Disclaimer: I don't own rights to My Hero Academia, Ben 10, or anything else referenced here.
This may be the only time I put a heading in this, and I may not even have a foot note or author's note, simply because I recall some people being annoyed by how they take one out of the fic... Don't ask where I read that, my memory is trash.
Anyway, this is a Jumpchain Story, a Jumpchain being a CYOA related to taking a character, typically a self-insert, and having them jump to various settings, picking up powers, equipment, and companions along the way. If you want to know more, it's probably best to look it up since I could keep us here all day trying to explain it. I know this isn't going to be for everyone, but I hope you enjoy this silly nonsense regardless.
You know that saying? Be careful what you wish for? Sure it's a tired cliche, but when it applies, boy does it make itself known… Let's take a step back though, context is probably needed considering the bizarre events that transpired that fateful day.
It was a little past twelve, and yet the sky was bleak in a sense, the sun hidden behind a veil of grey, the clouds welded together to hide the blue sky on the other side. There were no birds, it seemed like there were hardly even people, the most movement outdoors coming from stray cats, skunks, and vehicles, mostly people driving through the small town, heading to work, with recreation seemingly down due to the lazy atmosphere.
This wasn't to say that there weren't people leaving their homes, however.
On the business side of town there was a cafe, populated mostly by young adults that were role playing, playing card games, perhaps just hanging out due to a stressful home life. I couldn't blame them, but not because I had home troubles, more because I just needed to unwind, in the back, with a friend that seemed adamant I be here today.
"Been awhile, hasn't it?" she asked as she looked around, "You've been working so much that we don't really get to do this much anymore, unless you count online but I feel Discord isn't as charming as sitting face to face."
The woman was Aria, though she went by the alias Dustukhia. We've known each other for about two years now, and most of that time has been online, after a friend led me to meeting her in person.
She had a somewhat flat appearance, having fair, pale skin with a build that could best be acquainted to a wasp, her flat chest disturbing little of her grey shirt, leading to a thin waistline, yet her wide legs fit her jeans rather well. Her black hair was worn as a bob-cut. Her blue eyes were bright, faint hints of green speckled across the iris. It was all ended off by black boots that were strapped to her legs.
"Yeah well, I called in today and felt like I let everyone down, so I'm glad I could make someone's day." The dry humor wasn't meant to offend, and thankfully she would probably realize that.
With a shake of her head she dismissed my humor, a chuckle escaping before she put a hand on a binder she brought, her skin tone clashing with its black coloration, "I wouldn't worry about all of that, in fact I understand completely, it's not often a place of work calls you into overtime when they're overstaffed, I don't know how you can stand it."
"Not like there's any other option, for some reason nobody else would hire me."
"Which is stranger yet considering your record is clear, but that's not important." clearing her throat, she looked me dead in the eyes, "Do you believe in reincarnation?"
There was silence between us as I sat there, blinking in confusion before I shook my head, "Is this an Isekai thing? I know you've been watching a lot of those recently…"
"Well, sort of, but I was more interested in a few questions. For instance, if you were to go to another world, would you prefer to be reincarnated?" she hummed, "What would you like to do with this new life? Would you even want to go through this to begin with?"
Figuring I should play along, I gave it some thought, "Well, first off I would say no, starting over with my consciousness in a baby body seems… really weird, and it would take forever to be able to do anything I genuinely care about. Second, I don't really know."
"You don't?"
I sat there for a moment as I thought it over some more, needing a bit more time considering the context of the scenario, "I guess I'd like to be a hero or something." I answered with a shrug of my shoulders, leaning back in my seat, "Like I know how much being a protagonist would actually suck, all the weight that usually falls on their shoulders, the crushing expectations and all. But even then part of me just thinks… I wish life was more interesting, that it felt like anything I was doing actually mattered, you know?"
Letting it sink in, eventually she nodded her head, "As for the last question… would you?"
"Sure, I guess." I shrugged it off pretty simplistically, "I mean in most cases where someone ends up stuck in another world they don't really get to choose, so why would this situation work any differently?"
My curiosity was turned to her binder as she opened it, a sly smile coming to her face as she put her hand on a bizarrely large stack of papers belted into her three-ringed binder. I couldn't see much, but the first page seemed to have a bold illustration labeled Jumpchain.
"Well, I decided I wanted to set up something like an RP, and I was wondering if you'd like to participate."
"Roleplaying?"
With a nod she dragged her pointer finger along the text, "This thing, this Jumpchain, is a choose your own adventure game where one uses a select amount of points to obtain powers, equipment, companions, and perks from various settings, with the rules tending to vary based on the house rules established or what supplements the Jumper, or Benefactor, allow." with that she pointed at me, "In this case, you would be the Jumper and I your Benefactor."
"Following so far… I think?"
If I was being honest, I still wasn't too sure what all this meant. From what I could gather though, she wanted me to be some adventurer, and her the DM.
"Jumpers are the participants, using the various settings available to build their powerbase in an attempt to beat a setting powerful enough to be considered the end of their chain, an End Jump, which is mostly determined by who created the profiles for the different settings." she started, seemingly catching on to my ignorance, "The Benefactor is the one that gives the Jumpers their powers and allows them to visit the settings, and just as they serve as their way into a world, they can also cement their place there if the Jumper decides to stop and live there, or their way back home if they wish to quit."
"Okay, I think I get it." frowning, I considered what she was saying, and it did seem interesting as a geek that's wanted to interact with the settings they love from time to time, "But Aria, you realize how my schedule has been recently, right? Even if it's just with you and not some big group, more often than not things aren't gonna line up. I couldn't promise to meet up with you consistently to get this going."
"I don't mind, I have all the time in the world.~"
"But you also know how indecisive I am, right? Almost every time I try making a build for something like this I end up taking forever, and most of the time I get cold feet anyway and toss it out because I get idea overload…"
Another nod came as she smirked, "I realize, which is why I was wondering, would you like me to pick a build for you?"
Hesitating, it wasn't like it was a bad idea. Typically I liked some specific things, but even the things I was consistent on weren't likely to be in a build I later revise, chasing what seems like it should be more interesting. Someone picking my build for me did two things for me, it remove my inconsistent, indecisive mindset, removing a ton of responsibility and stress, but it also potentially gave me something interesting to work with that I may have otherwise ignored.
"...Sure, why not, to start off with at least, if that's how it works."
"Do you have any specific requests~?"
"Uh, sure, make sure I at least have a chance at fighting, and can my character be a girl?" she tilted her head in response to this, getting a sigh from me, "I haven't played a lot of female characters, and it probably shows in the little writing I do, I figure since you're one, you'd be able to judge me and help me get better at it, so I can at least get decent enough that it doesn't come off as rushed."
There was a delay in her response, but with a shrug of her shoulders she offered a smile, beginning to flip through various sheets, "You may regret that later, but alright, any setting in particular you want to visit? Would you be fine with some supplements so I could establish things like crossovers?"
"Eh, go crazy, you already know the type of things I'm into." I wasn't trying to be dismissive, I just genuinely didn't have any stakes in this, especially given this was my first contact with the topic, "Pokemon, My Hero Academia, Skyrim… It doesn't even have to be anything like that, just pick something you think will be fun, you know?"
After a moment, it looked like a lightbulb went off in her head, and eventually she got up, closing the binder as she smirked to me, "Alright, I think I have an idea, but I need some time to set everything up… You don't mind?"
Waving her off, I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, "Nah, take your time. Wish you could've stayed longer though."
Her eyebrows wiggled, her smirk growing, "Oh~? Technically you weren't even supposed to be out of work today, are you sure you shouldn't be home, sick like they think?"
A chill washed over me as she brought that up, a bit of paranoia leading me to get to my feet as I rubbed the back of my head, eyes widening a bit as the realization set in, "Right, so it was nice seeing you, but I probably need to get back home."
"Thought so." Aria chuckled as we exchanged our goodbyes.
I'm not sure what it was, but as we went in opposite directions, her call for me to look forward to the Jumpchain was… strangely ominous. Shaking it off, I decided to just return home for the day, in spite of my short time outside.
...Why didn't she just ask to discuss this at my house to begin with, or even hers?
The question continued to perplex me as I walked down the sidewalk, exasperation starting to wear me out considering there was no other reason I should be tired besides the humidity. Thankfully it wouldn't take long to get back home, which should be roughly six or seven blocks away, so I decided to do my best to ignore the feeling and pick up the pace.
Honestly, I shouldn't have been so dismissive. Maybe she did want to stay there longer and I upset her, I did seem kind of disinterested… Ah well, I'll apologize later, maybe there will be time to make it up to her by looking into this Jumpchain stuff and making my character after a nap.
The walk back was uneventful, and with nobody home at the moment I wasted no time ascending the stairs and shutting myself in my room. It wasn't that big, but it also wasn't that decorated, most space occupied by an entertainment center, with no television but instead storage for my funko pops, figurines, statues, and manga. My bed was pressed to the wall on the opposite side of the room, directly under a trio of windows, a computer desk off to the side, a dresser right by it, lining the wall, creating little space for a chair.
Sitting on my bed, I layed back and looked up to the ceiling, thinking over everything I had done today, from calling in to dismissing Aira, wondering if I could blame it on my antisocial tendencies or genuine lethargy from my recently increased workload.
Then I realized something, something I had sort of brought up earlier and made me think about what she had asked me… Would I want a new life?
I wasn't depressed or anything, but outside of talking with my online friends, which gave me a genuine sense of belonging and happiness, I typically felt listless, lost, bored… I tried to fill this void with gaming, writing, drawing, and more, but I never had the patience, or even the drive, feeling like I just wasn't good enough to surpass my limitations.
In Minecraft my builds never improved no matter all the videos I watch about detailing, in drawing I could never really get shaping, shading, or depth, in Monster Hunter I couldn't even master the weapons I was good with, as while I could use a Charge Blade with all its new features, I could never use Guard Points because I just lacked the timing and dexterity to get it down… Hell, even in writing, no matter how many words or phrases I took in, any advice I got, it felt like I would always just revert back to my old, easy style, much to the annoyance of those that read, assuming I didn't already stop after rushing and ruining a good thing.
"God I'm such a loser…" I couldn't help but sigh, draping my right arm over my face.
Now I wasn't about to let this, or the fact I was going to be stuck at a factory for the rest of my life, be the end of me, but with all the negativity building up I just had to vent, get it off my chest, and suck it up so I could get over it and get back to enjoying the positive things in life.
But right now I just felt like sleeping, wishing for a more fun, eventful life, just like I had told Aria.
…
Huh?
My head felt kind of light, and the room felt cooler than when I layed down at first. Did I pass out? If so, it seemed like someone had pulled my covers over me, and while I appreciated the gesture, it didn't mean I was happy with someone coming into my room, especially when someone kept "borrowing" my Debit Card.
As my eyes opened I was greeted to a larger room, the white ceiling and walls were definitely familiar, gentle, green borders framing the room and the door, the latter being a darker green that matched the… carpet? Wait, why was that shocking? It's always been like that… except when it was hardwood.
Pushing my black blanket off me and hopping off the bed, something felt off, yet so familiar, it was like I had someone else's memories or something.
I always had a dresser, even if it was a little bigger than I remembered, and it always had some plushies, figurines, statues, games for my handheld, and was the place I sat my cell phone, still hooked up to the charger. My television was in my entertainment center, gaming stations sat around it, and games shelved away, some admittedly not as nicely, but shelved nonetheless. At my desk was my computer, my handholds off to the side, and wallet, black with a number of silver studs lining the edges.
Still weirded out by these conflicting memories, I was about to head out of my room to calm down, but I jumped as my sight locked onto a mirror, hanging from the wall with an ornate, black border with a vine-like design.
Staring back at me was a pale, fair skinned girl, devoid of obvious blemishes or unsightly hair. Her brown hair was messy, but it was also long, falling just under her shoulder blades, which I assumed given the circumstances. Her bright, hazel eyes were wide open, our gaze locked like deer in a headlight. She was wearing a baggy, sleeveless top that mostly hid her figure, green shorts that were honestly not very visible due to the length of the previously mentioned top, and a pair of knee high socks, white with green stripes.
A drop of sweat rolled down my face as I approached the mirror, tilting my head, the girl on the other side doing the same. Part of me was freaking the hell out, the other part, however…
"W-Wow I'm cute!" I blurted in shock.
"Indeed you are~!"
"A-AAH!"
At the sudden voice I jumped, pivoting on my heel, slipping, and bashing the back of my head against the bed's frame, the wooden surface resulting in stern Thud.
"O-Ow…"
"Whoops… I probably should've been more mindful…" a familiar voice whispered, me almost missing it due to the ringing in my ears, I would blame my throbbing head on her too if my existential crisis wasn't giving me a headache.
Slowly I began to open my eyes, confirming my suspicions as they were greeted by Aria. Although something was different about her, her eyes were prismatic, and her hair didn't just seem black anymore, but like it was a cosmic background, a white sheen dancing based on how the light hit her, star-like dots blinking in and out of existence, and shades of purple and blue that seemed to represent a nebula...
"A-Aria?" stammering, I tried to ignore the pain, propping myself against the edge of my bed, an instinctual part of my body honestly wanting me to run away, given she had to be the culprit behind all this!
Smiling, she shook her head, having been sitting at my computer, "Well, yes, but that name was honestly a lie. You see, Akeru, my name is Dustukhia." bowing as she introduced herself, she smiled in a warm manner, even if her power still terrified me, "You see, that hypothetical question was actually quite literal, I'm a Benefactor, and you are my Jumper."
Akeru? Right, this girl, her name was Chikata Akeru, which supposedly meant "To Open a Thousand Paths" or something. I... She was born in Musutafu, Japan. Born Quirkless to a family with a Pro hero father, and a mother that ran a bar.
...Wait.
"Yes, Quirkless. You see, the reason you have two sets of memories, and why all of this seems familiar, is because I fused you with this girl, whose entire family history was inserted into the universe of My Hero Academia for the sole purpose of giving you a vessel to inhabit." the god-like woman informed me, taking the hand that was still gripping my head, standing me up, and sitting me on my bed, "Although, this isn't the setting you're familiar with, there's a few... changes.~"
"Changes? Wh-What do you mean by that?" I struggled to ask, my head still twirling from everything that's happened. It was honestly insane, from the insertion into a fictional setting, to the overflow of new memories and experiences, even a whole identity, to the information dump that this apparent god was dropping on me, I felt like I could pass out! Though the bump on my head certainly wasn't doing any favors either, compared to everything else I almost forgot I fell.
Wordlessly, she removed her hand and backed off with a smile, as though she was waiting for something. Eyeing her with suspicion didn't seem to be getting me anywhere, but I also felt something strange, like my wrist was covered in something.
I don't want to give her the satisfaction of a reaction... But damn am I curious...
Biting my lip in frustration, our staring contest ended with me sighing as I lowered my arm, bringing my hand to my face. Flinching, my eyes were met with what could only be described as a black and white, bulky watch made of some bizarre, metallic, material. There was a green button on the side, close to some kind of faceplate that possessed four similar, smaller buttons and a green, hourglass shaped display.
Grinding to a halt, my brain vaguely recognized this object!
"A-Ari- I-I mean Dustukhia! Wh-What the hell is this!?"
She hummed, pleased by the surprise, "An Omnitrix...~"