A Certain Scientific Omnitrix: New Testament. Vol. 1.

Layers of the World.

The Diner in District 7 known as Healthy Habit was a particularly popular place. While it's food wasn't exactly healthy all the time due to the presence of Burgers, Fries.. especially it's world famous chili fries. 

It was also the place where Ben got his first job. 

After coming to Academy City, he didn't have a work permit or anything like to earn money with, but the manager of the Healthy Habit branch in Academy City was a rather kind girl and gave Ben work. 

The pay wasn't much, but it was enough keep Ben fed without having to resort to thievery. And until he finally joined ALIEN and began making plenty more money, it was also where Ben used to live, the manager allowing Ben to at the restaurant after closing.  It kept Ben out of the rain at least.. even though the homeless kid didn't find sleeping in diner booths too comfortable.. 

Later after Ben left ALIEN, he resorted to turning into Terraspin and tucking himself into his turtle shell whenever he needed to sleep in the rain, and his laundry was primarily done by Waterhazard playing around with a bottle of detergent, ironed by NRG heated hands.  Yeah, Alien Super Powers, what could he say?

Even so, before Mikoto came around, Ben's entire life in Academy City was either uncomfortable, a struggle, or just plain dark in the case of ALIEN. 

In any case Ben knew that if anybody remembered anything about his early life in Academy City, it was the Healthy Habit's owner Verity. 

Verity Nesmith was the daughter of a famous man who had largely influenced Ben's and pretty much every other kid from his era's life in a a big way, the first Super Hero, Captain Nemesis. 

Captain Nemesis Ben sometimes suspected inspired Marvel's creation of Iron Man. A billionaire who fought crime in a high tech suit. 

High tech armor wasn't exactly special anymore of course, not with all of Academy City's developments and the alien super powers Ben was now widely known for, as well as Espers.  But Captain Nemesis was the beginning of an era, his tech signalling to humanity that it was indeed possible to become super human though the power of science. 

Not many knew he had a daughter though. According to Verity, Nemesis always preferred to keep his family life private, part of the reason why she lived so isolated from him.  Either way, it didn't keep Ben from sometimes asking if Verity could get his Captain Nemesis poster signed. 

The bell on the door of the Healthy Habit rang as Ben pushed his way in, followed by Mikoto. 

Mikoto looked around, folding her arms and smiling slightly. "Huh.. so this is where you worked.. I always wondered.."

"Don't tell me you've never eaten here?" Ben said. "Best Japanese Food in Academy City hands down.. picked up plenty of tricks from Verity in my own cooking."

A simple diner in all appearances with booths, checker patterned walls, it didn't look special, but Mikoto could tell by how clean it was and the numerous awards framed on the wall that this restaurant was well taken care of. 

A boy about 2 years older than Ben walked out, wearing an apron. He had red hair and wore an apron over his uniform. "Hey there! Welcome to the Healthy Habit, ordering something?"

"Hi uh.. Shirou.." Ben said reading the nametag on the boy's apron. "Listen, not eating or anything, just here to see Verity.. she in?"

"The boss? You friends with her?" said Shirou.

"Yeah, I used to work here." said Ben. 

Shirou nodded. "No problemo.. hold on.. oh by the way, my little sis is a huge fan of yours, has a poster of you in her room."