Professor Paradox/At your service

Nothing quite put the world into perspective like stepping into another universe. Indeed, it was quite invigorating, realizing how vast and wonderful reality was. Paradox sighed with a small amount of satisfaction as he took a sip of Earl Grey tea, looking on at the wondrous planet of Galvan Prime. A planet of technology run amok, of miniature skyscrapers stretching for miles. Well, miniature for him. For the tiny forms of the Galvan people, they were massive. It was rather amazing. A miniature city, stretching out to the horizon. Like Coruscant but so much smaller, more intricate.

And much better smelling of course.

“I never tire of seeing this beautiful city of yours, Azmuth,” Paradox looked behind him with a smirk on his face.

“Save it,” at a small desk, the smartest being in the universe (or at least 3-5 galaxies) typed at a computer, scowling heavily. “I never gave you permission to do this, Paradox. You have no knowledge of the software, no understanding of the precision required to make it work!”

“I do not,” Paradox admitted freely. “Even with all the time in the universe. But then, that is what I have you for.”

The grumpy alien huffed. “Presumptuous. Thankfully your false Omnitrix is clearly working. At the very least it has none of the issues that Albedo’s had.”

“Well, you did make it after all,” Paradox turned away from the view, walking over to Azmuth. “I understand you’re frustrated. But I really had no other way to counter-”

“Why not use Ben?” Azmuth scowled. “He may still be as reckless as ever, but he has matured at least slightly. He’s very nearly the adult he claims to be.”

“High praise indeed,” Paradox said with no sarcasm. “In truth, I would have preferred to ask him for his aid. But I was, in the end, restricted from asking Benjamin for help. I worked with the tools at hand.”

Azmuth typed at the computer in front of him, sighing. “Yes, well, that is very helpful to me. If you hadn’t explained what we were up against...”

“Hmm,” Paradox said mildly. “Can you claim this hasn’t had benefits for your own research?”

“Hmph,” he brought up an image. On it, three beings could be seen. “In some ways. These beings are interesting. Except for this one,” Azmuth scowled, bringing one of the images forward.

“A species that changes its power set based on the ‘domain’ it represents? What insane environment would cause an evolution like that!?”

“A good question my friend. But I was actually speaking of that,” Paradox pointed at something nearby with a single elegant finger, eyes still on the back of Azmuth’s head.

The Galvan looking in the direction of the device Paradox had pointed out. A large round device about the size of a doorway, the hoop that made up the device currently turned off. Azmuth scoffed. “Please. I’ve been developing that long before you decided to meddle. This simply accelerated my plans.”

“Ever the humble one.”

“I don’t need to hear that from you,” Azmuth shook his head. “But this really was the next logical step. It may have taken time, but there is peace in our universe now, as much as there could be. All thanks to Ben and his allies. If I could help spread it to the multiverse in the same way, maybe she-”

He didn’t finish. Paradox didn’t pry.

The two ancient men stood side by side for a moment. Azmuth finally sighed.

“Well, what this… Dial, he’s calling himself?”

“Yes.”

“Ridiculous name,” Azmuth crossed his hands behind his back and sighed. “Well then. Best of luck to the lad… at least until I can test him myself.”

------

Ben Tennyson/Ben 10

On Earth, a loud explosion echoed through the city. In front of a large bank, people ran from the sight of the explosion. A massive pair of beings stepped out of the bank. They were both ten feet in height at least, ignoring the screaming masses. One looked like a bipedal mammoth, it’s brown fur stinking as red eyes stared and massive hands clutched at duffel bags pouring cash onto the ground. It huffed angrily at the screaming humans and aliens around him, then roared.

The other being slinked alongside him. Built like something from a primeval age, the scaled being hissed, it’s blue and green scales flashing in the light as the velociraptor-like being glared around. When a particularly loud scream filled the air it paid attention. Spinning, the reptilian creature narrowed its eyes at a screaming woman with purple skin. Raising its head, the creature spat a stream of green liquid at the woman. As the stream hit the asphalt, the green liquid immediately ate away at the stone, revealing its acidic nature.

The woman screamed again, trying to dodge far too late.

A pink force field came to life around the woman. The green acid splashed against the liquid to no avail.

“Man, robbing banks?” everyone in the area, monsters included, looked up at the speaker. Standing on a pink platform of energy above the crowd, Ben Tennyson grinned, dressed in a black hoodie with a green stripe on the right side that stopped at a circle encompassing a number 10, a laser pistol at his hip and a cocky grin on his face as his eyes shone with mirth. Now in his mid-twenties, the superhero was more built than he had been in his youth, the well-trimmed beard on his face a testament to that. “Dr. Animo really has lowered his standards.”

“Were they that high to begin with?” Gwen Tennyson stepped forward alongside him as she maintained the platform they stood on. She wore a blue and black sweater with a symbol of a cat at the center of her belt and stone like emblems along her arms, her hair cut asymmetrically so that it was shaved on one left side and long on the top and right side. “He was always all talk.”

“An ironic statement, Miss Tennyson,” Rook said from his position kneeling on the pink platform. Dressed in the white and black armor of the Plumbers, the blue-furred alien took careful aim at the monsters with his Proto-Tool. “Given that we are currently talking as well.”

“What he’s trying to say,” Kevin Levin stepped forward, flipping a coin in his hand, glaring angrily. He caught the coin and began to shift colors, his pale skin, black shirt, and lock necklace with the number eleven on it all turned into the color of steel. “Enough talk. Let’s kick some ass.”

The beasts below roared, rushing forward. Kevin and Rook leaped off the platform, the blue-furred plumber firing his rifle at high speed while Kevin took on the raptor in direct combat, roaring in rage.

“Just like old times,” Ben said with a smirk, raising his Omnitrix high and slapping down on the dial with a happy grin. In a smooth and flowing moment, he began to transform.

His muscles grew. His beard grew thicker. His eyes seemed to glow with an unearthly light. His hoodie was replaced with a strange green armor with a symbol in what Gwen later told him were ancient Nordic runes. His pants became something similar in texture to leather but much more breathable, with a cloth that wrapped around his waist before coming down his right side to display more runes. Ben puffed his chest as his massive arms curled, power filling his blood like fuel in a car.

“Ultiman!”

“God that is a dumb name,” Gwen sighed as Ben leaped into battle.

“Have at thee monster!” Ben cried joyfully as he smashed into the mammoth-like creature, a shockwave erupting from his fist slamming into fur and muscle. “I will have battle this day!”

“What the hell?” Kevin asked, rolling by as he wrestled the raptor, avoiding the acid it was spraying as Rook fired away nearby. “Is that even an alien? It just looks like you worked out!”

Ben laughed boisterously, lifting the mutated mammoth high. “I am amazing! A true paragon of strength and virility!”

“I must agree, this just seems like Benjamin,” Rook commented at the sight of an arrogant Ben fighting a monster while quipping.

------

Luke Cage/Bartender

On another Earth, Luke Cage watched the news as he wiped down his bar. Others were watching as well, though with a half-drunk attitude. In truth, he wasn’t really sure why he’d put on the news. He tended to avoid it.

But Rio De Janeiro had been… insane. Luke had felt almost compelled to follow it. The news of people dying in the massive earthquake, the Avengers going in to save people, the ‘monsters’ that had shown up out of nowhere.

Luke stared as footage of Captain America and Nomad, two soldiers right out of World War 2, fighting a demon in hand to hand combat, played on the tv. He clenched his fist softly, still wiping down the counter of his bar.

“Ugh, can you turn that off already?” a female voice said to his left. Luke looked over at the woman who’d spoken.

She was petite, pretty, with long black hair and wearing a black leather jacket and a black shirt. She also smelled more like whiskey than the actual bar and had a look on her face that was somewhere between anger and disgust.

Luke chuckled, the massive black man walking toward the remote. “What, you don’t like the news?”

“Not when it’s that fucking depressing,” the woman sighed.

He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. In truth, he had no idea why he’d been so obsessed… actually, he did know. As Luke changed the channel to something less ‘depressing’, he sighed.

A while back, he’d been sent a message from one of the Avengers. One of the new ones, Dial. The kid, someone who could apparently turn into aliens. According to the message, Dial knew about Luke’s powers. He’d wanted to talk to him.

The first thing Luke wanted to do when he read that was run. That message, the idea of someone so high profile knowing his secret, terrified him. In his experience, people didn’t just ask to talk after they revealed all your secrets. He’d sent back a message to let the hero know he wasn’t interested.

Then he waited. And got a message.

Okay. Let me know if you change your mind, dude.

That was it. Seriously? After all the tension, Luke had almost burst out laughing. He didn’t know what he’d expected. Maybe an army of BRIDGE soldiers busting into his apartment. He did have one nightmare of a giant green man attacking him.

But now… Rio. And all those people dying. Luke watched as the various superhumans in the Avengers pulled together to save people. He couldn’t help but wonder…

Luke shook his head and walked back towards the woman who’d spoken earlier. “There you go. Need anything else?”

She sighed. “More alcohol?”

“Really?” He looked at the empty cups surrounding her. “Huh. You sure can put them down.”

“And you’re really judgemental for a bartender,” she glared at him, eyes narrowed. “Shouldn’t you just be listening to my problems without comment, while taking my money?”

“I would if you’d actually paid so far,” Luke smirked.

“...I mean, I was going to pay. How do I start a tab?” she said, sounding not even a little bit ashamed.

He chuckled. “Well, it usually starts with me getting to know you first,” he held out his hand, a small smile on his face. “Luke Cage.”

She stared at his hand as though it was a live grenade. After an awkward moment, long enough that he was about to pull his hand back, she took it. Her small hands nearly disappeared in his grip, but there was a surprising amount of strength in how she held it. Her skin was soft.

“Jessica Jones,” she looked up at him, finally smiling.