Well, this was bound to happen.

Hi everyone, sorry for being a week late (plus a couple of extra days).

To cut a decent story short as to why, I'M GRADUATING!

Yep, a three year journey of university comes to an end and most recently, I've been busy crunching the documents of my final project. (I've submitted them literally yesterday.)

Coupled with trying to find a place in the new city where I'm going to do my masters, and the editor vanishing when the world needed him most (Translation: He went on vacation.), a week + a couple of day's delay kind of just happened.

In any case though, I'm just going to get into it. Time for Chapter 28!


"So, what's up?" Ben crossed his arms.

The corridor's silence broke with his tone. "It's a rare thing to get an audience with you of all people."

The situation felt dire, even though this whole festival was supposed to be just a no-stress event.

Todoroki however didn't indulge him. He kept leaning back to the wall, hands in his pockets, and unflinching in his cold, calculating glare.

Ben didn't press anymore–

"I was outmatched." Todoroki admitted. "So much so that you could have fun at my expense."

"Oh." Ben's ears perked up.

He sheepishly leaned back. "Sorry. I guess I got carried awa–"

"So much so!.." Todoroki cut him off, and intensified his glare. "...that I even went back on a promise I made myself a very long time ago.

Upping his caution, Ben took this more seriously.

"A promise?"

Todoroki solemnly raised his left arm.

"Iida, Yanagi, Tokoyami, Kendo, or Jiro…" He said. "Now that I've seen it up front, none of them feel like they can understand your sheer range, ability… and adaptability."

Todoroki stopped leaning against the wall. He looked into his left palm, so intently and loathingly. "The extension to your ten minute timer, and that eleventh form."

His eyes went up to meet his green ones.

"Such a rapidly evolving quirk can't have come to be, only from pure luck alone."

His eyes narrowed even further. "...and this is without mentioning your expertise."

Ben wished he could back away.

"I might not have 'all' been there at the time." Todoroki stated. "But I used Midnight's one mandatory psychiatric session to get clear information about the events of the USJ."

He bluntly approached him. Tennyson, quite frankly, sweated.

"Not only were you the only one to jump in to help Mr. Aizawa, but you even took down the villain that bested him."

Ben… tried to not act like Midoriya.

"Well, I was just at the right place, at the right time… with the right quirk." He tried to state calmly. "Or form... Honestly, you could call it whatever you want. I wouldn't mind."

Todoroki didn't budge, and so Ben piped down the upbeat act.

"It was still very difficult." He tagged on at the end, reservedly.

Todoroki's expression still didn't change though.

"Difficult? Tennyson, you killed him." He added, and a shiver went down Ben's back.

Yeah, he had done that.

"After the weekend back, you seemed uneasy and I thought that was the trauma affecting you." Todoroki bluntly said. "However you're making heroic speeches about the said event today, completely unbothered."

Ben put a hand under his chin. "Well, it HAS been almost a month."

Todoroki's eyebrows crossed this time.

"You're clearly used to this."

Ben's heart sank.

He stood at attention as Todoroki put his hand down.

"Tennyson, be honest…" Words felt like they lingered in his classmate's mouth.

"Are you some American government experiment or something?"

Ben… was left speechless.

"Eh?"

His thoughts could only slowly start back up. Todoroki's stare was genuine.

"Wow…"

A slow starting laughter escaped his mouth.

"Oh Todoroki!" Ben continued to smirk about it, continuing to laugh. "You serious? *I*'m the guy the Pentagon would send?"

"It would be unusual." Todoroki stated. "However, if it were usual, they also wouldn't be known for their secrecy."

Ben shook his head.

"Anyway, trust me, you have the wrong guy–"

"You keep telling me to 'trust you'." Todoroki stated. "However, you haven't actually explained any one of your actions."

Ben felt like he was checkmate. His mouth was open, fidgeting but–

"Maybe I'm close or I'm not. I don't mind the 'why'." Todoroki said. "However, whatever it is, it doesn't change that you are a cut above the rest."

Todoroki frustratedly paced, and broke his still-as-a-sculpture standing.

"It even got All Might's attention as well. I saw you leaving after school for 3 weeks now, along with Midoriya, preparing for the festival no doubt."

"Ah–!" Ben showed emotion. "Busted about that then…"

"Well, I don't know about Midoriya." Ben spoke about that. "But I caught his eye mostly because of the USJ. He wanted to help me get better."

Todoroki remained stoic.

"Regardless, if you have any form of support from All Might, then I have more of a reason to beat you, because…"

He looked away, right at the bright blue sky.

"For me, I don't know if you've heard of him since you are new in Japan." Todoroki said. "But Endeavor, the Number 2 hero of the country, is my old man."

"Endeavor?" Ben thought to himself. Now, why did it–!

That was the hero on the highway… When he first took the new upgrade on the watch for a test drive and raided the Highbreed base!

"Man…" Ben thought to himself. "I can see the resemblance now, with the quirks and all that, but come on. One night out with Blitzwolfer, and I ran into Midoriya. The second night, I ran into Todoroki's dad. What's next? I'm going to go out for a third night and end up running into Yaomomo's mom?"

Todoroki looked away and shook his head in frustration. "And from what I gather now, you and Midoriya are… 'close' to the number 1."

He sighed.

"Even though, I fear I might have a reason to pity you."

Ben narrowed his eyes curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"I think we're the same." Todoroki answered.

"Another boy, born with everything…"


Ben 10: Hero Force

Chapter 28

What Exactly is 'Everything'?


In the inside of the tournament building, Endeavor was confronted by Japan's Favorite Hero, All Might.

"WE HAVEN'T TALKED SINCE THAT PRESS CONFERENCE 10 YEARS AGO." The number 1 raised his hand. "I SAW YOU AT THE STANCES INVIGORATED, SO I'D FIGURED WE COULD TAKE THIS CHANCE TO CATCH UP."

"I see." he looked at the bottom of the stairs again, walking down. "Well, you've seen me now. That should be enough."

Endeavor let his arms wave around like he owned the place. "Tea? What a joke… I'm going to the restroom. Begone–!"

First flipping on his side, and then jumping to the air to do a full frontal somersault, All Might skipped past the stair and landed in front of him.

"HA! HA HA HA! DON'T BE SO COLD, ENDEAVOR!" He said in his presumptuous tone. "IT DOESN'T SUIT YOU."

Endeavor gritted his teeth, grunting annoyedly.

"AND BESIDES, YOU SHOULD BE THRILLED." All Might said. "EVEN WITHOUT HALF HIS POWER, YOUR SON IS TURNING ALL THE HEADS TOWARDS HIM. YOU MUST BE A GREAT TEACHER!"

Endeavor cocked his head to the side. "Are you trying to imply something?"

"NOT AT ALL." All Might continued to be blunt with his advances. "I JUST WANT TO KNOW YOUR METHODS AND OPINIONS. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO RAISE THIS NEW GENERATION OF HEROES?"

Because admittedly, next to the classes he taught, he had two gold star pupils and little to no idea on how to push them even further.

"And you'd think I would give up my secrets just like that?" Endeavor asked, and All Might answered.

"PRETTY MUCH."

That irritating grin of his shined ever brighter. "WE'RE ALL STRIVING FOR THE SAME THING, AREN'T WE?"

Endeavor's eyebrows remained crossed.

"Hmph, you're really just like how I left you." He said, bumping his shoulder to All Might's chest. "All flash and no brains. It gets on my nerves."

All Might assembled his hands, looking after his fellow colleague going down the stairs.

"SORRY, IF I HAPPENED TO OFFEND YOU."

Endeavor, as he walked in the center of the steps, paused to look back at the number 1 again.

"You didn't. However, I only have one thing to say to you, All Might." He didn't even turn to face him. "No matter what it takes, that kid of mine you saw out there, will beat you someday."

A grin formed on his face. "I will make sure of it. That's the entire reason… he even exists."

All Might was taken aback.

"WHAT… DO YOU MEAN, EXACTLY?"

From the fiery mask, blazing up with mere thoughts, All Might saw the hardened blue pupils with bloodshot whites of his eye, festering an intense kind of hate.

"He may be in a rebellious phase now." Endeavor said. "But I will ensure that he's set straight…"

His fires, with even more disdain, increased.

"... and takes you down a peg, once and for all."

Without skipping a beat Endeavor then continued on his way, now forcing himself even harder to muffle out his stomps, and mask the furious expression on his face.

All Might was dumbfounded. Well, that definitely hadn't gone in a way he expected.

"All Might."

Now it was his first time to be run into in the hallway… by the most proficient Underground Hero U.A.'s got.

"OH, ERASER HEAD." He heroically put his hands on his hips. "WHAT MAY I DO FOR YOU?"

"It's Tennyson." His fellow bandaged colleague said. "I was wondering whether you'd have seen where he went."

All Might put his hands on his hip, as in a cloud of smoke, he deflated back to normal.

"No." Toshinori coughed into his hand. "I was searching for him as well actually."

Aizawa nodded. "For the same reason, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah." Toshinori said. "His new form…"


"My old man, if nothing else, he's ambitious." Todoroki said. "He intends to make his mark on the world with crushing force."

"Doesn't that sound familiar." Ben added like they were piecing something together. "All Might."

Todoroki nodded.

"Seeing someone excel at the dreams he had wasn't something that went down easy. And try as he might, he never became able to change that truth for himself."

Todoroki started to seethe his following words, almost with amusement.

"But he had no intention to stop trying." He said. "So, he *applied himself* in another way…"

Ben assumed that Todoroki would get even angrier, flare up like other classmates had in the face of an adversary.

But he didn't. His classmate's face stayed the same, but his tone had some kind of melancholy.

"What are you about to tell me, Todoroki?" Ben could feel the air get heavier.

Todoroki asked. "Have you ever heard of quirk marriages?"

The recommended student also felt his classmate's mood shift.

Tennyson's intrigue felt replaced by a pitying look.

"I did." Tennyson solemnly, and even more respectfully responded. "From my mom."

There was a bit of a sigh between his words, before a smirk appeared.

"As soon as I was of 'appropriate age' to date."

Todoroki could tell it was forced, and seeing that it had no effect, Ben straightened up.

"It was apparently something my great-great-grandparents saw a lot when superpowers first started popping up."

Ben looked down.

"Even though we have a long line of being quirkless, they saw what it was turning people into."

His father hadn't given him that much of a hard time, probably because Grandpa Max didn't give HIM that much of a hard time either, especially with the practice sort of starting to die out.

"He isn't the type to restrict people." Ben thought. "He would want everyone to properly live their own lives, and make their own futures."

But his mother, after properly getting to learn about it herself, hadn't gotten the memo. She made sure to continue the tradition of having that kind of talk, rules and… he didn't blame her for that.

"That kind of greed? Moral degradation? It's something my family pressed against so hard, because they wanted no chance for it to get near their homes."

Ben let his green eyes meet with Todoroki once more.

"Was that what you thought I was?" he asked. "A child bred for combat and the cameras?"

Todoroki nodded.

Ben lowered his head. "Sorry."

Todoroki remained stern, but melancholically grabbed his arm.

"After seeing what you were capable of. It felt like the only logical explanation." he said. "I thought us two were the same way."

"The same way?" Ben perked up again, as it was his classmate's second time using that wording.

His eyes shot open. "Todoroki, no…"

His recommended classmate, someone that Ben valued, nodded.

"My father is a man with both accomplishments and money." He said. "And it was that ideal image which made my mother's relatives throw their heir away… all for a simple monetary gain after a string of bad luck."

Shadows cast over all of his face. He spoke with such disdain that Ben didn't interrupt him.

"It's annoying." Todoroki said with anguish and anger. "Because of that scumbag I can only ever see my mother crying."

Slowly, his hand raised up again, and grabbed the left side of his face, covering the scar.

"'Unbearable. I don't want to see it.' That's what she called half of my face, right before she poured boiling water on top of it."

Chills ran down Ben's spine.

"I picked a fight with you to show the old man that I could already do it, without having to use his damn power… THAT is the promise I made."

He took off his hand, a dark determination masking whatever that was left in terms of emotion on his face.

"I promised to reject him completely, never becoming his tool even for a moment, and win first place without it."

Ben… didn't say anything. He didn't turn away. He wanted to, but didn't.

"And here I thought I'd seen everything." he told himself.

In all of those places he traveled, the bermuda triangle, a different dimension, space…

At the end of every adventure, his home and his family have all been something of an anchor. A safe space, where he could let himself relax.

To think that someone didn't have that, but instead had his warzone also be his home.

Todoroki, with both hands in his pocket, started walking away.

"I don't care if your relationship to All Might was just the testimony you made at the end of the USJ or something more. The fact of the matter is that you've made him interested and I will rise above that interest, only by using my right side."

Ben followed after him.

"So, that's why he's so detached." He thought.

"Sorry for wasting your tim–"

"Todoroki."

The teen with powers of fire and ice looked over his shoulder.

"Gotta say, I'm sorry about all that happened to you." Ben crossed his arms, furrowing his brow. "It hasn't been fair… and know that, regardless of everything, I still plan on respecting your declaration. If we face off, my full power will be right there. But…"

He opened his arms up.

"Going at your battles like this…" Ben winced. "Trust me, it will not work out."

Todoroki cocked his head to the side. "What are you trying to imply? That I won't be able to beat you?"

"No."

Ben raised up his watch.

"I said I haven't gone through the kind of life that you did, not *exactly* anyway. That part is true."

Todoroki nodded…

"But if you believe even a hint of what you heard about the USJ, you should know that I know my stuff about combat." Ben established. "That promise might work while we're at school, but if you REALLY want to be number 1…"

He put his hands in his pockets.

"I'm just saying that you have so much potential, and holding it in reserve like this… trust me, it's not gonna help anyone. Not to me, not to the people that will be saved when we DO graduate, and…"

Ben raised his hand.

"...certainly not you."

Todoroki gritted his teeth. "I won't be giving *him* the satisfaction–"

"I'm not saying you should either..." Ben instinctively backpedalled. After all, this was still a delicate matter, he didn't want to approach it like Rath would.

"But you are already so much with that control over your ice, don't you see how much more you have with your fire as–"

Todoroki scoffed, and left. Ben could see him seething, most possibly regretting having his talk.

And… regret was something that was going around both ways right now.

"Well…" He thought. "That's how I'd explain that: 'Well'."

As he was left standing there on his own, a quiet stillness set in on the outside, and a light breeze ruffled his hair.

The joke was dry as sandpaper but it had to do. He was feeling conflicted.

The Sports Festival came around, finally a break from all this he was thinking, and bam. Todoroki opened up to him about his family history, because he made him think they shared a similar history.

His hands reached down to his wrist.

He gritted his teeth, there was that jumpy feeling inside him again. The very same itch that told him to jump out of that window, and investigate the Highbreed matters more.

"I…"

His arms crossed, covering the Omnitrix.

"I should probably just get back to the stances. The crew is probably wondering where I disappeared off to."

He lifted his hand. "...especially after how I surprised them with a new alien. Midoriya is at least gonna be ecstatic, that's for sure."

The transforming hero then walked away… as Midoriya came out.

Inside of the tournament walls, further than the entrance that Tennyson and Todoroki had their discussion, he had hid himself, and now… his sights were set, looking after the path that led to the cafeteria.

"I'm… sorry about that, Todoroki."

His fists clenched.


"You better be worth this trouble, Tensei. That's all I'm going to say!"

Just off the city limits of Hosu, Kevin just got done having his ID checked.

"Here you go sir." The police handed it back, with not even a lick of suspicion.

"Yeah, right."

He closed his window, and actually got into the city… as in he was about to.

With a small band of pro-heroes and police pulling over anyone who had even the slightest intention to get in the city or out, the main artery road was clogged with cars, trucks and all sorts.

It took him 15 minutes, but once he got into the city, the traffic had mostly subsided.

Due to the semi-blockade, Kevin easily found a parking spot, and then got out of his car.

"Now for the hard part."

Some good old fashioned blind searching.

This time his energy cell tracker did squat. Kevin had given him a rifle, however he had also done maintenance on the thing. It wasn't like the lancers, custom job and completely off the grid.

Whoever made that green masterpiece, or whoever owned it… He felt the need to give the knights another whooping for stealing it.

"Bucket heads could have at least negotiated." Kevin said, deadpan. Either way, he couldn't exactly put a tracker on it either, because if the hero found it…

It would certainly cause some headaches.

"Tennyson would kick the door down, and I just got that fixed, thank you very much."

He looked at his light blue phone. That meant only one thing. He tapped on one of the apps, and brought the phone close to his ear.

Police chatter sparked up.

"Villain sighted at 34, moving to engage!"

"Disturbance at block 22, gunshots."

"Requesting backup at 09!"

"Road blocked at 22, building 1 and 2!"

Kevin thought to himself. So, the fish was trying to pull the 'everywhere all at once' tactic?

"You should have listened, Tensei." He shook his head. "You're gonna need a con to reel in–!"

"Ingenium is en route. 5 minutes till arrival."

His eyebrows went up. There.

"Best Jeanist, 30 minutes out."

He put the phone down, recalling the last thing he heard.

"Block 41. Between buildings 5 and 9."

He took a look at the one next to him now, it was block 31–

A chill felt like it was coming on. From the trunk he took out a dark green jacket on top of his two shirts… and decided to wear blue shades as well.

He smiled to himself. Some people would say this made him look suspicious, but there was nothing wrong to be a little distinguished, was there?.

"Hmm?" He felt the ID from earlier in his pocket. "Might as well…"

He opened the door of the car, and took out a binder from the glove compartment the size of a notebook.

"Let's see, Indonesia, Israel, Italy…" He flipped through the pages. "Ah-ha."

Japan.

He placed the ID right inside the designated sleeve, and tossed it back inside.

Gotta say, between his phone and the binder, alien tech, biggest convenience to mankind he's ever seen. Or rather, he should say, biggest convenience to him.

"Now, Tensei, pal." he cracked his knuckles. "Let's see what kind of action you left me out of." With hands in his pocket, he got moving.


"Over here, Tennyson!" Ben had reached the cafeteria, and Kirishima was on his feet. "We saved you a seat!"

As soon as he grabbed his food, he sat along with most of his classmates.

There was Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida, along with others from their group, Jiro, Kaminari, Asui, Yaoyorozu. However, Ben couldn't really recount them now. His mouth was already watering.

"Sorry I had to take the long way." He instantly reached for the chopsticks, and split them.

"Some…" He paused. How do you even address what Todoroki said…

"Another boy, born with everything."

He shook his head, and then waved his hand. "Some stuff just came up."

"No problem!" Iida responded diligently. "Midoriya just got here as well."

The greenette flinched as everyone started their food now.

As they were enveloped in the sounds of the crowd, and their utensils hitting their plates, Jiro spoke first.

"So…" She asked, from just sheer curiosity. "Tennyson, you're gonna explain what happened out there?"

Ben tilted his head. "Explain what?"

Almost everyone from 1-A around the dining hall simultaneously leaned forward. "Yeah?!"

Cluelessly, he met all of their curious gazes.

"Oh!.." The coin finally dropped. "The new guy."

"The new guy?!" The way he just admitted to having a new form so casually. Ben missed it but it was like a punch in the face for everyone else!

"So, your quirk did indeed end up going through an evolution?" Iida asked, and Ben shrugged.

"Well, it's something like that."

His focus was far from coming up with an answer to that question.

"I thought it may have been a new move, ribbit." Tsu crossed her arms. "However, it is very different from your usual abilities."

Uraraka had caught a look that went between Deku, Yaomomo, and Kirishima.

"Do you have any idea what it is though, Tennyson?" she asked.

"Ummm… It's kind of like an evolution?" Ben stumbled again. "Like, I was thinking it's–"

"It is an adaptation."

From his side it was Yaomomo who had spoken up and, to her credit, she seemed to be on the complete other side of the spectrum.

She was paying attention, so much so that she was even a little nervous, however Yaomomo's professional attitude was still firmly worn around her wrist.

"I apologize." She leaned towards him. "However, is it… okay, if I 'explain it as you've told me'?"

Ben had no clue about what she had in mind, but who in their right minds would ever refuse the offer?

"Sure." He gave the word and Yaomomo took over.

"Very well." She set her bowl down. "What Tennyson underwent wasn't an evolution, though it may have seemed like one."

Her discipline dazzled Ben.

"As we recall, Tennyson's…"

Yaomomo paused. "Excuse me, but what was the name assigned to your quirk?

"Omni-Gen." Ben replied, and as he said it, a little more of himself died on the inside.

"I really do need a new name for that."

"Omni-Gen." Though Yaomomo chose to run with it all the same. "As we recall, it works by mental activation, emitting a wave of energy in order to physically transform the host on a subcellular level to grant him many different abilities."

"Radiation, wolf powers." Kaminari crossed his arms. "Yep, that checks out. What does it have to do with him getting new ones?"

Yaomomo raised her hand. "A lot in actuality."

She raised a hand towards Tennyson.

"You see, the energy signature is known to be unique, courtesy of Tennyson, and we concluded that it may have become unique again… upon reacting to Jiro's quirk."

All the eyes turned to the earphone jack user, who was casually minding her own business.

"My quirk?" She questioned, as did everyone else.

Ben sweated. "Yaomomo, what are you doing?!"

That part was true, but he didn't tell her that yet. How did she figure it out?!

"Yes." Yaomomo stated. "The conditions elude us, though I surmise it being Tennyson's quirk being naturally aggressive nature, Omni-Gen happened to react to Jiro's sound based abilities upon being close proximity, resulting in it to mimic and stockpiling a new branch of abilities."

"I see…" Iida said. "However, Yaoyorozu, what do you mean by 'naturally aggressive'?"

"Yeah, Yaomomo, does Tennyson have a beast inside of him?" Jiro asked. "Similar to Tokoyami?"

"No, I meant it as in he has already explained to us that he himself is susceptible to getting overwhelmed by the energy." Momo had her answer ready. She shook her head, and pointed to the Omnitrix.

"Hence why the support item is practically bound to your wrist, right?"

Ben bobbed his head on cue, and Yaomomo did not skip a beat. "What is to say this isn't another outlet of the energy overflowing?"

His own eyebrows went up.

"I see." Iida says. "That explains your extended transformation too then. It's because the energy is building inside of you."

"Yep!" And Ben jumped on the opportunity before anyone else could.

"So, we should not treat this as an irregular event." Yaoyorozu picked the bowl back up. "Even though it has multiple facets to it, the quirk's nature makes perfect sense."

"I agree." Iida said.

Ben was still flabbergasted a little.

"So, is there any chance that you are..." Jiro said, and made her hands into a sphere. "You know…"

She burst open them up, mimicking an explosion.

"I don't think he would combust." Yaomomo said. "Likely his body has parameters to ensure that wouldn't happen."

Jiro shrugged in response.

"Yeah." Uraraka laughed. "Can you imagine that? The energy explodes and turns us into his forms?"

Everyone, scaredly and awkwardly turned to her.

"What brought that on?" Tsu asked, and Uraraka tried to save face.

"I-I mean, his energy messed with us before!" Uraraka deadpanned.

"Right…" Ben said under his breath. He had done that at the USJ.

"Damn…" Kaminari leaned back in his seat. "Even if he doesn't explode though, what's gonna happen Tennyson? Someday it's gonna build up enough, and you're gonna be able to turn for days at a time?"

His eyebrows went up, as a knowing smile spread across Ben's face.

"We're gonna see." He remarked simply.

"Well…" Kirishima pressed both hands on the desk, getting up and taking all the attention. "I don't know about the future, but don't you guys think we're missing something?"

The intensity and passion was palpable…

"Because Tennyson's eleventh form is new! He needs a name!"

"Oh." He said.

"You haven't named him?" Uraraka surprisedly remarked.

Yep, he had not. Ben shook his head to the sides.

"That's a good idea!" Kaminari got up too. He was also fired up. "What do you say, Tennyson? Could we pitch some names first?"

"Why not?" Ben leaned back to his seat, barely not lost once again in his thoughts.

"Alright." Kaminari excitedly put his hands together. "I'm thinking–"

"I'd call Reverb?" Midoriya threw out.

"No, Midoriya, hear me out for a sec." Kaminari had a cunning grin. "Don't you think a certain 'someone' should get first say."

Jiro, as soon as the electric blond made the insinuation, looked up from her food. The eyes were on her now.

The earphone jack girl tilted her head with surprise.

"Me?" the earphone jack girl objected.

Kaminari's pupils went back and forth between them. "Well, it has sound powers–"

"Kaminari makes sense, ribbit." Tsu said. "Tennyson got his new form through reacting to your quirk. He has sound powers, you have earphone jacks, ribbit."

"Plus, you two have always made for a good team." Kaminari added.

Jiro opened her mouth, but with all the expectations on her–

She frustratedly sighed.

"Fine. If everyone's so eager." Jiro deadpanned, thinking out loud. "Then he… projected my heartbeat, and he has sonic powers besides that, like we said. Uh…"

"How about…" She stopped herself. "Nah, it's too simple."

"Come on!" Simultaneously all her classmates channeled the spirit of Kaminari.

"Okay, Fine." She gave in. "If I had to give a name…"

Jiro prepared herself, clicked her tongue.

"How about Echo?"

The student body of 1-A thought about it. Ben was staring in the distance, but the name briefly took his attention.

"Huh, that's interesting." Midoriya stated. "With Tennyson's ability to clone…"

".. and you know, sound, echoes." Uraraka added on.

Ben shrugged. "I like i–"

Kaminari put his hands on the table.

"HOLD IT!"

Kaminari spoke up. "No Jiro, Tennyson, here me out, how about Echo *Echo*?"

Jiro…

Nevermind, no, she couldn't resist slapping her forehead.

"Because, you know?" Kaminari stated. "Echoing? I'm sure you like it. *like it.*"

Jiro kept that hand right there on her face.

"Why…"

Ben laughed, and that snapped him out of his melancholic state.

"That works." He laughed, eyes still looking at the glass. "Echo Echo, it is."

"YEAH!" Kaminari rose from his seat.

Jiro had her arms wrapped around herself, already feeling a headache coming.

"Tell you what." Ben jumped on the hype train. "I wouldn't mind that… *if* my quirk happens to adapt again, I can ask you guys again."

He shrugged. "This is pretty fun."

He winked at Midoriya and Kirishima as he said that last part.

"An excellent idea." Iida crossed his arms, nodding furiously.

"A little presuming, ribbit." Asui said. "Thinking you're going to unleash many more forms, just like that."

"Tennyson IS full of surprises." Uraraka gave credit.

Kirishima nodded. "Man, it's gonna be a nice change-up from the form guessing bet as well."

"Oh." Midoriya perked up. "Who won that by the way, Kaminari?"

The electric student crossed his arms, saltily and so Jiro pitched in.

"Sato, if you can believe it."

"Why the hell would someone write down radiation?!" Kaminari held up his hands angrily.

"Tennyson did give a hint at the bus." Jiro said.

"Aren't you getting too into this?" Asui asked.

"No." The electric student crossed his arms. "It's a fun quirk to play around with."

Ben laughed too. It was, wasn't it…

"Tennyson."

All the 1-A students almost jumped with surprise, as the transforming hero whirled around.

"Mr. Aizawa?"

His bandaged teacher was standing right before him.

"YOUNG TENNYSON!"

Like one teacher wasn't enough, All Might then arrived as well!

"WE ARE HERE!.. TO HAVE A WORD!" All Might put his hand on his shoulder, and Ben could feel its entire weight.

"Oh…" Ben surprisedly spoke up. "Is it…"

He was going to say 'shot in the dark', but there wasn't really much else to hit in that darkness.

"Is it about my quirk?" He asked. "Echo Echo?"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow from behind the bandages.

"That's what you've named him?"

Ben nodded, as everyone else was too frozen to answer.

"I SEE." All Might said. "WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE SOME THINGS WERE LEFT OUT OF OUR ATTENTION."

"Or rather, some things that you kept out." Aizawa then added, but All Might made sure the mood didn't drop.

"WE SHALL KNOW FOR SURE, IF YOU WOULD COME WITH US."

Ben looked at the two of them. "Well, I WAS looking for a distraction."

"Sorry, guys." He stood up. "I'll be right back."


"Let me get this straight." Shigaraki mockingly opened his arms.

Tavern of the Villains

"There is a pest problem in your hub locations…" Just from his tone, Shigaraki managed to mock him to no end. "And you think of us as your exterminators."

Basically this black and gold knight, along with his red partner, had prepared a side-quest for them.

"The forces we are dealing with are no ordinary hirelings." The black and gold knight explained. "They are few in numbers, however their level of organization and precision are uncontested, to put their efforts mildly."

The knight with the golden mask put his hand on the table, letting it slide across the wood, as he grabbed one of the glasses. The alcohol inside it shined in the dim yellow light.

"We have tried increasing the motion sensors, shifting patrol schedules, recruiting more to our cause, and arming ourselves with heavier artillery." He placed the glass back, right in front of Kurogiri, even though the misty guard's eyes were kept on him. "However, at every turn, they manage to infiltrate and secure whatever they desire."

Shigaraki leaned forward, assembling his hands. "Sounds like my kind of people."

From the screen, the utmost sinister voice rose, almost darkening the atmosphere on a whim.

"They are making your war more difficult." He stated.

Enoch retorted frustratedly. "Not a war."

He met the screen's display with pride. "Just a trifling excavation process, for what's ours. After all…"

The knight stood back up.

"It's not much of a war if our adversaries are mere huscarls lining up to get shot, is it?" Enoch's voice subsided, as he glanced back to the red knight. "They are merely volunteering, and ensuring that those holes are sealed unbare."

Shigaraki hopped off his red seat. "I don't care."

He walked up right to the knight's chest. "All of us have scuffles with those self-righteous hero bastards. You're not special."

"Good, because those jesters are the least of my concern." Enoch said.

"Neither is Ben Tennyson and his crew." He, delightfully, stated. "I presume of course."

Enoch shot a glare.

"Yes. And we are aware of the reach those who can contact us are capable of." he responded. "Do not mistake us for fools."

"Then give me a reason." Shigaraki clapped back.

He rolled his eyes, as he backed off and walked around the knight, shaking from one side to the other.

"Because ever since I've seen your facemask, all you've done is hide behind it and begged for us to come and clean up your problems."

Enoch raised an arm, stopping the junior, wannabe villain in his tracks.

The two's gazes locked. One move from either, and the other would drop to the ground.

Kurogiri's smoke kindled with a protective instinct. Shigaraki's red eyes stared into the black abyss of the knight's mask.

"Huh…" The knight stated first. "Color me disappointed."

Enoch turned to the screen once more, scorning at the attempt of foreboding. "For someone of your stature, the help you've employed presumes so much."

"I would say he's maturing." He, on the screen, stated.

"Maturing?" Enoch raised a curious eyebrow at that. However, Shigaraki's festering anger proved to be of little intrigue.

"How arrogant–"

Shigaraki tapped the armor's leggings… And all in an instant, Enoch had turned around, and lifted up the brat.

"You will know respect."

Shigaraki dismissively looked into the black eyes of the mask. His pupils from behind that severed hand, were glowing, seething with rage.

"I hope you're ready to part ways with that arm." He coldly stated. "Or your life."

The red knight grabbed his swords, and Kurogiri grew to his full size, erupting from his suit!

"Easy Tomura."

Shigaraki felt the strong urge to continue. "Master!"

"Same goes for Enoch."

The knight with the golden mask gritted his teeth. Tension was sucked out of the room, however both villains kept up their stances.

"Their presence here is something we've requested." He said. "If they are daring to ask us to prove ourselves, you wouldn't have any qualms putting them into their place that way, wouldn't you Shigaraki?"

The eyes of the whelp narrowed, as Enoch lowered him slowly.

"Now. Kurogiri."

The misty servant of the most dangerous villain in the country, shrank back into his suit, before growing again to form a portal. Shigaraki approached it, and Kurogiri spoke from within.

"Remember, no Nomu's, young master. Just us."

Shigaraki didn't even make a sound, and with hands in his pockets, he stepped through as Kurogiri vanished.

"I hope you're satisfied."

"My king's satisfaction precedes my own." Enoch responded. "We are aware that your skill set lies in twisting situations to your liking, and that level of manipulation is unrivaled in usefulness, however we need to know how your subordinates would function if your facade… were to come crumbling down."

"Referring to Tomura as a subordinate would be a short-sighted mistake, Enoch."

Enoch clenched his fist. "Is that a threat?"

"No." He stated. "Like I said, as of now, he's an unmolded child of raw power. If you do not see what he's suited to become in the future–

"You would refer to *him* as a successor?!" Enoch cut him off in disbelief. "A cild such as him, named as heir?!"

"Back in the day, your plans also crumbled around a shapeshifting kid, did it not?" He asked. "And if I recall, he was much younger."

Enoch's voice settled down, as he simmered with anger.

"Yes… point taken, even now he continues to be a thorn." Enoch simmered. "However, they are one which can't even draw blood."

His hands gathered behind his back. "Their current segregated conflict will keep attention away from us, and when the time is ripe, their retribution will come due, for everything he did."

The red knight's visor glowed red in reaffirmation and aggression.

"We have the same desire then, Enoch."

"We do." Enoch reaffirmed. "However, as I'm continuously forced to remind you, I am a loyal servant."

He retorted. "Like I said, we will see what my king thinks of your stripling inheritor, and servant first. Only by then, a collaboration could perhaps unite our paths in conquest, no before."

"The very same one that abandoned you to the dream machine." This time, the doctor finally spoke with mocking vitriol.

"The very same one that came back for me." Enoch sharply responded, but the people behind the screen weren't threatened.

If anything they were amused.

One was by desperation. This so-called king… who went back for scraps.

And the other was by the display of loyalty. A card, within this distant king's hand.

"Hmm. Let's hope he doesn't try that again then." The doctor said.

However, Enoch wasn't in the proper state of mind for it to have any effect.

The gloved hand went to his face, as another grabbed the very same glass.

"Whatever may have happened to me is irrelevant, the Forever King's reckoning is absolute." He sat down at the bar… and looked at the drink once more.

"And when He does. When he acquires his curios, All for One, may you have his favor…"

The glass was put down with conviction.

"For the Forever Knight heart's shall not bleed for anyone."


"Alright, I'm off then."

The door burst open, and Tennyson just stepped right on outside.

"That… didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would." He thought to himself.

"Do not pull any more surprises like that anymore, Tennyson." Aizawa continued to scold him on the way out.

"This is a school." He said. "We would like you to improve, but you know UA would like to *properly accommodate* your growth, and that can't be done through hiding from us."

"Understood…" He reluctantly said.

Aizawa's eyes glowed. "What did you say?"

All Might tried to mediate. "AIZAWA, YOU'RE–"

"I've recently been injured All Might." The underground hero was very deadpan and sarcastic. Very much his usual mood, given that he was around Ben. "Sorry if that affected my hearing."

Ben only got more amused by it though. Well, if his teacher was waiting for a resounding answer, he better not disappoint, right?

His hand went to the Omnitrix, and all in a flash there were 10 clones of his small new form.

"UNDERSTOOD!" All of them said, not screamed, at the same time.

Ben then tapped the dial and turned back.

"HA HA HA!" All Might responded in his booming laughter. "THAT'S THE ENTHUSIASM YOU WERE LOOKING FOR?"

Eraser Head though just settled for rolling his eyes. "It was satisfying."

"Well, I still have Blitzwolfer." Ben raised up the watch again.

"Just. Go."

Ben laughed, and closed the door behind him. Yeah, that was never going to get old.

He crossed his arms. Not old at all.

"Greetings, Tennyson."

At that second, Ben turned to his side, and found 1-A class prez and vice class prez arrived in the flesh.

"What's up, class prez?" He asked. "You're looking more cheerful than usual."

"Indeed." Iida answered. "After you had left, Yaoyorozu brought up an excellent suggestion for a class activity, once the events today have concluded."

Yaoyorozu nodded.

"However, right now!" Iida perked up. "We have to talk with Mr. Aizawa about our tie predicament."

Ben stepped out of the way. "Well, be my guest."

They knocked on the door–

"Fair warning though." Ben added. "I… might have left Mr. Aizawa in a bad mood."

"How so?" Iida asked, but Ben just gestured for them to go inside.

Iida loudly announced their arrival and entered inside, Ben… leaned next to the wall.

He looked in front of him, at the corridor… where silence was palpable, and he was feeling a cold glare–

Ben shook his head. "Is the reception low, or do my thoughts only have one channel on right now?"

It was his talk with Todoroki again. Something just… brought him up again.

The door suddenly opened.

"That was quick." He stopped leaning.

"Yes." Thankfully Iida hadn't caught him putting one foot on the wall. "It seems they will inform us when an agreement is reached. For now though, we shall head back to the main stage."

"Yeah…" Ben lightly laughed. "We should…"

He couldn't say it, but Ben wanted to stall. And Yaomomo saw it.

"Do we not have time?" She asked, but Iida was persistent.

"The earlier the better!" He got a move on–

"Actually…" The transforming hero reached out. "If we have time, may I borrow you for a sec, Yaomomo?"

Iida and Yaomomo looked at each other.

"Of course." She stepped away from the class president.

Ben gestured to the corridor with his thumb. "We're gonna take the long way around."

"Alright, but don't be late for the events, you two!" Iida robotically gestured to them.

"We will not." She answered, and he left the two alone, making his way to the arena.

Now that the two were left alone, Ben took a deep breath.

"I couldn't really ask, but you don't mind, right?" Ben asked.

"Not at all." Yaoyorozu shook her head. "You wanted to have a word, right? About…"

She gestured to her wrist.

And Ben lifted up the Omnitrix. In all honesty, he should talk with the team about the capture mode as well.

But not right now.

"Not really." he shook his head.

This subject was going to be something a little more on the human side… only problem was how to approach it.


The purple grimdark portal opened, as Shigaraki stepped out.

Aichi Prefecture/Japan

"This is the location?" He scoffed.

All that was in front of them was a fenced-off dirt field, with junkpiles spread around, and a giant warehouse as the centerpiece.

"I have been taken through the entire country several times before. This is the closest location I was aware of."

His red eyes went through the area, seeing brief flashes of sunlight, reflecting from many sights which already had him in their center.

"Our stealth mission already failed…" Shigaraki walked up to the warehouse.

"Young Master!" Kurogiri held out his hand.

With some careful listening, as his hand lingered around the electric fence, he could hear guns cock, and some pulse to life.

Aim was taken, however he didn't pay no mind. With his five fingers descending on the steel, a brief shock ran through… but it couldn't resist the anger he had.

Silently, and almost serenely, the metal gave way, but Shigaraki wasn't done. Even as a hole big enough emerged, he was going to destroy it. All of it–!

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

"Kurogiri, gate."

The velvet protector got in between, and absorbed all the bullets into him!

"What the–!"

"Keep up your guard, bros!"

"Stop firing!"

"He's got some absorption quirk, dude–AH!"

Just the way they went in, the colorful energy bullets then zipped right back out, towards their warehouse!

*PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW*

Some nicked the concrete… while some pierced through. Bodies fell by the walls of the structure, and smoke came out from the junk piles.

"AH!"

"Men down!"

"Target is NOT well-built. I repeat!"

"What was that?"

"I'll pull you to safety with my quads!"

"Move. Move!"

"Perimeter breach!"

More of them were coming. Shigaraki let go of what was once the fence.

"Kurogiri."

A separate portal opened in front of him, one which the protege himself stepped through.

"Reload, and shoot without fear bros, before they can…!"

The phrase of the soldier came to an end, as Shigaraki had warped inside, next to the line of guards, clutching their wounds.

He saw the injuries had cauterized, just then taking in that they were using different energy weapons… not guns.

The guard closest shakily grabbed and aimed his weapon.

"Get ba–"

Neck of the first assailant, though, was then firmly grabbed… as cries and laser fire covered the air, and–


… nothing quite opened Tennyson's mouth.

As they were on their course, making their way through the corridors of U.A., Tennyson hadn't lifted his head.

His brows had gathered, his hands were assembled behind his back. It was clear he was thinking deeply about something, and she would like to give him time to order his thoughts.

"I've been quite anxious before, after all." She thought. "However…"

It would not be prudent to wait.

From the corner of her ear, she could hear the sounds from the crowd get ever louder.

"Our time is restricted." She thought. That could only ever mean one thing… it was up to her to start the conversation.

She sweated. Yes, it was not her expertise.

Her hand clenched in determination though. No matter how she may mishandle this, Yaomomo had to do it!

"So… "

The goal was set. Start the conversation with her tactful manner intact. Of course.

"The idea which pleased Iida." She stated. "I… it has been brought on by Uraraka initially, and perhaps I thought it may capture your interest."

Tennyson didn't react, but Yaomomo didn't fold just yet.

"She suggested that we, as a class, should get to enjoy the festival's activities once the award ceremony is completed."

Ben still wasn't reacting.

"Hence Iida and I…" She methodically slowed down, gauging for any reactions. "...took it upon ourselves to make the offer."

Still no response.

She thought a chance to 'blow off steam' might cut through his condensed thoughts. What else was there? Or rather, what else was there *which would be best*?

What else had she learned about breaking the metaphorical ice?..

The light bulb above her came to life.

"Well, it is unorthodox…"

Her hand glowed pink, and as she put a hand in front of him and stopped, Ben was forced to look at it… and the American coin in her grasp.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Back in the cafeteria Kaminari had made a joke, so, this could work?

Ben's eyes actually reacted to the coin. He picked it up, seeing half not having the pattern made to be applicable.

Visibly, Tennyson cheered up.

"Okay, that was pretty good."

Yaomomo smiled. "I've done it." She self-congratulated.

"Sorry I just pulled you aside and went still as a brick." Tennyson continued. "I'll definitely join you guys, write me down for it,, but… right now I just had something on my mind."

Rather abashed, he put a hand on his neck. "Something that I need advice on, but don't exactly know how to exactly bring up."

Yaomomo raised an eyebrow. She could settle down to her comfort zone once more.

"Plainly would suffice for myself." Yaomomo said truthfully. "What's on your mind?"

His hand brushed against his own shoulder.

"Well, when I say 'person born with everything' to you..." Ben said. "What do you think about?"

Ben noticed his classmate's expression became one of confusion. It made sense however, if he was going to get any proper answer, she was the best candidate for it.

Midoriya's answer would be something more quirk based, power, saving people, heroic.

Kirishima COULD give a more straight answer, no doubt, but it could also be simple, and at this point, he had already gone through all the simple stuff.

Her…

Ben couldn't quite explain it, but in the cafeteria, she seemed intelligent, reliable, logical… Maybe what he needed now was someone who wouldn't be affected by the emotion of it all.

"I'm not sure exactly what you mean." She answered. "'Everything' in regards to what?"

"Anything." Ben waved his arms around. "Whatever 'everything' means to you."

"Hmm…" Momo crossed her arms. "Then… I'd suppose it would be someone who is very fortunate."

"Affectionate guardians, an overly formidable quirk, and sufficient financial stability to go on whichever venture they desire."

Ben nodded, and tilted his head. "Well, you think you are one of them?"

Momo bowed her head. It was admittedly not something she gave much thought to.

Only one answer showed itself.

"I suppose, in this scenario, I can be claimed as so."

"Then…" Ben asked genuinely. "Would you say that I'm one as well?"

Momo's eyebrows went up.

"I mean, I gave it some thought," he said. "And I just don't know. I have nice folks. In terms of a quirk, I have the Omnitrix. The money is probably the only question, I can't exactly buy a whole GAP store on a whim, but I got ties to alien tech. That should count."

"But…" His arms crossed. "It doesn't sound right. I don't want it to."

Momo could sense his conflict.

She carefully asked. "Tennyson, what brought this on?"

"I…" He blurted out, before settling a little bit. "Todoroki.. kind of said some stuff, along those lines."

He spoke in semi-admittance. "We talked, one on one and… after I said 'no' to him, I started giving it some thought."

"About what you would call yourself?" Momo asked.

"No, I know who I am." Ben's arms unravelled, and confidently, he spoke. "But I still want to try and understand him more. So I'm trying something new."

He gave her back the coin, and she looked at it.

First side, the one with all the engravings, face, detail… She had made sure to make it as close to the real authenticated money that everyone around the world could see.

She flipped it around.

And the other was a flat, copper surface. A side which couldn't be known by merely being looked at. It must be asked… to learn of its creation, to be understood.

"You're one of the lucky few who know both sides." He said. "So, what would you say? Am I born with everything?"

Her gaze, upon the question, directed back to the penny again. She looked at both the surfaces, feeling them out in her hand, pondering about it as he asked.

Yaoyorozu gave the coin back.

"The way I see it." She determinedly spoke. "The answer is not as clear cut as a yes or a no–"

"But if it was?" Ben, rather impatiently asked.

That's how Todoroki would go about it. He wouldn't worry about but's, or 'on the other hands'. He gave his question, history, and answer straight, just fifty minutes ago.

Yaomomo bowed her head. "Then… yes." She answered. "You are born with everything, Tennyson."

Ben looked up. So, she sees it too then.

His eyes narrowed.

"However, it is not because you have naturally started out as so."

Ben, confusedly and inquiringly side-eyed her.

"Born… it is a word of multiple meanings." She stated. "One of which means the ability to excel at a particular field. That's the definition, I would say, fits you."

Momo raised her head, and added onto her own words. "You might have not started out with much, but you have *made* everything… your own."

He fully turned to her now, an action which made her struggle, but push forward regardless..

"In a way, you were given so much more than you were, and yet… you adapted with ease."

Ben saw Yaomomo's clenched fingers push against one another, shaking as she put power into it.

"For so long, you've been able to manage it all alone, and all I can see is an idea of the reputation you've garnered. I can't help but admire that."

"I imagine… it is more than a lot of pro-heroes achieve in their entire lifetimes."

Ben couldn't help but smile for that. "Thanks."

"And…" Her mouth wavered. "I… suppose that's the reason for Todoroki's stubbornness."

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

"Your reputation." She spoke, embellished in clarity. "Your position, or rather this position of the number 1, is where actions hold the most sway over the lives of others. For you it may mean the universe, but for him, it still means the entire planet."

Ben nodded, as the pieces fit together for him too.

"It feels powerful, purposeful, worthy to set as an end-point, and…"

She felt her own core shake. Her own hands clenched, almost holding onto what she's going to say.

"That's why… he's envious." The words escaped from her lips, as she also conceded.

It hurts to say that.

"...as am I." She lowered her head, however Ben was oblivious.

"How do you help someone like that then?" He was still on Todoroki. "Someone that stubborn? Trying to prove something?"

Momo, at that moment, felt her mind freeze. Her head shook from side to side.

"I, unfortunately, don't have an answer."

Ben sighed.

"I… guess then I should just keep up my promise." He palmed his fist."Bring my full power and basically hope for a hail mary that he figures it out."

Momo's pupils contracted as she heard the statement. His full power.

"R-Right…" She said, searching for options of her own, almost exhaustively.

Intentionally or not, but it had invoked dread in herself.

"Sorry…" Ben was too busy with himself to see it though. "Whenever I brush one thing aside, two more pop up… and I make you deal with the blowback."

He looked at Yaomomo, and pointed at the penny. "Thanks… for both this and the assist at the cafeteria. You had my back today."

However, after taking a look at it, she gave it back to him.

"Don't mention it." Yaomomo replied. "We knew what we were joining."

He shrugged, and put the coin away.

"No, you didn't."

Momo instinctively wanted to refute it, but… admittedly it was the simple truth. They had no idea what they were walking into that night.

"No, I guess we did not." She conceded–

"It is what you pulled them into…"

Yaomomo looked back. The voice of doubt crept up in the back of her mind again.

"You got in his way…"

She shook her head.

"You okay?"

Tennyson had asked that. She opened her eyes, and saw his concerned face.

"Yes…" Her regular mood flowed back into her. "However, we knew you were in trouble at the very least, and desired to help you. This is just an extension."

Her hands went to her hair, and fixed it up again.

"Albeit a minor one."

Ben shook his head at that though.

"No." He smirked. "It's nice to have someone to talk to about these things, count on that."

He took a deep breath, hands on his hips. "... especially when you're working to be a leader."

Momo could see it. That determined, dutiful, and yet compassionate and optimistic attitude.

He seemed a lot more full with life and enthusiasm now that he understood one of his classmates better.

As the hindsight dawned on her, she felt something stab into her. To think that, with her blackmailling, all she contributed was grief, and further pressure to someone of his predicament. It did not feel merely distasteful now, but disrespectful, wrong…

"I apologize for the insensitive way I approached it." She said, wanting, pleading for him to know that now.

Initially, she wanted to make amends by being better. Training in martial arts, proving her usefulness and letting actions speak for themselves, so that this first interaction may be washed off.

But this… This, even though it was mere words, felt right.

"No problem." Tennyson shrugged. "Trust me, with you being the vice class prez, you're gonna get plenty more examples for how a little talking can go a long way."

"A little talking can go – No…" Momo tried to call out to him.

She wanted to apologize for the night, not the earlier comment! "That's not what–"

They reached the stadium grounds, and the wave of cheering interrupted them.

"AND THE LAST OF THE TWO STUDENTS JUST ARRIVED!" Present Mic said.

"Hey!" Ashido waved her hand this time.

"No time to dilly dally, you two!" Iida shouted at them. "It's about to start!"

"Give me a sec!" Ben replied for the two of them.

First.

"Yaomomo…"

The rich girl turned to him.

"In the next break, could you and Kirishima meet up with me and Midoriya?" He winced sheepishly. "We may or may not have something to admit to you."

Her mouth opened, still stuck at the earlier misunderstanding…

"Understood." She replied, biting down on her tongue yet again and hands on her ponytail.

"Great."

"Yes… 'great' as he called it." She exasperated–

"One last thing." She saw Tennyson facing towards her, pointing to the area under his own eye.

"Have you been pushing yourself too hard?"

Yaomomo quickly raised her hands, tensed.

"It's… my training." She tried to cover it up, the concealer must have brushed off during the competitions. "Thank you for your concern as well."

Ben chose to not push further. "Alright."

He ran to enter the stage, and join up with the rest of their classmates.

Little did she know, the teachers wouldn't take long to hold up their part of the word. The decision on how to handle the tie…


Earlier

"Sir!" The communicator ran static. It's the South–!"

Ingenium couldn't believe what he heard. The bombastic tone, fizzling out… It was from Bigshot's.

"Keep your distance Bigshot!" Ingenium put a hand on his communicator.

"Hey, speedster." Fat Gum got in front of him. "Wait up, you're gonna need back-up."

"I'm Bigshot's backup! Out of my way!"

With one burst of exhaust, he jumped over Fat Gum! He had side-skipped the pro-hero and dashed off with resounding speed.

"Best Jeanist!"

"I've sent a couple of my sidekicks already, Fat Gum." The radio responded as… the large pro-hero could physically hear the other, fixing his hair and riding in a car.

He must have left the police and the rest of his sidekicks to hold the perimeter.

"I can only hope they are going to be able to support Ingenium till I manage to arrive."


"Squad A, go north! Block 40!" Ingenium pressed on his helmet. "Squad B, west! 35 to 39!"

"Squad A, roger." Enigma's voice came out concerned.

"Squad B, roger!" Onemu's voice was panicked.

Police sirens were covering the city now. Ingenium gritted his teeth.

Both arms opened to his sides, steam roared, as he wall jumped between two buildings, flying to the sky!

"There is no doubt about it." Ingenium thought. "It's him!"

He graciously landed at a tight alleyway, barely squeezing past the fire escapes and the garbage cans, and took a fighting stance.

"I've found you!"

The sinister shadow cast looked on with malice, as fury was the only distinguished emotion, and his tattered scarf blew in the air.

One hand remained on the long sword on his back, as the black shadow reflected eyes filled with an insane and yet chilling bloodlust.

"Hero…"


"AND WELCOME BACK SPORTS FANS!"

The 1 hour lunch break was over, and the events were back at full swing. All the students had gathered in the tournament grounds.

"Get those hands in the air, because it's time for the last round!" Present Mic said. "But before that, we have to decide who even gets to participate!"

"That's right!" Midnight took over. "It is designed to hold at most 16, so I'm sad to say it but some of you have to be left out of the fun!"

"16, huh." Ben put his hands on his hip.

"It's probably the tournament." Sero nudged him, and before he could speak up, Ashido lifted an eyebrow.

"Wait, how are you so sure?" She remarked. "Is it always a tournament?"

"It's always a tourney." Kirishima added. "They just change up the rules a little every time."

Ben nodded. Uh-huh, then the tie would be a problem.

His eyes drifted over to Todoroki, and he saw him and his team staring down Yaomomo's team. It was going to be the fated showdown of the two 1-A recommended students, that's for sure.

"I wonder how they are–"

"But don't worry!" Midnight cracked her whip. "To decide who gets to move on, and who gets to be left behind, we will have preliminary!"

The 8 tied students perked up. Preliminary?

Eraser Head leaned forward. "That's right. One match each."

He looked down at all of them.

"Students from the two cavalry battle teams have been randomly assigned against one another."

"Winner gets to move on!.." Present Mic called out, as Midnight licked her lips.

"And the losers, don't."

Ben could notice Todoroki's burning glare turn towards him.

His stoic face was never changing, that's for sure, but… Ben didn't shrink back down now.

Earlier he was more forthcoming, understanding. Now though, Ben was battle ready.

He was committed to it. If Todoroki wanted a wall, he was ready to give him one without compromise.

"We are similar a bit, Todoroki. I know that now." he thought. However, in this competition, Ben was determined to show him one difference.

"How far each of us are willing to go… when all the marbles are on the table."

The effects of his additional responsibility were going to show. They had to.

"I hope you were thoroughly recharged." Eraser Head remarked. "Because U.A. will not wait another moment."

Midnight took out a card from behind her back.

"First up!" She called out. "The master of two elements out of the four, it's Todoroki Shoto! Versus the skilled sovereign of the skies! Tokage Setsuna!

The two recommended students stepped forward. With her sharp, pointy teeth she grinned at him. However, even as there was a challenge in front of him, Todoroki looked back… towards what lay in wait.

A chilly breeze appeared over his shoulder.

"This will only take a second."


And that marks the end! What did you think, drop down a review.

Sorry for not starting the matches now, or even announcing them really, but I felt like they would be a better fit towards the start of the next chapter. Plus I kinda had a fun segment in mind for it in terms of character interactions, and that just would be too shoe-horned in.

Other than that, yeah, I can admit this one came out a bit on the self-contained side, but things are still progressing!

Todoroki's backstory is now known to Ben and Midoriya, people are closing in on the Hero killer's trail, and the main villain factions are up to no good, as per usual.

Next time, we have some fights to dish out, quite the number of first rounds to begin, and… maybe also a few villain moments here and there. :D

It MIGHT also take three weeks again though, just a heads up!

For now, I got a flight with my name on it tomorrow, and until that next time comes, have a great day and I hope to see you on the next one!

(Oh, one last thing, please tell me what you thought of the scene with Ben and Yaomomo, start to finish. Like, I think rewriting that part specifically pushed back the release date by SEVERAL days and… it also made me the most satisfied I've been for a while, so I gotta ask, was that just me?)


Reply to guest review

Guest since ch 1:This was a fun chapter. I like how you mixed things up with the teams for a different final round. I am looking forward to Aizawa trying to get close to the truth of the Omnitrix and eventually learning the truth. After enjoying the adventures of Ingenium and Kevin, I am very excited for the eventual meeting between Kevin and Aizawa. Speaking of Kevin, I am going to love Stain's reaction to why an exconvict is defending a 'false' hero. Kevin shouting, "He's not just a hero. He's my parole officer!" only to confuse Stain feels entertaining to me. I understand the Hatsume references. The weapons I would like to see in the tournament are the Agents of Doom and Alister Azimuth's Praetorian OmniWrench, just watch the Crack in Time cutscenes featuring Alister to understand how it works. But in the far future I recommend that she develops the Harbinger before any RYNO.

DBZpower197: Ayyyy, I'm glad you liked the different teams! To be honest, I was afraid that they might be more trouble than they're worth, as in people won't care about them much, but if one person cared, it's still a success!

As for Kevin, it's literally going to be answering the question of: "What happens when you put a true hero supremacist, a public hero, and an ex-con trying his hand at hero things in the same room?" and I can't wait for it either!

Lastly for the Hatsume weapons, don't worry for even a second… because what started out as just a loose idea became so much more. Let's just say, as I also got to play Tools of Destruction and A Crack in Time recently on a PS3, I also took some notes for weapons. :D