Ben 10: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Chapter 31 (Early Preview) (Patreon)

Chapter 31: Adaptation

Present

New York

In the briefing room of Avengers Mansion, Ben sat alongside Tony, Thor, Ant-Man, Hulk, Hank, and Janet. The holographic display above the table projected a rotating list of faces, names, and last-known locations of escapees from the global breakout.

Tony cleared his throat. The hologram zoomed in on one of the faces. "All right, here's what we know. We are still waiting on the remaining list of high-priority escapees from the Raft at large from SHIELD." 

So far, the only one crossed off the list was Graviton. Still, now that Graviton's existence was public, SHIELD was currently in discussions with the courts regarding Graviton's detainment and lack of a criminal conviction within the scope of SHIELD's jurisdiction for national security. Franklin Hall may have been driven mad, but the Avengers agreed that the man deserved a fair shake after being detained without a trial for so long.

They saw the faces and profiles of Baron Zemo, Purple Man, Wendigo, Lion God, and Baron Blood. 

Tony huffed. "Unfortunately for us, both Baron Strucker and Baron Zemo, figureheads of Hydra, are on the loose."

Janet raised a brow, "What are the chances that they waste time and compete against each other for control?"

Tony hummed. "I'd say 60/40. And considering the recent Hydra Attack on the UN, I'd assume that there is a base somewhere on the East Coast.

Ben sighed as he pulled up the Wendigo profile. "I encountered the Wendigo back during the breakout and thought I had disarmed it. However, I had forgotten to take into account a healing factor."

Hank took a closer look at the profile. "Assuming that it follows animal instincts, I would assume it looked for a place to recuperate. Judging by the amount of fur and color, it likely went somewhere with a colder climate."

"So toward Maine or most of Canada… That's gonna suck."

Ben kept his focus. "Do we have any leads on Wendigo's last sighting?"

Tony nodded, switching to another file. "So, reconnaissance is priority one. We'll monitor where escapees were last sighted and possible targets."

Hank narrowed his eyes. "And how do you plan on doing this surveillance?"

"With Jarvis hacking into CCTV and some recon drones."

Ben, Janet, and Hank stared at the tech mogul. "And you don't see anything wrong with that?"

"What?..."

Janet crossed her arms. "Doesn't that seem a little, you know, big brother?"

Hulk was also not a fan of the pseudo-police state implication.

Meanwhile, Thor was trying to understand the metaphor.

Tony blinked. "I-. Uh… Hmm…”

Ben rubbed the back of his head. "It's not a good look if the public learns this is a standard practice."

Tony held up a hand. "That… is a good point. We'll put that back on the drawing board. Does anyone have better suggestions?"

Ben was about to speak up when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced down, seeing Emma's name. Ben raised a hand. "Do you mind if I step out for a second? I gotta take this. It's important."

Tony shrugged. "Alright, fine. Five-minute break, everyone."

In the hallway, Ben answered. 

"Ben!"

"Hey, Emma. Long time, no see."

"Are you busy right now?"

Ben peeked into the room to see Thor and Hulk distracted by something else. Meanwhile, Tony and Hank were discussing a prediction algorithm. "I'm good. How's college going?"

"It's been okay.  I just wanted to catch up and let you know, but it's also very, very complicated."

Ben grew concerned. "Oh, I hope it's nothing bad. Do you want to talk about it now?"

Emma smiled. "Thanks, Ben. I appreciate the offer. I know I'd feel better talking to you about it. But it's kind of a sensitive topic. I'd rather not talk about it over the phone. Are you free this afternoon or tomorrow?"

Ben checked the time and thought about the plans for tomorrow. "Tomorrow afternoon should be fine."

"Alright. I'll text you where to meet up." 

"Anytime, Emma. You know I'm here for you."

"I know."

"We'll catch up soon, alright?"

"Alright. Bye, Ben."

The Next Day

Emma sat across from Ben in a small coffee shop near campus. She was nervous, finally looking up at him. "Thanks for coming. I'm sorry if I'm imposing or something."

Ben waved it off. "No worries. Thankfully, the city has been quiet recently."

Emma rubbed the back of her neck. "I know. I heard all about the breakout on the news. Thank God those Avengers guys kept Manhattan from sinking. Granted, classes were put on hold for a week." 

Ben coughed into a fist. "Yup. They do what they can."  

Emma laughed. "For what it's worth, when classes got started up again, I've now been labeled as the 'smart one' in class. Half the people are annoyed, and the other half is asking me for help. "

Ben chuckled. "Well, at least the professor won't be calling on you for a surprise gotcha question. How are your classmates?"

"They're okay." Emma sighed. "There's also this basketball player who's been hitting on me."

Ben gave Emma a teasing look. "Well, looks like you've got an admirer."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. The first thing he did when he saw me was try that old bump-and-fall cliche. And let's just say he got a mouthful when all my books and papers went flying everywhere."

Ben cringed sympathetically. "Oof. In hindsight, he really should have seen that coming."

Emma laughed. "Yeah. At the cafeteria, he tried balancing multiple lunch trays. Ended up spilling food everywhere."

"That sounds more like something out of high school."

"I know. It's kind of embarrassing. He's not bad-looking and pretty decent at sports, but… I'm not much of a sports fan either." Emma decided to hold off on talking about the migraine at the time until later.

Ben leaned in with a grin. "So, did you tell him if you're interested or not?"

Emma shrugged. "I told him I'm focusing on getting my degree, not a relationship."

Ben nodded. "Nothing wrong with that."

Emma's smile faltered slightly, and she looked away. "Although… recent developments have made that harder."

Ben tilted his head, sensing something more serious. "What do you mean?"

Emma hesitated, then sighed. "Remember my high school teacher I had a huge crush on?"

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Oh no… Don't tell me…"

"It was… a moment, okay?" She looked at him, embarrassed. "We kissed. It was… technically legal," she added, seeing his expression.

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay… Um… fast forward. Why is that relevant now?"

Emma glanced down, her tone softening. "Well, Mr. Kendall is tutoring my roommate, Christie. And it's pretty obvious she has a crush on him."

Ben shrugged. "That's not so bad. Is he treating her poorly or something?"

"No, nothing like that…"

"Oh." Ben studied her face, piecing it together. "Are you… jealous of Christie?"

Emma's cheeks turned pink. "I-I… I don't know. Maybe? It's just… some old feelings resurfaced. It doesn't help that she's lying to my face about not dating him." Emma tapped her fingers idly on the table. "I know it's silly to still have feelings for him. He was my teacher, and it was years ago. But… a part of me still feels that little crush"

"Hey, I get it. Feelings don't always make sense. It can be awkward seeing an old crush with someone else."

Emma shook her head. "I just wish she'd be honest. It's not like I'd go off on her or something. I just don't want to be lied to."

Ben reassuringly squeezed her shoulder. "If it's bothering you, you could confront her about… it." Ben's expression shifted from surprise to curiosity. "Wait. How do you know she's lying?"

Emma's eyes widened slightly. "That's actually… another can of worms. Ben… you know how I have powers, right?"

"Yeah. Illusions."

"There's more." Emma's voice softened. "I want to get this out of the way first. I saw my first anti-mutant protest on campus earlier this month."

Ben's expression grew concerned. "What happened?"

Emma folded her hands tightly. "Apparently, one of the star athletes on campus was revealed to be a mutant. After that, it felt like everything went downhill. So many people came out to protest, shouting that mutants were a threat, agents of destruction, or cheaters… Like we're something to be feared or hated."

Ben's face softened as he listened. "Emma, I certainly can't imagine the woman I've known these past few months trying to take over the world. Maybe getting a free lunch here and there," he added with a small, reassuring smile, "but those protesters are just paranoid."

A small smile tugged at her lips before fading. "Right… about that." She hesitated, her voice almost a whisper. "My power… it isn't just illusions. It's something to do with the mind."

Ben raised his eyebrows but kept silent, waiting for her to continue.

Emma looked at him. "I can read minds, Ben."

Ben blinked. Instead of anger or fear, his gaze remained thoughtful. "I… wow. Telepathy, huh?"

Emma's voice shook as she finally let her question slip out. "Do… do you think I'm a mutant?"

Ben held up a hand before she could continue. "Before I answer that, let me say this. I've been reading up on the recent spike in superhumans, and I really don't like how the word mutant is being thrown around like some kind of scarlet letter." He gave a small, sympathetic smile. "Don't even get me started on the times I've been called a 'filthy xeno' on some planets."

Emma couldn't help but crack a small smile, though her nerves were still evident. "So… what do you think?"

"That depends. Emma, were you born with your powers, or did something… happen? Lab accident, radiation exposure, anything like that?"

Emma shook her head. "No… as far as I know, I've always been this way. My powers were there before I even understood what they were."

"In that case, you're naturally enhanced." Ben rolled his eyes. "Or a… biological mutant, if you will."

Emma groaned, her face dropping into her hands. "I knew it…" she murmured, her voice muffled by her hands. "I've kept it hidden for so long because… I didn't know what else to do. My parents thought I was a freak. They made that clear every time they saw me do something unusual. And it hasn't been any different with most people I've met. People whispering, calling mutants freaks, blaming us for things we didn't do…" Her voice grew strained. "Our school played a basketball game against another college, and I heard people accusing that there were mutants on our team and cheating. And then the protests…"

Ben's face softened. "Emma, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what you must've felt."

"There was so much hate in their hearts," she whispered. "They wanted us all gone, Ben. Like… they thought the world would be better if we all just died." Her fingers tightened around her mug, her hands shaking as she fought to control the emotions surging up from her memories.

Ben reached out, placing a gentle hand over hers. "They're wrong, Emma. You're as much a part of this world as anyone else. This is no different than those protests against minorities or the gay community in the past. Fear of what's different… it's an ugly part of history, but that doesn't make it right."

The pain was still visible in her eyes. "It's not just random people, Ben. It's everyone, even those who are supposed to help. Even my own professor… I heard her thinking that she wouldn't help any mutant students, that we're just… less than everyone else." She shook her head as though trying to shake away the sting of it. "It's like there's no place for people like me anywhere."

Ben stayed silent, letting her vent, knowing how much it must mean for her to finally say these things out loud.

Emma clenched her jaw as she struggled to hold back her emotions. "I get it if… if you're upset with me for hiding it. Or if you… don't want to be around someone like me." She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the response she was sure would come—rejection, judgment, maybe even anger.

But that reaction never came. Instead, she felt Ben's hand reach across the table, his fingers resting gently on hers. "Emma, I'm not mad at you. And I could never be angry with you for being who you are."

Her eyes fluttered open, struggling to believe what she was hearing.

"You're just… you," Ben continued, his voice calm and steady, grounding her. "You're smart, strong, and yeah, you have a gift—a power. But that doesn't make you any less. And it definitely doesn't make me want to stay away."

Emma quickly wiped her face, fighting to keep her composure. "That's easy for you to say. You're a human like everyone else."

Ben sighed and extended his hand fully, holding hers more firmly. "Actually…" He closed his eyes, focusing with an intensity she hadn't seen before.

Emma's eyes widened as a soft blue glow began to gather in his palm, swirling like stardust before steadying into a calm, warm light.

When Ben opened his eyes and saw her gobsmacked expression, he smirked. "I never said I was just human, did I?"

Emma's shoulders relaxed, and the tension that had been coiled tight in her chest for days finally began to unwind. "Then… you really understand," she said, her voice breaking softly. "You meant all that?"

Ben nodded, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I do. Look, Emma, I know people can be awful. They can be judgmental and hurtful. But not everyone is like that, and not everyone sees you the way those protesters do." His gaze was warm, unwavering. "And you don't have to face it alone."

A small, grateful smile appeared on her face as she looked down at their joined hands. His reassurance filled her heart. "Thank you, Ben. I… I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that."

Ben nodded, squeezing her hand once more before letting go. "Anytime. And Emma… don't ever feel like you have to hide who you are around me. Not now, not ever."

Emma glanced over at Ben. "There's… something else I should probably tell you," she began, a hint of embarrassment creeping into her voice.

Ben raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What's that?"

"For what it's worth, when we first met… I, uh… I tried to read your mind." She peeked at him nervously, half-expecting annoyance or surprise.

To her surprise, Ben chuckled. "That sounds about right."

Emma blinked, caught off guard by his easy acceptance. "You aren't… mad?"

Ben shook his head, smiling. "Not at all. In retrospect, I don't blame you. If I had telepathy, I'd probably use it to get a read on strangers, too."

Emma sighed. "So… how did you manage to block me?"

Ben leaned back. "I've met telepaths before. So, I set up walls with my energy. Nothing too fancy."

Emma made a face. "That's fair, honestly."

Ben laughed. "I can only imagine what it must be like living with constant background thoughts."

"I try not to use my powers that way, but sometimes it's hard to control."

Ben's gaze was warm. "No judgment here."

Emma leaned forward. "It's actually kind of nice, you know. When I connect to your mind… it's just white noise. No thoughts, no feelings—just this constant, gentle hum."

Ben blinked. "I… never thought to ask anyone what my mind sounds like with those protections up. Guess it never came up."

Emma's smile softened. "It's comforting, really. Compared to the usual mess of thoughts I hear around me, yours is… calm. Like a blanket of static, just quiet enough to help me tune everything else out."

Ben tilted his head, taking that in. "Huh. I had no idea it'd be… helpful in that way."

Emma nodded. "Ever since we met again on the train, I kept a connection to your mind just to have that white noise. It helped me sleep, even if you were in the next room."

Ben felt his cheeks warm a bit. "I'm glad I could help… even if I didn't know I was."

Emma let out a soft sigh. "But now that I'm here at college, I've been training myself to manage all the noise around me on my own, without needing that constant connection. It's… hard, but I'm getting there."

Ben nodded, impressed. "That's no small feat, Emma. Especially with how noisy college must be. But hey, if you ever need a little white noise, I'm still here."

Emma smiled at that, but then her expression grew thoughtful. "There's… something else. I met someone on campus. Someone like me—another telepath."

Ben's eyebrows shot up. "Another telepath? What are they like?"

"Her name's Astrid. Astrid Bloom," Emma explained. "She came up to me one day, speaking in my mind. Apparently, I was projecting my thoughts, and she picked up on them. She wanted to be friends and offered to help me learn to control my powers better."

"She sounds… interesting. What did she say about herself?"

"She told me she'd read a few texts on human evolution and mutations," Emma continued, "and she mentioned a name—someone named Xavier. And she'd read articles in Scientific American, too. She seems to know a lot about… people like us."

Ben considered that. "Xavier, huh? Maybe he's some kind of researcher on mutants. It sounds like Astrid's done her homework."

Emma leaned forward. "Astrid… she could read my thoughts like they're laid out on cue cards. When I tried to read her thoughts, it was like hitting a brick wall. Different than your mental shield, more… deliberate."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. A stronger telepathic block, maybe?"

Emma nodded, her fingers tapping lightly on the table. "Yeah. And she has some pretty intense views. For instance, she thinks humans hating mutants is like them envying birds for having wings."

Ben shrugged. "It's not exactly untrue for some people. Envy and fear go hand in hand."

"We spent more time together, and I got to see just how skilled she is. She can read so much about a person with just a glance. It takes physical contact for me to get that much insight."

Ben frowned. "That's… well, questionable. Reading random people on the street like that? It doesn't sit right with me."

Emma let out a breath. "I said the same thing. Diving that deeply into someone's mind and pulling out their most private memories feels more invasive than surface thoughts. But Astrid sees it differently. She says it helps her 'experience the human condition' and makes her a better psychologist."

Ben shook his head. "I don't know about that. For someone pursuing psychology, I'd question her ethics. Knowing people's secrets without consent? It's a slippery slope."

Emma looked away, her expression conflicted. "She even projected her own memories into my mind. It was… surreal."

Ben's expression softened, respectful of the privacy of those memories. "I won't ask what they were. That sounds… deeply personal."

Emma nodded, her voice quiet. "It was. She left home at a young age and had to use her abilities to survive. She showed me how she could sift through a sea of minds, drowning out the noise and finding one single thought and person. She taught me how and… I did it. First try. It felt natural, like tuning a radio to the right station."

"Emma, that's powerful, but… it sounds dangerous too. With that skill level, it's easy to go too far without realizing it."

"Yeah, it's more than I ever wanted to know about people, but with her showing me, it felt like… like the easiest thing in the world."

Ben's eyes held a gentle understanding as he looked at her. "You know, they say nature takes the path of least resistance. But is that what you want to rely on moving forward?"

Emma met his gaze, and for the first time in a while, she felt a clarity she hadn't had before. "No," she said softly. "I want to do this the right way. My way."

#

After ordering another meal, Emma seemed to simmer on the name Xavier. It was oddly familiar. After a few moments, a memory finally surfaced.

"When my powers first manifested…" she began quietly, "it wasn't pretty. I was in high school, and I just… lost control one day. I had a really bad breakdown, and somehow, without even meaning to, I rendered the entire school unconscious. Just like that. Everyone—teachers, students… all of them."

Ben's eyes widened in surprise, but he stayed quiet, his expression gentle as he let her continue.

"I didn't know what was happening, didn't understand what I'd done," Emma said, her voice laced with an old sadness. "But not long after that, this man named Charles Xavier showed up. He said he could detect my presence and that he'd come to help. He spoke to my father and tried to convince him to let me go to his school."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "And did he?"

Emma shook her head, a faint, bitter smile on her lips. "Not a chance. My father wasn't interested in having a mutant daughter, let alone one that needed 'special schooling.' And at the time, I didn't want anything to do with it, either. I just wanted to forget what happened and pretend I was normal."

Ben nodded. "Do you remember the name of the school he mentioned?"

Emma tilted her head. "I think it was… some Institute."

Ben hummed. He quickly Googled the man's name. "According to the internet, he's the headmaster of his own Institution: the Xavier Institute."

Emma let out a laugh. "A rather straightforward name."

Ben grinned. "Maybe we should call them up and stop by sometime. We can check it out and see if they have any advice."

"You think so?"

"Why not?" Ben shrugged. "This guy seems to know a lot about evolution and mutations. If he was willing to help you back then, maybe you can still learn something from him now. Plus, I wouldn't mind checking out what could be a superpower school."

Emma managed a small smile. "I never really thought I'd want to revisit that part of my life, but… maybe you're right. Maybe it's time to face it."

Ben's smile widened. "You've got nothing to lose. And I'll be right there with you."