Pipe Dreams:
It is an unachievable ideal; some say people with such dreams are fools. There is nothing wrong with wishing upon those dreams, but sadly, reality is a cruel mistress.
Redemption:
The act of doing good after one has sinned to regain the trust of others or to save themselves from the shame of their sins.
Prologue
The London Clock Tower is a hidden school of Magi where many families send their next of kin to study and build upon their magecraft with the help of high-quality resources. Many masters from the infinite teachings of the mystics share their knowledge in the hope that they may reach their primary goal of fully understanding the power of the universe.
Within the halls is a man named Zelretch, who has been on this Earth for hundreds of years. As very few people see him, he is highly respected and revered for his power over magic.
"Master Zelretch, here are the reports you requested." A man with long black hair in a red coat entered and placed the papers on the desk.
Zelretch only nodded in acknowledgement and sat back in his chair. Even though he has accepted the man in front of him, known as Waver, to be his assistant, He rarely talks to him. Waver then walked to the window and was about to light a cigarette when Zelretch suddenly stood up and stared at the space before him.
"Paradox," He says to the space and with a blue light, a man appeared. He looked like a scientist and a man in his late thirties.
"No matter what I do, Only you can sense me coming." Professor Paradox said, greeting the man. Zelretch gets up and walks over to Paradox.
"As you say, time travel is only for the immortal and fools." They both shake hands, greeting each other as old-time friends.
"Good to see you, Zelretch. Haven't aged a day since the last time I saw you." Paradox complimented his friend.
"And you are still wearing that labcoat," Zelretch then sat back in his chair.
"Now You only come to me for either tea or me lending my knowledge on the paranormal. And I have a feeling you are looking for the latter." The high-ranking magus guessed with great curiosity.
"A little bit different this time, I ask for a favour." Paradoxx sits down in the chair across.
"Another? Oh well, it keeps me busy. What is it?" Zelretch raises an eyebrow in interest as the time traveller always brings stories that are anything but ordinary.
"I need you to convince the association to keep a blind eye to a certain man who will end up in an all too fatal game." The time-scarred Professor said as he took a seat across from him.
"The Holy Grail War." Zelretch closed his eyes, collecting the information he had. Those words caused Waver to flinch ever so slightly as he remained silent to listen in.
"The battle of seven magi and their , now I expect that your man isn't going to me a run of the mill master". Zeltretch asked, and Paradox nodded.
"Yes, he will be in an eight Master-servant pairing for this battle." Paradox confirmed, which raised an eyebrow from his old friend.
"You sure bring the most interesting situations to my attention. The Association normally hands off when it comes to the Grail war due to the church's involvement among other reasons." Zelretch said before leaning forward onto his desk, staring curiously at the time-travelling Professor.
"You wish to know who this man is, Don't you?" Paradox smiles.
"As a man with great influence I would like to know where my efforts were going." Zelretch asked
"Alright." Paradox then stood up.
"Ben Tennyson" Paradox's words got the full attention of both Zelretch and Waver.
"What? Him of all people?" Waver blurted out before stopping himself from the interruption.
"Lord EI-Melloi II, do you have something to say? It's fair if you have concerns since you have experience with The Holy Grail War." Zelretch asked, causing the man to tense up a bit before deciding to say what was on his mind
"With all due respect, are you sure he can handle such battles? I have seen what servants can do first hand because…" Waver paused as his PTSD from the previous war kicked in. He and his servant were on the end of the mighty Noble Phantasm before his partner dodged at the last second and saved them both.
"Don't force yourself to relive painful memories, Waver. I can rest assured that Benjamin is strong enough handle it and he won't be alone in this fight." Paradox said, saving the previous holy grail war survivor from painful memories.
"So you already have a servant lined up for him? Interesting, I already have guesses on how you managed it." Zeltrech said while looking outside at the night sky with a full moon.
"...and I keep you guessing. The last thing I need is more eyes on my actions than I already have." The excellent time traveller said while opening his pocket watch.
"Hmm. Interesting. It won't be a problem as Ben is in the public spotlight, so the Association wishes no connection with him. His cousin Gwendolyn's attention already worries them enough: "The mage association is well-informed on the heroic shapeshifter and his allies. They had to talk with The Plumbers due to mages getting caught up with Alien affairs, and they created a peace treaty between the two paranormal groups.
Paradox then nods and opens a blue portal: "Well I should get going. Good to see you again, old friend."
Zelretch nods, and the portal closes, leaving the remaining men in the room.
"Master Zelretch, who was that man?" Waver asks in confusion and concern.
"Professor Paradox, a man who fully understands time travel via science. By our standards, it's the equivalent of reaching the Root. Maybe that is what happened…" Zelretch answered. Waver then thinks about the holy grail war and how he was once a Master in such a bloody battle. He stole a summoning catalyst from his Teacher and fought in the war to prove himself as a Magus.
"Something on your mind?" The wise man asked, breaking Waver's train of thought.
"Should we be concerned about Ben Tennyson participating in this battle? He may be a component fighter, but the world of Magi is still unknown to him." Waver asked.
"Ben Tennyson is an interesting individual. It's no surprise that he will be a master. The Grail War may only allow seven servants, but rules can bend in favour towards those that are worthy," Zelretch simply stated with no concern in his voice. Waver saw that and calmed his thoughts.
"You may take some time off, Mr EI-Melloi II. I will call you when I seek your service. I believe some time with your students will be good for you." Zelretch orders, and Waver doesn't even question and leaves the room.
"Ben Tennyson…if anybody would be wise with the grail, it would be him," he said before lighting another cigarette.
Chapter 1
It was another calm and peaceful day in Bellwood, at least when it's not the hotspot for nefarious activities caused by beings from the stars. Thankfully, there was a young teenage hero who stood up for justice and peace for not only humanity but for all sentient life across the Galaxy.
His name was Ben Tennyson, Protector of the Earth.
Ben was more than your average sixteen-year-old; since an alien watch latched itself to his arm when he was ten, nothing had been ordinary for him. Ever since that one summer that he spent with his Grandpa Max and Cousin Gwen, he can transform into alien lifeforms that are active or extinct. Using his power, he fought villains such as Warlord Vilgax, The misguided Highbreed and Ultimate Aggregor, who all tried to bring harm to the universe but saw their plans to an end thanks to his use of the Omnitrix. Ben now wields The Ultimatrix, A variant of the Omnitrix that could hyper-evolve the Alien DNA to give an edge in combat. Despite all this power, Ben chooses not to stand alone, thanks to his friends and family helping him against the most dangerous foes.
Things were going well for the shapeshifter until recently when his heroic career started to interfere with closer aspects of his life. Feeling down, Ben retreats to his favourite smoothie place to try to drink his worries away with various fruity drinks. The smoothie addict eventually fell asleep when his friends came looking for him.
"Ben?" Gwen, his magic-wielding cousin, said, shaking Ben awake, sleeping at a Mr. Smoothy table. She was one of his closest allies as she was there that summer when he got the Omnitrix and eventually discovered the world of magic thanks to a spellbook she "Borrowed" from an old enemy, Charmcaster.
"Ben!" Gwen's frustration grows with her cousin's laziness.
"I got this", Kevin, an old nemesis turned best friend, said, walking with a greasy bag of Ben's favourite fast food item...Chilli Fries!
Kevin Levin was once an enemy of Ben when he tried to absorb the power of the Omnitrix using his abilities. It led to him being stuck as an amalgamation of Ben's first ten aliens for a long time until he did some time in the Null Void. Now, he is again human, dating Gwen while becoming best friends with Ben.
Kevin shakes the bag over Ben's head, and Darts awake like he wasn't in a thousand-year nap.
"Ohhhh boy some Chilli Fries!" Ben said, happy to see his favourite fast-food dish.
Kevin pulled it away as Ben was about to grab the bag, leaving him confused. Ben now notices his Red-headed cousin not looking too pleased with him. He quickly scanned what had happened recently and couldn't think of anything he had done that would set her off other than his school grades.
"Uhh, what gives?" Ben asked as he noticed Gwen was not happy with him at the moment
"Ben we need to talk", She said with a very authoritative tone that he knows all too well. Things haven't been going too well for him ever since he broke up with Juile during the mission to save Ship, the Galvanic Mechamorph symbiote.
"Ben you need to get your head back into school and your..." Gwen was about to mention Julie, but Ben stopped her.
"I know I need to get the school back on track. I don't know how going Hero has messed up my homework hours." Ben tried to focus on the school issue rather than his break-up.
"...And we need to talk to you about what happened with Julie. We are here for you, Ben; I want to know why you broke up with her. You seem too bummed out to not have feelings for her. Gwen says as his two best friends sit beside him, trying to be supportive. Ben knew she wouldn't drop it until he spilt the beans, so he decided it was time.
"Fine. I broke up with Julie because…" Ben paused to get his emotions together.
"...Because I want her to live her life with me getting in the way," Ben said, leaving Gwen confused.
"I thought you were made for each other, surely you can make it work again?" Gwen responded, but Ben remained silent.
"If Ben was just a soccer player it would've worked." Kevin said, sitting down next to Gwen.
"Thing is: Ben isn't anymore since he put the watch back on and now is in the spotlight half the time he's in town. Which leaves him little to no time for anyone who doesn't want to be a hero with him all the time." The dark-haired car enthusiast said, hitting the nail on the head.
Gwen then understood what he was talking about. If Ben hadn't put the Omnitrix back on a year ago and lived an everyday life, he might've had a much more steady relationship. Sadly, Ben wouldn't stop being a hero, and his duties kept getting in the way of Julie's lifestyle and putting her life on the line. She has Ship to help her in a fight but isn't suited for hero work like Ben was. Unlike Julie, Kevin was ready to be a hero when he joined her and Ben, so Gwen's relationship with him worked well since they were a part of Team 10.
"I'm sorry, Ben, I didn't understand…" Gwen sighed sadly, signalling Kevin handed over the greasy food. Ben opened the bag to find a large order of Chilli-fries waiting for him.
"It's okay, Gwen; I guess it's just part of being the Hero," Ben said as he began chowing down on his favourite food. That comment didn't sit well with Gwen and Kevin, and They looked at each other, concerned for their friend. Deciding to change the topic for now, Gwen chimes in with an opportunity that would help him with the school.
"So, me and Grandpa Max have found a way to get you some extra credit for school. Something I think you would find fun and would get you the credits you need to catch up.." Gwen said.
"Really? You didn't have to do that. I might have to take an extra year. Ben said with raised eyebrows as he wiped his face of cheesy chilli sauce.
"Nope, no cousin of mine is gonna miss out on graduating on time!" Gwen said, crossing her arms.
"I could just hack his grades and the school would be none the wiser-OOF." Kevin said as
Gwen elbowed him in the gut.
"Something Legitimate and could be fun for you. We signed you up for a student trip to Japan! Travelling around with Grandpa Max helped you a lot when we were kids so I figured this might do the same again." Gwen said.
Ben was surprised and confused at the thought of travelling to the mentioned eastern nation. At first, he thought it was crazy to send him somewhere far away, but a part of him got curious.
"Okay…I guess I could use some out of town time. Would I need to learn Japanese then? And what if I get recognized?" Ben asked.
"I'll help you out and with the translator in the Ultimatrix it should be easier for you to become fluent in Japanese. And it's pretty far out so I doubt you have as many raving fans as you do here." Gwen said with confidence as she was right. The watch did have a translator that helped with understanding Alien languages.
Momentarily, Ben thought as he looked at the town surrounding him; everywhere he wanted to hang out reminded him of Julie. He looked down at the watch, his responsibility reminding him that he couldn't be with her.
Some time out of town would benefit him and get a new perspective.
Ben also liked possibly having some form of a secret identity again since Jimmy Jones blew his cover long ago. He is used to it now but will admit that being in the spotlight has caused him trouble.
"Alright, where in Japan exactly?" Ben said, starting to sound interested, and Gwen picked up on that.
"It's a small city split into two by a river named Fuyuki and you would be going to a local High school. The city is big enough to have the full experience but also small enough that you might not get recognized as a hero," Kevin answered.
"Well since I don't have any better ideas I guess I will give it a go. I could use some time to be out of the spotlight. When do I fly out?" Ben agreed to the trip while getting a happy smile from Gwen.
"About a month and a half from now. Let's get the Japanese started later today; Kevin needs to grab the tech to speed things up." Gwen said he would need to learn a second language before his trip.
"Oh boy." Ben braced himself for studying but was also excited to go. Gwen and Kevin then left after having a smoothie and leaving Ben with his thoughts about this upcoming trip.
"Maybe this will help me forget the loneliness…" Ben said as he gazed upon the setting sun.
As time passes, another teen with similar dreams to Ben lies sleeping in a workshed in the home of Fuyuki, Japan. Typically, a teen would be sleeping in their bedroom, but this young man had a habit of fixing things in the shed and falling asleep. This boy didn't know it yet, but in the coming days, he would begin not only fighting for his life but for the many lives of others. Not that he would be afraid of such tasks, as he dreams of becoming a hero, A champion of justice. Yet, does he know how to become a hero without losing himself?
"Senpai?...Senpai!" Sakura Matou shakes her schoolmates awake as his hazel-coloured eyes open to see the familiar Purple-haired friend. The Redhead gets himself off and dusts off his jumpsuit when fixing something up for a friend or just tinkering.
This young man was named Shirou Emiya, the adopted son of the late Kiritsugu.
"Hmm...Sakura?" Shirou said to his underclassman sitting beside him. He looks around, realizing he fell asleep in the shed again, fixing something for a friend. It was a habit of his to work into the late hours trying to bring a piece of equipment back to working order.
"Morning Senpai! Breakfast is ready," Sakura Happily greeted her friend.
"Well, then I should go wash up and meet you in the living room. Oh and thanks Sakura sorry sleeping in," He said, as he didn't like being lazy when he could've helped.
"Oh, no worries, senpai. You should sleep in every now and then since you're so busy", Sakura said and walked out. Shirou heads out shortly after questioning the dreams he has had the past couple of days. Blurry images of landscapes he has never been to and objects he has never touched. It seemed bizarre yet natural to him, which was concerning to him.
"Well, time to get to breakfast", Shirou said as he headed off to the living room, Putting those dreams to the back of his head.
"So Shirou, is the guest room ready for our visitor?" Taiga, Shirou's caretaker and Teacher, asked him because they had volunteered their home to host a student from America. Taiga was excited as she heard stories of other families hosting transfer students during the program and wanted to try it herself.
"Yes Fuji-nee, I have set up the detached cottage because it is closer to a Western-style bedroom", Shirou answers while eating breakfast. For the past week, he was preparing the home for the newcomer to come into his home.
"Taiga sensei what was the boy's name?" Sakura asked
"Ben Tennyson, didn't I mention him before?" Taiga looked confused.
"No, Sensei, all you told us is that you have signed up Emiya-senpai's home for him to stay in." Sakura said.
Taiga slaps her forehead in humiliation.
"GAH I'm sorry I've been marking assignments and forgot to tell you who is coming!" Taiga takes a deep breath, and Shirou chuckles a little at her antics.
"Ben Tennyson is a 16-year-old boy from a town in America. According to his record, good mannered and loves helping others. He's signed up for the travel program posted at his local school." Taiga said as she re-read the email on her phone.
"Sounds like we'll get along now. Let's hope our guest doesn't mind our cooking, eh Sakura?" Shirou turns to his friend to find her lost in thought and blushing—something he rarely sees in his Kouhai.
"Oh huh? yeah!" Sakura quickly responded.
Seeing her distracted look of Sakura, Taiga quickly turned cat-faced: "ohohohoh Is Sakura interested that she might have another boy like Shirou here?"
"Sensai... That's..Not True..." Sakura turned red as a beet at those words while looking away.
"Eh, Fuji-nee, eat your breakfast, or you're gonna run late", Shirou said, saving his friend from Taiga's teasing scheme.
"Oh-oh Shirou, relax. "She returns to her fourth helping of rice to add to her fifth helping of breakfast. Some would call it crazy, but Shirou and Sakura always cook in the healthiest way possible within their budget.
After Cleaning up, both Sakura and Shirou walked to school like they do every day. They stopped at a crosswalk while seeing a patrol of police cars drive by as they waited for the traffic lights to change.
"What could be happening, Senpai?" Sakura asked Shirou about the police cars dashing by as they waited to cross the street.
"I don't know. You don't have to worry about it too much, Sakura," Shirou responded.
"Okay," Sakura said, content with that answer.
For the past couple of weeks, the city has been the target of murderers and robbers, but most of the time, the only thing stolen was someone's life. Just thinking about such a monster caused his hidden anger to swell and his blood to boil. As much as he tried to hide it, Sakura could tell he was angry.
If only she could tell him the truth, but that would be putting his life on the line.
The school day usually starts, so Shirou goes to the Student council room to check in with his friend Issei, the President of said council. He took his job seriously, and lucky for him, Shirou was an excellent repairman.
"Ah, Emiya! Good to see you," Issei, head of the student council, said to Shirou as he entered the student council room and closed the door behind him. He instantly spots the patient in the room: A space heater customarily used during the winter semester by many school clubs.
"We have an issue with the distribution of budget money amongst the school clubs and the culture clubs are always treated with misfortune. One big problem is the shortage of heaters during the winter." Issei explained while Shirou inspected the space heater.
"Think you can fix it?" The student council president asked while looking over his papers.
"Ah, I think it's probably a short circuit problem with the wires. It should last this winter if we replace them with new ones." Shirou said, giving a first glance at the device.
"You're good, Emiya. I am very pleased I can count on you." Issei said with a sigh of relief.
"Issei, You use some weird words sometimes. Umm, hey I need to concentrate a bit, so could you leave the room?" Shirou said politely.
"It's a delicate process then. Alright. I won't be a bother to you, Emiya." Issei then leaves the room. Allow the Redhead to work his "Magi".
Shirou wasn't conventional when it came to repairing things. He had a very minor talent with the hidden power of magecraft. It wasn't much, but he could Trace an object in his head to understand its properties and reinforce it if needed. It was the only magecraft he knew, but he kept training it daily by using it to fix things quickly.
"...There are two electric heat lines disconnected. It will still operate. As for the electrical cord, I can do it with electrical tape." He said as he opened his toolbox
His father was the one to reveal the world of the Magi to him the day he saved the boy's life. Shirou instantly believed him, but when it came to him asking to learn. His father was reluctant and only taught him reinforcement.
Once Shirou finished the job, he met his friend in the hall, who thanked him for the help just before Homeroom. At this moment, he also saw Rin Tohsaka walk by him. She looked at him for a quick moment before continuing to walk past them.
Feeling like he should say something, he decides on something benign and polite.
"Yo, Toshaka, You are here early." Rin paused, looked back at him, and walked into her assigned Homeroom.
He was right; She was always at school just before the bell rang and left almost instantly afterwards. That didn't stop the schoolboys from admiring her looks and smarts as a student.
"Emiya, Are you gunning for Tohsaka, too?" Issei said, breaking the silence.
"W-what do you mean, gunning for Tohsaka?" Shirou stammered at that comment. Issei then explained her popularity among the students. He was right; She was always at school just before the bell rang and left almost instantly afterwards. That didn't stop the schoolboys from admiring her looks and smarts as a student. Nor did she have anything to blemish her record as a student or even one nasty rumour.
Issei himself doesn't like her, which surprised Shirou, but he waved it off as they were incompatible.
The day passes, and the two boys find a place to eat lunch together like usual.
"So you're all set for the foreigner coming to your home?" Issei asked as he was well versed in programs that the school hosted.
"Yes and according to Taiga he's not a troublemaker so he won't be a disturbance in the school," Shirou said as he ate his well-prepared lunch.
"That's good to hear. Can I depend on you to show the newcomer around the grounds since he will be having the same classes as you?" Issei asks while sipping tea. Ben Tennyson will be a classmate to Shirou, which Taiga forgot to mention.
"I will, Issei, relax", Shirou assured him right before Issei stole a meatball from his lunchbox. He needs to remember that Issei lives with monks at the nearby temple, so his diet is very restrictive.
At least his lunchbox always seemed to have some extra food whenever it was Sakura's turn to prepare their midday meals.
"...Oh yeah. You know about the incident that happened early today in midtown?" Issei asked while sipping tea.
"What happened there?" Shirou asked as he recalled seeing the police cars with Sakura.
"A homicide. I don't know the specifics. But they say it was a break-in robbery. A family of four was assaulted. The weapon used was…strange as it sounds…something with long reach. So it had to be a japanese sword or spear-like weapon." Issei then looked down at his reflection in the tea.
"Gas leaks seem to also be happening every day in Shito while we have sword killers over here. School curfew is going to be even short-"
So, did they get the suspect in that homicide incident? Shirou interrupted, knocking over his lunch.
"No, sadly. They don't even mention them; they don't even have a clue." Issei answered before noticing his friend getting pale. Shirou calms himself and explains it was just from worrying news.
The day continued, but the boy couldn't get the news of the homicides out of his head even when he decided to walk in the nearby park near his workplace due to him showing up early. Shirou finds a park bench and passes the time with his thoughts. Too many strange things have been happening recently, all of which point to stuff his dad might've had answers to. But he passed away a few years ago, and now Shirou was alone in this building chaos.
After his work shift, he heads home in the empty streets. No one wanted to be out at night because of the murders and gas leaks; it was just him. He can't help but feel the danger in the air, like something is happening around him. Yet the boy couldn't see it at all.
That train of thought halted by the sight of a girl ahead of him; she appeared to be an albino due to her pale skin, white hair and red eyes. Her attire looked European in design, with purple being her choice of colour. She said nothing; she just smiled at him before walking past him.
"If you don't hurry and summon your servant, you're going to die, Onii-chan."
Those words froze Shirou for a few moments. Before he could turn around and ask her, she disappeared. All Shirou could assume was that she had to connect the mystery in Fuyuki somehow.
Only if he knew what was in store for him, away from prying eyes, an observer was watching Shirou Emiya and Ben Tennyson from her terminal in a digital space safely out of reach.
"The Einzbern has already made contact. As expected due to her history with the boy's father. Highly likely that she'll make him a priority target whenever she can." The Observer mumbles as she collects data.
"Well…At least Shirou should be summoning Saber on his own soon. No need to interlope on that front." She then swapped over to Ben Tennyson, who was going to be in Fuyuki within the next day. He is at his home in Bellwood, resting for his flight.
"Tennyson will be in the thick of it all. He is powerful, but servants are equal, if not more so. It would be better if he had one to stand with him." She then taps a few keys on her keyboard to open a new video feed of a containment unit. Pure light peaked through the shutters currently, but the reading showed a positive of what she was looking for.
"Good. I just need to make the link….Time to have a chat with our Hero. I hope he lives up to what you tell me…Paradox."
Commencing Contact trial...
It was late at night in Bellwood, and Ben was sleeping the night away in his bed. All was quiet until the Ultimatrix's dial lit up and spun independently. The slight noises didn't wake the sleeping Hero as the watch was currently processing newfound data from both an external source and an internal source.
During the night, our Hero was sound asleep, getting as much rest as possible for the big trip he was about to go on. One would wish for some peaceful dreams. However, fate had different plans for Ben.
The young Hero found himself walking down a darkened street late at night. There was this eerie feel to all of this until he saw a girl standing at the other end of the road. He could only see her flowing brown hair and white dress from this distance. Before he could act, she started to run away down the street.
"H-hey! Wait up!" Ben called out before going into a sprint himself. He was worried for the girl running around in these darkness-filled streets. He manages to catch up, only for her to disappear as she passes a corner.
"Huh? Hello? Are you okay?" Ben yells out, only to hear the girl laughing down the street behind him. Again, she starts to run away, forcing Ben to chase after her through these strange suburbs that seem to warp and change the moment he starts sprinting again. The chase repeated, with him nearly getting close to the girl, only for her to appear elsewhere. She eventually led Ben to a city centre and appeared on the rooftops while waving at him.
Ben, a little frustrated by this goose chase, activates the ultimatrix. He was turning the dial until the hologram displayed the alien he wanted. He pushes the dial downwards and transforms into his Necrofriggian form: Big Chill.
The blue moth-man-like alien then unwraps his wings from its body and flies up into the air. He then becomes intangible and flies through the building to catch up. It didn't take long, and Big Chill caught phased through the ground before her.
"Okay, I am not trying to be rude or scary with you and I apologize in advance. But I know something is extremely off and I think you know what's up. So, who are you?" Big Chill asked in his raspy voice.
"I can't tell you my name just yet, but I will say that I am an observer of some sorts. Sorry for having you run around, I am just running a test on you." She said, causing Big Chill to blink for a few moments.
"Okaaaaaay…Uh…I don't really like being a labrat to a complete stranger." He said.
"Oh, no! I have no intention of treating you like that nor do I wish any grievous harm upon you. I swear it's all for good reasons," She said honestly with the look of truth in her brown eyes. Big Chill pondered for a moment. This girl looked about his age but spoke like she knew her stuff.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because, there will be difficult trails ahead of you I'm afraid." She said with a serious face.
Ben looks out over the horizon as he remembers Magister Labrid, the plumber who died when Ben put the Omnitrix back on. Whenever someone said those words, they were never wrong. If something big were happening, a little test of his skills wouldn't hurt much.
Right?
"A good man died right when he was on to something big, and he was right. So I will go on faith and help you out." Ben then taps the Ultimatrix badge on his chest and reverts to human.
"Magister Labrid. He really set you on the right path. I'm sure he is proud of what you have become." The Observer said as a desk and two chairs materialized out of nowhere. She takes a set and gestures for Ben to sit across from her. He does, and the environment shifts to a clear blue sky, with the ground becoming reflective.
"Thank you, Mr Tennyson." She said while opening up a holographic terminal while glasses appeared on her face.
"Call me, Ben." He asked politely, as he wanted to be more professional.
"Very well. I will ask you a few questions, and then I will begin the test for real." The brunette said, and Ben nodded.
"Ben, what drove you to put the Omnitrix back on after removing it years ago?" The Observer asked.
"I put it back on because something big was happening and innocent people could get hurt. I put my hesitations aside because the world needed a hero then more than ever," Ben said, and She typed some information in.
"Since then, you have made an ally of your old nemesis. Kevin Levin. Correct?" She asked the following question.
"Yup. At first it was strange given our past but he proved himself over the years. The battles we fought and the people we saved turned us into best friends. Sure we have our rough patches but we get each other's backs when we need to save the world." Ben answered honestly.
"...But at one point, you fought him to the brink of death." The Observer brings up the very violent rift in their friendship when Kevin absorbed the energy of the Ultimatrix and went crazy again.
"That…was a rough moment, but I realize he turned himself into a monster to save us. I shouldn't have put more faith in Gwen back then when she was trying to find a way to cure Kevin. I was just frustrated after the constant losses against Agreggor. I didn't want to risk anything. After that, I solidified my belief that everyone deserves a second chance." Ben said honestly, as he learned from that mistake and put more faith in his friends. Even those who have done wrong in the past, he'll extend his hand if they seek a brighter future.
"That is a very good belief to have Ben, not everyone can be so trusting." The long-haired girl comments.
"Thanks."
"Now, one more question. What is it that you fear? And I don't mean something typical like clowns or ghosts. I want to know what really bothers you." She asked, and that made Ben a little apprehensive. It wasn't something you just asked a person out of the blue.
"Ben, I promise I am not your enemy. You can trust me." She said, taking off her glasses.
Taking a deep breath, he looks into himself what he is terrified of or The thing that would send him into despair. He looked back at the girl across from him and felt no malice from her. Something told him he could trust her and that she was genuinely trying to help him.
"Other than losing those I love ... It's being alone." Ben answered truthfully, letting out his ultimate vulnerability.
"Being alone?" The Observer tilts her head in curiosity.
"Well, more specifically. Not having someone close." Ben said while gazing into his reflection on a gleaming desk. The Observer could tell it was indeed what sent despair into his soul.
"I see…I understand then. I am sorry for asking." She said while standing up from her chair.
"Come let's walk for a bit. Lighten your mind." The girl then taps on the desk, causing it to disappear along with her chair. Ben stood up as well, and his chair disappeared as well.
The two walked across the scenic landscape for a while until Ben decided to ask a question.
"So, what is this place?" He asked.
"It's a very complicated realm, but think of it as a hidden world within the moon." She said, pointing upwards. Showing up in the sky was the Earth in all of its glory.
"Whoa. I thought Paradox was the only person on the moon. Well, Other than the Plumber's outpost." Ben said.
"There are a lot of secrets about our world and its moon that you don't know about. Which you are also not ready for. No offence. I know Azmuth chews you out a lot." She said, looking over his shoulder at him
"Yeah, but sometimes he's right. I DID break the Omnitrix." Ben admitted. At least she was being a lot nicer about him not being ready for some big secrets. It also helped that she was a little bit cute to Ben.
"But you own up to your mistakes and proven that you are more than just your watch." She said as she stopped walking and turned around.
"Here we are." She said, causing Ben to look around in confusion.
She then snaps her fingers, and a Roman coliseum appears around them. She is making it where they stand on the main stage.
"Huh…I Take it we are doing some combat tests now?" Ben guessed, and the lady in charge of this strange place nodded.
"Correct. It will all be none lethal against you and test your skill in intense battles. Feel free to use whatever aliens you wish; your foe may look human, but they are more than that." She said as a figure appeared before her from out of the sky. It looked like a female human, but red flaming shadows covered her upper body, hiding her face. The lower half only shows a red skirt and golden-coloured metal boots. The shadow stared at him with two white eyes but bowed respectfully.
Ben nods before powering up his watch and selects one of the classic aliens: Heatblast The Pryonite.
"Alright! Let's do this-Whoa!" Heatblast ducks to avoid getting hit by a fancy-looking red sword engulfed in shadowy flames. He then noticed the barrier-like effect along the edges of the blade. It reduced the possible lethality significantly, showing their honesty that they weren't out to kill him.
Heatblast smirks as he dukes it out with the shadow. He'll admit that this thing was an outstanding fighter. It dodges his fireballs and reacts quickly to his close-range attacks. When he takes to the sky, it jumps into the air with superhuman strength to match him.
"Oof!" Ben grunts as he lands flat on his face, and his watch times out.
"Uh..That seemed a little too early, even for this thing." Ben said right before the ground started to shake violently.
"Oh no! Not now!" The Observer said, looking stressed as the ground crumbled and cracked into a dark void.
"What's going on?!" Ben shouted as he could barely stand with the massive earthquake.
"We are out of time! Ben, I don't have time to explain! Just remember: You have to change the fate of those who stand with you!" The brunette and the shadow disappeared in a blue light.
"Wait! What?!" Ben shouts before the ground gives way to a black void, and he falls into it.
It was dark. It's so dark and cold. Ben continues to fall into an abyss. Until he abruptly lands on some form of solid ground
"W-where am I? Hello? Ms Observer? Are you there?" Ben called out.
"Interesting…"
The emerald Hero looks around as a deep voice echoes from the void.
"So this is what claims to be a 'hero' of the modern age...Hahahaha…You have never seen REAL evil…"
"Who are you! Show yourself!" Ben demanded.
"Very well." Two beastly red eyes appeared in the darkness in front of him.
"No matter… I am so desperate these days…and hungry…" A massive maw opens up below the eyes.
"I don't intend on being some creep lunch. Going Hero-OW," Ben winces as he slaps his bare wrist, expecting the ultimatrix to be there.
"Hahahaha! No toys to save you! You shall become fuel for my return!" The monsters in the shadows then run at Ben. Without the watch, all Ben could do was run away as fast as he could.
From a strange dream, he has fallen into a straight-up nightmare!
Even if this was still a dream, the threat of this monster felt very real, and he had to keep running.
"Come on! Wake up, Ben! Can't Let this thing get you!" Ben does everything he can to wake himself up, but nothing works. Then he spots something in the distance: A green light.
"Is that the watch?" Ben said before getting hit in the back, sending up flying forward. Lucky for him, he landed right before what he was running for.
"A…Sword?" Ben said, confused, but then he noticed the familiar hourglass symbol on the crossguard. Without question, he pulls out of the ground and slashes behind him. It forced the beast chasing him to dissipate.
"Huh…Cool." Ben said, only to be surrounded by more Shadowy beasts. With nowhere to run, he fights back with the blade in his hands. Even with the edge killing each monster in a single blow, they kept coming out of the shadows.
"You ... .Will…FALL." Ben began to sink into the ground.
"No! No! Come on!" He struggled against the muck as the shadows laughed maniacally.
"Gwen, Kevin, Grandpa! Anybody! Help!" Feeling absolute dread, Ben cried out for somebody to help him as all hope seemed lost for the protector of the Earth.
The bright light burst through the darkness that surrounded him, and a volley of elemental energy rained down upon the monsters upon him. Water, Fire, Ice and even wind slew the beasts.
Ben didn't know what was going on, but he was glad for the help. Feeling renewed hope, he pulls himself out of the muck and runs towards the lights as beasts reform around him.
"Come on! Almost-GOT IT!" Ben touches what appears to be a flying mirror coated in pure sunlight. His vision became overwhelmed with light until it returned, only to find himself in another new place.
Ben looks around in his new surroundings: A moonlit field, Grass blowing in the wind like golden water. It was nice to look at, but he heard something or someone behind him.
And why did it sound like Crying?
Turning around, he saw a girl about his age in a kimono-like outfit with pink hair. What surprised him was that she had the ears of a fox on top of her head and even a big, fluffy-looking tail behind her. Ben was no stranger to odd appearances, constantly transforming into different aliens on the fly. Yet this person seemed to catch his eyes with her beauty. He quickly shook his head as this girl was crying, and he needed to help her out immediately. May this be the person who saved him?
"Hey there. Is something wrong?" Ben asked.
"I-I was rejected. Just for who I am! I was blamed for everything!" She said, sobbing into her hands, the sight of her stabbed into the young Hero's heart.
"Who rejected you?" Ben asked.
"Everyone...Just because I couldn't hide it anymore. I will forever be alone…" Her sobbing slowed as she realized that someone was talking to her.
"You're not alone right now," Ben said, which seemed to stop her crying as she slowly raised her head.
"Are..you…?"
Ben wakes up as he falls out of Bed.
"That's the last time I eat Chili-fries before bed!" He exclaimed while wiping off the sweat on his face. Looking outside, it was still late at night. The boy tried to recollect what he saw but could barely recall it. His mind refused even to rethink what he saw in that nightmare.
Ben looked at his wrist, and thankfully, the Ultimatrix was still there.
All he could recall was a chilling darkness that sent a shiver down his spine.
A magical fox girl was crying.
"...And I must change their fates." Ben said with a yawn while looking up at the moon through his window."
AN: BOOYAH! Here we are with the first Chapter of my Rewrite of A Hero's Path! After some thought, there was much I wanted to change and tinker with. That includes rethinking what I am going for with the sequel; I will scrap the triple crossover idea as it would be too much to keep up with and hard to set up on this website.
Sorry for people excited about that, but I was too impractical due to the hype from finishing my first fic. I hope you enjoy the remake still and stick around to see what is new.
My Goal with this Remake is to touch up the word count for each chapter and improve on certain aspects and feel.
Stuff like dialogue, Servant bonds, Steelguard, More Mikon, and the post-story.
I hope you enjoy and take your time to check out this remake, and as always...
Have a nice day!