Chapter 18: Mist of Lies
Date: April 17th
Time of day: 2:30 a.m. | Kokura Airport
Two DNAlien soldiers patrolled one of the rooftops of their undisclosed headquarters…
With lanterns hanging from one hand, and blasters on the other… Things seemed to be quiet.
*POW!*
The DNAlien turned around, and immediately two hands grabbed it by the shoulders!
It's partner was knocked out! It unraveled the tentacles. but with electricity suddenly coursing through his body, his consciousness drifted away pretty fast.
Labrid put his blaster away. "Good grief."
He then picked up the lanterns, and placed them at corners visible from other patrols' perspective.
"Okay, we need to be careful."
Without warning, a green flash comes from below the complex, and the big bad wolf Blitzwolfer leaps next to him.
"I will try my best." he replies, looking back at the officer, only to have a stern look returned back to him.
"What happened to the grappler I gave you?"
To which Blitzwolfer hands it back.
Labrid shakes his head. "I was hoping you would use this to save charge in the Omnitrix."
"I know…" Blitzwolfer replies. "But I have two hours on the watch and I would like to get this done fast tonight."
"So…what's next?"
Labrid continued the disapproving look. "I had the long-range sensors disabled in the perimeter. Now we need to secure a way inside the complex."
Blitzwolfer just stepped forward, and his ears as well as nose perked up. "Let me see…"
A map of the complex morphed in the young hero's head.
"Twenty… No, twenty five guards for the next two floors." He takes another whiff. "...Ten of them are directly below, patrolling."
He then moved to put his ear to the ground… and heard a ding.
"I can hear an elevator a bit to our right, probably sending up another shift—"
"What?"
Blitzwolfer, as he was about to bring his ear back up, immediately put it back down.
"What's the issue?" Labrid approached.
The source of the noise…
"The lift I talked about just… sank to the ground. I don't... " he put a hand on his chin. "I remember the elevators in the big malls here. Even they did not go this fast…"
"A high-speed express elevator, most likely." Labrid immediately responds.
"In a building with a handful of floors?" Blizwolfer retorted. "Nah, there is no way."
Blitzwolfer slaps the dial, turning back to Ben. And the hero-in-training, narrows his eyes as well. "I think…"
He hesitated in his words. "That might be our way into the lower levels."
Ben looked back at the officer, to gauge a reaction. And in response, the officer rewarded him with a nod.
"Good instincts."
He takes out his gun, changes the setting and starts melting a hole through the elevator shaft. "The second shift should come around in 6 hours. We can get in and get out with what we need."
Ben remarks. "And what exactly do we need?"
"Information." Labrid replies. "As you know the Highbreed have been in the process of infiltrating many worlds like Earth. The next step of their plan should be stored here in their records."
Ben cracks his knuckles. "Okay, I can go Ball Weevil, find the computer, switch to Brainstorm and—"
Labrid holds out his hand. "Ben. It's true that I appreciate your enthusiasm."
The teen looks up at him. "But I anticipate this to be unlike anything in the remote outpost you broke into before."
Ben crossed his arms. " I know it is… but I believe I can handle myself."
He scoffs. "I mean Rath, for example, didn't even break a sweat tossing around those DNAliens before you fished me out today."
"And I do not question that capability." Labrid says, as the elevator arrives at the top floor yet again. "However, I believe having someone accompany you on the way may be beneficial."
"Like how I scouted you, when your grandfather disappeared…" he put his hand on Tennyson's shoulder again.
The transforming hero took a deep breath, and looked at the tall and capable officer, standing by him.
"Okay…" He muttered. "We'll do things together."
"One more thing." Labrid said. "I also observed you saving a bunch of other humans during your last mission."
"Yeah." Ben replies. "Last time, my plan was to get information too, but once I came across them, I felt like I had to take some creative liberties."
He looked down. "The last thing I wanted was to turn my back on them."
The hero's eyes glanced down. "To be honest, I wish I had the time to cure the others as well, but the Omnitrix was running on fumes…"
"It's a noble cause." Labrid said, kind of interrupting Ben's speech. "However, for this mission, I want you to promise me that your eyes will be on the goal."
Ben opened his mouth, but Labrid persisted. "No matter what you see in there, I need you to stick close."
"I'm already concerned about any countermeasures being implemented, due to your last break-in on their unsuspecting outpost. I would like for my focus to not be divided anymore, understand?"
Ben closed his mouth, and responded with a soft nod.
"Thank you. Now, we will use these for infiltration…" Labrid tossed him an ID Mask. "I believe you're familiar with what you need to do."
Ben takes a look at it. "Yep, just like last time, but won't you need one..?."
Labrid shakes his head and takes out another. "I always carry a spare, just in case."
He puts it on his face and his image shifts to one of a DNAlien. Ben does the same and, looking at his black claws, he can tell it worked.
The pair carefully stepped on top of the elevator.
And the lift then suddenly started speeding down to the ground.
Ben lost his footing and levitated, but Labrid caught him by his hand, with his own feet magnetized to the ground.
Eventually, the elevator stopped. They were here.
Ben once again stepped onto the elevator, feeling his own weight. "That was a bit close."
Making sure the inside was empty, the pair first snuck into the elevator, and then through the open door, snuck into the base itself.
"Remember…" Labrid said under his breath. "We're here for information only."
Ben nodded and the two started walking around.
To Ben, things didn't really seem all that different. He had seen the weird Highbreed style on its own, not merged with structures that humans built, a little bit back at the first base.
And Labrid didn't seem phased either, with him not flinching to anything, and making sure the two walk side by side on equal pacing.
"I guess that's what you get for being a space cop…"
The thing that really put him on edge though… were the sheer numbers.
Multiple DNAliens were passing by them on the corridors. Either with their rifles, patrolling.
Either with clipboards, megaphones and… levitating wheelbarrows, transporting materials.
The amount of people they had running this place… Every time someone new walked by, it only gave him more anxiety to bottle up.
On top of the already bone-chilling temperature.
"It's like a deep storage vault." he could barely resist the urge to look around like a kid in a candy store.
"What are they even—"
And then it happened.
As they were walking on the right side of the corridor, Ben made the mistake… of peeking into a room.
"How many…"
It looked like something straight off The Matrix. People, all stored in a bunch of pods, Xenocites strapped to their faces, in a cylindrical room, with the roof nowhere in sight.
His blood ran cold. He… he couldn't find the words. What—
Labrid pulled him back next to him, and together they entered a new room.
One that was completely closed off, with only a holotable in the center.
As Labrid's disguise, and the other DNAliens in the room made eye contact, the aliens chose to walk out.
"Okay, what was that?" Ben chooses to speak up.
"A signal." Labrid said. "I've instructed them to stand guard outside."
The Plumber officer then makes a move towards the holotable. And Ben, also still in the DNAlien disguise, can barely keep himself from freaking out.
"No, not that." He says. "You also saw the room. Just what are they doing to all those people in those pods… How do they have stored so many?"
Labrid lifts up his head, however hesitates to speak.
"I know you have an idea about this place, Magister." Ben, biting his tongue, channels anger.
He slams the table.
"I'm the protector of this planet and the wielder of the Omnitrix."
His tone runs cold as well. "I demand to know."
In the battle of exercising authority, Labrid… doesn't try. "Fine."
"I believe you already know they infiltrate the locals with their Xenocites…"
"Yeah." Ben immediately replied, feeling his voice becoming frantic. "Kinda figured that one out myself when I saw a whole base of them, AND saw a few of their Xenocites leech off my friends faces! What else?"
"What's the deal about…" he struggles to find the word. "Putting people in these… in these pods?"
Labrid doesn't hesitate in ripping off the bandaid. "Those, Ben Tennyson, are an additional contingency."
Ben's eyes widen, and Labrid starts speaking on the questions that might have swirled in his head, as his hands worked on the holotable.
"As you know, these Xenocites are parasites that overwrite their host's DNA with their own, turning them into obedient efficient drones in a couple of hours. However, there is one flaw…"
Labrid turns to him. "Due to them being unable to retain the mental capability of their original counterpart, they lack any of the memories, emotions, habits."
He gestures forward. "And so, this system of stasis pods are designed, so that as the Xenocite keeps the victim in a catatonic state, the pod downloads the mental frame of the victim, for later upload into the slave."
"And so, they get to replicate everything that's outside of an ID-mask's range…"
"... to be literally undetectable." Ben uttered.
The people he saved…
"One of them…" Ben said. "One of them had these 'special compartments' built into her pod though. What's up with that?"
"Hmm…" Labrid puts a hand on his chin. "I'm not quite sure. Maybe they had an ability that hindered the transition…"
Ben put a hand on his chin too. "Hindered the… Wait, quirks—!"
"Can they replicate quirks too?"
Labrid, thankfully, shook his head. "I don't believe so, but that wouldn't necessarily stick out, according to the records I've read about this sector."
He turned to the young hero, as a rough and extremely plain hologram came up.
"Most people who are even allowed to use their abilities, consist of pro-heroes which are reported as an oversaturation within the society."
Ben tilted his head, unable to connect the dots fully.
Labrid sighed. "So, in this state, I do not believe many people would notice if a couple of those heroes took time off. And even if they did, I can only think of one place where their individual research would take them—"
Ben… conceded. He shook his head, indicating that he doesn't want to hear any further.
He turned his attention to the hologram.
It was one word, and one input box.
"Password?" he guessed.
After the brief scare he got, it was hard to get back into the hero mood. "One Brainstorm coming up."
However Labrid just types in one word, unlocking it.
Ben throws a glance at him.
"It refers to a titan of the same name in their culture." The Magister elaborates.
"Huh…" Ben says. "A professional right at home…"
"All with just a good plan and experience and no punches. No wonder he worked with grandpa…"
With the holotable systems unlocked, an entire map of the entire base comes before them.
"I'm in."
"Great. Now we…" Ben stumbles on his words. "What do we access now? Base operations?"
"I have an idea. Give me time." Labrid continues to type.
The details of the base come into view one after the other. The large supply depots, the storage units… or rather humans currently in stasis pods, spaceship hangars, DNAlien patrol patterns, camera implacements… all under this one small airport.
"It's the DNAlien grand central." Ben muttered.
However, Labrid, the deputized agent of the Plumbers, paid no heed. As he had other priorities. "No registered tanks… No mechanized forces at all actually…"
He continued to type. "Let's see if I can access the Highbreed officer records—"
"Active projects…."
Labrid looked up and saw Ben, leaning forward.
"Let's not go one by one Magister Labrid. Time to take a look at the full picture…"
The map of the complex then suddenly warps. On the hologram, now all if not most of the Highbreed technology suddenly appears outside of the underground section, with DNAliens once again moving stuff around.
"Step 1…" Ben mutters, seeing almost a giant army of DNAliens spring up over the hologram airport.
Labrid continues tapping, and this time, several pillars rise up from the ground of the airstrip. And then multiple circular platforms grow out of the said pillars.
Ben narrowed his eyes. "Looks like they don't intend to stay secret for too long."
From what he could tell, clouds were starting to appear on top of the hologram, before a force field-like dome encased everything, clouds and all.
"What kind of elaborate ruse are they trying to run?.. What's the endgame?"
More and more DNAliens started popping up before where the old airport buildings stood, and soon started dismantling them.
In their place, two more pillars rose.
However, they quickly dwarfed the other ones with the platforms… and the clouds.
"What is that?"
They continued to go up and up, all the while growing closer.
"A…"
He watched as the two connected.
"A giant arch?"
The structure powered up. The air, and clouds started being distorted and—
The hologram turned off.
"What happened?" Ben asked, and Labrid was equally stunned.
He tried to put his hands on the table. "It wasn't me."
But the holotable sank into the ground.
And two DNAlien guards entered the chambers. Labrid immediately straightened up, Ben followed his lead.
"You two will report to storage unit 2-C."
Ben takes a deep breath. "That's not in the plan… is it?"
His eyes fell on the Omnitrix under the hologram—
But Labrid stepped forward, before he could do anything.
Ben closed his mouth and took his position by his side. "Right, stealth mission…"
He took his place on the side of Labrid, and they started following the two guards.
If they didn't want hundreds of DNAliens crawling up their butts, he needed to follow the experienced cop.
As their steps echoed in the hallway, silence enveloping them from all around, Ben's eyes drifted over to the Labrid and—
Brighter lights shone upon both of them.
Now surrounding them were a whole collection of purple, black and yellow aliens, probably all of them currently in the base, as well as…
"What are you creatures doing on my station?"
This voice was grave.
Unlike the DNAliens who felt unruly, energetic and constantly wild, this was cold, disdainful, sophisticated, irritated, and of course… alien.
The body of the source was giant and white. He had black lines running all across, four bright red marks, which were kind of shaped like eyes, implanted on his chest, and a head with shades of purple, several black horns on the side, and red slits on his face. Ben really couldn't tell which ones he used to see.
"I don't repeat myself to lower life forms." he commanded. "Take off your disguises."
Labrid stepped forward and, without taking off his mask, fell on one knee. Ben watched him with the side of his eye, before immediately turning back to look at his adversary.
In the meantime, the officer made sure to not rise until he had been told. Maybe he could convince the general otherwise, salvage the situation…
He hears the Highbreed taking steps towards him.
The metal floor was even clanging in his presence… Each motion felt grand, and powerful.
There wasn't any bloodlust though. Maybe there was still a chance—
Tennyson however overtook him.
"Ben!—"
"I'm here, general." Tennyson declared, as the mask came off and his human body sparked into place. "I'm guessing you're the top dog of this fine establishment?"
The DNAliens immediately drew their weapons, as the general assembled his hands behind his back.
"Ah, if it isn't the famous hearsay of insects, Ben Ten…"
Ben smiles. "Ben Tennyson, yeah. So, my name has made its way, even to you."
"Indeed." The Highbreed says. "Your vanquishing of the warlord known as Vilgax, has proved most fruitful."
The hero in response gritted his teeth. So, these walking, talking bananas got to benefit from this too.
"Glad that I made that solid for you." Ben opens his arms, trying to play showrunner. "Now, how about you do one for us, and let us leave for today?"
The Highbreed leans forward. "Just like that?"
"Pretty much." Ben says. "I can guarantee that it would be in your best interest. You want… whatever it is that you're running here to be still standing after we leave, right?"
However, the DNAliens didn't drop their weapons.
"No way, huh?"
"Your mere existence is bothersome to our plans…" he stares down at him. "Don't expect to walk out of here alive."
"Why do villains always say that?.." Ben pressed on the rims, and slammed the dial..
Cannonbolt burst into frame! "Let's roll!"
"Seize them!" The Highbreed commanded.
"What happened after that?"
The question rang in the silent, hollow state of the dead night.
Magister Labrid looked down at the green carpet of the room, before brushing past the studying desk, and standing before the window.
His eye checked through the reflection. The clock next to the bed showed 3:47—
"I really don't wanna turn this into something like an interrogation, Magister." the voice spoke. "But…"
He stepped forward from the shadows, letting his silver-colored armor and golden engines shine in the night.
Ingenium had almost sparked into place. "I believe our time here is limited."
Labrid also took a look around as per the pro-hero's statement. After all, it wasn't a motel that had the honor of being the background to this talk.
Nor was it a rundown abandoned warehouse that Labrid salvaged into a base.
Or even a room inside Japan's secure police stations.
It was… Tennyson's bedroom.
The teen that he just took in to help his operation… And now…
"I believe you can construct an image yourself." Labrid spoke, as in the corner behind him… the teen laid on his bed.
He had curled up into a ball. His back turned to the both of them. Shivering, wincing, trying to turn under his sheets…
…and currently in the form of Wildvine.
"As the battle began, the horde rapidly started concentrating around him." Labrid said. "I initially supported to provide breathing rooms, however he was insistent in getting me to the control room, and finding out the last part of their plan."
"Last I saw him… He had even brought the Highbreed general to his knees."
Ingenium… couldn't help but smile. "I'm guessing that's quite the achievement?"
And Labrid shook his head. "It is…"
The smile soured shortly though. "Okay, if you were doing so well, what changed?"
And Labrid's tone didn't waver. "He pulled his punches."
The Magister looked the young man in shining armor, right in the eye.
"The battle had required him to change form. Once the Arburian Pelarota gained him enough speed, he changed into an Apploplexian and launched himself with his arms put forward, like an arrow."
"As I searched for the final piece of information that was locked away, he started beating him down. Not giving him a chance to get up."
"However, then it happened." Labrid said. "I saw his claws retract and his pupils dilate…"
He sat down at the chair. "He had his opponent pinned, but he chose to get up and start battling the remaining horde, to open an escape route."
Ingenium answered. "He thought he had done him in. From what I learned, not many aliens can still be up after an Apploplexian's rage."
"Maybe so…" Labrid said. "However the general struck back."
Labrid didn't sugarcoat it any more. "Tennyson tried transforming into… a Crystalsapien to have more durability, however it was inefficient.
He tilted his head forward. "And seeing him being beaten through the screens, I did what I judged to be logical…"
Ingenium could feel his nerves strain.
The light shockwave that he could feel, repeated at the bottom of the man's feet. The slight ripple in his coffee as he sat at his desk…
"You blew it up."
Labrid spoke. "I initiated the self-destruct, and after managing to stun the general briefly, I grabbed Tennyson from the ground and escaped…"
"As otherwise, if left unchecked, the Highbreed would only relocate and sanitize the area again."
"You… sacrificed all those people…" Ingenium opened his—
"If I let him go, the Highbreed would only venture to acquire even more humans to make into slaves." Labrid stepped towards him. "That's what his orders are. That's what he would have done."
Ingenium then closed the rest of the distance.
"So it's just okay to sacrifice people?!" Aggression peaked in his voice. "That's how you're going to save the planet?!"
However, Labrid's much colder response overtook him, almost like a fire being extinguished. "If it's to save a larger collective."
Ingenium stepped back and Labrid… shook his head.
"I apologize." he said, and looked away. "Perhaps it was my incompetence…"
"Perhaps there *was* another way." He paused. "However, I can't afford to dwell on it. I… *We* have to carry on, for the sake of everyone still remaining."
Ingenium opened his mouth to respond but, in that moment, Ben… who laid asleep during all this time… transformed back. Making his scarred and wounded apparence more evident, along with the ripped clothes he was wearing.
Ingenium's eyes widened, making him wince at the sight…
Labrid, also froze up, before pulling the sheet over Ben a little bit more.
"In an hour, I will transform him once again. That should be enough, I assume."
The pro-hero put his gaze back on the old-timer Plumber.
"So, what?" he asked. "You're just going to put him back on the field? Like nothing happened?"
"No, not unlike what happened—"
But Ingenium didn't want to listen.
"Has it not sunk in, Magister?! You shouldn't continue like this!"
He was trying to hold back his tone, just so that Ben or his mom wouldn't wake up, but someone had to speak the facts.
"What you need is a fully armed and trained Plumber squad from the headquarters, not one kid. Omnitrix bearer, or not."
And in response, Labrid opens his mouth: "Maybe so…"
All before taking out another holodisk.
"What's that?" Ingenium asked as the Magister made a move towards the teen's desk.
He was clearly not listening…
The magister muttered: "I hope he can find it in him again…"
Ingenium curiously looks at him. "Find what?"
Labrid sets down the holodisk…
Ben 10: Hero Force
Chapter 18
Mist of Lies
"So, how is U.A. honey?"
As morning arrived, and life was injected into the Yaoyorozu real estate, the whole family, even the butler standing by on the edge of the room, had assembled in the dining room, eating their breakfast.
"It's been a delight." Yaoyorozu said as she lightly wiped her mouth on the napkin. "The curriculum is told in a very interesting way. The teachers seem really knowledgeable."
"Is that so?" the dad answered with one hand holding chopsticks and on the other, holding a stylus pen, glancing at the tablet on the table. "I knew we made the right choice."
"But it's not like Shiketsu had a less stellar reputation." Her mother tries to defend. "I heard the top recommended student went there."
"Then it looks like he made the wrong choice…" The father looks up. "With All Might as her teacher, our little girl can learn from the very best! Just what she deserves!"
Yaomomo looks away, embarrassed by her father's praise.
Her father then notices the notebook under her hand.
"Is there a question you need help with?" he points Alfred to—
"No!" She grabbed the notebook and grabbed it with both hands. "It's something…"
She struggled to lie.
But a light bulb shortly went off in her head. "... I've just been working on my hero costume."
As she held the book close, she picked up the chopsticks. "After the first exercises, I thought it could use some maintenance at the development studio..."
"Really, what kind of maintenance did you have in mind?"
"Something rather small…" She continues. "Maybe switching the fabric to something easier to move in—"
"Speaking on that darling…" Her mom spoke. "Would you also be interested in adding *more* fabric?"
She raised her hand. *Ahem.* *Ahem.*
Yaomomo knew that her mom had a problem with that…
She looked up for support from her father and Alfred…
But they were literally looking away.
She deadpanned. "Do they have a problem with it as well?!…"
Yaomomo took a more defensive stance. "I know, mother. However, having more of my skin exposed, helps my creation—"
Launchpad opened the door. "Hey Little Miss Y., I parked the limo up front—"
"Oh good, school time." She perked up from her seat with the notebook in hand. "Excuse me."
"Have fun at school!" Her mom yells behind her… before turning to her husband. "Why don't you say anything when I bring up her costume?"
The husband, with his face buried in the tablet, says: "As her father, it's my job to support my daughter's decisions…"
He mutters though, under his breath. "...and besides, her coming around on her own, would be the better teacher."
Yaoyorozu comes downstairs with her backpack over her arm and the notebook still in hand.
Launchpad asks. "So, we ready to go?"
She looks around. "Yes, I believe we are."
From the table, her family waves goodbye, and as they enter the limo, she opens the notebook.
Letting the pages brush on past, with one of them even containing an hourglass symbol, she arrives at her latest inputs…
…containing a bunch of scribbling, crossing over, and basically no coherent writing.
Midoriya said. "You don't have any idea?"
And Yaoyorozu shook her head in response. "Unfortunately…"
The pair were now in their class, getting the chance to talk before Aizawa arrived and the homeroom got started.
"Did you perhaps have any luck?" she asks, however the greenette responded in kind.
Regardless, Midoriya was undeterred. He crossed his arms and looked forward. "We're overthinking this."
His gaze then ended up at Yaoyorozu's face. "After all, Tennyson is our friend. If we say what we suspect, he could just come around."
However, Yaomomo hesitantly shook her head again. "No, I…"
She holds up her hands.
"I don't believe being forward with what we suspect is going to yield any results."
"At least… It didn't yield any, from my experience…"
That interaction after the combat trial still rang true in her head.
She could guess that it was something Ben wanted to hide…
But Midoriya… and…
"...and I… want to help him." She muttered. "If that's what's troubling him, then as someone in the know, I have to act… However I also have to stress being as non-intrusive as possible. It is my duty to balance both."
It was a tough balance though. All throughout her life… she had never thought she could be under circumstances like this.
"Maybe… we're being too brash with our decision making…" She says. "Maybe we can meet again tomorrow, Midoriya? Take more time?"
The pupil of All Might looked hesitant to her, and she could understand. Midoriya was someone who could be quite caring as well, and it must be killing him to not be able to act for his friends.
However, in the end, Midoriya responded. "Yeah, okay…"
And walked off to his seat.
Yaomomo did the same, and looked down to her hands. "And, we must also not ignore the chance that our theory is incorrect."
"Maybe it could be an issue between his family, maybe that mood of Tennyson was just a special case for yesterday—"
"Good morning class." Aizawa came in. "Homeroom has started."
Yaomomo raised her eyes with his arrival… and saw exactly what the Erasure Hero had noticed.
"Where is Tennyson?"
And, maybe even more concerningly, the class's response was one of silence and wandering curious gazes. "Huh..."
It felt suspicious to the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A, call it the hunch that the USJ left behind on the bandaged hero.
However, he was also sensible enough to not immediately throw a hissy fit.
"Well, since our all-famous hero had better things to attend to…" he said with sarcasm. "...I guess he'll miss the homeroom."
Yaomomo then saw Kirishima nudge Midoriya.
He asked: "Dude, you really have no idea either?"
And all Midoriya could say was. "No…"
In the meantime, across the school, Tennyson was… having a less than stellar experience.
The whole world felt like it was spinning… and aching.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Uh, where…" Even remembering was enough to give him a headache… or was this what they called a migraine?
He could barely keep his eyes open, and his face…. Felt bad as well. "What is…"
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
He slid his hand across, it was something black… and maybe a little red.
*Knock* *Kn—
"Could someone… knock that off?" He laughed to himself. "Still… got it."
Nevertheless, it was like someone took a hammer and was pounding it to his head…
However, he then heard some words accompanying the pounding. They were coming from behind… behind the door—!
"Ben, honey?" Sandra knocks at the door. "Can I come in?"
He gets up, still hazy, looking at his tattered clothes. "No."
"Ben, the school started at 7, honey." she continued tapping on the door. "I told you to get going right now!"
He jumps up, starting to take off the t-shirt, pants, undershirt. "Okay, give me a second, I'll be right there!"
And with another hand, he reaches for his cupboard's door, trying to get to his school uniform.
"Ben, just let me in. All right?" her mom continued to knock on the door, with the rate increasing.
"No! You can't come in. I… uh… I'm so naked!" He said the first thing that came to mind. "You can't come in!"
He put on his pants, and socks. Oh wait, where was the shirt?!
"You have to get going now, Ben!" her mom starts messing with the knob as well.
"Okay, okay—" He still had his ripped clothes from before. He looked around all over…
His mom was still at the door though…
*Knock* *Knock *Knock *Knock*
And at this point it was starting to piss him off!
*Knock* "Ben, you need to—"
She felt the lock turn, and immediately she barged right in. Her son was sitting on the bed, only half dressed.
"Told you I was naked."
She sat down on the bed, and started looking at his face with both hands.
"Hey! Why—" He grabbed her hands. "What are you doing?"
"Are you all right?" she asks. "What happened to your face? It's filthy."
He… paused. His eyes darted around.
"It is?"
"Yes." she answered with certainty.
"Umm… Oh yeah, yeah, I cleaned my wardrobe yesterday."
Her mom, confused and still angry, answers. "No, you didn't. I did that."
A blank expression overtakes his face. "...Um. You sure?"
At this point, she shakes her head. They have no time for this. "You're late."
"I know, I'm late…" Ben knocks the dumbfounded expression, but she doesn't give him a chance.
"Get dressed, now."
"I am…" he opens his arms, and then sees his shirt on the chair. Ben gets up to put that one… and then the jacket. He should still wash his face too…
"What about breakfast?..." All the while her mom sighs, and just…. Ben was grasping at straws here.
"Don't worry about it." He grabs her by the shoulders and pushes her to the door. "I'll deal with it."
"What do you—"
"I'll make do!" Ben frustratedly raises his arms. "Just put something on the counter, and I'll eat that on the way."
She… nods in response. "Alright…"
She grabs the knob, closing it… but Ben, at the last second, bites his tongue and…
"Good morning by the way…" he loses the anger in his tone. "I love you."
"I love you too." she swiftly responds. "Hurry up."
As soon as the door closes, Ben reaches to his bed, and lifts one hand full with the filthy clothes, from behind the pillow, but with his head briefly spinning, he finds himself on the floor.
"Ow…" He looked ahead of himself, before using the chair as support.
"What am I going to do with these…" he pondered. "Can't go through the front door. Maybe Wildvine can do a quick drop-off from the window…"
His eyes, as he looked around, fell on the holo-disk on his desk.
Without a second thought, he presses on its side. Magister Labrid comes into frame.
"Hello Ben."
The transforming hero immediately notices a more melancholic tone.
"First of all, I would like to apologize… that the mission did not go as I envisioned."
"The mission…." he muttered. What did Labrid mea—
It all rushed back to him.
Ben… collapses onto his seat. The memories of the brawl… Eating the dirt as both Chromastone and Rath, he…
"I've been too eager," he says. "Preparing the mission was my job, and I failed to be considerate, and chose the largest possible target… before I could divulge any prior training onto you."
Ben squeezed his fist, with the veins also showing. "No, Labrid, you didn't fail. I…"
"I take full responsibility…for the lives lost."
"The explosion…"
Ben can't help, rise up and smash the side of his desk with his hand. "No! I—!"
"What was that?" her mom shouts at him.
"One minute!" Ben yells back.
"However, in the advent that… "
Labrid sighs. "...In the case that you would like to retry our joint operation, come to the alleyway where you left your school bag."
He looked up to Ben.
"I believe that we can do great things for your planet." Labrid says, holding out his hand, speaking with conviction. "You might not get the credit you want from being a public hero, or you might not have the recognition to stand alongside your friends."
"However, I can assure you that… This way, you would be able to protect them. Your choice."
"End transmission."
Ben's back falls back to his seat.
He puts a hand on his eyes… and then slides it across his face.
His eyes stare off into the distance, beyond the confines of the window… and the street behind it.
His whole body feels numb, as only what's going through his head feels like the actual reality. Everything else… feels distant, far behind him.
Eventually however, he blinks, and a pressing feeling on his chest appears once more.
The trance he put himself in, ceases to be, and the ability to feel, returns to his fingertips.
"Now…" he gets up. "I have to get to school."
He takes the holo-viewer with him. "Where is my bag?-!"
His eyebrows launch up, as the realization washes over—
"SHIT!"
"Language!" says Iida from across the class.
"What?!" Bakugo barks back. "Admit it four-eyes, the class-rep job you got is a shitshow anyway. Why should anyone listen to you?!"
"If you're quite finished with your comments…" Aizawa looks from his stand with red eyes, immediately shutting up the ash-blonde. "I would like to confirm that the class-representatives truly have nothing to report?"
Yaoyorozu raises her hand. "No, Mr. Aizawa."
He nods. "Then, I…"
The door suddenly burst open, and perhaps the messiest student in his whole career teaching here, entered.
"Hey everyone."
His clothes were wrinkly, the tie was not properly centered, parts of his hair got in the way of his eyes, and his bag was completely covered in thorns…
"You're late." Aizawa said, regardless of what he saw.
"Yeah, I know." Tennyson immediately waved it off. "Do I have to pick up a paper or something from the principal?"
Aizawa shook his head to the sides.
"Okay good…" he then trudged inside. And Aizawa watched as his student didn't even care to fix up how he looks just a little bit.
It would usually annoy him, but then again… If Tennyson doesn't seem to care, why should he?
"Homeroom is over," he announced. "Get ready for your English class with Present Mic."
Eraser Head exited the room, Ben took his seat, it looked like just another school day, but…
Midoriya leaned over to him. "Hey Tennyson."
But Ben didn't seem to react.
"Umm…"
He saw Jiro look back over her shoulder. And when she also saw him, she fully turned around in her seat.
"Hey." She waved her hand in front of his face. "Tennyson, what's with you..?"
"Hmm?.." Ben looked up. "Oh, Jiro."
"Good, you're still alive." Jiro remarked. "What kind of abyss did you slip off to just now?"
Ben settled for a shrug. "Sleep?"
"Well, wake up." She answers, before then turning her head. "Midoriya?"
The greenette flinched as Tennyson's worn out gaze slid over to him.
"I-I wanted to ask why you were late…"
"Oh, that." Tennyson's eyebrows slightly shot up. "I… fell into a thorn bush." He shrugged.
Midoriya felt like he was hit with a flashbang.
"You're kidding us, right?" Jiro, very bluntly, answered.
"Yeah, no, it was a really big one…" He raised his hands. "Like, I thought I ran into the vine girl from Class 1-B…"
But, nevermind Jiro, not even Midoriya seemed to buy it.
"Okay." Ben straightened up and crossed his arms. "I don't want to talk about it alright?"
He saw that Yaomomo had also approached them. "I'm not breaking any dress code, am I?" Ben gestured to his current messy style.
She was put off by the lack of playfulness."No, however your swings of mood ever since the USJ has made us concerned …"
"And, I don't mean to be judgemental but, this feels like you're trying to brush us off."
Kirishima also raised his voice. "Yeah man, you kinda feel on edge."
"I never took you for the scared type." Jiro crossed her arms. "We're here to hear you out."
Ben then felt a hand on his shoulder.
"That's right. I… *We* want you to remember that you are not required to shoulder your own feelings alone. We're here for you—"
"I know you are." Tennyson interrupted, and looked up to her. "And…"
He shook his head, and looked down at his clasped hands. "That's enough."
Tennyson raised his head at the friends surrounding him.
"It has been a busy last couple of days since then, I'll admit. To be honest, even with Jetray, Wildvine, Cannonbolt, I've been feeling kind of stretched thin…"
"But, believe me when I say it. I'm fine, and whatever it is that I got going on, I can take care of it myself."
He got up from his seat.
Midoriya… didn't speak, but all that he listened to… He could feel them being drowned out by alarm bells ringing in his head.
"Tennyson…" Yaomomo reached out again, but Ben didn't take it.
"I said I'm fine Yaomomo."
He started walking away, and Midoriya, still not wanting to let go, asked. "Where are you going?"
"The bathroom." Ben responded, not turning around to face him. "I really just need to splash some water on my face."
"You sure you don't need anything else?.." Jiro then remarked, crossing her arms. However… Ben didn't respond.
No quips, no jokes. He didn't even turn around.
She opened her arms. "That, officially, doesn't look fine."
"I agree…"
Jiro turned her head and saw that Momo was the one who spoke up.
"However…"
She clearly looked saddened. "There is nothing more we can do."
The school day went by in a flash.
Before long, the transforming hero was on the pathway of the school, moving towards the gates.
The steps that he took were slow, his eyes were down on his feet. The bag that he carried seemed to be cleaned up a little bit, but now that it hung from the hands assembled behind him, the bottom was in danger of scraping against the ground.
Even if it did though, he wouldn't hear. The wind blowing past him, the cars rushing one after the other upon the green light appearing, none of them seemed to be any concern, as their windows reflected a somber… and contemplated face.
His feet reach the end of the pathway.
Ben raises his head. All he had to do now was find that alleyway, and it would be time for hero work…
"YO TENNYSON, WAIT UP!"
Quickly, the muscular arm of Kirishima wrapped around his neck. "You really gonna leave without saying goodbye? Where are you going?"
"Nowhere, don't worry…" Ben struggled to breathe. "Wouldn't even dream of it!"
His eyes then wandered around though. Kirishima wasn't the type to go alone and…
His eyes narrowed. Yep, as he thought, Midoriya and Yaomomo were in close follow.
He groaned.
"I thought I was clear back in class." Ben said, rescuing himself from Kirishima's grip. "Thanks but—"
"We're not here to talk about that." Yaoyorozu raised her hand. "We understand and trust that you are capable of handling your own problems."
She looked away. "I just wanted to apologize… in case we caused any distress."
Ben slowed down in response. "Oh…"
His voice came out softer.
"No Yaomomo, you haven't." He put a hand behind his neck. "I'm, sorry if I came off a little irritable, and made you feel that way."
Ben looked away as well.
He had been so busy thinking about last night, the hero work, Labrid's message… that he didn't give his friends any light of day.
He made Yaomomo feel responsible.
Ben blurted out. "To be honest, there is no way that you could make me distressed."
Yaomomo's eyes drifted back up. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" Ben's itching behind the neck became more frantic. "You're great Yaomomo. You're caring. You look out for all of us. Even though Iida got the job as the main man because of his stunt, I think you would make a great class prez."
"I… wasn't aware you thought that way." Yaomomo struggled to find the words.
"Sorry that I couldn't show it." Ben's hand relaxed. "Congrats on the job by the way."
"Thanks." Yaomomo smiled.
And… Ben did too.
"Sorry that I'm several days late." he continued, before showing the Omnitrix. "This thing just has a terrible sense of time." He jokingly pressed on it.
And Yaomomo only found it more amusing. "No, it's fine, really!"
The two laughed, as the other two classmates watched on, with a smile as well.
And Ben, couldn't help but cherish the moment. It… felt nice to be able to open up about something for once.
However, that only made what followed so much harder.
"I just promised my mom that I would run some errands today." he opened his mouth again, struggling to not let his smile fade. "So… I need to rush out."
Yaomomo also recomposed from her laugh. "I could, at the very least, drop you off where you need to be, if you want."
Ben raised his hand. "Nah, you guys go on ahead. I wouldn't want to bother you in your—"
The black and silver limo suddenly appeared out of nowhere, cutting through the air like hot knife through butter, parking right in front of them, all the while being as sleek and cool as possible.
Launchpad poked his head out of the window. "Someone rang?"
"...in the wide, fancy limo you have." Ben… babbled for a second.
"Sometimes I forget she's rich…"
"You wouldn't bother." Momo said. "There is enough room."
But Ben, still holding up his hand, remained confident in his decision, and she respected it.
Tennyson ran off to the left of the school, with his bag going up and down on his back.
"Come on everyone." Yaomomo then turned to what remained of the group. "I can at least drop you off."
Midoriya… didn't know what to say. That little talk with Tennyson… really brought her bouncy nature back.
"Well, if you insist!"
Kirishima, very enthusiastically, hopped in first, and with his butt and back touching down on the leather, he exclaimed. "Wow, it's so comfy in here Yaomomo!"
"I know right?!" Launchpad quickly adapted to Kirishima's energy.
The two's playful banter also only helped her further.
She tried channeling a playful sarcasm.
"Is that so?.. I'm glad you found it that way."
She also hopped inside, and before closing the door…
"Midoriya?" The creation girl called out. "Are you joining us?"
The greenette shook his head. "Yeah, yeah…" He was just so caught up in watching his friends.
He entered, and as he closed the door behind him, bore witness to utmost luxury…
There was a blend between the navy blue seats inside the black limo. It was decked out with three seats in the back, and three seats on the opposing side, with the divider window right in between that and the driver.
Though they weren't open, there were also lights up top, but as well as the light coming from the windows, there was a sunroof. And then, the light breeze coming from the air conditioning just completed the set for him.
"Is that everyone, Little Miss?" the driver asked.
"Yes, it is Launchpad." Yaoyorozu answered.
"Alright!" he quickly lowered the hand break, and got into traffic with a smug smile…
Only for the coin to drop.
He pulls over. "Wait, where am I going?"
"Um…" Yaoyorozu looks at Midoriya who had gotten the seat next to her in the back, and Kirishima who had gotten the seat on her front. "Whose estate shall we go to first?"
"You can drop me off at the train station, if you want." Midoriya sheepishly raised his hand. "I love being here, but I can go the rest of the—"
"Nonsense!" the driver speaks up again. "In Launchpad airlines, there are no stops in between the destination… and the start."
"Alright…" Midoriya said.
"If you're living far away, Midoriya, we can drop me off first." Kirishima says. "Since Yaomomo probably has to be last."
"I'm fine with that." Midoriya shrugged, and Kirishima described the road to Launchpad.
"Okay, a U-turn… It was on the left of the school, right?" he reaffirms, and the sturdy hero nods.
Midoriya in the meantime, turns his gaze to Yaoyorozu, who just seemed to have stars in her eyes.
"Maybe I read too much into everything…"
He shook his head. Tennyson seemed just fine. His friends were all in the limo happy and smiling as well. Maybe he spread misinformation, and caused worry… for nothing.
The thought made him feel guilty. But if he wasn't going to rain on their parade any longer, he needed to keep a smile.
After all, everything was fin—
Midoriya, all of a sudden, saw those stars disappear. "Launchpad…"
The driver immediately slammed his foot into the breaks.
"Can you move back… a little?"
Launchpad obliged, and very slowly backed up the car, until she said stop.
Midoriya leaned forward, just as curious.
From the closed window of the limo, and the absolutely spotless view from the glass, the greenette saw an alleyway.
Dirty, comparatively in the dark, and sketchy as all heck. In the middle of it though, stood their friend.
"Tennyson?" Kirishima could also look through with one eye. "What is he doing there?"
But the remaining pair could care less about what Ben was doing in an alley. Their concern… laid on who else was there.
The towering figure above Tennyson in a brown trenchcoat and hat…
And from Tennyson's hand gestures, they could tell that the two were talking.
"Midoriya, perhaps do you—" Yaoyorozu asked, however the protege of All Might immediately made sure to shake his head.
He had no idea who this person was.
Tennyson then nodded at him, and as the guy in the coat ran away, he reached for the dial. Jetray came to view, and Tennyson soared to the skies.
Silence took hold of the limo, aside from Launchpad who was just as clueless as ever. "So, in this city with the U.A. you saw…. That on your left. And if you look on your right…"
"Launchpad…" Yaomomo spoke up. Her voice was dutiful… but troubled.
She looked down, and sat silent. Her heart had started to beat faster. The longer she thought, the higher chance that he would… get away.
"May I ask that you follow…"
Launchpad puts down the handbrake, and so she immediately adds."...using the road?"
Deciding this felt like a bitter pill to swallow, however she was the vice president…
"If you say so!" He floored it after the red and yellow manta-ray.
"Hey… Woah!" Kirishima said as the car wildly swerved with Launchpad's driving.
He turned to Yaomomo. "Why— Why are we following them all of a sudden?"
The rich girl opened her mouth, but she immediately closed it back up, biting her lip.
And that… didn't exactly answer Kirishima's questions, so he turned to the only other person.
"Midoriya?"
The greenette flinched.
"What's going on?"
"Uh…" Midoriya looked away.
He didn't know how to respond! It was a secret between Yaoyorozu and him, and… It wasn't exactly his secret to give away!
"Oh it's nothin my red haired friend." Launchpad… spoke up?
He adjusted the rear view window. "I mean, I can't say I know what's goin on here pretty well myself.
"But I could tell…" he looked down at the glove box. "... All from how much I learned from these roads, that Little Miss had a soft spot for someone—"
Yaomomo instantly started blushing. "No! No no no!
She waved her hands. "Launchpad, please, don't spread misinformation like that!"
Her hands covered her face again, but this time, her head was a bit more clear.
No matter what Launchpad said, she knew Kirishima was still lost on the subject. So, she needed to…
Her hands went to her hair. She was a whole mess of emotions right now. Yaomomo knew she needed to recompose—
"The truth is…" she then heard Midoriya start, so she immediately dropped her hands. His words stopped there though, and his glance… was on her.
She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. Her face goes back to its natural color, and as she opens them, she gives him a nod… to continue.
As the sun was setting, Launchpad turned to the trio from his seat. "We're here Little Miss Y."
Yaomomo looked out of the window, and saw a flash of green near an entrance. He's here.
Midoriya also looked out. They had arrived… to the shipyard?
The pair then saw the figure in the trenchcoat, meet up with the transformed Tennyson and head inside.
"Thank you, Launchpad." She then rolled up her sleeves.
"Here you go everyone." A pink, fairy dust-like glow appeared, and three binoculars with green lenses fell out.
As Midoriya picked one up, and pointed to it, she answered: "These are also equipped with night-vision."
Kirishima also picked up the last one.
"Hey, what about me?" Launchpad said.
She turned to her thrill-seeking driver.
"I apologize, Launchpad." She says. "I know how much you like adventure, but… can I ask you to stay here?"
"Yeah." Kirishima backs her up. "Just in case we need to make a speedy getaway?"
Midoriya shook his head. "Though I doubt we could actually get away from Jetray, it would still give us an advantage…"
Launchpad looked at all of them and…
As his gaze ended up at Yaomomo, he said. "Anything for you, Little Miss!"
She nodded with a smile, thanking Launchpad once again.
The trio get out of the car, and tiptoe into the facility as well. They hide behind one of the intermodal containers and poke their heads out.
Midoriya used his binoculars first, and pointed to an oil tank. "There…"
Yaomomo also used hers and confirmed. It was Tennyson and the guy in the trench coat.
"The two are still talking, huh?" Kirishima said, before the guy reached for his face and…!
"WHA—!" he yelled before Midoriya covered his mouth.
The man's figure had completely changed! Now he looked like a fish with a bubble helmet, four normal limbs and full-on armor!
"What… Is that camouflage…" Midoriya was also at a loss for words.
Yaoyorozu felt a shiver run down her spine.
She put a finger over her mouth. "Someone is coming."
Following her word, two trucks arrived on the scene. One was red and silver, the other white and dark green.
Out of the red and silver one, guys in red robes and obstructed faces came out.
While out of the other, just regular people came out. One rocked a black goatee with a brown suit, along with a black tie. The other had a bit of a male pattern baldness going on, with a blue jacket, black shirt, and beige colored pants.
Just that, ordinary people…
"Guys, am I the only one getting jitters out of all this?" Kirishima took off the binoculars for a second.
"I know…" Midoriya followed his lead as he responded. "Me too…"
It all felt weird. The lack of information, watching as two… "sides" as he could call them, came out. There was also their friend who was also "staking out".
He felt out of depth…
"Yaoyorozu, what do you think?" Kirishima said. "Maybe it's time to leave early?"
"Not yet…" she remarked, not lifting her head from the binoculars. "There is one more incoming…"
The boys put on theirs again, and watched.
As the sun reached the coastline, soon to disappear, the lights of a new vehicle showed itself. Following it, a roar from the engine also made itself apparent, almost like it was announcing that it was about to carve its own place.
The glances of both parties, which were normally focused on each other, turned.
As a green and black muscle car… arrived on the scene.