Ben 10: Justice Incarnate

Road to Independence

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Days passed since Pam's arrival and his date with Tora. When Beatriz was finally free, Ben invited her to the park. While the picnic lunch was delightful, the date took an exciting turn when Ben mentioned his time playing college soccer. A figurative fire lit her eyes. After correcting Ben with the international name of Football, she passionately challenged him to a one on one game. Lucky for them, Ben keeps a spare ball in the trunk.

Since it was just between the two of them, they would take turns as a striker versus goalie with each point. The first five rounds went off without a hitch, but it soon got more intense between them. Beatriz asked Ben if they could have super-powered matches. While Ben was hesitant, he eventually caved into the emerald beauty's request. However, this came with new rules and a new setup. Same as before (think Rocket League), neither could use their hands, but they didn't need to hold back in terms of strength and speed within reason, of course. Moving to a more secluded area of the city's park, Ben got to work creating the new field with Diamondhead as well as a new ball. After making sure that no civilians or cameras were around, they both powered up. Beatriz lit up as Fire.

Needless to say, the sounds of loud impacts and their smack talk drew people's attention. Soon, there were a few spectators. The game wasn't a competition, but it sure felt like one now. Neither of the two was going to lose without a fight. First to fifty goals won the game. Beatriz and Ben dashed across the field shooting and blocking shots one after the other. Half an hour later, the two were soaked in sweat with Ben tiredly pumping his arms up in victory. It was a close game, but Ben earned his soccer scholarship. Once they got cleaned up, Ben drove Beatriz to her hotel and walked her to the room. When Beatriz and Ben said their goodbyes, she was much more proactive and hands-on in her appreciation than Tora. Another enjoyable date comes to a close.

Later

When Ben's not at the Gym or out in the city, there was never a dull moment at the shop. It brought a smile to his face whenever one of his newest recipes gains another fan. Experimenting with acai and lychee paid off. More Tropical fruit flavors were a bit summer day hit. In regard to his recent roommate, things have been progressing. Every other day, the two would have a movie night, alternating pics. With a small smile, Harley was more open to talking with Ben about her experiences. Her growing list of friends was a major contributor. Silence is a Petri dish for abuse. It's where it thrives, and it needs to be broken.

As for Pam, she often came by once Harley finished her shift. They haven't caused any trouble, so Ben paid no mind to their excursions. Some days, the three of them would go out for Mexican food. Unfortunately, there was a night that both of them came back drunk out of their minds as Ben came down to see the shop a mess, both of them passed out on the floor, and cans of whipped cream and tree sap littered around. It didn't help that his plant grabbed him as some sort of self-defense mechanism for Pam, leaving him hanging once again. One transformation later, he was free and out of range. Suffice to say, they were closed for a few hours for clean-up. The next morning was filled with sighs, apologies, and admissions of self-defense. Apparently, someone received several bruises for trying to get fresh with them. Pam mentions a new breed of plant she was experimenting with to calm the nerves with little side effects, leading to last night. No surprise, it needs work. Thankfully, Ivy's plants cleaned up most of the mess.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Eventually, the fashion show had arrived. Beatriz and Tora offered to invite Harley, but she declined, saying that it wasn't a venue she was comfortable with. Before the show, Ben greeted the girls backstage, and they introduced him to their friend Mari McCabe. Apparently, she also took part in heroics; however, he never got a chance to hear the details when the directors asked him to leave backstage for show preparations.