"So…You are the creator of the original Omnitrix?" Izuku asked as he was told to lie on the sofa in his house. They all relocated there so Azmuth could work on his Omnitrix. Mirko and Paradox were there, but Nezu remained in his office. He put his arm with the device on the table, letting Azmuth get close.
"And what should have been the ONLY Omnitrix!" Azmuth said, reaching for Izuku's Omnitrix and pressing the dial in three key areas, causing the device to beep.
"Verification required."
"Azmuth," Azmuth said his name, and that was enough for the Omnitrix to conform seemingly.
"Creator recognized. Main console unlocked." The Omnitrix opened up, revealing strange circuitry within. However, Azmuth took a device of his own and plugged it in, somehow. To the side, a holographic screen of his size appeared, allowing him to work.
"I swear, whose idea was this? Full biological integration. Pawh!" Azmuth complained as he looked over the Omnitrix's internal code. "It is begging for trouble! And you got into trouble!"
"So, his stuff is wacky, and you came to run maintenance?" Mirko asked.
"Maintenance? I am not some low-tier technician, young lady!" Azmuth replied. "I am the one who created the first Omnitrix! The first, true Omnitrix! Hmm." He looked over the blueprints of the Omnitrix, which he pulled from the device itself. "I do have to admit, this is not half bad."
"Coming from him, that is high praise," Paradox whispered to Mirko. "So, are you seeing anything?"
"Several errors caused by unresolved bugs in the main code of the Omnitrix were caused by integrating foreign technology and its functions," Azmuth said, and Izuku knew exactly what that was.
"So, the Omnitrix assimilating my phone caused this?" Izuku asked.
"In short, yes," Azmuth replied. "I admit, a sub-system that assimilates technology like your communication devices is nifty, to some degree. But it can bring a lot of trouble. Especially since it seems the system was not properly checked for bugs." He began tapping on the screen, rearranging the code. "However, this should…There." The Omnitrix unplugged from Azmuth's little terminal, then closed back up, flashing three times and turning around.
"Omnitrix system modification recognized. System rebooted."
"I fixed the bugs that were causing the errors, allowing the Omnitrix to properly implement the failsafes regarding DNA-influence," Azmuth said. "I also fixed a few others that jumped to my eye."
"Any surprises we ought to be wary of?" Paradox asked.
"If you are asking if I used this chance to sneakily unlock select DNA samples within the Omnitrix, you are sorely mistaken, Paradox! Unlike you or Ben, I do not coddle!" Azmuth said sternly. "And you, Izuku Midoriya!"
"Y-yes, Sir?" He said, looking at Azmuth.
"I want to hear it from you." He narrowed his eyes. "What is a Hero?"
"Huh?" Izuku was confused by the question, but then he began to reply. "A hero is an individual tasked with-"
"No, no, no! You got it all wrong." The alien sighed, then turned to Paradox. "He is more polite than Ben was, but he needs to learn what true heroism is! Until then…Omnitrix-"
"No!" Paradox shouted. "Azmuth, the boy will learn. Benjamin learned."
"Tennison's world didn't pervert the concept of heroism in such a way! Just look at this woman!" He pointed at Mirko. "Is she trying to be a hero or find a mate with that outfit? What purpose does it even serve?"
"Hey!"
"My point is that this world's concept of heroism is wrong," Azmuth said sternly.
"What is the concept you know, then?" Izuku asked.
"For one, a hero shouldn't have to do this as a job." Azmuth began. "A hero must be something more than a job. A hero must be someone who puts others before themselves. Someone who would jump in the way of fire to prevent others from getting burned. A hero is selfless! A hero knows what sacrifice means! A hero doesn't deny fear, but admits it, and still heads into battle! Can you claim to be all of those, young man?"
"I don't know," Izuku said softly.
"A hero is also not bound like the ones you see," Azmuth added. "You lot respect a system of law that, while it ensures order, it also restricts true heroism. Benjamin Tennison once showed me that my Omnitrix can be used for far more than I ever intended! In the right hands, it became a tool for justice, peace, and order! But he did it while walking a path he believed in."
"I won't take the Omnitrix from you, young man," Azmuth added, making Izuku's breathing hitch. Was he really about to take his Omntrix?! "But you need to learn the true meaning of heroism! Being a hero is so much more than fighting the bad guy!"
"I…I won't say I understand. Because I think you'd argue I don't." Azmuth nodded in confirmation. "But at the very least, I say that I hear you, and I know what you are trying to tell me."
"Ask questions, young man. Ask the questions those around you are afraid to ask." Azmuth told him again. "And find the answers you believe in. That is my advice to you, Izuku Midoriya. And you, young lady!"
"Me?" Mirko pointed at herself.
"For the love of God, put on some actual pants!" Azmuth said, making Mirko blush at his sharp tongue. However, before she had the chance to argue, Azmuth vanished.
"Hey! I wasn't finished!" Mirko complained.
"It wasn't me," Paradox said softly. "That crazy Galvan! He actually tweaked his teleportation to be able to cross parallel universes! It seems to be one way, however."
"So, your thing is fixed?" Mirko asked, leaning over to look at the Omnitrix.
"I guess so," Izuku said. "Professor Paradox, what can you-" He was gone. "Of course."
"Does he always do this?" Mirko asked.
"Pretty much. He calls it walking, apparently." Izuku replied.
"Does the creature know its mission?" A figure clad in black asked another, clad in a white lab coat.
"It does. Observe. Do not engage." The white-clad figure replied. "But are you sure about this plan? We are putting a fair bit of resources into simple recon."
"With our eyes and ears into UA removed, we need to assess this new element. In his final report, Aoyama told me about a boy named Izuku Midoriya. I did some digging, but the boy doesn't seem that extraordinary at all." The black-clad figure said. "He is only said to be a very late bloomer."
"How late?"
"His Quirk didn't come in until a year or so ago."
"What?! Impossible! No Quirk manifests after so long! That boy was Quirkless!"
"My thoughts exactly, doctor! Whatever gives him power must be learned, and this is our best option right now."
"Like playing chess and sacrificing pieces to gain the upper hand." The doctor said, pondering their dilemma. "I won't question you anymore, Sir. But I also do not want to show our hand too early."
"You are mistaken again, doctor. You forget that the Aoyama family has been placed under protection. I cannot reach them. This means the kid talked and told UA about us. As it stands, we are out in the open. There is no use being silent, so we might as well make some noise!" The black-clad figure said. "When are they going to be ready to deploy?"
"Tonight." The white-clad figure replied. "All three of them."
"And one not to return." The black-clad figure turned to the creature they were planning to use as the sacrifice. "A shame. This one was designed to kill All Might, or at least attempt to do so. At least it still gets to fulfill the role of a sacrifice."
"Finally done!" Izuku said, relieved to be done with his self-study session. It has been two days since he met Azmuth and got the Omnitrix fixed up a little. Things had pretty much entered a normal routine, but his grade slipped a little. As such, he was busy studying…A lot. In fact, it was a little over midnight by the time he finished.
He got up and decided to go grab himself a snack from the kitchen downstairs. He went grocery shopping yesterday, so the fridge was stocked. However, upon getting to the fridge, the Omnitrix suddenly lit up. "Attention! Detecting an anomaly in the immediate vicinity."
"Wha-" Then he heard it. A roar that likely woke up the entire damn street! He rushed out, and what he saw made his eyes widen. It was a creature, humanoid in shape, but something was clearly wrong. Its brain was not just exposed, but it was as big as All Might, not to mention completely black! It wore a torn pair of beige pants and had veins bulging all over!
And it locked eyes with Izuku, making the boy recoil. "Oi, what the fuck?!" But Kirishima got out, startled by the loud sound as well, and saw the creature. With a roar, the creature leapt at Kirishima's house, breaking through the wall.
"Kirishima!" Izuku shouted, then brought out the Omnitrix, ready to slam the dial. However, he stopped himself. Students were not allowed to use their Quirks. While exceptions for self-defense could be made.
The creature was pushed out of the house by one of the guys, maybe Todoroki, but as the guys came out, all ready to fight, he noticed Tenya rushing out and running away. The creature saw him, however, and was about to attack.
Yet, Izuku was still not acting. But then something changed. He saw the Nomu about to reach Ida. The others were not fast enough; none had a Quirk that could close the gap in time! To hell with trouble! "No!" Izuku shouted, slamming the dial and turning into Accel, picking up Tenya just in time to save him from the creature.
"Midoriya!" Ida shouted.
"Are you ok?" Accel asked him.
"I am good. What is that thing?"
"I don't know. Can you still run?" Izuku asked Tenya again.
"Yes!"
"Go wake the teachers up! Anyone! We need a hero!" Izuku told him and slammed the dial again, turning into Duke. "I will hold it off until back-up arrives!"
"What?! But-"
"I know!" He shouted. "Do not patronize me, thinking I do not know the rules…I will break them tonight! All of you, stay back!" The nomu was circling him, sizing him up. "I got this."
"Midoriya…" Tenya looked up at him. "Very well!" Then ran off. The creature tried to attack him again, but Izuku jumped on it, landing a solid punch to its jaw. The creature's attention was now on him. The creature tried to punch him back, but he dodged the punch and slashed at the creature's eyes to try to blind it.
However, the creature simply caught his hand and twisted it. "Gah!" He shouted from the pain, but then unfolded his wings and took off, carrying the creature into the air with him. The creature let go and dropped down, but Izuku used the chance to shoot it. The tips of his claw-like hands shot out at the creature, embedding themselves into its thick hide.
"Analysis complete!" The Omnitrix pulled forth a scan of the creature, and Izuku didn't like what he was seeing.
The Omnitrix was detecting several DNA samples mixed from multiple people. Worse yet, it was detecting several Alpha Gene instances, which could only mean one thing. That thing had multiple Quirks! The Omnitrix broke down what they are, however.
Super Strength, Enhanced Durability, Enhanced Speed and Reflexes, Shock Absorption, and something that chilled Izuku's blood. Regeneration. "Who created this thing?" The creature roared, then attempted to leap at Izuku to bring him back down. However, Izuku merely flew away from it, mocking the creature from the air. "Foolish abomination! The skies belong to me!"
The creature seemed angered by Duke's arrogant tone. However, instead of attempting another reckless attack, it turned its attention to the others. They were mostly watching, since they couldn't join the fight. They couldn't use their Quirks without permission. Izuku realized what it wanted to do, however. "I won't let you!" He declared as he dove right for the creature, but he fell into its trap.
The creature caught him and smacked him into the ground, beginning a relentless assault. "Ugh!" Duke shouted, every punch heavy. However, as the creature attempted to strike him again, he shoved his hand into its neck. His sharp fingers pierced right through, causing the monster to pause his assault.
"Get off me!" He shouted, pushing the creature off with his legs. The monster got up, however. It has regenerated the wound he gave it. "Grr. Shock absorption will nullify most of my attacks. And that regeneration…" The creature roared, charging at him again. However, Izuku knew he had to change forms once again. Duke was not going to cut it here. "If you are not even human…Then I need not hold back!"
He slammed the dial again, the bright light blinding the creature. However, when the light died down, the creature was met with fire. A torrent that was fired right at it, burning its skin. Izuku switched to Fire Hazard. "How do you like that, huh?" He shouted as he kept firing, yet the creature was pushing through the flames. He couldn't increase the firepower due to possible collateral damage.
As the creature got too close, he pointed his firestram down, allowing him to dodge as the creature tried to grab him. He then threw several spheres of fire at it, keeping its attention trained on him. "What is he doing?" Kirishima asked, seeing Izuku fight the creature.
"Isn't it obvious? He is fighting that thing!" Bakugou shouted at Kirishima.
"We need to help him!" Todoroki said, but was stopped by Kaminari.
"Are you stupid? We cannot act without permission! This is clearly a fight with a villain!" He pointed out.
"Exceptions are made for self-defense cases!" Todoroki argued.
"It is a tall argument in this situation. Especially now." Bakugou interjected. "If we all attack it, it can no longer be called self-defense. Fuck!"
Even if they were not going to help, Izuku was working the creature to the bone. His body was made of fire, and fire seemed to be tiring the creature out! Fire was not an impact; it was plasma! This thing likely absorbed physical shock, not elemental shock! But with that being said. "Ugh!" The creature eventually got a good hit in, but then it held its fist.
The skin burned from merely touching him. "What is it?" Izuku asked, getting up again. "Can't take the heat?"
The creature roared again.
"Attention! You are close to reaching your limit."
"One more gamble, then…I stalled enough!" He slammed the dial again, changing forms once again. However, even the creature, as it charged in, stopped dead in its tracks, sensing the danger. "Come on," Izuku spoke from within his metallic suit, the red glow visible through the grates serving as a dire warning for the creatures. "Let's see if you can take radiation."
"Did he fucking say radiation?!" Kirishima gasped, recoiling back from what he heard.
"That nerd is radioactive?" Even Bakugou knew that was bad news!
"Time to say-"
"Limit reached." The Omnitrix started to beep red, just as Izuku was preparing a ray of energy to shoot at the creature.
"No, not now!" He said, looking down as the badge beeped red. Then, in the next moment, he turned back to normal. "No!"
The creature saw its chance and tried to attack. However, it was quickly attacked when All Might showed up, jumping on its back and slamming it into the ground. "Do not fear! I am here!" He declared, but the creature was trying to get up.
"All Might!" Izuku shouted. "Physical attacks are useless! That thing can absorb the shock!" He informed him.
"No, it cannot!" Erasurehead said as he showed up as well, activating his Quirk on the creature. Izuku saw it collapse under All Might's might, its Quirks erased by the Underground Hero. "Everyone!"
"Right on!" The entire staff of UA showed up and got right to work. While Aizawa kept its Quirks erased, Midnight approached and used her Quirk on the creature, putting it to sleep.
"Ugh! It reeks!" She complained, pinching her nose. That was when All Might sniffed it.
"Smells like scorched skin!"
"It regenerated," Izuku explained. "So I used some of my more dangerous forms to hold it back."
"You fought it directly?" Aizawa asked, staring at Izuku. "What were you thinking?"
"I had to act!" Izuku argued. "It was going to attack everyone, so I-"
"Hey!" Mirko shouted, pushing Aizawa away from Izuku. "Get off my protege! He did the right thing, holding that thing off until we showed up!"
"He used lethal force." Aizawa pointed out.
"Against an enemy who could clearly take it! Now focus on getting that thing, whatever the fuck it is, away from here!" Mirko said further, to which Aizawa reluctantly went back to getting the creature secured. She then turned to Izuku. "Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine. Just a few bruises." He replied, feeling the bruising around his ribs. He then looked down at the Omnitrix, seeing it red.
"You turned back without control? You could stay as that ghost guy for an entire day that one time." Mirko pointed out.
"I didn't get the chance to prolong it," Izuku confessed.
"Midoriya! A word, please." Nezu called out to them, looking around the area at the destruction caused. Izuku and Mirko both went to him, likely to discuss what happened. "This is a mess."
"I know," Izuku replied.
"But I commend you for defending your fellow trainees. Don't worry about complaints regarding your disregard for the rules. I will make sure no one finds out."
"You are sweeping it under the rug?" Mirko asked.
"It is the only way to protect young Izuku here," Nezu replied. "But that aside, this was a bold attack. Too bold."
"Something the matter, Sir?" Izuku asked.
"Can you turn again?" Nezu asked, but Izuku shook his head.
"I need some time, around 10 or so minutes, before I can transform again." He told Nezu, who seemed greatly disappointed.
"This was not an attack meant to inflict casualties," Nezu said. "This was a test."
"A test?" Mirko echoed. "You mean someone wanted to see the students in action?"
"Most likely…The same person who was pulling Aoyama's strings." Nezu replied. "I am not allowed to tell you much, but know he is a very dangerous person. I fear he might have taken an interest in Izuku, as well."
"Me?" Izuku asked.
"Yes. We do not know if that is true, however. It is merely a hunch I have, based on what I am seeing and analyzing the situation. This has been a pointless attack, all in all. Like shooting a beehive. You get a shot in once, yes, but it is nothing that cannot be fixed, and you still get swarmed." Nezu shook his head. "I will need to ponder how we ought to respond to this direct attack on our students."
"Do you think they might try something more tonight?" Mirko questioned.
"I am unsure. It is possible. They might have another creature, waiting like an ambush predator." Nezu theorized. "Or maybe this was it. We will do a full sweep of the entire campus to ensure no more of those creatures are around, but we cannot exclude the possibility of more coming tonight. UA's security might be top-notch, but even we have blind areas. Such as teleportation Quirks!"
"In that case, I am spending the night with my protege."
"Mirko!" Izuku gasped.
Nezu cleared his throat. "You might want to reword that, Miss Usagiyama."
"You know what I mean!" She replied sharply. "I am going to crash at his place tonight, and in case another one of those freaks shows up, I will hold it off until the cavalry arrives."
"Very well. Izuku's house ought to have spare rooms you can use." He turned to the damage done to the neighboring home. However, said damage was already being fixed by UA's custom-made building drones. "Take care."
Nezu then left, likely to deal with the fallout of everything. But everyone was unaware of the second creature watching from the side, and how it escaped.
"This is-" The man in the white coat reviewed the footage, his eyes glued to the screen.
"Super Speed, Strength, Durability, the power to control fire, and even a radioactive one?" The black-clad one said, counting the abilities. "This boy is quite something, isn't he?"
"That is an understatement, Sir." The doctor said, worry visible across his eyes. "The last form, if the recording is to be believed, is radioactive. I strongly urge you to reconsider a confrontation if that one is brought out."
"Oh? Are you doubting I can face this boy?" The other man asked, looking down at his colleague.
"Your current health is still a far cry from your prime, Sir. I am merely pointing out the facts." The man explained himself. "I do not say you cannot prevail, but as it stands, I fear it might turn into a Pyrrhic victory."
"Hmm. You make a good point, Doctor. Very well. But that being said, the boy proved quite resourceful against the Nomu. Yet, something else happened that caught my attention. He turned back despite the battle not being over. Why?" The black-clad man asked.
"It is very unlikely he knew the heroes arrived at that very moment. I noticed that red beeping his Quirk seems to do. Maybe it is a limit?" The doctor guessed. "Mayhaps he cannot maintain his forms indefinitely, and needs to turn back as a means to recharge himself? No, a cooldown is more believable."
"That was a bit quick, however." The black-clad figure noted. "He switched between a few forms. Maybe switching forms that way causes more strain that shortens his action time?"
"Highly probable." The doctor added, agreeing with the man's hypothesis. "If so, we have a potential weakness to exploit for the future."
"Can you custom-make a Nomu, especially for him?" The figure asked, but the doctor shook their head.
"Even my most advanced Nomu are nowhere near adaptable enough to face such an enemy, not to mention we lack too much information. It'd be unwise to commit resources without knowing the full scope of our foe's capabilities! We need to observe more, Sir, then we can proceed to fabricating a worthy foe."
"Ah, indeed. That is a good point. For now, we ought to lie low, then. Observe and slowly gather information about this boy. Or at least, that is what I'd say, if we had the luxury of being passive for a bit." The man said, a hint of annoyance visible in his voice. "But Tomura is getting more and more agitated by the day."
"The boy will get his chance, but not today." The doctor replied. "We need to proceed with caution. Not only has this unknown element caused us to lose our spy, but it is proving more formidable than anticipated. We need to rethink our plans, Sir."
"Yes, we do. But some parts remain the same."
The morning came slowly, and Izuku got up from bed, yawning as he rubbed his eyes. The previous night proved more than a little crazy. At least he was glad that everyone was safe and sound, and they didn't have to worry about another such attack. Maybe. Still, even if one such attack happened again, Izuku was confident he could stand up to it and stop it.
He knows he also has no business meddling with the business of actual heroes. As far as things went, that creature was now their business. His business? To attend UA. Given that his schedule was full of mostly self-study, he didn't rush when it came to getting ready for the day. He just grabbed a towel and began making his way to the shower.
Only to stop dead in his tracks as someone else came out of the shower. Then he remembered last night. He was not alone in his house for the first time since joining UA in the HAP program. His mentor came out of the shower, but there was a problem. She was not wearing a bathrobe. Nor a towel.
"Heh?" She finally noticed him, having come out of the shower with a towel on her head to dry her hair.
"Ummm."
"Attention! Sharp rise in the levels of Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Acetylcholine, and Histamine! Situation analysis…Result! The user is aroused by the sight before them!"
Mirko blushed, actually blushed, as she dove back into the bathroom. "WHY ARE YOU UP SO EARLY?!" She shouted, snapping Izuku out of his shock, fully awakening him.
"M-M-MIRKO! I AM SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO -" He stopped briefly. "Why did you come out naked from the shower?!"
"FUCK OFF! I USUALLY LIVE ALONE! I NEVER HAD ROOMMATES!" She shouted back, offering her justification.
"Suggestion: A cold shower is required."
"You don't say…" Izuku muttered, then the door opened again, and Mirko stepped out, this time wearing a towel. "M-Mirko?"
"Not a word!" She said as she went past him. "I will go get dressed! You do your thing now, and meet me in the living room thereafter!"
"Y-Yes!" Izuku replied, then dove into the shower himself. However, as she heard the door close, Mirko allowed herself to react.
"Fuck!" She hissed, burying her head in her palms. "Stupid bitch, did you forget to take your meds?! No, I am just too used to living alone!" She chastised herself as she went to her room, throwing the towel off and grabbing her spare clothing to wear, ending up putting on her suit. "Nezu can't find out about this."
"Sure, he can't." Mirko jumped as she heard the voice of Paradox, who was lounging at the table.
"How long were you there?!" She asked.
"A minute, maybe two. I did hear the screaming." He said, looking amused by the incident more than anything. "I must say, you got yourself in quite the pickle, Miss Usagiyama."
"Get to the fucking point! This morning started badly, already." She said, facing him directly.
Paradox merely sighed. "You do know Izuku's main flaw, do you not?" She didn't reply, letting him continue. "He has little in terms of confidence. The main reason I suggested you, or rather, why Nezu recommended you - sorry, different timelines and I often get confused, and-"
"Don't sidetrack." She warned him.
"Right. My point is, what do you think you are doing, training him? As in, what do you intend to teach him?" Paradox asked.
"Obviously, how to be a hero." She replied, but the answer was a bit too automatic for Paradox's taste.
"Remember what Azmuth said? Your world's concept of heroism is twisted in a way that makes it no longer viable for the name." Paradox pointed out, and he saw Mirko look away. "Izuku will learn the values of true heroism in time. Fighting is also not something you ought to bother yourself with. He can manage."
"And I am already sidelined for his academics, you point?" She asked.
"You don't need to impart to him your battle techniques, knowledge, or philosophy. What Izuku needs is people he can trust." Paradox said, unbothered by her attitude. "He is unsure of himself. His idol attempted to ruin his dream and even labeled him a possible threat. All of that took a heavy toll on his self-esteem, not to mention the lifetime he spent being put down by everyone around him."
"I guess…You do have a point. Growing up Quirkless and all. Can't imagine it was easy on him." Mirko said slowly.
"Also, for what it's worth, I want you to keep a close eye on him," Paradox added. "I might seem all-knowing and always there, but that's only because I watch from afar. There are some things about to happen and…I won't be around. I won't be around for a good while, in fact."
"And? Whatcha need me for?"
"Here," He handed her a note of some kind.
"What are those?"
"Omnitrix Admin Codes," Paradox told her, and Mirko realized quickly what this meant.
"But…Those say 'Detachment' and 'Self-Destruction' and even 'Unlock Next playlist' and-"
"I know! But allow me to explain: I want you to keep an eye on Izuku and make sure he doesn't stray. That is one of my duties, you see. And since I won't be around for a while, they are now yours. If Izuku seems to stray, turning into a Villain or proving unworthy of the Omnitrix, it will be your duty to take it from him."
"Take the Omnitrix from him?!" She gasped. "But then he'd be…He'll be Quirkless again."
"I know. And trust me, I saw futures where he doesn't receive the Omnitrix. Many are dark and painful to watch. But that also means I saw his potential as a villain. It's…Massive. The boy has a brilliant mind and, with the Omnitrix, an even more brilliant arsenal. If he strays, the Omnitrix must be removed to reduce the threat."
"What about the stuff about self-destruction and unlocking the next playlist? I also see a code for…Force-Transformation? Wait, you mean to tell me I can force him into any form I want using this?!" Mirko asked.
"Precisely," Paradox confirmed.
"What if someone hears me shout those codes?" She asked, but Paradox had a solution to that as well.
"Hence, why the vocal sequence to have you registered as an Omnitrix Admin is not written down. Once you are registered, the Omnitrix will only obey the codes if they come from your voice!" Paradox said, then went to Mirko, whispering the code in her ear. "There you go."
"And how will you be sure I won't give him the next playlist right away?" She asked, but Paradox merely laughed.
"Well, that is on you. Do you want to overwhelm him with 30 aliens? He is barely getting accustomed to 20!" Paradox pointed out. "But, in light of learning those codes…"
"You always had him on a leash." Mirko pointed out. "If he ever proved unworthy of that device, you always had the option to take it away. And he is aware of that, isn't he? His Omnitrix, being a device, makes it vulnerable to a lot of things, you know?"
Paradox laughed. "Oh, Miss Usagiyama, you will find that his Omnitrix is prepared to deal with a lot of unforeseen circumstances. Goodbye for now."
"Hey, wait!" The sink suddenly turned on, distracting her, but when her focus was on Paradox again, he was gone. "Damn it…I see now why the kid hates it when he does this." She looked down again at the paper in her hands. "Register as an Omnitrix Admin, huh?"
"Mirko?" Izuku called out as he entered the living room, fully dressed, but his hair was still a bit damp. "Who were you talking to?"
"Your benefactor, Paradox, was here. He said he will be away for a while, but he left me some stuff. Let's see…Omnitrix! Admin Registration Code: 0-0-4-0-1! Rumi Usagiyama!"
Izuku was surprised when the Omnitrix beeped and replied. "Admin Registration Code and Vocal Print recognized. Rumi Usagiyama, AKA the current Number 6 Hero, the Bunny Hero: Mirko, has been added to the Admin List and is now capable of utilizing Admin Commands via Voice."
"Admin Registration?!" Izuku gasped. Mirko was thankful that this all seemed to delay any talks about their little incident.
"And now, listen here!" She said, making a bolder claim. "I hope you are ready for a long day!"
"W-why you ask?"
"Because you are joining me on another patrol!" She declared. "I asked Nezu about it some time ago, but it turns out HAP proteges can join their mentor on such trips and even fight if I say you can."
"WHAT?! But what about the entire thing after the bank heist?!" Izuku gasped, surprised to learn this information now. Was Mirko keeping secrets? Or perhaps she didn't know the finer details until recently. The latter was more easily believable.
"Well, we will still keep that on the low. But I also do not want you to appear in public." Mirko said. "Given my fame, simply appearing will draw the public eye. And if they hear I got myself a sidekick, the media will blow up!"
"Why is it such a big deal? Every hero has a sidekick." Izuku said, then watched her arch an eyebrow. "You don't have sidekicks?!"
"I have paper-pushers to help me run my agency, but no. I don't have any sidekicks to join me in the field! I never liked anyone enough to let them tag along, nor has anyone ever proven to be able to keep up with me. But you are different. You can keep up with me in at least 5 different forms!" She said, holding up her fingers to prove her point. "So, what do you say?"
"I'd be honored to join you on patrol!" He said, making Mirko grin.
"That's the spirit!"
In the meantime, in the 1A study hall. "Class, as you know, we are three seats short of a full class. As such, I have decided to accelerate a plan of mine."
"What plan, Sir?" Ida asked.
"Simple. Come in!" Aizawa shouted for the person waiting in the hall to enter, and the entire class fixed their gaze on him at once.
He was a relatively tall young man with messy, indigo-colored hair that flares out in large tufts around his head, and notably straight teeth. His eyes were purple with white pupils and were thin and somewhat triangular, pointing downward with no visible eyelashes. He looked a bit sleep-deprived, given the bags under his eyes.
"My name is Hitoshi Shinso." He introduced himself. "Formerly from class 1-C."
"Shinso will be joining you starting today, filling the spot that would have been filled by Minoru Mineta," Aizawa stated. "Take your seat, Shinso."
"Yes, Sir." He replied respectfully, but something in the class had something to say.
"What is his Quirk?" Bakugou asked, eyeing Shinso with a sharp glare. "He doesn't look very physically fit. In fact, he looks a bit scrawny."
"Bakugou, the details of his Quirk are none of your concerns," Aizawa said, both as a warning to Bakugou and to point out the fact that students are not required to share their Quirk.
"Aren't you the one who lost against that Izuku Midoriya guy?" Shinso asked, striking a sensible cord within Bakugou.
"He cheated!-" Suddenly, Bakugou's eyes grew foggy, and what was supposed to be an outburst was cut short.
"Shinso! Do not use your Quirk on your classmates like this. Release him."
"Huh?" Bakugou recovered, looking confused as he saw everyone stare at him. "What happened?"
"Brainwashing," Shinso said, drawing attention to him once again. "My Quirk is brainwashing."
"Whoa! So you can, like, control people?" Denki asked. "Dude, that is so-"
"Cool!" Kirishima interjected quickly, getting Shinso's attention. "Dude, your Quirk is absolutely badass! You could easily beat a villain by just putting them under your control! Man, I am so jealous!"
Shinso looked at Kirishima strangely. "You mean it?" He asked.
"Hell yeah!"
"Fuck no!" Bakugou raged. "That is a villain's Quirk!"
"Enough!" Aizawa raised his voice. "I won't have chaos in my classroom! The reason I chose Shinso to join 1A is exactly as Kirishima said! With his Quirk, he can easily defeat his opponents without causing potential harm to the enemy or those around him. It is a pragmatic and useful Quirk."
"That is not a Hero's Quirk!" Bagukou declared again. "Why are you letting villains into UA now?!"
Shinso sighed. "There is always one." He muttered.
"Bakugou, this is your last warning for today!" Aizawa raised his voice again at him. "Sit down, shut up, and if you interrupt my class again without proper cause, I WILL see you put in General Studies!"
Bakugou tightened his teeth as he sat back down, silently glaring at Shinso. But Shinso didn't care. He just walked to an empty seat and ignored all the stares and whispers. But then he noticed someone putting their hand up. "Sir, forgive me if this seems rude." It was Jiro. "But most of us had to pass a combat-focused entrance exam against robots. Lifeless objects without a brain."
"If you wish to point out the issue of Shinso's Quirk being overlooked due to the entrance exam being biased, you are not off by a lot. You are actually on point. Many good Quirks that could be useful in the field are often overlooked, and this is due to the sheer shortcomings of our system, which values combative Quirks. For example, my Erasure only works on people with Quirks. When I took the Entrance Exam, I initially failed."
The class gasped, hearing their teacher's words. "You failed the UA Entrance Exam?!" Ida gasped, fixing his glasses as he asked his question.
"I did. However, one of the teachers at the time saw my file and saw my potential. Thanks to them, I later earned a place in the Hero Course by defeating my opponents during my first Sports Festival. Of course, I did so by removing someone from the Hero Course." Aizawa continued.
"It checks out," Momo said. "With your Quirk, Sir, you likely erased your opponent's Quirk and utilized superior fighting skills, correct?"
"Precisely. Most Hero Course students of my generation were hyper-focused on their Quirks and heavily integrated them into their fighting styles. Once they lost them, they were easy picking." Bakugou sneered in the back. "I guess there is a lesson to be learnt from my past: Reliance on your Quirk will see you fall like Icarus when he flew too close to the sun."
"Umm. Sir?" The class didn't understand that too well.
"Forget it. I was trying to be philosophical. My point is, Quirks that would otherwise make incredible heroes are overlooked because of the current system. I was lucky and given the chance to prove myself, and I aim to offer others this chance, starting with Shinso." Aizawa finished.
"And speaking of it." Aizawa continued. "The sports festival is soon going to be here. Now, I wish to immediately point out that despite our class still being two seats short of a full roster, that does not mean you are safe. Your performance will be evaluated, and if we find any of you lacking in performance, we will remove you from the Hero Course. This is also going to be an opportunity for you all to be scouted by various Hero Agencies, where you will be part-time hired to shadow a pro in the field. Bakugou, you will be allowed to participate and be allowed to use your Quirk! But know that any agencies that inquire about you will be informed about your current status. That might make some rethink their offer."
Bakugou didn't reply. He just looked at Aizawa with narrowed eyes.