Ben 10: Saver of the Universe

Chapter 8

Gwen's POV:

I looked out the window to see Kevin's form stumbling away into the darkness.

"You didn't have to do that," I told my cousin.

"Yes, I did. He could've hurt you-"

"But he didn't!" I spun around to glare at Ben. "I asked you to come so that we could try to reason with him together! Not so that you could attack him! He won't trust us now." I sighed.

"I'm sorry. But we have to get Kevin so that-"

"So what? So that we can capture him and lock him up somewhere? This is Kevin we're talking about."

"Gwen, wake up already! He's out of control! You've seen the damage that he's caused! He had hurt you! He needs to be stopped."

"It's not his fault that the power has messed with his head! He can't control it! We need to help him, not just deal with him like he's a criminal." I grabbed the dart gun that Ben had set on the bed, and pretended to study it.

"Fine, do things your way, but it won't work. I'm going to get Kevin." Ben turned around, and I aimed the gun at his back.

"I'm sorry, Ben." I pulled the trigger, and saw the dart embed itself into his skin. He fell to the ground, and his eyes focused on me in surprise. "But my way will work."

At that, I climbed out of my window, and made steps with magic so that I could get to the ground. Then, I ran.

I found Kevin about a block away, curled up on the side of the road. He looked so peaceful asleep, the hardened expression gone from his face.

"Kevin?" I said. No answer. I reached around him to pick him up, but I found that he was too heavy for me to lift. Instead, I used magic to lift him off the ground, and then myself, speeding us towards the destination I had in mind.

-

Kevin's POV:

My eyes opened to a blurry image, finally adjusting to clarity. Groaning, I pushed myself up into a sitting position, my limbs still slightly weak from the tranquilizer darts. I wondered how many darts it took to knock me out in my powerful state. My head throbbed annoyingly.

I was in some sort of a cave, the exit on the other side of the room. I wasn't handcuffed, or tied up, or anything. There was only one thing- one person- in the space with me. A person I knew well.

"Kevin?" Gwen asked, stepping closer to me. Why was she here? Then, I remembered how she had helped Ben try to capture me. My mouth shifted into a frown.

"Gwen," I answered harshly, flicking my dark hair out of my eyes. "What do you want? Why did you bring me here?"

"I want to help you. And I brought you here so that I could talk to you." I searched the room, forming an exit plan. "Don't try escaping, Kevin. We're in a labyrinth of caves, and you can't find the way out without me." I grunted in annoyance.

"Where's Tennyson?"

"He's not here. I knocked him out so that I could get you away from him."

"I thought you were helping him." Anger at her betrayal surged through me.

"We were working together so that we could find you, but he wanted to lock you up to keep others safe. He thought that you couldn't be reasoned with."

"Reasoned with for what? Giving up my power?!" My voice echoed against the rock walls.

"No. Kevin, I want to help you. The power has messed with your head, and you know it."

"If you wanted to help me you wouldn't try to take my power away. You'd help me get more energy, or..." I stood up, suddenly greedy for energy, and moved towards her. She was an energy being after all.

"No, Kevin-"

"Oh come on, Gwen. Just a little bit wouldn't hurt, right?" I reached out towards her, but she shielded herself with a wall of magic. She stared at me with determination, and I laughed. "You can't defeat me, Gwen. I'm too powerful."

"I'm not trying to. Kevin, don't do this. I can help you!" She continued to back up as I slowly advanced.

"Why do you want to help me so bad?! Because I'm a monster?"

"No, Kevin! I want to help you because... because I love you." Her voice suddenly grew soft and quiet, and I stopped in my tracks. She looked so sincere, but she had to be lying. She was trying to trick me, so that she could take my power. "And if you love me," she continued, "then you won't hurt me."

"Don't you understand?!" I growled in frustration, forcing myself to not attack now, when she wasn't expecting it. "That's why I stayed away! Because I knew what I would do if I saw you!"

I couldn't control myself any longer. I punched the pink, translucent magic wall, cracking it. And then I did it again, and again, until it shattered. Gwen annoyingly put up another wall. I broke that one too.

A series of energy disks hit me in quick succession, causing me to pause. By the time they ended, Gwen was gone. I angrily ran out of the cave, sprinting down hallways of rock, looking for her. But everything looked the same.

"I will find you, Gwen!" I called out, my voice echoing. Seeing a glimpse of her hair, I smiled and went in her direction. I continued to gain on her until I was hot on her heels. She threw energy disks at me, but this time I knew better, and just absorbed them. Our footsteps slapped against stone.

Ahead of me, she turned a corner, and I heard her scream. I was suddenly worried for her safety, but I tried to ignore it. I should've been happy; might no longer be a threat. But because of what she meant to me... because of what she used to mean to me, I turned the corner. The ground dropped in front of me into a large cavern.

"Gwen!" I called out, searching below me.

And then, finally, I saw her.