A/N: THANK you all! this was something I really was just playing with in my head but Im glad ya'll liked it
Jam: thank you for the review
Alpha: tbh I kinda stopped after the whole ultimatrix thing, I would've given him the ultimatrix but it stands out too much that's why I gave him the more small and sleek alien force watch. and I really haven't seen omniverse yet mb
redburn: he has all the aliens, every single one of them which will definitely make a lot of problems easier so Im trying to catch up with all the aliens ben has used over the years
enjoy the chapter!, hope I can pump another out before the weeks end
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The heat was unbearable.
Taylor stood her ground, her swarm buzzing in thick clouds around her, blocking Lung's view. The insects covered every inch of the area between them, a shifting mass of wings and legs, doing everything they could to slow the dragon-man down.
Her heart pounded, the heat from Lung's fire washing over her in waves. She knew she was outmatched—Lung was a monster, and every second she delayed him, he only got stronger. His fire blazed higher, his scales thicker, his size growing as the fight dragged on.
But I couldn't let him kill those kids.
She had heard him give the order—Lung had told his men to kill them. She didn't know who they were, but they were kids, and she couldn't stand by while they were murdered. That was why she'd attacked, why she'd thrown herself into the fight even though she knew how dangerous Lung was.
She was out of options. Her bugs couldn't do enough damage, and Lung was about to turn her into a charred smear on the ground. She could hear him taking a deep breath, the crackling of flames growing louder as fire built in his throat.
He's going to burn me alive.
Taylor steeled herself. Her swarm shifted around her, a final desperate attempt to block what was coming. She could already feel the heat intensifying, the roar of fire moments away from consuming her.
Then, out of nowhere, a flash of red streaked through the air, cutting between her and Lung.
The fire Lung had been building sputtered out as a pair of energy beams shot from the sky and slammed into his chest, sending him stumbling back with a roar of surprise. The searing heat that had been ready to engulf Taylor vanished in an instant, replaced by a gust of cool air from the sudden interruption.
Taylor blinked, disoriented. What just happened?
She turned her gaze upward and saw it—a figure hovering above the street, wings outstretched, red skin gleaming in the dim light. It didn't look like any parahuman she knew or even heard of.
Who is that?
"Direct hit!" the flying alien-looking cape shouted, a note of excitement in his voice. "How's that for a hot shot, big guy?"
Lung snarled, shaking off the attack as he glared up at the newcomer. His eyes flared with rage, scales glowing brighter as he locked onto his new target. The fire that had been aimed at Taylor was now redirected, his fury shifting toward the strange flying figure.
Taylor didn't move, still trying to make sense of what was happening. That thing just saved me. She wasn't sure if it was friend or foe, but it had just stopped Lung from roasting her alive. For now, that was enough.
Lung roared, the flames around him intensifying as he prepared to charge. The red alien glanced down at her, its wings twitching in the air. "Hey, I'm the good guy! At least, I think I am. Not exactly from around here."
Taylor didn't respond. Her bugs continued to hover protectively around her, but she didn't attack. Whoever this was, they had just bought her some time. But there wasn't much. Lung was already recovering, his transformation accelerating as his rage grew.
The flying alien-looking cape glanced at his chest, where a strange device seemed to glow. "Alright, time to go big. Jet Ray's not gonna cut it in a slugfest."
Before she could fully process the shift, a flash of green light surrounded him. His body morphed, growing larger and bulkier until, in a matter of seconds, the flying figure was replaced by a massive dinosaur-like creature with brown, hard-looking skin? scales?
What— Taylor blinked, her mind racing. Is he a Changer?
He wasn't like any Changer she'd seen before. Changers typically had limited forms, a theme that connected their transformations. But this guy had gone from a flying alien to a dinosaur-sized tank. It didn't make sense.
Lung's eyes narrowed as he sized up the new threat, his fury boiling over. But the dinosaur-like figure didn't back down.
"Alright, Godzilla Junior, let's see if you like playing with someone your own size," the creature growled, his deep voice rumbling through the street.
Taylor stood frozen, watching in disbelief as the two titans clashed. The new arrival—whoever he was—was holding his own. His massive fists connected with Lung's scaled body, sending shockwaves through the pavement. But Lung, now even more enraged, retaliated with fire and claws, tearing into the creature's thick armor.
The heat from the battle was unbearable. Taylor's bugs swarmed around her, trying to keep track of the fight, but Lung's escalating power was becoming more than even her swarm could handle. The longer the battle dragged on, the stronger Lung grew.
He's just going to keep getting stronger. She could see it in every movement Lung made—the fire that rolled off his body, the way his scales thickened and his claws lengthened. If this fight continued much longer, there would be nothing left of the city block. They're going to level this place.
The dinosaur-looking cape, grunted as Lung's claws raked across his chest, leaving deep gouges in his armored hide. "Great. Now he's angry," he muttered. "Note to self: hitting the fire-breathing dragon only makes him worse."
Lung let out a roar, flames bursting from his mouth as he charged forward. The Dinosaur guy barely dodged the attack, his massive frame shifting to the side as he swung a heavy punch toward Lung's midsection. But Lung was faster, sidestepping the blow and launching another blast of fire.
Taylor's heart pounded in her chest as she watched the battle. Whoever this was, his strength wasn't going to be enough to stop Lung. The leader of the ABB was getting stronger by the second, and if something didn't change soon, he'd wipe out everything around them.
Then, just when she thought it couldn't get any stranger, the giant dinosaur began to shift again.
Green light flashed, and within seconds, the massive, hulking form of Humungousaur was gone. In its place stood a sleek, metallic figure—one that looked like something straight out of a science fiction movie.
What the hell?
Taylor's breath caught in her throat. He wasn't just a Changer. He was something else. His transformations weren't random—they were deliberate, tactical. First, the flying alien. Then, the brute strength. And now this—a robotic form with gears and mechanical limbs.
The robot raised an arm, green energy gathering at its palm, and fired a beam of light directly at Lung.
Lung, who had been moments away from unleashing another firestorm, froze as the beam hit him square in the chest. For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, to Taylor's astonishment, Lung began to shrink.
His scales retracted, his claws shortened, and the fire around him died down. His transformation was reversing, his monstrous form retreating as the green energy continued to pulse through him.
He's reversing Lung's transformation… How?
Her mind raced, trying to understand what she was seeing. Was this time manipulation? Ability suppresion? No cape she'd ever encountered could do something like this. This was something entirely different.
Lung, now back in his humanoid form, stumbled forward, dazed and confused. But before he could recover, the robot shifted again.
This time, The robot transformed and became a small weird looking creature and are those headphones on his head? It split into multiple copies of himself—each one smaller but identical, surrounding Lung on all sides. Taylor couldn't believe what she was seeing. He's not just a Changer. He's... something more.
The clones opened their mouths, releasing an ear-splitting sonic blast that reverberated through the street. Lung, overwhelmed by the attack, clutched his head in pain as the sound waves pummeled him from all sides.
Taylor's heart pounded as she watched the fight unfold. The sheer versatility of his power was unlike anything she had ever seen. This wasn't just a Changer with multiple forms—this was a cape with the ability to shift between completely different power sets. Who is he?
Finally, with a groan, Lung collapsed, unconscious.
The clones merged back into a single figure, and the street went silent. For a moment, everything was still.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, the figure shifted again. This time, his body became crystalline, sharp edges gleaming in the dim light. Diamond plates covered him from head to toe, and he flexed his arms, as if testing his new form.
Taylor tensed. Whoever this cape he was powerful. Too powerful to be a rookie, yet she had never heard of him before. He had saved her life, but she had no idea if he could be trusted. Her bugs hovered protectively around her, ready to act if necessary.
Is he a new trigger? she wondered. Or did the PRT somehow miss someone with this much power? No, they wouldn't let someone like him go unnoticed.
Her mind raced through the possibilities. If he was a Trump-Changer, someone with the ability to shift forms and powers, he could easily be classified as a Trump 8 or even a Changer 9.
The diamond figure turned toward her, his glowing green eyes locking onto hers as he started to walk forward.
''
Michael's boots crunched over the scattered rubble as he made his way toward Taylor. His mind raced, a dozen thoughts crashing together like the debris around him. This is it. The moment I've already changed everything. Meeting Taylor now, before the Undersiders, before her path took its dark turns—he knew the implications of that. But somewhere in the back of his mind, a small voice urged him forward.
Screw canon. I'm doing my own thing.
The wreckage of the battle still smoldered around them. Lung lay unconscious a few meters away, steam rising from his scorched body. The air still buzzed with residual heat, mixing with the crackling remains of nearby cars. In the dim light, Taylor stood amidst her swarm, a silhouette of shifting insects that seemed to pulse in tune with her controlled breathing. The sound of their wings created an eerie hum, the only thing breaking the silence now that Lung was down.
Michael slowed his pace, raising his hands slightly, trying to appear non-threatening. The last thing he wanted was for Taylor to think he was another cape looking to take advantage of her. He knew better than to underestimate Taylor. She wasn't just some inexperienced vigilante; she was a tactical genius in the making, even if she didn't know it yet.
"Hey," Michael started, his voice carefully calm but firm. "Are you okay? That was… intense back there."
Taylor's swarm shifted, a living wall that seemed to bristle with tension. Her mask covered her expression, but Michael didn't need to see her face to know she was cautious—always cautious. She'd just fought Lung, for God's sake. Caution was practically a survival instinct by now.
For a moment, she didn't respond. The silence stretched out between them, thick and heavy, broken only by the constant buzzing of her swarm. Then, finally, she spoke.
"I'm fine," Taylor replied, her voice flat, unreadable. Her body language was neutral, but the swarm tightened around her as if reminding him that he wasn't entirely welcome.
Michael swallowed. This is going to take more than just words, he realised. He needed to show her he wasn't like the others, that he was sincere. That's when an idea hit him, a risky one but in a world like this, trust was everything, and you had to earn it fast.
Michael exhaled, making his decision. His fingers hovered over the Omnitrix, and before Taylor could react, he tapped the dial. In a flash of green light, the Diamondhead form dissolved, his crystalline body morphing back into flesh and blood.
The sudden transformation caused Taylor's swarm to react. The buzzing intensified, a defensive, protective pulse around her. He had gone from an imposing figure to something more human, more vulnerable. Michael could sense her confusion—why would someone reveal their identity so easily in this world, where trust was a rare commodity? So he stood there, unarmed, unshielded, his face exposed to the night air.
"My name's Michael," he said, keeping his voice steady. "I'm not exactly from around here…I'm also new to the whole hero scene. But I thought after our shared experience over dragons maybe we could help each other out."
Taylor's response wasn't immediate. The swarm hovered in indecision, swirling around her in tight, controlled patterns. But she didn't attack. Michael knew she was calculating, considering his actions. In this world, unmasking was a big deal, it was an act saved for those you trust or trusted enough.
He saw the tension in her posture ease, just slightly. Her swarm didn't disperse, but it didn't advance either.
"You just… unmasked," Taylor said slowly, her voice laced with quiet astonishment, but also suspicion. "Why would you do that? You don't know me."
Michael smiled, a little sheepish, but kept his gaze steady. "You're right, I don't. But I know this city. And I know how things work here. Besides, anyone who tries to take on that pathetic excuse for a dragon, especially doing it alone, is a plus in my books. People don't trust easily, I know that, believe me… but we're both new at this. I figured maybe… we could work together. Watch each other's backs."
Taylor didn't respond immediately. Her eyes were still locked onto him, and though her mask hid her face, Michael could sense her processing everything. Trust wasn't something that came easily to her anymore—it never had, especially knowing how she was betrayed and bullied by her so-called "best friend". And yet, he could tell she was weighing the risk, trying to understand why a complete stranger would be so vulnerable in front of her.
For a moment, the buzzing of her swarm quieted. She tilted her head slightly, clearly taken aback by the gesture. "You're either very naïve," she said carefully, "or you really believe that."
Michael chuckled softly, though the nervous energy in his chest remained. "A little of both, I think."
Taylor's eyes narrowed, still sceptical but intrigued. "I'll think about it," she finally replied, her tone cautious. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either.
Michael exhaled in relief, but before he could say more, the sound of a distant engine rumbled through the night.
The low, steady rumble of a motorcycle engine echoed through the broken streets, growing louder by the second. Michael tensed, recognizing the familiar sound before he even saw the headlights. Taylor turned her head slightly toward the approaching noise, and her swarm shifted with her, as if sensing the arrival of another threat.
"Is that…" Michael began, but he didn't need to finish. He knew exactly who was coming. The PRT had been alerted. Of course they had—Lung had been causing havoc, and now there were two unidentified capes standing over his unconscious body. Of course they'd send someone to check things out.
"Armsmaster," Taylor said quietly, her swarm already pulling in tighter, a defensive reflex.
Michael's mind raced. Can't be seen like this. If Armsmaster saw him unmasked, things would get complicated fast. The last thing he needed was to be dragged into the bureaucracy of the PRT or labelled as a rogue before he even had a chance to figure out his place here. He looked down at the Omnitrix, not wasting another second.
With a quick tap, the familiar green glow enveloped him, and in an instant, his body was once again covered in the gleaming, crystalline armour of Diamondhead. The transformation was quick, efficient, and he hoped—non-threatening.
Taylor's gaze flicked over him again, watching as he shifted back into his alien form. He could almost sense her weighing whether his decision to transform back was more about self-preservation or strategic thinking. Either way, her swarm remained close but didn't act.
A few moments later, Armsmaster's sleek motorcycle roared into view, the headlights cutting through the smoke and casting long shadows across the damaged street. He pulled up near Lung's unconscious body, the quiet hum of his suit's systems adding to the mechanical presence he brought with him. He dismounted in one smooth, practised motion, and his visor-covered eyes immediately scanned the scene, landing first on Lung before shifting toward the two capes standing in the distance.
Michael squared his crystalline shoulders, preparing for whatever came next.
