(Opening)
Darkness fills the screen as the camera slowly zooms out, revealing a vast expanse of stars and planets scattered across the universe. The faint sound of cosmic hum fills the air.
"It started when an alien device did what it did"
It cuts to a flashback of Izuku reaching for the Omnitrix as he looks on in wonder.
"It stuck itself upon his wrist with secrets that it hid…"
The Omnitrix leaps onto Izuku's arm in a liquid-like fashion, wrapping itself around his wrist. Izuku panics, waving his arm wildly as the Omnitrix's dial pops up, pulsing green.
"Now he's got superpowers, he's no ordinary kid…"
Cut to Izuku transforming into HeatBlast in a flash of fire and molten rock. Flames burst from his body as his form takes shape, igniting the scene with glowing embers.
"He's Deku!"
The screen bursts into cosmic energy, transitioning into a wide view of the galaxy.
"So if you see him, you might be in for a big surprise…"
One by one, each of Izuku's aliens flashes onto the screen, striking action poses.
Gray Matter hops in!
Ripjaws chomps his teeth!
Diamonhead fires shards of crystals!
Heatblast turns up the heat!
Stinkfly spits his goop!
Feedback shoots electricity out his cords!
Ditto wrestles with his clones!
Ghostfreak unleashes eldritch horror upon the Dittos!
Fourarms flexes his muscles!
XLR8 dashes past!
"He'll turn into an alien before your very eyes!"
Cut to another transformation: Izuku's body twists and distorts as he horrifyingly morphs into GhostFreak. The screen darkens as GhostFreak suddenly grabs the camera, his piercing eyes glaring into the lens.
He's slimy, creepy, fast, and strong—he's every shape and size!"
Ripjaws lunges forward with razor sharp teeth, Ghostfreak jumpscares the camera, XLR8 speeds past as a blue blur and FourArms lifts a massive boulder with ease.
He's Deku!"
Cosmic energy explodes in vibrant green, sweeping across the screen as the Omnitrix symbol pulses.
"Armed with powers, he's on the case…"
Izuku runs toward the screen, a determined grin on his face. Just before reaching the camera, he flips into the air and transforms into HeatBlast, his body igniting with flame. A Number 1 flashes beside him as he hurls a fireball.
"Fighting off evil from Earth or space…"
Number 2 appears as DiamondHead forms a crystal shield just in time to block a laser beam. Number 3 flashes as Ditto multiplies into a crowd of clones, each one running in a different direction.
"He'll never stop 'til he makes them pay…"
Number 4 shows StinkFly, firing a gooey projectile directly at the screen, splattering it. Number 5 showcases FourArms flexing his powerful muscles, the ground shaking beneath him.
"'Cause he's the baddest kid to ever save the day!"
Number 6 is GreyMatter, hopping like a frog side to side before smacking into the screen. GhostFreak appears as Number 7, creeping into view for another jumpscare. Number 8 is XLR8, who skids to a stop, leaving a burning streak on the ground before zooming off again.
"He's Deku!"
Number 9 flashes as RipJaws bursts through the water, baring his teeth in an attempt to scare the viewers. Number 10 introduces Feedback, arms crossed with a confident smirk, electricity crackling from his tendrils, his power charging up the air around him.
"Deku!"
Deku lands from above in a classic superhero landing, his fist cracking the ground beneath him. Dust rises as he stands tall, ready for battle.
"D-D-D-Deku!"
The screen flashes between clips of Izuku's battles, showing him in intense fights, both past and future. Uraraka spins gracefully in zero gravity, while Tetrax unleashes a flurry of laser blasts, each shot precise and powerful.
"D-D-D-Deku!"
The final sequence shows Izuku standing tall, his aliens rapidly absorbing into the Omnitrix. With a green glow, Izuku holds the watch high, power emanating from him. Tetrax and Uraraka stand by his side, ready for the next battle.
"I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!"
Izuku winced as a spray of spit hit his face. "I said I'm sorry, Mr. Baumann."
Mr. Baumann's face was beet red with fury. "You don't get to be sorry!"
After the old man had collapsed from shock, Tetrax had picked him up and carried him to the staff room, laying him on a couch. The whole time, Ochako and Alan had been shooting confused glances at Izuku, silently asking why this man was so terrified of him.
"I can't believe it... After all this time, you found me!" Mr. Baumann yelled, still pacing in disbelief. "And now you're turning into a Tetraman! Why do you know about UnderTown and alien society!? And how do you know Tetrax!?"
Tetrax, seeing Baumann on the verge of a breakdown, finally intervened. "Maybe you should calm down. We'll explain everything, and in exchange, you can tell us what you know about those thugs."
Mr. Baumann hesitated for a moment before narrowing his eyes and nodding. "Start talking, boy."
One explanation later…
"So, let me get this straight," Baumann said, rubbing his forehead. "You were just walking along, minding your own business, and the Omnitrix—one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy—just dropped right in front of you?! I thought it was just a rumor, but you're telling me it's real!?"
Izuku nodded sheepishly. "I mean, it's hard to believe, but… yeah."
Even Alan, usually unfazed, couldn't quite process what he'd heard. "That's like me walking into the woods and finding Bigfoot," Baumann muttered in disbelief.
"Don't be ridiculous," Izuku interjected, his voice deadpan. "Bigfoot's not real."
Alan and Uraraka exchanged incredulous glances. "You're wearing an alien watch that turns you into aliens!" Alan pointed out.
"Yeah, and that's believable!" Izuku said defensively.
"No, it's not!" Alan retorted.
"Yes, it is! Way more than Bigfoot!" Izuku fired back.
As the two boys argued, Baumann's eye twitched, and Uraraka finally lost it, bursting into laughter. "What's a Bigfoot?" Tetrax asked, genuinely confused.
Baumann slapped the table. "Enough!" His patience was gone. "Just tell me what you need to know so you can leave—please."
Tetrax's tone shifted, his voice serious. "Let's start with why you had Petrosapien crystals in your shop."
Baumann's anger faded, replaced by a look of guilt. "You have to understand... we didn't have a choice."
"Explain," Tetrax said, his voice leaving no room for excuses.
"Ever since that bastard Vulkanus showed up, he's been squeezing UnderTown dry. At one point, I couldn't even afford basic stock for my shop." Baumann's tone was bitter, and Uraraka's eyes flashed with anger.
"That's awful!" Uraraka blurted out. Growing up poor, she understood all too well the pain of being taken advantage of.
"So, you've been using the crystals as payment?" Alan asked, frowning.
Baumann sighed. "Vulkanus is the reason those crystals are even here."
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked, leaning forward.
"Vulkanus recently hijacked a ship carrying a load of Petrosapien crystals. Unfortunately for him, the Plumbers weren't far behind." Baumann explained.
Izuku's face scrunched up in confusion. "Plumbers? Like… to fix a drain blockage?"
"Yeah, what do plumbers have to do with this?" Uraraka added, equally puzzled.
Baumann blinked in surprise. "You haven't told them about the Plumbers?" he asked, looking at Tetrax in disbelief.
Tetrax awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I was getting to that."
"You big buffoon!" Baumann grumbled. "Alright, listen up! The Plumbers are an intergalactic law enforcement agency. They protect the galaxy from evil threats."
"Basically, space cops," Baumann added, rolling his eyes.
The teens' expressions shifted from confusion to awe.
"That's so cool!" Uraraka's eyes lit up. "Are they humans or aliens?"
Izuku, equally amazed, leaned in. "It's like a team of space heroes! Why haven't we met any yet?"
Alan, still processing, mumbled, "Why are they called plumbers? That's gotta be a weird nickname, right?"
Tetrax raised a hand to quiet them. "They're called 'Red Spots' because of their badges, but their official title is Plumbers."
Baumann nodded in agreement. "They're made up of all sorts of species—Galvans, Tetramans… even humans."
Izuku noticed Baumann give him a strange look but didn't dwell on it.
"As for why you haven't seen any here?" Tetrax continued. "Earth doesn't have any Plumbers stationed. It's too far out, and with the hero system already in place, they don't see the need."
"What if aliens come to attack us?" Alan asked, a bit nervously.
Baumann smirked. "Most of the time, the heroes just think they're dealing with someone with a mutant quirk. If things get too out of hand, they send in… special forces."
"SACT," Tetrax said, his voice filled with annoyance.
Izuku's eyes widened. "Wait! I've heard of them! The Special Activities Containment Team! They deal with mutant-type villains—wait, are you saying they're actually dealing with aliens?!"
Baumann nodded. "Indeed. SACT is actually the Special Alien Containment Team. Your friend Tetrax here had a run-in with them when he first arrived."
Tetrax smirked. "One of them got a little too close and ended up with a nice scar to remember me by."
Ignoring Tetrax's comment, Uraraka refocused the conversation. "So, what happened with Vulkanus?"
Baumann sighed. "During the chase, the Plumbers managed to damage his ship, and he crash-landed near UnderTown's entrance. But local heroes intercepted the Plumbers, so they had to leave."
Tetrax stepped forward, glaring at Baumann. "That still doesn't explain why you had Petrosapien crystals."
Baumann took a step back, clearly intimidated. "Vulkanus… he bought up an old shipyard and hired every thug in UnderTown. The crystals were the only thing keeping him from destroying my shop."
"Vulkanus owns UnderTown now?" Uraraka asked, shocked.
Baumann nodded sadly. "He's been squeezing everyone for 'rent,' and those who can't pay? Well, their homes or shops get destroyed… or worse."
"That's horrible!" Uraraka shouted.
Alan's face paled. "Should we call the police or the Plumbers? Somebody has to do something!"
Izuku's expression darkened, his fists clenching as the Omnitrix beeped softly. "We can't call the police, and the Plumbers aren't allowed to intervene, are they?"
Baumann shook his head. "Not without orders from the higher-ups."
Izuku took a deep breath, looking at Baumann's weary, defeated face. The man who had always treated him kindly despite his Quirklessness now looked like someone on the verge of losing everything. Izuku couldn't let that happen.
"We'll stop him," Izuku said firmly, his resolve clear.
Everyone turned to him in surprise.
Ochako's face broke into a wide grin. "Yeah! I'll float him right off this planet!"
Alan stared at them like they'd lost their minds. "Are you guys crazy?! This isn't some low-level thug; this is a real, dangerous criminal! Tetrax, back me up!"
But Tetrax's hood slid shut as he spoke. "Izuku's right. We need to end this now." He turned to leave. "If you're too scared, stay here and protect Baumann when they come back."
Alan's face paled even more. "Wait, what happens if they come back? I can't take on a whole gang by myself!"
But Tetrax was already heading toward the exit, Ochako and Izuku following closely behind. Izuku gave Alan a supportive look. "You can always come with us. We're stronger together."
Alan averted his eyes. "I… I'm not like you guys."
Izuku watched him for a moment, seeing a familiar sadness in the boy's expression. With a sigh, he turned and followed after Tetrax and Ochako.
Watching them leave, Alan's chest tightened. He let out a frustrated sigh and turned back around—only to be met with Baumann holding a broom in his face.
"Come on, boy, you can help clean up while they play hero."
Alan groaned, reluctantly taking the broom. "I should've gone with them…"
"Get ya tentacles here! So fresh they grab you!" a pink bunny-like alien shouted, holding up wriggling green tentacles on a stick.
A blue, raptor-like creature walking by recoiled in disgust, sticking out its tongue. The bunny alien glared at him until the creature gave an embarrassed smile, shut his visor, and sped off.
The reptile blitzed back to Tetrax and Ochako. "I can't believe this place exists!" Izuku said in awe as XLR8, his visor reflecting the strange alien marketplace around them.
Ochako, meanwhile, was eyeing a roasting purple chicken with four wings hanging on a spit. The smell made her mouth water. "Would it be weird to eat chicken after just fighting one?" she wondered aloud.
"If anything, that's a reason to eat it," Izuku quipped, earning a giggle from her.
"Enough distractions," Tetrax said, his voice gruff. "Baumann said Vulkanus bought the old shipyard. We'll start there."
"But... where is the shipyard?" Ochako asked, looking around.
Tetrax paused mid-step. "I... don't know. That's why we're going to ask around," he replied, regaining his composure as he continued walking.
"Hey, mister!" a high-pitched voice called out, followed by giggles.
XLR8 froze, feeling a light tug on his tail. Turning, he blinked down at a small, blue-skinned, lizard-like alien wearing a pink jumper and holding a greasy paper bag.
"Hi! I'm MLE!" the little alien chirped.
"Uh... hi?" Izuku replied awkwardly.
Ochako knelt down with stars in her eyes. "YOU'RE SO CUTE!" she squealed.
MLE blinked in confusion before smiling. "Thanks! I'd say the same, but I don't know what you are."
Ochako sweat-dropped. "Kids can be so blunt…"
XLR8 cleared his throat, glancing around for the kid's parents. "Uh, I'm XLR8. Is there something you need, MLE?"
"I have a bloody nose!" she exclaimed proudly, holding the greasy bag above her head like it was a trophy.
Izuku and Ochako both blinked. "Uh... where?" Ochako asked, leaning closer to check her face.
MLE giggled. "Not my nose! This one!" She held the bag up again, sniffing it and licking her lips.
"Right... alien," Ochako thought, relieved.
"That's... definitely not a human nose," Izuku grimaced, his concern evident.
MLE swung the bag around for a moment before focusing back on them. "I'll give it to you if you play with me!"
"I don't want a bloody nose—uh, I mean, I'm not really hungry," Izuku said quickly, trying to avoid the strange offer.
"Pleeeeeease?" MLE pleaded, her puppy dog eyes wide as she held her hands together in a prayer-like motion. "All my friends got grounded, and you're the only other Kineceleran I've seen here."
Izuku blinked in realization. "Oh, that explains the resemblance." He was about to gently decline when—
"We'll play," Tetrax said firmly.
The group turned in surprise. "Tetrax!?" Ochako exclaimed.
"B-but we're supposed to be finding the shipyard!" Izuku protested, confused as to why Tetrax was suddenly agreeing to play games with a little alien girl.
Tetrax crossed his arms. "We still need information. And she'll tell us if we play, right?" He looked down at MLE.
MLE's eyes widened before she nodded so fast that her head became a blue blur. "Yep!"
"One condition," she said, raising a finger and pointing it directly at XLR8. "He has to eat the bloody nose!"
XLR8's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! No way!"
"Deal," Tetrax said without missing a beat.
"EHHHH!?"
One chaotic game later…
The game? A simple yet chaotic contest titled: "Who Can Spin the Most Without Throwing Up!"
MLE went first, turning into a mini cyclone, spinning for a solid thirty seconds. When she stopped, she only looked slightly dizzy, clearly setting a high bar.
Tetrax went next, hopping onto his hoverboard and spinning it in the air. While not as fast, he stayed calm and composed, stopping without so much as a wobble—whether it was his experience or biology was anyone's guess.
Ochako, unfazed, spun herself in circles. Thanks to her quirk and a lifetime of developing a strong stomach, she didn't even break a sweat, much to Izuku's growing dread.
Izuku, however, didn't fare well. Between his lack of experience, the odd meal from Baumann's shop earlier, and the thought of that "bloody nose" waiting for him, he barely managed twelve seconds before stopping, stumbling, and… promptly vomiting.
And now, here they were.
"No way! I refuse!" Izuku yelled as Ochako pried his visor open.
"You have to!" Ochako insisted, holding his visor up as Tetrax had XLR8 locked in a bear hug, trying to keep him from squirming out.
"It's not that bad," Tetrax said, his voice straining as he held onto the super-speed lizard. "They're considered a delicacy on some planets."
"Yeah, and disgusting on others!" Izuku yelled. "I'll never—MMPH!"
In a blur of motion, MLE zipped over and stuffed the "bloody nose" into XLR8's mouth. His eyes widened in horror as he was forced to swallow.
"BLEGH! NOOOOO!" Izuku gagged, collapsing to his knees, furiously licking the floor in a desperate attempt to rid his mouth of the taste.
"You're all evil!" he cried dramatically, glaring at them.
Ochako and MLE were doubled over, laughing so hard they could barely stand.
Tetrax chuckled. "We had a deal, remember?" he said, turning to MLE.
MLE wiped a tear from her eye and caught her breath. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you! The shipyard's down past the loading docks, just follow the big red signs."
The group gathered themselves, but none of them noticed the prying eyes watching from the shadows.
Tummy Head, a ghoul-like alien with a muscular body and a second head growing out of his stomach, watched them from a distance. He raised a comm device to his stomach head, while aiming a blaster with his top head.
"Vulkanus," he said into the comm, "I've spotted the crew. They're heading your way—looks like they're bringing the Petrosapien with them. And a Kineceleran too."
There was a pause before the voice on the other end replied, "Coming to me? Fine... call the boys back. If they wanna come here, they're more than welcome... hahaha!"
MLE waved them goodbye with a satisfied grin, pleased with how things had turned out and with the new allies she'd made. Meanwhile, Tetrax, Izuku, and Ochako made their way toward the shipyard, following her directions closely.
"I'm going to have nose breath forever..." Izuku lamented, still dealing with his lingering bad breath and a timed-out Omnitrix.
Ochako tried to smile reassuringly. "It's not that bad..."
"Really!?" Izuku's hope sparked back to life as he leaned toward her. But the second his breath hit Ochako's nose, her face scrunched up, and she gagged involuntarily. "I knew it!" he exclaimed, deflated.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad. But let's focus—looks like we're here," Tetrax cut in, clearly more concerned with the mission.
"Hey!" Izuku protested but quickly fell silent when he noticed the wide-open gate of the shipyard. "This... is a trap."
Ochako blinked, turning to him with confusion. "Huh? How can you tell?"
"Those guys we fought earlier worked for Vulkanus. I bet he already knows we're coming," Izuku explained, his expression tense.
Tetrax's frown deepened as he surveyed the gate. "And he's left it open, without any security. He's definitely expecting us." He ran a hand along his jaw thoughtfully, his brow furrowed.
"So... what's the plan?" Ochako asked, nervously rubbing her arm. She wasn't thrilled about the idea of walking straight into an obvious trap.
Izuku glanced down at his Omnitrix, his annoyance growing when he saw it still in its red, inactive state. "First thing's first—wait for the watch to recharge."
Tetrax turned his gaze to Izuku, locking eyes with him. "Listen closely, Izuku. This whole situation might come down to the form you choose. Make sure you pick wisely."
Ochako sweatdropped. 'No pressure or anything…'
BEEP
The sudden sound drew everyone's attention. The Omnitrix glowed green, radiating energy as its dial popped up with a familiar hiss. Izuku turned the dial, his mind racing. 'I need to sneak in without being seen. Ghostfreak should do the trick—then I can scope out what we're dealing with.'
He grinned as the silhouette of Ghostfreak appeared on the dial. "It's Hero Time!" he declared, adrenaline surging through him.
With anticipation, Ochako and Tetrax watched him slam the Omnitrix down. A blinding flash of green light filled the air—Ochako shielded her eyes out of habit. When she lowered her hand, her expression turned to one of confusion.
"Uh... why'd you pick Diamondhead?" she asked, tilting her head.
Tetrax's face fell, clearly unimpressed. "That's... not a stealth form. You're going to make yourself a walking target. They'll be after your crystals. Ghostfreak or Four Arms would've been smarter."
Diamondhead's crystalline face twisted in frustration as Izuku looked down at his newly transformed hands. "I was trying to go Ghostfreak! Stupid watch!"
Tetrax sighed, shaking his head. "You need to get a handle on that. But we can't waste time waiting for the Omnitrix again. We go in now. Ochako, stay between us and stay alert."
"W-wait, wouldn't it be better if we—" Izuku began to argue.
"No," Tetrax interrupted, his tone firm. "We've already wasted enough time. The longer we wait, the more they'll prepare for us."
With that, Tetrax stepped into the shipyard, his posture tense. Izuku and Ochako exchanged uneasy glances before following closely behind.
The shipyard was dark, the air thick with the smell of rust and decay from the wrecked ships scattered across the yard. Every few minutes, Izuku could hear faint noises—something skittering in the shadows. The eerie sound made his skin crawl. Tetrax, ever vigilant, had already unbuckled his blaster, now free to use it outside of human territory.
Narrowing his eyes, Tetrax aimed the blaster toward one of the ships. "I know you're there. Come out, or I shoot."
Izuku and Ochako tensed as yellow eyes suddenly blinked to life in the darkness, staring back at them from the shadows. The chittering grew louder, and soon, a swarm of short, red-and-black humanoid creatures emerged, brandishing pickaxes that crackled with energy. There were at least twenty of them, surrounding the trio on all sides.
One of the creatures stepped forward, stopping just a few feet away from Tetrax while the others closed in, their pickaxes sparking menacingly.
"ChchChchHc!" the creature hissed.
Ochako's face paled, and she shrank slightly behind Diamondhead. "T-Tetrax, what's it saying?"
Tetrax's eyes remained fixed on the creatures. "No idea."
"Eh!?" Ochako yelped, her panic rising.
Izuku took a deep breath, his diamond-hard body tough, but those pickaxes looked like they could cause serious damage if they struck true. This wasn't going to be easy.
Tetrax kept his blaster trained on the small creature in front of him, eyeing its hungry gaze. "Vulkanus. Take us to him, now," he demanded, waving the gun slightly to emphasize his point, hoping the gremlin-like alien would understand.
Just as Diamondhead was about to make a sarcastic remark, the creature let out a series of excited chittering sounds, and its companions began to chatter in response. The lead alien gestured for them to follow.
"That... worked?!" Diamondhead exclaimed in disbelief.
Tetrax blinked, equally surprised. "Apparently." He holstered his weapon, but his sharp gaze remained wary as he followed the lead alien. The others circled them, still chattering in their strange language. Tetrax leaned closer to Izuku and Ochako, speaking just loud enough for them to hear. "Stay ready. Don't take your eyes off them."
The two nodded silently, their postures tense as they followed the aliens through the yard, making sure the creatures didn't get too close.
Before long, the group arrived at a massive, derelict ship, the hulking structure looming over them. The alien creatures clicked their teeth in excitement as the ship's door creaked open, the sound of old machinery grinding as it revealed a dimly lit entrance.
Each of the trio readied themselves. Tetrax's hand hovered near his blaster, Ochako crouched low, quietly picking up a rock to use with her quirk, and Diamondhead remained alert, prepared to raise a crystal shield at any sign of attack.
But no ambush came.
They cautiously followed the creatures inside the ship, stepping into near-total darkness. The only light came from a single beam that shone down on the center of the room, illuminating a small circle where the trio now stood. The aliens that had escorted them retreated into the shadows, their clicking teeth the only sound as they disappeared from sight.
"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Diamondhead muttered just as the lights blazed to life.
A hulking figure with orange skin and tusks sat on a throne made of gems and gold, a smug grin spread across his face. "Well, well, well... What a surprise! Two Petrosapiens in one place! I thought your kind was extinct." He laughed, his voice deep and grating.
Ochako and Izuku exchanged confused glances. "Extinct...?" they thought simultaneously.
Ochako suddenly recalled Tetrax's strange obsession with the crystals. Her eyes widened as the pieces began to fall into place. Izuku, too, seemed to understand, and they both turned to Tetrax.
"Tetrax... what does he mean?" Ochako asked, her voice filled with concern.
Tetrax ignored the question, his face darkening as he drew his blaster, pointing it directly at Vulkanus. "You've made a big mistake stealing those crystals. You're coming with us. I'll personally make sure the Plumbers take care of you."
Vulkanus laughed heartily, clearly unfazed. "Big words, considering you're outnumbered."
The trio's eyes widened as more lights switched on, revealing dozens of the pickaxe-wielding aliens surrounding them, along with four bounty hunters—two of which they recognized from Baumann's store.
Liam, the spiked-elbowed bird alien, stretched his limbs menacingly, his beady eyes locked on them. Fistina, the mecha-lady, twisted her metal fist with a hiss, a satisfied grin on her face.
On the other side, a massive boar-like creature in purple armor stepped forward, swinging a spiked, glowing mace. His red eyes burned with fury. "THUNDER. THUNDER. THUNDER PIG!" he roared, swinging the mace dangerously close.
Beside him stood a stitched-together ghoul aiming a futuristic rifle. The most unsettling part was the face on his stomach, watching them with an eerie grin.
The trio huddled together, realizing how dire the situation had become. Izuku forced a shaky smile. "I really shouldn't have eaten that sandwich from Baumann's..."
Ochako looked at him in disbelief. "What?! Why?"
"I think I'm gonna... you know..." Izuku trailed off, his nervous grin remaining.
Despite the tension, Ochako sweatdropped. "Not the best time for that!"
Thunder Pig's ears twitched, and he narrowed his eyes at Izuku's comment, snorting angrily. Tetrax, however, kept his blaster aimed at Vulkanus. "Call them off, or I make a mess of your throne."
Vulkanus chuckled, lazily pressing a button on his armrest. In a flash, two barrels shot out from the throne's arms, and a laser disarmed Tetrax, destroying his blaster in an instant. Tetrax reacted swiftly, firing jagged crystals from his arm, destroying the throne's laser barrels with precise shots.
Vulkanus plucked one of the shards from the wreckage with two fingers, admiring it before meeting Tetrax's eyes with a wicked grin. "Get them!"
Without hesitation, Diamondhead fired a barrage of crystals toward the stitched-up ghoul, embedding one into his rifle. The face on his stomach gasped. "DON'T SHOOT!" But it was too late. The ghoul pulled the trigger, causing the rifle to explode, knocking him and several of the pickaxe aliens unconscious.
Diamondhead smirked, glancing at Ochako just in time to see her send her rock flying with zero gravity, taking out several aliens with a single throw. He grinned. "Nice shot, Lucky Girl!"
Ochako caught the crystal staff he tossed her, giving him a thumbs-up. "Thanks, Diamondhead!" She swung the staff in a wide arc, knocking several more aliens out cold.
Diamondhead winced slightly at her display of force but chuckled to himself. "This isn't so bad—"
CLUNK!
Before he could finish, Diamondhead was sent flying through the side of the ship, crashing into a pile of scrap metal outside. He groaned, blinking up in a daze as Thunder Pig emerged through the hole in the wall.
"THUNDER... THUNDER... THUNDER PIG!" he roared, winding up his mace and hurling it at Diamondhead.
Izuku reacted quickly, slamming his hand to the ground and raising a crystal wall just in time. The mace crashed into the barrier, and Izuku rushed in, taking the opportunity to close the distance. He swung a heavy punch toward Thunder Pig's head, but the boar caught his fist effortlessly.
"Gotcha!" Thunder Pig sneered, lifting Diamondhead into the air and slamming him into the ground with brutal force. The spiked mace followed, crashing down onto Izuku.
"Gahhh!" Izuku cried out, grabbing the mace with both hands, quickly covering it with crystal that spread up the chain toward Thunder Pig. Realizing what was happening, Thunder Pig squealed and dropped the weapon.
Diamondhead groaned, pushing himself to his feet. "Okay... that felt personal..."
Thunder Pig snorted angrily. "YOU ATE MY FATHER! NOW YOU WILL PAY!"
"What?! What are you talking about?!" Diamondhead yelled, bewildered.
"I SPEAK OF VENGEANCE! DELICIOUS, JUICY, SUCCULENT VENGEANCE!"
Izuku's eyes widened in horror. 'That sandwich at Baumann's... Don't tell me... I actually ate his dad?!'
Vulkanus laughed, entertained by the show he was watching currently. Granted it didn't look good for him, but in the end, it won't matter if his men win or not. For in his hand now laid a weapon that would play a vital role in everything.
Whilst Vulkanus was having the time of his life watching. The same couldn't be said about his security, Liam and Fistina were squared off against Tetrax. All the while Ochako, although slowing down and breathing heavily, punished the Pickaxe aliens, swinging her staff and blocking blows from the wild swings of the pickaxe-wielding cretins.
Tetrax jumped forward, swinging a heavy yet accurate punch into Fistina's face, causing her to go sliding on her back across the floor. Liam jumped in surprisingly landing a solid kick to Tetrax's back staggering him a few steps forward. "Nice kick." Liam's head seem to lift in pride only to squawk in surprise as he narrowly avoided a spinning back fist from Tetrax.
"SQUaAAKCheap shot!" Liam blitzed forward throwing an impressive left hook to the body where the liver would be. The blow seem to hurt Liam more though but he didn't hesitate to finish strong as he spun around smashing his spiked spur straight into Tetrax's temple who let a growl at the blow as he stumbled back. Liam let out a happy squawking noise only for his eyes to widen as he saw no visible damage upon the Petrosapiens head.
"Hmph.I had a bounty on one of your kind back in my younger years." Tetrax stepped forward towards Liam who raised his fist and extended his spurs. "Seems your race all have a unique skill for combat technique. Wanna know how I beat him?"
Growing impatient as adrenaline pumped through him, Liam leapt forward with his spiked spur aimed downwards towards Tetrax. Just as his spike was mere inches away, Tetrax jumped back watching with a smile as Liam's spur tore through the floor. Not wasting a second Tetrax threw his hand forward, landing a blow on Liam's neck where he then proceeded to...massage it? Instantly Liam fell motionless as he drifted to unconsciousness.
"An old friend of mine taught me how to defeat your race many years ago. A simple pressure point in the neck." Tetrax explained with a smile reminiscing on his younger years. Only to pause as a deep gauntly laughter echoed from behind him.
Spinning around he narrowed his eyes as Vulkanus stood tall, aiming a strange scrap homemade blaster of sorts. 'Never seen that on the market before. Must be custom built.'Clenching his fist as it morphed into a jagged-edged weapon, he aimed ready to fire. Vulkanus grinned as his strange blaster seem to hum as if warming up.
"Hey! Let me go!" Ochako yelled before gasping in pain. Instantly Tetrax glanced in her direction, Fistina seemingly recovering from his punch had gotten up and now held Ochako by the arms, making sure her hands were far from anything and anyone.
Vulkanus pulled his trigger the second he looked away, once again Tetrax's reflexes allowed him to fire a few crystals but it all proved useless as they shattered mid-air.
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Sheer sonic sound swarmed out and towards Tetrax, his eyes widening as the pain hit him instantly, his arms falling limp as cracks began appearing along his body. Chips of crystal flew off his body as his jaw hung slack. Vulkanus smiled as he pulled his finger off the trigger, as soon as the vibration of sheer sound stopped Tetrax stood limply. After a few seconds of sluggish movement, he dropped to his knees and onto his face. Unconscious.
"TETRAX!" Ochako cried out in horror, turning to Vulkanus she growled, tears brimming around her eyes. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Vulkanus smirked looking down upon the Petrosapien, only to put one foot on his back in a show of power and victory. The remaining Pickaxe minions clicked their teeth in glee. "Sonic vibrations little lady. Hahaha everyone knows that's how you beat a Petrosapien!"
This wasn't good. Ochako looked around trying to find anything, Fistina grinned. "Don't try anything, little girl. Or I break you." As to address her point she puts some more pressure on Ochakos wrist causing her to wince in pain.
Vulkanus watched as his minions lifted the Petrosapien and threw him into an energy field that lit up from a circular light on the floor. His body remains unmoving...
Ochako felt tears leak down her face as the situation finally caught up to her. Tetrax was down! 'Where's Deku?!'
Fistina held the girl towards Vulkanus. "What do we do with girl?" Her accent shining through.
Vulkanus looked Ochako in the eyes. A smirk grew on his face. "Put her in the ray bubble, and will sell her to the highest bidder." Finishing his sentence he pulls her mask up taking in what species she was. Vulkanus chuckled. "I hear humans are quite the delicacy."
Ochako's eyes widened in fear, as she processed the fact he was going to sell her to some alien to be a side dish!
'Deku...where are you?'
"THUNDER! THUNDER! THUNDER PIG!" the warthog alien bellowed, swinging his massive, spiked ball-and-chain with fury. Energy crackled through the weapon, shattering the thin layer of crystal Diamondhead had coated it with, sending shards flying. Izuku barely had time to raise his arms in defense, the crystal fragments bouncing off his sturdy forearms like hailstones against a brick wall.
When the last shard fell, Izuku glanced down at the small cracks now lining his arms, wincing slightly. "Okay, I'm really sorry if I ate your dad, but this ends NOW!" Slamming his hands to the ground, a towering crystal erupted from the floor, trapping Thunder Pig's ankle. With a surprised squeal, the warthog alien tripped, sending his spiked weapon flying into the air—only for it to land square on his own back with a satisfying thud.
Seeing his opening, Izuku bolted forward, grabbing the chain. His mind raced, a strategy forming on the fly. In a flash, he wrapped the chain around Thunder Pig's thick neck, pulling it tight. "Go to sleep! Go to sleep! Go to sleep!" he grunted, tugging the chain with every ounce of strength his crystalline form could muster.
But Thunder Pig wasn't going down that easily. With a roar of defiance, he ripped part of the chain loose, using the brief slack to deliver a punishing backfist to Diamondhead's face. The impact was like a sledgehammer, but Izuku held firm, tightening the chain even more. The warthog's blows came harder and faster now, desperation fueling his strength as he swung wild punches at Izuku's head.
"THUNDER PIG... WILL... HAVE... VENGEANCE!" the alien gasped between wheezing breaths, his vision blurring as he struggled for air. Every punch rocked Izuku's body, loosening his grip on the chain bit by bit.
'He's too strong... I'm losing my grip!' Izuku thought, panic rising as Thunder Pig landed another bone-rattling punch. 'I've gotta stop him... but how? Think! I need him to SLOW DOWN!'
And then, an idea hit him.
With a loud grunt, Izuku released the chain completely. Thunder Pig, now unsupported, collapsed onto all fours, gulping down air.
"STALAG-MIGHT SMASHHHHH!" Izuku roared, twisting his hips and swinging a haymaker right into the back of Thunder Pig's skull with all the force he could muster. The crack echoed through the shipyard as Thunder Pig's eyes rolled back, his body wobbling unsteadily.
'Perfect!' Izuku thought. Before Thunder Pig could recover, he rewrapped the chain around the alien's neck, pulling it tighter than ever. Even dazed, Thunder Pig thrashed, weakly pawing at Diamondhead's face with one hand, but his strength was fading.
"I... WILL HAVE... REVENGE... FOR FATHERRR..." Thunder Pig rasped, his voice fading as his eyes fluttered shut. With a final, pitiful squeal, the massive alien slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Izuku let out a long breath of relief, his body trembling as he released the chain, letting the behemoth fall face-first into the dirt. "Well... that was intense."
BEEP BEEP BEEP
FLASH
The red light of the Omnitrix enveloped him, and when it faded, Izuku dropped to his knees, now back in his human form, gasping for air. Sweat dripped down his face as he wiped a trembling hand across his brow. "I... I can't believe I might've actually eaten... No, no way. That's insane, right?!" He shook his head, trying to clear the absurd thought.
Catching his breath, Izuku glanced down at the Omnitrix, now red and inactive again. "Great, out of juice," he muttered. "I still need to help Uraraka and Tetrax!" He pushed himself to his feet, taking a few shaky steps toward the ship. 'Hopefully, they've got Vulkanus under control.'
Just as he was about to break into a run, the Omnitrix buzzed to life on his wrist. "Huh?" Izuku looked down, his confusion growing as a garbled voice came through the device.
"-uku... Izuku, if you can hear me... run. Tell Baumann we've been captured."
Izuku's heart plummeted into his stomach, his eyes widening in shock.
Captured? What...?
Ochako sat helplessly in a strange, shimmering energy bubble, her eyes darting between Vulkanus barking commands at his minions and the dazed mercenaries scattered in the distance. 'This is bad... How did I get captured like this?' Her mind raced as her heart pounded in her chest.
Tetrax's voice broke through the panic. "Izuku, if you can hear me... run. Tell Baumann we've been captured."
Ochako perked up, overhearing the whisper from his bubble next to hers. She turned to him, confused. "How are you talking to him?"
Tetrax's eyes shifted toward her, his normally stoic crystal face softening with guilt. "I managed to link onto the Omnitrix's signal. As long as he's within 50 meters, I can communicate. Any further, and we're out of luck."
Ochako sighed, hugging her knees to her chest as dark, creeping thoughts filled her head. 'What if we don't escape? What if I end up as some alien's dinner? What if I never see Mom and Dad again?' She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight back the fear tightening her chest.
"It'll be okay," Tetrax said, his voice cutting through the storm of her thoughts.
Ochako blinked, opening her eyes to find Tetrax giving her the most reassuring look a crystal alien could muster. His eyes, normally cold and determined, softened with quiet confidence.
"I promise you. We're getting out of here," Tetrax said, his voice steady, almost gentle.
Ochako swallowed hard, her fear loosening just a little. She forced a shaky smile, nodding in agreement. "You're right... Deku will get help. He always does."
"What are you two yapping about?" Vulkanus's voice boomed, dripping with sarcasm as he swaggered over, glaring down at them. "Planning an escape, huh? That's cute. But guess what? You're not going anywhere. Especially you." His finger jabbed toward Tetrax, tapping the bubble with a sick grin. "You're my prize, crystal man. And I'm going to enjoy taking you apart."
Ochako shuddered at the hungry, predatory look Vulkanus gave Tetrax. Her mind screamed for Izuku. 'Please, Deku, hurry!' she thought, her heart pounding with anxiety as she clutched her legs tighter.
Every second felt like an eternity.
Alan, now back in his human form, swept up the dust that had gathered after the wall had been destroyed. He was bored out of his mind, his thoughts wandering. Regret gnawed at him for not joining the others. "I should've gone... maybe I could've helped. But, it's not like someone like me would've made a difference. B-besides, I'm sure they're fine."
As he brushed the dust into a pile, Alan suddenly froze. His nostrils flared, and his face twisted in sheer disgust. "Ugh, what is that smell?!" he gagged, covering his nose. Just then, his ears picked up a faint buzzing noise. Is that... a bug?
"ALAN!" Stinkfly burst into the building, eyes wide with panic, before crashing headfirst into a food shelf. Groaning, his nasal voice screeched, "WHERE'S MR. BAUMANN?!"
"What the heck are you?!" Alan yelped, taking several startled steps back, his body instinctively flaring with Pyronite energy. Then he caught sight of something familiar. That symbol. His eyes narrowed, locking onto the Omnitrix dial on Stinkfly's head. "...Midoriya?"
"Yeah, it's me! Where's Mr. Baumann?" Stinkfly frantically glanced around, his eye stalks twitching in every direction.
Alan let out a sigh, reverting to his human form. "He went back upstairs to get some supplies for the cleanup. Why? Where are Tetrax and Uraraka?!"
Stinkfly seemed to deflate, his whole body shrinking in frustration. "Vulkanus... he captured them." Stinkfly gritted his teeth, wings trembling. "If Mr. Baumann's not here... we can't wait! I've already wasted enough time. I've got to go help them."
Determined, Izuku flapped his wings, ready to take off. But before he could lift off, Alan stepped in front of him. "I'm coming with you."
Stinkfly blinked in surprise before breaking into a relieved smile. "Really? Thanks so much, man!" He felt a surge of hope—he wasn't in this alone. With renewed confidence, Stinkfly crouched low, flattening his insectoid body close to the ground.
...
"What are you doing...?" Alan asked, clearly confused, tilting his head.
"Hop on! We've gotta move fast!" Stinkfly replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Alan crossed his arms, a firm look on his face. "Dude... I am not riding you."
"This sucks," Alan muttered, pouting with his arms still crossed, as Stinkfly carried him bridal style, like a princess.
"Hey, you wanted this!" Izuku shot back, though he wasn't exactly thrilled with the situation himself.
"Yeah… well… it still beats riding." Alan's retort was half-hearted, as if he wasn't even sure he believed it.
As they flew, Izuku's lower eye stalks scanned the bustling alien city below, watching the various creatures go about their day. It all felt so surreal, like something out of a dream.
"This is my fault," Alan muttered suddenly, breaking the silence.
Stinkfly's eye stalks snapped toward him. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
A sad expression overtook Alan's face. "If I had just gone with you guys from the start, maybe I could've helped. Tetrax and Uraraka wouldn't have been captured. But no, I had to chicken out."
Izuku frowned at his words. "You had every right to stay behind. Even if you did come, we don't know how things would've turned out. You can't blame yourself!" he insisted, trying to lift Alan's spirits.
Alan turned his gaze toward the city below. "You're right… but even if I had gone, I probably would've just gotten captured too. I'm useless."
"That's not true!" Stinkfly's voice rang out so suddenly that Alan's head snapped back toward him. "With your powers, you're incredible!" Stinkfly said, a goofy grin forming on his insectoid face.
Alan shook his head, the weight of his confession building. "You don't get it. I'm… Quirkless."
Izuku nearly lost control of his wings as they froze mid-flight. "W-What?!"
Alan grimaced, his eyes avoiding Stinkfly's. "I've been Quirkless for as long as i can remember. Everyone looked down on me. The beatings… the constant reminders that I was different. It's why my mom and I moved to Japan. She thought it would be better for me there."
Izuku listened, his heart heavy. He's just like me, he thought.
"One day, I woke up and my room was on fire. I thought I'd finally gotten a Quirk... but I didn't. Turns out, I'm not even human anymore. Don't you get it?" Alan's voice cracked as he looked back at Izuku, tears brimming in his eyes. "You've had years with your powers. What could I possibly do against someone like Vulkanus? I'm still just a Quirkless, useless kid… not even fully human."
Stinkfly landed just outside the scrapyard, the Omnitrix beeping as Izuku gently set Alan down. Izuku transformed back to his human form as the watch powered down.
Alan rubbed the tears from his eyes with his forearm, while Izuku clenched his fists. "We have more in common than you think."
Alan let out a bitter laugh, somewhere between a sob and a scoff. "You're nothing like me. You weren't cursed with being Quirkless. You're not some half-breed alien freak. You didn't have to move halfway across the world because the police harassed you. YOU DONT GET IT."
"OF COURSE I DO!" Izuku shouted, his face a mix of anger and empathy. He held up his watch, the Omnitrix gleaming. "Before I got this, I was powerless too." Alan's eyes widened in disbelief. "I was… well, I still am. Quirkless."
Alan breathed shakily. "You're Quirkless... like me?"
Izuku nodded, his expression softening. "I know what it's like. The discrimination, people telling you to give up on your dreams." His mind flashed back to Kacchan, All Might. "But we can't just listen to them and give up. We have to use the gifts we've been given to follow our dreams! And most importantly… to help our friends!" With that, Izuku held out his fist, offering a determined fist bump. "Will you use your gift to help me save our friends?"
Alan's eyes sparkled with awe, tears still glistening at the edges. He's… he's right! Nodding and wiping his face, he returned the fist bump. "Let's save them!"
Izuku grinned, his heart pounding with excitement. He slammed his hand down on the Omnitrix, ready to transform… but nothing happened. "Eh?" He looked down, sweatdropping as he saw the watch's red light blinking.
"Uh… give me ten minutes," he mumbled sheepishly.
"Dude!" Alan groaned, exasperated.
"Make sure we're topped up—I don't want any stops along the way!" Vulkanus barked from his throne, Ochako and Tetrax floating beside him, trapped in energy bubbles. His minions scurried around, some chittering excitedly, others groaning as they tried to patch the hole left by Thunder Pig and Diamondhead.
"Finally leaving this dump of a planet. All thanks to you, Petrosapien!" Vulkanus laughed, turning to Tetrax. "I wanted your friend too, but past experiences have taught me not to get greedy."
Tetrax clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay calm. "You know you won't get far, right? The Plumbers won't just forget about you. The moment you hit orbit, they'll be on you."
Vulkanus paused, then smirked. "I can assure you, Petrosapien, I'm more than ready for a dogfight." A shaky breath escaped him, and he frowned. Did those idiots turn off the heater?
Tetrax glanced at Uraraka, guilt eating away at him. "Listen, Vulkanus, you can do whatever you want with me. But let the human go."
Vulkanus threw his head back, laughing as he sauntered off his throne, stopping just in front of Tetrax. His eyes gleamed as he examined the cracks and tremors running through Tetrax's injured form. "Injured. Trapped. At my mercy. Don't you think you're in a bad position to be making demands?" He slammed his hand against the energy bubble, grinning as Tetrax flinched.
Before Tetrax could reply, a cold, eerie voice filled the air.
"He would be… if he was alone."
Vulkanus jerked back, startled. "WHAT? WHO'S THERE!?"
Uraraka and Tetrax's heads snapped up in recognition, relief washing over them. Before they could say anything, two ghostly white hands rose from the ground, crushing the projectors that powered the energy bubbles. With a flick, both bubbles dissolved, dropping Tetrax and Uraraka to the floor. Ochako landed on her backside with a yelp, while Tetrax hit the ground hard, too injured to break his fall.
"Ow!" Ochako groaned, rubbing her sore tailbone.
Tetrax grunted, trying and failing to push himself to his feet.
"Stay down, Tetrax, you're too injured," Ghostfreak rasped, emerging from the shadows, his purple eye glowing faintly as he looked them over.
"Deku, you came!" Uraraka scrambled to her feet, joy and relief flooding her as she bit her nails in lingering fear. "I thought I was gonna be alien food…"
Ghostfreak blinked in confusion. "What…?"
Vulkanus took several unsteady steps back, eyes wide. "An Ectonurite?! What's with this planet and its exotic aliens?"
"What's wrong, big bad Vulkanus? Afraid of a ghost?" Ghostfreak taunted.
Vulkanus growled and lunged forward, throwing a punch—only for his fist to go straight through Ghostfreak's intangible form. "Grr, damn freak!" He barked at one of his pickaxe-wielding minions. "Get TummyHead and Fistina!"
The minion chattered in compliance and sprinted toward the exit, but before it could leave, an explosion shook the ship. TummyHead's limp body crashed through the newly repaired wall, landing in a heap and rolling to a stop, unconscious.
"My wall!" Vulkanus roared as his minions chittered in rage, their hard work undone yet again.
Ochako squinted through the dust. "Is that…?"
Tetrax smirked. Alan strode into the ship, flames dancing around his clenched fists. Wait... what's that in his hand?
Vulkanus blanched. "A Pyronite? BubbleHead's crew mentioned you. But where's that slacker?"
A loud clanging noise echoed as Alan tossed a dome-shaped object to the floor. It rolled toward Vulkanus, stopping at his feet before falling flat—revealing a very dazed Fistina.
"Boss… I'm… sorry…" Fistina groaned weakly, her body twitching.
Ochako's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "YOU KILLED HER?!"
Alan lost his cool, waving his hands around frantically. "W-What?! No! I just overheated her suit, and it ejected her! She's fine!" he stammered, desperate to clear up the misunderstanding.
Ghostfreak reappeared beside Alan, making him jump. "Good job, Alan. Now, Vulkanus, no more games. Where are the others?"
Vulkanus snorted. "Those overpaid lackeys?" He ignored Fistina's groan of protest. "Liam went to find BubbleHead, and Thunder Pig wandered off, ranting about vengeance."
Izuku's body tensed at the mention of Thunder Pig, but he quickly regained his composure. "That means…"
"You're all alone," Alan finished, his confidence growing.
Vulkanus chuckled darkly. "You think I'm afraid of a runt Pyronite and a ghost? You should've brought the Petrosapien and Tetraman!" With a snap of his fingers, his minions encircled them, closing in.
Alan acted quickly, shooting a stream of fire that encased them and Vulkanus in a ring of flames, forcing the pickaxe-wielding aliens to back away, hissing.
"Smart thinking!" Ghostfreak gave Alan a thumbs-up.
Alan sweatdropped at the sight of the ghost's creepy hand. "Dude, that's not comforting…"
Vulkanus laughed mockingly. "You think this little fire show is gonna protect you? With the Petrosapien in that shape, he's useless! You've got no one to save you now!"
"Hwaaa—SMACK!" One of the pickaxe-wielding minions went flying, crashing through the ring of fire.
Ochako, standing with a ball of crystal in her hand, smirked as she launched another at an approaching alien. "I'm fine, thanks for asking!" She hurled crystal after crystal, paired with her zero gravity, each impact sending minions flying.
Vulkanus's face contorted in rage. "My loyal minions!"
Ghostfreak grinned. "Looks like she's doing fine. Now, what about you?"
Vulkanus growled, his expression twisting into one of excitement. "I'm gonna break you into pieces, Pyronite, and sell you for scraps!" With that, he charged toward the teens, the entire ship vibrating under his massive footsteps.
"Alan, shoot!"
With a deep breath, Alan unleashed a torrent of flames, engulfing Vulkanus. "Got him!" He kept the flames going for several seconds before dropping his hands, panting. "That wasn't so hard—MPH?!"
Alan's words were cut off as Vulkanus burst out of the flames and grabbed him by the throat. "Hahaha, I'm a Detrovite, idiot! I thrive in heat!" Vulkanus pulled Alan close, grinning menacingly. "And you should be scared of me."
Alan struggled, igniting his flames in a desperate attempt to free himself, but it had no effect. "LET… ME… GO!" he screamed, his body erupting in fire. But Vulkanus just laughed and threw him high into the air. Before Alan could react, Vulkanus grabbed his leg mid-air and slammed him into the ground.
Ghostfreak, watching from the side, prepared to rip off his skin and unleash his tentacles, but the moment he lifted his outer layer, pain shot through him. "AHH!" His stomach sizzled as smoke rose from his form. Is it… the fire? he realized, snapping his head up just in time to see Vulkanus toss Alan again.
But this time, Alan shot a burst of flames to propel himself, dodging Vulkanus's grip. With a roar, he dropped down and punched Vulkanus square in the face, knocking the brute back. Alan landed, ready to attack again, but Vulkanus slammed him back into the ground with his massive hand.
"This is too easy," Vulkanus taunted as Alan struggled beneath him.
Ghostfreak lunged forward, trying to strike, but Vulkanus caught him with his free hand and flung him through the flames. Ghostfreak hit the ground hard, convulsing in pain.
"Deku! Are you okay?!" Ochako called out, her eyes flicking between the endless minions and her fallen friend.
Ghostfreak floated awkwardly beside Tetrax, his skin still steaming. "Alan… he needs your help, Tetrax," he rasped. "I can't use my tentacles… the flames weaken me."
Tetrax said nothing, but raised his left palm, forming a crystalline blade. Ghostfreak's purple eye narrowed, watching intently.
"Let me tell you something about Detrovites…"
Alan was not having a good time as he was once again bashed into the floor. Every time he retaliated with a fireball or punch, Vulkanus simply ate it. This was in all ways the worse match-up possible for him!
"Piece by piece!"
Vulkanus spun Alan around before slamming him once more into the ground.
"Rock by rock!"
Following up Vulkanus stomped down knocking the wind out of the Pyronite, his fire wavering down as his eyes widened in pain.
"Crum by crum!"
Stepping off the teen, Vulkanus raised his fist ready to deal the final blow as Alan lay dazed. "That's how I'm gonna sell you!"
"What about...headless?"
Before Vulkanus could look around a suddenSLINKnoise broke through the air. Looking around he spots the Ectonurite wielding a Petrosapien Crystal sword of some sort. Vulkanus felt...dizzy?
"What did you...do-whoaaa"
Was his final words before his head fell off.
His gooey orange blood sprayed out in a horrific gorey fashion. His body slumped over immediately after.
Alan recovering from his dazed state and looking at the mess Ghostfreak just made instantly freaked out. "AHHHH HOLY CRAP! YOU KILLED HIM!? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!" Alan screeched as he hastily backed up from the corpse. "Aw man, I think I'm gonna be sick!" He stated as he covered his mouth.
"Alan... Call your flames back."
Alan not wanting to get him mad shakily held his hand out and absorbed the ring of flames. "T-there." His eyes once again went over to the corpse of Vulkanus. "Why'd you do that!?"
The Pickaxe aliens fighting Ochako and Tetrax suddenly paused as they gazed over at their fallen Master. Their teeth chittered his despair as they swarmed to their master.
"Huh?" Ochako questioned the sudden change of their motives. 'Thank god, my arms are killing me!'
BEEP BEEP BEEP
FLASH
Izuku stood to face blank. "Uh oh." He readied himself instantly as he prepared to be swarmed by the endless amount of minions...only to be left alone?
Yes, it seemed the minions have called it quits now their boss has been defeated, as they picked up not only Vulkanus's severed head but Fistinas and TummyHeads unconscious body as well as they all clicked their teeth and even screeched as they floored it out into the yard.
"Hey! Come back!" Deku yelled as he ran after them only to pause as Ochako shouted for him to stop.
"Wait! Tetrax is hurt!" Ochako yelled out. Izuku watched the retreating figures of the pickaxe aliens as they ran into the darkness disappearing from sight. "Man" Sighing he ran over to Ochako and Tetrax. Alan shakily followed as he stared at the headless body of Vulkanus.
"Tetrax!" Izuku yelled as he kneeled next to his mentor. His eyes widened as he absorbed the damage his body had taken, cracks littered his body as he growled in pain. "Vulkanus did this?!"
Ochako shook her head. "Kinda, he had some sort of ... sound gun? Look, the short story is he needs help fast!"
"G-Gluto...get me to... Gluto." Tetrax groaned out as he squinted his eyes in pain.
On reflex, Izuku tried to pick Tetrax up only to not even budge him. "Oh right... How do we move him?"
Ochako held her hand up. "I can float him!"
Izuku shook his head. "What all the way back to his ship? No way!" Looking around his eyes glistened. "There!" Ochako followed his sight and smiled as she made Tetrax float. Izuku grabbed what he saw, an old mine cart used to carry large quantities of metals. Pushing it under Tetrax Ochako tapped her hands together, releasing Tetrax as he slammed heavily into the cart, his legs and arms hanging out. "Alright, this should make it easier."
"Right!"
Alan watched in confusion at how uncaring the two were, his face slowly turning into one of anger." What...IS WRONG WITH YOU!"
"huh?" Izuku questioned in confusion.
Ochako also looked on at Alan's eyebrow raised. "What gives?"
"What gives? MIDORIYA JUST KILLED THAT GUY! Why are you acting so normal!?" Alan demanded an answer, seriously freaked out.
Izuku's whole body twitched in confusion before his mind finally caught up in understanding. "Ohhhh you think I killed Vulkanus!"
"Duh!"
Ochako giggled, causing Alan to freak out even more. "HOW'S THAT FUNNY!?"
Izuku couldn't help but have his own smile grow on his face. "Relax man. Vulkanus is a Detrovite!"
Alan paused. "A ...what?"
"A Detrovite! They can regenerate their whole bodies even from something like that according to Tetrax!" Izuku explained.
Alan let loose a breath of relief as he held his chest "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT!"
"SORRY!" Izuku yelled back bowing up and down in apologies.
Ochako giggled before hearing Tetrax groan once more causing her to pause. "C'mon, guys. We gotta get Tetrax back to his ship!"
"R-right!"
"Yeah... Okay!"
Vulkanus now sliding around like a slug growled in fury. "YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS GOING TO TAKE TO REGENERATE!"
Fistina sighed. "At least you can move boss man..." As she was about as mobile as a dinner plate right now, being carried around by one of the minions whilst some went out to retrieve her mecha suit.
"SHUT UP. WHEN I GET MY HANDS IN THEM THEY'RE DONE FOR!" Vulkanus yelled out in rage.
"What hands?"
"SHUT UP!"
Izuku finally stood in front of his apartment door after a long journey back, the moon hanging high in the sky. The sun had set hours ago. Mom's not going to be happy...
But it had all been worth it. Getting Tetrax back to Mr. Baumann's hadn't taken too long after transforming into XLR8, and when Mr. Baumann saw how hurt Tetrax was, he wasted no time offering them a ride in his newly repaired car. So that's where he disappeared to!
When they arrived at the ship, Gluto was already waiting at the entrance, and he quickly took Tetrax off their hands. Izuku and Ochako couldn't understand Gluto's gibberish, but Mr. Baumann explained that Tetrax would be fine, much to their relief. Alan, of course, had been rightfully freaked out by the snot-like creature.
Speaking of Alan, Izuku now had his contact saved on his cracked phone—a new friend. A fellow Quirkless, just like him.
Shaking off his thoughts, Izuku gathered the courage to open the door quietly. Inside, he found his mom fast asleep on the couch, the TV still on. She must've fallen asleep waiting for me...
Walking over, he bent down and kissed her on the forehead, then gently draped a blanket over her. Guilt gnawed at him for making her worry.
"Katsudon… in the microwave," she mumbled suddenly.
"Eh?! You're awake?" Izuku squeaked, startled.
She snuggled deeper into the couch. "Barely… I'll yell at you tomorrow. Too tired now…" she murmured before finally drifting off completely.
Izuku sweatdropped as his stomach growled in response. Katsudon... I haven't eaten since... well, since maybe that guy's dad… His mind spiraled into a brief existential crisis.
What he failed to notice was the TV, broadcasting rather important news.
"…by the Japanese government itself, SACT has now been assigned with the task of dealing with these new vigilantes that have been appearing recently," the news anchor, Harangue, spoke confidently into the microphone. "Here to discuss this matter is SACT's leader, Commander Steel himself!"
Commander Steel stood tall with a chiseled jaw, his blonde hair neatly combed. Dressed in military pants and a black jacket, nothing seemed remarkable about him—except for the nasty scar running across his face. "Thank you for having me, sir," Steel greeted with a curt nod.
Harangue, barely containing his excitement, shook the man's hand. "No, thank you, Commander, for taking on the task of ridding us of these dangerous vigilantes once and for all. Big fan of your work, by the way." He lowered his voice for the last part.
"What can you tell us about your orders and how SACT plans to handle these vigilantes?"
Steel's expression hardened as he cleared his throat. "We've been given strict orders straight from the top to capture these vigilantes. Not only that, but unless you have clearance or orders yourself, no heroes are permitted to intervene."
Harangue raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
Steel leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "If a hero spots one of the identified vigilantes while on patrol, they are to stay back and report the sighting to our contact number. Once SACT arrives, the heroes are to stand down and get out of our way."
Harangue smiled knowingly. "So, the same rules as other government missions you've been assigned?"
Steel nodded. "Correct. As of now, SACT is the only law enforcement agency officially authorized to deal with the vigilantes."
At the mention of vigilantes, Steel's expression tightened. His thoughts drifted back to the blue crystal alien he had seen during the robot incident. His hand unconsciously rose to his face, fingers brushing over the scar tissue that marked his skin.
Izuku remained oblivious to the TV broadcast as he reheated the katsudon, his mind already racing about what tomorrow would bring. Little did he know that SACT was preparing to take their hunt to the next level...