Ben Stuart stared at the words floating above the center of his library.
FIRST DESTINATION: EARTH-616
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Peter stood beside him.
"So..."
Ben didn't respond.
Peter waved a hand in front of his face.
"Ben?"
Nothing.
"Hey."
Ben finally blinked.
"What?"
Peter pointed toward the glowing dimensional core.
"You're doing that thing again."
"What thing?"
"The thing where you stare at something impossible and somehow look completely calm."
Ben looked at him.
"I'm not calm."
"You look calm."
"That's because I'm trying not to panic."
Peter nodded.
"Ah."
He looked at the dimensional core.
"That makes two of us."
Ben walked closer.
The massive structure continued glowing.
The symbols on its surface shifted constantly.
He raised his hand.
Before touching it, he stopped.
"No."
Peter looked at him.
"No?"
"We're not going anywhere."
Peter raised an eyebrow.
"But it literally says Earth-616."
"I know."
"Isn't that where we're supposed to go?"
"Eventually."
"Then why not now?"
Ben turned toward him.
"Because I don't know what this thing does."
Peter nodded.
"Fair."
"And I don't know whether it's a one-way trip."
"Also fair."
"And I don't know whether Earth-616 is actually the universe I think it is."
Peter paused.
"Wait."
He pointed at Ben.
"You know there's a universe called Earth-616?"
Ben smiled.
"Yes."
Peter stared at him.
"You're really going to have to explain some things."
Ben sighed.
"That's going to take a while."
Peter sat down on the floor.
"I've got time."
Ben looked at him.
"Apparently, you do."
The Rules
They eventually moved to one of the library's quieter sections.
Lyra sat across from them.
Ben stood beside a large table covered with books and holographic displays.
Peter leaned back in his chair.
"So this place..."
"My private dimension."
"Right."
"...isn't actually infinite?"
Ben looked at Lyra.
She shook her head.
"Not technically."
Peter frowned.
"I thought you said it was infinite."
"I said it was functionally infinite."
Peter looked at Ben.
"That's different?"
"Very."
Ben activated a holographic map.
The image expanded.
The private dimension appeared as a massive sphere surrounded by layers of energy.
"This dimension has no conventional physical boundary."
Peter stared.
"So..."
"It can expand."
"How much?"
Ben looked at him.
"I don't know."
Peter laughed.
"Of course."
Ben continued.
"But there's something else."
He zoomed in.
A small point appeared at the center.
"This is the dimensional core."
Peter pointed.
"And that's what opened the door?"
"Yes."
Lyra spoke.
"The core is not simply a transportation mechanism."
Ben nodded.
"It appears to be connected to dimensional space itself."
Peter frowned.
"So someone could use it to enter your dimension?"
"Apparently."
"Then your security system isn't very good."
Ben gave him a look.
"Thank you."
"I'm just saying."
Ben smiled.
"You have a point."
He looked toward Lyra.
"How did they get inside?"
"I don't know."
"Could Project Eclipse have opened the dimensional core?"
"Possibly."
"Could they do it again?"
Lyra hesitated.
"Yes."
Ben's expression became serious.
"Then we need new security."
Peter looked at him.
"You have an entire dimension and your first response is to install better security?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
Ben turned toward the library.
"Lyra."
"Yes?"
"From now on, nobody enters this dimension without my direct permission."
"Agreed."
"Not even through the dimensional core."
Lyra nodded.
"I'll begin restructuring the protective wards."
Ben turned toward Peter.
"And you."
Peter pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"You don't tell anyone about this place."
Peter looked offended.
"I wasn't planning to."
"I know."
Ben smiled.
"I trust you."
Peter became quiet.
For some reason, those words meant more than he expected.
"Thanks."
Ben nodded.
"You're welcome."
Monday Morning
Ben hated Mondays.
It was an ordinary thought.
Almost painfully ordinary.
After everything that had happened over the last few days—
dimensional entities,
Project Eclipse,
secret organizations,
the private dimension,
and a mysterious cosmic structure—
Ben found himself sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher explain quadratic equations.
He stared at the board.
Then at his notebook.
Then at the clock.
Three minutes had passed.
Ben sighed.
Peter leaned toward him.
"You're bored."
"Extremely."
"You could probably solve that entire assignment in your head."
Ben looked at him.
"Probably."
"Then why don't you?"
"Because I'm trying to look normal."
Peter smiled.
"Right."
Ben whispered:
"What about you?"
Peter looked at the assignment.
"I don't know."
Ben blinked.
"You don't know?"
"No."
Peter frowned.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I thought you were good at science."
"I am."
"This is math."
Peter sighed.
"Math is still science's annoying cousin."
Ben laughed quietly.
The teacher turned around.
"Mr. Parker?"
Peter immediately sat straight.
"Yes, sir?"
"Would you like to share the joke?"
"No, sir."
"Then please pay attention."
"Yes, sir."
Ben tried not to laugh.
Peter looked at him.
"This is your fault."
"You started it."
Lunch
The cafeteria was crowded.
Ben sat across from Peter and Ned.
Ned was eating a burger.
Peter was eating fries.
Ben had a sandwich.
Ned looked between them.
"You two have been acting weird."
Peter nearly choked.
"What?"
"You've been disappearing together."
"We've been hanging out."
"Without me."
Peter looked guilty.
Ben calmly took another bite.
Ned pointed at him.
"And you."
Ben looked up.
"What?"
"You're always calm."
"I'm naturally calm."
"No."
Ned shook his head.
"You're rich, smart, mysterious, and somehow never stressed."
Ben smiled.
"Maybe I just have good sleep."
Peter almost laughed.
Ned stared at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Ben looked at Peter.
Peter looked away.
Ned narrowed his eyes.
"You two know something."
"No," Peter said.
Ben nodded.
"No."
Ned looked suspicious.
"You're both terrible liars."
Ben and Peter looked at each other.
Peter whispered:
"We are."
Ben nodded.
"Very."
Ned sighed.
"Whatever."
For a few minutes, they simply ate.
No Project Eclipse.
No dimensional anomalies.
No Omnitrix.
No secret identities.
Just three teenagers sitting together.
Ben realized something.
He liked this.
He liked having friends.
In his previous life, before death, he'd had family.
He had memories of ordinary days.
But since arriving in this universe, everything had happened so quickly.
Wishes.
Training.
The Omnitrix.
The dimension.
School.
Peter.
Eclipse.
He had barely stopped to appreciate any of it.
Peter suddenly noticed him staring.
"You okay?"
Ben smiled.
"Yeah."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
Ben looked at the cafeteria.
"I'm just enjoying lunch."
Peter smiled.
"That's strangely wholesome."
"Shut up."
Ned laughed.
After School
Ben walked home.
No Omnitrix.
No transformation.
No secret mission.
Just walking.
It felt strange.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Peter.
Peter: You coming tomorrow?
Ben smiled.
Ben: Where?
A few seconds later:
Peter: Basketball court.
Ben: I'm terrible at basketball.
Peter: You're rich. Hire a coach.
Ben: That's not how basketball works.
Peter: Then learn.
Ben shook his head.
Ben: Fine.
Another message arrived.
Peter: Also Ned is coming.
Ben: Even worse.
Peter responded:
Peter: See you tomorrow.
Ben put his phone away.
Then he stopped.
Something was wrong.
Not danger.
Not energy.
Something simpler.
He had forgotten something.
Ben looked at his hand.
His Omnitrix was there.
He hadn't even realized he had activated it.
The screen displayed:
ADAPTIVE SYSTEM
CURRENT STABILITY: 74%
ANALYSIS COMPLETE
Ben frowned.
"Analysis of what?"
A new message appeared.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION DETECTED
Ben stared.
"What?"
Another message appeared.
SUBJECT IS DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS
Ben's eyes widened.
"Are you serious?"
The Omnitrix continued.
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE: STABLE
SOCIAL INTEGRATION: IMPROVING
Ben stared at the device.
Then laughed.
"You're analyzing my social life now?"
The Omnitrix beeped.
YES.
Ben froze.
"Did you just answer me?"
Silence.
Ben stared.
Then shook his head.
"Okay."
He continued walking.
But he couldn't stop smiling.
Somewhere Else
Several kilometers away, Dr. Elias Voss sat inside a secure underground laboratory.
A large screen displayed footage of Ben walking through New York.
Peter appeared in another window.
Ned appeared in another.
Voss watched silently.
A scientist stood beside him.
"Doctor."
Voss didn't respond.
"We have confirmation."
"Of?"
"The dimensional core."
Voss finally looked toward him.
"Explain."
"The structure exists inside Ben's private dimension."
Voss nodded.
"And the entity?"
"Unknown."
"Did it communicate with Ben?"
"Yes."
Voss's eyes narrowed.
"What did it tell him?"
"We don't know."
Voss looked back at the screen.
Ben was laughing.
A completely ordinary smile.
Voss studied it.
"He doesn't understand yet."
The scientist hesitated.
"Understand what?"
Voss turned.
"The dimension isn't responding to the Omnitrix."
He pointed toward Ben.
"It's responding to him."
The scientist looked confused.
"His potential?"
"No."
Voss smiled.
"His choices."
The Next Day
The basketball court was almost empty.
Peter bounced the ball.
Ben stood opposite him.
Ned sat on the bench.
Peter smiled.
"You ready?"
Ben nodded.
"No."
Peter laughed.
"Good."
He passed the ball.
Ben caught it.
He took a shot.
The ball hit the rim.
Then bounced away.
Ned laughed.
"That was terrible."
Ben looked at him.
"You're supposed to encourage me."
"I am."
Peter retrieved the ball.
"Again."
Ben tried.
Missed.
Again.
Missed.
Again.
The fourth shot went in.
Ben smiled.
"Yes."
Peter clapped.
"One point."
"One point is one point."
Ned stood.
"I'll teach you."
Ben looked suspicious.
"Why?"
"Because Peter is terrible at teaching."
Peter looked offended.
"Hey!"
Ned ignored him.
For the next hour, Ben learned basketball.
He could have calculated the exact angle.
He could have used enhanced reflexes.
He could have transformed into an alien capable of moving faster than sound.
Instead...
He missed.
Again.
And again.
And again.
And eventually—
He made the shot.
Peter smiled.
"See?"
Ben smiled back.
"Yeah."
For once, Ben didn't need to be the strongest person in the room.
He just needed to be Ben.
That Night
Ben entered his private dimension alone.
The library was quiet.
Lyra was reorganizing several damaged sections.
Ben walked toward her.
"How's the repair going?"
"Slowly."
"Anything unusual?"
"No."
Ben nodded.
Then he looked toward the dimensional core.
It was dormant.
For now.
Ben walked closer.
He placed his hand against it.
Nothing happened.
He smiled.
"Good."
Then—
The core pulsed.
Once.
Ben froze.
A single message appeared.
Not in the Omnitrix.
Not on the walls.
Inside his mind.
CHOICE ACCEPTED.
Ben's expression changed.
"What choice?"
No answer.
The core became silent again.
Ben stood there for several seconds.
Then walked away.
He didn't notice the tiny crack appearing across the surface.
He didn't see the faint green light emerging from it.
And he certainly didn't see the symbol forming beneath the surface.
The same symbol that had appeared on the dimensional entity.
Far away, inside a hidden Project Eclipse facility, an alarm suddenly sounded.
Voss looked toward the main monitor.
A new reading appeared.
DIMENSIONAL CORE RESPONSE
CAUSE: UNKNOWN
TRIGGER: BEN STUART
Voss smiled.
"Interesting."
The scientist beside him asked:
"Should we continue monitoring?"
Voss looked at the screen.
"Yes."
"Should we intervene?"
Voss shook his head.
"Not yet."
He watched Ben's image disappear from the screen.
"Let him live his normal life."
The scientist looked confused.
"Why?"
Voss smiled.
"Because people reveal themselves when they believe they are safe."
Ben returned to his room.
He changed into comfortable clothes and sat at his desk.
His school books were open.
He stared at them.
Then sighed.
"Why did I ever wish for intelligence?"
A holographic image appeared.
Lyra's voice came from the Omnitrix.
"You did not wish for intelligence."
Ben looked up.
"What?"
"You wished for the intelligence of several extraordinary individuals."
Ben smiled.
"Same thing."
"No."
Lyra paused.
"You are still learning."
Ben looked at his books.
Then toward the window.
For the first time since his reincarnation, he wasn't thinking about becoming stronger.
He wasn't thinking about Project Eclipse.
He wasn't thinking about cosmic entities.
He wasn't thinking about the Omniverse.
He was thinking about tomorrow.
Basketball.
School.
Peter.
Ned.
Maybe lunch.
Maybe another normal day.
Ben smiled.
"Tomorrow."
He closed his books.
The Omnitrix quietly pulsed.
And somewhere deep inside the private dimension...
The dimensional core pulsed back.