Chapter 10
The A-Team
Few minutes earlier...
Nat panted, beads of perspiration dotting her head as she leaned against the wall. Beside her lay her partner, whom she'd encountered on her way back to the Bridge. He'd taken out an engine and was heading to the Containment Facility, when the redhead ambushed him and cut off his path. The two partners had engaged in a frantic melee, with Natasha having the unfortunate handicap of pulling her punches; he was still her friend regardless.
However, she was going to have some choice words with him over her busted nose afterwards. Their scuffle had been cut short when a rumble of explosions rocked the vessel, destabilizing the ship's trajectory. Thinking quick, Nat used the momentum to slam her full weight into the archer, knocking him out cold against the railing.
She wrung her hands, attempting to rid them of their constant shaking. As a Black Widow, emotions were seen as nothing more than a liability, a crutch. Agents of her caliber were known to be cool, calm, collected even in the face of imminent demise. When the first explosion caved in the labs, she'd been saddled with the teen hero's unconscious form and she knew she'd felt it.
Fear.
Not for herself, no. She'd always known the risks, always compartmentalized, always remained stoic and brazen. This fear didn't come from a sense of self-preservation, instead it was something more primal. Instinctive.
Natasha was afraid for Tennyson. Afraid that even for all his unnatural abilities, he was still a teenager, still human. His mortal form could take damage, bleed, wear out or be crushed. She'd seen him transform into creatures capable of absorbing nukes, flattening buildings and go toe-to-toe with actual gods, and yet Nat couldn't help the overwhelming dread that grasped her heart as she held the unconscious teen whilst she stared down a raging, ready-to-charge Hulk.
The Hellicarrier began its forceful descent, its structural integrity compromised beyond all hope. Nat held her breath, holding unto Clint's unconscious body and the hand rails. A cacophony of alarms assaulted her ears, announcing the untimely landing of the Hellicarrier. Another jolt caused her grip to slacken, Clint's body sliding across the metal floors as the vessel leaned dangerously to the side. Scrambling along the pipes, she managed to hold on, bracing for the eventual impact.
The Impact never came. Instead, she felt her body float weightless, held in some form of stasis. The entire ship began to reverse its course, the effects of time being rewound by the stasis field. Nat breathed in wonder as time was literally being rewound around her, a single thought floating in her head.
Tennyson.
Back to the Present
Agent Mariah Hill had seen many a strange thing in her career as a SHIELD officer. Suffice to say, what she'd previously experienced could not be compared to the craziness that just occurred.
The entire Hellicarrier was floating in the air, good as new, as if it's two engines and its left side didn't just take catastrophic levels of damage from freak explosions coordinated by a madman once held prisoner within its Chambers.
It wasn't just crazy, it was impossible. She'd her suspicions about Tennyson based on the little details gleaned from confidential SHIELD files. But to know the teen was capable of something as bizarre as manipulating the very flow of time...strange wasn't enough.
Director Fury had been tight lipped about the boy, only giving vague allusions whenever she questioned his decision to involve the Plumber's Kid in their operation.
"Guess Fury was on to something", she eyed Tennyson warily. He'd become a bit of a celebrity, although agents were mostly scurrying about the newly reformed Hellicarrier, some paused to fawn over the teen in gratitude; a point of embarrassment for Tennyson, who seemed like he wasn't used to receiving compliments. Others however, were more wary, casting cautious glances on the teen as he walked by. Either way, Tennyson had made an impression on everybody within less than 24 hours on the ship.
"Assistant Director Hill", an agent's voice echoed in her communicator, "Medical team's here. Agent Carter's been hit – hopefully she'll pull through", wordlessly, she away the Medic attending to her wounds, her demeanor dampened at the news.
The man continued, "They managed to get Barton from level 2, Romanov apparently took him down on his way to the containment chamber. But we've got some major bad news"
"Loki's got The Captain".
The weary remnant of the Avengers had gathered in the Bridge, sans the teen hero. He'd gone to check on Natasha, having lost sight of her while he battled an enraged Hulk, whose whereabouts were also unknown.
Coulson stood off the side, his arm unconsciously massaging phantom pains from Loki's attack. One minute he was drifting into unconsciousness, the next, he was on his feet as if nothing ever happened. A quick glance at Ben told him everything he'd needed to know; the teen must've done something. Something impossible.
Phil had always known Ben was capable of bizarre and insane things, even before he transformed. Back in the shapeshifter's younger days, he'd drop by the Rust bucket to check up on them, while acting as Fury's proxy. At first the trio were wary of the agent, but overtime had warmed up to him.
Seated on the left flank of the table, a distraught Thor hung his head, his brows furrowed in regret. Had he heeded the Captain's warning, maybe he could've stopped Loki…stopped everything from happening. The Thunderer tentatively massaged his knuckles; he'd lost his temper again. Again, he'd let Loki win.
"Hey, I... uh, where's Cap? ", Ben made his entrance into the Bridge, only for Nick to interrupt his question.
"Thanks for coming, Tennyson", he warily eyed the teen, "and uh...good job with the Hellicarrier. Really saved our asses back there".
It wasn't often one got a compliment from the top hard-ass known as Nick Fury, but given the circumstances, it also wasn't surprising. Reading the room, Ben opted to give a half-salute, before taking a seat next to the brooding Asgardian.
"I'd ask how you did that, E.T., but I'm not one to complain", Tony didn't look up from his downcast position, at the foot of the situation table. "Anyone who gets Fury to say thank you is okay in my book". He'd to admit, the kid was definitely full of surprises.
"Unfortunately, we have a…new development. We're down multiple team members; one in particular has been compromised. Steve Rogers has been taken by Loki, and unlike the Tessaract we can't track him down"
Ben sank down on his chair, letting out a weary sigh. You can't save everyone Ben, Grandpa Max would often remind him, hoping to lift the boy's spirits with his words, speaking from his experience as a Plumber. Doesn't mean he wasn't going to keep trying. He'd still to master Clockwork, maybe he could put in some more practice.
"Don't get yourself down kid", Tony addressed the teen, hands crossed on the table as his mind already began pondered the theoretical physics of time manipulation.
"Aye, the boy saved many a soldier's life, including the son of Coul", Thor finally spoke up, throwing the teen an approving nod. Thor's first impression of the teen had undergone a rapid transformation after witnessing Clockwork on display. Ben was definitely a force to be reckoned with, more-so a proven and worthy ally.
Ben managed a weak smile. The thunder God was right. This wasn't Undertown all over again. His timely intervention had indeed saved a lot of lives on the Hellicarrier, pun intended.
"It's probably a weakness of the causality chain. Coulson's death - caused by Loki", Pragmatic as always, Stark attempted a logical explanation of events. "When your...time bubble-thing went off, Loki was already long gone. Continuum flows on…the change isn't registered…"
"Let's just focus on the situation, Stark"
"Mind telling us what exactly the situation is, Nick?", asked Tony, "I know you didn't call us here just to be the one that gives the bad news. What else aren't you telling us? ".
"Truth is, I've got nothing for you", Director Fury answered. "The situation just got more complicated. Whatever Loki's up to, the timetable just moved up. We got zilch from those Circus freaks at Mission Control, turns out they were just Loki's little puppets, like Agent Barton. Decided to toss their asses into their boss' cell for good measure".
The SHIELD director leaned on the table and sighed deeply, "I lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming. I'm laying it all on you straight: yes, we had plans to weaponize the Tesseract. Never put all my chips on that number though; I was playing something even riskier"
"So that's it then?", asked Tony, "us? Your final gamble? Your ace-in-the-hole?"
"The Avengers Initiative was and always has been, our only hope against this level of threats. You know this, Stark; An idea, a belief, that we could bring together a group of remarkable people, and they could be something more…to see them work together, when we needed them to.".
"Fight the battles we couldn't".
Fury paced round the table before making a stop right beside Tony. "It's true, times' changed. But Steve never stopped believing in that. A new age of heroes, coming together to fight for the common good. Believed in even you, Stark"
The team could only stare in silence, the Director's words weighing heavy on them. Ben straightened in his seat, his eyes darting from one team member to the other. Thor stared at Mjolnir, the handle jutting upwards from the metallic head resting on the table.
Tony sprang from his seat, "This isn't on me", he retorted, "Cap made his choice, it was his decision".
Coulson placed his hand on Tony's shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"Well, now it's on all of us. The question is; what's our decision? We're not going to save the world by pointing fingers or laying blame", Nick narrowed his gaze on the billionaire. Regardless of his disposition, he knew Tony had a part to play in all this.
Wordlessly, Tony strode out of the room, a myriad of emotions strewn across his face. Ben and Thor could only stare as the billionaire took his leave, the atmosphere of the room shifting abruptly.
"That was it?", Ben queried, perplexed, "you're gonna poke and prod all of us till we do something?".
The Director folded his arms behind his back, "I don't have the time to babysit all of you. We're on the clock, Tennyson, and I need your team on their A-game".
Nick squarely focused on the teen. "Cap was, and is, a valuable asset Tennyson", his words were more measured, holding a levity Ben had seldom seen in the man. "More importantly, he was…a friend. And I don't like losing friends. You of all people understand what that means".
Ben knew all about losing friends and allies. Pierce Wheels, Elena Validus, even the hardass Magister Prior Gilhil.
Former allies who were either deceased or were lost to him, often due to circumstances even he couldn't predict or control. In a sense, Fury was right: they had to be on their A-game in order to get Cap back and stop Loki.
His "team" needed him, now more than ever.
As a billionaire, tech genius and recovering alcoholic, Tony's mind was always an endless stew of problems and solutions, was in overdrive and he needed to focus. Needed to process. The resident boy scout had just been hijacked by the world's worst Falkenbach cosplayer.
Oh yeah, and apparently the kid could manipulate time now. How is that even possible? All that power, all that tech...
"Stark?"
Speaking of which, the teen in question trailed the billionaire out of the bridge, both of them reaching the entrance to the Hellicarrier's Level 2 facility.
"Kid, you heard Fury. He's got nothing for us anymore. Loki's at large and he's got Rogers in his little mind-games debacle. And just like Point Break said, he's bringing his alien pals sooner or later. Don't even know when or where that's going to happen. Essentially, we're back to square one, not to mention the team's already broken before it even started"
"We can't predict everything, Tony"
"Maybe, doesn't change the fact that he's gone. Dunno what he was thinking, idiot", Tony hung his head, one hand on his temple.
"He was a brave man, a true hero", Thor interjected, having followed the two. Arms folded, he leaned by the doorway, Mjolnir nowhere in sight. His cape dangled loosely by his side, the Asgardian opting to leave it flowing rather than adorn his shoulders with it.
"He was a damn liability", Tony interjected, a thumb pointed at Ben, "We had a plan; fix the engine, save everyone. Just had to be the hero,
"Maybe that's just who he is ", Ben pointed out, "he wasn't looking for a way out"
"Ah yeah, I've heard that one before", Tony remarked snidely, "and where is he now? The Good Soldier? God's righteous man?"
"I've fought in many wars over a thousand years in my lifetime, and I've lost many a good warrior. The Captain is not lost to us yet", added the Asgardian prince.
The billionaire turned towards Thor, arms open mockingly, "Yeah well, I'm sure it's nice to hear, coming from a lofty, higher-than-thou showboater, living it up in Ass-place or wherever"
"Asgard"
"Yeah, well this isn't Asgard, and we're not warriors. As far as I know there's no endgame for us up here. Fury's crazy gambit, that whole heroes stuff? It's just gonna get us all killed, or worse". The billionaire stared up at the blond Asgardian, nostrils flared and eyes glassy. The Thunderer merely snorted in response, the two men face to face.
"Cap would've wanted us to finish the job, Tony", the teen addressed the billionaire.
"Well Cap's not here!!!!", Tony snapped.
For what felt like an eternity, a defeating silence reigned in the empty facility. Tony heaved a defeated sigh, his demeanor now deflated after his initial outburst.
"And I'm not marching to Fury's Fife", Tony added.
Ben folded his arms "Neither am I, Tony. For all we know he's pulling some invisible strings somewhere, somehow. But right now, we have a world to save. Together. We need to figure out Loki's next move". The more time they wasted arguing, the more time Loki had to finalize his plans. And Ben wasn't one to simply wait for things to happen; he made things happen.
Stark merely glanced at the hand on his shoulder, eyebrow raised, "Don't you have an alien for that?"
"I don't think that's the point", the teen argued, shaking his head. "Like it or not, we're still a team. With or without Fury's mind games. If that's what the world needs us to be, then we're a team. We look out for each other, watch each other's backs".
Ben marched forward, poking Tony in the chest, his glowing arc reactor poking out of his shirt.
"We work together because we want the same thing, to help people...and take down the bad guys. This isn't my first time working with others as a team. And definitely not my first invasion. You focus on the thinking part, and I do the heavy lifting. We find Loki, and we'll find Cap"
" Wait, what do you mean by , not your first invasion??? "
"Let's just say a planet of genocidal albinos decided to underestimate humans a little too much"
"Nah, let's just say nothing I heard sounded even remotely understandable", Tony's hand covered half his face, another sigh escaping from his lips. The kid never ceased to amaze and confuse him at the same time. Of course, given the fact that he could turn into things that broke everything even he knew about physics, Tony just learned to roll with it. For now.
Sooner or later, he'd have to look over those files SHIELD had on the Shape-shifting teen, see what Intel he could scrape away.
"The Shapeshifter speaks true", Thor added, "Loki sees humans as nothing but fragile beings, and once, so did I. But the strength of our comrades is indeed formidable, when we truly fight as one. My brother is indeed threatened by us, loathed he is to admit"
Tony jolted, hand flying off his face, gears spinning in his genius mind. "But then he made it personal. He hit us here, where we live. Why?". The billionaire asked out loud.
Ben scratched his head, "Uhh, divide and conquer? Far as I can tell, it's the best way to get on up on your enemies, especially when they're kinda united against you. Happened once, way back when I was a kid on a road trip with my cousin and Grandpa. A bunch of my rogues ganged up, formed some kind of alliance. Called themselves "The Negative Ten".
"Huh, okay we'll circle back to that bizarre story...But divide-and-conquer's good. But he knows he's got to take us out to win, right?"
Thor placed a hand on his chin "Loki spoke something about leaving me for last. Like a final performance in twisted play. No doubt he takes some sort pleasure in this"
"So, he wants to beat us, but he also loves a good show", Tony was in full "thinker" mode. Eyes widening out of their sockets, rapid blinking, his gestures becoming more pronounced and articulate.
"He wants the whole world to see. A full house audience. The whole shebang: Lights, camera...all eyes on him"
"Just like that time in Germany...he was putting on a show", a little late to the party, Ben nonetheless began putting the pieces together slowly, realization dawning on both their faces.
"Yeah, that's just a preview, opening night", Tony mused, as he began pacing around, "this...this is full on opening. And Loki's a full tilt diva: it's all about theatrics, flowers and parades. He wants a stage"
"What stage would be high enough for one as vainglorious as Loki?", Thor barked a sarcastic laugh, "perhaps his name plastered in the skies, a glowing tower above the skies as a monument to his vanity..."
Another pause. Stark and Tennyson shared a look.
They were all thinking the same thing:
Stark Tower.
"Sonofabitch...right under our noses the whole time", Tony combed his hands through his hair. Sometimes, it seemed the solution was always closer than one anticipated.
"Well, he's definitely got the vanity side down pat...", smirked Ben. Tony gave the teen a flat look, slightly miffed at the comment. The shapeshifting teen merely shrugged in response.
Thor marched forward; his purpose renewed and spirits lifted. "Then why do we dally, my fellow warriors?! We must bring the fight to Loki, and rescue the Captain! So say I, to battle!", he pumped up a vigorous fist, only to be met with silence.
Tony facepalmed. Thor was a little confused, not for his lack of spirit however.
"You do realize we'll need to get the entire gang together, right?", Tony pointed, "Not much of a fighting force with just the three musketeers, is it Point Break?"
"That's the spirit Big guy", Ben chuckled, striding past the Thunderer on his way to the exit, "I gotta make a quick stop on the way though"
"Wait, you're bailing?", asked Stark, "The playoffs just started and you're leaving the pitch, kiddo. What was that about teamwork again?"
"In case you forgot, we're still a member short, not counting Captain America. Loki's bringing his alien pals through Stark Tower, and we're gonna need backup, lots of it. And I've got an idea on how to bring the fight to them."
"And just like that?", Tony raised an eyebrow, "I thought the Pipe Crew were all about that secrecy and stuff"
"I know a guy"
"Of course you do", Tony rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, but first, we need to figure out how to break Loki's mind control thing first. Think you can handle that?". Recalling the Highbreed invasion, Ben reasoned that if a techie like Cooper could figure out a way to revert alien mind control, so could an arguably bigger genius like Stark
"Not to brag kid, but I built an arc reactor in a cave with a bunch of scrap metal", Tony smirked, popping his knuckles "I think I can handle a little ole' case of neuro-synaptic recalibration. Besides, from what I've seen, magic's kind of overrated".
Of course, Cooper didn't have an ego bigger than his own intellect.
Tony turned just in time to see the dirty look Thor shot him.
"I have a cousin who begs to differ", Ben shrugged, "But just in case, we need a way to snap Captain Rogers out of Loki's whammy"
"As I was saying, I could..", Stark reasoned, "but all my stuff's back at the Tower, and SHIELD's toys are basic my-first-science-project type gear. Not to mention, my suit's busted from a recent tangle with a Helicarrier sized lawnmower"
"Maybe all you need…is an Upgrade?"
"Come again?"
"How about I give your suit a little alien touch?".
Alarmed, Tony gestured wildly, wiggling a finger at the teen, "No! No way! Nuh uh! No one touches my stuff! I know that makes me sound like a three-year-old at a birthday party, but my tech's way too sophisticated to be getting probed by alien boy and his fantastical friends".
"Stark, we're going up against aliens", pointed Ben, trying to level with the billionaire, "and didn't I just say we needed the backup?"
"How and why exactly should I trust a valuable piece of tech to a teen who's not even old enough to drink?"
"I'm not sure what drinking has to do with anything…", Ben could only wonder what billionaire geniuses had with drinking so much. Overlord, and now Stark…
"Trust me kid, there's a lot of history there. Not so great history. The bottle and the suit are two halves of a rather confusing coin. Plus, it costs a lot to maintain that puppy, not sure my gut feels okay with just handing it over…"
"Stark, I literally rebuilt this floating fortress of gloom from a smoking pile of debris"
"The boy makes a solid argument, Stark", Thor clapped the smaller man on the shoulder, causing Tony to flinch sharply, glaring up at the blond "and I truly enjoy seeing the Galvan creatures at work. Their creations are among the most fascinating things besides Valhalla itself, as little and puny as they are."
Pulling up his Hoodie, the teen gave a quick salute, before making his exit, "It'll be fine, Stark! Unless Thor gets too excited and pulls out a lightning storm out of nowhere…the last time that happened, I got stuck in a videogame with my cousin after a freak lighting blast glitched out Upgrade's functions, heh…"
"Say what…?"
The hatch hissed as it close behind the teen, leaving only silence accompanying the two men in the secluded facility. Tony turned to the Asgardian, a bewildered look on his face. "That is one highly unusual kid we got on our team"
"On that, we can agree, metal man"
"You sure this is the right play, boss?" Coulson asked. While the rest of the team had left, he and the Director remained, silently observing the trio from the monitors on the Bridge.
"You said so yourself Coulson, they need a push", came the response.
Coulson sighed. He'd just evaded death, he'd so many questions. With Steve gone, he'd felt some guilt over his capture. Maybe if he'd stayed away from the containment chamber, maybe…
"You feeling alright there?", inquired Fury. Earlier he'd observed the agent, watching him nurse an injury that wasn't there, a distant look on his face
"I'm fine, just never came back from a stab to the heart before. Whatever Tennyson did…"
"He saved you, Phil. Saved All of us", Nick was always blunt whenever the situation called for it.
Phil chuckled lightly. "I knew he was capable but this...this is something else. Time travel? Almost sounds crazy"
"And yet, here we are", pointed Nick. When it came to Tennyson, he'd learned a long time ago not to expect anything, but everything from the teen.
Watching the boy grow up, Fury had kept his existence under wraps in any way he could; redacted information, wiped photos and videos…anything SHIELD got their hands on. His reasons were unclear to most, even those in his admittedly tiny circle of trust.
Phil nodded, allowing a bout of silence to reign between the two men. Underneath the nature of spy-craft and subterfuge, Nick and Coulson had a sense of camaraderie that seemingly transcended their staff positions, a bond forged with years on the field. Coulson had learned to simply trust his boss's instincts, unsure as he was.
After all, that trust had led what kept him alive when he should've died.
"I have to admit, sir, I was wrong"
The Director turned to face Coulson, "Think so, Agent Coulson?"
"I told you they needed some kind of push", Phil pointed to the monitor display.
"The way I see it, they already have something. Or more accurately, someone"
Ben made his way through the levels of the Hellicarrier, after making a little detour at Tony's cubicle. After a few animated discussions and thrown around swear words, the billionaire had finally caved, allowing the teen to use his Galvanic Mechamorph form to "upgrade" the Mark VI suit.
The teen shapeshifter grinned a little as he recalled the look on Tony's face at the final result of Upgrade's "merge" with the armor. The look of awe, confusion that finally morphed into begrudging respect at the modifications.
"Fine, but if this thing starts spazzing out on me, it's your ass on the line, E.T", were Tony's exact words.
Turning his attention back to the SHIELD staff, Ben noticed many of them responding to his presence with looks of awe and disbelief. Ben wasn't sure how to handle his new "fans", many of which were agents probably twice his age.
Speaking of agents, one particular spy extraordinaire occupied the thoughts of the teen. He'd last seen her at the lower levels, medics attending to her and others transporting an unconscious fellow with a quiver stapled to his back. A quick look at Natasha's demeanor told him this was her aforementioned "partner", as she stared vacantly at the now-repaired ship, still processing the events that had unfolded.
Now however, the duo was at the medical bay, the shape-shifting teen finding them in a light conversation. The teen stopped, his ears catching whiffs of their banter.
"How'd you get him out?", the Archer asked
"Cognitive recalibration; a fancy way of saying I hit you really hard in the head", Ben heard the redhead reply.
"Nat, how many agents did I..."
"Don't", she cut him off, "This is Loki. It's aliens and monsters and magic and nothing we ever prepared for"
"Does he know that I can hear him?" Clint asked.
"Who?"
"The kid who's currently giving the walls some ears, just outside"
Ben froze.
"So... he doesn't know?"
Nat gave a low chuckle "Definitely. He's...sorta new"
"He with you?"
"With us. The team", Nat added, turning to the entrance "you can come in now, Ben"
The hatch opened to reveal Ben awkwardly waving at the duo. "Hey, guys...uh, just checking in and stuff". Nat briefly smirked, Barton on the other hand was appraising the teen warily.
The teen turned to Clint "You must be the Hawkeye", referring to his codename used by the SHIELD agents.
"And you must be the one I heard singlehandedly saved everyone on the ship", Clint regarded the youth critically, sitting up straight on his clinical bed.
"Well...", Ben drawled, his hand scratching the back of his head. He still wasn't used to being acknowledged for his heroic efforts. It felt...kinda nice. And weird at the same time, "I wouldn't say singlehandedly...Mr Stark was involved and everybody else and stuff"
"Oh yeah...and he's modest too", Clint turned to Nat, "definitely a keeper this one". The redhead merely gave a wry smile at her partner's jesting.
Slightly blushing, the teen turned to the side. When he wasn't being controlled by a narcissistic Norse demigod, Agent Barton seemed friendly and easygoing, although a tad sardonic at times.
His eyes were a different story, seemingly scanning all sides of Ben at once from head to toe, seemingly scrying into the unseen parts of the teen. It was slight discomfiting yet intriguing. Ironic that he was the Alien Avenger and was being probed by a man who was, by all measures, human.
He strode forward, a hand outstretched, "I'm Ben, Ben Tennyson"
Clint paused before accepting the handshake "Clint. We're not on a last name basis yet so you can call me Hawkeye. Get on bad side, and that might change". The teen beamed before throwing a mock salute.
"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Clint-Hawkeye"
The Archer smirked "I think I might like you, kid"
"He doesn't really like being called that", Nat chimed in, "he's sensitive about his age"
"Oh please, you're one to talk, ma'am".
"Yup, definitely like this kid", Clint's grin widened.
"Is there a reason you're snooping around the Medbay, Tennyson?", Nat interrupted as she folded her arms
"I uh...wanted to check up on you", Ben admitted," I got sidetracked after the whole repairing the ship thing. Plus, I remember I owe you an 'I told you so', but I think I'll save it for later. By the way, what the heck happened to your nose?"
Nat's fingers softly glided over the little band placed on her nose, a little gift that possessed-Clint had left her. "Nothing much…a little workplace hazard"
"Ah yes, too bad there's no 'Coworker possessed by a demigod' insurance".
Nat chuckled lightly, prompting Barton to stare in awe. The kid had more of an effect on his partner than he thought. While she wasn't a hard ass like his boss, Fury, Natasha Romanov was a Pandora's box of closed up, buried emotions. After all she'd been through, all she'd done...
Seeing her joke around and be so genuine with her emotions, especially with someone she'd recently only been acquainted with, came as a pleasant surprise. Of course, Tennyson just seemed that way: genuine. He was definitely...less normal in some other aspects, but unlike the agents and so-called professionals he'd worked with, Ben was a refreshing change of pace. Clint was someone who could read people easily, pick up the minutest details from any distance. The kid seemed to always speak his mind, no matter who he met.
"Anyways...", Ben continued "we figured out Loki's plan. Was hoping you guys could help ", he gestured to the Archer, sitting up on the Medical bed.
"Who's we?", Clink queried, one hand nursing his temple. Apparently, he was still recovering from his encounter with Nat, specifically her right foot.
"Possibly whoever's left", the redhead answered, leaning on the medbay wall, "with Cap taken and Banner..."
"I'm working on Banner", added Ben, "with my luck he's probably stewing somewhere itching for round two. I may have to uh...convince him to tag along this time..."
"...just make sure he's contained", the superspy advised, "we don't have the time to deal with another Hulk rampage now we have an alien invasion on our hands"
"Got it. So, what do you say Mr Hawkeye? You in?" Ben turned to the Archer in question.
"I suppose putting an arrow in Loki's skull would help me sleep better…"
"Oookay, that was...slightly unnerving, but thanks for the help", the teen nodded at the Archer.
"Now you're sounding like you", Nat commented. The two agents shared a clipped chuckle, leaving the teen clueless on their inside joke.
Man, I thought I was weird, Ben thought, his gaze falling to Nat. She seemed much better in comparison to when he found her after the ship was stabilized; her eyes no longer glazed over, her visage no longer paled.
"Hey, thanks again, Nat", Ben stuffed his hands into his pockets, letting out an air of gratitude, "y'know for the whole keeping me alive while I got knocked out. Really. You put your life on the line for someone you just met a while ago. So yeah, thanks"
The redhead beamed, her eyes meeting his with a newfound warmth. "Right back at ya, hero". For what felt like a while, their gaze persisted, eyes locked into one another. Ben had yet to hit his growth spurt, he had to crane his neck an angle upwards to stare into her piercing eyes, as she was still a foot taller.
Clint cleared his throat, grabbing their attention instantly, the moment vanishing with the silence the accompanied it.
"So uhhh...yeah!", Ben awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "I'll be going now...". He stepped out of the med bay, the hiss of the automated door closing announcing his departure.
Natasha turned to the Archer as soon as Ben left, "Not a word".
Clint merely sniggered in response, "The kid, he's not just an asset, is he?"
"What are you talking about?"
Clint shook his head before continuing, "You're a spy, not a soldier. Spies don't typically risk their own lives for their assets, they burn them when the asset becomes a liability. You on the other hand..."
"He's a high priority asset"
"According to you? Or Director Fury?"
Nat's gaze hovered, before she took a seat beside him, on the patient's bed, "Ben's…different. From the rest of us. He's always had to bear a lot of responsibility, take a lot of flak from the absolute worst the galaxy's had to offer. And somehow, he's still him…doesn't let all that drag him down"
"Sounds familiar", commented her partner, "so what, you've got some kinda camaraderie?"
"He just...needs a friend, I suppose. Not a lot of people his age has to deal with alien invasions and underground crime rings. The kind of stuff we have to deal with"
"But you've been compromised"
"I've got red, a lot of red on my ledger", she inhaled sharply, "And I wanna wipe it out".
Using Jetray's form, Ben easily zoomed through the sky at Mach speeds, easily breaking the sound barrier like a supersonic bullet. Given the circumstances, he'd say he wasn't moving fast enough. He'd teammates to find and an invasion to stop.
Another alien invasion. He thought he'd seen the end of it, thought they'd all learned not to mess with Ben Tennyson, wielder of the Omnitrix and Vanquisher of Vilgax. He'd stopped the Hybrid Invasion, the Incurseans and even defeated an extra-dimensional demon-god.
Now he had to find his green bean behemoth of a teammate with the personality of a power tool, who'd just plummeted from over a thousand feet in the air and landed who-knows-where.
Beep Beep Beep
"Whoa!!"
Startled, Ben nearly fell out of the sky, before managing to readjust midair, finally coming to a halt as he hovered. He looked down to see the green flashes coming from his Omnitrix, accompanying the beeps he'd previously heard.
"Phew, just a call", Ben thought, "for a second I thought the new Omnitrix was glitching out with the time limit functions again. Just my luck, timing out while flying hundreds of feet above ground"
He altered his flight path, inclining his movement downwards. Soon, he easily reached an open field as he landed in a small cloud of dust. In a flash of light, he'd turned back to his human form, the beeps from his wrist-bound device intensifying. Whoever this caller was
"Oh, for the love of...", Ben groaned, before accepting the call. The Hologram popped out, revealing the visage of an all-too-familiar Galvan.
"You've got some nerve, Ben Tennyson, putting me on hold!"
" Azmuth?!!!"
"I see your eyes are still working properly, now let's work on your hearing. Specifically, hearing me calling you endlessly!", pointed the Galvan angrily, on hand on his torso.
"You almost gave me a heart attack!", Ben was exasperated, his free hand combing his hair to regain composure "what if I'd turned back midair?"
"Oh please, you'd think a genius such as myself wouldn't have more than a handful of measures to keep my device, and by extension its wearer, alive?", the Elderly Galvan stroked the tendrils that dropped down his chin, like a old man with his beard.
"Speaking of my Omnitrix", the Galvan continued, "what newfangled, life threatening, juvenile antics have you attempted this time? You didn't break it, or drain it, or poke it with a screwdriver this time did you?"
"That was one time, Azmuth! And I was ten!"
"Bah! I'd say you've grown but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't just physical!", Azmuth's amphibian eyes narrowed, "the Omnitrix's tachyon readings were off the charts! Did you foolishly attempt to break the spacetime continuum with your Chronosapien form??"
"Uhhh…", Ben drawled.
"You did, didn't you? Did you ever stop to think about the possible repercussions? Spatial Rifts? Temporal anomalies? Time loops? I can't code countermeasures for stupidity, as much as I would've loved to!"
"I was helping people, Azmuth", the teen sighed, "speaking of which, where have you been? I could've used your help figuring out this whole alien invasion situation!"
"This may come as a shock to you, Ben Tennyson, but there are more important matters than your miserable mud-ball of a planet", Azmuth answered, "Besides, I assumed the Plumbers were competent to handle it. Seems I was wrong"
"Technically I'm working with SHIELD now, so..."
"SHIELD??? Those arrogant buffoons constantly mess with forces beyond their tiny minds!! From what I hear, their messing with an Infinity Stone is what got you into this quagmire in the first place!"
"Wellll...".
"What's that old human saying? Birds of a feather? Your collaboration seems quite fitting, after all, Benjamin Tennyson"
"Look, are you gonna help me or did you just call to be a pain in my ass?", Ben retorted, "Not sure you care to know, but I'm dealing with another alien invasion, so unless you're giving me some useful information, I've got places to be".
The Galvan's heavy sigh echoed through the communication, as Azmuth placed his head or his rather proportionally oversized head.
"Very well...I suppose I have to teach you everything, again", the First Thinker muttered, "first order of business, the Chitauri"
"I was kinda hoping you'd give me pointers on Loki, Azmuth"
"I tend to keep my matters away from Asgardian matters, as should you, Tennyson. Besides, you should focus on the immediate threat, that is the army at your doorstep. The very one the Trickster joined forces with", advised the Elderly Galvan, both hands clasped behind his hunched back.
"But we don't have a lot of on Intel on the Chitauri", Ben pointed out, "even the Plumbers!"
"That's for a reason, you simpleton: they did not wish to be found. For many, they're a myth, a specter haunting the galaxy's edge, but to the aged and learned, they're a far more deadly threats that have been the end of civilizations"
"Seriously?", Ben was incredulous, "why haven't you told any of us before?"
"If you'd let me finish...", Azmuth reprimanded, "they're an ancient, clandestine race, what one would refer to as the cancer of the Galaxy. Just like a cancer, they're not discovered until it's far too late. Which is why we know very little about them. They appear without warning, and don't typically leave behind evidence of their existence. What they leave behind are barren worlds where civilized planets once stood".
"So, what do we do?"
"Have you been listening? No one has lived to testify of their presence, or even their tactics or warfare! If we must face this fight, we can only do it as you humans do: blind"
"No way...", Ben whispered. It seems this was more serious than he originally thought.
"Will you stop that incessant pacing?", cried Azmuth, "you're distorting the communication! As I was saying, we can face this threat blind, but now that we know they're coming, we can use that against them."
"Wait, how do we do that?"
"Well,", Azmuth stroked the tendrils on his chin, "you humans typically have a means of dealing with a cancer: isolate it before it spreads..."
Ben cupped his chin, "yeah, we can...draw their attention somehow…"
Azmuth merely waited for the boy to connect the dots.
The teen's eyes lit up, "Wait, that's it!
Although Ben often failed to utilize his intellect in most situations, Azmuth was grateful for the times he did.
However primitive and underdeveloped it was.
Bruce groggily sat up, his eyes squinting from the dust that surrounded him where he lay. He quickly covered up, realizing he was bare. An unfortunate side effect of transforming from a monster ten times his size.
Looking around, it seemed he'd landed in some sort of abandoned warehouse. Lucky him. Maybe he did the landowners a favor, no need to hire a demolisher anymore. The entire area was a debris field now, with him at the epicenter.
"...just fell out of the sky, crashed through the building..."
The ambient silence of the warehouse was cut short by a voice from the entrance.
"Is he okay?", another voice, this one sounding more familiar.
An old man, presumably the caretaker, appeared first, "Dunno. I've seen a lot of strange things here son, but some kinda green creature, falling from the sky..."
"Yeah, it's every Tuesday for me", Ben Tennyson, stepped through the debris, before finally locating the scientist.
"Dr Banner! You there? I was trying to track your gamma signature when - oh...", the teen recoiled, apparently spotting the aforementioned man in the nude, sitting in a pile of debris.
"Ben...you're here...", Bruce nursed his head, eyes clenched shut. Transforming into the Hulk not only left him with gaps in his memory, but also an unwelcome parting gift from the gamma giant in the form of a headache.
"And you're in your birthday suit", the Teen turned his head, hands gesturing for Bruce's need to cover up.
"Here", the caretaker threw the scientist a pair of trousers and a worn shirt.
"Thank you", the grateful Banner replied, hurriedly putting on the provided articles of clothing.
"So, you fellas related or...", queried the caretaker.
"Oh nonono...", exclaimed Ben, placing his hands up in refusal, "more like...coworkers in a sense"
"Must be some workplace huh?"
"Yeah, you could say that..."
"Did I hurt anyone?", Bruce asked, now fully clothed
"Ain't no-one around to get hurt", the old man answered, "ya did scare a bunch of pigeons though"
"Lucky", Bruce scoffed. At least he didn't have a bunch of deaths on his hands and another layer of guilt on his conscience. How does one feel sorry for something they had no knowledge of doing?
"Or just good aim", answered the caretaker, "you were awake when you fell. Big, green and buck-ass nude. Wasn't sure them clothes would fit till ya shrunk down to a regular sized fella"
Ben sheepishly looked down, "it's a long story"
"You an alien or something?", asked the old man, picking up a broom.
"What?", the teen and the scientist blurted at the same time.
"Y'know...from space. I reckon seeing as people don't just randomly fall from the sky"
"Well - I wouldn't say that, it's..."
"No", Banner simply stated.
"Well, looks like your friend here's got a condition", the caretaker turned to the teen, "presume ya got this handled, kiddo?",
"Thanks, Mr Joe, we're good".
With that, the old man took his leave, muttering something about "kids these days and their weird company"
"Ben, wha...what happened? The Hellicarrier, there was some mind of explosion, and then...oh God, did I..?"
"Slow down there, big guy", Ben interjected, "there's a lot to catch up on and unfortunately not a lot of time. Everyone's safe, mostly". Banner heaved a sigh of relief.
"Unfortunately, Cap got snagged by Loki, we're working to get him back. Tony figured out where Loki's headed, I think the team's heading there now. You think you can help? Maybe lend us a hand in the fight?"
For the umpteenth time, Bruce heaved another sigh, this time filled with defeat. "Look, kid, you saw what I did up there. Look around you. The Hulk's just pure chaos...too unstable to be of any good. I wanted to help, but I wanted to do it as Bruce Banner. Figured I'd do the least damage and still help people with my knowledge"
Bruce sank down near another pile of debris, "This whole team of ours? I'm not sure if it needs Bruce Banner...but it definitely doesn't need the Hulk".
Another bout of silence reigned as the teen watched the scientist hang is head in self defeat. Ben shook his head, before coming to sit beside the man.
"Y'know...I never told you what happened when I first found this", Ben pointed to the Omnitrix,"I was just ten years old, in the forest on the first day of summer vacation..."
Bruce turned to the teen, "wait, you've been doing this since you were ten?"
"Yeah", Ben snickered softly, "I remember turning into my first alien, a pyronite I first called Heatblast. Ended up burning nearly half of the forest in the process. Luckily my grandpa and cousin helped me get it under control"
Bruce was silent, still trying to process everything the teen said.
"That's not even the weirdest part...later on, one of my aliens - that Ghost guy I used in the Lab - somehow got out, corrupted by another Alien, wanted to steal my body and overwrite my DNA. Then he almost turned the entire world into a monster planet,
"Sounds like I'm not the only one with a condition, then", the scientist commented, "yours is like the habit of getting into the craziest situations"
They both chuckled at that.
"Well, the point is, I'm not a stranger to being a stranger in your own body. The emotions, the instincts...you said my forms were transcendent, well they can be terrifying sometimes, capable of their own chaos..."
The teen placed his hand on the scientist's shoulder," But we're also capable of doing so much good. It took a while, but I finally got Ghostfreak under control. Got to do some good for a change. I think the Hulk's like that too"
"What, like an alien?", asked Bruce.
"No, more like a creature of instinct. Like the Hulk, your instincts are part of you. But instincts are just that, instincts. They're not really good or bad. It's how we guide them, and not just overcome them. Plus, it helps to have your team looking out for you"
"So, the Avengers...can also be like a guide to the Hulk?"
"We have your back, you have ours", Ben stood, offering a hand to the scientist," so what do you say , doc?"
Bruce's wary gaze travelled from the outstretched hand to the eyes of the teen. Ben was young, but he could definitely see years of experience in the teen's eyes, experience many twice his age didn't possess.
"Okay then, kid", Bruce clasped his hand, "let's do it. Let's stop an alien invasion". The teen grinned in response.
Thud.
"Ooff!!", Ben groaned as they both tumbled in a heap, into another pile of debris. Ben's attempt to pull the man ended with the unbalanced duo falling into one another
Dammit, I really need to work out more! maybe lay off the fast food, Ben thought.
The trio of Avengers made their way through the halls the Hellicarrier, drawing the looks of everyone around them. All personnel garage were stunned to see a Norse god, a superspy and an Archer make their way to one of the jets parked in the hangar, not even stopping to clear for takeoff.
Thor, Natasha and Clint stepped through the open entrance hatch of the SHIELD Jet, much to the chagrin of the lone agent who occupied the aircraft.
"Well met, valiant ship-keeper!", hollered the Asgardian, beaming cordially as he slapped the man on the shoulder, "my Companions require transport and therefore, we shall be commandeering your vessel!". His tone was jovial but the subtext was clear: he wasn't asking.
"You...you're not authorized to be back here!", the agent stammered. One glare from Natasha promptly shut down any more objections.
"I'd step aside if I were you, Agent", Clint watched the man tremble in his boots, before deciding to do the smart thing and get the hell out of dodge.
"Smart man", Nat commented, watching him leave as fast as he can. With the combined efforts of the two agents, both experts at flying, the SHIELD Jet had cleared the hangar, with Iron Man in tow, his suit having been repaired.
"Remind me to never get on your bad side, Agent Romanov", Tony remarked as he flew alongside the jet
"Is that a new suit?", she asked. Tony's suit had been overlaid with black tones, leaving only the Helmet and torso in a mixture of red and gold. Iron Man glided effortlessly through the air, not even requiring the use of his repulsors as flight stabilizers.
"Sorta...The kid used some alien of his to reconfigure my hardware. Flying's gonna need some getting used to, though. Crazy how it's throughput's better even after getting run through a giant blender...where exactly did you find this guy, Romanov?"
The redhead gave a wry grin in response.
From a large glass panel overlooking the hangars within the Bridge, Director Fury watched the jet's unauthorized departure with Iron Man, holding Coulson's deck in his hands. Par for the course, he'd been observing the team's exchanges over the Monitors.
"Sir", Agent Maria Hill took her place beside him, arms folded.
"Agent Hill", came the curt reply.
"Are those Coulson's? ", she pointed. The Director merely kept shuffling the deck slowly, before looking up, his singular eye focused and resolute.
"Found 'em in his locker. They were...a contingency of sorts"
"Contingency, sir?"
"Let's just say, Coulson believed they needed some kind of push. A wakeup call. Something to keep 'em focused and committed to this"
"And the cards..."
Nick tucked the cards back into his coat, before clasping both hands behind his back, sighing deeply. "A reminder of what they were supposed to be fighting for"
Mariah Hill swallowed lightly. Her boss was known to be shrewd and tactical in every situation, and from her personal experience, she knew that Nick Fury could be a cold-hearted, manipulative bastard when he had to be. When the ends justified the means. He was the Director of SHIELD after all, his main goal would always be in one way or another, for the greater good.
Or so she thought, anyways.
"So, what changed, sir?"
"Nothing's changed...much. Suppose it was a risky gamble, could've easily backfired. Turned them against each other, against us. Besides, I was never one to place all his eggs in one basket"
Of course. Always keep an eye open, Nick would always say. Never could know how things would turn out in the long run.
"Truth is", continued the Director, "they already have what they need. Someone to remind 'em of what they were fighting for; saving all of us..."
Quick-witted as always, she connected the dots in her head, "You mean the kid, sir?"
"I've said it before, Agent Hill. Tennyson's the key to all this. If it's anyone that can get them together..."
"Are you sure about that, sir?"
"These are desperate times, Hill. We've seen what he can do alone, what he's capable of. And maybe, what they can do together. They all need something, or someone to rally behind"
"And you think Tennyson's that...someone"
"It's a risk", Nick admitted, "but the kid's got heart. And experience, lots of it. Especially with a team like this. I think it's as good of any risk as we can get, all things considered".
She stared out the window, watching the activity on the hangar bay, the personnel bustling about their assigned jobs.
Monsters, gods, aliens. What were they, mere humans against such forces? What did they possibly hope to do? Place their trust in the ones who seemingly sided with them? A boy who wielded such frightening levels of power?
Mariah was a pragmatist, by all definitions. She believed that the safest hands were always her own. But this was way beyond that. Loathe as she to admit it, this wasn't just their world anymore. It was also theirs, the Avengers. They all had to fight for it.
I suppose it is a matter of trust, she mused, as she took her leave from the Director, stepping out of the bridge. Trust in their line of work was a hard thing to come by.
She could only hope that said trust wasn't misplaced.
"Okay, so what was the plan again?", Bruce asked the teen, "last I checked, we're in the middle of nowhere, and we need to get to the city before Loki gets to open the backdoor for his alien pals"
"Yeah, about that...", Ben interjected, "it's still mostly in the works.".
"In the works?", Bruce pointed, trying to make sense of the teen's words.
"No, it's not...look, it's basically still in idea, okay?"
"An idea?"
"Okay fine! It's partly an idea!"
"Anyone on the team aware of said ideas?"
"Well...its Plumber business"
Bruce sighed. As much as he wasn't comfortable with the situation, he'd decided to trust in the shapeshifting teen. He just hoped, for the sake of the world, Ben knew what he was doing.
"Even if we could come up with a full plan, how do we get to Stark Tower?", asked the scientist.
Ben activated the Omnitrix in a flash, spinning the dial whilst cycling through his alien Playlist. "Well, hopefully as fast as possible, Dr Banner".
Slamming down the dial, Ben's form shifted into that of a small, crimson-red alien bearing a close resemblance to a Gremlin, with green eyes set in black corneas, spiked ears and nose as well as sharp teeth and claws. He wore an aviator's outfit with an ascot, his goggles placed on his head and the Omnitrix symbol on his belt.
"Jurryrig? Not what I was going for, but okay!", the creature squealed, mischief twinkling in his dark eyes.
Bruce flinched, slightly taken aback by the gremlin like appearance, only to observe the creature speedily rip apart the scrap from the warehouse, cackling all the way.
The little devil dug into the piles of debris made by the Hulk, gathering useful items into a pile, as well as old factory parts from the architecture, his nimble limbs and tail propelling him across the ceiling in a dervish of activity.
"FIX FIX FIX FIX FIX!!!", rattled the Planchaküle, as he began reassembling the scrap along with nearby engine parts in a cloud of debris.
Within moments, Jurryrig had assembled a makeshift Monocycle, standing proudly near his creation.
"Well, whaddaya think?"
"That was...a little terrifying", Banner stuttered before warily examining the newly constructed vehicle.
"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!", urged the Gremlin like alien, hopping on the driver's seat "Rig not built to last!!"
"Wait what do you mean, not built to last?"
The Planchaküle merely sprang towards the scientist into the seat before grabbing and strapping him in, then activating the engine.
"Wait! Ben!!!"
"Let's go, go, go !!", Jurryrig slammed on the nitro lever at the base of the Monocycle, sending them both off in a burst of acceleration, the large tire screeching violently against the dusty road.
VROOOOOOOMM
"Woooooaahhhh!!!!!", the scientist yelped as the Monocycle sped along the highway in a cloud of dust, the maniacal chortling of the Planchaküle accompanying his semi-terrified shrieks. Only one thought permeated Banner's thoughts as he held unto the handles for dear life.
This Team of theirs was bloody insane.
...
And scene.
I know some of you might have wanted Coulson's death to remain Canon (After all, that's what kickstarts the events in Agents of SHIELD). To be honest, so did I. Coulson's death was the major catalyst for the team to get together.
But come to think of it, isn't that why Ben's on the team? He's the guy that's faced worse odds and still managed to come out on top. Cap might be the heart of the Avengers, but I think Ben's the pulse. He keeps them moving. And what exactly do we lose? Agents of SHIELD? Yeah, I think I'm fine with that.
Plus, Fury technically emotionally manipulated the team into working together, makes the whole sequence feel a little artificial. So, I think this works out for the best. Ben gets to inspire his team, and also rise to the occasion as a team player (that's what he does). Lastly, with Phil and Maria, I got to show two sides of people's reactions to Ben; reverent awe and wary skepticism. This should play out somehow in the future.
Side note: I prefer Jurryrig having black and green eyes, it gives him that unique "alien" feel.
Next up: Invasion!
Quick question: How do you guys feel about me adding in brand new, fan made aliens by yours truly? I know a guy at Deviant Art, could help me whip up some concept art for you guys to check out.
Responding to Reviews:
Thewittywhy: Thanks. I think heroes having limits is important, because the whole point of the hero's journey is overcoming obstacles. What's the point if they just breeze through every situation with ease? Struggle, determination and perseverance are the core of the human experience, and should reflect in our literature.
Blake: I might include some of them. I checked them up and they seem pretty cool.
Velocity Vasto: THANKS!
William 14: Thanks. Although I'll try not to stray too much and end up writing another movie.
Anime Crossovers: Thanks. Ben staying unconscious was mostly for some dramatic tension. I definitely wanted him in the fight.
Maximum Rhapsody: Maybe, I don't want the scene to become too cluttered. We might not see too outlandish characters in the fight, like the Galactic Enforcers or the Plumber's Helpers.
Starfall Shadow: Thanks, but I believe the story isn't just about Ben, crossovers are about both sets of characters. Besides, it helps in variety for the scenes
Mark: Fair enough, I guess the show didn't really consider that because Ben doesn't really show any signs of PTSD. And being a kid's show isn't an excuse, because Avatar: The Last Airbender touched on PTSD as well, and did it so well.
ArashiNoKitsune: Thanks. I actually considered using Lodestar, but I figured pulling one of Ben's heavy hitters once in a while didn't hurt, especially if the situation called for it
Kevin06x: Thanks. I'll do my best to avoid staying TOO close to canon. Don't worry, Ben isn't nerfed, he'll just come to the same realization he did in Alien Force/Omniverse: He can't do it alone. I'll see about Matt Murdock, he's an interesting character but he feels more "street level" than Ben who's more cosmic level.
-Natasha's actually nerfed in the MCU, in the comics she's basically a supersoldier like Cap, just without the superstrength. Loki's a demigod, there's no reason he can't tank impacts from XLR8, within reason.
-Ben will definitely switch aliens when he can, don't worry. No, I'm not pulling Alien X yet, if at all. I'll keep your suggestions in mind, most are pretty good.
Ben 10 Supreme: Sure, why not? Although I'm not sure different our Bens are…
Sakra95: Clockwork's abilities are kinda vaguely limited in the show, so I decided to give some more grounded baselines. He can alter time to an extent, and limited to an area (both can be extended with training). I like the idea of Ben mastering specific aliens like Diamondhead.
10k: Lol, I'm not too fond of Eren's emo look, plus I prefer Ben 10,000's canon look (BTW when does Ben get so swole? Man must be hitting the gym 24/7!).
Guest: I'll fix it soon.
Mark: Yes, I prefer Shocksquatch's original design. Don't worry, I'm completely rewriting Ultron's story (hint: "Behold, My Vision")
Ben: Damn, you made some really good points. Almost considered retooling the story to incorporate the ship. Unfortunately, I have to decline. For two reasons: 1) Nat was done dirty in the MCU, the romance with Banner was poorly thought out, no wonder it was quietly written away 2) Wanda and Ben can also work as siblings, with Ben filling that brother-shaped hole in her heart. Plus, her marriage to Vision has some interesting consequences moving forward.
Plus, we already have a Clint and Nat relationship, why do we need another one with Ben?
Guest: You're right, Ben won't sign the accords, and he basically tips the scales of the conflict to whichever side he's on. Maybe he can deal with the conflict and come back to see the team go to shit.
Weirdhead: Sorry about that. I think Khyber's storyline is too much for now, maybe he can make an appearance later.
-Astrodactyl being slower than Jetray makes him less useful. He's not more durable, has less ranged options so there's no point. If I wanted an aerial fight, who do I pick? An aerophibian that moves faster than sound, has powerful neuroblasts and claws, or an oversized Jurassic-reject with a jetpack (no offense)?
Hodr: The Odin Force belongs to Odin in the sense that he's the only one that can USE it. The Odin force essentially acts as the lifeforce of all Asgardians, which Odin can pull on at any time to empower himself. Also, Asgardians aren't gods. Odin himself said so.
NJORD: I don't recall writing that the Tessaract was the power source of the Omnitrix. Don't worry, Primus' retcon is essentially pointless with the new Omnitrix.
Guest: Yay, thanks for the support. Comments like this make my day.
EXCELSIOR!!
