Hidden inheritance

Chapter 4: Incomplete Truth

"You... you haven't heard the last of me, Ben Tennyson! If there's a way in, there's always a way out! I'll get out of the Null Void and I'll take care of you like all the criminals I've faced before."

"Calling me a criminal and using the old villain speech isn't gonna stop me, Plumber." coldly said Diamondhead.

Phil desperately tried to do flee again, but it wasn't possible anymore as the crystal alien shot the orange ray at him, a portal immediately opening next to him and dragging him inside.

"You'll see, I'll- I'll take you down someday! Just so you wait and I'll show you! I'll show you, you little-"

"Funny how so many people say that, but none of them ever succeed."

It was then that Phil realized something disturbing about Ben's attitude, and how familiar it was. His body language, his animosity with the Plumber, his calm but dangerous fighting that he didn't expect from a kid like him, the resentment in his voice during their battle, and the cruel look in his eyes... It felt like he was back in the past, battling against Vilgax instead of Max's grandson, and it wasn't a comforting thought one had before disappearing from the scene.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO..." he shouted, and then there wasn't any Phil in here anymore.

Gwen held her breath as soon as the portal disappeared. She looked at her cousin, unsure of how to respond to what just happened. What...

What did Ben just do?

"Ben?" she dared asking. Diamondhead turned around, looking at the young girl.

"Yes?" he said with no hint of emotion.

She felt like freaking out.

Ben went full vigilante mode in front of her. In a matter of seconds, he destroyed a car, heavily harmed Phil's face, threatened him, neutralized the beast Phil had sent, fearlessly defied the Plumber and wounded him numerous times before sending him to a prison dimension. Without breaking a sweat or even taking a step back.

She had never seen Ben this cold and efficient before, he used his powers while fully aiming to harm Phil for attacking them. He showed skills at Tetrax's level of combat, and while he still sounded full of himself when he fought, his words had genuinely been intimidating and it looked like he meant every single of them before getting rid of Phil.

This wasn't the cocky and arrogant Ben she was used to. It didn't feel like she was dealing with her cousin anymore. She didn't know what happened inside Vilgax's ship, but whatever it was, it definitely changed something in Ben, he wasn't the same doofus she had to spend the rest of her summer with.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Diamondhead spoke up.

"Hello? Earth to Gwendolyn? Did the Dweeb Queen give up her tongue so she wouldn't have to thank me for the rescue?"

Never mind, he hasn't changed at all. She exasperatedly sighed.

"You almost got lost inside another dimension, and that's all what you have to say? Ugh, don't know why I even bother!" she said as the crystal alien turned back into Ben, his tongue still sticking out.

"Hey, we got rid of that jerk, I schooled a bunch of space bad guys on who was the real boss on this planet and I wrecked his annoying classy car, so all's well that ends well, right?" he said, proudly putting his hands on his hips.

"I guess. Oh! Grandpa is coming." she said, pointing to the Rustbucket.

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