Of Aliens, Magic, and Superheroes

Months had passed since the MIT Innovation Forum, and life at the university had changed. Before his presentation, Ben had been just another prodigy—young, talented, but ultimately just another student among thousands of brilliant minds. Sure, his age made him stand out a little, but MIT had seen young geniuses before.

Now, things were different.

Walking through campus, Ben could feel the difference in the way people looked at him. It wasn't always obvious, but it was there. Conversations paused when he passed by. Some students whispered his name, others openly stared, and a few just watched him with quiet curiosity. He didn't need enhanced senses to know what they were thinking.

His success at the forum had put him on the map in a way he couldn't ignore. Professors who barely acknowledged him before now wanted him in their research teams. Companies like Google, IBM, and even some military contractors had sent inquiries, all wanting to "discuss opportunities" with him. Even MIT itself had tried to pull him into various exclusive projects.

He rejected every single one.

Ben wasn't interested in working under someone else's control.

Still, he had to admit—watching some of the older students struggle to process the idea of a 15-year-old outpacing them was mildly entertaining. Just last week, he overheard a group of grad students debating whether or not he had cheated.

"He's got to be lying. No way a teenager programmed something that advanced alone."

"I don't know, man. I saw the demo. The thing responded faster than any AI we've ever seen."

"Kid probably stole something and reworked it. That's the only explanation."

Ben didn't care. Let them talk.

Stepping into the campus coffee shop, he immediately noticed how the atmosphere shifted. A group of students near the entrance went quiet for a second when they saw him, then resumed their conversation in hushed voices. Another table, filled with seniors, glanced up from their laptops before pretending to go back to work.

He ignored them and made his way to his usual seat, where David Klein was already waiting, coffee in hand and laptop open.

"MIT's resident boy genius has graced us with his presence," David teased as Ben sat down.

Ben rolled his eyes. "You've been using that same joke for weeks."

David smirked. "What can I say? It fits." He gestured toward the students in the café. "People are still buzzing about you, you know."

Ben sipped his drink. "Let them."

David raised an eyebrow. "Man, you're really not fazed by any of this?"

"I expected it."

David leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "So, what's next? You've turned down every major job offer, ignored MIT's project invites, and somehow managed to dodge every journalist trying to interview you. You've gotta have a plan."

Ben considered his words carefully. He did have a plan—but nothing he could share. Creating a tech empire, developing future inventions, and staying ahead of the world's expectations wasn't something he could casually drop in conversation.

Gideon's voice chimed through his earpiece, too low for anyone else to hear. "He's getting nosy."

Ben smirked slightly before answering. "Let's just say I'm looking at bigger things."

David let out a short laugh. "Of course you are. You're not gonna give me anything, are you?"

"Nope."

David sighed dramatically. "One day, I'm gonna crack the mystery that is Benjamin Tennyson."

Ben just chuckled, shaking his head.

Even though he played it cool, he knew the truth—people were watching him now.

Not just MIT students or professors. Not just corporate recruiters. Others.

He had noticed subtle things. Increased attempts to breach his secure servers. Unfamiliar surveillance drones near campus, ones that didn't belong to MIT. Too many questions being asked about him in places that had nothing to do with the academic world.

Gideon had been monitoring all of it. Nothing serious—yet.

But Ben knew it was only a matter of time.

And if the world was watching him, he'd make sure to stay ten steps ahead.

-X-X-X-X-X-

Fire and Ash

A volcanic eruption was one of nature's most destructive forces. When the Katla volcano in Iceland exploded into life, it wasn't just a simple eruption—it was a catastrophe.

The sky darkened as thick clouds of ash and smoke choked the air. Rivers of molten lava surged down the mountainside, swallowing everything in their path. Earthquakes rippled across the landscape, collapsing buildings and sending terrified civilians into full-blown panic.

The Icelandic government had issued an evacuation order immediately, but it wasn't enough. Thousands were still trapped—some in collapsed buildings, others on roads overtaken by lava flows. The sheer scale of the disaster was too much for conventional rescue teams to handle alone.

And that's where Ben came in.

A bright flash of light appeared high in the sky over Iceland as he teleported in. The heat was immediate—oppressive, overwhelming, suffocating. But Ben barely flinched. He had been in worse environments.

From above, the scale of the destruction was clear. Entire towns were being consumed. Fires raged everywhere. Rescue efforts on the ground were struggling, and emergency broadcasts were already reporting mass casualties.

Ben's eyes narrowed. He had a lot of work to do.

With a flicker of thought, Ben transformed—his body shifting into the form of Jetray.

In a burst of speed, he shot across the sky, scanning the ground below. His enhanced vision easily picked up signs of distress—people waving from rooftops, vehicles stuck in the lava's path, helicopters struggling against the thick ash-filled winds.

He didn't hesitate.

Diving toward the nearest collapsed structure, Ben switched into Four-Arms mid-air, landing with a heavy thud. Rubble and smoke filled the air, and beneath the wreckage, he could hear muffled screams.

With effortless strength, he tore through the debris, lifting massive chunks of concrete as if they were made of paper. Beneath it, a family of four huddled together, coughing violently from the dust and smoke.

Their eyes widened in fear when they saw him.

Ben sighed. The monster reaction. Again.

But he didn't have time to explain. Instead, he carefully reached out and scooped them up in his massive arms before leaping away from the crumbling structure. Landing near an evacuation zone, he set them down safely.

Before they could even process what had happened, he was gone.

He didn't need their thanks.

There were more people to save.

For the next two hours, Ben worked tirelessly.

Jetray ferried people out of danger zones, moving dozens at a time.

Big Chill froze advancing lava flows, creating barriers to redirect the molten rivers.

Echo Echo created duplicates to assist the overwhelmed rescue teams.

Four-Arms and Humungousaur cleared debris and lifted fallen structures.

Bit by bit, the tide of disaster was pushed back.

But it still wasn't enough.

A distress call crackled through emergency radios—a group of scientists were trapped inside a research facility near the eruption site. The roads leading to them were completely destroyed, and rescue teams had no way of reaching them in time.

Ben wasted no time.

In a bright flash of emerald light, he transformed into Chromastone.

With a powerful burst of energy, he shot into the sky, streaking toward the collapsing facility.

The research facility was seconds away from being overtaken by lava. The heat was unbearable, even for him.

Inside, the scientists had sealed themselves in the most reinforced part of the building, hoping to buy time—but their luck had run out.

Ben landed in front of the building, raising his hands as the lava surge rushed toward them.

A deep hum filled the air as Chromastone's crystal-covered body absorbed the searing heat. The glow intensified, and then—

A blinding blast of energy erupted from his hands, creating a shockwave that parted the lava like Moses splitting the Red Sea.

For a brief moment, silence.

Then, one of the scientists stumbled out of the building, staring at him in absolute disbelief.

"…What are you?"

Ben sighed. Again with this.

Instead of answering, he shifted into XLR8, grabbed each scientist one by one, and zipped them over to a safe zone before they could protest.

By the time they turned to look back—he was already gone.

-X-X-X-X-X-

By the time the eruption finally calmed and the emergency teams took full control, Ben had already disappeared.

But the world had seen enough.

Helicopter footage, live news broadcasts, and emergency responders had captured everything. The mysterious shapeshifting vigilante wasn't just a New York legend anymore.

He had just saved an entire country.

The internet exploded with theories, debates, and speculation. Was he a god? A superhuman? A government experiment? An alien?

For the first time, his presence was recognized on a global scale.

And now?

The world wasn't going to forget him.

-X-X-X-X-X-

A Sudden Change in Course

Ben had seen disasters before. He had stopped bank robberies, saved people from burning buildings, and prevented traffic accidents.

But this?

This was different.

Ben sat at a small café in New York, eating a plate of chili fries, casually scrolling through a news feed on a holographic screen projected from the Omnitrix.

He had teleported to the city from MIT just to take a break. He wasn't worried about classwork—he was so far ahead that most of his assignments were trivial.

The streets were loud, the people lively—it was comforting.

Then, Gideon's voice cut through his mind.

"Ben, multiple aircraft have deviated from their flight paths. They are not responding to air traffic control."

Ben's hand froze mid-bite.

Something about those words sent an uneasy chill down his spine.

"…Flight numbers?"

"American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93."

Ben's breath caught in his throat.

He knew those numbers.

The memory slammed into him like a freight train.

He had forgotten.

He had all these past-life memories, but they weren't always clear. Some things were like dreams—hazy, unfocused, forgotten until something triggered them.

But this?

Now, he remembered exactly what was supposed to happen today.

September 11th, 2001.

This was the moment history would change.

This was the moment he would change history.

Ben threw the fries aside, his chair scraping loudly as he stood up.

Running into an alleyway, he flicked his wrist, the Omnitrix dial turned, and in a flash of emerald light, he was gone.

The first plane was already minutes from impact.

Ben launched through the sky at Mach 4, his Jetray form cutting through the atmosphere like a missile.

Ahead, he could see the Boeing 767 speeding toward Manhattan.

His eyes zoomed in on the cockpit—inside, he saw the hijackers grimly gripping the controls.

No hesitation.

His body glowed green as he shifted into Big Chill, phasing directly through the cockpit glass.

The cold aura filled the cabin, making the hijackers shiver. Their eyes widened in terror as the ghostly figure of Big Chill loomed over them.

One of them reached for a knife.

Ben didn't let them.

With a flick of his wings, he unleashed a frost breath, instantly freezing their arms solid. The hijackers' bodies locked up, frost creeping over their clothes before they slumped into unconsciousness.

Ben turned to the controls.

North Tower—too close. Too fast.

He transformed into XLR8, fingers blurring as he took over the yoke.

But just pulling the controls wouldn't work.

The engines were still at full throttle, the plane was still descending, and the weight of a Boeing 767 wasn't something he could just turn away instantly.

Gritting his teeth, he moved fast—

✔ Cut engine power.

✔ Deployed flaps & stabilizers to slow descent.

✔ Angled the nose just enough to clear the tower.

The plane shuddered violently, tilting at a sharp angle as it scraped past the North Tower by mere meters.

Windows shattered from the sheer air pressure.

Ben took a shaky breath.

"Gideon, landing zone."

"Redirecting to JFK. Emergency clearance granted."

Ben stabilized the plane, guiding it toward a safe landing.

And just like that…

Flight 11 never hit its target.

-X-X-X-X-X-

Ben burst from the first plane, shifting into Jetray as he soared toward the second target.

This one was even closer.

He only had a minute.

At the last moment, he phased into the cockpit—this time as Ghostfreak.

The hijackers barely had time to react before shadowy tendrils wrapped around them, choking off their screams. They collapsed instantly.

Ben shifted into Four-Arms—the added strength letting him pull the yoke with everything he had.

The plane tilted violently, banking just enough to scrape past the South Tower.

He had avoided impact. Barely.

But the plane was still in a deadly descent.

No time. No options.

He shifted into Jetray, grabbing the entire front of the plane from the outside and dragging it upward with sheer force.

The aircraft struggled against gravity but slowed just enough for him to guide it into an emergency landing.

The wheels slammed into the runway at Teterboro Airport.

Ben didn't wait.

By the time the passengers stumbled out, looking at each other in pure disbelief, their savior was already gone.

-X-X-X-X-X-

Gideon's voice crackled again.

"Ben, another plane is nearing Washington D.C. It's heading for the Pentagon."

Ben cursed.

No time to fly there.

He transformed into Atomix, his energy signature flaring dangerously high.

A soft chant left his lips, a teleportation spell glowing beneath him.

In a burst of light, he disappeared from New York.

A second later, he was above Washington D.C., staring down at Flight 77.

The Pentagon loomed below.

Ben didn't hesitate.

He fired an atomic energy net, wrapping around the plane's engines and shutting them down instantly.

With a firm grip, he guided the plane into an emergency landing at a nearby airstrip.

-X-X-X-X-X-

By the time Ben reached Flight 93, the passengers were already fighting back.

He didn't intervene.

He didn't need to.

Instead, he shifted into Diamondhead, reinforcing the cockpit door with a thick layer of unbreakable crystal, preventing any hijacker from regaining control.

Then, he took control from the outside, steering the aircraft into a safe landing zone.

-X-X-X-X-X-

Though the towers still stood, panic gripped the city.

Evacuations. Mass hysteria. Reports of "another attack" still looming.

Ben worked non-stop.

XLR8 guided panicked crowds away from danger zones.

Big Chill phased in and out of buildings, ensuring no one was trapped.

Ghostfreak moved unseen through the underground tunnels, clearing blocked escape routes.

People saw him. Millions saw him.

The footage spread everywhere.

For the first time, the world knew for certain that something beyond human existed.

And the governments of the world?

They couldn't ignore him anymore.