Just a little story I wanted to do. This takes place after the Ben 10 Omniverse episode, 'Vilgax Must Croak.' Enjoy and no flames please!
Ben Tennyson was silent as he rode with Rook back to the human's home. Vilgax, his worst enemy, had just escaped no thanks to Princess Attea and her hired bounty hunter helpers; Sixsix, Sevenseven, and Eighteight, who wanted to end Vilgax in order to take over his home planet.
As Ben looked out the window with emptiness in his eyes, there was a feeling of numbness within him. All that effort and work for nothing. His grandpa Max assured Ben that he did his best, but Ben didn't feel that way. His partner Rook was saddened seeing Ben so depressed. He had already tried to cheer Ben up by offering him a ride to Mr. Smoothy's, but Ben refused. Rook may not have been as depressed from the failed mission as Ben was, but seeing Ben so abnormally despondent really made him feel sadness bu also a sense of helplessness.
Rook pulled up in front of Ben's house. Before Rook said a word, Ben immediately got out and walked rather quickly to the front door. Sighing, Rook put his truck in drive and drove off.
Inside, Ben stood still, his depression slowly melting into rage. With a tightened fist, he roared in anger and punched the wall.
"BEN!" yelled the voice of Ben's mother, Sandra. The woman stomped into the living room. "Ben Tennyson! What are you-" But she froze in stunned silence when she saw her son hissing in pain while holding his injured hand. "Did you hurt your hand?!"
Ben looked at his mother with a surprised look. "Uh, no! No!" He struggled to find an excuse. "It feels fine." And he ran to his room and slammed the door shut.
Sandra looked at the wall. It wasn't damanged, but she knew something else was. A good mother always knows when something is wrong when it comes to their children. And Sandra didn't need superpowers to figure out that something was wrong with Ben.
At that moment, Ben's father Carl walked in. "Hi, Honey!" His smile fell when he saw his wife looking upset. "What's wrong?"
In Ben's room, Ben laid on his bed, still depressed. "Stupid Attea...if Vilgax doesn't destroy her, I will!" He kicked the wall in anger. "Who am I kidding? I can't kill her!" Ben got up and looked at the Omnitrix. It was the most powerful device in the universe. He can practically do anything with it...and get away with certain things if he played his cards right. That's when a rather dark thought entered Ben's mind. "Then again..."
Just then, a knock came at the door. Ben panicked and tried to act natural. "Uh, come in!" he said loud enough for whoever was on the other side.
The door opened and in walked Carl and Sandra. Ben saw Sandra with a tray of Burger Shack cups and two paper bags that smelled of delicious fried food. There was also a large carry-out box that smelled of chili fries, making Ben's eyes light up.
"Hey, Ben." Carl said as he sat next to his son on the bed. "How's it going?"
"I'm fine, Dad. I'm fine." Ben said, enticed by the wonderful smells.
Sandra smiled. "That's good, Ben. Unfortunately, I ended up overcooking dinner and burned everything! So, I went out got you some chili fries and a soda!" She handed her son the food while Carl gave him a fork and a napkin.
"Wow! Thanks, Mom!" Ben was completely caught off-guard by his mother's kind gesture. Being a health-conscious woman, she would constantly urge Ben to eat healthy and eat her healthy cooking. So, Ben almost cried when he saw those deliciously greasy chili fries. It was the biggest helping of chili fries he had ever seen! It was like a cholesterol mountain! Without a moment of hesitation, Ben began shoveling his dinner in his mouth.
"Slow down!" said Carl.
"Sorry!" Ben said with a mouthful of chii fries. He looked over and was became even more stunned when he saw his mother and his father eating burgers and fries! So, not only was Ben enjoying his dinner, but his family was enjoying fast food with him! He can't remember the last time he did anything like this! As they ate together, Ben was feeling much better than he was before.
"Well, that was delicious!" Carl said, patting his belly.
"Oh, yes! That was the best veggie burger I ever had!" said a satisfied Sandra.
As much as Ben enjoyed his dinner, he still had some lingering pain. And Sandra noticed right away. "Is something on your mind, son?"
Ben sighed. "Well, I just hope I don't break your hearts when you learn that your's son's a total loser."
"Ben, what are you talking about?!" asked Carl.
"It was Vilgax, one of the most evil, most dangerous, most powerful enemies I've ever faced! I was forced to protect him! PROTECT him! From Attea, a spoiled, bratty, good-for-nothing frog princess! And after everthing I've been through, Vilgax and Attea got away! I failed the mission and it was all my fault! I mean, what kind of hero am I, huh?! I'm not! I'm just a born loser!
"You're not a loser, Ben!" said Carl.
"Yes, I am! I'm the punching bag of the universe! Sometimes, it feels like I can never get a break!" Ben was just about to punch the wall until his father grabbed his arm. Carl and Sanda pulled Ben into a hug. Feeling the warmth of his parents' hug, Ben felt his rage slowly dissipate.
"Ben, just because you had a bad day doesn't make you a loser." said Carl. "It happens to all of us, the best of us. You can't right every wrong. The important thing to remember is that you put up a good fight."
"And you say that you're a loser. But you don't even know what a real loser is, do you?" asked Sandra.
Ben looked at his mother. "What do you mean?"
"Well, try comparing yourself to Vilgax. Think of all the horrible things he's done. With his power, he can help people instead of hurting them. He clearly knows right from wrong and he chooses to do wrong. So, not only is he wasting his own talents, he refuses to learn from his past mistakes and continues to be bad, unlike you." Sandra explained. "And that's what really makes a loser."
"And so what if Vilgax got away?" said Carl. "Instead of chasing a rat, just lay out some cheese."
"What in the heck is that suppose to mean?" asked Ben.
"It means that even though Vilgax got away, that doesn't mean he won't come back." Carl smiled. "Like a rat wanting a piece of cheese, he's gonna come running all the way back to you. And when he does, you'll be ready for him. In other words, if Vilgax ever needs his butt kicked, he knows where to find you."
For what felt like forever, Ben saw the light. He was finally free from the deep, dark place in his mind. If Ben did become a murderer, it would mean no more loving family and friends for him to cheer him up when he was sad. And he would end up just like Vilgax; a genuine, bonafide, good-for-nothing loser. "Yeah, you're right! All those bad guys I fight, Vilgax, Attea, all of them, they'll always be losers because they never learn!"
"But you just keep learning and getting stronger and continue to help people no matter what life throws at you!" said Sandra. "And if that doesn't make you a hero, I don't know what does!"
Ben hugged this parents. "Thanks, you guys. You'll always be my heroes."
Carl and Sandra looked at each other and shared a wink, happy that they accomplished their own mission.
I figured Ben's parents needed more attention. A loving family is everything. They make you who you are and put blood, sweat, and tears into everything to put a roof over your head, food in your fridge, and remind you to count your blessings and make sure you become a good adult.
So, every so often, thank your parents and tell them how much you love them. :)