An Inner Turmoil!

*Basement, Ben's house, National City*

Ben sat on the chair on his balcony sipping coffee, with a blank look on his face but his face had marks of him crying a while ago. Which he had been silently for the past hour. His emotions were suppressed when he was watching Red-X's memories, but waking up from it burst the dam holding them back. After an hour of staring at the ceiling of the basement in a trance, he retired because of feeling tired.

[… Sir, you haven't checked yourself ever since waking up. Please analyze if the DNA is still stable.] Ben went out of trance hearing Friday, but did nothing and stare at the phone through which she spoke. After five seconds, he closed his eyes, dropping one final tear and got up and went back to the basement

"How much time did it take for the procedure and for me to wake up?" He asked exiting the elevator.

[The time the procedure took for completion is doubtful sir. Needs your analysis. As form the start of the procedure, it took you 49 hours, 3 minutes and12 seconds.] Friday said.

Ben narrowed his eyes, his face showing signs of doubt rather than showing signs of confusion, which Friday noted, the possibility of him regaining his memories, which he hadn't told her, but she had theorized from her master's behavior.

"So I was asleep for 2 days?" Ben asked

[Yes sir, but I theorize the correct term from the visuals would be metamorphosis.] Friday added.[That is why I'm unsure of the time of completion of the procedure.]

"Show me the inconsistencies." He ordered. Friday showed up a screen, which showed the start of the procedure, but Ben's body showed signs of instability even after the designated time, forcing Friday to continue the radiation exposure till she detected the vitals cut off. Observing the most likely cause to be the heart to stop, she opened the chamber for defibrillation, only to find a blue cocoon around Ben.

She didn't dare open it analyzing it could prove a risk to Ben, hence waited for the assigned time, which ben had set 72 hours, before contacting Jason in case of emergency, which didn't happen as the cocoon disappeared revealing slightly more fit ben, who woke up after a few seconds, and lay in a daze while tears were rolling like a broken dam.

Ben stared at the screen with an emotionless face, because to him, it felt like his... ex, of another life had just betrayed him, and he had found his parent's murderer. And died after killing them. His brain was in a chaos of emotions, yet eerily calm.

[…Sir?] Friday's voice snapped his attention to her. He realized that he named her after Iron Man's AI. Hell, he ripped his name from Ben 10 of all people, yet he distanced it like an unnecessary thought, rather than joking about it.

" Take the start of the process to the end of metamorphosis as the time taken for the serum to work, and start.." Ben started ordering, when his vision got blurry, then suddenly good, in fact, too good. This freaked him out, and he stepped back vigilantly, looking around, seeing the dust particles floating around and something even smaller than them, but his vision didn't get better than that and stopped zooming in. But now, he started seeing through stuff, seeing the ground through the walls, seeing through the table beside him.

[Sir, your eyes are glowing.] Friday said, popping it on the screen. Ben turned towards it, but his vision tunneled through the screen, but he was able to catch a glimpse of himself with shining blue eyes. He hurried it closed them, and remembered about Red-X's meta-ability of using his inner energy to enhance senses. Which seems to have upgraded due to the serum and radiation.

He tried feeling the energy, and that made him feel like a dam had burst open inside of him. On the outside, a blue wave came out of him, pushing everything around him away, as Ben was surrounded by a blue glow.

Ben felt his energy leaking at a rapid rate and tried controlling it. He had trouble for a minute, after which he was able to circulate it in an even manner inside his body and slowly lowered the amount circulated.

After 5 minutes, Ben was finally able to stop it and collapsed in exhaustion. Even though he had just woken up, he felt mentally drained, and now physically as well.

"Friday.." He called out.

[Yes, sir.] Came her voice from the speaker which had knocked off the computer desk. [You had caused a shockwave of blue energy around you sir, and I would recommend you to rest for today as your situation is abnormal.]

"Fine,.. analyze the data till then," Ben said and slowly lifted himself and walked to the bed in his basement and collapsed on it.

*Next Morning*

Ben slowly woke up and yawned. He turned around on the bed and slowly sat up, and suddenly opened his eyes with a snap. He sat there stunned for a while. Why? Because after all this time, finally, "... I didn't have those nightmares." Ben relaxed as he stared at his surroundings, to see his basement, with some of his tables and one of the computer desks fallen, due to the shockwave Friday had told him about. He had a wry smile, which disappeared as his face turned expressionless once again, remembering the memories he had gained back.

He was neither Red-X, who wanted to feel free, nor the Ben, who had formed a trusting relationship with everyone who had helped him so far, turning a blind eye to any of their shortcomings, may it be Jason or Barbra keeping an eye on him, or the big Bat himself.

Now he was a combination of both of them, but the biggest part was played by Ben who got betrayed and laughed at, whose parents got taken from him by the corrupt. He was now Ben, who didn't trust anyone. Not Jason, Not Barbra, not even Friday. But he lowered his vigilance towards them, as he knew what happened to those who kept the same stance as he was about to take. especially Batman.

"... yeah, I'm not becoming him." He affirmed himself and sighed. Looking at the time, he realized it was Monday, but decided to skip it, as he didn't want his powers to suddenly go rogue. Just as he stood up, a light screen opened in front of his face.

"What the hell??" He jumped back, but his enhanced body went back into the wall, making a dent. Ben winced as he slowly got out and saw the dent he had created, the looked at the small screen still hovering in front of him.

STATUS:-

Name- Benjamin 'Ben' Tennyson

Race- Perfect Osmosian-Anodite-Human hybrid

racial traits-

Osmosian:-

1. Supernatural Condition-User's mental and physical condition is blatantly more powerful than other normal people of his planet, reaching into the supreme territory.

Current type I, unlocked(15%) ->One of the greatest minds, strong enough to lift construction vehicles and destroy thick steel, fast enough to easily move at supersonic speeds, durable enough to withstand most explosions[At 100%].

2. Energy Absorption(10%)- Channel absorbed energy through their hands to manipulate technology, discharge it as an energy blast, or use it to speed up cellular regeneration.

3. Matter Absorption(15%)- Able to absorb and synthesize the mass, properties, and chemical makeup of matter to change their body into living matter in the shape of the Osmosian. The absorbed matter is as durable as the matter used to make it and can enhance their strength and durability

4. Power Absorption(Current limit -2)-Absorb the energy and DNA of other life forms, they gain that creature's powers and abilities. Absorbed power starts at the weakest. The one from who it is copied may be able to feel, compared to how strong they are from the user.

Anodite:-

1. Mana manipulation(1%)- Users can create, shape, and manipulate mana, the energy behind all magic. It is also the impersonal source of energy that is both external and internal, existing in people, places, and objects, and can be transmuted by the user into magical powers

2. Magical Energy physiology(1%)- The user is made up of or can transform their body completely into magical energy. The user's transformed form can be anatomically identical to their normal form, aside from being made of magical energy, in which case it contains all to organs and is somewhat vulnerable to attacks

3. Life-energy physiology(1%)- User is made up of or can transform their body completely into life-force. Users' transformed form is anatomically identical to their normal form, aside of being made of life energy, in which case, it contains all to organs and is somewhat vulnerable to attacks.

4. Psionics(0%)- The user can use various forms of psychic/mental abilities/powers, including telekinesis, telepathy, foresight, etc.

Human (metahuman/Homo magi)-

1. Metagene- Allows users to get superpowers. Powers depend from person to person.

2. Magic- Manipulating the force of nature which only a chosen few wield. A master can perform feats that can manipulate reality itself.

Blessings:-

1. A Mother's blessing- Knowledge of magic- User has a grimoire bound to the soul which teaches him the knowledge according to their requirement.

2. A Father's blessing- Adaptability- Learn to deal with the situation better.

3. A grandmother's blessing- Mental resistance- Protects user's mind from being influenced

4. A grandfather's blessing- Item Box and Defense talent- A talent in learning defense. Whether, physical, spiritual, or magical, the user shows a monstrous talent.

5. An angel's blessing- Eye of observation- No truth shall be hidden from your eyes.

Ben stood still processing what he saw. No matter how many times he read again, he couldn't believe it. Yet his face and genuine smile, more deadly than ever, considering how sharp he now looked taking the serum.

After a while, he sighed, wiped his moist eyes, and said, "Heh, now I'm partially alien too?"

Ben opened his Item box, to see two slots occupied. One contained his childhood photo of him with his family. He smiled seeing it, Dad always did get him the best gifts, which Mom surpassed the next time, like a competition.

His eye went on the second slot, which contained a thick book giving off a mystical feeling, his mother's gift. He took it out opened it, to see the headline' Magic instructions for dummies'. Ben chuckled seeing it and sat down, reading it.

*One Week Later*

Ben was back in the hallways of the school. He received calls from Jason and Barbra, who were busy chasing the Riddler. They had called on Saturday, but Friday informed them he didn't sleep for three days straight and got sick, hence took medicine and slept off, and boy did he hear an earful from her. The talk with Jason was still relieving, being his only male friend he can have a bro-to-bro talk with.

Other than that, he took a one-week leave from school to training. His grimoire helped him out in both, magic and controlling his abilities. As of now, he classified his abilities into two categories, one that can evolve and one which is already evolved.

The ones that can evolve are Energy absorption, matter Absorption, and power absorption. He hasn't unlocked his metagene, as his hands were already full.

These skills, along with supernatural Physiology showed a fast growth rate, compared to others. His Anodite side was not possible to bring out now, but he could shift in an intangible form for about 5 seconds before his body starts feeling pain and he gets a severe headache.

As for magic, he had started to learn elemental magic as a first. He also picked up another subject in which he had talent, Abjuration. Or simply said, a mixture of healing and protection magic.

It could be divided into 3 parts- healing magic, which he had a talent for thanks to Anodite heritage. Shield Magic- courtesy of Grandpa, and same with mirror magic. His favorite though is definitely mirror magic. Able to reflect attacks and, what he liked the most, mirror dimension. But the mirror dimension was really hard to control. Because of his lack of understanding and low energy reserves. The area he can create a dimension of is small as well. But according to the grimoire, once he finishes his advanced training, he would be able to link mirror magic to the dimension of mirrors. It is the dimension one of Flash's enemies, mirror master utilizes. But only to a small extent.

Other than that. his physical body and mind have reached superhuman levels, more than he was before. Other than that, his body now had a magic circulatory system as well, which he had to learn to hide its aura. He's not a master at it, but unless a magician is close by, they won't notice him.

With the end of the week, he is finally ready to go back to his school life, and think about any more projects he could make.

*Stay tuned for more...*