little tch, while Lucy's heart almost leapt out of her chest.
"S–so why do you always avoid us then?" Gwen finally asked, her tone quieter now. "It's been like that since second grade, you know…"
"Yeah, answer it, Benny," Lucy followed up, pouting again but not as mad as before.
Ben sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Welp… here we go. Time to spill it before they kill me with their stares.'
"Because every time I eat with you two, other kids keep staring daggers at my back," I said, lean back a little. "You know… just 'cause I'm hanging around you two, Gwen… Lucy."
Both of them looked confused."Wh–what do you mean by that, big bro?" Gwen asked, tilting her head.Lucy leaned in closer. "Yeah, what're you talkin' about, Benny?"
I sighed, rubbing my face. "You two seriously don't realize it, huh? You both have fan clubs all over the school."
They blinked at me a couple of times, totally lost."Fan clubs?" Lucy repeated, looking even more confused.
"Yup," I said flatly. "Lucy, you've got this super upbeat personality and you can fit into any friend group. A bunch of kids look up to you for that. And Gwen—come on, you, me, and Lucy more development than most kids of our pers since first grade. A lot of boys have crushes on you. Plus, you're smart—like, second only to me." I smirked teasingly. "So even the nerds and weebs are into you." Both of them just stared at me, trying to process that bomb I just dropped.
Ben sighed and kept going."Because of that, I always feel kinda uncomfortable around you girls at school when we're together," he said softly. "That's why, during lunch break, I usually distance myself a bit… just to get a little peace, you know?"
His calm tone and gentle expression made both eight-year-old girls lower their heads slightly, guilt starting to creep in."That's why I often go to that bench—to eat in peace. I really like that spot, I'm sorry girls." Ben added with a warm smile.
Lucy fidgeted a bit before speaking again, her voice quieter now."But… who was that girl? Is she always there too?" she asked, guilt and curiosity mixing in her tone after realizing why Ben had been avoiding them.
"Her name's… Cooper Daniel," Ben said gently. "She's eight, same age as us. She's a good kid—really shy and timid though. Has a hard time talking to other people because—"He paused mid-sentence."B-because what?" Gwen asked, frowning a little."Because she's an outcast, Gwen," Ben finally said, his tone heavier now.
Gwen's eyes widened, guilt flickering across her face as she remembered yelling at Cooper earlier before Ben stopped her."T-that's horrible…" she muttered quietly."Yeah… Lucy feels bad now," Lucy added, lowering her head like a guilty puppy.
Ben nodded slowly. "Yeah… she's been treated badly by the other kids just because they think she's… different."
Those words caught Lucy's attention instantly. The young Lenopan shapeshifter, still disguised as a normal human girl, turned to look at her childhood friend, wanting to know more.
"They called her a freak… because of something she can do," Ben said quietly. Lucy's blue eyes widened in shock. That word—freak—hit her like a punch to the gut. It was the very same word she'd always been afraid to hear, the fear that had haunted her deep down ever since she started living among humans.
She'd never actually heard anyone say it to her—thanks to Ben. He was the first person who ever accepted her, even without knowing (or so she thought) that she was a Lenopan alien in disguise. He gave her courage to talk to others, to fit in.
Now, realizing how she'd glared at Cooper earlier—like she was some kind of threat—made her chest ache. She didn't yelled at her like Gwen did, but the look she gave… it must've hurt just as bad.
"She told me she often gets bullied because of that," Ben said, his voice softer now. "And I just happened to deal with her bullies twice today. Honestly, I only learned her name today too."
By then, both Gwen and Lucy had already loosened their grip on his arms. Ben reached out and gently patted their heads, making the tension melt away bit by bit."What do you mean by that, big bro?" Gwen asked, glancing up at him, clearly more relaxed under his hand.Lucy, on the other hand, leaned in closer, quietly enjoying the warmth of his touch too.
"Well," Ben said with a small chuckle, "you could say… yeah, we've been sitting on the same bench since second grade, all the way to third. But I only found out her name today. Hehe… kinda funny—and super awkward—moment of my life, actually."
Somehow, those simple, honest words made both girls' hearts feel a little lighter.
"I glad,so you two forgive me?"Ben ask with warm smile and look at both of them."Nn! We forgive you! I couldn't mad to long at my Benny!" Lucy said adh she back with her bright upbeat personality and hug Ben side."m–me too...i couldn't mad to long to my big bro."Gwen said as she lean closer, at last Ben couldn't breathe easy after he clear all the thing up and then that just left one thing.
"I'm glad you two forgive me," Ben said softly, relief clear in his voice. "But… could you two forgive Cooper too? She didn't do anything wrong, after all."Both girls exchanged looks — that silent kind of talk only close friends could pull off."We will!" Lucy said brightly, her usual energy returning in full force. "In fact, I wanna be her friend too! As from Benny said she kind kid! So i wanna be her friends! Is that Right, Gwen!?"
"Yeah, Lu— I mean, dweeb's right," Gwen replied, her sass slipping back into place like a habit. But then her tone softened, and her eyes lowered slightly."I… also wanna be her friend too, after hearing what she's been through."She paused, tugging a bit at her turtleneck collar before looking back at Ben with a tiny smirk. "But big bro…"Ben blinked. "Hm?"
"We have two conditions," Gwen said, crossing her arms like she was making a royal decree—meanwhile Lucy nodden in agreement of whatever Gwen would saying."Hhm! Hhm!" Ben sighed with a half-smile, already sensing trouble. "Alright then… what are they?"
"First," Gwen said, pointing her finger right at Ben like a tiny general giving orders, "you're not allowed to run away again when we come to get you at lunchtime after class!"The eight-year-old redhead puffed her cheeks, trying to look all serious and bossy — but to Ben, it just looked kind of cute.
Ben just raised his hands in surrender."Okay, fine," Ben said with a tired grin. "But only if I don't get death stares from your little fanclubs again." Before Gwen could say anything, Lucy jumped in, grinning wide. "Don't worry, Benny! We'll find a way to handle those weirdos!"Gwen blinked in surprise — not expecting Lucy to actually use her brain for once. After all, she was used to her blonde rival being more of a bickering partner than a planner.
Before Gwen could say anything, Lucy jumped in, grinning wide. "Don't worry, Benny! We'll find a way to handle those weirdos!"Gwen blinked in surprise — not expecting Lucy to actually use her brain for once. After all, she was used to her blonde rival being more of a bickering partner than a planner."Ahem…" Gwen cleared her throat and crossed her arms."Yeah, that covers it. Me and Lucy will deal with those creeps so you don't feel uncomfortable, bro." said Gwen.
"Ah! We should bring Cooper too whenever we have lunch!" Lucy said in her usual upbeat tone, bouncing on her heels. "It'll be super awesome and lively, hehehe!" Then, with that mischievous glint in her eyes, she added, "Maybe I could teach her some pranks too!"
She turned to Gwen with a teasing grin. Gwen groaned, already imagining the chaos that would follow if Cooper joined Lucy's prank club. She shot Ben a pleading look for backup. Ben just chuckled and nodded. "Lucy, it's fine to teach her some jokes, but pranking Gwen? That's off the table."Ben said look at his right side of his lenopan friend."Awww, alright…" Lucy pouted for a moment before perking up again as Ben gently patted her head. "If Benny says so!" she said, smiling bright again.
Ben shook his head with a small smile. "Hey, did I tell you she also likes the cartoon I made and published a while ago? You'll have plenty to talk about—Connie really likes it." He said, calling Cooper by the nickname she'd given herself.
"Really!? She likes Hero Outworld!? Woohoo! Then me and her are totally gonna be best buds!" Lucy shouted, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Gwen just let out a quiet sigh of relief, knowing she'd narrowly escaped a future filled with two Lucys plotting pranks on her. Lucy looked like she wanted to jump up and down from excitement, but since all three of them were still inside the school bus heading toward their neighborhood stop, she had to settle for wiggling in her seat instead.
Ben looked at Gwen again. "Okay, so what's the second condition?" he asked.The ginger eight-year-old grinned wide when he said that. "Give us more attention if Coop—uh, I mean Connie—joins our friend group! Just… give us more, that's all," Gwen said with a pleading look, Lucy nodding beside her like a puppy agreeing with her partner in crime.
Ben sighed, then chuckled softly. "Alright, that shouldn't be too hard," he said, leaning back against the bus seat. Deep down, though, he knew it'd be a bit of a headache. Still, that's what he'd signed up for long ago—ever since he started subtly shaping the two girls' views when they were little. Gwen since both Ben and her were babies, and Lucy when they were three—after Ben meet her at Joel and Camille wedding. It wasn't manipulation in the evil way, well he was manipualted them for become his Shield and weapons but that was long ago before he start thinking and care about them—it just… a push here and there, enough to make them trust and depend on him.
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Fast forward to the Tennyson household.
Ben had just gotten home not long after he, Gwen, and Lucy got off the school bus at their neighborhood stop.Gwen went her own way since her house was in a different direction, leaving Ben and Lucy to walk together—her house sat right next to his, after all.Now, Ben was in his room after calling out a casual "I'm back!" to his mom, Sandra Tennyson.
"Welcome home, sweetie. How was school?" Sandra asked warmly as she prepared some snacks in the kitchen."It was good as always, Mom. By the way, that fried rice and curry chicken you made were so good," Ben said, walking into the kitchen to hug her before setting his lunch box down on the counter.
"Aww, thank you, honey," Sandra said with a smile as Ben made his way down the hallway to his room.The door creaked slightly as he pushed it open. His familiar space— with well organized books, scattered papers, a few notebooks on his beast PC, and his clothset—felt like the perfect escape after the chaos of school and the earlier misunderstanding with Gwen and Lucy.
And right now, inside his bedroom, Ben pulled out his "Survival Protocol Plan" papers from their secret hiding spot and spread them all over his desk near his pc."Hmmm, let's see…" he muttered, eyes scanning the old sheets filled with scribbles, doodles, and neatly written notes.
These weren't just some random papers stuffed in a notebook—this was the survival plan he'd been working on since he was only two years old. The first few pages were covered in messy crayon lines and barely readable letters as he write it with his clumsy baby fat hand, but as the years went by, they turned into clean handwriting, organized events that would happen later, and counter-plans for whatever might come his way—all clipped together into one thick, worn-out book.
The Survival Protocol Plan—his personal guide to surviving the world of Ben 10 as Ben Tennyson himself. He'd been rewriting and updating it ever since he was born into this universe—literally from the moment he came out of Sandra's womb in his second life. Over time, he expanded it, filling it with strategies, notes, and precautions based on everything he remembered and knew about this world.
Every bit of knowledge he remembered from his first life even he don't remember the rest of all his memories beside that—from the threats, the tech, the aliens, the timelines he could still recall—was written down in that book. It was meant for one purpose: to keep him alive.
That was the plan at first.But now, Ben used it for more than just survival. He used it to protect the people around him—Gwen, Lucy, and everyone else he'd grown to care about.
Somewhere along the way, he had accepted it—this world wasn't a cartoon anymore. It felt real. The colors weren't bright and simple like on a TV screen; they were sharp, vivid, and alive flesh and bone. And in this world, people could actually get hurt… or die.
That's why he kept writing more—adding new ideas, new contingencies, things he could use later. As he flipped through the pages, he stopped on one specific section—the plan to recruitCooper."Thing is moving faster than I originally planned… well, that's good," Ben muttered in a low, serious tone, making sure his voice didn't carry to the kitchen where his mom, Sandra Tennyson, was still preparing snacks. He crossed out a few lines, then started writing again—refining, adjusting, improving. Every stroke of the pen was part of something bigger.
"Well, I was originally planning to find Coope— I mean, Conni—later on in my protocol plan," Ben muttered, flipping through the notes. "I wrote it a long time ago, back when I thought i'll met her in her first appearance was supposed to be around episode Negative 10 later on, after Grandpa Max picked her—him—i mean! Her!, her up from that summer camp she was supposed to attend." He groaned, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
"I was planning to find Conni first, recruit her as an ally, and bring hi—her! along for the summer trip since I know Cooper's—ugh, Conni's—grandpa is friends with Grandpa Max. So I figured I could track him—i mean her! Her..down easily…" He stopped, sighed, and slammed his pen down on the desk. "But it turns out I met her way earlier than planned,....And why the heck do I keep messing up her gender? Aaaagh!"He let out another groan, then crossed out a few lines and started writing down a new plan, muttering to himself as the pen ink scratched the paper.
"Sigh… well, let's set all that aside," Ben muttered, leaning back in his chair. "This timeline—this alternate universe I'm in—is totally and definitely different after all, even from the original. Makes me wonder what else might've changed…"
He glanced toward the window, watching the warm afternoon sunlight spill across his desk. It was around 2 p.m.—he'd just gotten home from school not too long ago.
"Benny! Sweetie, Mommy made you some snacks! Come and get it!" Sandra's cheerful, motherly voice called out from the kitchen.
"I'm coming, Mom!" Ben shouted back, a small grin spreading on his face. Even with the mind of someone in his twenties, moments like this made him genuinely happy. Acting a little childish wasn't hard for him,side he always act bit mature then his age—it came naturally when he remembered: he was still just an eight-year-old kid after all.
Ben carefully slid the Survival Protocol Plan book back into its hidden compartment under his wooden bed frame, making sure it was sealed tight before getting up. He stretched a little, then walked out of his room and down the hallway toward the kitchen.As soon as he stepped in, he was greeted by his mom's warm smile.
"There you are! Come here, sweetie—Mommy made baklava! It's my first time trying it, so please be honest, okay?" Sandra said cheerfully, setting the plate on the table."Okay, Mom!" Ben replied, hopping onto the chair and grabbing a piece. The sweet, nutty smell instantly hit his nose, making him grin as he took a bite.'oh this good~'Ben said in his mind drowning in the sweet taste of the sweet layered snacks his mom had been Made.
Just then, the front door opened and Ben heard a familiar voice call out,
"I'm home~!"
Carl Tennyson walked into the house, still in his work clothes, loosening his tie as he made his way straight to the kitchen. He leaned down and kissed Sandra on the cheek."Welcome home, Carl. How was work?" Sandra asked with her usual warm smile.
"The same as always," Carl replied with a tired chuckle before his eyes landed on the golden tray. "Ooh, did you make something new, Sandra?"
"Yeah, I tried making baklava—a sweet layered dessert," she said proudly. "Mrs. Blythe gave me the recipe, so I thought I'd give it a try. Come on, try some with Ben."
"Heh, don't mind if I do, honey." Carl said as he grabbed a piece and took a bite."Mmm, this is good, honey!" Carl said with a satisfied grin after taking another bite.Sandra blushed a little and playfully smacked his back. "Oh, you…" she giggled.It was a simple, peaceful scene—the kind of harmony most people would take for granted. But for Ben, it meant everything.A warm family. A loving home. Laughter that felt real.
'Yeah… this is my second life,' Ben thought to himself, his green eyes softening as he watched his parents tease each other. 'Even if I can't remember what my first life family was like before, or if I even had one… this—this is my family now.' He smiled quietly to himself. 'Even i know how dangerous this world is… I'm grateful. I'm really happy I was born into this family,deprite everything,im really happy with them.'
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PROLOG END.
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OMAKE:
"Weird Cousin"
"Come on… come on…" a low, impatient voice muttered from the back of the classroom.
It belonged to a girl—no older than eight—but taller than most kids her age. She tapped her foot repeatedly under the desk, eyes darting toward the clock as she copied every word their teacher wrote on the whiteboard.
Her bright orange-red hair shimmered under the classroom lights, neatly held back by a blue hairpin. She wore a bluish turtleneck jacket with yellow stripes running from the torso down to the sleeves, and a simple brown pair of shorts. On the front of her jacket, a black cat face with sharp yellow eyes glared out like it meant business.
White sneakers completed the look.
This was Gwendolyn Tennyson—Ben Tennyson's cousin. Smart, fiery, bossy and currently very done with how slow this school day was going—even though this only the second period.
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Gwen POV:
'Oh my gosh! Why is this class so slow!? Come on, come on, come on!' I screamed in my head while my pencil scratched across the paper, copying everything Mrs. Drisa wrote on the whiteboard. My eyes kept bouncing between the board and the clock above it, watching every second tick by like torture.
'Ughhh! I just wanna get to break time already! There's someone I need to grab before he disappears again! Hmph!' I puffed my cheeks a bit but kept writing so the teacher wouldn't notice.
Why was I so impatient? Because I wanted to catch my big br— I mean, my cousin, Ben! Every time I try to pick him up from his class so we can have lunch together, he's gone! Just— poof! Like he vanished off the face of the school grounds!
Agh, don't get the wrong idea, okay?! It's not like I like him or anything! I just... want to talk. Yeah, that's it! Just a normal conversation with someone from my family who actually gets me! That's all! Totally normal cousin stuff!
But that's if I can actually catch him before he vanishes again during recess. He always does this—ever since second grade! Every single time me or—ugh, Lucy—try to make him eat lunch with us, he just disappears like some kind of ninja!
It annoys me to no end! Like, seriously, where the heck does he even go every recess? Even when I ask him—politely! Like a normal cousin would—he never tells me anything! Just gives me that smug little grin like he knows something I don't! Aaaagh, it drives me crazy!
I just… want to get close to my bi—I mean, my cousin again, you know? All the stuff I've been doing lately just makes me spend less and less time with him… and it kinda makes me feel lonely.
It's not like anyone forced me into it—these courses and extra classes are my choice. I wanted to do them for my education, for my future. I even made a strict schedule for myself. But sometimes… I really hate that I did. Because now, I can't hang out with him like we used to.
Back then, I could follow him around everywhere. We'd play together, train together, even go to the martial dojo side by side. I… I miss that. I miss being patted on the head and praised by him—in a cousin way, of course!
But now I can't. The only times I even get to be near him are on the bus, at the dojo, or after school—and that's it. The rest of the day? Forget it. I can't be with—I mean, around him at all.
Instead! That dweeb—Lucy! She's always hogging Ben like he's hers! Ugh, I've hated that ever since I started getting busy with my extra courses. She's been glued to him for, like, twelve hours a day! It drives me insane!
And that ugly banana peel always has the nerve to smirk at me and say Ben prefers her over me—like, what!? No, he doesn't! I know he doesn't! Ugh, I hate that dweeb so much… and I really hate my own stupid self for signing up for all those extra courses and making that ridiculous schedule in the first place!
That's why! This time I'm gonna catch Ben before he goes anywhere. I know Lucy's probably planning the same thing, but I won't let her — I'll find him before she does, or before he vanishes like always. Hmph. Come on, come on… recess, hurry up, please!
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RING RING RING!
The bell echoed through the halls, signaling the start of recess at Madison Elementary. Students cheered, chairs scraped, and the sound of chatter filled the room as everyone rushed to pack up.
"Alright, class, have a great recess and lunch break!" said Mrs. Drisa with a warm smile before stepping out of the room. As that also happened to all teacher from defferent classes of grades—One by one of them leave,and the kids start poured out of the classroom—bags bouncing, laughter echoing. The same went for the third-grade room where Gwen sat.
"Finally!" said the ginger-haired eight-year-old, slightly taller and more developed than most of her peers, as she yanked her lunchbox from under her desk."Hey, Gwendolyn, want to have lunch togeth—" one of her friends began, but before she could finish, Gwen bolted toward the door.
"Sorry, girls! Can't do! Need to find big br— I mean, Ben, before he vanishes again!" Gwen shouted as she dashed out into the hallway."Well, there she goes again, trying to catch Benjamin," said a girl with thick glasses, shaking her head."Yeah, I know, right? She totally has a huge crush on her own cousin, doesn't she?" teased the brown-skinned girl with a pink cap.
"Heh, tell me about it. But she keeps denying it," chuckled the slender girl with bangs."Come on, girls," the one with glasses said with a sigh. "Let's go to our usual table and save a spot for her—just in case she fails again… like all those other times."The three of them nodded in agreement and walked out of the classroom, giggling along the way.
That's what happened before Gwen started down the winding school hallway, weaving past groups of kids from different grades. Her mood soured the moment she crossed paths with Lucy—her childhood friend and, annoyingly, her rival when it came to her cousin's attention. Gwen clenched her jaw; she really didn't like that blonde, braided eight-year-old with the black shirt and star print. Lucy always pulled dumb pranks just to make Ben laugh, and it drove Gwen crazy.
Still… this time, Gwen couldn't help but feel a little thankful. Lucy had claimed she could track Ben by scent. Weird? Totally. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and if that meant finding Ben before he disappeared again, Gwen would take the help. Lucy was already sniffing the air like a tiny bloodhound as they followed the faint "trail" from Ben's classroom down the hall. Gwen followed close behind, clutching her lunchbox tight and hoping this time—this time—she'd actually catch him.
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DOUGH: Wow 13,666 words no wonder im start lagging,well this should be good closed for all chapters of prolog is it? Yup this shit just prolog buddy the main story ain start kick later on if i have streng to write it hehehe
LEMON: Take you long enough,and there lots incositent here..
DOUGH: Hey...i already did told you every damm story i Made would had incositent....im not serious write this after all ..geeeez