A/N: Right, here's the other part of chapter for you guys.


Chapter 13

Assemble


.

As more alien fire ripped through the air, Natasha had to admit, there had been precarious situations in her long and checkered history as a world (in)famous spy. Her current predicament definitely counted among the top ten.

Hunkered down behind an upturned bus, she and the team Archer were pinned down by Chitauri forces.While the evacuation process was underway, the duo were once again stuck with holding down the fort as it were.

Laser fire pelted their position relentlessly, forcing the spy duo to take cover and poke out periodically to take shots at the enemy.

"Okay, this officially isn't a whole lot like Budapest", Nat took another shot from cover, only to come back down a second later, her pistol's ammo clip now expended.

"Ya think?", Clint let loose another arrow before diving back down for safety. It seemed like for every one they dispatched, two more took its place.

"Any word from boy wonder?", Clint asked, "guess sending out our big gun's really coming to bite us in the ass".

"Can we please focus on the problem in front of us?"

Nat glanced across the mostly desert streets; the duo had managed to hold off the horde long enough to evacuate as many citizens as they could. SHIELD carriers worked nonstop to ferry the fleeing civilians away from the city to the relative safety of the coast.

"All things considered",Clint nocked another arrow, "its not a bad way to go".

"Way to be optimistic, Clint", Nat rolled her eyes before tagging another Chitauri with her Widow's bite, the electric projectile tagging the alien's forehead dead center. It crumpled like a sack cut loose from a hook.

Before either of them could take another peek from their improvised cover, a familiar red and white disc sailed through the air, ricocheting off multiple Chitauri attackers before rebounding into the familiar gloved hands of its thrower.

The roar of thrusters activated drew nearer, heralding Captain America being dropped in by Iron Man. The duo's appearance quickly shifted the pace of the fight, as the invading forces focused fire on the duo, allowing Clint and Nat more breathing space.

Cap held fast, deflecting laser fire from the Chitauri, while Tony unleashed the might of his armor's full arsenal at the Chitauri. Repulsor beams, arrows set loose, electric blasts and laser fire filled the scene as the two forces collided.

"About time you showed up!", quipped Clint, "we were gonna snag all the glory for ourselves!"

"You're welcome, hotshot!", Tony shot back. The Mark VII's armor opened up to reveal an array of missiles. "Everybody down!"

BOOOOMMM

The targeting missiles bombarded their targets in a fiery deluge, while the rest took cover from the blast's explosion.

"Good, everyone's still in one piece", Tony commented as he descended to the street level.

"Is that a new suit?", Natasha commented as she climbed out of cover, the danger now past.

"I may have been a little...eager to test out Tennyson's upgrades".

"Good to know your reputation of breaking stuff still holds up"

"Captain", Clint nodded, "good to have you back". Based on the events that transpired that day, it would seem the Archer and the soldier could relate on something. After all, they were both victims of mind games.

"Good to be back, Agent Barton", Cap nodded in return.

"Great, we're all caught up", Tony chimed in, "what's the situation? And where's the kid?"

"We got evac in progress, but we're running slow", Nat answered, "and Tennyson's taking care of a different problem"

"What kind of problem?"

"A big one". Of course, she was alluding to the Leviathan that had torn through the Plumber's perimeter.

Cap was quick to take command, turning back to the rest of the team. "Evac's our top priority. Get as many people as we can away from the fight"

A resounding boom echoed in the city's skyline, announcing Thor Odin son's arrival. Descending like a meteor, he quickly joined up with the rest of the team.

"Aye, I agree with the soldier", the Thunderer echoed the sentiment. "Tis gladdening that you are with us again, Captain"

"I'll gather up local law enforcement, help us speed up evac. The rest of us have to keep the heat off them. Romanov, can we get a bead on Tennyson?"

"Bleeker Street, Greenwich", Nat tapped on her communicator."Snuck a tracker on him before he took off"

"Wow, you are definitely taking this handler thing seriously", Tony commented.

"I take everything seriously", the redhead stated pointedly, gesturing to their immediate surroundings, "especially when we're in a war zone"

"I shall have words with Loki for this", Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly, a deep frown etched unto his features.

"Yeah well, get in line", Clint nocked another arrow

"Guy, focus", Cap cut in as he surveyed the carnage before them, the knowledge burning in the back of his mind that this was only going to get worse.

"I'll get the brass, in the meantime, cut a path through and reconvene at Greenwich. Gotta get the whole team on track. Stark, Thor, whatever you do, keep these things off the ground"

"Hey anyone got eyes on Banner?", Tony asked.

"Banner?", inquired Cap.

"Just keep me posted"


"So who are you again?"

Having transformed back, Ben folded his arms as he addressed the lady. She merely paced round him, her gaze never leaving him while her gait remained steady and calm. Ben couldn't decide if she was sizing him up or looking for something else.

Maybe both?

"I have had many names over my lifetime, but many refer to me as the Ancient One"

"Lemme guess: because you're really, really old? Seems a bit cliché don'tcha think? "

"Ah yes, the famous Tennyson wittiness. He did tell me to expect a lot of that", she surveyed the teen from head to toe, a curved finger under her chin.

She'd been quite intrigued to meet the famed Ben Tennyson, having only glimpsed portions of him over the years.

His victory the Malevolent Old God Dagon was the stuff of legends. Something even the best of the Sorcerer Supremes couldn't even achieve. And here he was, the famous hero with dozens of accomplishments under his belt, and if her visions were to be trusted, even more to come.

"And who's this he?"

She placed both hands behind her back, a wry smile gracing her wrinkled features. "A friend. Quite a familiar face for you, I might add. The Time walker known as Professor Paradox"

"Wait, Paradox? He's here?", Ben swiveled his head, hoping to catch sight of the aforementioned Paradox. The enigmatic, immortal professor had the habit of popping up in most dire circumstances to aid the teen, albeit via cryptic messages and warnings.

Often times he'd even get the past and present events mixed up, much to the teen's chagrin.

"No, I'm afraid", she continued, "He said he'd some other matters to attend to, something about a Time War of sorts...but he did say to expect your arrival. He always spoke highly of you"

"Whaddoyou know? Paradox actually has time for making new friends!", Ben quipped ecstatically, "nice for him to meet other fossils like him, no offense"

"You're quite an amusing young man, aren't you?"

"If I had a nickel for every time, I got told that..."

"What you do have, Master Tennyson, is time", she spoke up, "however it is in short supply"

"Did Paradox by chance give you some kind of cryptically warning that's near impossible to understand without an encyclopedia from his age?"

A brief smile glanced over her face before vanishing just as fast. "Why, those are the best kind! ".

"Of course...just great, another riddle", Ben sighed resignedly.

"Well, knowing what I know about the intricacies of time and causality, I'd say it's for the best", the Ancient One added, "wouldn't want to create rogue timelines or variant universes now, would we?"

"...I suppose not", sighed the teen.

"Splendid! Now pay attention", she whipped open her fan and with a wave, threw out a band of energy that cut through a Chitauri on the other side of the rooftop area.

Slack-jawed, Ben concluded the Ancient One had his rapt attention.

"This otherworldly Invasion is but a prelude to events far greater and more perilous at hand", the aged sorceress admonished, "the choices you and your allies make will ripple across the time stream. There is a greater threat on the horizon, one that threatens the very stability of all life in the universe?"

"Vilgax?", Ben asked, only for her to shake her head. "Albedo? Malware? Dagon?"

"Unlike your encounter with the Old One known as Dagon, this threat is one far greater I'm afraid. A threat on a cosmic scale. All you must know is this: there will come a time that all existence will require a sacrifice from you", her tone darkened as she continued. Ben's expression remained ever puzzled despite a growing nervousness in the pit of his stomach.

The Sorceress Supreme loomed over the teen, her unblinking, mystical gaze hinting a sense of forlornness directed toward the teen. A hint of pity dwelled within her eyes, as she too was familiar with the unforgiving price of greatness the universe could extol from even the purest of hearts.

"I do hope it wouldn't have to be, but it has to".

Ben swallowed amidst the tense silence that befell the duo. Sensing his apprehension, the aged sorceress took a step back, her fan flapping a short breeze on her aged face.

"I believe that'll do! Now, you seem have some other engagement elsewhere", she gestured downwards to several Chitauri patrolling the wartorn streets. The teen also noticed an unusual gathering of Chitauri around an innocuous building.

That can't be good.

"One more thing: Paradox did say: Beware of Rogue Portals"

"And what does that mean?"

"How should I know?", she shrugged nonchalantly, a glint of mirth in her eyes as her demeanor lightened up, free from the prior heaviness that clouded her. "I'm the Ancient One, not the All-knowing one"

"What about your magic stuff?", Ben asked, earning a raised brow in return.

The teen groaned in frustration, "You know what I mean! Your crazy magic-thingy that really kicked alien butt!"

"Much like the device you wield, all magic is a tool that must be utilized responsibly"

Ben unconsciously let his fingers run over the cold metal of the Omnitrix. "Look, all I'm saying is, we could use your help out there"

"I'm afraid I have to stay and protect the Sanctum. It holds a great deal of importance in protecting the world from unseen forces. Which reminds me: Do tell your cousin my offer at Kamar Taj still stands. We could always use one of her...unique expertise"

"Woah, you've met Gwen already?", Ben couldn't be too surprised, after all his cousin was also a veteran of the mystic arts.

"I've been watching her progress", the sorceress mused, "Quite the prodigy, I must say, able to master the mystic arts without an able tutor at such a young age. Especially with the burden of sharing a roof with your...much less mature self"

Ben bashfully scratched the back of his head, her words bringing the reminiscence of his younger days shared with his cousin. Sure, they didn't get along, and they were far from a normal family. But they were family all the same, and would risk themselves for each other.

Guttural screeching alerted the duo to another wave of attackers, biomechanical warriors on chariots charging towards the Sanctum.

"Go! Your battle is elsewhere! ", the Ancient One unfurled her fan as she took another battle-ready stance, her head bowed and arm outstretched.

Taking a quick glance towards the elderly lady, Ben burst into a sprint before diving off the roof, the familiar blast of green lighting enveloping his form as he activated the Omnitrix.

BLAM!

FWOOSHHH


The entrance hatch to the Plumber's HQ hissed open, announcing the arrival of its two new visitors.

The first was a bespectacled ginger-haired girl, her features peppered lightly with freckles. She strode in smartly, her plaid miniskirt complimenting the soft patter of her blue sneakers. She, of course, was Gwendolyn Tennyson, paternal cousin to Ben, part time student and expert mage.

Her companion was a tall, burly young man with shoulder-length dark hair and overall darker garb, the metallic floors echoing with the stomps of his black combat boots. Also known as Kevin Levin, former rival-turned-best-friend of Ben.

"Kiddo!", Maxwell Tennyson squinted slightly as he called to his granddaughter, his wrinkles more pronounced with age and experience "glad you could make it, hon!"

"Grandpa!", the girl greeted back with a hug, separating only to face him with a slight frown.

"I just saw the news!", a concerned look crossed the ginger's face as she followed her grandfather into the Control Station. "Is...is Ben okay?",

"I'll explain everything, sweetheart", answered the old man before turning to the young man, "Good to see you too, Kevin"

"Mr Tennyson...", Kevin was greeted with a warm handshake.

"Well, you're both here I'm gonna cut to the chase", pleasantries now aside, Max's tone had taken a more grim disposition befitting the current predicament.

"As of right now, we're dealing with another alien Invasion, we believe they're in league with and led by the Asgardian Loki"

"Wait, Loki?", Gwen asked, "the trickster god? The same Loki that broke into the Ledger domain successfully, multiple times without getting caught? That Loki?"

Apparently, the trickster's reputation had preceded him. Loki had indeed breached the magical dimension a few too many times, though very few knew his intentions or his exploits within. He'd move like a shadow, in and out without anyone noticing.

"I'm aware he's bad news, Gwen", Grandpa placed a hand on his chin, "but I don't believe he's working alone. Recent intelligence suggests he's got help, we're just not sure from who"

"Uh, why haven't I ever heard of these guys?", Kevin raised his hand, pointing to the monitor feed showing Chitauri warriors wreaking havoc on the city.

"I know ever slime-ball there is in the underworld", the raven-haired teen stated, "and these guys never popped up on the radar". While Gwen wasn't particularly fond of reminiscing about Kevin's delinquent past, it often came in handy in rare cases such as this.

"It seems that they went out of their way to cover their tracks. According to Azmuth, they've been in the business of wiping out civilizations for as long as anyone can remember"

The Ex-Magister moved to a console, displaying the events currently unfolding at New York city. "...and it seems they're intent of making earth the next on their list"

Gwen felt her throat constrict, her eyes never leaving the screen. Just her luck, having retired from the hero business only for another threat to appear on the horizon so early.

"Well, what are we waiting for?", Kevin smacked a fist into his open palm. He was always the team brute, ready to smack heads first and ask questions never.

"Well for starters, we've gotten multiple reports of breakouts-hostile alien activity-in multiple locations, all at once"

Pulling up the monitor channel, Mac opened up another set of feeds showing a multitude of aliens actively branded as criminals, rampaging across the coast. Bellwood, Undertown, even Area 51.

"These are mostly populated areas, we can't have these cases spiral out of control and worse, end up with multiple casualties ", Max continued.

"I thought you had the Alpha Squad on guard duty", Gwen remarked.

"We...recently lost Alpha Squad in the course of New York Invasion", the veteran's visage darkened for a brief moment. The loss of the team still remained fresh in his mind, weighing on his heart. For Ben's sake, he hoped the teen hero had a much better time processing their untimely demise.

"What about the rest of the Plumber Forces?", Kevin interjected.

"Plumber forces have recently been deployed to contain threats; we've been spread thin all over the Milky Way".

"What's going on? Is there some other emergency we don't know about? ", asked Gwen.

"A series of emergencies have cropped up quite lately...reports of massive assaults hitting our other bases". Max sighed wearily, squeezing the bridge of his nose. Sometimes he wondered why he continued to do this job even though he retired a while ago.

Probably something to do with the Tennyson genes he shared with his grandkids.

"Hold on a sec, how would they even know which ones to hit?", Kevin scratched his head, "I mean the plumbers are kinda known for being under-the-radar..."

"That's the weird part...",Max's brows furrowed in concentration, "they only hit the Plumber sites within civilized planets...survivors say they wiped out half of everyone in their base".

"Dude..."

Urgency gripped the atmosphere as another alarm system went off for the umpteenth time.

"Sir!", crooned another cadet on monitor duty, "we've got another breakout!"

Max grunted, "so soon? We've got our hands full as it is!"

The ginger held Max on the shoulder, her demeanor that of assurance, "don't worry Grandpa, we got this", Gwen assured the Ex-Magister. While she still had the desire pursue a much simpler, normal aspirations, she was never above the call to action.

"We do?" , the words had barely registered in Kevin's mind. His attention was squarely on the monitor, observing the alien invaders. Only he wasn't focused on the immediate threat, rather his focus was on their highly advanced weaponry

"Yes...Kevin", Gwen gave her boyfriend a hard gaze. Kevin often tended to drool over anything resembling alien tech, and much to her chagrin it often caused him to make some of the worst possible decisions he could ever make. And that said enough, considering that he was an ex-convict from the Null-Void

"What about New York?", Kevin lamented. Not that he was trying to profit over someone's misery, but he could almost kill to get his hands on tech from unknown alien species

"We can help Ben from here", she pointed, "take some of the heat off the battle"

"Typical...Ben gets to do the fun stuff, and we have to clean up the mess", Kevin muttered. Despite his willingness to follow the ginger anywhere she went, it seemed complaining was still on the table.

THUD

"Ooof!!!"

Gwen shut down his little tirade with a soft nudge in the gut. She grabbed his ear as she pulled him out of Plumbers HQ, "stop being a baby, Kev. Besides, I thought you liked retirement...and letting Ben take on the hero stuff"

Kevin groaned as he was unceremoniously dragged out by his significant other.


Ben's human form had once again been replaced, his new form a a humanoid, plant-like alien with a with a red and yellow flame-patterned head and root-like feet.

Reaching out his hands, Ben ignited the methane from Swampfire's palms, using the resulting explosive fireblasts to propel himself midair, soaring over the rooftops with his incendiary jets.

Upon reaching the building the Ancient One had pointed him to, the scene unfolded seemed like that of a zombie movie.

Swaths of Chitauri swarmed the facility, attempting to breach its doors and windows. The words "F.E.A.S.T" were boldly emblazoned on its exterior. It's inhabitants, most likely volunteers and the needy unable to evacuate in time, had instead barricaded themselves in when the alien threat struck.

And now the immediate threat was literally knocking at their door, raring to break in and annihilate the helpless inhabitants.

"Not on my watch!", Ben crossed both arms reaching to his shoulders, before grabbing the prominent seed spores from the frills jutting out of his body. The Methanosian launched them at the street surroundingthe building's entrance, the alien buds taking root in the solid pavement.

THUMP!!

The Chitauri were alerted to the landing of the Methanosian, but before they could react, a deluge of otherworldly vines sprung up from the floor, some wrapping round the building and giving its infrastructure new support, while others made grabs for the unwitting Chitauri who got too close.

"Get out of the way!!", Ben lunged forward, smacking into the Invaders with enough force to send some flying. The ones put of range where quickly tangled in a mass of vines, their movements controlled remotely by the Methanosian.

The brave few of the community shelter's staff, volunteers and attendees braved a peek at the windows, relief and amazement filling their faces as they witnessed their floral hero dispatch the threat of the alien invaders.

Ben easily smashed through the barricaded entrance, greeted by a myriad of gazes ranging from wary glances to dumbstruck stares. The inhabitants were stunned at the sight of their apparent saviour, a humanoid bog tree towering over them as he stepped through the entrance.

"Alright everyone", a nasal sigh escaped the Methanosian, "you can gawk later. More of those things are coming, and it's not safe in here!"

His words were met with a pensive pause permeating the room. Ben expected sheer pandemonium at any moment, perhaps a side effect of his appearance. Of course, he could just go human, but that would leave him defenseless against any inopportune attacks by an unseen enemy. Best brave the storm while transformed, alien-warts and all.

Then someone spoke up from the back, "You guys smell that?"

"Yeah it stinks in here!"

"Oh man, gotta get outta here!"

Come on! Swamp fire internally groaned, that's what gets them moving???

In a hurried scramble, the staff and the residents began to evacuate. Those that couldn't walk were carried out, the rest filed out into the streets, actively avoiding the giant humanoid tree either out of fear or just the fumes of methane oozing from every pore of Swamp fire's body. Methanosian began directing them to the nearest underground, keeping an eye out for more Chitauri.

Unfortunately, upon reaching the nearest tunnel the group were met with ruins of a collapsed entrance, covered in gravel and debris. Time was of the essence, and the alien invaders could come knocking again.

"Everyone! Stand back!", Using his body's elasticity, Ben dug his fingers into the asphalt, floral tendrils burrowing deep to cave out an improvised entrance to the tunnel.

Within mere seconds, Swamp fire's vines had dug out a sizeable hole leading directly into the underground passage.

"Peter! Peter!! Where are you?", a worried voice cried out. Ben turned to see a middle-aged brunette in a Jean jacket frantically scurry through the crowd, apparently looking for someone.

"Please! Has anyone seen my nephew?", the woman cried out, interrogating anyone she could find. "Hey you! Tree guy! What did you do to my nephew? Have you seen him? If you did anything to him, I swear..."

Ben was stunned. The woman had just approached him with little in the way of apprehension or agitation at his otherworldly appearance. Taken aback, the teen hero could only gawk interestedly at the lady.

"Uhh...no ma'am I haven't seen your nephew", Ben replied as the woman's gestures became more animated, more harried. She wasn't calming down anytime soon, forcing Ben to temporarily abandon his post helping the evacuation to find the boy.

Using his plants, Ben scoured the area for signs of life. At first it was nothing but dust and wreckage from the silent, deserted streets. Nothing. Most civilians had fled to the safety of the tunnels, and judging by the cop cars left outside, so were the police.

Wait, the streets?

Ben turned his attention upwards, vines snaking their way through the concrete jungle of the high-rise buildings, searching for any movement or pulse.

There.

Wasting no time, Ben leapt in the air, producing a vine from his body that grappled the rooftops, pulling him up to the roofs.

He simply followed the call of the earth plants that responded to the carbondioxide emission from another human, reaching a fire escape atop the building adjacent to F.E.A.S.T.

Peter Parker had been on a little field trip with his aunt at her volunteering workplace when the invaders struck. He'd been on the roof, watering plants before diving into a hiding spot to avoid the aliens that had descended on the city.

The boy squeaked, as his hiding spot was uncovered by the large plant like creature that found him. However, it seemed this green creature was quite friendly as he addressed the boy, "Hey little guy. Your aunt's been worried sick about you...".

Mentioning the boy's Aunt May was enough to bring him out of his cowered state as he stared at the Methanosian. But rather than fright, the boy gazed on the transformed teen with childlike wonder, as though Swampfire were a fairytale brought to life.

"You okay?"

Peter nodded in response. "Woah! Are you a superhero?", the boy exclaimed.

Ben knelt to meet the boy's gaze, "You betcha. And I'm gonna keep you safe, no matter what"

The boy's eyes lit up in anticipation, while Swampfire offered a hand, "Alright Pete, let's get you back to your aunt".

The 11-year-old was picked up by two powerful green arms that hoisted him on the shoulders of the Methanosian. Peter scrunched up his nose a little at the scent of the humanoid plant , but otherwise didn't seem uncomfortable atop the humanoid plant. Rather, the boy badgered the teen hero with questions about his biology and powers.

"Can you grow branches out of your limbs? Do you need photosynthesis to live? Can you control other earth plants?", Peter rambled with wide-eyed fascination, much to the amusement of the shapeshifter.

"Weird kid", Ben mused, "definitely cool but weird"

Their descent was swift, with Ben carefully adjusting his speed as not to upset his passenger and the boy whooping with excitement. Soon they were reunited with the group, Peter in the embrace of his worried aunt as she fussed all over him. Ben couldn't help a warm

"Thank you, whoever-or whatever you are", May gave the shapeshifter a warm smile, happy to be reunited with her nephew.

"He's a hero, Aunt May", the boy answered, his eyes glowing with childish glee.

Blushing slightly, Ben nodded at the woman's gratitude. Seemingly not all people had colored perceptions about the teen's forms. Peter even gave a little thumbs up, before covering his nose

Guess it's not all fear and fright after all...

THOOOMMMM

A barrage of laser fire cut through the air, alerting everyone to another attack from the Chitauri threat. Panic gripped the small crowd as many attempted to retreat into the safety of the underground tunnel,

"Go! Now!", Ben yelled at the duo before summoning fireballs in his palms. The Chitauri horde descended from the portal, a new wave now armed with superior weaponry and chariots.

Gotta hold em off, Ben's instincts remained focused and resolute as he charged at the opposition.

"Come and get some!!"


"Gwen! Kevin! Come in!", Maxwell Tennyson's voice buzzed through the comms.

"A little busy here, Grandpa!", the ginger responded as she threw yet another energy disk at her opponent. The duo were currently taking on multiple opponents, breakouts that had managed to nearly level an entire neighborhood over at Bellwood.

"And we're not doing so hot!", Kevin managed to croak out, as he was locked in a vicious wrestling bout with a particularly nasty breakout, Emil Blonsky aka The Abomination, who was said to rival the Hulk in brute strength.

As it were, the breakouts were more than initially reported. Somehow, rogue meta-humans had found their way into populated areas, wreaking havoc along the way. Luckily, Gwen and Kevin able to contain the fight to a much less populated neighborhood.

"Uhhh...babe? A little help?", Kevin asked as his struggle with the Abomination continued.

"Talk later, grandpa!"

Gwen charged up her palms, rippling with arcane energy, before sending a blast directly into the face of the large green brute! "Get...off...my...boyfriend!!", she yelled as she poured more mana into the attack, the torrent of energy blasting directly in the brute's face.

Momentarily stunned, the Abomination stumbled back, teetering on the edge of his balance. Kevin struck fast, morphing both arms into maces, he swung his improvised metallic weapons directly into Emil's gut. Dazed, Emil clumsily swatted at Kevin, trying to crush the Osmosian, only to turn his back on the ginger mage.

Using her mana to build stair-like constructs midair, she pummeled him with more blasts, keeping him distracted. Kevin managed to grab a piece of rebar, using it as a club to knock Blonsky off balance, before getting swatted off like a pest by a large claw from the brute.

"Oookkay", Kevin groaned, "maybe we retired a little too early"


BOOOMM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

Swampfire launched blast after blast, fiery explosions erupting in the air taking down a couple of targets. The Chitauri retaliated with a bombardment of laser fire, this time forcing the Methanosian back.

Several alarmed cries from the crowd forced Ben to reconsider his options. There were still people trying to use the tunnels and he couldn't afford an all-out firefight.

Crossing his arms once again, Ben whipped out more seeds into the ground, his body's natural fertilizer gasses stimulating the buds into rapid growth. Within seconds, Ben had conjured a thick hedge of vines to separate himself from the crowd, like a sentinel keeping the evils at bay. Whatever happened, Ben had to hold this line.

PEWPEWPEWPEW

Another cannonade of fire rang out, pelting the transformed teen in laser fire. Fortunately, Swamp fire's regeneration was top notch, able to regrow limbs with ease. Ben returned more fire blasts

"Gruhhh!!", a stray laser beam cut through the plant-man's legs, temporarily flooring him. The missing limb quickly sprouted a cluster of vines thag wrapped themselves together, forming a new leg in mere seconds

Unfortunately, few precious seconds were all it took for the Chariot drivers to breach the wall. Ben grunted as he launched another Barrage of fireballs at the enemy.

The Chitauri were undeterred. They flew in en masse, determined to overwhelm the shapeshifter. If they couldn't outclass Ben by sheer firepower, then they'd put their stock in their numbers.

Ben attempted to reinforce the wall, only for another laser beam to slice through his arm. A few moments later, another arm sprouted from the stomp, formed a fireball and chucked it at the offending Chitauri.

BOOOMM!!

Ben's improvised tunnel went up in smoke and debris. The Chitauri had taken advantage of the teen's temporarily distracted state to cut off the escape route.

Frustrated, Ben poured out another gout of flame, a searing deluge of flames to keep the enemy at bay. The Chitauri however, seemed to lack self-preservation as they pushed through the inferno like a horde of machinated undead.

The situation was rapidly devolving; the teen had lives on hand and was getting stretched trying to protect them and himself. Ben's attack relented for a little as he let go with one hand, ready to slap on the Omnitrix. His mind drifted as he heard the distressed cries of the crowd, his mind determined he'd to save as many as he could.

Not like Undertown, not again...

Save them all!!!

Another stray shot rang out, and Tennyson's vision went dark. One of the Chitauri had managed to land a critical head shot, the blast completely taking off Swampfire's head. The body temporarily panicked, flailing around aimlessly, before another barrage of alien fire took off a leg and an arm.

Ben's body slumped to the ground with a resounding thud, temporarily limp as multiple vines emerged rapidly from his body, attempting to heal the missing appendage.

From their vantage point on the other side of the vine wall, May and her nephew Peter gasped inaudibly.

The Chitauri warriors advanced upon the prone teen, their victory over their greatest adversary seemingly guaranteed.

"For Midgard!!!!!!"

THOOOOOMMMMMMM

Pillars of lighting rained down from the sky, taking out a huge chunk of Chitauri warriors. In a cloak of fulgurous thundering, Thor Odinson landed into the fray, sending the invaders flying with the impact of his landing.

With a roar of jet thrusters, Iron Man flew into the fight, along with the mechanical whine of his repulsors taking apart the airborne invaders.

Several arrows whizzed overhead, signaling the arrival of the team's resident Archer. Hawkeye wasted no time in dispatching the leftover Chitauri chariots, letting loose his trademark pinpoint shots into the swarm of attackers.

Natasha swung in using her compact grappling cable, unloading multiple electric shots from her widow's bites. She landed with the precision and elegance of an Olympic gymnast, a drop to a roll that instantly placed her next to the shape-shifting teen.

The last of the fleeing civilians instantly recognized the familiar striped pattern of Captain America, his shield expertly returning to his hand after ricocheting off multiple Chitauri warriors.

Snapping back, he deflected a shot from another attacker, knocking it back with a kick before grabbing the offending arm of a nearby Chitauri sentry, lopping it off with the edge of his shield.

There were only a few moments that left Ben as dumbstruck as he was at that moment. The team- no, his team had come through for him.

"Ben! Can you hear me?", Nat knelt near the teen, her nose scrunched up as the scent of cooked Methanosian flooded her senses.

"Oh, cmon! It's not that bad!", Ben's head finally completely reformed from the swath of vines generated to repair damage.

"Glad to see you're in one piece-well, mostly...", Nat cocked her eyebrow as she rejoined the teen, a grin tugging at her lips. Swampfire's body could be seen still regenerating from Chitauri assaults, the smoking holes only compounding his naturally pungent odor.

"Eh well, could've been worse", Ben grinned back, "Last time I nearly got dissected by an alien engineer"

"Yeah...you've fought worse, we get it, Stinky", Hawkeye quipped, his features twisted in a slight grimace at the Methanosian's scent. Of all the creatures Ben could turn into, it had to be the one that smelled like a swamp filled with dead skunks.

"I could go for worse right about now", Nat rose to her feet, turning to face the horde.

"Hey Tony, what happened to my...your suit?", Ben gave the billionaire a quizzical look.

"Yeah, about that...it kinda blew up"

"Blew up?"

"To be fair, your guy Azmuth was totally onboard with the idea"

"Ya don't say..."

"I'll admit, some sacrifices had to be made…."

Ben was incredulous, "This is why we can't have nice things, Stark!!"

"Hey, speak for yourself kid"

SCREECH!!!

The embittered war cries of the vengeful Chitauri echoed through the streets, alerting the team to the presence of another horde. The biomechanical destroyers descended, sliding down the buildings. The streets were being flooded by the minute with the rampaging masses of the grotesque monstrosities.

With unspoken words, the team rallied together, each individual side by side, coming full circle round the teen.

"Well, we got their attention, what next?", Tony hovered overhead, his suit's armory primed and ready.

"Guys, is it just me, or are there a lot more than usual?"

"We must dispatch of these creatures before they overrun the city!", Thor spun Mjolnir as he faced down the approaching army.

"What about the portal?", Ben asked.

"Thor's right kiddo, we can't have these things running wild off the city grid. If we can't contain them, we lose"

"How do we win?", inquired Nat

"As a team", Cap spoke up, "Loki's most likely gonna keep these things on us, trying to wear us out piece by piece"

Thor nodded grimly. "Aye, he wishes to watch us drown in the horde, perhaps to prove something to the world or to himself"

"Death by a thousand cuts", the superspy commented.

"We play smart then", Steve interjected, "Tennyson, you've got the most experience dealing with alien threats. What's gonna be our play?".

VROOOOOMMMM

"Guys, what the hell was that?", Nat paused as the screeching of an unknown vehicle tearing through the streets grabbed everyone's attention.

Tremors rippled through the streets as a high-speed monocycle haphazardly cut through the streets, ripping apart any Chitauri in its wake. Its driver screaming at the top of his lungs as he did his best to pilot the alien vehicle.

"Banner?"

"Uhhh guys he's coming in a little too fast!"

"Move!"

CRASHHHH!!!!

Mercifully, Banner's ride had come to a stop as the Tenn-Cycle fell apart before it could go any further. Of course, Jurryrig's creations were built with primitive materials and weren't designed to last.

However, Bruce's momentum propelled him forwards, directly into the Methanosian. "Ooooff!", Ben exclaimed as he hit the floor, the full weight of the scientist on his torso.

"Banner! You okay?", Cap asked.

"Great, he's the one you're worried about?", lamented the teen.

"You regenerated your head when it got blown to bits, you'll be fine", Natasha pointed.

"Took me hours to figure out how that thing worked!!", Bruce muttered painfully, "I am NEVER doing that again"

"Heads up kids, we've got a party incoming!", Stark warned, his suit's sensors going haywire

The massive overhead portal groaned, arcs of energy pulsing out of the event horizon. Waves of ethereal blue gave way to another siege, this time a mass of looking shapes descending from the void above.

The portal gave way to reveal three new Chitauri Leviathans leaping downwards into the city, apparently to stack up the odds against the Avengers in favor of the horde.

"I don't see how that's a party", Nat's eyes were glued to the portal above, as with the rest of her team. Different emotions colored their demeanor however, ranging from battle-ready to wide-eyed trepidation.

"Guess they're pulling out all the stops, huh?", Ben let out a shaky laugh, transforming back to human in a flash of green.

"They're escalating, which means we got their attention", Cap surmised as he turned to Ben. "Can you handle this?"

"The boy has proven himself a formidable ally", Fulgurous lightning bolts leaped excitedly from Mjolnir as Thor stepped forward, "And by Odin's beard, as long as I draw breath, the shapeshifter shall not fight alone".

"Aww thanks, big guy!", Ben grinned as the Asgardian stood by his side, "sorry I called you a pompous windbag earlier"

"You never called me that", Thor raised an eyebrow

"Well, I was definitely thinking it...just not out loud"

ROOOOOARRRR

The powerhouse duo snapped their attention back to the gargantuan beasts, their mechanical howls echoing in their frenzied charge towards the team.

"Focus, guys", Cap warned, his shield ready.

"Well, this isn't too horrible as far as my day goes", Banner sighed.

"It's not so bad all things considered", Nat pursed her lips as she held the scientist in an uneasy gaze. The chills from her encounter with his alter ego hadn't completely faded away.

"... sorry about earlier", the scientist wasn't all too proud about the other side of him

The redhead merely nodded, her silent acknowledgment enough to let him know the matter had been tentatively dropped.

"Well, I guess we could always do worse", Banner quipped as he joined up with the powerhouse duo, the three of them in a battle stance.

"Uh...doc?" Tony warned, "You might wanna suit up for this, if you catch my drift",

The Leviathan were close, levelling multiple buildings in the wake of their frenzied charge

"You said you wanted to know my secret, Stark", Bruce took a step forward, "...but there isn't one"

The Leviathan trio drew even closer.

"Because I'm always angry"

Thor yelled furiously as he leapt into the air, Mjolnir bursting at the seams with arcane energy.

Ben took off in a short sprint, the Omnitrix already activated as a brilliant light consumed his teen frame.

Bruce's muscles rippled as he transformed, his bulk shifting with irradiated biomass from the Hulk taking over.

The powerhouse trio charged as one, meeting the leviathans in an unprecedented clash of titans.

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!

A massive shockwave ripped through the area as the two forces collided, both the leviathan trip and the team's powerhouses.

Thor plummeted into the first biomechanical behemoth, his momentum slamming down Mjolnir into its skull with a devastating metallic crash. The thunderer yelled as Mjolnit sent arcane bolts of lightning, reverberating through the leviathan's enormous biomechanical frame. The beast crashed into the ground, unable to handle the raw force, it's armor breaking apart instantly as its body was cooked from within.

WHAMMMM!!!!!!

Hulk slammed his massive fist into the second the weighty impact causing the leviathan's body to crumple as it sank into the rubble. It's metal plating distorted painfully as it collided with the unstoppable force that was the Jade Giant, causing sparks that showered off the armor plates as they dislodged from the sheer force of the punch.

ROOOOAARRRRR!!

Humungosaur roared, grabbing the massive jaws of the last Leviathan, digging his feet into the ground for traction. The leviathan could barely maintain its course before it was ragdolled to the ground with the Vaxasaurian directly on top of it.

Ben followed up the attack by pulling his arms wide, ripping the jaws of the massive beast with a loud, sickening CRUNCH.

The rest of the team recoiled at the impact, Cap raising his shield to protect Romanov from a shower of metallic shards and molten fire, a result of the earth-shattering collision between the Leviathans and the Titans of the team.

Three down.

An entire army to go.

The Chitauri were seemingly more incensed than ever upon seeing their beasts of war fallen in a fell swoop, metallic screams echoing their frantic battle cry as they rallied to charge the city's valiant defenders

From his perch above the city, Loki snarled as he watched the titanic exchange, his grip on his staff tightened at the macabre display of power

Power possessed by these so-called heroes.

"Send the rest", Loki was undeterred. He had an army of course. And time. This was a war of attrition. And of collateral damage.

"And prepare the pawns...their allies will suffer first"


Kevin panted slightly as he leaned on the nearby wall, the recent altercation having left him more fatigued than usual. One of the side effects of retirement, it would seem.

He and his girlfriend had just finished taking down another breakout, a hulking brute who called himself the Abomination. SHIELD Intel indicated that he'd previously been incarcerated within an off-site facility known as the Triskelion.

As to how he'd escaped, well, Kevin was sure a certain demigod had something to do with.

Gwen stood off to the side, her comms active with radio chatter as she relayed coordinates to the Plumber's Containment Pickup, the division in charge of handling the processing and containment of criminal elements.

Kevin nursed a particularly sore muscle; he'd taking a lot of hits from the Abomination. He'd to admit, the brute packed a wallop. Luckily, his girlfriend had come in clutch, their combined abilities proving more than a match for the very few who could rival the Hulk in terms of strength.

Fortunate for him in times like this, that Gwen would always make a fuss over him, using her magic to heal his battle worn body whenever she could.

Sometimes he'd wonder how different things would've been if he didn't meet her. Would he be just like Blonsky over there? Another breakout leaving nothing but destruction in his path?

"Thanks for your help, kiddo", Max's voice cut through his musings, his hologram hovering over Gwen's Plumber's badge, "especially when it's on such short notice"

"Oh, please Grandpa, you know I'll always be there for you in a heartbeat",

"Much obliged, Pumpkin". Gwen was the only one of Max's grandchildren to have a personal nickname from the Plumbers Veteran.

"So, what happens now?", Kevin asked, "we just get outta here right?".

"I dunno Kevin, something definitely felt...off about the Abomination", the ginger's brow furrowed.

"He's a gamma mutant, babe", Kevin pointed, "they don't exactly scream normal to anyone"

"I felt his aura during the fight", Gwen insisted, drawing a quizzical look from her boyfriend, "not just his life force, his willpower, like something else was propelling him".

"Maybe he's just getting slow"

"...do you really believe that?", she deadpanned. Needless to say, as the smartest member of the original Alien force team, Gwen's deductive ability and intuition was never one to scoff at.

"Are you saying big ugly here got whammied by someone, or something? Kinda pointless dontcha think? Send him all the way here to get his butt kicked?"

Realization flashed through her face, her eyes becoming saucers.

"Grandpa Max, do you read me?", Gwen flipped open her communicator, getting static in return.

"Grandpa? Grandpa!!"

Kevin threw her a concerned look, "what's going on? There's no signal from the base!"

"We need to go", Gwen wasted not time, weaving her hands in an esoteric pattern, channeling her raw mana into a runic circle spell. Neon energy hummed through the circle, spacetime bending into itself to reveal an inter-spatial vortex.

"Gwen..."

"I'll explain it on the way, babe!"

The duo leapt in, Kevin hot on Gwen's heels as she moved with a manic haste.


"Here they come!"

The Chitauri Horde advanced, their metallic screeches colluding with the thunderous rumblings of their frantic approach. The streets were overrun with the biomechanical monstrosities in a maddened dash towards the heroes.

Standing to together, the Avengers braced themselves for the upcoming fight.

"Looks like they're lined up", Ben clenched his massive fists.

"Everyone brace!", Steve's commanding voice boomed over the din

"Guys?", piqued Tony, "not that I don't like this epic team moment, but can we not get swarmed by World War Z spinoff-robo-zombies?"

"Steady, Stark!"

Ben had other ideas.

FLASSHHHHH!!!!

"Cannonbolt!!!"

A giant yellow sphere replaced Humungosaur's form, building up into a charge by grinding against the pavement while remaining stationary.

"Thor!", came the voice from the ball-like form encased in plating, "gimme a boost!"

The Asgardian prince glanced at Mjolnir before returning to the transformed teen curled up in a ball, the glint of understanding flashing on his features. Taking a stance directly behind the rapidly rotating sphere with Mjolnir at the ready as it brimmed with a torrent of lightning.

With a vigorous yell, Thor swung the mystically charged weapon into Ben's curled up form, the impact sending Cannonbolt rocketing forwards.

The arcane bolts from Mjolnir jumped unto the Arburian Pelarota, covering and charging his outer form with a coat of fulgurous lightning with the resulting charge making his outer shell glow a brilliant electric blue.

GGRRRZZZZZZZZTTTTT

"Ohhhhh...yeah!!!"

Cannonbolt shot through the streets at wind-splitting speeds, the momentum of Thor's swing sending him sailing towards the approaching invaders.

Much like a supercharged wrecking ball, he easily ploughed through the horde of stampeding Chitauri. Arcs of lightning discharged off his shell, blasting apart any and all aliens in his path.

Ben's path led him to a building, where he capitalized on his lateral movement, taking a leap upwards and using his momentum to ricochet off buildings, pinballing between structures before coming to a crashing halt near the team.

"That...was...awesome!!!", Cannonbolt unfurled in gout of steam, a remainder of Thor's energy wafting off his fur as he grinned almost maniacally.

"I think I just came up with a sick combo move!"

Hulk merely grunted, as if to say "Showoff".

Thor threw his head back, laughing boisterously.

Natasha had to bite back another amused grin.

For the umpteenth time, Ben had managed to surprise his team. The surprise, of course, wasn't just his ability to pull inconceivable displays of power and spectacle but his ability to make it look so easy.

Hulk peered at the transformed teen, his eyes narrowed as they landed on the Plumber's badge, the metallic disc lodged on Cannonbolt's forehead. A heartbeat passed as the Jade Giant recollected his last tussle with the last creature who also wore the same badge.

"Uhhhh...Hulk?", Ben waved at the Jade Giant in apprehension. Tentatively, the teen shapeshifter tapped on the Omnitrix, transforming back to his human form in a flash.

Another pensive moment passed.

Thor gripped Mjolnir tighter, ready to jump into action if the need arose.

Hulk finished his intense scrutiny of the teen, before folding his arms and letting out a derisive snort.

"Damn kid, maybe leave some ass-kicking for us next time, why don'tcha?", Clint broke the ice with yet another quip, his keen eyes surveying the wreckage of alien parts from the teen's assault on the attack force.

"Speak for yourself, Barton", Tony interjected, "part of me wants to just pack up and let Tennyson do all the work. No offense, guys"

"None taken", Clint answered.

"Uhh, guys?", Nat's eyes were glued towards the prominent rift above the New York skyline.

Above them, the glowering vortex pulsed once again, expanding to reveal yet another armada of Chitauri, making their way towards the city in a deadly metallic swarm.

"Aww man...these guys don't ever give up do they?", lamented Ben.

"Cap, it's your call", Tony nodded at the supersoldier

"Okay listen up! ", Cap turned to face the team as they stood in a semicircle round him. He was in full command mode, his sharpened leadership skills still showing their edge despite all the years beneath the ice.

"Our primary objective: bypass the forcefield and get that portal closed. Tennyson, I need you up there at Stark Tower. You've got the firepower, do everything you can to shut Selvig's machine off, asap"

Ben nodded resolutely. "Aye-aye, Cap"

"While Tennyson works on closing that portal, we work on containment", continued Steve, turning to the rest of the team.

"Barton, I want you on that roof; eyes on everything, call out patterns and strays"

"Stark, you're on the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, turn it back or turn it to ash"

"Thor, you gotta put a bottleneck on that portal, slow them down. You got the lightning, light the bastards up"

"Romanov and I stay on the ground, keep the fighting here. And Hulk..."

WHUMP!!

Needless to say, Hulk had his own agenda. The ground shook as green brute shot upwards in a mighty leap, bellowing " SMASHH!!!!!" at the top of his lungs, leaving a small cloud of dust in his wake.

"...aaaaaannd he's gone", Ben remarked, before turning to the Sentinel of Liberty, "don't worry Cap, I'll keep him out of trouble; make sure he doesn't wreck New York before we actually get to save it".

Cap nodded gratefully, "Good call. Everyone else, stick to the plan"

"One more thing", Ben raised his hand, his tone reinforced with the level of gravitas the team hadn't anticipated, yet thoroughly befitting the situation.

"Whatever we were before, today we're a team. We're Avengers. We look out for each other, watch each other's backs. We win or lose TOGETHER".

The teen's words resonated deeply with each member, a collective nod signalling their approval. He didn't need to mention that this wasn't his first time dealing with a threat of this magnitude, his demeanor and attitude spoke volumes of his experience

"Okay, everyone ready?"

Wordlessly, Thor gave the Captain a curt nod, spinning Mjolnir and taking to the skies in a torrent of wind.

"Better clench up Legolas", Tony quipped as he grabbed Clint and shot upwards, his jet thrusters roaring as the duo ascended.

Ben activated the Omnitrix once more, the dial projecting another winged alien form.

Natasha had discarded her pistols, opting to use one of the Chitauri laser lances lying around.

"You know how to use that?", Ben queried the redhead, as he glanced at the weapon, "it's pretty high-level alien tech"

The redhead in question merely cocked her head, her expression neutral as she whipped the alien rifle around and fired off a laser blast into an approaching Chitauri Chariot, the vehicle instantly combusting in a fiery conflagration.

"...oh", seemingly at a loss for words, the teen merely opted to gaze in wonder at the superspy. Guess he wasn't the only one full of surprises.

"Cat got your tongue, hero?", she smirked.

"I could totally do that if I wanted"

"Sure you can", she teased, "never doubted you for a second"

Ben rolled his eyes halfheartedly before tapping down on the dial.

FLASHHHHH!!!!

"Jetray!!!!", the Aerophibian spread his membrane-like wings before turning back to the redhead.

"Be careful", his tone grew more concerned, less jocose.

"You too"

Jetray's wide maw curved into a full grin, "aren't I always?"

"Nope", came the clipped reply. With that, she took off, throwing back one last glance at the teen before joining The Captain.

Ben chuckled as he shot off into the air, leaving behind a vacuum of air as he broke the sound barrier.

"Avengers, move out!", Ben called out.

No, that didn't sound right...


A wave of panic filled the Plumber's facility, leaving its inhabitants in different states of disarray. One could blame the constant stream of emergencies, the melee of lifeforms strutting about or the overall intensity of their activities.

"Gwen! Can you hear me?", Max bellowed into the comma getting nothing but static in return

But the main culprit, was the sudden loss of their communications. The central base for Intel and recon had essentially been rendered half-blind

"Comms line 304, confirmed blackout!"

"Try to reach tech support!", Blukic retorted.

"We ARE tech support, Driba!"

Things merely escalated from there

A sudden blackout enveloped the facility, as the power went out. The panic only intensified. If they were half blind before, they were fully blind now. The backup lighting sputtered to life, bathing the facility in a haze of neon-green lighting

Max sprang into action, attempting to salvage the situation. "Blukic, Driba, with me! Let's get the network back in order!"

BANG!!!

"What was that?"

BANG!!!!!

The main entrance hatch shuddered again, the alien metal groaning from the impact of whatever was knocking.

Intruders at the gate.

BANG!!!!!!

Max narrowed his eyes, his military training kicking into full gear. Wordlessly, he ordered the Plumber Personnel to arm themselves, while he marched towards the entrance.

Fear was something every Plumber Cadet had to experience in full, and every Magister had to master. In Maxwell Tennyson's case, fear came second to the number one creed in the Plumber's Oath: To safeguard and protect.

BANNNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!

The sealed hatch finally gave way, leaving the facility exposed to the new visitors. The obscure screen of debris cleared as a large shadowy figure stepped through.

" Knock, Knock".


TO BE CONTINUED


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A/N: Well, that took longer than I thought. At first, I simply planned to do a bit of editing, then I ended up doing some rewrites here and there.

I can't believe some of you thought I was gonna make Ben a sorcerer. Like, what? He's already OP as hell! Besides, magic doesn't particularly suit his arsenal. And yes, I know an alternate future has him using magic, but as far as I'm concerned that future has been erased.

Don't ask me how; its magic, I don't have to explain shit.

Next up: Escalation!

Once again, thanks to everyone who dropped a review, followed and favorite (if that's an actual word). You're all truly wonderful.

RESPONDING TO REVIEWS PART 2

Thewittywhy: Thanks!

Guest: No, I just borrowed the front shards from the Heroes United version. My version of Fourarms is inspired by KuroTheArtist's 5 Years Later design. Makes more sense than the Persian-nightclub-male stripper we got in UAF, or Fourarms with the Mexican-uncle mustache from Omniverse.

Jeremy Steinmark: I guess Ben would meet the guardians eventually, but I was kinda hoping it would be in Volume 2. Volume 1 felt like their own team assembling (not to mention Ben easily solves most of their issues in the first movie). But I'll see what I can do.

Ben 10 Supreme: Sorry, I basically rushed out the last chapter, didn't have time to reply

Ideaman123: Not bad, thanks. I'll add to the list of potential names.

Flash: It's unlikely that Nemesis joins up with the Extremis guys.

Bennyson: Yes indeed, Ben has that effect on people. Yeah, I know how it feels when a new chapter for my favorite fic comes out, I wanna reread everything again. I'm honored someone like my fic that much.

The Valiant: Thanks so much!

Eren: Those Eren memes are getting out of hand. "It was Eren all along!" lol

Flamboyant Uzui: Don't worry, Ben will definitely be in a fight where he goes all out, with full killing intent.

Ben: I'll definitely have that moment where Nat meets Ben's family. I can totally see Kevin giving him a fist bump and a "respect, bro!"

Noobmaster69: Yeah, can agree with that.

-Thanks. I've kinda already decided their names before, lol (I know, "priorities" right?)

-Yeah, Ben's pretty good with hand to hand, but compared to pros like Cap or Natasha, he's kinda average.

Guest with ideas: Wow, you definitely live up to your name. These are all awesome!

EXCELSIOR!!