Ben 10: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

Boston, Massachusetts

It had been a few days into Ben's journey East from Las Vegas. Taking a break, Ben was enjoying a meal at a restaurant called Manok Andok. The quiet atmosphere was suddenly interrupted.

"Roxie!" the maître d' called out sharply.

The female server, a young woman with a worried expression, walked over to him. "Yes, Vincent?"

"What was that just now?" Vincent demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Roxie blinked, clearly confused. "Pardon?"

"You were collecting the bill, and all you got was a slip of paper. We don't have gift certificates."

Roxie looked down at her hand and saw a strip of newspaper instead of the hundred-dollar bill she thought she'd collected. "But... I thought it was..."

"Well, it obviously wasn't. Roxie, now get back to work while I take care of this."

As the situation unfolded, Ben noticed a brunette rising from her table, trying to inconspicuously make her way to the exit. Unfortunately for her, security was stationed at the door. She hovered nervously near his table, clearly anxious.

Vincent approached the woman. "Excuse me, Miss, can you please explain why you handed your server a strip of newspaper?"

The brunette clutched her left arm. "Uh..."

Vincent's shoulders sagged in exasperation. "Are you able to pay for your meal?"

"I don't..."

Vincent's expression hardened. "You know, I ought to call the police."

The woman's eyes widened in fear. "Please, don't!"

Ben decided it was time to step in. "Excuse me, sir."

Vincent turned to Ben, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"How much is her bill?" Ben asked calmly.

"$49.45, not including tip," Vincent replied.

Ben looked at the young woman. "Miss...?"

"Frost..." she responded hesitantly.

"Miss Frost, when was the last time you had a proper meal?" Ben asked gently.

"A while..." she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ben turned back to the maître d'. "Vincent, was it?"

"Yes?"

"I'll cover her tab." Ben slid $60 across the table to the man.

Vincent was surprised by the gesture. "Are you sure, sir?"

Even Frost seemed taken aback by the act.

"It's fine. Consider it an act of goodwill," Ben said with a smile.

Vincent accepted the money. "Very well." He turned to Frost. "Today is your lucky day. Don't push it."

Frost stared at Ben. "I... Uh... Thanks."

"Name's Ben. You?"

"Emma."

Ben gestured to the seat across from him. "Well, Emma, have a seat. Feel free to get dessert or order takeout."

Emma hesitated. "Are you sure? I couldn't..."

Ben rolled his eyes, his expression one of mild exasperation. "I'd rather not leave someone hungry for the rest of the week if I can help it." Part of what he's accumulated in the market was alread going to a various charity organizations.

Emma cautiously reached out with her telepathy, trying to gauge Ben's intentions. To her shock, all she encountered was white noise. That was new.

Ben raised a brow at her brief stare. "Is there something on my face?"

"Oh, no. I was just thinking." Emma quickly shook her head and took a seat, grabbing a menu.

#

Boston, Massachusetts

Emma sat across from Ben, still processing his unexpected kindness. She wasn't used to people stepping in without wanting something in return, but how he looked at her threw her off.

"You're... different," he said cautiously.

Her voice wavered. "What do you mean?"

"Back with the waitress... The 'money.'" he paused. "It wasn't real."

Emma looked away. "What are you implying?"

Ben rolled his eyes and sighed. "To put it frankly, you've got powers. Illusions if I had to guess."

'I can work with that.' She raised a brow. "You're not... freaked out or anything?"

He shook his head. "I've seen a lot of stuff in my life. Plus, with billionaires with super suits and giant green men walking about, it's pretty tame in comparison.

"I suppose... But, yeah. I made her see what I wanted her to see."

Ben nodded thoughtfully, showing no judgment.

Emma blinked. "It's not exactly something I'm proud of, but..." she trailed off, her gaze drifting to the table. "It helps sometimes. Some people won't understand."

Ben nodded. "People do what they can to get by." He paused, carefully choosing his next words. "You've been struggling financially, haven't you?"

Emma's eyes darted up to meet his, and for a moment, she looked like she might deny it. But then, she sighed, lowering her gaze. "Yeah... I've been trying to make it on my own. I don't want to be associated with my family anymore. They were... unkind to my brother. I just needed to get out, you know? But it's harder than I thought."

Ben's expression softened. "So, what did you want to do in the world? If money wasn't an issue."

Emma hesitated, surprised by the question. She'd never been asked that before. "Don't laugh, but the reason is a bit stupid."

Ben held his hands up. "Have at it."

"Back in high school, things were hard. The only one who seemed to care was my teacher. I had a bit of a crush. I suppose that got me interested in wanting to be one, too. I... I want to finish college. I was studying for a teaching degree before... everything happened. Wanted to go to Empire State in New York." She sighed. "But it feels impossible now."

Ben nodded thoughtfully. "Teaching, huh? Questionable relationships aside. I guess you wanted to be the person you needed at the time."

Emma rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. He didn't need to know about her kissing Ian Kendall.

"So, you like working with kids?"

Emma smiled slightly for the first time since they'd started talking. "Yeah... I think I do. I always thought I could make a difference that way. Help them learn things I had to figure out the hard way."

Ben grinned. "That's a good reason. The world could use more people like that."

Emma looked at him, still uncertain but warming up. "So, why are you doing this? Helping me?"

Ben shrugged. "Everyone needs a little help sometimes. I've had my fair share of people looking out for me, so I like to pay it forward when possible. If you haven't noticed, I'm familiar with the above-average side of society." He leaned back in his chair. "With that in mind, you seem like someone worth supporting."

Emma raised a brow. "An investment?"

Ben smirked. "Maybe not like that. Yeah. Think of it as my small contribution to getting you back on track. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll be teaching a class full of kids, and one of them will turn out to be the next genius who saves the world."

Emma seemed a little lighter. "That's some expectations, Ben." She still wasn't sure what to make of the situation

"Maybe, but if every person with superpowers can live a fulfilling life, there would be fewer supervillains out in the world." He huffed. "Could you see yourself as someone like that Victor Von Doom Character?

She chortled. "I don't think I could handle wearing some tacky costume if the other villains I've seen on the news are true."

Ben leaned back in his chair, casually swirling the last bit of his drink in the glass. "In any case, I'll be heading to New York later this week. Ever been?"

Emma raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more. "I can't say I have."

Ben smiled. "Well, I'm going. If you want, you could come with me. Enroll in that university you were talking about and get that degree."

Emma blinked, caught off guard. "Come with you? I—" She stopped herself, the careful side of her kicking in. "Paying my check is one thing, but traveling with you is more personal than I would like."

Ben shrugged. "It's less traveling with me and more both of us going in the same direction. We'll be going our separate ways in New York."

"This isn't a quid pro quo or something, right? I had an uncomfortable conversation with my landlord about that."

He cringed at the implication. "Yeah... I'm not asking for any of that."

Emma sighed. "How am I supposed to deal with the expenses?"

Ben shrugged. "I've got some connections. You'll be fine. Trust me."

Emma went quiet, her fingers fidgeting with the napkin before her. She was silent for a long moment before looking up at him, suspicion clouding her blue eyes. "Why would you do that? For me?" She narrowed her gaze. "You're basically a stranger?" She shook her head, the uncertainty and distrust bubbling to the surface. "It seems too good to be true." 'And the fact that I can't read your mind isn't exactly helping me trust you.'

Ben stared at her. He didn't immediately respond, and for a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer at all. But then, he sighed, leaning forward, resting his arms on the table. "I get it. It does sound fishy. Out of the blue. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably be just as suspicious." He ran a hand through his hair. "The thing is... I've met a lot of people with incredible abilities over the years. People like you." He paused, considering his next words carefully. "It starts small, like getting a free meal, but it can eventually snowball into something you can't take back. And I've seen what happens when society bears down on them. When the pressure becomes too much, they break. And when they break... those gifts, those powers? They turn against the world."

Emma's eyes softened. She didn't want to think about what she would do if things got desperate.

"You've got potential, Emma. Real potential. You could use your gifts to benefit everyone—including yourself. But that won't happen if you're stuck fighting to survive daily. I'm considering doing some work similar to this FEAST thing I've read about. I want to help people get back on their feet."

Emma sat there, processing everything. His words hung in the air. She still didn't fully understand why he cared so much and was so willing to help her. But there was a hope that he wasn't lying. "And what if I say no?"

Ben shrugged. "That's up to you. I won't force you. But the offer stands. No strings attached."

Emma looked away for a moment. She had no idea what she was walking into, but at the same time, what did she have to lose? A chance like this didn't come along often. Maybe... just maybe, he was telling the truth. She finally met his gaze again. "I'll think about it."

Ben smiled warmly. "That's all I ask."

As they finished their meal, Ben reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small wad of cash, placing it gently on the table in front of Emma. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight, her initial instinct to push it away.

"This should cover you for the next week," Ben said calmly. "Food, shelter—whatever you need while you figure things out."

Emma stared at the cash, her hand twitching slightly as if unsure whether to take it or not. "I— I don't know if I can accept this…"

Ben smiled softly, pulling a pen from his pocket. "No strings, Emma. It's just to ensure you don't go hungry or end up on the streets while you decide."

He picked up a napkin, scribbling something down in quick, neat handwriting before sliding it across the table to her. "Here's the address and time. If you've decided, meet me at the train station in a week."

Emma looked at the napkin, the address and time standing out starkly against the crisp white cloth. There was so much happening at once, and part of her still wasn't convinced this wasn't some elaborate trick.

Ben gave her a knowing look, leaning back in his chair. "You've got your own path to follow."

Emma hesitated, then slowly reached for the cash, her fingers brushing the worn bills before pulling them toward her. She folded them carefully, slipping them into her pocket as if they were a lifeline of sorts.

Ben stood up, sliding his chair back as he prepared to leave. "Take care of yourself, Emma. I hope I'll see you at that station."

She watched him walk out of the restaurant. She just sat there for a moment, staring down at the napkin and the cash in her pocket.

Later

Ben stood near the platform at the train station. His eyes scanned the crowd. Various people came and went, but there was no sign of Emma. He pulled out his phone. Had she decided to come with him, she had less than fifteen minutes before the train left the station.

He sighed softly and leaned against a post. "Maybe she had changed her mind..." Ben wouldn't blame her if she did. His offer wasn't exactly the most tactful. It basically came out of nowhere after he kept her from getting security involved. He turned toward the tracks. The sign above said that the train would be arriving soon.

Just as Ben was about to chalk it up as a no-show, a voice called out to him.

"Ben!"

Turning to the voice, he caught a familiar figure emerging from the far side of the platform.

Emma slowed down from a jog toward him. She had a large suitcase in one hand and a duffle bag in the other. She made her way through the crowd.

Ben stood straight and smiled back, waving her over.

Emma wiped away a bead of sweat as she stopped before him. "Sorry, I'm late. I had a bit of an issue getting my stuff together."

"It's no problem."

I thought about your offer... a lot, actually. And I figured… what do I have to lose now?"

"Not how I would put it, but you're one step closer to your goal."

"Hard to believe, to be honest."

"That's totally normal. It's a new start, Emma."

Her expression softened. "I just... I've been living well off under my parents for most of my life before thrusting myself into the real world. Being alone was a struggle, and it feels strange to have someone reach out."

"I get it. When I first moved out, I lived off instant ramen because it was cheap." He shook his head. "Don't even get me started on taxes. Still, a little help can go a long way. I had cousins and friends to get advice from."

Emma sighed. "Yeah... I wasn't very popular at school, and I basically cut myself off from my family."

Ben's mouth thinned. "For what it's worth. I'm sorry you've had to go through it alone for some time."

"The months have not been kind..."

"Well, that ends today. In just a few weeks or so, you'll be back at school, meeting all sorts of new people. A chance to make up for before."

Emma looked back at him, feeling a little more at ease. "That's the hope."

The train soon came to the station and screeched to a stop.

Ben crossed his arms and smirked. "So, nervous?"

Emma hesitated only for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Very."

As the train began to board, Ben stowed his luggage in the overhead bin and went to a random window seat. Emma followed behind. He settled in, watching passengers as they filed down the aisle. Without hesitation, she loaded her bags into the bin above and slid into the seat beside him.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to sit next to me, you know. If you're uncomfortable, there are plenty of other seats."

Emma shook her head with a small smile. "It's fine. It's better if we stay nearby. Don't want to lose each other by the time we reach New York, right?" She took out a magazine and started reading. "Besides, I'm holding onto your word that you can help me with enrollment."

Ben nodded in understanding with a chuckle. "Fair enough. I'm a man of my word. Just want you to be comfortable."

What Emma didn't mention, however, was the real reason she had chosen to sit with him. Emma didn't like being in crowds due to less-than-desired control over her powers. From the moment she had boarded the train, the thoughts of the other passengers pestered her. Unless she focused on someone in particular, fragments of conversations, random worries, and stray emotions would cloud her thoughts. It was very easy for her to get overwhelmed in a space like this. It happened back in high school and on the subway sometimes.

From the day she met him, Emme knew that Ben wasn't conventionally normal. Not only was he familiar with other "superhumans," but when she tuned to his mind, she would not hear thoughts but a soothing white noise instead. It was an anomaly compared to others she listened to, and it contrasted with the usual chaos. It doesn't take much effort to 'latch' onto someone's surface thoughts, but hearing someone else's thoughts in one's mind can aggravate over time. Unlike her previous attempts at public transport, she could finally focus, breathe, and relax within her own headspace.

#

Ben scrolled through an article on his phone. The headline caught his eye: "The Rise of Superhumans: Heroes and Villains in Our Modern World." It was a deep dive into the emergence of superpowered individuals.

The article began with referencing old World War II propaganda films that had been uploaded to the internet. According to these films, the first public "hero" was none other than Captain America, the star-spangled soldier who fought against Hydra and the Nazis. Ben raised an eyebrow as he read. That was a significant point of divergence from his home timestream. The idea that the U.S. government had created the first super soldier during the 1940s and then, supposedly, none since was a little hard to swallow. He chalked it up to government secrets, classified projects that never saw the light of day.

The article then fast-forwarded to more recent times, mentioning the Fantastic Four as the first publicly known superhumans of the modern era. The group had debuted in New York. Their leader, Dr. Reed Richards, claimed that their abilities resulted from cosmic rays encountered during a space flight project. Azmuth would want to learn more about that later.

Ben's eyes flicked down to the next section, describing a New Jersey man who could supposedly communicate with ants. That wasn't at all strange compared to what Ben encountered in life.

Further down, the article seemed to describe the Hulk. However, it said he was gray when he first appeared in the Southwest compared to the current green. Ben couldn't help but wonder if the transformation process had been incomplete then.

He continued scrolling. There was a spread of word and photos of a vigilante known as Spider-Man swinging through the streets of New York. Public opinion was split if the quote from one James Jonah Jameson meant something.

Then, there was the alleged God, who had also made his grand entrance in none other than New York. After seeing so many powerful aliens and higher dimensional entities, Ben was more strict on what the definition of a god should be.

Finally, the article touched on Tony Stark, a billionaire tech mogul. He had publicly outed himself as the armored hero, Iron Man. And where was he based? Of course—New York. It was starting to feel like the Big Apple was becoming a hub for superhuman activity.

Ben leaned back in his seat. There was something almost surreal about the pattern. So many people seemed to appear in New York. And it wasn't just heroes. The villains were there too.

Ben couldn't help but think about Bruce Banner's list of safe houses. They were all trailing toward New York, another data point in this growing pattern. It didn't help that he was currently assisting Emma, another superhuman, in coming to New York.

Was it just a coincidence? Or was there something larger at play? Only time would tell whether that was a good or bad thing.

Suddenly, Ben felt a weight on his right shoulder.

About three hours into the train ride, the combination of a stressful past week with restless sleep, the train rocking, and the ambient white noise finally took its toll on the woman. Emma grew drowsy. She leaned back into her seat before her eyes fluttered shut. Before long, she had drifted off, her head gradually coming to rest against Ben.

As she breathed softly, Ben smiled. Carefully not to wake her, he reached up and grabbed the complimentary blanket from the seat in front of him. He draped it over her, tucking it in lightly, before returning to his phone.

There seemed to be a large public divide on what people called 'Mutants.'

New York

The train pulled into Grand Central Station, jolting Ben from his thoughts. He glanced out the window as the iconic station's vaulted ceiling appeared. He could tell the hustle and bustle of New York City from the crowded platforms.

"Welcome to New York," he muttered, tucking his phone into his pocket and nudging Emma awake.

Emma stirred, blinking groggily. It didn't take long for her to realize the support on the left side of her head. She quickly sat up and looked down at herself, wrapped in the blanket he'd given her. "Sorry for falling asleep on you… literally."

Ben waved it off. "It's cool. It looked like you needed a good rest anyway. Are you feeling better?"

Emma was thankful she couldn't reach out to other minds while sleeping. That would make dreaming more complicated than it needed to be. Now that she was awake, there were familiar echoes from the people around her, and it was much louder than it was in Boston. 'That's what I get for moving to New York, I suppose.' Emma quickly latched onto Ben's white noise and breathed a sigh of relief. "It was one of my nicer ones. So, already here?"

Ben smiled. "Yep. We've arrived."

The two stood up, grabbed their bags, and exited the train.

The grand expanse of Grand Central unfolded before them—the high, arched ceiling, the massive chandeliers, the marble floors.

Ben couldn't help but notice Emma looking up at the ceiling, momentarily mesmerized by the station's grandeur. He chuckled softly. "Pretty impressive, huh?"

Emma nodded as she took in the sight. "Yeah..."

They walked side by side through the throng of people.

Compared to Boston, this was all new for Emma.

"So," Ben glanced at her. "First impressions?"

"Loud," Emma smirked. "But... exciting."

"That's New York for you. It's full of surprises." Ben had been to New York on his prior Earth, and it seemed the atmosphere was the same.

They reached the main terminal and read the time on the iconic center clock.

"So, what's the plan now?" she asked.

"We've got time to drop off our stuff before lunch. Any preference?"

"Uh, just anything simple."

"Signature New York pizza it is!"

Emma rolled her eyes in amusement. Granted, she was in the mood for it now that he brought it up. "So, what do we do first?" Despite having moved out of her parent's home, the transition was rather haphazard. "There's a lot of things I have to do, from exams to applications."

Ben stopped beside her and gave a slight nudge. "Calm down. You don't have to do everything all at once. When we get settled, you can start planning your schedule. One step at a time, okay? We've got a whole city to explore.""

Emma nodded slowly. "Yeah... one step at a time."

Ben smiled reassuringly. "Exactly. First step, drop off our bags. Then we'll go from there."

Emma took a breath. "Right... So, what hotel are we staying at?"

He smirked. "You'll like it. Real modern."

Emma blinked. "Oh, okay."

Ben and Emma exited the station and hailed a cab. He held the door open for her. "Ladies first."

She glanced at the cab and then back at Ben. "Why, thank you."

Ben patted the top of the cab. "Edison, Times Square."

"You got it!"

Emma smirked. "Center of the action. Nice."

They both climbed in and looked out the window as they traveled through the city. As expected of the busy New York streets, there were honking cars and distant chatter. Ben sat in the back seat, one arm resting against the door as he looked out the window. Emma sat beside him, focused on the blur of buildings. The cab driver barely acknowledged them as he hummed along to a classic rock radio station.

"I think that's the fourth variation of Ray's Pizza," Ben said. "Finding the best one might take time."

Emma chuckled. "I'm sure you'll get through them eventually. You know, even though my family is rich, they never listened to me about wanting to visit New York.

"I guess I can understand. Not all of it is the high society type." Ben smiled faintly. "It's got a charm if what I've seen in movies is true."

"Let's hope." Emma leaned her arm against the door. "Ever heard that rumor about dropping a penny over the side of the Empire State Building?"

"Yeah, but there's no way that's true."

"What makes you say that?"

"That place has got to have thousands of visitors a week." He rolled his eyes. "If even a tenth of the people tried chucking coins over the side, we would have gotten major news stories by now."

She smirked. "True. So what you're saying is. You'd be more than willing to do that with me without feeling guilty."

He smirked. "You could have just asked, and I would have said yes. Never been to the building either."

Emma rested her head back against the seat. "I could, but that would be the easy way."

#

Eventually, the cab pulled up to the curb in front of a modest hotel, and Ben reached into his pocket to pay the driver.

Ben grabbed his bag from the trunk and nodded toward the entrance. "Come on, let's get checked in."

Emma followed as they walked up the steps. When they stepped into the lobby, there were a few other guests milled around, but it was mostly quiet.

The front desk clerk, a middle-aged woman with a polite smile, greeted them as they approached. "Welcome. Do you have a reservation?"

Ben nodded and pulled out his phone, showing her the details. "Yeah, two adjacent rooms under Tennyson."

The clerk glanced at the screen, typing something into the computer. "Alright, I see it here. Two rooms. You'll be on the fifth floor." The clerk handed them two key cards and smiled. "Here you go. Room 510 for you," she said, looking at Ben, "and room 509 for your friend." She glanced over at Emma with a friendly nod.

"Thanks," Ben said, taking both cards before handing one to Emma. "Separate rooms," he added with a chuckle. "Didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Emma looked at the key card in her hand and gave a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks. I really appreciate that."

"Yeah, I figured you'd want some privacy after everything. No pressure to eat out and hang out tonight."

They reached the elevator, and the car began its slow ascent. When the elevator chimed and the doors opened, they stepped into a quiet hallway. Ben led the way to their rooms.

"So, here we are," Ben said, leaning against the doorframe. "Your room's right next to mine, so if you need anything, just knock."

Emma gave him a nod, her fingers still playing with the key card in her hand. "I think I can manage for the most part."

Emma unlocked her door first. She opened it to find a cozy, furnished room. Emma took in the space—clean, simple, and private. It was way better than the alternative: wandering around New York without a plan.

Emma dropped her bags by the door and plopped right onto the mattress. "So soft."

"I take it that you like the place."

Her voice was muffled into a pillow, but the thumbs up said it all.

"I'll leave you to get settled," Ben said, stepping back toward the door. "If you need anything, I'll be next door."

Emma rolled over to face him. "Thanks, Ben... For everything. Really."

"Don't mention it," he replied with a casual wave before exiting.