A/N: Just noticed that the Ben 10 crossover fanfics are kinda slowing down...or is it just me?


Chapter 15

Resolution


"Director Fury, the council has made a decision"

"I recognize the Council has made a decision, but given that its a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it", the gall in Fury's voice was visible as he addressed his superiors.

The World Council had set up the meeting seemingly to address recent events, but the conversation quickly derailed into a hodge-podge of red-tape and convoluted decisions about administrative procedure.

At the end of the day, the SHIELD Director was reminded that they were politicians both by profession and by nature. There was no endgame, no greater good, simply maintaining the status quo. Times like these he could understand, even by a margin, the clandestine nature of the Plumbers and their independence from governing oversight.

"Director, you're closer than our subs", the Councilman reprimanded, his visage obscured on the monitor, "you scramble that jet.."

"That is the Island of Manhattan, Councilman", Fury interrupted, "until I'm certain my team can't handle it, I will not order a nuclear strike on a civilian population"

"If we don't stop them here, we lose everything"

"I send that bird out, we already have", the Director moved to close the transmission

"Director Fury, I fear you're letting your emotions cloud your judgement", another voice spoke out, halting the man in his tracks.The voice feminine and crisp, commanded a level of attention that even the Director could recognize

Nick returned his gaze back to the monitors, "I'm simply looking at the bigger picture here, Councilwoman"

"For all you know, these Avengers of yours have already failed and you simply cannot accept it"

"I don't make calls until I'm absolutely certain"

"Are you?", she pressed on, "what about your special asset, the Level 10 priority asset you always kept under wraps, even from us? Are you certain of their situation?"

A pregnant pause filled the room,elevating the tension to its boiling point as Fury stared down his superior. Recent events had dampened his resolve, but failed to completely shake it. For their sakes, for the sake of humanity, he was going to hold out hope.

Hope that he wasn't making a bad call. Being in charge of one of the largest clandestine organizations in the world came with a terrible burden: every choice you made had wide reaching, often devastating consequences. From his experience, bad calls often led to loss of lives and property on a catastrophic scale.

"I'll notify you when the situation changes", the SHIELD Director answered curtly, as he cut off the transmission almost immediately.

Fury wasn't given to worry and fear, but as far as reports went, Tennyson was AWOL. No recent sightings of any aliens or transformations. The rest of the team were in similar states, no response but still a lot of activity.

But where was Tennyson?


A cascade of unfamiliar sensations flooded Ben's senses, as he fought for dominance within his own mind. He couldn't see it, but could feel the Omnitrix in the background, trying to recalibrate and assess his physiological state. The device was a part of him, an extension of his will, pushing back against the encroaching tide.

Sooner or later...

Falling. His consciousness sank within the infinite blue before breaking the surface of the great expanse, floating atop the cosmic trance induced by the scepter's influence. His surroundings changed, becoming more and more stable yet ever still an incomprehensible

There he felt it: another presence within the orb, the same presence that influenced the minds of the Avengers while they bickered atop the Hellicarrier.

...You will kneel

A kaleidoscope of images shifted within his mind's eye, familiar yet distant. The presence sought to show him something, using the visions as a visual language. Communication.

Ben's thoughts swam with questions even as his grip his consciousness slipped further from his grasp, held in place solely by the efforts of the device strapped to his arm. Of course, he couldn't even feel his body anymore, nor the outside world.

How much time had passed?

Eternity. Seconds

What about the Invasion?

Inevitable

His team?

As if in response, the images shifted once again, ripples of distortion coursing through the scene


The Chitauri never ceased their assault on the city, even as its heroes where fighting on their last legs, giving their all to repel the Invading forces. Eventually, the Avengers were routed, as the battle of attrition slowly turned against them.

One by one, the heroes were getting picked apart, scattered under the sheer volume and tenacity of the Invasion.

Tony had lost altitude after attempting a foolhardy kamikaze-esque dive into the belly of a leviathan. The ensuing explosion sent him hurtling into the streets before being blasted by multiple Chitauri gunmen before his suit's functions could recover.

Thor was last seen crashing a Chitauri cruiser into a cluster of buildings nearby before getting swarmed by another wave of Leviathan.

Hawkeye's post had been long abandoned, now crawling with Chitauri. His last arrow was his getaway, serving as a literal lifeline for him to rappel into a nearby penthouse for safety. His landing wasn't as smooth, knocking him out almost entirely.

The Hulk was bombarded by relentless gunfire after taking down another Leviathan. The Chitauri rallied their Chariots and surrounded the brute, a volley of shots bearing down on him in rapid succession. The Jade Giant sluggishly retreated from the onslaught, physical exhaustion tasking the limits of his invulnerability, adding to the fact that he'd little to no ranged advantage over the airborne troops.

Natasha groaned as the cloaked Stranger blindsided her once again with another strike from nowhere, sending her tumbling across the terrace. She was a formidable hand to hand combatant, but the Stranger seemingly had every other advantage under his belt: he could somehow teleport over distances, utilize his advanced weaponry or keep her at bay with his energy blasts

"Heh, you're pretty good", the Stranger smirked in raspy yet somewhat familiar voice Natasha couldn't place.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?", a sickening grin crossed his mottled features, "don't worry, all in good time sweetheart. All you need to know is: We can't have you or your little friends anywhere near that portal generator.

" We? ", Nat discreetly scanned her surroundings, her motions guided solely by instincts drilled into her over her long and checkered history. When faced with an unknown, gather all information and make them known.

"Awfully fishy aren't we? Oh, don't even think about stalling, sweetheart", the nickname only made Nat's skin crawl everytime she heard it. His mannerisms were also eerily recognizable, a phantom itch in the back of her mind.

"...your team's not coming for you. As for your asset? Let's just say he won't be a problem anymore. Thanks to a mutual friend of ours..."

"Loki...", Nat breathed. Her mind's gears spun rapidly, cycling through the worst possible scenarios. She temporarily brushed the worst case scenarios aside, she'd seen too much from Tennyson for him to go down so easily.

SHHHKKKT

Those thoughts were quickly derailed as another energy blade slid out Eon's other gauntlet.

"Maybe I'll save you for last, let him see you die by my hands...carve up your pretty little face like a trophy".

What was it about villains and their incessant dialogues?, she mentally groaned.

He disappeared for a moment, reappearing behind her. Natasha's instincts kicked in as she ducked under a blade swipe before delivering a spinning heel kick directly into his solar plexus. As he doubled over in agony, she pivoted into a flip before securing his neck in a scissor grip, her heels wrapped securely round his shoulders.

Taking a page out of Ben's playbook, she proceeded to smash both her Widow's Bites directly into his temple, delivering maximum voltage to the cranium.

KRAAAKKK

An array of sparks blasted out of Eon's helmet as he yelled in agony, the voltaic bursts of lightning discharging through his helmet directly into his skull

"Gahhhh!!!"

His hands shot upwards in fury, gripping handfuls of red hair before yanking the agent off his shoulders. Natasha rolled as she hit the ground, crouched in a low stance with one palm on the ground, her piercing eyes regarding the Time-traveller warily.

He was dangerous, no doubt about that. Unpredictable, even. He'd shown no qualms about killing a defenseless old man and would definitely do the same with a highly trained, world class assassin. But her instincts were slowly becoming hazy, worn from the previous battle and this Stranger-whoever he was-knew that.

He was toying with her.

She gritted her teeth, firing off multiple blasts from her Widow's bites. They didn't miss, but there was no target to hit anymore. Eon teleported once again in a violet haze, reappearing slightly to her 9' o clock.

"Hffff...not bad...not bad at all", Eon cradled the charred portion of his face, vitriolic rage drawn on the other half, "...unfortunately, our little session's gotta come to an end. Time's up"

Sparks of energy oozed ominously from his hands as Eon prepared his attack. Natasha quickly dodged to the side, only to have Eon teleport once again, unleashing the wave of energy directly behind the superspy.

The redhead raised her hands as a last resort, the force of the blast sending her sprawling backwards. Despite her hands feeling like lead, she managed to recover and stagger to her feet.

Natasha raised up both fists to see her Widow's Bites, reduced to corroded metal hunks that barely clung to her wrists. The devices had taken the brunt of the blast, narrowly saving her from the effects. Her wide eyes gaze returned back to the cackling stranger.

Time manipulation. Of course.

"Neat trick, huh?", Eon could barely resist the urge to gloat, "there's plenty more where that came from!!", his gloves still hummed with energy, his grin even more maniacal.

Nat's fingers unconsciously glided over her communicator. Her team had been routed, likely causing their comms to go dead. For all intents and purposes, she was on her own. Although it wouldn't be the first time, it would be the first against what appeared to be a Time-manipulator.

She steeled herself, wondering why unbidden images of a certain brunette shapeshifter popped into her mind. Reminding her of the Hellicarrier, his fragile body limp in her care, unable to fight back or preserve himself.

Wondering if he was in the same situation all over again.

Knowing him, he would've gotten himself into yet another ridiculous situation, despite her admonition to be careful.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time?", she wondered


"Huh?", Ben's pulsed back to reality within the void. He could feel the Omnitrix still in the background, tugging on his mental recesses and trying to resist the effects of the orb.

"What are you trying to show me?", the teen wondered.

Another round of images came unbidden, flooding his senses yet again.

He involuntarily buckled against the assault, clutching his head in agony.

Plumbers HQ. The scenes of the wreckage swam into view.

Gwen and the others trapped underneath.

"No..."

His new team, the Avengers were slowly being routed back, the Chitauri finally gaining the upper hand in the war of attrition. The carnage on the streets were a testament to their efforts, yet seemingly did not go rewarded as the invaders swarmed the city.

A showdown between a familiar foe and his redheaded handler. Despite her efforts, she was steadily overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion.

"No..."

It wasn't just her. His newfound team were losing the battle of attrition.

The Captain was surrounded, pushing forward with sheer force of will. The Chitauri swarmed him like flies, attempting to hold him down.

The Hulk swung wildly at the horde as they crawled atop him, an endless wave of monstrosities swarming atop the Jade Giant. His primal roars clashed against the mechanical howls of the Chitauri as they enveloped him in a sea of artificial flesh. A monster devoured by other monsters.

Noo!!!!

Wake up!

Undertown.

The memories flowed, unbidden.

Ben hated this feeling, this feeling of powerlessness, unable to act when it mattered. His friends, his family needed him and here he was, trapped in some ethereal netherworld with no control over his own faculties.

The visions shifted, showing even more scenes of tragic chaos unfold. It dug deep, clawing into Ben's subconscious fears and picking apart his mental reserves.

Wake up!

He struggled against the pull of the void, fighting the arcane forces threatening to claim him

"Warning", a mechanical voice resembling his own chimed in from the blue. "Foreign energy signature still present, attempting neural recalibration. Purging attempt #345: failed"

He was fighting a losing battle.

Another cascade of images flooded his mind.

BEEEP

"Purging attempt #456: failed", the Omnitrix droned in the background. The Galvan Device fought the clock as it cycled through multiple defense protocols, attempting to cancel the alien orb's effects on its wielder.

Ben fought the wave of panic that emanated from his core. His team needed him. They all needed him.

Wake up!

He reached out blindly, grabbing whatever piece of his consciousness he could.

Another wave of ethereal images emerged, more esoteric than before. The visions lurched forwards, dragging the teen further into the abyss.


"Damn..."

Fury grunted as he watched the SHIELD Jet take off from the Hellicarrier port. Despite his best efforts, New York was about to be flattened by a warhead. He'd shot down the first pilot, only for the other to overtake its partner and soar off, the former serving as a decoy.

The Director wasn't going to let his team get nuked to hell so easily.

"Stark!", Fury barked into the comms, "you read me?!"

"Not really up for chatting, Fury!", Tony grunted as he fought desperately against the encroaching horde.

"Where the hell is Tennyson? His comms aren't responding!" Nick wasn't one to worry, but then again this was Ben. He'd thrown away all previous conceptions when dealing with the teen. Protocols, procedures, even hold habits all went out the window.

"Uhh...Jarvis?"

"Mr Tennyson was last seen at Stark Tower, apprehending the Asgardian Loki"

"Shit...", the SHIELD Director cursed, already assuming the worst. Loki was anything if not resourceful, and if Tennyson was compromised...

Well, it wouldn't matter anyways when the nuke hit. Fury opted to deal with the situation at hand. Besides, Tennyson was nothing if not full of surprises. One could even say he'd some measure of faith in the teen hero, despite his years of inbuilt trust issues and heightened skepticism. Trust in his line of work amounted to nothing more than a liability, but desperate times called for even more desperate measures.

"We've got more urgent matters", Nick continued, "you've got a missile headed for the city!".

"Oh that's not good...", Tony scrambled to his feet after getting knocked down by another Chitauri. "How long?"

"Three minutes. If that payload drops, it could wipe out Midtown"

The billionaires eyes widened. "Jarvis, put everything we've got into the thrusters!",

"Just did, sir"

Iron Man's jet thrusters roared to life as he took to the skies, hoping he could make it there in time.

"Dammit kid...you are so gonna owe me for this one...you'd better be alive till then..."


Hope.

A fragile concept. Yet one that drove the hearts of mortals, pushed them beyond their own limits.

Why should they hope?

Even in the face of calamity?

In the face of inevitability?

Wouldn't they still fall?

Even the greatest among them, try as they may, calamity would always follow in their wake.

Even you, hero of heroes.

Why would you wake?

"For every soul you save, another falls in their place"

Ben could only sink further into the void as he felt the last hold on his consciousness slip from him.


The Captain nearly swore under his breath as yet another relentless assailant slammed itself against his shield, his weary arms shuddering from the impact. Rearing back, he smashed the side of his shield into the Chitauri's skull before wrenching its weapon arm free and blasting another with it.

Another loud alien screech drew his attention. More hostiles converged on his position, determined to overwhelm the soldier. Steve leapt atop the nearest elevation, an upturned truck abandoned within the

WHOOM!!!

"Captain!", Thor announced as he smashed through the horde, "we're being routed! I cannot sense Loki, nor the shapeshifter!"

"That's not good...", the report had Steve concerned. If Ben had confronted the Trickster alone, he could suffer the same fate as he did...

A mind controlled Tennyson would be their worst nightmares come to fruition.

"If our worst fears are confirmed, we must gather the others", Thor spun Mjolnir before launching the weapon like a battering ram. "I do not know if I can protect you, Captain. Perhaps you may find shelter..."

"We've still got people in the buildings, Thor", Cap's tone never wavered in resolve, even now, "we get them to safety, cover their escape no matter what ".He faced the Asgardian with determination brimming in his eyes. Leave no man behind.

Thor nodded, the fire he saw in the Kindred spirit of the Captain fueling his own. Midgard was his home as well, and he would give all to defend it.

"Ready for another round?", the Thunderer summoned Mjolnir as he lifted the Supersoldier to his feet.

"Don't tell me you're getting sleepy", Cap quipped, shield at the ready.


A flash of light split the darkness within seemingly abandoned section of the Plumber HQ Garage, illuminating the silhouette of two Galvan figures.

"See, Blukic?", Driba boasted, " my Multilocator Device was functional! Led us straight to the facility hangar just like I planned!"

"You mean after it got busted twice and nearly got us flattened by this here tunnel o' debris?", came the taller Galvan's dry retort. The duo had narrowly escaped the imminent destruction of the HQ's main floor, their diminutive size enabling them to hide within the piping systems, using them as unconventional transportation to reach the Hangar.

"I told you it was a prototype!", Driba maintained his position.

"And I told you. ..hey there!", Blukic's sarcastic reply was cut short, as the duo finally reached their objective.The Rustbucket towered over them, relatively unscathed despite being lodged between slabs of concrete.

"Yup, there she is pal!", the shorter Galvan widened his arms dramatically as he turned to his partner, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That yer calibration skills ain't nuthin but mediocre?"

"About the Rustbucket, you plebeian!", Driba snapped, shooting the other Galvan a dirty look.

"Yeah, I got that part", Blukic halfmindedly scratched his head, "could get her running in a pinch, I reckon. Could even get better Multilocator on this here console"

"...Blukic...you're a genius!"

"...I am?", Blukic drawled, "...I mean of course I am! Wait, why am I?"

"The Rustbucket's pre-configured with its owner's bio-signature", the shorter Galvan elaborated,"in this case, Magister Tennyson. If we can get her up and running..."

"Y'know Driba, maybe I am thinking what you're thinking", Blukic interrupted, "and I fer one don't like it. 'Specially when you're grinning like a madman"


Quiet.

It was all too quiet. An eerie hollowness flowed through his core, leaving him cold, alone.

"You've been here before haven't you?", a familiar visage met Ben's vision. A mirror image, yet different. A younger version of him stood in front of him, eyes sunken and dark, even as they resembled his.

"Undertown. Alpha Squad. The Invasion. All direct products of your intervention"

Why do you go on?

The figure drew near, "Isn't it enough? The fighting, the effort, the chaos?"

"Why fight the inevitable?"

..

..

.


...

..

"No"

No?

The teen's resolve pulsed steadily, a viridiscent spark of pure will enveloping that vulnerable aspect of his subconscious. Ben could feel it, the raw primal yet transcendent resolve steadying his psyche, holding back the onslaught on his mindscape.

"I made a promise"

FWOOOSSSHHHHH!!!!

Resplendent arcs of verdant light burst into the scene, the last vestige of Ben's consciousness surfaced into view. A world torn apart. Their last stand. The ultimate sacrifice...

A beautiful vision of piercing eyes and fiery hair.

"Don't let the Plumbers' sacrifice be in vain. You're a galaxy saving hero, remember?"

The visions split faster, a singularity becoming a multiplex. Visions of his team pushing forward, fighting against the odds.

Striving, never stopping. Captain America and Thor the Thunderer, covering the fleeing civilians from the horde. The Hulk's inhuman roars as he wrestled free from the mechanical swarm that attempted to swallow him hole. Hawkeye on his last legs. Iron Man pushing forward with little to nothing left in the tank.

Black Widow...no,Natasha, on the brink of exhaustion.

Every last Avenger, pushing on and never yielding.

Time to be the hero.

...very well

A small aura of light pulsed from the depths of his subconscious. The aura plumed in its magenta brilliance, colors bursting into view, causing a neural feedback that kicked back the teen's conscious.

You still have along way to go...

The presence seemingly faded into a latent echo in the background.

His consciousness ascended from the depths within.

Ben's emerald eyes fluttered open.

Good thing I'm not alone


"You...that's...that's not possible!!!", Loki's consternation was visible on his face as he regarded the awakened teen. The very idea that a mere mortal could resist and even control the power of an Infinity Stone...

A wide grin sprang on the teen's face as he picked himself up, regarding the incredulous Asgardian with a new, invigorated spirit. He was always calm and confident in most situations, but this felt different. A different scale.

"What can I say? I'm full of surprises!", Ben shook his head slightly to clear the cobwebs. Somehow cosmic energy from a trickster God's staff left his mouth tasting like he'd been in first grade again, scarfing down unhealthy tons of paste with J.T.

Still better than Grandpa's cooking, though.

"No mortal could ever survive contact with an Infinity Stone, you witless childe!", Loki bellowed, his countenance unravelling like a man possessed, "who...what are you?!!"

"Me?", Ben dusted his Hoodie as he rose to full height. "I'm just a kid from Bellwood with a crazy watch strapped on his arm. Oh yeah, and a full time Avenger who's gonna kick your ass".

"But I know what you are, Loki", as the teen stepped forward, the demigod stepped back warily. Loki had always led the dance, been in control, the wolf amongst the sheep. Yet, he could feel it evident: the dynamics of power had changed.

True power.

A wary predator and a dominant defender of the herd. They began circling one another steadily, a slow yet tense dance for the Trickster who was rarely, if ever, out of his element.

"You're a showpony. A drama-queen. You think the world's your stage and everyone else's just another extra in your twisted play. And when the universe doesn't give you what you want, you throw a hissy fit. That's why you look down on us mortals: we have to fight and strive for everything. Hope for everything"

"All that big talk about greater purpose and inevitability? At the end, they're just like your tricks: smoke and mirrors. You don't really care about destiny or some grand design, they're just there to mask your narcissistic and egotistical persona. Deep down, you're just as scared and vulnerable as we humans. I bet you thought you figured me out just because you figured out the Omnitrix"

The Omnitrix's dial popped up with a viridiscent glow.

"But you can't figure me out, who Ben Tennyson is or what he can really do. I'm done with your games, Loki. And since you like to play mind games, I'd like you to meet someone!"

BLAMM!!! FWOOSHH!!

"Brainstorm!!!!!"

Loki raised his staff in defense, but Ben was already way ahead. An electric discharge fired from the Cerebrocrustacean's exposed cranium sent the weapon flying. Another, a quick static pulse kept the staff within an electrical stasis field, preventing the stag from being retrieved.

"That takes care of that", the shapeshifter commented smugly, "and now, all that remains is you, my irreverent fiend. Prepare yourself!!"

With his intellect and Ben's previous encounters with the Trickster-god, Brainstorm could perfectly analyse and understand Loki's mindsets and mannerisms, predict all his moves with razor edge accuracy and exploit his weaknesses.

Loki's preference for illusions. Will attempt diversion.

A motley of Loki doppelgangers crowded the room, surrounding the transformed teen. Ben merely chuckled to himself, before opening the exoskeleton plates on his skull once again.

FFZZAATTTT

Electrical field waves to dissipate illusory constructs.

Hidden. Probability of attempted sneak attack: 95.34%. Calibrate coordinates: 30 degrees south.

Loki slashed the air as he became visible, dagger primed and aimed for Brainstorm's carapace.

Dodge 2 meters to the right. Angular distance: 45 degrees.

Follow up attack: Lunge. Neutralize momentum.

Another electrical blast sent Loki hurtling backwards.

Follow up attack: Point Blank Electrical burst.

Brainstorm reared back and slammed his exoskeletal carapace into Loki's frame, sending him into the walls. Held in the vice-grip of the Cerebrocrustacean's pincers, the Trickster was stunned by a medium voltage blast at point blank range. Loki crumpled to the ground in a sizzling heap, spasming slightly from the voltage.

"And good riddance, might I say", Ben mused as he levitated the staff into his pincers. Definitely not risking staying in human form again. Time to end this, once and for all.

"Hahaha...hahahaha..hahahahahaa!!!!"

A fit of maniacal cackling bubbled out of the trickster, even as he laid defeated before the shapeshifter. Loki's eyes widened as his laughter bounced off the hollow remains of the now dilapidated room, his voice even more hollow and graven.

"It's too late...", maddened elation colored Loki's visage, as though he'd glimpsed some form of eldritch truth while he addressed the shapeshifter, "try as you may, you can't hope to win! You cannot even hope to save all of them"

Ben paused momentarily, a little unnerved by the demigod's outburst. Despite having lost his confrontation with the teen, Loki seemingly never lost his sense of self-assuredness, his bravado, his untamable ego.

"I don't need to", The teen hero didn't even bother stopping to face the Trickster as he stode past him. He didn't have to do anything, not alone. Ben had his team.

Speaking of which...

ROOOAARRR

Loki's rant came to a shuddering halt as a rageful roar shook the air around them. His head snapped back to the shapeshifter in realization.

The Hulk leapt through the air as he charged away from the Chitauri horde, landing smack in the middle between the two. Grunting, Jade Giant quickly recognized the teen's Omnitrix symbol before turning towards the Trickster.

"I believe the saying goes... Hulk Smash"


SMASHHHHHH!!!!!

Gwendolyn wasn't sure if it was merely a magic -induced trance caused by mana burnout, but somehow the Rust bucket had smashed through several layers of debris and careened to a halt near her constructed dome, nearly bumping into the magic field.

Her ears rang and her mouth tasted metal. The voices of her team started to swirl inaudibly the background.

"We did it, buddy!", she heard what appeared to be Driba's voice.

"Hey! Watch out for my girl next time!"

"Any idea how hard it is drivin' this bucket of bolts with controls twice yer size?"

"Is that?..."

"Our backup", Max let out a breath of relief before speaking up to the group, "everyone, move out!"

Safe. They were safe. She'd done it. Against all odds.

She lurched forwards, her willpower finally letting go of her body as her energy reserved had been spent. The voices became even more distant as her vision slowly blackened.

"Cooper! Alan! Let's go!".

"It's okay son, I've got her..."

"You did great, babe..."

Exhaustion finally claimed her as she lost consciousness. Her last thoughts drifted back to an encounter she'd previously had with the enigmatic lady garbed in yellow robes.

" You have great potential, young Gwendolyn...it would be a shame not to realize it.."


Natasha grunted as she dodged yet another chrono-beam, her reflexes dampened by her growing exhaustion on the field. Eon had fully taken control of the fight, pressuring her into a corner with his array of deadly ranged attacks. Her arsenal had been reduced to melee combat and falling back on her superior agility to keep going.

Dodging another shot from Eon, she launched herself horizontally in a vault, attempting to close the gap within a single leap.

Nat performed a pirouette mid-air, her left leg shooting out in a vicious axe-kick. Her heel seemingly struck Eon's head, before slicing clean through what appeared to be nothing more than a mirage created by the Time-traveler

BWEEEEMMM

Her instincts blared furiously as a chronal beam fired from her 6'o clock, nearly tore a hole in her torso. She managed to twist her body away from the impact, the beam only grazing her suit and aging the fibers in her midsection. The redhead dropped to her knees with a hand clutched her side gingerly, her bare skin singed from the near impact.

"Gotta say Red, you've actually managed to surprise me, lasting this long", Eon's fist still crackled with energy as he approached the superspy, "too bad our little date's come to an end. All good things, so they say..."

"Heh...", Nat managed a dry chuckle, gesturing at his now scarred visage "what's the matter? Scared to admit you got beat up by a girl?".

Something she'd already picked up from Tennyson, there was something cathartic about wisecracking during a battle. That, and it got your opponent riled up, easier to predict and control.

Eon's frown was a sight to behold, adding to the grotesque nature of his mottled skin. He paused momentarily, phantom pains flaring through the new battle scar inflicted by the assassin. His blackened lips curved his already marred countenance. "I'm gonna enjoy ripping you apart..."

POWPOWWPOWWW

A barrage of cerulean crystals pummeled the Time-traveler, forcing him to retreat temporarily. Natasha's ears picked up the familiar clinking of crystals that announced one of Ben's forms, the one he called Diamondhead.

"Took you long enough...", Natasha scoffed, an air of relief sweeping over her features. She gladly accepting the outstretched crystalline hand offered by the shapeshifter.

"Yeah, sorry about that", the Petrosapien replied as he pulled Natasha to her feet "so how's your day going?"

"Just peachy...aliens, time travelers, what can I say?", Nat winced slightly, her brow furrowed in she slightly sucked in air.

"You're hurt...", Ben steadied the redhead as she wobbled, still finding her footing. The day was slowly taking its toll on her, evident in her slightly off stance

"It nothing...", she waved him off, "I've dealt with worse"

"Can't say I'm eager to see what your idea of worse is", Ben eyed her warily. Her suit had been scorched and torn in several places, exposing the bruised skin underneath. Something tugged at his heart, seeing her in this state, he just wasn't sure what.

The Portal Generator groaned once again, another pulse of energy rippled from the Generator.

"Please tell me you got the staff", Nat turned back to the teen, apprehension written all over her exhausted face.

"C'mon, Nat, this is me we're talking about", Ben brandished the alien scepter smugly while the redhead rolled her eyes.

"Pretty much why I'm concerned", she eyed the shapeshifter, taking note of his present demeanor. Her senses were worn from battle but she could tell something...unusual had happened to the teen.

His attitude, his expressions had a previously unseen level of clarity to them. He'd been cocky and self-assured, yes, but this seemed different.

"Where's the Doc?", Ben scanned the rooftops for any sign of the elderly man. Nat merely shook her head solemnly, wordlessly communicating the unfortunate demise of the SHIELD Scientist.

"Dammit", the teen swore under his breath, recalling his encounter with the Infinity stone.

For every would you save, another takes their place.

"C'mon, let's end this", Nat encouraged, snapping him back as she smirked, her bruised lip lifting slightly.

They were running out of time and the Chitauri were already breaking through the city's perimeter. Before they could make a move, Natasha's instincts flared. Danger!!

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Red"

The air crackled with violet energy, distorting the space next to the superspy. The energy sparks swirled into a portal that burst into existence, sending her flying backwards

Beware of rogue portals

Fortunately for the redhead, she was sent flying into Ben's sturdy form. The teen instinctively wrapped his arms protectively round her frame, cushioning the impact.

"Watch out!", Ben swerved as he cradled the superspy, an energy beam from the rogue portal impacting his side in her stead. The Petropian's crystals split the beams, allowing the attack to safely

"Well, well, Ben Tennyson, persistent thorn in my side", sneered Eon, "I was wondering when you'll show up. Shame that incompetent Asgardian Loki couldn't finish you off, even after I gave him all of your secrets..."

"...that was you?", Ben's amber eyes widened for a moment before narrowing, ticked off at the Time traveller's antics. It's bad enough to have a nemesis, but when your nemesis is literally you from another reality, things often tended to get hairy. And personal. Really personal.

"Oh well, guess I'll have to finish you off myself. Good help is so hard to find nowadays...but then again, you want something done properly..."

"Friend of yours?", Nat inquired

"Not even close", came Ben's deadpan reply as he safely deposited the redhead next to him.

"Making new friends, now aren't we Benji? I though we had something special"

"What do you want this time, Eon? Last I remember, I kicked your butt and threw your moldy mug back into your own time line"

Eon's fists glowed dangerously, "Ah, but that's the thing about us, isn't it? You can't get rid of any Tennyson so easily..."

"What the hell does that mean?", Natasha turned to the shapeshifter.

"It's..complicated", Ben dismissed, "I'll explain later"

"Careful now, wouldn't want to keep your lady friend in the dark now would we?", taunted Eon, "then again, she's got secrets of her own, doesn't she? I suppose every rose gotta have its thorns...isn't that right, красный танцор?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Here...", quickly thrusting Loki's scepter in her hands, Ben pointed the redhead to the portal device, "get that portal closed. I'll handle the Doctor-Who Master ripoff"

"Ben..."

"It's okay...", the teen gave a classic Tennyson smirk, "...I trust you".

Nat was temporarily stunned. Manipulating her assets into trusting her was one thing, but to have Ben willingly hand his trust to her without hesitation...

"Go!!!!!", Ben barked as he charged Eon, tackling him off the Tower's rooftop. The duo were at the mercy of gravity, flung stories deep into the city.

Nat stifled a choked gasp seeing the duo tumble from the rooftops before steeling herself, gripping the scepter tightly in her hands. Ben trusted her to get the job done, she trusted him to remain safe. Quite possibly the basis of their unconventional partnership.

Sometimes, it was indeed a matter of trust.


The coastal skyline gave way to the jet trails of the SHIELD bird as it made it's way to the Island of Manhattan. Nestled within the cockpit, the pilot deftly activated the jet's cargo, ready for delivery: A nuclear warhead primed to end the Invasion once and for all.

At the cost of millions of lives.

With a flick of the controls and the push of a button, New York's deadline accelerated to mere minutes as the missile launched straight for the city.

"Package is sent: Detonation in two minutes, thirty seconds, mark"


...

..

CRASHHH!!!

The tangled duo of Ben and Eon crashed though the rooftops of the war torn city, bringing down piles of dust and rubble in their descent.

Eon teleported at the last minute, leaving Ben to bear the brunt of the fall. Gravity slammed the shapeshifter into the asphalt, leaving a Diamondhead-shaped hole in the streets.

"Do you hear that, Ben Tennyson? The end is nigh!!!", Eon cackled as he fired off another Chronal blast at the teen

Bad guys sure do love their monologues..., Ben groaned mentally

Diamondhead's fore-arms reformed into dome-like shields that deflected the time rays. Good thing Petropian crystals had exceptionally high resistance to Chronal energy and its effects.

Ben refocused his assault on Eon, unleashing another salvo of crystal projectiles. The Time-traveller merely teleport, leaving after images in his wake that dissipated upon being hit by the projectiles.

The teen hero grunted in annoyance. He needed to end this quick

BOOMMMM

Another rogue portal appeared behind the teen, unleashing a Chronal blast that sent him flying.

"Time's running out, Ben Tennyson!", Eon reminded as he engaged in a flurry of blade swipes. Sparks flew as the two clashed, each attempting to overwhelm the other with brute strength.

"What are you really after, Eon? You're not dumb enough to work for the Chitauri or Loki", Ben grunted as he pushed back against the deceptively strong time traveller.

"Let's just say my new associates and I have common interests", Eon snaked as he pushed back.

"Lemme guess: chaos, destruction and universal domination??"

"Oh, but that's just the beginning", Eon smiled darkly, "and it's nothing compared to what you and your new friends are gonna do..."

The Petrosapien's grip slackened, his eyes widened in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"I've seen it all, Benji. Looked through the time-stream, the tide of future events. A cosmic devastation of life on a universal scale. Its gonna be freaking Biblical, I can tell you that!"

Taking advantage of the temporary distraction, Eon phased himself through Ben's form before delivering a nasty surprise attack in the form of a chronal blast.

BOOOMMMM!!!! Ben tumbled through the streets in a disoriented heap.

"And the best part? I don't even have to do anything, just sit back and watch the show! Then come pick up the scraps, maybe even what's left of your pals. Especially your redhead girlfriend"

The shapeshifter roared, slamming down his foot on the ground, creating a massive spike that sent the time traveler flying. Wasting no time, he slammed on the Omnitrix dial again, not caring what he turned into. All he knew was that he was going to stop the Rogue Time-Lord, right there and then.

No matter what.


Back within the city, the war was on its last legs, and so were the heroes. Natasha gritted her teeth as she slowly drove the staff into the Portal's forcefield. Her palms felt like molten lead as the energy feedback from the Tessaract pulsed like lightning through the alien weapon. Without Selvig to guide her, she'd to trust her instincts instead.

Focus, she breathed, find the breach. Aim and fire.

She pushed away the image of the man tied to a chair, face bound and gagged. A pistol in her hand, rather than a glowing scepter. No...she was still gripping the alien weapon aimed at the portal generator. She wasn't at the Farm.

Not anymore.

Another valiant push saw the Scepter breach the energy field's horizon, reaching its core within moments. The field flared dangerously as the scepter found its mark, piercing the capsule that held the Tessaract.

"This is Romanov! Does anybody copy?", she'd left her communicator on in the faint hope that any of her team members could hear, if they were still alive to begin with.

Thor and Cap had managed to cover another batch of civilians as they sough shelter within the Metro. Cap's ears blared with her voice, before he barked his reply.

"Nat! You made it"

"Cap! I...I can close it! I can close the portal!!"

"Do it!"

"Wait, hold on!", Tony's voice cut into the comms, as he haphazardly soared through the Manhattan skyline. His suit barely clinging on after the beating it took earlier, managed to pinpoint his target, keeping his navigation systems on track.

"Stark, these things are still coming!!!", Cap's gaze remained glued to the gigantic portal hovering above the city.

"I've got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute", Tony's HUD lit up like a Christmas tree, flooding his view with diagrams, schematics, live surveillance, anything about the incoming threat he could get his hands on at the moment.

Fanning out his hand repulsors, Tony slowed his forward momentum before dashing upwards clearing the bridge and Levelling with the nuke as it flew overhead.

"...and I know just where to put it"

"Stark?", Natasha called out, "you better not be thinking what I think you're thinking..."

"And here I thought you knew me so well, Agent Romanov..."

Finally reaching the warhead, Tony firmly latched unto its underbelly, guiding its movement manually. His plan was simple: alter the course of the nuclear device to its new destination.

The Chitauri Center. Located at the other side of the portal.

A one way trip.


BOOM! CRASH!

Eon tumbled out of yet another smouldering crater, successfully withstanding yet another assault by the transformed teen. Ben was on overdrive, rapidly switching forms and delivering a series of devastating attacks, each more than the last.

FLASHH!!!!

A massive yellow sphere loomed overhead before smashing into the prone Time-traveller.

FLASH!!!!

A mass of vines shot out of the ground, followed by Wildvine lassoing Eon into the air like a ragdoll.

FLASHH!!!!

An army of Echo-Echo clones unleashed a devastating wall of sound that sent Eon airborne once again.

FLASHH!!!

"Had enough?", Ben growled as he approached Eon's defeated form.

"Actually felt that...getting a little intense aren't we?"

"You've taken worse", Ben dismissed.

"Heh", Eon examined his gauntlet, now damaged from the attack, "looks like this is it"

"You're done, Eon", Ben stated, "and same goes for your pals once we close that portal"

"Oh I wasn't talking about me", Eon chuckled dryly as he staggered to his feet, "see I always knew you were predictable, Ben. Always charging in, never seeing the big picture..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Guess I really have to spell everything out for you, huh hero? The Chitauri have one final surprise left for you, and our little red head's getting a front row seat"

Ben's blood went chilly. Natasha was all alone at the Tower, and it was directly below the portal. The Chitauri had been setting up their killing blow. Taking out all the Avengers in one fell swoop.

"Ding! Our strapping hero's finally connected the dots! Too bad he's too late to do anything, especially when a certain billionaire's gonna be cruising by with 2 tons of pure explosive power. Combine that with a Chitauri Warbeast and let's just say, the Big Apple's about to get warmer .."

Ben wasted no time in activating the Omnitrix. Please, Clockwork, Waybig, anything.

"I don't think so, hero!", Eon snuck another attack, grabbing the teen's right hand before sending hi to the floor in a single swoop. Ben's back hit the pavement with a painful thud, his eyes rolling in his head in a daze.

The portal groaned once more, another expansion accompanied with a bone-chilling roar. A leviathan, much larger than the rest emerged from the portal, heading straight for the tower. Heading straight for a certain redheaded superspy.

Another roar of engines announced the presence of Tony Stark with a nuclear warhead in tow. Ben's eyes widened as he watched the billionaire push with all his might, guiding the missile directly towards the portal. At this range, Tony would get eviscerated along with the tower.

"And away we go!"

Ben's limbs felt like lead. He'd taken a couple of hits from Loki earlier, and the exhaustion from the day's fight had slowly been chipping away at his last dregs.

Running on fumes, he summoned every last bit of willpower to reach the Omnitrix again. Eon's grip was iron, even as the hero struggled valiantly against his captor.

Save them. Save them all.

BLAM!!!!

FWOOOSSSHHH!!!

The streets were consumed in a blast of brilliant emerald light.

"What the...", Eon covered his eyes as the wave of light washed over him before dying down. He looked up only to see Ben's new form.

"Huh, who's this guy?"

Ben groggily got to his feet, his body feeling a bit lighter despite the sudden increase in mass. His form was large, bulky, reddish-brown with rocky skin, a giant maw filled with equally rocky teeth. At the center of his torso sat a molten lava planet core, whilst the Omnitrix symbol rested prominently atop his massive head.

"A Galiliean?", Eon's expression was awash with rage, even as he backed away slightly, "of all the possibilities, that overgrown Toad Azmuth let you unlock a Galiliean now???!!!!"

The only person Eon despised more than his own nemesis, the accursed Paradox, was the First Thinker himself. Across the vast, unending possibilities of the universe, he remained the constant, always plotting and scheming to foil his plans. Even without a Chronal navigator, time and time again Azmuth proved he was one step ahead.

Ben flexed his four fingers on each hand, his Neon green eyes glowing vividly, "guess you didn't see that coming, did ya Eon?". Azmuth may not have given full control over the Master control, but that old geezer always had something else up his sleeve.

Besides, what was the point of a new Omnitrix without new aliens?

The Planetary Humanoid raised his arms just in time to deflect an energy blade from Eon, the rogue time lord's face twisted in a vicious snarl. Ben's arms glowed with an aura of hazy energy as he reared back, delivering a massive uppercut that sent the Time Traveller soaring.

Ben's eyes widened as Eon remained suspended mid-air, his momentum cancelled out as he hovered above weightlessly. Tentatively lowering his hand, Ben sent the rogue plummetting into the ground instantaneously.

"Gravity Powers? Cool!!!"

"You...you ignorant fool! You don't know the forces you're messing with!!!"

"Nah, pretty much got the hang of it, thanks", Ben drew his gaze towards the portal, "stick around why don'tcha?"

"You know how there's always a big bad, at the end of every situation you find yourself in? The one pulling the strings?", Eon snarkily asked.

The teen's slight pause let him continue "Well, he knows you. And he's waiting"

WHOOOMM

A burst of gravitational energy later, Eon was left in his artificial energy prison.

The roar of jets overhead grew louder as Tony carried the payload closer to the portal. The billionaire was mounting a suicide run and was showing no sign of stopping.

It's hero time, Ben thought as he flexed his arms once again, gravitational force forming a sphere around his form like a field. The rubble and debris levitated in response to the pull of the forcefield, moving in unison as they floated above the streets, elevating along with the Galiliean.

The Leviathan descended out of the portal, it's massive maw blotting out the sky above the tower. Natasha, still occupied with keeping the generator breach open, could only watch in trepidation as the metallic war behemoth made its way out of the rift.

Tony's grunts exerted out of his suit as he raised the payload at a 90 degree angle, headed towards the giant. His hud was flooded with warning signs as he ascended, but his gaze remained on one caller ID. A missed call from Pepper. Even in his final moments, as he flew to what was possibly his last mission, his thoughts were always filled with her.

His original plan to launch the missile directly into the portal had just been dashed, thanks to the appearance of the mechanical behemoth.

At the very least, he could end the bastard with a face-full of nuclear combustion, regardless of the fact that the chain reaction would definitely cook him and his suit at the same time.

"Heh...definitely worse ways to go".

At least they had a fighting chance. Together.

The world around him felt silent, even at this moment. There was only him and the mission.

His mechanical heart pulsed with a phantom beat: a psychological scar to remind him of the one he'd owed his life to. The one who'd given him new purpose, a new resolution.

"Don't waste your life, Tony"

Wish you could see me now, Yinsen...

BEEEPP!!!

"Attention: An Unknown Body is approaching the Portal", Jarvis announced, breaking the billionaire out of his musings. Tony's HUD popped up, revealing the reddish planetoid form rapidly

"What the...is that...?"

The spheroid entity curled itself up into a ball, ascending even faster. Tony's readings on velocity were off the charts. The humanoid planetary body wasn't just flying, it was practically rewiring the laws of gravity on its whim.

Oh, now he shows up!!!

And there was only one person Tony knew was even remotely capable of this. The kid that seemingly broke everything he knew about reality.

"Huh...about damn time, E.T.."

FWOOOOMMMM!!!!!!

A field of debris shot upwards alongside Ben, a result of the Galiliean's gravity field, swarming the atmosphere like a vengeful swarm. Ben's ascension sent waves of raw energy that distorted the very structure of the city itself. Glass shattered, concrete cracked and steel groaned, the wartorn metropolis quaked frantically under the immense power, the sheer force that Ben's gravity field left as he shot upwards, gravity now acting as his propellant rather than his impediment.

At that moment, every single eye seemingly fell on the teen.

Thor the Thunder and the Captain could only watch in shock. Even the Hulk ceased his assault on the remant forces of the Chitauri

Ben fought the wave of dizziness as his airborne speed carried as he reached the top of Stark Tower within seconds. His instincts to assume a planter form proved right: he moved like an inverse meteor, rising rapidly instead of descending.

Natasha shuddered as gusts of wind nearly shook her off the rooftops, the after-effect from Ben jettisoning himself faster than the gravitational constant, jettisoning towards the portal.

Ben reared back a massive fist as he approached the maw of the Leviathan.

"Eat this!!!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM

Ben struck true, the combined blow of his form's superstrength and the momentum from the reverse-gravity field propelling him upwards, smashing his fist into the Leviathan. Seismic waves rippled from the impact, the attack nearly clearing Iron Man from the sky. Luckily, the billionaire genius managed to retain his grip as he ascended closer to the portal.

"Not done yet...", Ben grunted. Using his momentum carried over from the impact, he propelled his entire body into the Leviathan, adding gravitational powers into the mix. The result was yet another terrifying display of devastation combined with pure force.

WHOOOOOM.

The Leviathan's frame compressed under the impact, its form crushed into itself in a macabre version of an Ouroboros: a serpent eating its own tail.

The beast roared in anguish as its internal mechanisms were crushed from the forces of deceleration coupled with whiplash from the Galilean's attack forcibly setting its course of motion backwards, into the rift. Ben pushed forward, waves of gravitational energy pushing back the mechanical monstrosity back into the portal and beyond.

Screeching cries and metallic wails could be heard as the biomechanical behemoth sank back into Chitauri airspace, it's massive frame preventing other Chitauri invaders from seeping into the rift. Ben's continued ascent into the portal saw him using Leviathan's body as an improvised battering ram, smashing through the legions of swarming troops and clearing a path straight to their mothership.

Not a moment too soon, Iron Man flew into the portal still ferrying the payload. As he gazed into the vast expanse of unknown space, Tony's eyes widened, captivated by the display.

An entire world, an entire galaxy once unknown now held horrors beyond his wildest imaginations, from a nightmarish race of augmented abominations to beings that could warp the fundamental forces of nature on a whim.

Finally letting go of the warhead, Tony plunged backwards as his suit gave out midway, lights flickering before fizzing into blank nothingness.

The SHIELD missile continued down the path set by the armored Avenger, straight into the core of the Invader command centre.

His HUD collapsed into a mess of static as his suit's functions shut down one by one, the toll of the battle finally catching up. The image of Miss Potts was the last to blink out of his screen, her gorgeous features permanently burned into his conscious.

As his suit went dark, he glimpsed the sight of the transformed teen, within the midst of the horde. The remaining forces were tossed around the Galilean in some form of orbital motion.

It was a strange scene, yet oddly majestic in its appearance. A living marvel, fitting for the circumstances.

A planet, Tony smirked, kid turned into a literal planet.

Darkness took him as he fell backwards rapidly.

Not bad, kiddo


Natasha held her breath as she watched both Tennyson and Stark enter into the portal. Her bruised palms, slick with perspiration, held firmly to the scepter as it remained positioned right next to the Tessaract. They still hadn't come through, and the rift remained open.

"C'mon guys..."

A wave of energy wafted off the rift, sweeping through the city in a massive tide of spectral energy. Thor and Steve were nonplussed as they watched the burst of energy wash through the streets, shutting down the remaining Chitauri. Their mechanical cries died within their maws as they collapsed en masse, a hollow silence replacing the harrowing war cries that once filled the wartorn streets.

They did it.

They won. The heroes had won.

Yet the consternation in Natasha's eyes refused to dim. The team was down two members, including one resident shapeshifter that happened to be her new partner.

"Close it", Cap's message came with an air of finality

"Cap, we...".

"... Romanov", the supersoldier's voice came once again in earnest, drowning out any reservations she might have had. Steve's message was clear: they had to finish the mission. Deep down, supersoldier still he held out hope that somehow, Tennyson would pull through.

Stiff grunts followed her exertions as she jammed the scepter into the containment pod, destabilising the generator's systems and compromising its structural integrity. With no more energy to maintain it, the rift began closing, the spatial rift collapsing in itself like a viscous tide.

WHOOOSSHH

As the portal closed, a large mass shot out of its confines, narrowly crossing the threshold before it closed completely. The spherical form unfurled mid air, revealing the rocky features of Ben's Galilean form. And within his massive arms lay the unconscious Armored Avenger himself.

"Son of a gun...they did it", Cap remarked, letting out a sigh of relief he wasn't even aware he held.

If Natasha beamed any brighter, she'd split her bruised lips in half.

She let out a combination of a relieved sigh and a half-laugh, somehow merging the two in a breathless chuckle.

Tennyson was indeed, something else


ROOOAAARRR

The first thing Tony was greeted with was a face full of Hulk's ear-splitting howls, reverberating through his bones. Unconventional, but not the worst way to wake up all things considered. His head swam as he regained consciousness, still a bit disoriented.

"See, I told you he wasn't dead!", Ben's voice chirped in the background

"He didn't have a heartbeat!!" , he heard Steve respond.

"Cuz his heart's powered by an electomag suspension, duh!", the teen continued, "besides, how do you hear a heartbeat through a metal suit?"

"Perhaps I could try shocking his heart..", offered Thor.

"Thor, buddy, the last thing we need is mystic lightning anywhere near Tony..."

ROOOAAARRR

Another roar silenced their bickering as they all turned back to the Jade Giant.

"What the hell..", Tony breathed, still clearly in a daze as he looked around the weary faces of his team. The weary crew heaved a collective sigh, their expressions awash with relief and collective

"Please tell me nobody tried to kiss me".

"Yup, he's awake alright", Ben smirked.

Cap chuckled as he slumped next to the Armored Avenger. Ben knelt next to Tony placing a hand on his metallic shoulder, grinning brightly. For the first time that day, there was nothing but a comfortable silence reigning amongst the team. They'd just gone up against the impossible odds and come out victorious.

Steve let out a shaky breath, still reeling from recent events.

"We won"


...

STAY TUNED FOR THE EPILOGUE

...


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A/N: Yayyyy!!!! Finally made it!!!! Pushed this chapter through by sheer force of will and here we are.

Again, sorry about the delays. I need to work on my daily schedule more...

Once again, thanks to everyone that followed this all the way. Man, you pick up Fanfiction as a distraction from your broken laptop and now you're crafting an extended universe. Ain't that something?

Anyways, I'm still dropping an epilogue, then I'm taking a break. Not for long, just need to catch up on other stuff. Also, I'll be making a one shot miniseries of sorts based on this universe, kinda like Standalone filler episodes. All future arcs will have their own dedicated Standalone stories, just to be clear.

That said, feel free to drop oneshot ideas and prompts and I'll see about implementing them. As always, reviews and criticism are welcome. Honestly I prefer the latter, just for the sake of improving my writing chops.

Speaking of Reviews, time to respond to everyone!

Rave: Definitely agree, Humungosaur pulling up on Hydra agents would be badass, especially with Ben transforming mid-air or something

Guest with Ideas: You never disappoint with your ideas. I'm loving them.

-Nice AOT reference there...im pretty sure Nat can't call him "family"...he'll see right through it.

SteelKnightmare: Thanks, but Ben's gonna be with Natasha in this fic

weirdhead: Yeah, Loki kinda felt like an extra during the whole Invasion...

EANID: You're welcome!

Guest: Malware is definitely coming, not too sure about Psychobos..

nicholasalphonsormirez07: Yup, we'll see

aprox: Nat teasing Ben about being a teen mom is definitely something on my to-do list.

rvala117: Ben already used Ghostfreak

Bennyson: Yup, Elden Ring can be teeth-grindingly hard, but fun at the same time. I personally just followed a guide ON YouTube and got OP early (I still got smashed by a couple of bosses later)

ArashiNokitsune: There's definitely gonna be a reunion of sorts, but I think Kevin and Gwen will take a backseat in the hero game, for now

Guest: Chroma stone has limits in terms of energy conduction. He nearly broke apart when trying to absorb Charmcaster's machine, how much more a cosmic artefact of infinite energy.

Kevin: Yup, Rath is fun to watch, but difficult to write. Honestly whoever writes his lines needs an award or something. I'm not used to writing trigger happy brutes like Rath.

Ben: I mean...I see your point

-No, I haven't seen the Batman yet...

Mark: That would be terrible...but I'm willing to believe Max can hold his won against the Winter Soldier. Even at an old age, he took on the Highbreed commander, Albedo and Vilgax. Gramps is a certified BAMF.

Guest: Yeah me too. Also, minor detail, but she'll use her Iron Man 2 hairstyle for now onwards, up till Infinity War.

Carlos: Nice.

Monster King: Thanks

UAF rocks: Sorry, the link isn't complete. But thanks anyway.

Monjiro: Yup. I'm rewriting the movie. Not only that, I'm giving her the original movie she needed AFTER Winter Soldier. And yes, Ben will be a secondary protagonist.

Guest: Fair enough, both flying methods have their uses.

Ben 10 Supreme: Hey, don't sleep on Thanos, mate. That said, expect an all out WAR between Ben 10k and Thanos.

EXCELSIOR!!!!