The Town Hall Quirk registry office was usually visited by younger children, meaning he received some odd looks here and there, but overall, no one paid much attention. Getting his 'Quirk' registered went on without a hitch. Currently, the Omnitrix—explained as part of his Quirk that allows him to select his forms—is dubbed 'Xeno-Change' —a transformation-type Quirk that enables him to shuffle his DNA to access several forms.
A solid cover-up explanation. And now? Now, he was getting to work. He had to get into shape for UA! According to the Omnitrix, the stronger he got, the stronger his aliens would also get as a result! Faster, stronger, and able to take more damage - all of which are crucial attributes of his forms. For that reason, he got a training schedule off the internet and even made a serious sacrifice. He sold all of his All Might merchandise.
Every single one.
He kept nothing.
Going so far hurt him, but ultimately, he knew he would require the money if he wanted to join UA. The Hero Course is not required to pay something akin to tuition, but they were expected to be responsible and ensure their own basic needs are met, such as food. Still, Izuku was not too keen on the amount he got despite getting what some might chalk up as a small fortune.
So, he decided to invest! Problem? He didn't know anything about making investments. Luckily, he recalled that one of the DNA samples in the Omnitrix, the Galvan, was a race of extremely intelligent beings. So, he decided to use that one. When he transformed, he became something akin to a small, grey, frog-like creature with big eyes. The Omnitrix was strapped to his back instead of the front like other forms, but what mattered was that it was there.
He easily determined which start-ups would be good investments and put money toward several. He named this alien Thinker.
Still, Izuku knew he had his work cut out for him. He had to try out his aliens, after all, and he found a perfect place for that! He was there right now! Dagobah Municipal Beach Park, once a place that stood as a gem to the city, is now a thrash dumb. Thrash brought by the currents, which washed up on the beach, littered the entire coastline up until the middle of it. True mountains of trash were everywhere, no matter where you looked.
"Alright!" Izuku brought up the Omnitrix, trying to decide on which alien to try first. He had already turned into Hack and Diamond Soldier. Thinker as well. "Let's see…This one looks interesting. Pyronite DNA, huh? I wonder what they can do." And so, he tapped the Omnitrix, the green light surrounding him as he changed forms. But this time? This time, Izuku felt most…heated. His entire body was like a mass of fire, with rocks within. His feet were different, too. He had three toes, two in the front, one in the back, like some kind of bird. But he knew this race was not an avian one. Born on a star instead of a planet, Pyronites were plasma-based beings. "Hmm. Let's see…" Picking up a piece of trash, Izuku recoiled quickly upon seeing it melt. "Jesus!"
He pulled away, spooked, letting the molten metal drop to the ground. Right, he was now made out of fire. "I wonder…" Turning to a pile of trash, he began to experiment with his powers. Namely, he decided to turn them into a bit of a sculpture. Using his heat, he melted the metal and shaped it into a different form. Things like cardboard boxes and the like that were flammable burned up and turned to ash, but the metal was just melted. "This is harder than it looks…"
Sure enough, what he made counted more as modern art than actual training. On that note, what was he doing? He was supposed to be training, not making art! Turning back in a flash of green, Izuku brought up the Omnitrix once more. "Omnitrix, how much transformation time do I have left?" He used quite a bit of time with the statue.
"An approximate 13 minutes are left on the safe transformation time limit."
"Plenty of time to try one more form, huh?" Izuku muttered, then brought up the dial again, scrolling through his available forms. "I think I will dub the one I just turned into as Fire Hazard." The Omnitrix lit up, accepting the tag for the DNA sample. "What about…This one!" Tapping the interface, a green light once again enveloped him as he changed shape.
But this time, he noticed he was big. Like significantly bigger than your average person. He had turned into a Talpaedan. A ten-foot-tall behemoth resembling fully mechanical rodents. An armadillo, he thinks.
This race had thick, yellow skin resembling armored plating that covered their heads, torsos, shoulders, arms, knees, shins, calves, and feet, while everything else was black. Their arms from the elbow down contain spring-loaded hammer pistons with the springs showing through the forearms of their yellow exterior. They have silver hands and feet with four fingers and three toes, tiny silver ears, and a long silver prehensile tail.
"Whoa! Big boy!" Izuku said, noting his voice had changed this time as well. Deeper. He looked at his arms, seeing the pistons there and reading the bio carefully. Then, he retracted his fingers, forming the drill, and started to spin it. "Drills for arms? Being able to generate powerful vibrations? This form is great for demolition work!" Returning his hand to normal, however, Izuku had a different plan. "My time is limited." He reached for the dial, spinning it around and bringing up the selection process again.
"Time to test cross-alien transformation." He said, eventually landing on a different sample. "However, you, my yellow behemoth, I name you…Quake!" Then he slapped the dial, causing him to transform yet again.
This time, however, when the light died down, he noticed he was smaller. Still a bit tall, but not as tall as before. He had a blue face and skin with a long, prehensile tail that had black stripes on it. His arms ended in three-fingered hands, like claws. His feet had wheels on them, which, from the bio, enabled him to travel quickly. He also had white eyes.
He appeared to wear a helmet, which was usually black, long, elliptical, and pointed at the top. However, he could tell it was made up of his skin and part of the skull. Slowly, he lowered a visor over his face, which wasn't mechanical as much as it was biological. His lips were black, and he also had black facial markings and black rings around his pupilless eyes.
"Whoa, this one is certainly something! Woah! I have ta ail!" He spoke quickly, with a voice that seemed higher-pitched than normal. Then he moved. In a flash, he moved across the entire beach. "Whoa! I am fast!" He rushed to a washing machine, trying to lift it, despite being buried under trash. "Ouch! I am not strong!" He dashed once again to the top of a pile, picking up something with his tail. "This is useful!"
He then dashed down once again. "Oh man, this form is awesome! I feel so alive, and I am so fast, and- and-"
"Attention. Due to cross-form transformation, you have been left with 6 minutes of transformation time."
The announcement of the Omnitrix got him to focus again. "Right! Well, while I am this fast…" He peeked at the entire beach, grinning widely. "Might as well! Oh! And your name…Is Accel!" The Omntrix beeped, registering the name, and then Accel dashed and didn't stop. The black and blue haze traveled from pile of trash to pile of trash, neatly organizing them and cleaning up the beach.
"This goes there! This here! That one there! This one here! Oh! Now who throws something like this?! Wait, it is…EWWWW! It's moving!"
Granted, at such a speed, he often found things better left buried.
"Done!" A little over five minutes later, the entire beach was completely cleaned of any debris. "Oh man, look at this place! So beautiful! I wouldn't mind spending my days here and-"
"Time limit has been reached. Initiating safety." The Omnitrix began to flash red.
"Oh, this can't be good-" Suddenly, a red light enveloped Izuku, turning him back to normal. "Whoa! Woah…Ok…" Coming down from that rush suddenly had him feeling dizzy for a second, as he needed to sit down. "That was…That was like drinking a lot of coffee all at once. God, but that was…" Looking around, Izuku took note of everything he did in such a short amount of time. A smile spread over his lips, seeing the beach mostly cleaned out. He still had to give a call to the local authorities to send a cleaning crew to pick up the trash, but all in all, he was proud of what he was able to achieve in only one day.
One day, he said he wanted to use it to train his body.
One day, out of many he still had left, which he planned to spend training here and using the trash to train his body.
One day…One year…Which he turned into one day.
"Fuck!" He swore loudly as he realized his mistake. By cleaning this place, it was no longer a viable place for him to exercise with the Omnitrix! Once they came to pick up the thrash, it was going to be open to the public once more, meaning he couldn't train here anymore! Ok, note to self, Accel also made him very reckless, acting first and thinking second! "Now what am I going to do?" He sighed, feeling silly for what he did.
He brought up the Omnitrix, seeing the red dial. "I don't suppose you have a place for me to train, right?" He asked the Omnitrix, which seemed to come alive at his question.
"Negative. However, the Omnitrix had taken the liberty of installing new functions."
"New functions?! When did you do that?! What did you install?" Izuku asked.
"Google Maps."
Now Izuku felt silly. "Google Maps?" He asked. "You installed a navigation app?"
"Affirmative. By studying the nearby layout, I have deduced that while this location is the closest to your home, it is by far the most optimal. Instead, the Omnitrix has tagged this location as being more appropriate." A map was displayed before Izuku's eyes, the Omnitrix utilizing the deep integration between them to show it to Izuku like a HUD in a video game.
It first showed his current location, but then drew a line toward a different place in the middle of the woods. Far away from any known settlement, all the way in the countryside! "I cannot travel that much just for training!"
"Correction. Utilizing Accel can get you there in 7.8 seconds."
"Right…I guess you do have a point." Izuku added, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh! Omnitrix, how many forms I've yet to try."
"Currently, tagged aliens include: Hack, Diamond Soldier, Quake, Thinker, Fire Hazard, and lastly, Accel. Six out of ten DNA samples have been accessed so far." The Omnitrix replied, and Izuku nodded his head at the information. "DNA repairs are almost complete. 10 seconds until full functionality is restored to the Omnitrix."
"Well, I guess checking out this place today is not a bad idea." The Omnitrix flashed green again. "But first, I will make a call to have someone come pick up all this trash!" Izuku took his phone out, but the moment he held it, a cable seemed to extend from the Omnitrix. "Hey! What are you doing?"
"The Omnitrix is required to ensure the safety of its wearer. Analyzing device…Analysis complete! Several instances of spying software were removed."
"Spy software?!" Izuku gasped, shocked by such a concept.
"Governments on Admin Tennyson's Earth used to engage in this practice as well to maintain surveillance over their population. However, after the Galactic Technological Privacy Act was passed, Earth's governments were forbidden from continuing this practice. The Omnitrix has removed those programs from your device; however, integration into the Omnitrix is suggested to ensure outside interferences do not reinstall those malicious programs."
"Integration…As in, you are going to eat my phone?" Izuku asked sheepishly.
"In easier terms, yes."
"I mean…If you think it is necessary." With Izuku's consent being given, the Omnitrix seemed to turn liquid as the dial turned, spreading to his phone and seemingly melting it. However, once the liquid retreated, leaving nothing in Izuku's hands, a new function seemed to have been integrated into the Omnitrix.
"The functions of the communication device had been successfully implemented into the Omnitrix."
"Alright, let's test them out…How do I-"
"Think. Focus."
"Right, right." With the bare-bones instructions given, Izuku easily called someone at the local Town Hall to come clean the piles of trash. After explaining he had cleaned the beach himself, and knowing most of the work was done, the official agreed to send someone. It was strange, however, calling people like that. It was like he was speaking to himself, and he heard them right in his ears. He feared people might think he was crazy when he spoke on the phone in public like this.
"Solution: The Omnitrix can generate an earbud-like device instead. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for people to speak using those."
"Thank you for letting me seem crazy, Omnitrix," Izuku replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Now…I guess let's go to this new spot." Bringing up the watch again, he turned and was gone in under a second.
Arriving at the location pointed to him by the Omnitrix and turning back to allow the Omnitrix to instantly fix his DNA, Izuku marveled at how isolated the place was. "Whoa…" He couldn't even hear the cars anymore! There was only he and nature here. A perfect place for him to practice without having to worry about destroying public property. "This location is perfect! And with Accel, I can get here instantly! Thank you, Omnitrix, for showing me this place. Now!" He brought up the dial again, trying to see which alien to try next. "This one!"
And within a flash of green light, he transformed. He was humanoid, that much he could tell, but upon seeing the bio, he realized what he had become. He became a moth-like alien with four wings and two antennae-like wing folds. His body was black with patching on a slender chest, running along his legs and arms, the latter reaching up to the back of his neck. On his legs and arms, the patches were cyan and resembled large ice chunks. Thick black lines bordered the back end of each wing, which also contained three cyan patches of its own.
His face had harsh black lines surrounding his eyes and mouth, which all met at the center of his face. A black marking on his head extended over the scalp and forced the remaining colored parts of the forehead into a Y-shape.
His eyes were bright and had smaller, darker spots inside. His mouth was in a frown, showing four bluish-white teeth, which he couldn't move very well. His hands had three pointed fingers and a thumb on each, and three toes on each foot: two in front and one behind.
He folded his wings as well, resembling something akin to a robe with a hood, giving him a ghost-like appearance.
"An insect-based race…" He spoke, his voice raspy and smooth. "Let's see…" He inhaled deeply, then aimed at a log on the ground. He released his breath on it, freezing it solid. "I see…" He then went to it and stomped on it, shattering it into pieces. "Cryokinesis…And also." He turned and unfolded his wings, flying up. As he did, his body became translucent, and every branch that would have hit him went right through without touching him. When he reached above the tree line, he looked below, seeing no branch disturbed. "Flight and being able to turn intangible, effectively becoming immune to physical attacks, unprepared for such an opponent. A great choice for sneaking into a villain's base and taking them out. Yes, out of everyone so far, this is by far the one best equipped to take down violent villains quickly."
Izuku landed on the ground, then turned back. Best not to transform from one form to another, and keep his transformations short to enable the Omnitrix a short repair time for his DNA. This way, he can keep transforming for a longer time. "I know! Polar Ghost!" Izuku named the alien, and the Omnitrix beeped, registering the name. "Now, next one!"
Another green flash traversed the forest, and when it died down, the alien before the trees had a black body with one eye in the middle of its head. Two antennae and a tail resembling plugs on the end extended from him, and he could move them all as he wished. He had four fingers on each hand, with similar plugs on the tip of each finger and two toes. He also had bolts on his forearms, hips, and shoulders. According to the bio, this was a sign of his age for this species.
"Oh, sweet! This guy looks amazing! But what does he…Let's see." Reading the bio, Izuku quickly realized a flaw in the location he was in. "Ah, shit! Really? This guy needs to absorb energy…There is nothing here to draw energy from!" He whined, realizing this alien was more vocal than the others, and although his voice once again differed, he could feel the change this guy brought to him. He felt very easy-going and somewhat cocky. Still, he sighed, feeling disappointed. "Can't use you here, ey, buddy? No worries, plenty of time to test your metal later." Izuku turned back to normal. "Whoa, ok." And once again felt the rush from major personality shifts due to DNA alteration. "I need to get used to that. Still, his name will be Cable!"
The Omnitrix beeped once more, registering the tag. "Two more!" Izuku said and quickly transformed into the next one. And this one felt familiar in a sense. His body was purple, and his legs and arms had several black lines and dots on them. Yet, the purple was darker. His entire body, according to the alien bio, was composed of silicon-based rock, and the crystals jutting out of him were also part of his body. He had several magenta shards coming out of him, six on his back, two on his chest, and one resembling a horn atop his one-eyed head.
This was the Crystalsapien DNA sample, a race from the planet MorOtesi. Granted, the Omnitrix states that it is not their home planet, as they are from Diamond Soldier's planet of Petropia. They are a cousin species to them, but left and migrated elsewhere somewhere in the past, finding a suitable home on MorOtesi.
However, Izuku saw it again. "Another one that needs to absorb energy? Wait a minute…" He held his hand up, forming a ball of rainbow energy. "I see. They can still use their abilities without absorbing energy. But what is the difference between Bismuth-" The Omnitrix beeped, recognizing the tag. "-and Cable?"
"Bismuth's race is capable of absorbing energy attacks directed at them with their entire body, while Cable's race can only absorb energy using the plugs on their extremities. However, Cable is also capable of draining sources of energy or other beings of energy, while Bismuth is unable to do such a feat."
"I see! So, Bismuth is essentially good when dealing with enemies that have some kind of energy-based arsenal. Both of them are, but with Cable, I can drain my opponent of their energy as well if I get close enough. One sounds more like an energy-focused defense, while the other is more like an energy-focused offense. Still, a big difference." Izuku turned back to normal. "There is also only one sample left to try out."
"Warning! Warning! Warning!'
"What?!" Izuku jumped as the Omnitrix began to beep with warnings. "What is it?"
"The sample you are trying to select belongs to the Ectonurite race." The bio manifested before Izuku, and the boy had to admit he was shocked to see what they resembled. He thought Polar Ghost looked like a ghost, but those aliens were textbook ghosts! "In the past, due to the nature of their DNA, which carries with it the conscience of the entire Ectonurite, Admin Tennyson lost control of his sample of this race, which revealed itself as the Ectonurite, Zs'Skayr, who has proven himself as one of the most dangerous enemies of Admin Tennyson for years to come. Due to this, Ectonurite DNA has been tagged with a warning for any future users of the Omnitrix."
"I see…Does that mean I am in danger if I use my sample of the DNA?" Izuku asked, feeling concerned.
"Negative. The Inventor of the Original Omnitrix, Azmuth, has addressed the issue." The Omnitrix displayed an image of a Galvan to Izuku, but he looked quite old. "A way to separate the active conscience from the DNA was used, creating a seemingly safe DNA sample."
"I don't understand, then. If the DNA is safe, why the warnings?" Izuku questioned.
"As you've seen, when you change form, the DNA alteration can make your personality change as well. Ectonurites are known to be highly non-sociable around species from outside their home system of Anur." The Omnitrix added. "Do you still wish to proceed, as well as disable any future warnings when selecting this DNA sample?"
Izuku gulped. However, he knew he couldn't be afraid of his power. "I do." He slammed the dial, a green light surrounding him as the transformation took place. When the light died down, however, Izuku now saw himself differently. He resembled a classical ghost. His body was ash-white, with black lines running all over, and a singular purplish eye on his head. His hands had three fingers and a thumb on each, and the Omnitrix rested neatly on his chest, surrounded by the lines in a circle.
"Hmmm. I do not feel different." His voice seemed to almost echo as he spoke. He flew up, inspecting himself. "So much for being afraid, I suppose."
"Warning! It is recommended not to shed the secondary skin layer. Ectonurites are extremely vulnerable to UV rays, meaning sunlight. The secondary skin layer is your only protection against it."
"And because of that, I cannot use most of this form's abilities," Izuku noted in his newly acquired voice. "But I have a name…Poltergeist." The Omnitrix beeped, recognizing the tag.
"All currently available DNA samples had been tagged successfully." The Omnitrix notified him, and Izuku noted.
"Good. Very good. Now…" Looking to the side, Izuku launched several stripped black and white tentacles at a nearby stump, then pulled, pulling it out of the ground entirely. He then threw it away like trash, laughing. "That felt nice."
Landing on the ground, however, he turned back. And a cold shiver went down his spine. "Ok!" He rubbed his arms to warm himself up. "That form gives me the chills. Ok…Now what?" He asked, bringing up the dial once more. He kept scrolling through his alien list, but slowly, ever so, he realized what he had to do. "Ok…I guess it is time to train and get used to those guys, huh? Hopefully, they help me get into UA."
As another flash took him, Izuku set his path. For year that was to follow, this was going to be his routine. Wake up, eat, check his financial situation, then go train for as long as he felt he had to in order to get used to his alien forms.
After all, it was not easy mastering so many different abilities in one year. Not to mention the Omnitrix had many surprises in store for him.
"Well, I'd say things are going quite smoothly," Paradox said as he watched over Izuku through a holographic screen of some kind. Being able to watch him, even outside his timeline, was merely one of the professor's many abilities. Some might call him the most powerful being to exist, but in reality, he is merely an old fool who tinkered with forces beyond his comprehension and is now doomed to forever wander the cosmic web known as the Multiverse.
Talk about a head-splitting experience.
Still, it is such events that make him pay closer attention. What he did, or rather said, what he and Ben did by giving Izuku an Omnitrix, has created an entirely new timeline. One that was growing before Paradox's eyes. One he has yet to explore to see what was ahead. It was a new experience. And novelty, in his line of work, is seldom left unappreciated.
That being said, however, not everyone was thrilled about his actions. The fact he chose to watch Izuku on Galvan B resulted in one thing for sure.
"Out of all reckless, entitled, and foolish things you and that oaf of a man could have done, you copied my work and gave it to some random boy in an undocumented universe?!" Azmuth was not happy. Azmuth of the Galvans, a race resembling grey, frog-like beings, which were small in stature, but with great intellect. He had bulbous green eyes, with black, rectangular pupils, and eyelids that closed horizontally. He had gills as well, although his race spent more time out of water than under it.
Currently, Paradox was speaking with him, although this was the Azmuth from when Ben was around 17. Not long after their final battle against a certain mechanical menace trapped in a time loop. Now, Azmuth was not happy about what he and Ben did, but that was understandable.
"We judged that the boy would make good use of the Omnitrix's power," Paradox argued. "After all, the abilities he ought to present are hardly a novelty to his world. Ability-wise, that is."
"I don't care about his abilities, Paradox! What I care about is the fact you didn't consult me before copying my work!" Azmuth argued further.
"How could I? You died of old age when I requested Ben to begin work on this Omnitrix."
"Like that is an issue to you!" Azmuth argued once again. "Give me that!" He then jumped, somehow snatching the holographic screen from Paradox. But he was not interested in Izuku, instead, he enlarged the image on the Omnitrix he was using. His eyes narrowed themselves, and he hummed, deep in thought. "The work is not entirely Galvan, that much is for certain. And biological integration? That is just asking for trouble! What if he proves himself unworthy of the Omnitrix? How can you take it from him?"
"There is a removal function I can use," Paradox explained. "We covered that angle."
"Still! His universe has no Primus! Is this future where this Omnitrix was made so advanced you were able to fit millions of DNA samples into a simple flash drive?" Azmuth asked once again, earning a laugh from Paradox.
"Of course not! There is no genetic storage component in the whole universe able of that for at least…3 million years!" Paradox answered after a brief pause to count. "What they did have access to is a dimensional projector."
Azmuth's eyes widened. "You put Primus into a pocket dimension?"
"Indeed. More even! It is directly linked to the Omnitrix. If he scans any new DNA sample, which, considering this is a new, undocumented universe, he might encounter, it will directly get added to the Codon Stream."
"What about the fail-safes?" Azmuth asked further.
"There is an emergency transformation one in case of immediate danger. A teleportation device is built in as well. Not to mention the biological nature of the Omnitrix makes it so to hack it, you'd need to hack the biological genome of humans!" Azmuth scoffed.
"You make it sound like that is a challenge! Please, I cracked that genome in one afternoon!" Azmuth told him, then looked again at the screen, noticing something. "He never stays in any form for more than 30 minutes."
"Y-yeah," Paradox admitted awkwardly.
"My Omnitrix could potentially allow its user to stay in one form indefinitely." He turned to Paradox. "So let me ask you this, and be truthful to me, Paradox. When this Omnitrix was made, was it made as a direct upgrade to my design?"
"More or less. As you see, it is biological technology, but I can assure you it has all the original functions you intended for the Omnitrix added, in addition to a few more." Paradox said, but his words only seemed to draw more of Azmuth's suspicion.
"Then surely the Omnitrix this Izuku has is perfectly capable of protecting the integrity of his DNA even through prolonged periods of transformation, correct?" Azmuth asked, but upon not getting a direct answer, he sighed. "I knew it. You are testing the boy, aren't you?"
"We need to be sure," Paradox said, trying to justify himself. "The protection is not deactivated!"
"Then it is an integrated function!" Azmuth figured it out. "Paradox, while I do not agree with many things about this situation, I must stress that this is the one thing I cannot accept. Giving the boy such a senseless limitation seems pointless to me!"
"I know, but at the end of the day, old friend, what can you do about it?" Paradox asked Azmuth, who narrowed his eyes right at him. "Izuku is from a universe you have no access to."
"Do not challenge me, Paradox! If I wanted to, I could just as well create a way to this universe!" Azmuth threatened, not backing down.
"Fair." Paradox sighed, not wishing to go further. "But overall, what is your take on the boy?"
"From what you've told me? I admit, that he is different from how Ben was. He is not as reckless, or impulsive. Not to mention he seems like the type that'd listen when you tell him not to do something stupid." Azmuth said, giving his opinion. "But he's naive. Idealistic, even! His entire universe has essentially turned the noble concept of a hero into another government-sanctioned profession! And heroism is not taught, Paradox! Those so-called heroes might be taught how to use their powers to fight crime, but they are not being taught what it takes to be a real hero! That lesson can only be taught by life itself."
"True words I cannot argue against, old friend," Paradox said. "I am also disappointed in that system, which is why I did what I did. I need to be sure that Izuku won't allow himself to become a mere puppet to those people."
"Thus making it so they are indirectly using the power of the Omnitrix through him," Azmuth added further, understanding the situation. "If that world is as corrupt as you claim it, why give him the Omnitrix in the first place? If he is to do this by the book of law, you must be aware of what that would entail."
"I know."
"Not even Ben was that blind, Paradox," Azmuth added further. "Remember? When the truth of the underground city came to light, it was he who stood and fought for the aliens. Even now, as Earth's governments try to pass anti-alien laws, he is fighting them by showing them something they cannot deny: Power."
"Diplomacy was never the strong suit of this younger Benjamin." Paradox recounted. "So, by showing them that he can fight them and win…"
"He is putting pressure on them to not pass such laws, exactly." Azmuth summarized. "There is backlash from such actions, but his actions are working. They are going to work, correct?"
"From what I know of future events? So and so." Paradox said. "There will be a major success, but eventually, his cousin will come into the picture to take things on a more diplomatic path."
"Ah, young Gwendolyn, I remember. Expected of her to come and set the record straight." Azmuth rubbed the extensions from his face, which served as some kind of beard. "Still, I worry Izuku Midoriya will be unable to fight against this kind of system. If he does, he will likely be branded a villain and hunted by those he idolized since a young age. They will fear his power."
"Especially after learning it is not a Quirk," Paradox added. "Still, how society views him ultimately matters little in the grand scheme of things. What truly matters is how he uses the power he was given."
"That is true," Azmuth admitted. "I'd have at least liked to speak to him."
"Oh? Was that talk from before about being able to create a portal for him a mere bluff?" Paradox jested, drawing Azmuth's annoyance.
"No. But I ultimately choose to trust your judgment, Paradox." He handed the screen back to him. "I do request you give me a full blueprint of the Omnitrix he is using."
"For the security of the current timeline, I must ask you not to attempt to create it," Paradox told him.
"You have my word. I merely wish to study it, and I promise you I won't create anything from those blueprints." With those words said, Paradox agreed and summoned forth a holographic sphere that shrank as it flew to Azmuth. He began to examine them right away, but almost instantly, something jumped into his eye. "What the-?! PARADOX?! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Just giving him all the tools," Paradox said with a grin. "Goodbye, for now, Azmuth."
"Paradox, get back here!"
"We have quite the crop this year." The Dean of UA said, holding the file with the names and Quirks of the applicants. Granted, the Dean was quite the creature. He was a small, stout creature that resembled a chimeric amalgam of different animals, including a dog, a mouse, and a bear.
He had the head of a mouse with circular black eyes, a large scar over the right one, relatively rectangular-shaped ears with pale pink insides slanting outwards from the top of his head, and an elongated muzzle with a small, round nose. His fur is white, and he has large, dog-like paws with pink pads and a thin tail like that of a cat.
He wore a white dress shirt, a dark red tie around his neck, a black double-breasted waistcoat and matching dress pants, and lastly, a pair of orange sneakers.
"I would say so as well! So many young, aspiring heroes are here today to try their luck! But unless they go beyond, I doubt any can make it." The one who spoke was a tall, slim man with long blond hair, which he had spiked upwards in a large tuft behind his head, and a small brown mustache. His eyes were rectangular with concentric pupils and greenish-yellow irises, and he was wearing a large smile on his lips.
Currently, like most other staff present, he was wearing his hero costume, consisting of a black jacket with a very tall collar, upturned and complete with studs, matching black pants and knee-high boots, tan shoulder pads, and a red belt and elbow pads, all studded, and black fingerless gloves.
A directional speaker obscured his neck, which he uses with his Quirk. He wore headphones with the word "HAGE" written on the headband and orange-tinted shades.
"Well, I guess we will have to see which one of those cuties makes it to the Hero Course. Competition seems fierce this year." The one who spoke was a woman this time around, with a tall, curvy build and blue eyes that tilted downward in the center and were framed by a set of rather long eyelashes. She had long, thick, spiky, dark purple hair, which was made up of layers of varying lengths, the longest ones reaching down below her waist. Her chin-length bangs were split into three sections: two swept to the sides and one over her face, going diagonally down to the left between her eyes. She also had a small beauty mark below her left eye, as well as red-painted nails.
Her hero costume seemed to appeal to a traditional dominatrix. She wore a breastless, black leather leotard—similar in style to a corset—over a thin, skin-tight, white bodysuit, which accentuated her voluptuous figure. The center strip of her leotard was embellished with red gemstone-like accessories in a vertical pattern, extending from her collar to her midriff.
She also wore translucent, black, thigh-high garter stockings, which were attached to a burgundy utility belt decorated with gold studs around her hips, a matching pentagonal buckle in its center, and black knee boots. She had a small red mask outlining her eyes and a handcuff on each wrist.
"All I see is a bunch of children who don't know what they are getting into." The one who spoke this time was a slender and tall, pale-skinned man with messy, shoulder-length black hair that partially hung in front of his face and half-opened black eyes. His facial hair was in a stubbly, unkempt state, and his eyes were tired and flat.
He wore a baggy black outfit consisting of a long-sleeved shirt, matching pants tucked into his boots, a utility belt, and his signature wrap scarf. He always hid a pair of bright yellow goggles underneath his scarf for when he needed to use them in battle.
"Same old Erasurehead," Nezu said, not surprised by his colleague's attitude. "Still, I hope you change your opinion once the Entrance Exam rolls about. After all, you never know when someone might surprise you!"
"There are still two weeks until then," Erasurehead added, then the door opened, and another figure entered.
"Forgive me for being late, everyone." All Might said, apologizing for his delay. The number one hero of Japan surely looked like he was made for the title. He was a massive man with an equally muscular and well-defined physique.
Chiseled features on his face with a strong jawline, pronounced cheekbones, and bushy eyebrows; short blond hair swept backward, with two distinct tufts sticking above his head, leaning slightly to each side, and bright blue eyes.
"Rest easy, Toshi. You are among friends here." Nezu said, and in the next second, All Might's muscular frame vanished in a cloud of smoke. What was left was a very skinny man with sharp, angular features and long limbs, his neck extended, his eyebrows absent, and the sclera of his eyes turned black. His hair was wavy, with two long strands coming down from his hairline and framing his face. He became like this after a major injury, leaving him a mere shell of his former self.
"Thank you. Truth be told, I was reaching my limit today." All Might, AKA Toshinori Yagi, said as he went and took a seat with the others. "What are we doing today?"
"Reviewing applications." Midnight replied. "Many of those kids have very interesting Quirks. A few even have heroes vouching for them."
"This is merely for the Hero Course classes, as the other classes are being handled by others." Present Mic said. "Vlad King was unable to be here today with us, given that he had some urgent business to attend to."
"I see. And, anyone special so far?" All Might asked.
"No one that might catch your eye," Nezu replied, knowing full well what All Might meant. Truth be told, he was looking for someone to pass the torch to, given his state. Nezu predicted he was going to retire soon, given his health was declining. "We do have applications from Aldera High School, unfortunately. Or rather, from students who went there."
"What?" Midnight gasped, hearing him. "Didn't we place a ban on anyone from there? The scandal six months ago was utterly chaotic!"
"Correction! We placed a ban on the worst offenders, and we even saw a few students expelled from our institution!" Nezu corrected Midnight, pointing out the true extent of the ban. "I admit, the Aldera Scandal, as it is being called, shook the city. After months of investigations, collecting evidence, and tracking down graduates, the authorities were able to uncover the events going down behind its gates."
"Namely, extreme forms of Quirk-based favoritism, overlooking bullying cases where individuals used their Quirks to assault fellow students, and even covering them up, Alteration of grades based on Quirks, and more." Aizawa recounted. "I'd know. I was the hero on-site called to deal with that place. I saw it all."
"A shame." Present Mic said. "Those children were misguided by the ones meant to teach them how to live good, honest lives."
"Yes, and instead, they were taught how to be tomorrow's villains. Taught that only Quirks mattered. I saw it first-hand. The Aldera staff had kept a group of students with relatively dangerous Quirks as some kind of personal protection squad! When the authorities broke down the gates, they were assaulted by those students…But they didn't expect Erasurehead." Nezu recounted.
"When I erased their Quirks, it was like I was breaking their reality. They looked at me with absolute fear, like they never imagined there was someone able to take their powers away." Aizawa recounted as well. "After that, arresting them and the rest of the staff was easy. Under interrogation, they admitted to everything, and the staff members had no defense usable in court. Arrests were made among the students as well, however, namely the ones who dared attack the officers."
"Those children had their futures ruined because they were fed lies upon lies," Nezu said, sorrowful at the unfortunate events that went down at Aldera. "However, things didn't stop there."
"After shutting down Aldera, the students who were not accused of anything went off to other schools. Some found this a fresh breath of air, while others found themselves quickly before the authorities." Aizawa added further. "In one particular case, a rumor that a certain student tipped off the authorities about Aldera led a group of other students to track them down, and they nearly killed them! Had the local hero not intervened, they would have gotten away with murder."
"This only goes to show that the Aldera troublemakers do hold grudges," Nezu added further. "In the future, we highly expect to have one or more cases related to this, but for now, the police are keeping an eye on students known to have caused such issues in case they present signs of seeking revenge against other former Aldera students."
"Revenge for what?" Present Mic asked, confused about that part.
"In their minds, they might think those other students were the ones who talked, resulting in their little paradise being shut down and their supposed teachers arrested," Aizawa replied. "They are projecting the blame onto the innocent who suffered under their entitled cruelty."
"Despicable." All Might spat. "They are unable to accept accountability for their actions and instead shift the blame. Truly inexcusable."
"Still, we do have an application from Aldera that I consider acceptable. Two, in fact, with one being significantly less troublesome to accept!" Nezu said, presenting two files. "Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Midoriya."
"Hmm. Let me see." Midnight took Izuku's file, while All Might took Katsuki's. "Xeno-Change? The ability to change form into different creatures, each with its unique set of abilities? Sounds like the kid might have multiple Quirks." All Might perked up hearing that line.
"Indeed!"
"Katsuki Bakugou…The kid can create explosions from his palms thanks to his Quirk, turning his sweat into a substance akin to nitroglycerin. He then just produces sparks, and that is that." All Might said, reading the file and summarizing in his speech. But then he noticed it. "He has several red flags."
"I know. Katsuki Bakugou is one of the problem students of Aldera." Nezu said.
"Why are we considering him, then?" Aizawa asked. "If he is guilty of utilizing his Quirk to torment others, then the procedure is clear."
"Maybe if there were not ameliorating circumstances," Nezu argued. "After Aldera, Katsuki Bakugou didn't wish to have his dream of being a hero ruined, so he agreed to some harsh conditions. Mandatory anger management sessions, in addition to being closely monitored and requiring to pass a psychological test to affirm that he won't be a risk."
"And he passed all conditions set to him." All Might added slowly. "You are considering him?"
"We have the chance to stir him onto the right path," Nezu argued. "We have a responsibility to take that chance, should he pass the entrance exam, that is."
"Well, I don't think he will have an issue with his Quirk in the practical part of it." All Might said, reviewing the file closely.
"Likewise, I don't think this green bean is going to have a problem passing the written exam." Midnight said with a grin as she held Izuku's file. "He graduated one year early from Aldera High School, and during this time…Wait…This is strange."
"What is strange?" All Might asked.
"It says here that, for most of his life until his early graduation, he was believed to be Quirkless!" Midnight said, astonished at such information. "Yet, his Quirk awakened and even manifested in the classroom!"
"You are telling me that he was Quirkless one day and had a Quirk the next?" All Might asked, but the undertone to his question was not lost on Nezu. "How old is he?"
"18, currently." Midnight said.
"Quirks don't just awaken after so long. A year, maybe two, but over 10 years?" All Might stated.
"What are you saying?" Aizawa asked, curious about All Might's reaction.
"Nothing." All Might added quickly, realizing he was being a bit suspicious. "What about those forms you mentioned? Do we have a list of each?"
"We do, since it is mandatory we know as much about the Quirks of our applicants as they do." Midnight said, presenting them with the list. Nezu took it first and examined it.
"Oh, my. He named each of them! This ought to make it easier to tell them apart! Now, let's see…Hmm. Interesting."
"Is he that impressive?" Aizawa asked.
"He has a form that covers speed, strength, durability…he almost has a form for all angles," Nezu stated. "Only ten forms, however."
"There is a footnote here, however, saying that he feels like there might be more." Midnight added. "But it claims to not know for sure, as he only has a feeling. His Quirk also seems to produce this strange watch on his wrist."
"A device?" All Might found it odd.
"It is not uncommon for some Quirks to manifest mechanical parts on their users," Aizawa stated. "Still, I wouldn't favor this kid yet, even if he claims multiple abilities. We will see how he does in the Entrance Exam."
"Indeed. Nothing is set in stone, even with those two." Nezu said, but then he checked the time. "I think we are done here for today, everyone. Go home, or do whatever work you feel like you still need to do, and I will see you all here tomorrow."
As everyone was leaving the office, Nezu, however, had something more personal to speak with All Might. "Toshi, a word?"
All Might remained behind, turning back to Nezu as he saw the rodent gaining a more serious look into his beady eyes. "Yes?"
"Your reaction when hearing of Izuku's abilities, I took notice. You don't believe Izuku is working for him, right?" Nezu asked, vaguely referring to a certain someone. Yet, All Might knew full well who he was talking about.
"Nezu, how can you expect me NOT to think that? This all sounds too miraculous to be a mistake." All Might argued.
"Toshi, I remind you that Izuku was essentially a Quirkless person in a Quirk-based institution." Nezu reminded his colleague. "We cannot imagine what he went through there."
"That equally makes him an easy target for his manipulations." All Might argued further. "He had a habit of preying on the weak. On the vulnerable."
"We cannot know for sure, Toshi!" Nezu argued further. "Reviewing his file again, I see no such thing as even a minor misdemeanor! And we did investigate and eliminate false claims made by Aldera, as they proved they cannot be trusted!"
I still feel like he cannot be trusted." Toshi argued further, stubbornly standing by his point.
"Don't you think it is too obvious? If he wanted to do something akin to planting a spy into our institution, why make it so obvious?" Nezu asked, bringing up a very good point to All Might.
"I don't know…" He replied honestly.
"Toshi, I understand your paranoia. But you killed him five years ago! What about those with copy-based Quirks? Or hybrids? Are they his scions as well?" Nezu asked further, driving the point further and further to All Might. But there was still an undeniable fact at play.
"But, regardless, the time gap is too large." All Might argued again. "As I pointed out, Quirks might be a year or two late, but it is unheard of that a Quirk remained dormant for longer! Does he have a Quirk Test on record?"
"He does." Nezu sighed. "It came back as Quirkless."
"See? Something is off, Nezu!" All Might said further.
"And what would you have me do? Deny him entry into UA based on suspicion of being linked to a figure that, officially, is supposed to be dead?" Nezu countered. "Even if I did, and he WAS his agent, somehow, who is to say he wouldn't go to another Hero University? I remind you that the secrets we are privy to are not known to other institutions."
"Then at least-"
"No," Nezu said sternly. "I know you are trying to keep everyone safe, Toshi. But I cannot allow your paranoia to interfere with the futures of potential heroes. If Izuku Midoriya proves to be acting suspiciously, warranting investigation, I will notify you. But until then, he is to be treated as every other applicant, no exception. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Dean Nezu." All Might said, accepting his defeat in the argument, "Anything else?"
"No, you are free to go."
"Very well." And with those words said, All Might left Nezu's office, but unknown to the rat, he was not done yet. He knew something wasn't right, and he had to do something. Even if it meant going behind Nezu's back to do it.
The day of the Entrance Exam at UA University has arrived. On this day, many potential heroes came to try their luck at being accepted into the most prestigious hero university in the country. And among them stood someone a bit more special than the others.
It's been a year since Izuku got the Omnitrix, and this year has been kind to him. With the Omnitrix came hope, and with hope came confidence and ambition. A drive to better himself. Gone was the noodly boy he once was, as he had undergone a true transformation. Now, he sported a toned build, not overly bulky like others, but a healthy body that showed whenever he transformed. Although nothing changed about his forms physically, he could feel they were stronger.
His hair remained unchanged for the most part, but he did decide to sport a new accessory. Namely, he now wore a choker with the number 10 on it. It was a silly accessory, but it was in line with UA's regulations about accessories.
As far as his financial situation went, he is proud to say he was able to move his mother out of their apartment and into a larger house. It was far from a mansion, but they improved their living situation. The investments he made were going well and steadily. Then again, when you have the brain of a Galvan at your disposal, such things are easy to figure out.
And now, with a confident step, he went toward UA…Only to trip and nearly fall on his face.
"Engaging failsafe, selecting DNA, engaging transforma-"
"Here." Suddenly, however, someone slapped him over the head, and Izuku noticed he started to float. "Release." And then he was back on his feet.
"Whoa there, thank you for the help." Izuku turned to see who helped him, only to find a girl standing there. She was short with a slender yet curvy figure, fair skin, brown hair, and eyes that matched in color. She had a perpetual pink blush mark on her cheeks, and her eyes were large and round with thick upper lashes, two more extended and more prominent ones on either side, and fewer but more individually pronounced lower lashes.
Her hair was shoulder-length with short bangs, and the style was bobbed with two long strands framing her face. She also had pads on her fingers, which Izuku found interesting. Likely her Quirk.
"You're welcome." She replied, looking at him nervously. "Are you ok? I hope I didn't slap you too hard, my Quirk requires me to touch what I want to affect."
"No, I am fine. You also saved me from embarrassing myself on the first day." Izuku replied casually, but he was also glad she helped him. Truth be told, Izuku learned that the Omnitrix was quite sensible about protecting him. Once, when he was cooking, he got burned with some oil and the Omnitrix transformed him into Quake!
"It's not uncommon to trip." She replied, but then, as she looked him over, she noticed the Omnitrix on his wrist. "That's an interesting watch."
"Oh, this?" Izuku brought the Omnitrix up. "This is part of my Quirk, actually."
"Part of your Quirk? Really?" She asked, surprised to find such a strange manifestation for a Quirk. "What kind of Quirk do you have?"
"Oh, it's a transformation type allowing me to-"
"Out of the way, you fucking extras!" That foul language and voice were easily recognizable by Izuku, and sure enough, as he looked toward the entrance, he saw none other than Katsuki Bakugou entering the UA campus. Izuku didn't want to face him, not right now. All in all, their last meeting was quite troublesome, since Katsuki got in trouble because of him. And he knows the explosive Quirk user knows how to hold onto a grudge.
"Actually, I think the written exam is about to start." Izuku changed the subject quickly, confusing her. However, upon checking the time, she found he was right.
"That's right! We need to hurry, otherwise we'll be late!" She rushed off, with Izuku following closely behind to reach their examination rooms. Granted, this was more of a small trick to get away from Katsuki until the inevitable meeting they will have within UA at least.
He didn't want to risk Katsuki attacking him and getting them both in trouble on the first day. Too much was riding on this. Too much.