Marvel’s Omnitrix

Chapter 18: Magical Limitations

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Used tires hung from improvised poles, targets drawn on stones, and assorted scrap materials cluttered my vision as I rolled my shoulders.

"Clock's running, Ben!" Grandpa called. 

I charged into the course, immediately launching crystal shards at the first line of targets. They shattered satisfyingly, pieces flying in all directions.

"Too easy, Grandpa!" I called back, hearing Gwen's annoyed huff behind me. "This is child's play!"

I leapt over a low barrier, firing projectiles rapidly from both hands. The targets exploded one after another. This was exactly my kind of test – straightforward, power-based, perfect for showing off.

"Ben, watch out!" Grandpa shouted suddenly.

"Huh?"

I turned just as a massive tire swung toward me from the side – an obstacle I'd completely missed while focusing on the targets ahead. It slammed into my midsection, knocking me off balance.

"Whoa!" I stumbled backward, arms pinwheeling. It didn't hurt, but it did something much worse. Crystal shards fired involuntarily from my hands in all directions.

Gwen shrieked and ducked as several razor-sharp projectiles flew over her head. "Watch it, you idiot!"

There was a distinct puncturing sound, followed by a hiss. I froze, turning to see one of my stray shards had pierced the Rust Bucket's undercarriage. Dark fluid dripped onto the sand beneath it.

"Ah, crap," I muttered as the Omnitrix began beeping its timeout warning.

"...Congratulations," Grandpa said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You just took out our fuel line. You score a F."

A flash of green light later, I was back to human form, standing awkwardly amid the chaos I'd created. "Sorry, Grandpa. I can fix it with this new alien—"

"That's not the point, Ben." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're overconfident in your transformations. Raw power without strategy or awareness is dangerous. You were so focused on hitting the targets in front of you that you completely missed the side obstacles!"

"I hit most of the targets," I mumbled defensively.

"And nearly impaled your cousin and destroyed our transportation in the process," he countered. "In a real fight, that kind of tunnel vision gets people hurt. If there were civilians around, rather than just Gwen and me, what if one of your sharp spikes went through someone's head? You're not a villain who just cares about winning, are you?"

"...." I rubbed the back of my head, a little embarrassed.

Gwen stepped forward, the charms glinting in the sunlight. She wore black leggings that hugged her legs tightly and a loose purple tank top that exposed her shoulders. A thin sheen of sweat made her skin glow.

[Image Here]

"My turn," she announced, pulling her shoulders back with determination. Her copper hair caught the sunlight, momentarily distracting me. Once again, I failed to check out her curves. When had she started looking so not-dorky?

I shook the thought away. "Good luck, dweeb. Those trinkets aren't user-friendly."

Gwen positioned herself at the starting line, charms clasped in her hands. Her face scrunched in concentration, but nothing happened.

"Come on," she whispered, staring intensely at a small rock. "Move. Please move."

I couldn't help but snicker. "Having some performance issues there, dear cousin?"

She shot me a glare that could have melted steel. "Shut up, Ben. I'm concentrating."

"That's what it looks like? I thought you were constipated."

"Ben," Grandpa warned from the sidelines. Gwen ignored me, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. The charms remained dormant in her hands. Minutes passed, the desert heat intensifying around us.

"Maybe they're just not compatible with everyone," I offered as a tease, knowing she was fated to success. However, compatibility was exactly the problem I had, I think. In the show, having the "spark" in her genes seemed to be the prime reason behind Gwen learning magic so fast. The Anodite Spark, I mean.

I didn't have it. Everyone talked about Ultimate Alien's infamous Ben 10,000 using magic, but he was almost 40 years old, and the best he could do was what, shield plates? Yeah, I was done for.

She took a frustrated step forward and stumbled over a rock. "Stupid—"

The Charm of Luck suddenly flared with golden light. Gwen's eyes widened as she flung out her hand to catch herself – and the small rock she'd tripped over levitated, hovering inches above the ground.

"I... I did it!" she gasped, staring at the floating stone in disbelief.

A grin spread across her face as the rock slowly rose higher, rotating gently in the air. The telekinesis charm pulsed with purple energy around her wrist.

"Grandpa, look!" She turned excitedly, the rock following her movement.

"...." I was speechless. This fast?!

"Excellent, Gwen!" Grandpa clapped, looking genuinely impressed. "Now try something bigger."

Encouraged, she focused on one of the fallen targets. It wobbled, then lifted shakily into the air. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she concentrated, but her smile never faltered. The target rose higher, then shot forward, smashing perfectly into another target.

"I can feel it," she murmured, eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's like... an extension of my will."

As much as I hated to admit it, it was impressive. The way she moved was different, too—more fluid and confident. Her body swayed slightly with each motion, the tank top shifting to reveal glimpses of her midriff. Again, I caught myself staring, but this time, I failed to look away.

"You did okay, I guess. My turn to try," I declared, grabbing the black neckband that held the remaining three charms from my pocket. I knew the clances were low, but I'd be damned if I let Gwen outshine me. "I bet I can make these work even better if you can."

Maybe I have the Spark in this universe?

Gwen paused her practice, a smirk playing on her lips. "Sure? Go on. This should be entertaining."

I strapped on the Charm of Fire first, feeling its cool metal against my skin. Thanks to my experience with Heat Blast, I was fairly confident I could pull it off easily. I struck a heroic pose, concentrating hard on the clear sky above. "Alright, flames! Do your thing!"

Nothing happened.

I concentrated harder, feeling my face turn red with effort. 

Finally, after nearly a minute of straining, a tiny wisp of heat formed on my fingertips before immediately evaporating in the air.

"Hey, I felt that!" I pointed excitedly. "That was definitely something!"

"Wow," Gwen slow-clapped. "Truly impressive. The flame gods tremble before you."

"Guess this one's a bust," I muttered, switching it for the Charm of Electricity. "Electricity seems more my style anyway."

I focused on creating a spark in my palm, visualizing the heat and energy. This time, not even a tiny spark flickered, no matter how many minutes passed.

"If by 'something' you mean 'pathetic,' then yes," Gwen laughed, casually levitating three rocks in a circle with her magic.

"...."

Frustration building, I tried the last charm that I didn't even know the use for. I concentrated on it, but once again, there were no results at all.

"Ugh, come on…" I muttered, yanking the charms off and tossing them into my pockets. "This magic crap makes no damn sense."

Grandpa Max approached, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Language, Ben. And I don't think they're broken. Different people have natural affinities for different types of power. You excel with the Omnitrix because it transforms your physical form. Gwen seems to have a natural connection to magical energies."

"That's right, Ben," Gwen chimed in with a grin, barely containing her glee. "Some of us have actual talent beyond pushing a button on a watch. But… thank you for this." She didn't keep up her teasing for too long. She hopped over, and brought me to an even tighter hug. 

I decided to forgive her teasing since she was being a good cousin. 

"You're welcome," I said as I gently pushed her back. "I mean, magic is stupid anyway. Some weird nerdy stuff. Who needs sparkly rocks when I can turn into aliens that can vaporize mountains?"

She giggled, "Mhm, yes, of course." Then, to my surprise, she kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you, again!"

She rushed to the practice range again. I, while blinking and touching my cheek, watched as she moved on to manipulating multiple objects at once, her movements becoming more graceful with each attempt. 

The charms glowed brighter around her wrists, responding to her growing confidence.

Her eyes suddenly fixed on the diamond shards scattered around from my earlier mishap.

"I wonder..." she murmured, extending her hands toward them.

The shards trembled, then rose into the air – first one, then five, then dozens. They hovered around her in a glittering cloud, responding to the slight movements of her fingers. The sunlight caught them, creating prismatic reflections that danced across her face and body.

With a fluid gesture, she sent them flying toward the targets I'd missed. Each shard hit dead center with perfect precision.

"Whoa," I whispered despite myself.

She wasn't done. 

A small blue shard swirled into a complex pattern, then flew toward the Rust Bucket. With incredible delicacy, she guided the diamond fragments to seal the punctured fuel line, creating a crystalline patch that stopped the leak.

"How's that for problem-solving?" she called to Grandpa, a triumphant smile lighting up her face.

Grandpa nodded appreciatively. "That impressive. Excellent work, Gwen! That's exactly the kind of strategic thinking I'm talking about."

I watched her, impressed and annoyed in equal measure. The way the desert wind blew her hair, the confident set of her shoulders, the slight sway of her hips as she directed her magic – it was like seeing a completely different Gwen emerge.

"Not bad," I admitted with a smile. "For beginner's luck, anyway."

I was certain the Charm of Luck helped a lot more than it showed, but my annoyance was slowly fading. Magic wasn't my stuff, anyway.

Gwen turned to me, the charms still glowing around her wrists. "Maybe next time you should think before you smash."

"Oh, I will," I said, staring into her eyes. "Just don't get too cocky, Cus. I've still got nine other aliens up my sleeve."

"And I've barely scratched the surface of what these charms can do," she countered.

"With Four Arms, I could destroy you in less than a second," I said. She had no idea.

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try," she replied, sticking out her tongue.

Like that, our familiar bickering resumed, but something had shifted between us. 

It had barely been two weeks since this vacation started. We were no longer just Ben and Gwen – we were two powered individuals with different strengths and abilities. The dynamic had changed, and… so had my views on this girl.

As we walked back to the Rust Bucket, I glanced at the charms glowing against Gwen's skin. 

The original thought echoed in my mind. Play with these charms until I get Master Control? No, it'd be a waste to keep them to myself rather than giving them to Gwen.

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Author Note: Feels great to see we meeting goals finally, and not having to barely touch them. Goal for tomorrow is Top 5. Should be easy as hell since current #5th ranked is just 16 stones ahead of us. If we meet this, two chapters tomorrow as well!!