Earth, once a peaceful, vibrant planet that had advanced exceedingly quickly thanks to her Heroes. Through the combined efforts of various members of the Justice League, and other forces outside of the military, the Earth had been saved multiple times from a multitude of alien aggressors. All of them, for better or worse, drawn to the planet by a single young man for what he possessed.
The Omnimatrix.
A seemingly harmless piece of technology invented by an alien race known as the Galvans. In a sense, the Omnimatrix was to be an intergalactic Noah's Ark, but in the hands of evil, the Omnimatrix could be used for great destruction. For when one wore the little marvel of technology, it granted them the ability to alter their DNA into one of the many races stored within.
Through years of trials and battles, the bearer of the Omnimatrix finally defeated his greatest enemy. Vilgax, the most dangerous being in the universe. The victory over this powerful foe finally brought about a peace to the galaxy, and beyond.
However, a human may only live for so many years, and the ruthless, cruel, and power-hungry galactic warlord would someday return for the treasure he had so desired, and the revenge upon the one that had brought about his defeat.
And so, a new Ultimatrix was constructed so that all of the data would be safe until it was needed.
"Are you sure that the Ultimatrix will be safe in this new dimension?" Asked a man with greying hair and a beard. He wore a lime-green jacket with the number 10 on the back.
The man in front of him nodded, "I'm quite certain, my young friend," he said, "I've watched this world for the better part of a century, and I can honestly tell you that the humans there are, while not perfect, better off than we were when you were a boy."
A younger man stepped up to the elderly man, "Dad, I don't see why we can't just load the data into my Omnitrix." He said, holding up his left wrist, where a green watch-like device sat. "And besides, Vilgax hasn't been heard from in what? Thirty years?"
The younger man's father gave him a sad look, "Kenny, we both know that that old squid will come for Earth as soon as I'm gone," he said before coughing loudly, startling both of his companions, "I-I'm alright," he assured them as he wiped a small red stain from his lips, "And the answer to your question, Son, is that I want you and your family to live in peace."
"And sending the Ultimatrix into another dimension is supposed to save us?" Kenny asked his father, "Dad, if Vilgax is does come for Earth, then peace is going to be the last thing we have to worry about. Clark and J'onn are just barely keeping the treaty between Apokolips and New Genesis stable!" He ran a hand through his own greying hair, "Besides, I thought the Galvans wanted to use it as a fall back in case too many important races went extinct?"
The other man nodded, "True, but that is something that the Galvans have been fearing for a while." He said, turning to the large machine in front of them, "As I've explained, each dimension is different from the others in the Multiverse. Each Earth with different individuals, ideals, customs, and fates." He tapped a few keys on the machine and an image appeared in front of them; one of a planet Earth, "And of all of the Earths I've visited, this one is the most unique and dramatically out all of them."
Kenny's father stepped forward, reading the words beneath the planet's image, "Earth Omega?"
"The beginning and the end," the man said, "You see, this planet, this dimension in its entirety, has no other life forms other than those of Earth Omega."
Kenny's eyes widened, "That's...that's impossible!"
His father agreed, "How could life not have evolved anywhere else in this dimension?"
The man smiled at the pair, "Because, my young friends," he said, "The end of all life has already occurred in this dimension." Both men looked shocked, "It's the truth. HeatDeath has already taken place within this dimension."
He went on, "But from the depths of the cold came a miracle: a new, blazing star that drew in the dead planets to create Earth Omega." He said, "After Omega was formed, humans evolved just as they did here," he turned and tapped a few more keys on the device, "Except for one minor detail." He said while the image of a strand of DNA appeared next to the planet. "As you can see, this strand of DNA is quite a bit different than those of even hybridized humans."
"I see what you mean," the elderly man said, "This doesn't show any signs of being of alien descent, but it does show a...natural gene mutation..."
Kenny nodded in agreement as he studied the strand of DNA, "Yeah, and if I've got my genetics straight, then the person that this belongs to is incredibly strong," he frowned, "Stronger than Superman was in his prime."
The man nodded, "And that is just one individual." He said, "On this Earth, humans have all evolved to have naturally occuring superpowers of their own, and it is considered almost unheard of if someone doesn't manifest these Quirks, as they're called, at the age of four to ten years old."
"And the reason you think that this dimension will be safe is because unlike the other Earths, this one won't have its own Vilgax to invade it in search of the Omnitrix," the elderly man said, "At least, not unless our Vilgax learns about what we're doing, right Professor Paradox?"
The now named Professor shook his head, "I'm afraid that he already knows of our plan, Benjamin." He said, much to the father and son's shock, "His spies are everywhere, and not even the Plumbers can ferret all of them out." He sighed, "But this Earth will be the perfect place to send the Ultimatrix because not only does it have a multitude of Heroic super powered individuals, but because I am the only one that has the ability to travel there."
"What about Eon?" Benjamin asked with a hint of worry in his voice.
Professor Paradox sighed, "You know that he is of no real threat anymore."
"Try telling that to Grandpa Max," Kenny said bitterly. Running a hand through his unruly brown hair, he sighs, "Aside from the two of you, you're sure that no one can reach this Earth Omega?"
Professor Paradox nodded, "I am 99.99 percent certain," he said, "I could go on and on about that other 00.01 percent, but as I said, I will not allow anyone near this Earth." He said, "Or the person I believe can wield this new Ultimatrix." He looked at Benjamin, "I trust you've activated the ten base alien DNA samples you wish for them to use initially?"
Benjamin nodded, "I have," He produced a small box from inside his jacket, "I've also included some upgrade keys to activate the more advanced features at a later date. When you think the new wielder is ready, give one of them to him. I've marked them from one to three."
"Azmuth also included a few messages himself," Kenny said, "And Dad programed a short message to explain who each alien is, and what they do."
Professor Paradox smiled, and took the box, "Excellent." He tucked it under his arm, "Is there anything else that you'd like to include before I make the journey?"
Benjamin shook his head, "Just keep an eye on them. Vilgax won't stop until he has the Ultimatrix, and he'll do anything do get it."
His son nodded in agreement, "And a dimension that's only got one inhabited planet sounds like an easy target." Kenny put in.
Professor Paradox smiled, "And I give you my word that he will not lay a claw on this device." He promised with a bow of his head, then looked at Benjamin sadly, "I...fear that this will be the final time that we meet, my young friend...do take care of yourself, won't you?"
Benjamin smiled, "I'm Ben 10, Professor," he grinned at the man, "I can still take a few licks."
"And he'll have me and Delvin looking out for him," Kenny said, smiling at his father, "You can count on us, Professor."
The man stepped forward and gave the aging Ben Tennyson one final embrace, "Then I will bid you...a very fond farewell, my dear old friend." He stepped back, and was gone with a simple flash of light.
Ben and his son stared at the spot their friend had been, "Well, it's done, now." Ben said before he started to cough more violently. Kenny moved to his shoulders, "Thanks, Son."
"Don't mention it, Dad," he sighed, "Come on, it's passed time for your treatment."
Ben sighed as the two of them walked out of the room, "All of those years of fighting against an oversized Squidbilly with planet-destroying weapons," he sighed while his son supported him, "And Vilgax finally has the last laugh by infecting me with a damned super cancer."
僕ぼくのヒーローアカデミア
Mustafar, Japan was one of the liveliest places that Professor Paradox had ever visited in any dimension. Not only was it entertaining with its many diverse people in many diverse forms, but it was the home of the very person he was looking for.
"If I timed this correctly," he said to himself while looking around the area, "The young man should be arriving...ah, there he is now." He said as he saw the very child himself.
The boy, if he was asked to describe him, was somewhat short for his age. He had a rather round, friendly face framed by a short mop of fluffy dark-green hair which stuck up at odd angles around his head, casting noticeably dark shadows onto itself.
His eyes were large and somewhat circular, their irises the same shade of green as his hair, which, from his time observing him, at times tended to be very watery, and were usually stretched quite wide, giving him an innocent, energized appearance. He also had a set of four symmetrical freckles in diamond formations, one on each cheek.
However, that energetic look had now left his eyes, replaced by a beaten, defeated look. Paradox knew the reason from his time in the dimension's future. This boy's dreams had just been crushed by his greatest idol.
Though he knew that he was depriving the boy a rather uncertain great future as a Hero that would inherit his idol's powers, he knew that, by gifting him this chance, he would ensure that the boy's future would be set in a stone stronger than Petrosapien crystal.
The Professor walked briskly across the street toward the young man and caught up easily to him before he tapped him on the shoulder, "A young man like you should not have such an unhappy look upon his face," he said in an understanding, yet cheerful tone as the boy startled with a little yelp. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"Oh, um," the boy, Izuku Midoriya, muttered, "Y-you d-didn't, really." He stammered, "I-I was-s-s just - "
"You were simply having the worst day of your life?" Professor Paradox supplied with a hint of sympathy.
The boy looked up at him, "How did you - ?"
He shrugged, "You could call it one of my many talents," he said, motioning over to a small sidewalk bench, "But I find that the best of my abilities is being a good listener," he smiled as the boy faltered, "Provided you'd be willing to trust a stranger with your problems?"
Izuku seemed to hesitate for a moment before he gave a slow, tearful nod, "O-Okay..."
When the boy was comfortably seated, and Paradox settled beside him, the boy slowly told him of what had transpired during the day that made it the worst that he had ever experienced. The professor nodded, listening to each word silently, some points earning a disgruntled noise of displeasure at his treatment by his peers. Finally, Izuku wound down, "And when I asked him if someone without a Quirk could be a Hero..." Izuku trailed off, not knowing how to explain the next part.
"He most assuredly thought that he was protecting you by saying no," Paradox supplied, and the boy nodded slowly, "When in truth he was crushing your heart and soul with each word." He gave a small nod of understanding, "While I can understand why he would say such a thing, I do believe that most Hero Schools do accept Quirkless applicants." He shook his head, "Saying something like that was entirely too cruel."
"Well," the boy said, rising to defend the No.1 Hero, "Like you said, he was just thinking of my safety, and Quirks have gotten stronger with each generation, so a Quirkless person like me couldn't - " A gentle hand landed on his head. Looking up he saw Paradox smiling at him kindly, "Um, Sir?"
"Doubt is the enemy of ambition, my very young friend." He told the boy, "If you desire to be a Hero, then a Hero is who you shall be."
Izuku frowned, though the pat on his head did make him feel slightly better, "But without any power, how can I - ?"
"What if I were to tell you that there was a device that could grant your wish?" Paradox asked, and the boy looked up at him in confusion with hint of hope and disbelief on his face. "This is no jest, my young friend. My...Quirk, I suppose you could call it, allows me to travel through space and time."
"Whoa, really?!" He asked excitedly while a slightly burned notebook appeared in his hands, "How does it work?!"
Paradox chuckled, "Yes, really," he said and reached out to push the book down, "But I do believe that you've missed the main topic, my friend." He said while the boy just blushed in embarrassment, "But back to my claim. I have in my possession a device, which was entrusted to me by a very dear friend." He lifted the box in his possession, "It is called the Ultimatrix, a device that, for lack of a better term, allows you to possess the body of an extraterrestrial being."
The boy looked at him, "Extraterrestrial? You mean like an alien?" Izuku asked, feeling more confused than ever.
"Precisely, my friend," He lifted the lid on the box, allowing the boy to look inside.
Izuku looked inside and saw what looked like a gauntlet-like band containing a black rectangular button and wrist couplings, that would extend up to almost half of the his forearm. "Wow, that looks so cool," he said in wonder, "And this thing can turn whoever's wearing it into an alien?"
"Several different alien species, to be exact," he said, "And I would entrust this to you, if you're willing to accept it?"
Izuku looked like he was about to simply grab it, but hesitated, looking up at the man, "I...I don't understand, Sir," he said with a slight tremor in his voice, "Why...why give this to me?"
Professor Paradox smiled at him, "I have been observing your world for well over a century, searching for someone like you," the boy cocked his head in confusion, "This device does possess great power, and would make anyone an even greater Hero. But a Hero isn't measured by their deeds, or their strength and ideals." He said as he pointed to the Izuku's chest, "It's their heart that makes a true Hero. When I first glimpsed you, you were defending a boy from someone you still consider a friend to this day. And for that, he turned his ire on you...yet you still strive to see the good in him, and in everyone. Your desire to help others is exactly what is needed to wield this device to its fullest potential." He said and leaned in, "That means, my young friend, that you can be a Hero."
Izuku felt something inside him break completely. Like a dam, his held back tears flooded his eyes as the words that he had so desperately wanted to hear since he was a child passed the man's lips. "Sir," he sobbed, "If you think that I can be a Hero, then..."
An explosion shattered the air before the boy could finish. Smoke rose above the buildings as shouts and screams could be heard. Paradox frowned, "I do believe that our time together has ended for now, my young friend." He said as he set the box down next to him and rose, "The Ultimatrix is yours now, Izuku Midoriya. Use it to carve out a path for yourself." He walked a few meters away from him, "The power it grants you will bring you hardship, and woe, yes, but," smiled over his shoulder, "For you, I see a future as bright as a newborn star blazing in the black abyss of space."
Izuku wanted to ask what he meant, but the man disappeared in a flash of light, leaving him alone with his new future.
2: The Fasttrack to Becoming A Hero!
Izuku Midoriya...
...could not believe what had just happened.
He looked down at the device inside the box, and then toward the spot where the strange man had disappeared then to the large plume of smoke rising from the city; his city.
He reached inside and picked up the strange gauntlet. It opened up as soon as he touched it, startling him into nearly dropping it, "Okay...here goes...everything," he rolled up the sleeve of his right hand and placed the Ultimatrix against his skin...and the thing suddenly latched onto him like a leech, almost as if it was fusing itself to his skin, "Ah!" The startled boy yelled in discomfort as the Ultimatrix settled into place, locking itself unto his arm.
The dial then rose, a holographic image of an elderly man appearing, "Hello, young one," he said, "If you're seeing this message, then you've become the proud owner of the Ultimatrix." Izuku smiled slightly, "I'll make this as short as I can, since I can imagine that you're going to get into a fair amount of trouble pretty quick." He said, which did nothing to alleviate the boy's nerves, "To use the Ultimatrix, activate the dial by pressing the two buttons nearest your wrist, and it will make the dial pop up. Then turn the dial, which will activate the selection wheel. When you've selected the form you want to change into, slam the dial down, and the DNA will lock onto you and initiate the change. For more information, the code for the Ultimatrix tutorials are activated by saying 'Ultimatrix Tutorial zero-zero-one through zero-ten. You can also ask for details on each transformation before you change into them. Good luck, Hero."
The hologram disappeared, and was replaced by another figure, this one looking decidedly feline.
Izuku thought that it was good enough to try out given that he was short on time, so he slammed the dial down. He didn't know what to expect, but he was expecting to feel at least some sort of pain when his body started mutating. The entire change took less than a second. No pain, no discomfort, just the rush of power flowing through his body like a shock that he never wanted to end.
"Fasttrack!"
He looked down at himself, seeing himself in a new, taller form. Blue fur surrounded his feet and shins almost like boots, while his hands and forearms were the same up to his elbows. His body was black with the symbol of the Ultimatrix on the center of his chest beneath a blue-furred lightning bolt design leading up to his neck and face. He reached up and felt something akin to a mask over his face.
"Cool," his voice startled him for a moment, sounding nothing like his normal high-pitched voice. "Whoa! I - "
BTOOOOOOOM
Izuku looked off toward the smoke, seeing flames rising above the buildings now, "Okay, no time to freak out!" He said to himself and started running toward the chaos, "Time to see what this body can do!" He said before he felt himself running much, much, much faster than he should have been! "Holy - ! Wow!" The boy/alien shouted in excitement, "This guy's a speedster!"
Fasttrack: The feline speedster in the Ultimatrix's arsenal. This supersonic furball possesses enhanced strength and durability as well as super speed, but be careful because if this feline freight train runs too fast he has a very hard time stopping!
He raced through the city toward the attack at speeds he thought only All Might possessed. "This is so great!" He laughed to himself before he saw the gathering crowd of people around the chaos. He tried to stop, but found that his feet had no traction, "Ah, not so great! Lousy brake pads!" He yelped when he saw he was about to come face to face with a wall, "Oh no! Nononono - !"
WHAM
Fasttrack ended up face-planting into the wall, leaving a body impression. "Me...Ow..."
"What's going on here?" He heard someone asking, "Isn't that the Villain that All Might was chasing?"
The blue speedster yanked his face out of the wall, "Did they say All Might?"
"Yeah, but he must've given him the slip!" Someone else said, sounding frantic, "Now the guy's running amok in the shopping district!"
"That's not the worst part," the blue speedster heard a woman say, "I heard from one of the police officers that he has a hostage! It's because of the kid's Quirk that all of those explosions are going off!"
Fasttrack's emerald eyes widened, [Explosions...] his thoughts immediately turned to his classmate, and the sludge Villain that had tried to take over his body earlier. [But how did he get away from...!] He remembered the moment when he had stupidly grabbed onto the Hero as he had tried to jump away...right where he had stashed the bottle that he had trapped the Villain in! [Oh my god, this is my fault!]
"Why aren't the Heroes doing anything?" Someone else demanded, "They can't just let that poor kid die!"
"Hmph, I heard that they're all too scared to even get close to him because of the kid's Quirk going off," a man said, "Pathetic, Heroes are supposed to help people, not just sit on the sidelines!"
Fasttrack grit his teeth, [If I go out there, then I'll be arrested, but if I don't - ] He spotted a familiar figure standing nearby. [All Might! Here's actually here!] Standing against a lamp post in his weakened state was the world's Symbol of Peace, looking thoroughly frustrated. [Perfect! He must've come here looking for the Villain after he found out he was missing!] He rushed forward.
Meanwhile, Toshinori Yagi, also known as the mighty All Might, stared at the fiasco of a scene in front of him in pure rage at himself. "Dammit all!" He cursed himself, "How far have I fallen to let something like this happen?!"
A blue blur appeared next to him, "It's not your fault, All Might," he looked at the new arrival in shock, having no memory of telling his secret to the blue bipedal feline in front of him, "It's mine because I was the one that grabbed you and caused the Villain to fall out of your pocket!"
The man's eyes widened further with realization when he recognized the tone from the stranger, "It...you...can't be...Young Midoriya!?"
Fasttrack nodded, "In the flesh...or fur, I guess?" He shook his head, "Never mind! Just tell me to fight!" He begged, "I can't right now because I don't have a license, but if a Hero or a Hero Agent authorizes it, I can go help my friend out there!" He pointed to where they both saw the sludge Villain writhing, explosions erupting all over his body. The blue furred alien caught a glimpse of his friend's desperate face as it began to turn blue from lack of air, "He's suffocating!" He looked back toward the withered Hero, "Please! He's gonna die if we don't do something, now!"
Toshinori looked at the boy-turned-feline, and gave a slow nod, "Alright," he said and pointed through the crowd, "You get me to the front, and I'll authorize it!"
Without another word, Fasttrack picked the man up and sped up the side of the building to avoid the crowd. When the the blue speedster reached the front of the crowd, he jumped from the wall and landed next to where Backdraft was keeping the people at bay with a water barrier, "What the -?!" Yelped the startled Hero.
Fasttrack set Toshinori down, and the man stepped up to the firefighter, "Backdraft, my name is Toshinori Yagi, a Hero Agent, and I'm authorizing this young man to use his Quirk!" He said with authority. Before Backdraft could argue, the blond man turned to the blue speedster, "You're clear, now get going!"
"Yes, Sir!" Fasttrack dropped into a runner's pose and took off in a burst of speed, aiming straight for his flailing friend. "Brace yourself, Kacchan!"
Katsuki Bakugō, known to only one person as Kacchan, widened his eyes as the blue blur came toward him, "Dek - " Before he could get the word out, it felt as though he had been smashed in the stomach by a baseball bat when Fasttrack's arms circled around his torso with the force of a freight train pulling him from the sludge Villain's body.
He skidded to a halt on the opposite end of the burning street, "Now," his eyes landed on the Villain, "It's paybacktime." Releasing Katsuki to return his attention to the Villain, Fasttrack zipped by him, aiming a solid blow to the Villain's body, only to come away with a sludge covered fist, "Ah, gross!" He shook his hand clean, barely dodging the whipping tendril of slime coming toward him. "Yikes!" He jumped up out of the way higher than he had intended, "Whoa, this guy can jump!" He muttered to himself before nimbly landing on a crooked lamp post.
"Okay, physical attacks won't work, so..." he then smirked as he saw an overturned garbage can, an idea forming in his mind, "I'll just see how much g-force this guy can take!" He leapt down and started running in circles around the Villain.
"What the hell is he doing?" Death Arms shouted as the boy continued to run as blinding speeds, "How's he gonna beat him like that?"
All Might, however, saw something that the large man didn't. The wind around the Villain was picking up speed. [He's running so fast that he's creating a cyclone!]
The Villain growled at the speedster, "That's not gonna save you, ya little flea bag!" He shouted as he tried to launch his slimey appendages at him, but by now the wind had become so powerful that he couldn't get near the blue teen without the slime his body was made of getting splattered. "What the hell're you doing!?"
Fasttrack wasn't listening to anything else except his own heartbeat. [Faster!] He told himself, [I have to go faster!] A burst of power rushed through him, bringing a grin to his face, [Now!] With the burst of a sonic boom that rattled the windows of the nearby shops a powerful whirlwind erupted around the Villain, tearing his body apart as he was lifted off the ground and into the vortex.
Fasttrack saw his chance.
He burst out of the whirlwind, grabbed the trash can, lid and all, and ran up the side of the nearest building and jumped toward the Villain's liquid body. With quick swiping movements he snatched up the Villain inside the can, slammed the lid down, and landed on the balls of his feet. He then rushed into one of the nearby stores, rushed back out and ran all around the can, wrapping it in duct tape.
After he was done, Fasttrack leaned over on his knees, "If you can't fix it with duct tape," Fasttrack huffed, out of breath, "You ain't using enough duct tape."
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BWOO
In a flash of red, Fasttrack was gone, and Izuku stood in his place.
The gathered crowd and the Heroes all gaped at the boy that had just defeated the Villain, and saved the hostage. Not only that, but he had completely upstaged the licensed Heroes.
"A kid?" Death Arms gaped, "You mean that little boy was...?!" He was growing angry for various reasons, chief among them being that a child had risked his life to do what another Hero should have done.
Kamui Woods stepped forward, looking impressed, "Man, I've never seen a Speed Quirk quite like that before."
Death Arms looked at the young Hero in frustration, "It doesn't matter what kinda Quirk he has," he snapped, "That kid shouldn't - "
"Instead of getting upset, you might thank the boy for a job well done," Toshinori said to the man, silencing him in an instant, "I only authorized him to fight because all of you were just standing around waiting for a Hero with a better Quirk to come along." He gestured to the recovering boy, "Well, guess what? There he is!" He said angrily.
Kamui frowned beneath his mask while Death Arms just crossed his arms, "Putting the kid's life at risk was still - "
"It was against my own better judgement," Toshinori admitted, understanding the man's attitude, "But he beggedme to let him fight," the blond man snorted at him, "And with the life a child on the line, I saw no alternative since all of you were working the crowd while waiting for someone else to do your jobs for you."
That stung. In more ways than one as the two Heroes watched as the supposed Hero Agent made his way out into the street to check on the boy. However...
"DEKU YOU BASTARD!" Toshinori's brow nearly shot off his head at the shout. Then he saw the young man that had been held captive rushing toward Young Midoriya, looking utterly furious. "HOW THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT?!" He grabbed the teen by the collar of his school blazer and began shaking him violently. "YOU LYING LITTLE WEASEL! YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE A QUIRK!" The blond snarled nose to nose with the now petrified boy.
"WHAT?! NO! I wasn't lying! I swear, Kacchan!" The boy yelled quickly, sweating bullets.
"BULLSHIT!" Bakugō shouted, raising his hand menacingly, "YOU BETTER EXPLAIN YOURSELF RIGHT NOW OR YOU'RE DEAD!"
Toshinori grumbled and stepped forward to intervene, "I don't think so, young man!" He shouted as the blond whipped around in his direction, smoke already rising from the palm of his hand. Toshinori saw this and gave the boy a menacing glare, "Young man, if you use your Quirk here, then not only will I have you reprimanded to by the Hero Public Safety Commission, but I will also make certain that you are denied access to any Hero Schools for the following year that you graduate from whatever middle school you attend!"
Bakugō was very fast to back off. One: because he felt that Deku wasn't worth losing a single day of Hero School. Two: even if this skinny Skeletor-look-alike extra didn't look like much, he had to be very high up to make such a threat.
"And just who the fuck are you supposed to be?" Demanded the explosive teen.
Toshinori smirked, "The name's Toshinori Yagi, kid, and I work as a Hero Agent for Might Towers out of Minato, Tokyo." Both boys froze, both for different reasons, but they weren't the only ones to hear his claim: the crowd started muttering loudly about it.
"That guy works for All Might?"
"Man, no wonder that kid was so good!"
"You think he'll get scouted for U.A.'s recommendations?"
Toshinori gave the blond boy a hard look, "Instead of being angry with this young man, you should be thanking him for saving your life," he put his left arm out behind him, "Because if I hadn't authorized him to fight that Villain, then there's no doubt in my mind that you wouldn't be alive right now to complain!" Bakugō frowned, remembering how close he had come to suffocating, "Because none of these other Heroes wanted to chance rescuing you from that walking sludge heap!" He then pointed at the cowering Izuku, "But this boy was willing to risk everything; his life, his future, everything that he had to save your life!"
"I DIDN'T NEED HIS FUCKING HELP!"
"Then you're delusional as well as ungrateful," Toshinori frowned, "Now put. Him. Down!"
Bakugō looked ready to murder someone before huffing, "Tsk," and dropping Izuku on his ass before turning away from them.
Izuku yelped when he hit the ground, and Toshinori reached out to him, "Come along, Young Midoriya, we should get out of here before that circus we call the media arrives in force."
Izuku nodded and accepted his help up, dusting himself off. "Thank you, Sir," Toshinori looked at him in confusion, "For letting me save him, I mean."
Toshinori shook his head, "I think I'm the one that needs to thank you, my boy," he said somberly, "And I do believe that I owe you a huge apology for what I said to you earlier." Izuku smiled at him, "But I also believe that you have some explaining to do," Toshinori sad in a more hushed tone, "Such as how you were able to transform yourself, despite being Quirkless, in less than an hour after we met last?"
僕ぼくのヒーローアカデミア
Professor Paradox smiled as he watched the goings on of Earth Omega through a small window through dimensions. Seeing the boy that he had gifted the Ultimatrix to use it so efficiently right away had made the man exceedingly proud of him.
Of course he knew that he wouldn't keep the device a secret, though it could be explained away as a piece of Support Gear needed to activate his Quirk. What he worried about was the potential of the boy also accepting something he really shouldn't. Toshinori Yagi's Quirk was powerful, and if gifted to the boy, he would, eventually, excel as a Hero. However, the amount of pain that would come with it would not be worth it in the end. He would lose much.
That much he had seen through his walks through time.
However, looking at a split in the timeline had revealed something more to the boy. Like Benjamin Tennyson, he had a drive to help people, not for his own personal gain, of course, but through a sheer love of Heroes, and the idea of being one himself.
That wasn't to say that the future did not hold any dangers for the new wielder of the Ultimatrix. No, of course not, that would have been ridiculous in any universe. No, Izuku Midoriya would become a Hero that would inspire all of those around him, but he would still have to face great evils in his future.
Still, Paradox was proud of his selection of Izuku Midoriya and he was certain that his young friend, Ben, would approve of his choice.
僕ぼくのヒーローアカデミア
"So the source of your new transformation is this gauntlet on your arm, and not a type of Quirk?" Toshinori said as he walked alongside the boy on their way to his home, "And the transformations are actually aliens and not a mutated version of yourself?"
Izuku thought for a moment, "Well, I haven't had time to go through any of the tutorials that are installed, but if I had to describe it, then I'd have to say that it's almost like..." He frowned, "Well, almost like my mind is being put inside a different body, and I'm just borrowing it from the actual owner."
"Well, that's not creepy at all, now, is it?" The man asked with a chuckle, "Still, I'm relieved," Izuku looked at him in confusion, "You remember the scar I showed you, right?" The boy nodded shakily, "Well, the one that gave it to me had an as of yet unrivaled Quirk that allowed him to steal a person's Quirk, and then pass it onto another if he wanted to."
The verdette understood his meaning right away, "And you were afraid that he'd met with me?" While it was a little insulting to him, he knew that he had been in an extremely low place not an hour ago, and most likey would have jumped at the oportunity to have a Quirk of his own if someone offered one to him. In a way he had: since he had taken the Ultimatrix, he had proven All Might right.
Toshinori shook his head, "No, that wasn't what I was thinking, but it was similar," Toshinori admitted, "I was afraid that he'd had himself a protégé that he'd passed his power onto before...before our fight." He said, "Seeing another like him rise to power while I'm down to no more than three hours of Hero work is a frightening thing to imagine."
"I guess I can see why that would worry you," Izuku sighed, "But I don't think that that man had anything to do with...whoever it was that hurt you." He said with a bit of embarrassment, "I'll admit that I can be pretty naïve, but I feel like I could honestly trust him," he held up the Ultimatrix, "And this...this is going to help me be a Hero."
Toshinori smiled at the boy's renewed enthusiasm, "Then I think you should go ahead and apply to U.A. as your school of choice," the man said with a chuckle when the boy looked at him, "I'm being serious, Young Midoriya, you certainly have the heart of a true Hero, and I know that my alma mater is tough, but it is known for turning out the most amazing Heroes the world has ever seen. Even foreign countries see that and send young people from all over in hopes that they'll be accepted."
Izuku looked down in embarrassment, "I wanted to go there anyway," he said, "Like you said, it was the school youattended to become a Hero, after all."
Toshinori smiled, "I'm glad that I'm still your favorite Hero after how I've treated you today," he sighed feeling ashamed of his earlier behavior, "I truly am sorry for that. I thought that I was trying to protect you." He frowned, "I know that a lot of Quirkless students still apply for Hero Courses, but so few actually make it through because the schools employ hazing tactics, and those that do go Pro rarely last longer than a year before being..."
"Killed," Izuku supplied, "I know, but I still wanted to try being a Hero so much."
"And now you can be." Toshinori smiled, "But...is it me, or did you transform back against your will back there?"
Izuku nodded, "I think this thing has a time limit," he admitted as he looked down at the gauntlet, "If I remember it right, then I think a full ten minutes had gone by before I was forced to change back."
Toshinori frowned, "So that thing isn't as powerful as we thought." He said, "You mentioned a tutorial?"
Izuku held up the Ultimatrix, and pressed the two side mounted buttons, "Tutorial zero-zero-one," he spoke into the dial.
A moment later the dial rose and another hologram appeared before them. "Glad to see you back." Said the same elderly man from before, "If you're seeing this message, then this means you've activated the first of ten tutorial holograms." He said, "This one is a simple introduction to how the Ultimatrix works as well as it's weaknesses and defense mechanisms."
Toshinori and Izuku stopped to listen, "Is he wearing one himself?" Toshinori asked, seeing a similar device on the man's left wrist.
"First thing's first," the hologram said, holding up the device on his own wrist, "The Ultimatrix, like any other Omnimatrix, has a time limit of ten minutes when someone activates it for the first time," he said, proving Izuku's theory, "But that doesn't mean that this limit can't be extended to a longer period of time. With each transformation, and depending on how efficient you perform in combat, the Ultimatrix's A.I. will decide whether you are ready to have an extended amount of time in any form you choose to fight in."
Izuku sighed in relief, "That's good to know," he said to the Hero, "At least I can train to extend my time limit."
"That'll be important," Toshinori agreed.
"But staying in an alien form for too long can have some serious side effects on your human body," the hologram went on, "For example, the first alien in the Ultimatrix's database that you can use in combat is a being that's known as Fasttrack. He has super speed, enhanced strength and reflexes, not to mention that he has an enhanced sense of balance so it's hard to make him trip unless you're on something slippery, or trying to stop after reaching top speed. But that isn't the only drawback. Fasttrack, being a feline-based lifeform has an aversion to water, which will transfer over to you when you change into him."
"Typical cat," Toshinori chuckled, "Lucky for you that there was no water involved in that fight back there."
"Yeah," Izuku laughed.
"But in any form you choose to take, there is a danger to your natural body," the hologram continued, gaining back their attention, "Most of the forms you take will be extremely durable thanks to the extreme environments that their DNA samples are taken from. But if they take too much damage, not only will you be forced to change back prematurely, but some of that damage will be transferred to your real body, even if it's been lessened to a certain extent, it can still be dangerous."
"As such, included in this tutorial are some items that might be of help to you if there comes a time where you can't use the Ultimatrix," the hologram said, "Because just like the ten minute time limit, there is a ten minute recharge time that takes place. So in that short amount of time, you will be vulnerable during a fight, if the time limit is reached before you've had a chance to end that fight. But you should also know that with each use of the Ultimatrix, not only is there a certain point in which the time limit will be extended, but the recharge time will also be shortened. And when in life threatening danger, the Ultimatrix has a defensive feature that recharges the battery instantaneously, allowing you to fight right away if the situation is dire enough."
"Now, to access the plans for these items, you'll need to speak the code; proto x21." The Hologram said, "You will need to access the next tutorial after your time limit has been extended. Until then, Hero."
Izuku watched the Ultimatrix go dormant once again as he looked up at his favorite Hero, "So, I guess I need to start training with this thing so that I can fight for longer periods?"
Toshinori nodded, "Not only that, but we need to have the support item built for you in case you're without the option to transform," he said, taking in the boy's very...veryscrawny physique. "And I think we should also start trying to build you up a little...provided your mother will allow it after today's little stunt."
Izuku looked at the man with wide, watery eyes, "You mean - ?!"
The man chuckled with a nod of his head, "Yes, Young Midoriya, I am going to whip this weak little body of yours into shape, and make sure that both you and that fancy watch are ready for U.A.'s entrance exams next February!" He grinned at the boy's happy expression, "Get ready, you little newbie, 'cause you're about to go through hell!"
僕ぼくのヒーローアカデミア
Returning home was quite a loud affair for Izuku when he and Toshinori arrived. The moment he entered his home, his mother, having seen the evening news when she got home, immediately embraced him with a bone crushing hug that had the No.1 Hero wincing.
"Izuku, my baby!" Inko Midoriya cried with fountains of tears erupting from her eyes, "Do you know how worried I was when I saw the news!?" She demanded as her son squirmed in her arms, "And since when could you change into some speedy blue cat!? Did you get your Quirk!? Oh, my baby!"
Toshinori would have laughed at the scene if his would-be student wasn't turning as blue as Fasttrack from his mother's hug. He cleared his throat, bringing her attention to her visitor, "Excuse me, Ma'am," he said politely, "But I think that the three of us need to have a very long, detailed talk about your son's deeds today."