Ben 10 (Reader insert)

Tough Luck

I watched from afar as Ben, transformed into Four Arms, saved the day. Again. Helping a bus full of old people from tipping over the edge. The vehicle somehow having lost control and crashing through the barrier that was suppose to prevent that from happening.

The red alien ripped the back of the bus off. Posing dramatically like one of his comic superheroes before trying to walk away. Only for the elders to draw him back, the tension in his shoulder showing that whatever they said bothered him.

He reached out, helping lower each of the senior citizens down. I realized it must have been what they were complaining about.

I turned away with a sigh. Nothing too big or dangerous happening to catch my attention anymore. Instead I focused on the redhead that sat beside me. Her laptop out and scrolling through images of magic and wizards.

Gwen raised her old Lucky Girl mask up, wistfully squeezing at the fabric. "Lucky girl, I wish you were more then just another Halloween costume."

"What's stopping you?" I asked.

She shook her head and cast a glance my way. So sad in the way her shoulders drooped, eyes never leaving the mask. "You know why."

I did, to a certain extent. The redhead not having powers to back up her hero alter ego was holding her back. Even though I thought it was strange since Grandpa Max only had Plumber training and nothing else. Maybe she could learn something from her grandpa?

I shook off the thoughts as the Rust Bucket's door slammed open. Ben, back to his normal self, trudging in on heavy feet. He stalked past us, only throwing a glance over to nod at us, before standing in front of his grandpa. "Ugh, sometimes this hero stuff gets way old."

"You should be proud of yourself Ben!" Grandpa Max scolded from the driver's seat. "Those folks would have been in a real pickle without you."

"I know. But I'd just like one regular summer day, where I can just hang out all day long and do nothing! Y'know, like Gwen."

That set off the redheaded cousin, invisible fur standing on end as she glared at Ben. A argument already rolling off her tongue. "You should appreciate what you have! I only got to be Lucky Girl for a few hours!"

"Really, was that it? 'Cause with all the bragging you did it felt like weeks." Ben joked, smiling and laughing at Gwen's expense.

She threw a pillow in retaliation, effectively shutting up the brunet for only a few seconds. Just enough for me to add my two cents, and Gwen to fist pump the air at her landed hit.

"Hey, with all the gloating you do on the basis, I could fill a ocean."

A scoff and eyeroll was all I received from the green eyed terror. Him turning to his grandfather with a smile as he continued. "The worst part of all was when all those grannies wanted me to go with them to some lame-o magic convention in Las Vegas! As if!"

"Magic convention?" Gwen asked with a curious tilt of her head.

It also caught my attention, much of my moves having been based off of the ideas from some tricks. Especially after the whole incident with Lucky Girl and that evil sorcerer. "Sounds interesting." I piped up, already seeing Ben cringe in regret.

Grandpa Max on the other hand seemed very open to the idea.

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A day later, and sleeping in a hotel for the rest of the night, we arrived at Las Vegas. Where the magic convention was, the most exciting thing for Gwen. And the complete opposite for Ben, who complained the entire way after losing to a vote among the four of us. Three to one dictating we would go to the convention.