Destroyed

Episode one of Ascension (series).

Plot
Ben leans back on his chair as a teacher rambles on in front of the classroom. He quietly types letters on his phone to Gwen. ''Are sixteenth birthdays more special for girls or something? Gwen answers through a text message as well, Aren't you in class? Ben frowns, Stop being a bitch. ''Gwen didn't respond.

[Teacher]: Ben? What are you doing.

She saunters over. Ben hangs his head in self-anger for getting caught. The teacher snatches his phone and places it on her desk. Cash and JT, a few seats over, snicker.

[JT]: Hey asswipe, what's that weird thing on your wrist?

Ben looks at his Omnitrix which he put on only a few days ago when Grandpa Max disappeared.

[Ben]: It's an Ethiopian evolution bracelet. Only people with minimal intelligence don't known about them.

[JT]: It makes you look like a dumbass.

The teacher asks a question. A blonde girl, wearing about thirty bracelets, quickly puts him her hand.

[Teacher]: Patty,

[Patty]: The answer is seven.

[Teacher]: Correct.

Cash mutters.

[Cash]: What a fucking nerd.

JT begins cracking up. The bracelets slide down to her elbow and Patty quickly slid them back up. ''No one can see my scars. ''A few minutes later, the bell rings. The day was over. Ben stops at his locker, getting two textbooks and shoving them into his bag before leaving the school. He takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks his bike from the bike lock. Pedaling away, Ben spots the RV park when sadness washed over him. Ben remembers Grandpa Max went missing a few days ago, Ben slumps against the fence, crying. The patch of grass and sod still remained. Ben hears gurgles and peaks his head over. A DNAlien is searching for Max's RV. Ben slams down his Omnitrix. He shrinks in size as his skin turns white and lines shoot up. His ears morph into holes as Ben screams out a warrior cry.

[Ben]: Echo Echo!

He multiplies himself into three different clones. The DNAlien spits acid on one, melting him. The other two leap on his bad. The DNAlien screeches, causing three other DNAliens to come out of the forest.

[Echo Echo]: I'm going to need some more firepower!

He slaps the Omnitrix symbol.

[Chromastone]: Time for a whooping.

He clenches his fist then fires a beam, shooting one of them crashing into an RV. Suddenly, a pain washes over Ben as he reverts, crashing into the ground. He pats the back of his head and blood seeps out. Ben turns, revealed to have been hit by a DNAlien with a rock. The other DNAliens close in and begin beating him. One kicks him in the gut multiple times. Ben spits blood, his vision fading. Black spots clouded his vision as he groaned once more before he went unconscious.

Ben's eyes flicker open. Sitting up, Ben lays back with a grunt, pain washing through his body. Looking around, Ben realizes where he is. A hospital room. The bed covers were white while the bed itself was a shiny silver frame. He notices the cast on his arm and the brace on his leg. Looking to his right, Ben spots his father.

[Carl]: Ben?

Ben nods. Carl cries out, tightly embracing his child in a hug.

[Carl]: What happened?

[Ben]: Where's mom?

[Carl]: She's on a business trip. What happened?

[Ben]: Three hoodlums in black masks crept on me. Jacked me up I guess.

Carl holds up a plastic Ziplog bag. Inside was Ben's shattered phone. Ben groans, slumping back down.

Across Bellwood, Patty Berkenfeld was sitting on a wooden chair, her face resting on the desk. Tears flowed down her face. On the desk was a faded picture of a beautiful woman. Her soft, blue eyes gazed in jubilance at the camera with golden strands on hair falling perfectly behind her ears, There was a knock on her door. Patty knew it was her father.

[Father]: Patty? Are you okay.

[Patty]: Yeah.

She wipes her eye as her father creaks the door open.

[Father]: You know today is the day?

Patty nods. She stands, walking out of the room and through the kitchen where old family pictures hung. She and her father go to their backyard where a large gravestone lays. The name etched into the side, ''Martha Berkenfeld. ''Patty kneels next to her mother's grave. Patty's brother, dressed in cut up jeans and an athletic shirt, slowly appears after a few minutes..

[Father]: Mike, you're late.

[Mike]: Sorry.

Mike's brown eyes reflected off of the shiny gravestone. Patty was always annoyed with her brother but she grew animosity against him for missing the anniversary of her mother's death. Allowing her tears to drop off of her face, Patty places a single carnation onto the grave.

Back at the hospital, Carl is helping Ben to the car.

[Carl]: I can't allow you to bike home anymore.

Ben silently nods, too weak to argue. Sweat beads on his forehead and drips down. The car drive home is silent and Ben snatches his home phone with his good arm and dials up Gwen. Whispering to himself, Ben hurries to his room.

[Gwen]: Mr. Tennyson?

[Ben]: Gwen its me.

[Gwen]: Ben? What happened? I heard you were in the hospital.

[Ben]: Some DNAliens jumped me.

[Gwen]: Where were you?

[Ben]: Where Max's RV use to be.

[Gwen]: I should call Kevin.

Ben stops, thinking for a moment.

[Ben]: Don't.

[Gwen]: Why?

[Ben]: After what happened two nights ago with Vulkanus, we shouldn't be trusting him.

[Gwen]: I don't know. I think we should.

[Ben]: Maybe we should. Just...wait until tomorrow.

Ben hears the line click as he puts the phone down.

In Patty's room, she sits on a desk on the newest social media called ''LifeTime. ''She is writing a poem for her mother when a notification pops up. She hovers the mouse over it and it is an anonymous message. She adjusts her glasses, reading it:

To: Patty Berkenfeld

From: Anonymous User

''You are really a fucking dork. Die in a ditch you dumb bitch. Stop moaning over your dead mom. Get over it. She was probably an ass anyway.''

Tears quickly quivered from her eyes, sliding down her face. She opens up a drawer and then a small box. Inside was a white cloth stained pink and three blades. She picks the middle one, biting down on her lower lip. She quickly slashes her wrist and sighs softly as the small bubbles of blood surge to the surface. It drips down the side of her wrist, sliding onto the cloth. With another exhale, Patty wipes her wrist and shuts it back into the box then stuffing it into the wooden drawer.

The next morning during first period, Patty sits in the back of the room, her jackets curling over her wrists. Ben sits in the row behind her, the one closet to the wall. He is starring at her. Ben always though she was pretty since the third grade. He thought she was naturally beautiful while the other girls had plastic implants or overdone makeup. The bell rings as Ben scurries to pick up his stuff. Scrambling, he follows her and stops Patty before she goes to second period.

[Ben]: Uh, hi.

Patty nervously adjusts her glasses.

[Patty]: Hi Ben.

[Ben]: So I uh, was wondering, maybe if you like, wanted to live go to the movies or something on Saturday?

He smiles awkwardly, the blood surging to his cheeks as a blush forms. After nodding, she smiles, kissing him on the cheek then walks away casually but inside, she exploded in jubilant. As she slides between bulky seniors and juniors, thoughts of cutting drift away from her mind, replaced with uncertainty and nerve-wrecking hypothetical on how the date could go wrong.

Three weeks later

The bell just rung as eight period marks it's completion. Ben smiles, kissing Patty on the cheek with an awkward peck. His sling was gone as his arm was now healed She smiles and thinks to herself: ''It's been a week since my last cut. ''The two, fingers interlocked, stroll out of the school and through the parking lot. He stops her, seeing Cash walking up. They turn to go the other way but JT appears and trips Ben, causing him to skin his leg. Blood dripped down. Ben bites on his lower lip in pain. Patty, paralyzed with fear, kneels next to Ben to ensure he is okay.

[Cash]: Ben..wow...what a fucking baby.

Ben stands and lazily takes a swing at Cash who ducks it. He elbows Ben in the cheek. Blood stains his teeth. Stumbling, Ben knees Cash, causing Cash to bumble backwards. Regaining his balance, Cash uppercuts Ben by throwing a punch vertically. Ben heard the crack and knew his nose was broken. Patty screams but JT snatches her arms, stopping her from interfering. Cash kicks Ben in the gut as black spots cloud Ben's vision. He groans, trying to escape. Cash sits on Ben's chest and begins swinging at Ben's face. Ben spits out a tooth, momentarily distracting Cash. Using this opportunity, Ben heavily headbutts Cash then stands up. Cash clutches his forehead and Ben kicks him in the groin. Cash vomits, hurling into a bush. Turning to Ben, he knocks him to the ground and grabs his leg, twisting it until a large SNAP is heard. Ben screams as tears begin streaming down his dried blood caked face. Cash elbows him in the ribs and begins strangling Ben, spitting on his face. Patty continues shrieking. A teacher, departing from school, leaps out of his car and tackles don Cash. Ben groans as his vision fades. Patty starred at his face. Blood and dirt caked onto to it. He looked in pain. The teacher grabbed Cash by the collar.

[Teacher}: WHO DID THIS?

[JT]: Ben started it.

[Patty]: He's lying! Ben and I were leaving and they jumped us! Please you have to believe us!

The teacher points to the corner of a building.

[Teacher]: There is a security camera here. I am finding out the truth and whoever is at fault will immediately be expulsed.

He pulls out his phone, dialing 911. A few moments later, an ambulance is pulling Ben out of the parking lot.

That night, Patty sits at her desk and opens up the box. She looks at the reflection in the blade, seeing herself. Pulling up her sleeve, she quickly dices the skin. ''I'm so sorry Ben. ''

Ben, in crutches, is sitting across from Carl four nights later.

[Carl]: We're done with this school. I'm putting you in Gwen's school.

[Ben]: No!

[Sandra]: There isn't a discussion to be made Ben. In less than two months, you've broken more bones that I have in my entire life.

[Ben]: This isn't fair! I can't just leave! What about my friends?

[Carl]: Not my problem. This is for your safety.

[Ben}: You don't understand! None of you do! I have to stay and I refuse to move schools!

He angrily grabs his crutches and leaves the room.

Ben's locker swings open the following morning. Patty makes her way over.

[Patty]: I'm sorry I didn't do anything.

Ben smiles, picking up her chin then hugs her.

[Ben]: There is nothing you could of done.

He leans in as their lips brush against one another. She pulls away and wipes a tear away as Ben turns and hobbles away. As Ben walks by JT's locer, he hears a mutter.

[JT]: Fucking cripple caused Cash to get expelled.

[Ben]: Shut up or I'll stick a crutch up your ass.

JT slams his locker then stomps off.

Patty opens up her laptop screen. A message pops up on ''LifeTime. ''

''Are you a mistake? Your parents probably resent you. Ben only pities you. ''

Patty quickly shuts her computer, crying. She hurries to the bathroom and grabs her father's bottle of Digoxin, a medicine used to slow down heart rate. She grabs a handful and forces herself to swallow them. After a minute of sobbing, she sticks two fingers down her throat, forcefully vomiting into the toilet. A few rooms over, Mike looks at pictures of Ben and angrily slams his fist on his desk. ''Why is Ben hers? I love him more. ''Tears of anger stream down his face.

There is a knock on the door. Their father answers it. Ben stands there, extending his arm to shake hands.

[Ben]: Hi sir, my name is Ben Tennyson and-

The father hugs him.

[Father]:I've heard how you protected my daughter. Thank you.

Ben nods.

[Ben]: I think I love her sir. Is she around? I promised to help her study Trigonometry because we have a test next Tuesday.

The father nods. On his way ascending to the apex floor, Mike stops Ben and mentions Ben to follow him into his room. Ben follows, puzzled. Mike turns.

[Mike]: I've been thinking a lot these past couple days and I love you.

[Ben]: What? Is this a joke?

Mike shakes his head.

[Mike]: I've come to terms with myself and I know that I love you.

He leans in to Ben for a hug, causing Ben to scramble and collapse onto his broken leg. He strains his face in pain and cries out. Patty runs in and sees Ben on the floor clutching his leg.

[Patty]: You idiot!

She slaps Mike. Mike holds his face with his palm, the cheek turning rosy red with a stinging pain. Patty helps Ben up into her room then returns to her brother.

[Mike]: You're a bitch.

She kicks him in the shin.

[Patty]: Ben is all I have!

She turns and returns to her room. Ben was sitting on her bed.

[Ben]: Is he fucking with me or is he really...

She exhales deeply.

[Patty]: I don't know.

They kiss and she puts her hand on his cheek but her sleeve falls down. The scars etched across her arm show. Patty's bare arm was now exposed. As Ben breaks away, he spots them.

[Ben]: Patty...?

She looks down in horror and begins weeping.

[Ben]: I think they are beautiful.

He pulls up her shirt and sees scars on her ribs. He kisses the scars on her wrists. Now crying in relief, she kisses him again.

The next night, JT and Cash sit in an abandoned car shop with a laptop open, sending anonymous messages to Patty on ''LifeTime. ''On the receiving end, Patty's cheeks were rosy and her eyes were glassy. She scribbles down something on paper: ''World's gone to shit. Might as well quit. Tell Ben I love him. Check my computer. -Patty''

She opens a drawer, snatching a belt. She ties it to her fan and then around her neck. Standing on a stool, she kicks it away and a final image of Ben forms in her mind.

Mike hears choking in her room and peaks his head in. He shrieks, slumping to the ground. Their father runs in and sees the body hanging limp. He cuts her down and holds her baby.

Ben wakes up when he hears his housephone ringing. Ben picks it up and hears sobbing.

[Mike]: She's dead Ben.

He hangs up leaving Ben crying as he morphs into Jetray, zooming to Patty's house. Ben knocks on the door but notices a van. The doors open as two coroners pull a body covered with cloth on a stretcher away. Ben bawls as the father embraces Ben.

Ben is in Plumber HQ, typing in Sublimo. He goes to the cell and finds him there.

[Sublimo]: What do you want?

[Ben]: To wipe my mind. The past two months have to be gone.

[Sublimo]: Why would I do that for you?

[Ben]: I'll free you and clear your file of all felonies.

Sublimo nods and Ben frees him. Sublimo waves his pocket watch as Ben goes unconscious.

Ben's eyes flicker open. He throws the covers off of his legs and try to walk but fall to the ground as pain washes over him. Noticing the crutches, Ben grabs them, unsure of how he broke his legs. Confused, Ben searches for his phone but can't find it.

At school, Ben notices Patty is gone. Mike walks up to him after first period.

[Mike]: How are you?

[Ben]: Who are you?

[Mike]: Are you trying to deny Patty's death?

That stung Ben. He was saddened and wish he had talked to her more. Someone puts their hand on Ben's shoulder. He turns, it was Julie.

[Julie]: Hey Ben, I was wondering if we are still up for the study group on Thursday?

Ben nods, wondering if he lost his mind.

After school, Mike is glumly wandering the sidewalk. There is a unusual growl from the forest next to him. Mike, curious, wanders into it. Behind him, the DNAlien sprays acid as Mike hollers in agony.

Ben is wandering the same sidewalk a few minutes after. He spots Kevin.

[Ben]: What are you doing?

[Kevin]: Found a body here. Unrecognizable.

Ben sees the dissolving corpse of a male.

[Kevin]: Aren't you upset over Patty?

[Ben]: Why would I be?

[Kevin]: Nevermind.

Ben spots a Plumber Badge in his backpack when looking for his phone. A hologram of Grandpa Max plays.

The father of patty and Mike stands on the top of Billions tower. He leans forward, allowing the wind to flow through him. He splats onto the ground.

Ben, with a determined look on his face, smiles at Kevin.

[Ben]: Grandpa Max needs my help. You in?

Kevin nods.

[Kevin]: Yeah, I'm in.

End