Hey Guys! Okay first off a major welcome back to myself. I know that sounds weird but let me explain. I've been outta the game for awhile now. Something happened though. The spark found me again. I really hope you like this beginning and please be is going to be a Young Justice/My Hero Academia crossover SI. I can't stress enough to please leave comments it will help me with where I plan to go with this story, and Also if you wouldn't mind checking out my other works I'd Greatly appreciate it. I was inspired to do this By Kenchi618's Less Than Zero, and DessertChocolates Dial which are both amazing stories. Those guys are fantastic writers so please also give them a look and check out their works.
I'm only gonna do this once so it doesn't get irksome: Young Justice, My Hero Academia and any other media or reference I use is not mine unless I leave a tag about it. Other than that I'm just playing in the sandbox. Please let me know what you guys think.
Young Justice: My Hero
Chapter 1
When and Where am I?
Ya know I think it's easy to say that an origin is a very unique and precious thing. Whether it's a person's, a place's, or a things origin… how it came to be is massively important even for things that are basic and seem insignificant. I mean of course this is obvious and you don't need me to tell you that, but hey you're reading this so maybe you wanted to hear my origin. Well it's definitely a different kind of story. To be clear it's a heck of a tale, and sometimes I can't believe it and I'm the one who's lived it; this is the story of how a not so special guy (that's me btw) became the Strongest Hero of Earth! But before we begin though I think the most important thing anyone of us can ask ourselves is this; if you had just lost everything and I do mean everything would you still want to be, or even have the capacity to able to be a hero?
Pain.
Mind numbing, ear ringing, and quite frankly soul shaking pain.
He'd felt it before and he knew for a fact that the age old question always comes up "Who Hasn't?" But this...This was different.
Being human is pretty trash when you think about it, and it's bad enough when you've been having a bad couple of weeks. Hell just a bad year in general.
Anxiety is a pretty normal thing for him though precious few would ever be able to tell you that he has an issue with it.
Waking up somewhere when you have no idea where that place is with your head splitting like you've either just been in a knock down drag out brawl, or are nursing the mother of all hangovers is not the way I think anybody likes to wake up.
The first thing he feels when the pain starts to recede is sand. Let anybody with even a modicum of sensory issues tell you the first thing that comes up when having sand on you and I'll guarantee that they say it's…
Itchy.
Yep one of the most annoying feelings besides pain and that's what's being felt as the pain is now receding, just massive irritation along with that dull throb that comes with the recession of full blown pain.
Our protagonist starts to take stock of the situation and winds up being completely confuzzled.
Yeah that's right it's a word and had been since 3rd grade, along with zesty…Damn Cat-Dog.
Our hero's name is Jack. Okay Jackson…Jackson Alan. But stick with Jack okay.
Not the most intimidating but I've gotta say I'm glad it didn't wind up being Gregory, or Mitch…or Chip.
Or worst of all… Chad.
More on that line of thought later.
Jack has a vague idea where he is as he takes a cursory look around as his vision clears and he leans upwards to stand, or at least he figures he can guess cuz he'd been here a few times even though he's not the biggest fan of some of the stuff this place is famous for.
The buildings are tall even into the distance, and the night sky is black as all get out which would be driving him nuts if it weren't for the neon colored lights spilling onto the sand of the beach from the boardwalk. The wind picks up for a moment and the smell believe it or not is what comforts him for just the smallest of moments because it would always be familiar.
From his youth on vacation with his family when they did that sort of thing, to his time in the service the sea air is and had always been pretty much associated with nothing but good memories. Though there were a few stand-outs.
Arcade games, Beach Days, Boardwalk food, fudge, and that's only through being a kid. Once it gets into more recent memories the smell reminds him of traveling the world with the Coast Guard, and all the ports of call he got to hang out at.
After he gets his bearings and fully stands the first thing he realizes is that his clothes. Which shouldn't be a big deal and normally wouldn't be for anyone, except there is the tiny problem of they are currently huge-ish, as in they sure as hell don't fit the same as they did when he went to sleep.
'I know these are the clothes I went to bed in…' Jack thinks as he starts to finally shake all the vestiges of being tired and in pain from himself and really starts to take stock of his situation.
'Okay now I'm freaking out a bit because I'm remembering that I went to bed. I was planning for my move up to Nantucket MA, I got tired and laid down around 9:30 after saying goodnight to my wife, my kid, and The dog (Hercules). So what in the hell is going on here?'
The wind is still there slightly buffering our young prtoagonist as he continues to mull everything over for a moment.
'Okay I know what this is…' Jack thinks to himself as he continues to rationalize the situation.
'Vivid dreaming again, no big happens to everybody once in a while. Except... I'm kind of cold… and usually sensory things like touch and temperature either jolt someone awake or it keeps them half asleep/awake anyway so I couldn't possibly just be someplace else like this.' Jack thought to himself as he began to shuffle and then pace in a small circle.
Let it be know that Jack often had a bad habit of pacing when thinking. Or if he was feeling at all bothered, Nervous energy was a thing for him.
'Deep breaths…Lets take it slow Jack.'
Jack starts to look around and take in his surroundings even as he tries to cover himself more with his now too big 2XL Bright red Nike shirt, his jet black basketball shorts slightly sliding down his backside exposing his black boxer-briefs as he takes a few tentative steps.
Realizing that they are too open Jack takes a deep breath and then readjusts his shorts bungee strap so they stop falling, as he then proceeds to wrap his arms around himself again to ward off the slight chill in the air.
The next part is the weird part because he doesn't have his ring on his hand and immediately turns to look where he had been laying finding his indent in the sand, trying to look for the white gold comfort fit plain wedding band that he's now had for 12 years hoping to the all that it is there, after all what a slap in the face it would be if he lost that.
He barely finds it in the sand and finds himself barely relaxing because once he tries to put it on he realizes the huge difference. The ring that was slightly snug when he went to sleep now slides right on and off. He knows he's not really fat but most definitely hasn't felt no resistance since he first got the ring when him and Marnie exchanged their vows way back when. And that's when it hits him.
Now the changes have become Glaringly obvious, and with them worry is now accompanied by confusion. He feels shorter than 6'2, and he most definitely feels and now looks lighter as he slightly lifts the hem of his shirt to see his now pronounced V-line.
'I haven't seen that since 10th grade, what the fresh hell is this…'he thought as he was now worryingly rubbing his head only to stop and realize the huge difference.
His hair that had been cut short and cropped in a flat top style but as it was now he could actually run his fingers through solid locks of Dark brown hair that now reach slightly past his ears on the sides leaving him with slight bangs in the front.
Let it be known that Jack had been decently athletic through middle and High School because of bike riding, track, and getting his brown belt in Tae Kwon Do before having to leave the school because his Dad couldn't afford it anymore.
He was never the most muscular guy since he had only been doing body-weight exercises and hadn't picked up a pair of weights until well into his twenties after joining the guard, but he knew for a fact that he had at least been passable with physical fitness through most of his life.
"Okay…Get a grip Jack…Longer hair and thinner…I feel like I'm 14 maybe fifteen; somewhere in my teens. But... that's crazy... there's no way, this...this is a really really weird dream" Jack mumbled out to himself as he began to pace again, the anxiety definitely starting to mount now causing his stomach to gurgle.
Now the important thing to do was wake up, easy peezey. Jack had this he wasn't gonna lose his marbles over it.
'How to go about doing this without looking like a psycho.' Jack thought. But no matter how you try to rationalize something like this you just gotta go for it. So Jack did just that.
'Okay easy enough, the pinching trick always works.' So Jack pinch's his left forearm and lo and behold he can definitely feel that, so that really only left one test to try in his mind before crazy town.
Jack took a few deep breaths threw up his arms and simply tilted back and allowed himself to plop down into the sand on his back.
"As the man once said ladies and gentlemen...We have just lost cabin pressure." Jack mumbled to himself out loud reasoning that using the trick from Inception should have woken him up. Which could mean only one thing...
….
What the fuck?
What the actual Fuck?!
Everyone has that moment where something bad or completely ridiculous has happened in their life, and you want to know that you're not crazy for having been a part of it but at the same time you know it's true and your just trying to reboot your brain to the new reality you're in.
Jack laid there for what felt like a good few minutes. He kept trying to will himself awake at home in bed with his wife, but all he got when he opened his eyes again was that infuriating night sky and the dancing colors off of the signs from the hotels and stands up on the boardwalk.
Finally deciding that he'd had enough pussy footing around he tentatively stood up and looked out towards the sound of where the ocean would be, and once he looked forward he got to another big surprise.
'How did I completely miss this person just laying what has to be only about... 50 or so feet from me on the beach with a little bit of smoke wafting off of them?' Jack thought as he stood frozen in place.
The smart thing would have been to walk away, but somehow Jack knew if he did that he'd regret it. Let it not be said that Jack is a bad guy because he's not but he had been burned before and this whole situation felt insane and really suspicious. Jack was still very much in the process of denying that this was real, but at the same time for the life of him he just couldn't turn away. So Jack did the only thing he could figure after a moment of mulling it around in his chromes domes, and to the complete and utter shock of himself he took a small step toward the downed person. Even though he felt it was a horrible idea. (Years later he would look back and laugh on this exact moment many a times.)
…
And yet after the first step Jack felt he couldn't move. There was till such a sense of apprehension about this whole thing...
…'Any time now bud'…Jack thought to himself trying to will himself to do something instead of just standing there like a maroon.
"He…Hel….Help."
It was faint, and slightly strangled but he'd heard it.
And that was all it took.
Now he was moving forward and 3 years' worth of BDS training (Battle Dressing Station) was taking control.
He cleared the distance and was now standing before the person only to realize that it wasn't just a person, but a Massive person. And not just a Massive person but someone that he could clearly recognize.
But…
This isn't possible…
Right?
The costume he wore was torn in places and a clearly half ripped and worn/almost completely shredded, red inlaid-blue cape was underneath him. His long yellow hair was caked with red in spots and he had little cuts marring his face on both sides including around his slightly sunken eyes, that even now gleamed with a slight light showing them to be almost electric blue. Patches were torn out of the predominantly blue bodysuit he wore while only his right side showed the intact descending jagged lines of red and white outlining. His left side looked horrible almost like he had two massive holes where his lower chest and the beginning of where his stomach would be. His right hand looked charred up to the elbow, and the left hand slightly past the wrist was the same and that was where Jack could clearly see what looked like a silver vambrace, or what was left of one anyway.
He had to shake the shock of not only who he believed this to be but the severity of the wounds. The training he had only said what to do, and he had never seen anything this bad up close in person before.
Jack felt the bile rushing up his throat but quickly shoved the feeling down, took two deep breaths and then grabbed what part of the cape was on the man but not on the wound and at one of the ripped seams started to rip at it so he could use it to try and fill/cover one of the wounds.
In that moment it struck Jack like a bolt of lightning.
It didn't matter if he kept it together (which he was barely doing), this man was going to die and there was nothing he was going to be able to do to stop it.
Jack was slowing falling into a deep pit of despair when he felt it.
The man had grabbed him, albeit weakly; but none the less had grabbed his right hand with is trembling left one.
"Do…you…understand me?"
"YES" The answer had come so quick he actually screamed and immediately clamped over his own mouth because of the volume.
"Good. I…cough…don't... have long." He was slipping, he and Jack both knew it.
"I can call someone…get help, let me…"Jack said as he went to move but the grip on his right hand became desperate.
The man looked at Jack then. He really looked at him and Jack knew he was judging his worth, his value, his ability.
"I…I'm…I'm begging…please…cough…take this…" His right hand came up to his hair with a strength and speed Jack didn't believe the Hero could possibly have right now and he plucked one hair from his head.
"Eat…this…cough…and… inherit my power." The look he was giving, the tone, everything from that moment would be burned in Jack's mind forever.
He knew he didn't have long, and he knew that he'd be gone in moments. Jack felt completely unworthy.
This man asking this of him…this was All Might. Toshinori Yagi. The Number 1 Hero in the My Hero Academia Verse. The Holder of probably the greatest quirk/superpower ever…One for All.
A stockpile of unimaginable power that had been built up and preserved from hero to hero, being used to stand against the tyranny and evil of 'All for One' one of the only villains that if Jack was being honest terrified the hell out of him. 'All for One' could literally steal other people's powers and either keep them or give them to someone of his choosing, or even activate them through his own force of will. The man was an absolute powerhouse having stolen and innumerable amount of quirks, but what truly set the man apart was an even simpler fact...the man was pure evil. He believed himself a God, and believed that he should rule over all of society with his power.
And now... his enemy, one of the greatest Hero's in all of fiction was somehow right now laying before him bleeding out and he was offering his power to him. To an absolute nobody like him.
'But wait… What about Izuku? What about All Might's Earth? All Might looks young is All for One Here?! Is anyone else seeing this?!' Jack thought.
'This is Insane. I can't do this…I could never be worthy of this. This pressure is too much...what do I do?!' Jack thought as he started to have a mini freak out in his head.
The feeling in that moment was crushing. The feeling of being useless, and the feeling of the complete lack of faith in himself to even be worthy of the offer left Jack reeling.
Let it not be said that he wasn't an introspective guy because he often would look inward (To be honest sometimes too much).
'Am I a good Dad, Am I a good Husband, Am I a good Son…Will I ever be good enough?'
People deal with depression and anxiety all the time, it's safe to say that most can conquer it.
In this moment he didn't feel like he ever would, and he felt like all the doubt would swallow him.
'How did I get here? Where is here really? When is Now? What do I do?!'
All these questions…all these doubts…
"Please…cough... Be…Before…Before I'm Gone…"
…
And that was all it took. The doubt dissolved, and in it's place a fire bloomed. Jack wouldn't let this man down. He wouldn't.
"Okay"
He had always done what he'd needed to do, what was best; Or at least what he thought and felt was best, and he wasn't going to stop now, that's really all anybody can do right?
Jack snatched the hair even though it was covered in blood and quickly scarfed it down. The taste was bitter and wrong, and sadly familiar because when you've swallowed blood before you realize the taste is very unique and could never, ever be forgotten.
He needed to tell him…
He needed to say something…
Anything…
He'd be the only one he'd ever tell…
He made the decision in an instant…
Even if it was doctored, he needed to tell someone; and if anyone it was going to be this man since 1.) He was giving him this power, and 2.) HE deserved and needed to know, Jack had to give him some peace of mind here at the end. If he could offer anything it would be that the legacy of 'One for All' would continue so long as Jack drew breathe.
"I promise you All Might…" The emotion in Toshinori's eyes was all Jack needed to know that he was still there with him and had heard him.
"I promise you…I will be the greatest hero I can be. I'll give it everything I have, and I'll do my best to save everyone with a smile...just like you. I'm gonna clench this fist…And I won't stop until I've found a Tenth holder worthy of it too…I Promise You." The words were said while tears leaked from his eyes. He swore that he had never been a crybaby not like Izuku Midoriya, but in that moment seeing such a great man laid low he couldn't help it. This man who had bled and fought and was about to die for all the things that Jack too believed to be good and right. This man who had just trusted the future of the quirk "One for All" to him, a nobody, a total stranger, knowing that if he didn't it would be gone forever.
Toshinori gasped, either from the pain or in recognition of what Jack had parroted that Nana Shimura had said to him years ago Jack would never know, but the moment after that… All Might did the only thing he had ever done better than saving another person's life.
He smiled.
Jack watched him close his eyes… and then he watched his chest fall for the last time all the while the tears kept coming, streaming down his own face.
He stayed like that for who knows how long but then it dawned on him…
Had anyone seen that? Were there people around? He needed answers and fast. He had to get out of here before somebody pinned a murder on him, or worse started asking questions that he couldn't answer, but he couldn't just leave All Might Could he?
Jack placed Toshinori Yagi's hand back on his chest for the last time and then said a prayer to anyone or anything who would listen to take care of him… to make sure that he got to see Nana Shimura again, and then he quickly stood up and started to jog toward the boardwalk looking for anyone that could have seen what transpired hoping to all that not a soul had noticed.
It was about five feet from the stairs that lead up to the boardwalk and that's when it happened, he swore he heard a whisper.
"Thank you"
Jack quickly spun around to address what sounded like someone standing right next to him saying the words, but then paused when he saw it.
There was no more body. The lights from all around were illuminating the beach far out enough even though it was a ways up, and yet when he looked back All Might's Body, the blood, there was nothing there that could have told you that someone had died on that beach.
But there was something…more specifically someone standing right where All Might had been.
It happened in a flash and he swore that he was seeing things but he knew that she had been there even though when he blinked she was gone, and if he was to be completely honest about it he was terrified.
Death.
He knew what she looked like. She was honestly one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen on paper, and after the glimpse if it was real he now knew it to be true. Skin almost whiter than milk if that were possible but completely flawless, long raven black locks of hair traveling past her shoulders, eyes of shining obsidian, and a smile so pure that even though she was wearing black lipstick when her lips peeled back to show her immaculate white teeth he felt weak in the knees. The Sandman comic had been an awesome read and had depicted her a primordial force; dressed in plain black clothes, wearing an ankh, holding an umbrella, a Reaper with a kind heart… if you could believe such a thing possible. He'd only found out about it because of him liking Constantine and stuff like it, but if he was really here... and that had just really happened?
'Oh boy…' Jack thought.
It was too much…
The world teetered off its axis.
And all Jackson Alan saw for a time afterward was Blackness.
"You seem to have given him quite the scare there young Lady." A now whole but Transparent All Might said as he gazed at the form of his successor on the beach.
"HeHe Oh I think he'll be just fine. Someone will be along to collect him in a moment actually. I can't just come and go like that without attracting a certain amount of attention, that being said I made sure it was someone of the Good variety." The Primordial forces eyes were keenly trained on the now 9th holder.
"He knew me you know, knew things that I can't believe he knew…I'm not sure how, but I can tell you that his eyes were very old. Like he'd seen half a life already and was weighed down by it. But still, they were such kind eyes I just knew that I could trust him." The grief could be felt rolling off of the fallen hero as he said it, the turmoil of his soul laid bare for leaving the next holder with no guidance.
"Yes…I'm sorry to say that there's a greater game afoot in this timeline in this universe, it was the reason for your meeting him actually... for either one of you being here. I can't say much more because spoilers aren't appreciated, but I can tell you he is going to be a wonderful hero…there was really only one other choice and if it brings you any comfort you've already made that choice before Toshinori." The girl said with a smile up to the taller man.
"This is all very confusing." All Might said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I imagine so…please just know that in this particular instance, these events as they've happened and he as the 9th bearer are necessary." This bit was said as if from a teacher to student while the primordial turned away from the now unconscious boy towards the ocean.
"It's a hero's job to look out for the greater well-being of the world, I can only hope he will be a Symbol of Peace like I was." All Might said as he turned in the same direction as Death.
"You needn't worry about that All Might Hehehehe…he'll do right by you and the other holders before you. I'd love to chat some more but it's really time, are you ready?" She said as she began to walk toward the water twirling her umbrella.
"Honestly no... but I don't seem to have a choice in the matter and according to you my work is well and truly done…I just hope that he is alright with everything." The Hero turned to glance at his unconscious successor and then back to the now unknown before him filled with a sense of dread.
"No need for fear Toshinori, that man died during your battle. I took him to where he belongs already… and he will be getting a chance to try again as someone else and in a different someplace else now; I imagine he'd hate me... if he could remember."
"Oh...Well then I guess that is my fate as well then huh" All Might half asked half stated with a bit of dejection.
"Of course not silly, you've earned your rest many times over already Toshinori Yagi. I believe that a certain someone is waiting to see you again and to congratulate you too... we probably shouldn't keep her waiting." Deaths shoulders were shaking from the giggles as she peered at the hero.
"Yes… you're right of course Lady Death. I'm looking forward to seeing my Master again."
'Goodbye…Young Jack…and Good Luck' Were All Might's last thoughts before following Death toward a now open portal to the hereafter.
"Come Along now Toshinori I'm late, quite late for an important date." Death stated as she walked slowly towards the portal.
Death peered over her shoulder one last time at the brown haired, brown eyed boy who had been a man just shortly earlier from another universe now slowly growing a power from an even farther universe all together inside of himself. She could only adopt a small sad smile as she and one of the greatest hero's the multiverse had ever seen began to fade into the hereafter.
'Be safe Jack, and be strong. Your family will be watching over you…even if you can't see them. You can't even begin to imagine how proud of you they are. I know I am.'
With that final thought… Death and All Might The Symbol of Peace disappeared.
Within moments of the Primordial force know as Death and the former Symbol of Peace All Might's departure a man appearing to be in his forties in a tan trench coat and fedora combo wearing dark pants and brown wing tips came down the pier, and proceeded to walk down the steps and came upon Jacks unmoving body.
He quickly flipped the boy onto his back and checked for a pulse, having found one he then moved onto a completely different methodology by taking a strange talisman out of his right coat pocket and used it to scan the young boy laying before him. Having found no spiritual irregularities but having discovered the small growth of power within the boy, the stranger made the only choice he felt logical at that time.
"Well Well Well, It would seem you have quite the story to tell don't you boy. I guess we'll have to see what you have to say for yourself when you wake, must be pretty important for one of the Endless to be getting involved." The Stranger said as he placed one hand on the unconscious boy's chest after putting his amulet away.
"Ekat su ot ytefas"
The two were quickly consumed by a shimmering golden light and just as quickly faded as though they had never been there at all, meanwhile the few people who had been walking along the quiet boardwalk at the wee hours of the morning continued about their goings having never noticed any of what had happened that morning at all.
ATLANTIC CITY
September 5th 02:30 EST
2007