The sun shined brightly over the Mythical kingdom of Nornheim, an independent nation within the realm of Asgard. The skies were littered with celestial objects of various sizes, and the crystal landscape glinted in the light.
From the tallest peak sat the palace of the Queen of the Norns, Karnilla, known by many as the most powerful magic user in all the Nine Realms.
Her power and grace are legends sung throughout the halls of Asgard, so much so that few would dare to ever attempt to cross her.
Until today.
Explosions rocked the palace as mystical energy bolts tore through the crystal structure, destroying sections and sending debris to the lands below.
Within her throne room, Karnilla, the Norn Queen, erected a mystical barrier to reflect several bolts of magical energy. Behind her, several of her citizens fled in terror, but she remained to defend her home and her people.
She was a beautiful Asgardian goddess with smooth, pale skin and dark, raven hair that flowed down her back. Her eyes and lips were a deep purple shade, matching her dress and cape. She wore black leggings beneath silver armored boots, silver gauntlets on her arms and a silver headdress.
With the last of her people escaping, Karnilla dropped her shield and blasted mystical bolts from her hands into the darkness at the far end of the room. The light of her bolts faded into the darkness as if swallowed by the shadows.
She narrowed her eyes; she recognised that spell. It was a complicated spell. No mere mage could pull off such a feat. To hide oneself in darkness and snuff out any light that comes one's way.
Her attackers wished to keep themselves hidden, no doubt as a precaution, in case this assassination attempt failed, and their allegiance could not be traced back to whoever sent them.
No matter. She could easily counter this spell. Her attacker's identity and the one behind this insult will be revealed.
"You dare come here and challenge me?" Karnilla called out to her unknown attackers. "Tell your master he has made a grave mistake. No one challenges Karnilla."
Her boast echoed through the halls as her opponents remained silent. Not that it mattered. Soon, her counter spell will be ready, and she will find out who orchestrated this plot against her life.
"I am…" She gasped as a strange sensation gripped her body. Her limbs stiffened, and her body froze. Even her voice could no longer carry her words as she tried to force them out.
To her shock, her body started to turn to stone before her very eyes. How could this be? She heard no chanting, sensed no magic, nor was she doused in any form of potion. Yet her body was turning to stone.
She was so shocked that by the time she could even think about performing a counterspell, it was too late. Karnilla, Queen of the Norns, had become a statue to decorate her throne room. Her frightened expression was on display for all to see.
From behind her stepped the Grey Gargoyle. His hand caressed the now stone form of Karnilla. A smug grin on his face. After being humiliated by Thor for so long. Being able to bring down one smug Asgardian brought the stone villain great pleasure.
"Well done, mortal." A sultry voice spoke up, drawing the villains' attention.
Grey Gargoyle scowled as the darkness on the other end of the room dissipated, revealing the Enchantress and Executioner. The former waved her hand to dispel the magic she used to conceal them.
"Zemo was right. Your power is impressive. The Norn Queen is a formidable opponent, or was at least," the Enchantress complimented Grey Gargoyle as she walked up to Karnilla's stone form.
She looked up and down the statue with disdain. Seeing her former teacher in this state. Such pride and arrogance. It irked her when her power was often compared to Karnilla. She was tempted to destroy the statue there and then. However, time was not on her side.
"You flatter me, Mon Cheri", Grey Gargoyle answered with a bow. His French accent dripped with pride in his work.
Enchantress grinned with malicious intent as she stood to the side.
"Come, Skurge, let's give the Grey Gargoyle his reward. Then we should collect our prize."
Executioner immediately walked forward, his grip tightening on his axe. The Grey Gargoyle's eye widened as he realised too late what kind of reward the Seductress implied as the towering figure of the Asgardian brute loomed over him.
Within their hidden base. Zemo and the Masters of Evil waited patiently for their members to return.
Armin Zola sat in a chair, stroking one of his Doughboys like a pet. The bio-engineered organism purred from its master's affection.
Wonder Man paced across the room and joined the rest of the team. Standing next to Crimson Dynamo as they continued to wait. Next to the Armored Villain stood Chemistro, who fiddled with the controls of his alchemy gun. Beside him was Taskmaster, who stood motionless with his arms crossed as he quietly observed everything around him.
Next in line was a new face on the villainous team. He was a man in a skintight body suit that covered his entire form. The suit was black with glowing yellow lines stretched all over it, some of which were lightning bolts. A pair of white eyes could be seen in the mask, but there were no other distinguishing facial features.
He is the Living Laser. Energy being who is constantly at odds with Iron Man.
Abomination walked up behind him and crossed his arms. His brow furrowed as he glared at the man in front of the group.
The leader of the Master of Evil, Baron Zemo.
"Oh, how much longer are we supposed to wait, Zemo?" Abomination asked in an impatient tone.
The Gamma Giant did not like to be kept in the dark. Zemo summoned the Masters together and informed them that he had dispatched the Enchantress, Executioner, and Grey Gargoyle on a mission, but he did not tell them where they went or what they were doing.
So far, the only order the Purple Villain had given them was to wait for their arrival.
After thirty minutes of doing nothing but wait, the Abomination was growing irritated.
"All will be revealed soon, Abomination," Zemo responded, turning his head slightly to address the Gamma Mutant.
No sooner had he said that. A green light illuminated before him, and the blade of an axe appeared and sliced through the air, opening a portal from which Enchantress and Executioner emerged.
The Asgardian Sorceress held a small burlap sack bound at the top by a piece of string.
"The time has come, Mortals." She announced as she held up the bag. "As promised."
Green Magic swirled around the bag, levitating from her palm, and floated over to Zemo.
The Villains Leader grabbed the bag and untied the string. Reaching inside, Zemo pulled out an egg-shaped stone roughly the size of a softball. On one side of the stone was a rune symbol.
"Ah, the Norn stones you spoke of," Zemo said, examining the stone closely in awe of the magical item.
However, the other Masters were not as impressed as their leader.
"How are a bunch of rocks supposed to help us take over the world?" Chemistro demanded.
Enchantress narrowed her eyes at the mortal's ignorance. "The stones are but the first step, Chemistro."
A vague answer. One that most of the team was not satisfied with. However, none dared to question her or Zemo. So it is best they keep quiet and follow orders.
Though, there was still one question on everyone's mind. Including Baron Zemo.
"And where is Grey Gargoyle?" He asked. Having noticed his absence upon their return.
"The battle was hard fought. He did not make it." Enchantress replied offhandedly.
Zemo narrowed his eyes, not from the Asgardian Witch's lack of empathy for her fallen teammate. She has made her apathy for human life clear to all of them from the start. But from the knowledge that they are proceeding with the next stage of their plan, down one member.
The ambiguity of her statement also didn't help. But he couldn't dwell on that right now.
He turned to the rest of the team and held up the stone as it started to glow in his hand.
"Today, we become the masters of Earth."
Unknown to him, Enchantress and Executioner shared a look as the Asgardian Sorceress grinned with malevolence.
Ben Tennyson lay on his back, his eyes darting across the beige-coloured ceiling above him. A tiny dark spot in the corner managed to hold his attention several times as the Young Hero talked about his latest exploits.
A few feet away, Doc Samson quietly listened while jotting down notes on his pad.
Over the last month, the young hero has had multiple sessions with the Green-Haired Therapist. Each time, Ben lies down and talks about his past adventures as a hero, including the villains he's faced and the friends he's made.
Occasionally, Samson would ask Ben how he felt during specific situations, and Ben always answered honestly.
It was strange at first. Ben initially thought that these therapy sessions would involve Doc Samson asking him specific questions about his parents or personal information about his love life or childhood and then saying something profound that would somehow lead to an emotional epiphany, curing his trauma.
But no, all he did was sit or lie down and talk while the Doc scribbled on his notepad.
Honestly, as strange as it was, Ben did feel good after these sessions. He got all these things off his chest, talking freely about everything he'd experienced, not in a bragging way, like when he's sharing past stories with the Avengers or his other friends.
He just talked about his past adventures, not picking and choosing the important ones or embellishing specific details to make himself look better or to portray certain threats as bigger than they actually were, but simply recounting the events in an open and honest manner.
It felt really good to get it all out there. Like a weight was being lifted off his chest.
Currently, Ben was in the process of wrapping up his latest exploits.
"So, long story short, the Phoenix Force is gone, the city is saved, and everyone gets to live happily ever after." He concluded, from his spot on the couch, stretching his arms and back to relieve some of that tension. He didn't realise how long he'd been lying down until he stopped talking.
Sitting up, he reached for one of the glasses of water on the coffee table in the middle of the room.
Meanwhile, Doc Samson continued to scribble in his notepad. Nothing new at this point; it is just par for the course. The Young Hero would usually wait until he was done and asked his questions.
Eventually, the scribbling stopped, and the Gamma Therapist put down his pen before raising his eyes to the teen.
"That's quite the ordeal, Benjamin," he said in a calm and collected manner. "And what became of Ms. Frost and her children?"
"Well, believe it or not, the X-Men are actually going to give her a second chance. She's on serious probation at this point, but at least it's a start," Ben explained with a cheery tone. He was so glad Emma had been given a second chance. Despite the bad things she did, she regretted it and more than made up for it when she risked her life to save the world.
"As for the girls," Ben said, his tone shifting as he rubbed his temple reflexively as if reliving a memory. "They haven't really talked to anyone so far. Out loud, at least."
"I see," Doc Samson said, checking his notes briefly.
He rested the pad on his knee as he leaned forward.
This caused the Teen to raise an eyebrow. This was new for them.
"Well, Benjamin. We've had a couple of sessions now. Each time, I have learned a little more about you as a person and how you think and process your thoughts," Samson summarised.
Ben nodded in understanding, prompting the therapist to continue.
"From my understanding of the situation. After the loss of your family, you found yourself in this universe and flung into a conflict before joining the Avengers to further fight villains and protect the world."
"Well, yeah," Ben stated, unsure where this was going. "I mean, that's what a hero does. Help people who need it. Those villains escaped, and it's up to us to catch them. I couldn't just walk away."
"I understand, and it's very noble and selfless of you to do so. There is no denying that," Doc Samson assured him.
"But how long ago did you say your family died before coming here?" he asked.
Ben thought for a moment, hesitant to relive those memories.
"One week." He choked out. Immediately grinding to clear his throat.
"One week." Doc Samson repeated slowly. Letting the words sink into the Young Hero's mind.
"And after that, you found yourself in a new world and ended up in a conflict you had no stake in and joined a team of superheroes. Despite the fact that earlier that day, you had made the conscious choice to give up being a hero forever?"
Doc Samson watched as Ben shifted in his seat. His back hunched, his legs moved together, and his arms crossed in front of his chest. All physical signs that his guard is up. He is closing himself off in a defensive stance, indicating that the current topic is uncomfortable for him.
Unfortunately, the Gamma Therapist had to press the subject.
"What's more is that you then reveal your identity, history, and powers to a group of people you claim to have met a mere hour ago."
Ben's jaw clenched. He didn't want to admit it. But hearing it out loud did make it sound a little stupid.
He wanted to object, but Samson was not done.
"Moving on, you have made multiple claims that the Avengers are like a family to you. While I can believe that you and Miss Van Dyne certainly have a strong bond, the others, I'm afraid, do not seem to share this ideology you are claiming."
That really got his heart rate up. Ben felt his knuckles tighten as he gave the Therapist a glare.
"What do you know?" he snapped suddenly, his emotions running high. "The Avengers took me in when I had nowhere to go. They've looked out for me, fought for me, and we've taken on so many villains and saved the world side by side. They're the closest thing I have to a family."
Doc Samson didn't seem to react to Ben's outburst. As if he expected this kind of reaction.
Ben didn't notice as he was too busy fuming at the accusation. How could he say the Avengers weren't his family? The nerve. They protected him from Kang, stuck their necks out for him and trusted him with their very lives. How could that be anything else?
"Tell me, Ben." Doc Samson said in a calm and collected tone. "How often do you spend time with the Avengers outside of fighting villains or training?"
The Young Hero raised an eyebrow. "That's easy. Just last week, Janet and I hung out at the mall, and we got smoothies on the way back."
A hint of smugness appeared on his face from how easily he could answer that.
"Yes. But aside from Miss Van Dyne, who else do you spend time with in a casual setting?" Samson asked.
Ben scoffed and opened his mouth to answer, only to freeze. He was about to talk about how he hangs out with Laura all the time, Spider-Man when neither is on patrol or A-Bomb when they game online.
But none of them are Avengers. They're friends he met outside of the team. Whenever he hangs out with any of his fellow teammates, it's either during training sessions, team meetings or when he happens to run into one of them in the kitchen during meal times.
It suddenly dawned on him that outside of fighting villains, he doesn't really socialise with any of them at all.
Seeing the Teen stumped for a response, Doc Samson elaborated, "Have you ever shared a meal together? Spent a leisurely afternoon at the park? Gone to an amusement park to simply enjoy each other's company? These are common things a family does together, Ben. Aside from Wasp, it seems that your relationship with the rest of the team is merely that of work colleagues.
It was blunt and honest, but the Young Hero needed to hear the truth aloud. His stubborn nature made dancing around the issue pointless. A direct approach was necessary for him to see.
With no way to counter, Ben closed his mouth and leaned back in his chair.
"Then there's Miss Danvers," Samson said, and the room temperature dropped a few degrees. "From what you have told me, you and Miss Danvers bonded after your first meeting, growing as friends and spending time together outside the Avengers, to which you felt a growing romantic attraction to her."
Samson then picked up his notepad to check his notes. "Only to find out that her entire reason for socialising with you was all a ploy set up by Nick Fury to sway you into joining SHIELD. An act of betrayal that not many would find easy to forgive."
The young teen broke his eye contact and turned away from the therapist. He was looking for an escape.
"Yet, despite all that, you elected to pursue a romantic relationship with her. Without any clear indication that she would not betray you a second time."
Silence gripped the room. The absence of ambient sound made the clock on the wall echo with each tick.
Ben could feel Doc Samsons eyes on him even though he refused to look at him. What exactly did he expect him to say at this point? That he was right? That Ben made a mistake going out with Carol, for trusting the Avengers, for trying to move on?
Sure, he might be making a mistake. But he's known plenty of people who've made mistakes in the past. He still gave them a second chance, and they became better people.
Why wouldn't he offer Carol the same?
"What's your point?" Ben mumbled defensively.
Doc Samson leaned back in his chair. "From my analysis, Ben, the reason you haven't been able to recover from your trauma is that you haven't allowed yourself to grieve."
This made Ben look at him again. A crack in the armor.
"You lost the people you care about most: your parents, your grandfather, your cousin, your best friend, and your girlfriend. These people made up the core foundation of your emotional and social sphere. The ones you've placed the utmost trust in and whom you love unconditionally," Samson explained.
"Losing them created a void in your heart. Instead of allowing yourself time to grieve and accept this monumental loss, you have attempted to fill the void as quickly as possible."
He held up his notepad. "You thrust yourself back into the hero life, being open and honest with complete strangers in an attempt to make them trust you quickly, considering them family far too eagerly. Then you enter a romantic relationship with a woman who has shown very untrustworthy tendencies."
Samson looked up from his notepad, sat up straight, and locked eyes with Ben. Giving him a calm and sympathetic look.
"It's clear that you are afraid of losing anyone, Benjamin. The loss of your loved ones has caused you to latch onto everyone you meet and hold onto them regardless of how they act. What's more is that you seem to have completely devoted yourself to being a full-time hero, completely abandoning any notion of civilian life."
"Are you telling me that what I feel for Carol, for everyone, isn't real, and I'm just trying to force something?" Ben asked, his voice starting to crack.
Doc Samson was silent for a moment. He then leaned forward and interlocked his fingers while resting his elbows on his knees.
"I cannot speak for your own feelings, Ben," he said with utmost clarity to reassure him. "But from what I have observed in our sessions, you seem to be attempting to fill the void that your family left as quickly as possible, regardless of their previous actions."
"That's crazy," Ben dismissed defensively. "I would never try to replace my family."
"Not in a conscious manner," Samson clarified. "But from what you have described, it does seem like the relationships you have forged here line up with your previous family structure."
He glanced at his notes once more. "In an attempt to mask the pain of your loss, you have attempted to fill the void they left with equivalent proxies. A subconscious bandage to try and dull the pain. However, by trying to quickly forge these relationships before coming to terms with your loss. Your mental state cannot fully heal."
The Doctor looked the teen in the eye. Giving him his full attention.
"Tell me, Ben. Can you honestly say that your relationships in this world are as strong as the bonds you had in your old world?" Samson asked. His tone wasn't condescending. It felt encouraging, as if he was trying to reassure Ben.
The emerald Avenger considered what he had said. Upon reflection, he did seem to overestimate his relationship with the others aside from Janet. It hurt to admit, but he did have a point.
"I… I don't know." Ben said aloud.
That hurt more than he thought it would. He bowed his head and clenched his fists. His entire viewpoint shattered before him. Was anything real? Was he just kidding himself this whole time?
Doc Samson stood up, walked around the coffee table, and placed his hand on Ben's shoulder.
"I know this is hard, Ben. But don't take this to mean that what you feel isn't real. From what I have heard, many care about you, and your bonds with the other Avengers have a strong and stable foundation that can potentially grow into a family unit over time," he said in a gentle tone.
Ben raised his head to look at him as he smiled.
"But until you have given yourself time to grieve and accept this loss, I'm afraid your psyche won't be able to fully recover."
Ben let that sink in. It made sense. He did sort of jump from his family's deaths to a new universe, fight villains, and just keep fighting after that. Anytime he so much as saw a reminder of his family, he'd freeze up and relive that moment all over again.
He's been running away from that moment since the day it happened, and he hasn't stopped running.
Until now.
"What do I have to do?" Ben asked, his eyes determined.
Doc Samson sat back in his chair to be at eye level with the teen.
"Take some time off. Away from the Avengers, away from this city and away from anything that is related to being a hero." Doc Samson prescribed.
"I'm not suggesting you cut yourself off completely. But you should at least take a break from any and all activity that is related to 'Hero Time."
Ben couldn't help but smirk at the use of his catchphrase against him.
That was a tough request, especially for him. The moment he put the Omnitrix back on, he committed himself to the hero's life, giving up any chance of being normal. He wasn't even sure what "normal" meant to him anymore.
But perhaps that could be the problem. Maybe it would be best if he took time away from it all. The Avengers, the X-Men, Spidey, Laura and… Carol.
He may never know how he truly feels about his life here unless he takes some time away from it.
"Ok." He answered.
Stinkfly flew over the city skyline. Normally, Ben would have chosen Jetray for his return trip. But, right now, he needed some time to think.
The Bug Alien was good for that. Not only was he one of his original 10 aliens when he first started as a hero. But he's also his first flyer, being one of his most useful aliens when it comes to aerial combat.
After getting aliens like Jetray, Big Chill, Astrodactyl and a few others, Stinkfly started to fall out of the rotation.
However, Ben found himself turning into an alien whenever he wanted to cruise leisurely through the clouds. The nostalgia of this form made him feel at ease and gave him the clarity he needed when making a tough decision.
Taking a break from being a hero.
That's something Ben hasn't done since he first took the watch off when he was eleven.
The concept sounded so alien to him.
Taking time off. When the world could be threatened at any point. It didn't seem like what a hero should do.
As he flew, his lower eyes scanned the city below him. Several construction sites where clean-up crews were still working after the battle with the Phoenix Force.
Ben, as Clockwork, managed to undo most of the damage to the city. But he didn't have the energy to fully restore it.
Battling a cosmic force, dying and then coming back can really take it out of a guy.
Still. All this destruction. One cosmic entity was able to take out both the Avengers and X-Men before he showed up to save them….
He shook his head. No, they would have been fine. He contributed to the fight. He wasn't the deciding factor.
A tightness formed in his chest.
Yes. They would've figured out a strategy themselves. He just happened to show up at the right time. They could've saved the world without him there.
He trusted them….
The tightness grew as he placed his clawed hand over the area. A psychological reaction from his human psyche, as technically, Stinkfly's heart is located in his lower abdomen.
Still, that uneasy feeling persisted.
But why? He trusted his team with his life. They've more than proven that when push comes to shove, they would have his back without hesitation.
Yet, when he thinks about leaving temporarily. He can't help but worry about them. What if another world-ending threat arrives, and he's not there to protect them?
… There it is again. What kind of thinking is that? He's on a team with some of the smartest and strongest beings on the planet. Beings who could cause earthquakes with their punches, who could build technology that could end the world and have saved his skin on more than one occasion.
But his mind drifted back to the Phoenix once more. The way Hulk looked when he was burnt down to the bone, the way Thor was blasted into the Earth's core. Those two together could stop it. What if something else that powerful showed up?
Suddenly, a bird chirping caught his ear, catching his attention as he turned to the direction. He only managed to catch a glimpse of a small bird disappearing into the clouds.
From the brief glance, he caught of it. It looked like a canary.
A tiny bird like that, up at this altitude. He didn't think canaries flew this high.
Anyway, that little distraction managed to derail his train of thought. Allowing the Teen to think a little clearer.
Thinking about hypotheticals like this isn't getting him anywhere. He needs to talk to the Avengers face-to-face. Hearing what they have to say about this will help with the discussion, and he can at least get their opinions about it.
Though, he's not sure how Carol is gonna take this. Bad enough, they hardly see each other due to their respective jobs keeping them apart. But now he's considering asking for more time away from her.
That's going to be one awkward conversion.
Deciding to take the scenic route home, Stinkfly took a slight detour over the East River.
Tapping the dial on his face, the bug-alien disappeared in a flash of green light. Transforming into Ripjaws.
The fish alien dove into the water. From his altitude, the fall would be fatal for a human. But for Ripjaws, his species is highly durable, so a fall from this height is nothing to him as he splashed down into the water.
With a flick of his tail, Ripjaws shot through the water like a bullet. The mirky waters of the East River made it hard to see, but his aquatic eyes cut through the mirk, allowing him to easily locate the entrance to the Quinjet's hanger.
Swimming close to the entrance, a scanner opened up, and Ripjaws stopped to show the device the Ultimatrix dial.
A beam of light washed over him as it scanned his body, locking onto the dial. The scanner flashed green, and the entrance opened up. Allowing the teen hero to swim through.
With nothing to obstruct him, Ripjaws powered through the tunnel, building his speed as he came to a bend in the tunnel. Beams of light cut through the darkness as he shot towards the surface like an arrow.
Ripjaws breached the surface of the water and sailed into the air, effortlessly flying past the Quinjet platform and landing on the ground in a three-point landing.
Tapping the dial once more, Ripjaws transformed back into Ben in a flash of green light.
The Teen Hero stretched his back and raised his arms over his head as he looked around the hanger. The two Quinjet's were parked on either side of him. Shining like new after being rebuilt again.
Ben's footsteps echoed on the metal plates as he walked towards the hanger door. He had only just stepped through into the hallway when he heard a rapid clicking sound coming from the far end.
The clicking grew louder as something approached him. The Emerald Avenger grinned as he readied himself.
From around the corner, a blue blur rushed towards him, tackling him to the ground and knocking him on his back.
Ben chuckled as he was assaulted by licks from a blue dog-like dinosaur creature.
"Ok, Zed. Ok, down, girl." Ben giggled as Zed's tongue continued to dance across his face.
He managed to pivot his head away from her before she could reach his mouth. Finally, calming down enough for him to push her off. Ben managed to get into a sitting position as he petted her head with both hands and gave her a good scratch behind her horn-like ears.
The Alien Dog purred as her tail wagged, and she leaned into his touch.
Ben smiled at her. It was nice to be greeted this way. He couldn't help but think back to his old dog he had when he was a kid. The difference a pet can make.
His hand moved down her neck before coming into contact with her collar. Ben looked at the device. Specifically the silver and red dial on the front.
The Nematrix. An alien device just like his Ultimatrix. It turns Zed into the predators of Ben's aliens. Making her the ultimate hunter.
Thankfully, that's no longer the case, and she has fully embraced Ben as her new master.
It has been difficult at the start. Zed had to remain inside the mansion and could only play outside when Ben took her to a national park away from the city.
There was no way he could take her for a simple walk to Central Park. The sight of an alien dog with him would draw some very unwanted attention.
Ben tried to see if he could set the Nematrix to turn her into an Earth animal to blend in. But the device would only accept predator species. So domestic animals like house cats and dogs were out of the question.
Though, there was another idea Ben had, but has yet to implement it.
But it's not like Zed has been bored at the mansion. She's had plenty of company to keep her entertained.
As Ben stood up, a terminal next to him started sparking. The Teen Hero turned to the wall as it sparked once more before a black liquid leaked out from it. The black liquid then formed together before launching itself at Ben. Spatting against his face before solidifying and reaping around him as it took the shape of the adorable little Mechomorph Ship.
"Ship, Ship!" the little blob chirped at him as he nuzzled against Ben's cheek.
"Hey, Buddy." Ben giggled as he petted Ship's smooth head.
The little alien has been having a field day living at the mansion. All this new tech for him to merge with was driving Tony nuts, especially when he got into his equipment.
"Ship, ship, ship." The blob told him as he bounced up and down on his shoulder.
"Really, a new one?" Ben asked. Ship answered excitedly. "Alright, let's see it."
Ship chirped once more before hopping off Ben's shoulder and bouncing a few feet in front of him.
The little alien blob suddenly started to grow. Getting larger as his liquid metal body shifted and contorted. A few seconds later, Ship transformed into a fully functioning motorcycle.
It had the same markings as Ship. The engine revved as the Ship pulled up and did a wheely from a stationary position.
Ben put his hands on his hips and smirked at the alien blob. "Finally made your way to the garage, huh? " he commented as he recognised the chopper.
It was Cap's motorcycle that Ship was copying.
Ship, being a Mechomorph, has the ability to transform into every piece of technology he's ever merged with, down to the last detail. This means he can transform into vehicles, weapons, technical devices. You name it, he can replicate it.
Unlike Ben when he turns into… The same species. He can't turn into anything he previously merged with. Due to his human mind being unable to retain the genetic memory of his alien forms. The Ultimatrix ensures that the brain chemistry of his alien forms isn't carried over to his human form.
Otherwise, Ben's human brain would be overloaded with all the knowledge that his different aliens possess.
Ben walked over to Ship and patted the living motorcycle, which hummed in response.
"Glad you've been having fun." He said.
"He's not the only one." A friendly voice called out.
Looking up, Ben smiled as Wasp flew over to him. The Fashionista grew to her standard form and wrapped Ben in a hug.
"Had a feeling you were here Ben when these two suddenly took off," Janet said in a cheerful tone.
Ben chuckled as they broke the hug, and Janet gave Zed and Ship a pat. "Yeah, sorry I didn't call. Was a little lost in my thoughts."
"Everything go ok with Doctor Samson?" Janet asked. Her expression showing concern.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Things have been going really well."
She grinned. "That's great, Ben. I'm so happy Doc Samson is helping you."
"Yeah," Ben repeated. As she started to walk down the hall, Ben thought about what Samson recommended. Now's probably as good a time as any. He would like to get everyone's opinion. But talking with Janet first might give him the confidence he needs to speak to the rest. At least she can provide some support if he starts tripping over his words.
"Um, actually Janet…" Ben started to say before Wasp spun around.
"Oh, before I forget. Tony and Panther called everyone together. Apparently, he's got some big news to share. Come on!" She said, shrinking down and grabbing Ben's sleeve to drag him along.
She pulled with such force that Ben almost fell over as she dragged him. As small as she is, she still has enough strength to carry a full-grown person while flying at her size.
So much for that idea. At least this gets everyone together. He can talk to them after Iron Man is done with his thing.
The pair made their way to the Assembly Hall. Suddenly, JARVIS spoke up from one of the terminals.
"Pardon me, Miss Van Dyne." The AI said, halting Wasp and causing her to release her grip on Ben.
"Yeah?" She asked the computer with a raised eyebrow.
"You have a visitor at the front door," JARIVS reported.
"Really? Who is it?" She asked, curious. While it isn't strange for her to have a guest. She can't recall scheduling anything at this time. She had already taken care of most of her business meetings today. So, who would be here to see her?
"I'm afraid I cannot say," JARVIS replied. This earned a confused look between the Alien Shapeshifter and Size Changing Heroine.
Why would JARIVS not want to reveal the identity of the guest?
"Why not?" She asked.
"The guest wishes to remain anonymous until you meet."
That sent up some red flags in Ben's mind. On the other hand, Janet seemed intrigued by the identity of this unknown guest.
"Alright, I'll go meet him." She said enthusiastically.
"I'll go with you," Ben said. The idea of Janet meeting some unknown guy didn't sit well with him.
"It's fine, Ben," Wasp assured him. "Go meet the others. I'll be there shortly."
"But…" The Young Avenger protested. Worry in his voice.
Janet fluttered over to him as she kissed him on the forehead.
"It's sweet that you're concerned, Ben. But I can handle this if things go south." She said. Though, his concern did not fade. "Besides, Ship will be watching my back."
The little blob chirped and bounced up and down with excitement.
Ben relaxed a little. Having Ship watch her back certainly put his mind at ease.
"Ok, Jan, I'll see you later." He said.
Wasp grinned as she fluttered down the hall, Ship closely following.
Once they were out of sight, Ben made his way to the Assembly Hall.
Wasp flew out of the Elevator and made her way to the front door. Ship bounced behind her in the adorable way he did.
She smiled at the little alien. Ever since he and Zed arrived, she had seen a whole new light enter Ben. Having something from his old world really helped improve his mental state. Not to mention, having a couple of pets in the mansion really helped make this place feel like a home.
As she approached the front door, she returned to her human size. Reaching up, she grabbed the door handle.
Ship moved close to her leg. His little body on alert in case he needs to act.
So cute.
"Now, let's see who our surprise guest is." She said as she opened the door.
Upon seeing the guest's face, her eyes widened, and her breath hitched.
His hair was a bit unkempt, and he could use a shave. But looking into his hazel-coloured eyes, she couldn't stop her heart from fluttering.
"Hey, Jan." He said as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. While also shifting in his red suit.
"Hank." Janet gasped.
Meanwhile, in the Assembly Hall, all active members aside from Wasp had gathered inside.
Tony and T'Challa stood near the table while the rest stood to one side. Thor seemed eager to hear what they had to say. Hulk had his usual scowl as he crossed his arms. Hawkeye casually fiddled with his bow. Captain America tossed and caught an apple in his hand. Ben, who had just arrived, stood with the group with a curious look while Zed sat on the floor next to him.
The Alien Dog's eyes drifted to Hawkeye's bow, and her tail started wagging. The Archer caught her eyeing it and frowned, pivoting the weapon away in a defensive manner. He wasn't about to let her use it as a chew toy again.
With everyone gathered, Iron Man started the meeting.
"Gentlemen, prepare to be amazed." He said flamboyantly.
"Okay." Captain America responded, tossing his apple again.
"Well, this is for Thor, mostly. No offence, Cap." Tony clarified.
"None taken." The Super Soldier responded casually, taking a bite of his apple.
"Wait. If this is for Thor's benefit, why are we here?" Ben asked.
"Obviously, 'cause the brainiacs want to show off how smart they are to everyone," Clint remarked in a snarky tone.
He smirked as he turned to Hulk, about to suggest he bring out Banner to complete the nerd trifecta. Only to meet the Gamma Bruiser's glare, and he immediately shut his mouth.
The tension between the Archer and Strongest Avenger since Hawkeye manipulated Hulk to become an unstoppable rage monster to battle the Phoenix. Since then, the Green Goliath hasn't spoken a word to the Archer other than grunts or glares.
It wasn't easy seeing two friends fight. Ben just hoped that they'd eventually find a way to clear the air.
Sensing the Awkward tension, Thor spoke up to bring everyone's attention back to why they were really there.
"You were saying, Iron Man?"
Tony shook his head. "Right."
The Armored Avenger pressed a few keys on the table and brought up a holographic image.
"As you know, T'Challa and I have been working on a way to get you back into Asgard. We think we've got it."
The table lit up and displayed the image of a round mechanical device with extensions at four corners, giving it a square-like appearance. With a circular core at the centre. It was a foot long in width and length.
"Ta-da!" Iron Man announced in a prideful manner.
Thor raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I do not understand how this machine can Pierce the veil between Midgard and the other realms."
To answer his question, Tony returned to the table and typed on the keyboard.
As the image changed, he explained, "What we need is a weak spot, somewhere the two planes overlap. "
The hologram displayed Tony and T'Challa's device alongside two parallel lines with an indent in the middle. After another click on the keyboard, the lines were arranged so that the indents overlapped, with the device positioned in the centre.
"In that spot, we can use the door to create a wormhole. You enter here, and you come out in Asgard."
To emphasise this point, the hologram showed an apple moving across the screen from one side of the device to the other, signifying the travel between dimensions.
Captain America briefly paused while he chewed his apple. While he wasn't a scientist like Tony. What he was saying sounded very familiar to him.
Thor, meanwhile, had a smile on his face. For the first time since his banishment from Asgard, he had hope that he may finally get to go home.
"Truly, my friends, I'm impressed." He complimented.
Tony had to bite the inside of his cheek in an attempt to keep himself from gloating. Thor, who has made his disdain for technology, not only begged him for help but now all but admitted that his tech is better than the Asgardian magic.
While his mouth was silent. His smug grin would not be contained. The moment he gets Thor back home. He's gonna rub this in the Norse God's face for the rest of his life.
"Not to rain on your parade, Tony." Captain America suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.
"But I saw a similar machine do that same kind of thing back in my day. It worked, too." The Super Soldier stated.
Tony's jaw dropped. Here he is, standing on his greatest achievement this year, only for his thunder to be stolen by a guy who couldn't figure out the difference between a TV remote and an AC controller.
A camera flash drew his eye as the Billionaire turned to see Ben, phone in hand, having just taken a picture of his stunned face. Grinning like the devil as he lowered the phone.
Tony glared at the Young Avenger. No doubt he was gonna save that picture to use at his expense.
Shaking his head, he turned back to Cap. "Where?"
Wasp was over the moon. She could hardly contain her excitement. The moment she saw Hank standing at the front door. She almost tackled him off the porch with how happy she was.
Hank is back!
She could hardly believe it. After weeks of hearing nothing from the Size Changing Hero. Finally, Hanks come back to her.
She wasted no time telling Hank all about what's been happening. Recounting the events from the Phoenix Force and the X-Men. Meeting Ben's Grandmother and the Plumbers. All while, Ship happily jumped around the pair.
Hank was caught off guard by the appearance of the small alien. But he quickly got over it as Janet continued to talk away. They were walking down the halls of the mansion, going past the many rooms towards his room.
"And get this," Janet said as she was wrapping things up. "Remember that Senator Kelly guy? Turns out he was kidnapped by Magneto and held prisoner on Genoshia the whole time."
The pair reached his door and opened it. The pair stepped inside as Janet walked over and sat on the bed.
"You'd think, after something like that. He'd be even more ticked about Mutants than he was before. But, no. Turns out, Kelly was super cool about it. Like, he knew that not all the mutants were on Magneto's side with the plan, and he actually thanked the X-Men and the Mutants that helped free him."
She kicked her legs on the side of the bed as Hank walked around her.
"I hear he's seriously planning to run for the Presidency. Can you believe it? A guy like Kelly, who's supporting mutants in the White House? I can't wait to see Magneto's face when that happens. That'll show him. Thinking humans and mutants can't get along. Isn't that funny?"
She grinned up at Hank, which he returned warmly.
"Oh, Hank. You've gotta let me introduce you to the X-Men. There's this one guy, Beast. Hank, you'll love him; he's a scientist like you, and he also doesn't like fighting. Which is great. You two can be like Science Bros and hang out in the lab."
"I am familiar with Dr McCoy and his work," Hank said in a quiet tone.
"Oh," Janet said, taken aback, only to brush it off and put her smile back on. "Well, that means that you will have plenty to talk about now that you're back."
Hank stopped as he looked down at her with a crestfallen expression. Something Janet noticed immediately, even though she tried to ignore it. It was a feeling deep down that she fought so hard to deny.
"Janet…" Hank started to say, and her chest tightened. "I'm not coming back. I only came back because of what happened. I wanted to make sure that you're ok."
While that part did make her heart race. Janet's cheerful demeanour dropped. Ever since Ultron, Hank had dropped off the radar.
She knew that he needed time to come to terms with it. But that didn't stop her from worrying. Last she heard from Hank after he left, he had gone to his lab in San Francisco.
When he showed up, she was sure he had finally worked through everything and was ready to come back to h… to the team.
"Hank, when I was fighting that thing the entire time, I wished you were there. Please, come back." She practically begged him.
Hank felt her hands tighten on his. But he bowed his head and pulled it away. "I'm sorry, Jan."
But Wasp wasn't done trying. "It wasn't your fault, Hank. You couldn't have known what would happen with Ultron."
The Scientist clenched his fists as he turned away from her. "You don't understand, Jan. I should have. After all, my mind was the basis for Ultron's."
Pain emanated from his tone. She could see it in his eyes and his appearance. From how messy his suit looked. He wasn't taking care of it. It reminded her too much of Ben and how he looked when he first came to their world. She hated seeing him like that.
"This is not your fault. You are not Ultron." She said, cupping his cheek in her hand. "You stopped him, and everything worked out. We're going to be okay, Hank."
She looked into his eyes. "Please, stay."
Hank and Janet silently gazed into each other's eyes. Emotions poured from them as she leaned in close, inching towards his face, and her eyes started to close.
Only for Hank to turn his head and place his hands on her shoulders, halting her advance.
"Jan, the whole time I've been with the Avengers, I've been betraying everything I believe in. I embraced violence and then created something worse. I created a robot that almost ended all life on Earth. That's about as far from okay as I can imagine," he said, bitterness filling his words as he gently pushed her away.
Janet bowed her head in embarrassment for what she tried to do. Her chest tightened with each word he said. Afraid that he would blame her for dragging him into this life. Not that she blamed him. She was the one who insisted that they use their powers for more than just his science experiments. But she could never have seen any of this coming.
She heard Hank walk past her before stopping at the door.
"It was good to see you again, Jan. I'm glad you're safe." He said.
She didn't turn around. The sound of his Pym Particle belt activating was heard, followed by the buzzing of ant wings, and he was gone.
Leaving her alone and fighting back tears. Why? Why couldn't she stop him from leaving? Why can't he see how much she needs him?
She felt something rub against her leg, and she looked down to see Ship nuzzling her.
"Ship." The little alien said in an attempt to comfort her.
She smiled down at him. He really is such a sweetheart.
Suddenly, her comms activated on her ID card.
"Wasp, we need you in the Assembly Room. You're gonna want to hear this." Iron Man said.
Janet quickly cleared her throat and wiped away her tears. "I'm on my way." She answered.
Time to put on a brave face.
When Wasp and Ship joined the others. They sat around the meeting table with Captain America standing.
With everyone assembled, the Super Soldier began.
"The day that I was frozen in ice. The Howling Commandos, Bucky and I had infiltrated a Hydra base in Norway. Rumour was that the red skull had some kind of doomsday weapon there. But what we found was beyond anything we'd ever seen." Cap explained.
"The Skull had a machine similar to yours and he was pulling monsters through it into our world."
Captain America went on to describe the various creatures he saw. Creatures from myths and legends that most people would have heard about in fairy tales or cartoons.
Ben listened with interest. He'd only heard about the Red Skull from Cap. Apparently, he was the leader of Hydra during the war and Cap's arch-enemy. Looking at a picture of him, Ben could see that the guy's choice of codename was pretty literal. His face was an actual red skull with shrunken eyes and no nose. Apparently, it was due to some horrible disfigurement.
Either way, it certainly upped this villain's creep factor.
Back to the meeting. Cap continued to explain the Red Skull's experiments.
"He was enslaving them, putting collars on the creatures. He was creating an army to take over the world. And if Bucky and I hadn't stopped him…" He trailed off as the memories of his former partner came rushing back.
The others could see it in his eyes. After all, the same day that Cap was frozen in the ice. Was also the same day where he watched his partner and best friend die right in front of him.
"But you did, Captain." Thor spoke up, drawing his attention. "And from your tale, it would seem that this Red Skull did indeed open a portal to the Asgardian realms. The creatures you describe. They are familiar to me."
Iron Man then started typing on the keyboard. "Hang on, I've got satellite images coming in on the Hydra base." He said as he punched in the coordinates that Cap provided.
One upside of Captain America's stories is that he spared no detail. No matter how minor. Usually, it's what causes many of his stories to be so long and boring.
But in this case, it was essential. As Tony pulled up a satellite image of the location.
"JARVIS, trace the energy coming from that location." T'Challa ordered, his eyes narrowing at the hologram.
A filter was placed over the area, and the Avengers saw what appeared to be glowing yellow lines spreading out from the Castle's location.
Zooming out, the lines looked like the outline of a border on a map. With three yellow lines all connecting at the castle's location.
Iron Man's eyes widened with excitement. "This spot. This is what I was talking about. This is a point where two planes are overlapping like a dimensional fault line."
After he punched in a few keys, the image zoomed out even further, showing the entire Earth.
Ben looked in awe as the holographic image displayed the dimensional fault lines of the entire planet. The Yellow lines spread out all over the globe and are interconnected at several points across the surface.
From his count. He could see eight spots where the fault lines crossed over, including the one in Norway. One in Russia, one in Alaska, one in Australia, one in the States, one in Brazil, one in Chile, and the last one in Europe.
"Fancy," Janet said, equally impressed by what she saw. The glum aura she projected earlier had evaporated entirely.
"So, what are we looking at?" Hawkeye asked.
"Ley lines." The Wakandan King answered. "Veins of magic that run through our world, connecting it to others. Or, as Iron Man would say, paths of other-dimensional energy that reveal weak spots between the dimensions."
Iron Man shot the Black Panther a glare. The Wakandan never wasted an opportunity to take potshots at him or his tech. While he didn't make eye contact, T'Challa had a slight smirk as he continued.
"In this case, there are eight, not counting Earth."
"One for each realm." Thor realised, connecting the dots. "It is said the Nine Realms are interconnected by Yggdrasil, the tree of life."
"Big tree." Hulk commented.
Iron Man rolled his eyes. Again, with the magic mumbo jumbo. "Call it whatever you want. This is how we're gonna get you home."
As Ben looked, he couldn't help but wonder. Could this be how he ended up in this world? Sure, these Lay Lines showed all the spots that connected Earth to Thor's mystical home. But were there more? Could there be ones that link this world to his?
He was about to ask Tony about it when an alarm suddenly went off, and the Holographic globe started flashing red warning lights. Coincidently, they were at each of the Lay Lines.
"Alert, dimensional energy flares in progress." JARVIS announced.
"Something's affecting the energy at each of the locations." Iron Man elaborated.
"No way, that's a coincidence," Ben stated. The others agreed. They were just talking about these dimensional fault lines, and suddenly, they started flaring up.
Something is going on at those sites.
Thor narrowed his eyes and immediately started marching to the door.
"Thor, wait." Captain America ordered.
"Nay. If the threat we face is Asgardian, I will not allow it to put Midgard in jeopardy again, " the Asgardian said. While he currently desires to return home, if evil forces from his world threaten this one, he will not hesitate to defend the Earth from them.
Iron Man smirked. "Well, we Mortals certainly appreciate that. But you're on a team, remember? Eight locations, eight Avengers. Whatever's going on, we'll deal with it together."
The team stood together. All with looks of confidence and determination on their faces.
Thor couldn't help but smile. Truly, he was fortunate to have met these mortals. Whose spirits rival those of the finest warriors of Asgard.
As they started to devise a plan of attack, Wasp's eyes drifted to the open doorway. There, she saw the shadow of someone wearing a helmet that looked like an ant's head. The shadow shifted out of sight, and her expression dropped.
Quickly, she shook her head. This wasn't the time to worry about that. Worlds in trouble, and she needed to focus.
With that, the Avengers quickly divided themselves among the eight locations. Once everything was decided, they started heading towards either the hanger or upper levels.
Cap walked by Ben and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Good luck, Son."
Ben smiled. "Thanks, Cap."
The Super Soldier returned the grin, only for Zed to start growling at him.
Ben sighed and shook his head. For some reason, Zed didn't seem to like the Super Soldier. He couldn't figure out why. He thought she'd love Cap. He's got a giant frisbee on his arm; he should be her favourite.
But every time the Super Soldier approached her, she would growl, bark, or move away from him. It's possible she didn't like his scent or something else.
Hopefully, one day, she'll be able to accept Captain America and all his Star-Spangled charm.
But today wasn't that day.
Zed barked at Cap, forcing him to back away and remove his hand from Ben. The alien dog immediately moved between them, standing protectively in front of Ben.
"Hey, Zed. Down, girl. It's Cap. He's friendly," Ben tried to placate the alien dog, but to no avail. "Sorry, Cap."
The Super Soldier shook his head. "No, it's fine. It seems I will need to work to earn her trust. But it's good to see how loyal she is."
With one last smile, Cap left the room, heading towards the hangar. Ben and Zed soon followed.
As they headed out. Hawkeye walked beside Hulk with a cocky grin.
"Hey, Big Green. Bet I solve the problem at my spot before you do." He challenged with complete confidence.
Hulk said nothing as he continued to march, completely ignoring the Archer.
Hawkeye slowed down for a second before rushing to catch up and try again. "Ok, how about I make this interesting? Winner gets the loser to do any one thing they want. No takes backs, and he has to do it."
That has to work. Hulk would never pass up an opportunity like this. Especially if it means the possibility of humiliating him. That should make them square.
Hulk grunted and still refused to acknowledge him.
Hawkeye stopped and watched him go in disbelief. He couldn't believe how hard Hulk was holding onto this. Sure, he made him lose control. But that was to help save the world. Can he not see that? Plus, Hulk was saying earlier that he wanted to fight the Flaming bird. So, if anything, he should be thanking Hawkeye for giving him a fighting chance.
Clenching his fists so tightly they started shaking, Hawkeye glared at the Gamma Brute with frustration.
"Oh, come on, Jade Jaws!" He yelled down the hall. "How many times do I have to apologise before you let this go?"
Hulk stopped in his tracks. For the first time since the battle with the Phoenix Force. He finally acknowledged the Archer's words.
Hawkeye blinked in surprise.
The Gamma Giant turned his head to look at him out of the corner of his eye. The tranquil rage emanating from those eyes sent chills up his spine.
"Once would have been nice." Hulk growled.
"Huh?" Hawkeye responded, confused.
Hulk turned a little more, allowing the Archer to see both eyes. Doubling the intensity.
"What are you talking about?" Hawkeye questioned, still confused. "I said I was sorry."
"No. You didn't." Hulk growled.
The Pressure in that hallway increased as Hawkeye took a tentative step back.
The Gamma Giant narrowed his eyes. "You asked if we were good… But you never once said that you were sorry."
The Archer was stunned. No way. He definitely said it. He had to. Thinking back, Clint recalled all his encounters with the Hulk after the fight. He remembers acting casual with the Green Brute. Engaging in their usual banter after every mission.
Sure, Hulk made it clear he was sore about what he did. But that sort of thing should be water under the bridge for them. He recalled asking if they were good, and Hulk responded with his usual grunt.
The more he thought, the more he realised. He tried to act as if nothing happened. That what he did to the Hulk was no big deal. Par for the course. Attempted to move on like it was a regular thing for them. He did everything he could think of to go back to the way things were. Save for one…
He never apologised.
"Hulk, I…" Hawkeye started to say.
"Save it." Hulk snapped, shutting him up. "I get it now. This is just how you are."
The Green Goliath turned away. "So long as you win. Doesn't matter who you hurt. Even your friends. After all, Red Lady did it to you, and you forgave her. Shoulda guessed you'd do the same thing."
With that. He stomped around the corner. Leaving Hawkeye to reflect on those words.
The Archer bowed his head in shame. He was right. All this time with the Avengers, and deep down, part of him is still a SHIELD agent.
He remembered how he felt when Widow betrayed him for her mission. He acknowledged that it was a smart play in the long run. But that didn't change how he felt. Being locked up like a criminal, his friends turning their backs on him, being used as a pawn in a much larger game.
He hated being treated like that. Yet, when it all came down to it, he did the exact same thing. Using Hulk as a pawn for the greater good.
At that moment, the Purple Archer made a vow. When this is all over, he will make things right.
His resolve now set, Hawkeye secured his bow and quiver and marched forward.
With their assigned missions, the Avengers moved out. Wasp and Cap loaded up in the Quinjets and took off to their respective locations.
Black Panther loaded up in the Jet-Stream Cruiser, a small one-man aerial vehicle shaped like an arrow. It had a single cockpit that required the pilot to lie down to fly it, featuring an open tinted window to cover the pilot and one repulsor tech jet, all sporting the Quinjet colours of red and silver.
Hawkeye left, using his Sky Cycle.
Hulk, Thor and Iron Man didn't need vehicles as they could fly, or in Hulk's case jump, to their destinations.
Leaving Ben and his means. Usually, Ben would simply turn into Jetray or XLR8 and rush to his destination. However, doing so uses the watch's power, and if things turn bad, he prefers to have a full charge.
With all the other vehicles in use, it would seem he didn't have a choice. Fortunately for him, he did have an option.
"Ok, Ship. Time to fly." Ben ordered.
"Ship, Ship!" The alien blob said excitedly as it jumped into the air and transformed.
Turning into a large, box-shaped spacecraft, it features long wings ending in square-shaped stabilisers that are the same height as the craft's body. Multiple weapons of various shapes and sizes are located along the base of the wings and under the cockpit. Enough of an arsenal to blow a city off the map.
Ship took this form when the Forever Knights, villains from his old world, kidnap him and try to use him as a weapon in their war against alien life.
However, that plan failed, and now the ship has a handy battle mode and means of transport for Ben.
Something he is quite thankful for. With the ship around, Ben can travel much more efficiently without wasting the Ultimatrix's power supply.
The ship lands in front of him and lowers the ramp. Just as the teen is about to step on, he feels a tug on his leg.
Looking down, he sees Zed frantically pulling at his pant leg with her teeth, whimpering as she does.
"Aww, Zed," Ben says in a sympathetic tone as he kneels down to pet the alien dog.
He initially intended to leave her at the mansion while he went on the mission. But as he thinks about it, no one else would be home, and it's hardly fair to leave her behind and take Ship with him. Especially since with Nemitrix, she can handle herself in a fight.
"Alright, come on." He said, gesturing for her to follow.
Zed barked in joy as she bounded up the ramp inside Ship, with Ben quickly following.
Once inside, Ben took his seat in the pilot chair and Zed jumped up in the co-pilot seat.
The ship immediately adjusted the chair so that it was comfortable for Zed, and Ben took the controls. The engines hummed to life, and the alien spacecraft rocketed into the upper atmosphere.
As everyone left in their respective vehicles, Iron Man opened up comms with all of them.
"Stay in radio contact. If you find anything, call it in." He ordered. "Avengers, assem… well, actually, avengers, dissemble."
With that, he activated his thrusters and blasted into the sky.
As Iron Man cut off the transmission, Ben couldn't help but feel uneasy. Hearing Iron Man say it really cemented the fact that the team was really separated. Spread out across different parts of the world. So far from each other.
If any of them get into trouble, it'll be hard for him to get there to back them up.
The Teen immediately shook his head. No, this is good. Splitting up like this is a good way for Ben to show his trust in his teammates. They can handle themselves. He just needs to have a bit of faith.
The Enchantress stood motionless with her eyes closed as if she were in some kind of trance.
Suddenly, she sharply inhaled, and a grin curled her rosy lips. Her eyes opened with a sultry sideways glance.
"They are coming," she reported. "You can finally earn your reward, Zemo. For if you and your team succeed today, Midgard will be yours, as promised."
The Masked Demon moved next to her, eyes fixed ahead as he gazed at the Norn Stone floating before them.
Everything was coming together—the entire reason they formed this team. Months of planning and observing, all for this very moment.
The Asgardian Sorceress has delivered everything she promised and more. Not only will this signify the end of the Avengers, but it will soon mark the dawn of a new age, with him as the ruler.
"You need not worry, Enchantress. I know their strengths and weaknesses now. I know the Avengers better than they know themselves," Baron Zemo reassured her, confidence knowing no bounds.