Ben 10: Hero Force

by DBZpower197

It had now been 3 years since Ben took a chance at a normal life. However, history had a tendency to repeat and life had a tendency to be unfair. With the news of someone person putting in a good word for him at UA, Ben would once again don the Omnitrix and face the challenges ahead all the while having one question in mind: "Could he meet the legacy of that watch once again?"

40. Chapter 39: Agencies and Games

Alright!

I'm back with another chapter! Specifically, the last chapter before the hiatus. If you want to find out more, it'll be at the other author's notes per usual.

Now, enough playing around, let's get into Chapter 39!

---

Ben 10: Hero Force

Chapter 39

Agencies and Games

---

As the sun was setting, Gwen was walking out of her high school. With calming classical music coming through her headphones, she rubbed her brows before noticing her friend.

By the door was a blonde with fair skin and pale blue eyes, wearing a white shirt, a red scarf, a black skirt with also black stockings… sitting on a wheelchair.

"Done with Karate class?" The girl asked as the two started moving side by side.

"Yeah." Gwen replied. "Thanks for waiting by, Emily."

Emily waved her hand.

"Oh, no problem." She said. "I need to catch you somehow…" Emily tilted her head and stiffened a little. "...with how often you're running off nowadays."

Gwen pressed her lips together. It was true that she was spending a good amount of her after hours on the extranet, looking into the DNAlien crisis.

"Yeah, sorry, it's just–"

"I know." Emily said, waving her hand again. "Of course Ben couldn't quite manage in a high brow school abroad without a little help… continuous help."

Gwen felt the melancholy in her friend's voice. So she smiled.

"Hey, but today, I'm all yours." She said. "My chores at home are done. Ben's dad is completely settled back in, and there's not another French test for another two months."

Emily nodded, but sarcastically threw a glance at her. "You're sure you aren't skipping over a couple of projects?"

Gwen tilted her head, equally sarcastic. "I'm just as sure those ones can wait."

Emily shrugged, indicating that she bought it, but not really.

"So?" Gwen asked. "What's the plan?"

"Shopping." Emily said right out of the gates. "And then we'll figure out the rest."

"Deal." Gwen said, starting to look out for the nearest bus stop, not noticing a separate pair of steps approaching right towards them.

"Ms. Tennyson."

Gwen paused, as did Emily. She wanted to groan, suspecting that it was another teacher from her high school, asking her to take on some after school study time with other students.

It was something she would do gladly, just… if it weren't today. However, when she turned around, she saw that person was completely covered by a brown trenchcoat and a hat. Pink disks manifested in her hands.

"There is no need to fight." The person in the trench coat raised a hand, only to look down ever so slightly. "Your friend doesn't mind the presence of your powers?"

"Friends are sometimes easier to trust than family." Emily said, turning around with her hands on the wheels, feeling tense but unshaken. "... or strangers in this case."

The man behind the trenchcoat straightened up.

"I am not a stranger." He bluntly said before reaching into his jacket's pocket and taking out a badge. A badge with the green hourglass.

Emily didn't react, she checked Gwen's expression first and her response… was of mild surprise.

"I only need a moment of your time, Ms. Tennyson." The person in the trench coat exclaimed. "Nothing which will derail your plans for the afternoon."

Gwen's eyebrows went up, and the pink glow in her hands disappeared. "Emily…"

"Go." The blonde paraplegic said, not even giving her the chance. She clearly looked perturbed but hid it behind her smile. "I'll be on the lookout for buses." She wheeled away.

Gwen pressed her lips together, as he approached.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Magister Labrid." She replied, making him flinch again. That basically confirmed his identity.

"Good, your cousin has talked about me." He said.

"Extensively." Gwen replied, fixing her hair and taking a deep breath. She got back into the right state of mind.

"So." She said. "What happened?"

"New information has come to light." Labrid said–!

"About Grandpa Max?" Gwen asked hopefully. However, Labrid shook his head. Her hopes almost immediately settled back down.

"Regarding the DNAlien operations." He said. "I've been scouting their operations. They have been all over the country."

He reached into his coat pocket again. Even though Gwen now knew it was just a projection of his ID mask, it still felt trippy to see clothing behave as they should. He opened it, and she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"What?" Magister Labrid asked.

"Nothing." Gwen replied before pointing at the map. "Just a little old-school."

Magister Labrid tilted his head. "As long as it works." he stated, before the paper unravelled the United States of America in front of them.

"Now." he stated. "Like I said, they have been scouring this region. States which you refer to as Texas, California, New York, South Dakota–"

"Also Seattle."

Magister Labrid tilted his head. Gwen took her chance to point at the map.

"Bancroft Academy, right? There have been numerous instances of strange abductions from students, specifically with girls." She stated, feeling rather haunted but a discipline came over her. "Most return after only a few days, but some… some are just outright going missing."

"Among other places, but yes. Your research has been thorough." Magister Labrid complimented as he closed the map.

Gwen blushed but shook her head.

"Not mine." She replied. "There's someone else."

Seeing the confusion on his face, she elaborated.

"I've found someone else, knowledgeable of what we're doing but also sympathetic." She said. "We've both kept each other in the loop. He's been wanting to check this out for a few weeks now."

"All for the better." Magister Labrid said, putting the map back in his pocket. "As chances are… we, definitely, will require help."

---

"Alright." Kirishima slammed his hands on the table, and got up. "I'm done."

Ashido saw the paper in his hands.

"Oh, Kiri, you're turning it in?" She got up as well.

He shrugged. "Yeah–"

"Who are you going with?" Ashido asked, leaning and attempting to sneak a glance at his paper.

Kirishima however, was very open with it. He turned the paper.

"Fourth Kind as the first choice, of course!" He said, grabbing it with both hands. "It says here that he's disciplined, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and has an agency with a large range of stuff."

"Niceeeee!" Ashido nodded.

"What've you got?" Kirishima asked–

"Yoroi Musha!" She said and showed him her paper. "I'm goin with Yaomomo's advice, all the way!"

Kirishima's eyebrows faintly went up. He had heard what Yaomomo's recommendations were, and among them, it was interesting to know Ashido was leaning towards combat instead of rescue.

"Hey, we're heading out!.." Ashido yelled back.

Tennyson, Yaomomo, and Jiro didn't reply as they were laser-focused on their papers. And most of the class, who weren't drowning in offers like they had, had left already. But Uraraka still perked up.

"Oh, could I join you?" She said, before turning.

"Yeah! The more the merrier!" Ashido exclaimed, catching Kirishima off guard.

"Wait, join for what?" He asked.

"An arcade!" Ashido said. "It's been ages since we went, so let's go."

Kirishima couldn't find it in himself to argue with that logic… and as Midoriya came back to class, he looked in his direction.

"Hey, Midoriya!" He said. "We're heading to the arcade. Wanna join?"

The greenette reacted as if he was hit by a flashbang. "Me?" He asked with widened eyes before narrowing them, trying to process the information.

"Yes, you, Deku!" Uraraka said. "Come on!"

Midoriya nodded. "Sure…" He thought to himself, feeling overwhelmed, and ran to his desk to tidy up. Thankfully All Might was going to deliver his paper for him–

"Iida, how abou–" Uraraka attempted to say, only to see his desk empty. She pursed her brows…

"Huh, I bet he figured out where he wants to intern and is off to deliver his forms right now." Midoriya blurted out. He reckoned that Iida didn't really want to be around people right now..

"Yep, that sounds like Iida." Thankfully Ashido backed him up, which seemed to ease Uraraka's nerves–

"But his loss! Tennyson, Yaomomo, Jiro, how 'bout it?" Ashido asked.

Yaomomo raised her pupils from the paper first. She looked ahead to Tennyson's desk. There were a number of papers, all filled with offers and even though Tennyson had his pencil case out… none of the papers had any marks.

She looked at her own paper, with the Pro-Hero Majestic's name circled. A scorching hot question was on her mind and… now it was starting to burn a hole. She just couldn't help but wonder, what if…

"Yep!" Ben raised his hands and stretched his arms. He'd been sitting in the same position for a while so his bones let out a faint crack sound.

"That sounds good to me!" He got up, and looked behind him. "Yaomomo, you in?"

"I…" She exclaimed in surprise and shuffled her papers back together for a sec, thinking she'll be found out. However, she gathered herself rather quickly.

"I haven't been to… an arcade before, but–"

"Really, Yaomomo?" Ashido exclaimed. "That's even more reason!"

Yaomomo gestured with her head. "Alright, if I shall…" She said before properly tidying up her papers with a cool head.

Jiro also wordlessly followed suit.

"Alright!" Ashido pumped her fist and headed to the door.

Midoriya smiled faintly. It was nice… to have this–

"Hey, Bakugo, you wanna tag along too?"

Midoriya felt the reality he surrounded himself shatter like glass. His pupils became like dots.

Kacchan directly looked at him too, as he walked inside.

"Arcade, you in or out?" Kirishima asked him, and he gave a dismissive, outright underestimating glare– only for him to shrug his shoulders.

"Eh." He groaned, before moving and picking up his backpack. "You'll need someone to win for you." he remarked.

Jiro scoffed. "This should be fun." She said under her breath as all eight of them got ready.

Kirishima, Jiro and Ashido all handed in their papers. Yaoyorozu pondered doing the same as them, however when others asked Tennyson and he said he was planning to hand it in tomorrow, she decided to follow suit with him instead…

Midoriya still tried to shake off the nerves. When adrenaline coursed through his veins, it was easy to talk to Kacchan now, but without it?

The idea of hanging around with Kacchan like normal, as if NOTHING had happened since they were kids… felt weird.

And with how Kacchan *was* looking at him, trying to pressure him, just confirmed it to him that things might have changed but not that much.

So much so that part of him couldn't help but silently wish that something, anything, could get him out of this…

He looked over to Tennyson and… found him checking his green retro phone. When he got close, he nudged him and got his attention.

"Anything?" He asked.

Tennyson raised his eyebrows, before making the connection between him and the phone.

"Oh, no." He put it back in his pocket. "It's all quiet on the western front." He remarked with a smirk.

---

"We cannot call them, Magister Labrid." Gwen raised her head.

Back in America, she was sitting on her couch. The sun had long since set, and the paper bags, with fancy brands of clothing stores, were all tossed onto her bed as a still-disguised Magister Labrid took his place at her desk.

"The activities of the Forever Knights are much more developed. If we were to leave them alone…"

"I understand that." Magister Labrid retorted. "However, you must be aware that leaving the Highbreed alone by contrast, will have consequences more dire than any Earth organization."

Seeing Gwen tremble ever so slightly, he palmed his fist. "We mustn't waver in our priorities." Magister Labrid stated.

However, it didn't solve the problem and he knew very well why. Even if he was right about the threat, Ms. Tennyson also had a point about consequences. They could not move them around on a whim.

Magister Labrid put his hands on his hips.

"Regardless, like I've stated before, the three of us will not be enough." He declared strictly. "I had sincerely hoped that Ben Tennyson would be done with training his group by now."

Gwen gave him a sarcastic look. "Oh no, Ben isn't…" She held a laugh. "He's definitely not the most proactive person out there… not when it comes to managing people other than himself."

Magister Labrid however, wasn't laughing. So, she also wiped the smile off her face and took a deep breath.

"Look." She said. "He's been letting them take things slow. Not with drills or training programs, but as events come up, on their own…"

"That's most irresponsible." Magister Labrid swiftly said–

"Yes." Gwen interrupted him. "But also attempting to be gentle, knowing full well that he dropped into all of their lives unannounced… and basically asked them to get drafted for a galactic war, that's also Ben."

Magister Labrid promptly fell silent. Gwen's eyebrows went up.

"Sorry..." She remarked, wincing. "That was heavy-handed."

"It's okay." Magister Labrid raised his hand. "I… It is the way I'm used to running my own operations." He stated. "So I don't take much offense."

Gwen raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, that's good." She nodded as they settled back down. She raised a finger. "But I still can't let you take Ben out of there."

Magister Labrid seemed disgruntled, however remained understanding this time.

"You have a point." he said, making Gwen feel just a little bit more comfortable–

"There's also a separate matter, Kevin Levin."

Gwen tilted her head. "W-What about him–?"

"With Ingenium's indisposition, Ben Tennyson remains as the only one who can watch over him." He got up and assembled his hands behind his back. "So… it *may* just be imperative that he remains, alongside his friends–"

"Yes, but maybe…" She floated her words for a second. "Maybe we could bring some of them, including Kevin?"

Magister Labrid raised a brow, or… he did the equivalent to that if he were to have a brow.

"You go against your point from earlier–"

"I'm just saying that there *may be* more to Kevin…" She opened her hands. "...than just a point on the long list of things we need to watch out for."

Magister Labrid pressed his lips together, before approaching Gwen. He grabbed her by the shoulder.

"I would like to assume as much. Additionally there is the fact that you're more knowledgeable about the case than myself. However, incarceration in the Null Void isn't a penalty passed onto just everyone." He stated.

She felt his grip tighten a little.

"You better be really sure…" He stated, looking though as if he was feeling a little remorse as well. "...before you put too much stock into any one action."

Gwen backed off.

"Okay, so… no Kevin." She said. "None from Ben and his team..."

"... and not your grandfather." Magister Labrid added, before leaning forward.

Gwen had put a hand under her chin.

"Which brings us back to the beginning." He said. "Tell me, Ms. Gwen Tennyson, is there no one else whom you can trust. No other friends?"

She looked at him with the corner of her eye… before seeing her bedside table.

"No friends." She said apprehensively. "None that I can immediately pick up the phone and bother anyway. However…"

Brushing past him, she moved to her bedside table and opened its drawer, taking out a framed photo.

"Emily said friends are only SOMETIMES easier to trust than family." She said. "Say, how much sway do you have within the Plumber Academy?"

Magister Labrid tilted his head. "I've taught some of the upper brass there myself, why do you ask–?"

"We need to make a call." She said, before starting to rub her left temple, already feeling a headache coming on. "And hopefully it'll be worth it."

---

"Come on, it'll be worth it!" Ashido jumped with her fists raised.

They had arrived at the arcade and… Ben couldn't help but be filled in awe. It was quite possibly the largest hall allocated for video games that he had ever seen, with colorful lights, ear-splitting noise, and a whole range of machines that encapsulated both!

Besides just the usual sticks, there were claw machines, DDR's, motion seats for racing games, and also photo booths to his surprise.

And right now… they were in a line in front of some new claw machines. Or at least Ben thought they were new, seeing how much they sparkled and how many people were trying their luck.

"Maybe afterwards." Kirishima shrugged, and nobody seemed all that hype for the plushies and figures either. Especially Uraraka.

"Maybe not…" The brown-haired girl said with her hand behind her head. And seeing the situation, Kirishima took a quick look around.

"How about those fighting games!?" He pointed at the row of arcade cabinets.

Bakugo rolled his eyes. "Finally!" He stretched. "Took the words right out of my mouth, Shitty Hair!" He said with a smirk.

"Alright, well, you have fun!" Ashido replied. "Because in that case, the dance floor calls my name!"

It was no challenge to imagine where she was going to go. So, Yaomomo, who had adjusted to the lights and sound, leaned to Ben's ear.

"So, which game are you going to try out?" She asked.

"Dunno." Ben answered. "But if there's Sumo Slammer stuff in the fighting section by any chance, I know where I'm spending my afternoon."

She nodded. "Then… I guess I could go with you, first."

"Fighting game for me too!" Uraraka palmed her fist.

Midoriya pursed her mouth, as he noticed that Ashido was almost looking to be alone in the Dance Dance Revolution. So… he raised his hand.

"I.. could join you if you want Ashido." He said in a very meek fashion.

"Really?!" Ashido exclaimed. "You dabbled in the ways of DDR?"

"Not… really." He replied, rubbing his arm. But Ashido kept up her sparkling attitude.

"Well, it's never too late to learn!" She said. "Jiro, how bout it? Wanna join us too?"

Jiro's eyebrows raised as she flinched. But as she calmed down and took a glance at the rest of the group, she just took a deep breath.

"I don't know…" She said. "I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?"

"You'll only regret it if you don't try it!" Ashido said and grabbed the duo by their wrists. "See you later, guys!" She said, taking them to the DDR.

"We'll meet up with you when we're done!" Ben talked for the team as well. "Now, where's that section?"

Kirishima beckoned. "Follow me dude and dudettes–"

"FOLLOW. ME." Bakugo snatched the lead away from him though. "Thankfully for you, I've been to this place… and know where the good machines are." he said, leading them.

Ben then noticed Uraraka as she got in between him and Yaomomo.

"So, we're just gonna follow *him*?"

Ben shrugged. "Sure. If he says good machines, they'll be good machines." He said. "... Or it'll be ones he rigged–"

A cross-shaped nerve appeared on Bakugo's head.

"As if I'd NEED to cheat to beat you!"

"Then you better be right!" Ben clapped back. "Or else I'm making fun of you till the time we go back!"

He managed to get a growl from Bakugo in response, which made him grin. There really was nothing better than just goading him on this off-day, wasn't there?

---

"Azmuth..?"

The green, darkened skies hung over Galvan Prime as an eerie silence had swept the planet and its populus. The lights between all buildings had seemingly all but gone out. The stars above the planet were as lively as ever.

However inside of them, especially on the main tower, brief sparks were seen. Shadows were moving from one side to the other, and clouds up on above were shifting as if they were confused on where to go.

"Azmuth?"

And basking before all, in front of his window, was the First Thinker himself. From the opening of the door behind him, Myaxx entered the room, looking mildly nettled.

"You know you could answer the intercom when I'm calling for you, right?" She said, with one hand on her hip.

"What is it, Myaxx? I'm trying to think." He said, looking as though he was musing.

"Another party has arrived at hangar C." She stated. "It appears the Cerebrocrustaceans have responded well to the messenger."

Azmuth however was dismissive.

"Yes, they don't want to be outdone. Direct them to Galvan B. Get the ship and personnel inspected." He waved his hand, and Myaxx gave a nod.

"Naturally." She said. "Also upgrade their security system with a mechamorph."

Azmuth didn't even dignify that with a nod. Myaxx however wasn't bothered at all. She could feel a smile coming on as she looked at the datapad in her hands.

The door whooshed open, and after a brief pause, a rhythmic thudding sound followed. Azmuth bowed his head. If anything these were footsteps and in that case, they were heavy ones. By the reaction of Myaxx as well… there was only one plausible conclusion.

"Also, we have a special arrival right behind you." Myaxx said.

Azmuth sighed and turned around.

Before him stood a suit of shiny gray armor, with triangular pauldrons on the sides, a utility belt with various gadgets around his hip, and a dark black retractable helmet with a small green window.

With the press of a button, the actual crystalline head revealed itself.

"Tetrax." Azmuth muttered.

"Azmuth." He responded in kind, before he raised his fist and pressed it to the left side of his chest, greeting him formally.

With his eyes narrowed, he took a long look at freelance mercenary before nodding.

"Likewise." He remarked.

Tetrax nodded as well. "Good to see you again too, Myaxx." He said before he repeated the gesture, greeting her formally as well.

Myaxx on the other hand, just scoffed and looked at her tablet. "Well, not really." She shook her head. "Considering the circumstances."

"Right." Tetrad put his hand down. "How can I help?"

"Right now?" Azmuth asked, shaking his head. "We need ideas."

The First Thinker snapped his fingers and a device detached from the top of the room. The door to the outside and windows shut as the device then displayed a holographic map of the known universe, before zooming closer to Galvan Prime.

"As it stands, we're both scientists and not generals." he said.

Tetrad bowed his head before putting his hands around the holotable and leaned onto his arms.

"And among our contacts, who don't have their own planet's agenda first, you are the one with the most combat experience." Myaxx said, which didn't make the Petrosapien feel so well.

The mention of his experience, reminded him of how he got the said experience. However, he also knew he had to be strong.

"Okay." He straightened up and crossed his arms. "Lay it on me then. Allies?"

"So far we could make contact and verify small agreements with Arachnichimps, Detrovites, Aquarians, Necrofriggians, Lewodans, and major treaties with Apploplexians. There's one pending with the Tetramands or rather the Redwind family…"

Tetrax raised his hand from his crossed arms, however Myaxx kept going.

"... And Galvan B, Cerebrocrustatians, and the Anur System have settled only on logistical help–"

"Wait." Tetrax slightly raised his voice to be heard while making the same motion. "You got Apploplexians and Lewodans to make peace…?"

"Well, it was easy to do so temporarily once the Apploplexians were introduced to a bigger fish in the pond." Azmuth said as Myaxx sarcastically shook her head.

"And you know Apploplexians love fish."

Tetrax nodded in understanding.

"Very well." He stated. "Is that the most planetary help we'll get?"

Azmuth clicked his teeth, and Myaxx touched the holotable again in response.

"Unfortunately so. Even with the Redwinds, our forces are still going to be at the risk of underachieving what the Highbreed have managed–"

"*Because* the problem extends beyond just handing weapons in the hands of soldiers." Azmuth cynically joined in, and Tetrax put his focus on him.

"The logistical help comes from planets with higher tech levels and the warriors come from lower ones. There's only so much time to retrofit the combat experience of an army to new equipment."

Tetrax raised his hand again, curiously. "What about the Plumbers–!"

"Pah!" Azmuth waved his hand again, briefly making Tetrax's eyes widen. "I've been in contact with them for a while. They're already spread thin. Not fit to conduct additional lessons." He stated–

"Speaking of which…" Myaxx looked at her tablet. "Apparently they have a call… to let one of their students take an urgent leave of absence for–"

"Let them." Azmuth adversely stated.

"Okay…" Tetrax brought his hand to his chin again. Then despite all the planets banding together, manpower-wise they were going to be at a disadvantage. Tech-wise, there was a strong chance it would be a tie. Part of him wanted to give their side favors because of the Galvans, however it was just like Azmuth said. They would have to fast track teaching the discipline needed for their weapons, whereas the Highbreed suffered no such problems with their DNAliens.

He could feel that If they were gonna pull off a stalemate, much less win, they definitely needed an edge, an x-factor…

"What about superheroes?"

The two scientists seemed taken aback.

"What about the Galactic Enforcers?" Tetrax said. "I'd bet we could get Rouleau or Seagle in here in just a few hours…" He stated.

"No." Azmuth curtly stated as Myaxx opened their latest known location. "With the military of some planets being majorly diminished, it is their responsibility now to uphold the law, especially in the ones with low tech level. "

"Hence why we also couldn't get much support from a number of planets…" Azmuth said, looking down, saddened. "If only they were just as interested in saving their planet as we are…"

Myaxx also pressed her lips.

"Yeah… but now that wouldn't make them people, would it?" She said frustratedly and Tetrax couldn't help but pick up on it. He could hear her murmur.

"Everyone wants their planet saved… How do you expect that when none of you are willing to fight for it." She said under her breath, as if she was going to slam her tablet on the table as well.

As if a lightbulb had gone off on his head, Tetrax took his hand off his chin.

"How about Ben Tennyson?" He asked. However the only thing that was in store for him was to get a direct glance from Azmuth.

Tetrax could see the First Thinker shift uncomfortably.

"Oh, no..." He said as he took a deep breath, rubbing the four small tendrils under his chin. "I believe the wielder of my Omnitrix has his hands quite full."

---

"Ohhhhhhhhh, there it is!" Ben almost mid-air as he saw one of the machines with the usual fighting sticks. It had two controls, and was decorated with various Sumo Slammers all around with the sides reserved only to the main two: Ishiyama and Kenko… wearing high tech sci-fi outfits.

"Sumo Slammers: Space Wars!" Ben said, taking out a coin from his pocket. "Ah, one of the best spin-offs to an already great classic. Can't believe they even have this…"

Bakugo eyed up the machine cynically, while Kirishima cracked his knuckles. "Well, Japan's the world's hub for all things arcade." He said.

Thankfully, the front of the machine was also empty.

"So, you're looking to play that?" Kirishima asked.

"Might as well." Ben excitedly nodded– and so Bakugo grinned.

"Alright!" He gestured. "Then we'll fight in tha–"

"I call dibs!" Uraraka said.

Bakugo looked as though he was about to blow a gasket.

"No!.." He burst, only to grit his teeth. "Pink Cheeks, I was about to call it." He continued with his fist tightened, but also keeping a tone that was unusually calmer.

"Too bad, she did it first." Ben said, siding with her and adding fuel, while Bakugo looked like he was about to ignite it.

So, Kirishima got in between them.

"And… there IS a difference between 'about to call it' and 'call it'." He said. However, seeing as though he still didn't look satisfied, he tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, how 'bout you run those hands with me first?" Kirishima said. "I know a decent game too."

Bakugo scoffed, and took another glance at Tennyson's face. He was looking ever so smug, so…

"Whatever." He unraveled his arms and followed Kirishima.

As the three of them were then left alone, Ben dashed to grab the stick and buttons on the left while Uraraka dashed to grab the ones on the right. Ben inserted a coin…

"Oh, Yaomomo." Uraraka took her hand off the stick and gestured the controls to her. "I didn't ask but did you want to play?"

With her arms crossed, Yaomomo shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. I just want to watch." She said, waving her hand.

Truth be told, video games never felt like her style. Not because she thought they were trivial, they actually seemed really fun in the moment, however the headache that followed was nothing short of annoyingly irritating.

Normally as she would avoid them for a book, this time she decided to lean closer to see the screen clearer instead, both because she hadn't seen this type of game before and because she would like to be with her friends.

"Alright, listen up." Tennyson said, opening his arms. "I'm only gonna explain the controls once, and if you need a refresher… Well, we're not pausing." He said, looking self-satisfied.

"No problem with me!" Uraraka said. "Let's do this!"

"Choose! Your! Character!"

Yaomomo watched as the pair then chose a background and music, before the gameplay scene actually appeared. Tennyson showed her the buttons and mechanics of the game, but when the match did start, he played rather simply.

He avoided utilizing many mechanics and kept his movement restricted to just punching whenever the wind blew his way or blocking whenever it didn't; and Uraraka was doing her best to make sure it didn't.

She was attempting to match him and frequently getting on a rhythm, but the second she would– Ben would counter by using one of the mechanics. He would start jumping, grabbing, in a word expanding his range of movements so boundlessly and Yaomomo started to pick up on them.

Now that she had the chance to see it up close, it almost felt like a series of lightning round chess matches which felt wildly interesting. Every exchange felt like it had the potential to be a bout that you couldn't get complacent in, and yet Tennyson was making it happen… with a confident attitude.

However as the first round concluded, Tennyson found himself being able to do that less and less when he even got countered by Uraraka as she was starting to adapt for the second round–

"K.O.!"

The second round ended.

"Ahhh…!" She said frustratedly.

"That was pretty good for your first time." Tennyson shrugged, but both of them knew what had to follow. He tossed up another coin before catching it. "How about the second?"

"Definitely." Uraraka nodded, looking fired up.

They got back into things, and as they continued to play, Yaomomo narrowed her eyes, and thought about how she would react if she were in Uraraka's position or Tennyson's position… while Kirishima and Bakugo had their own brawl.

---

"In the corner again?" Bakugo asked with a low tone, as his hands were focused on the buttons.

In a quick sequence, his character punched, did a butterfly kick, landed a rising uppercut before blasting him down with a beam from his eyes. As he was in the corner, Kirishima's muscular character had to turtle.

"Hey now, I also didn't insert a coin just to spend it on a corner." He said and mashed two buttons at the same time. His character jumped just barely above the ground and flexed, unleashing a spark of red electricity.

Right then, his characters followed up with a double fist. However…

"That's not what your punches say." Bakugo said.

Kirishima's eyebrows went up. Bakugo's character had blocked the hit and the subsequent two moves perfectly. However, instead of waiting for him to hit the ground, he jumped to meet him head on and his character made a forward flip, landing a double knock before following it up with a turning one!

Kirishima's character was staggered, and so Bakugo followed it up with a full combo. With a roundhouse kick, front flip kick, and then a spin around before raising his hands. One of his energy meters was consumed, and Bakugo's character blasted him again!

"You don't have your hardening, dumbass." Bakugo said, scornfully, and Kirishima noticed that. "Risk like that doesn't pay off…"

Bakugo continued with hitting the buttons and turning the stick, outright juggling Kirishima's character with his hits–

"K.O.!"

The first round came to a close, with Bakugo less than half health and Kirishima down on the ground with no more health. Second round immediately kicked off.

"So…" Kirishima took his eyes off the screen just for a second as things seemed even. '... You came along."

"You offered, Shitty Hair." Bakugo remarked. He tried the uppercut again but Kirishima blocked. So the eye beam follow-up aimed towards the sky was wasted as well. It was Kirishima's turn to hit back.

"True but I thought we were in your boot camp. Daily training with you, Pony and I." He said as the screen paused for a second. One meter was consumed as Kirishima's character grabbed Bakugo before slamming him over his shoulder, changing sides.

"I half thought you'd drag me back in." Kirishima said, suppressing a laugh.

"Admit it, you're enjoying this."

Bakugo grunted. Catching a space between his hits, Bakugo's character started to block.

"That rescue training was enough work-out." The ash-blonde said, as he took a breath, relaxing his tense nerves. "Torture won't improve your body or quirk, it'll break it down."

He huffed. "That's what happens to your armor too, dumbass."

Kirishima tilted his head–

"Or better yet, it's why you don't see the freak show's face in the gym."

Kirishima scoffed.

"Wait, so, you look at Tennyson's face?" He asked–

He shut his mouth and stuck out his tongue between his closed lips as he tried to attack from above only to follow it up with an attack from below, however Bakugo didn't bite. He blocked both hits solemnly.

So… Kirishima kept up the usual string of combos, but kept some of the laughter.

"I'm far off?" He asked–

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day." Bakugo said in response. "And seeing that many of them, in front of my face, every day… you'd be dumb if you didn't pick up anything."

"Okay." Kirishima responded as he shut his mouth and only stuck out his tongue between his closed lips. "What's plastered on my face then?"

Bakugo's eyebrows went up. With another overhead strike, Kirishima's character caught him. His character's health started to flash red.

He groaned, as he waited for the combo to end.

"You familiar with the phrase, you can do more than you think?" Bakugo asked.

"Of course!" Kirishima said. "It's Plus Ultra, right? At least basically–"

"You're not that." Bakugo gritted his teeth. "You already do more… than what you think you can."

His smile almost disappeared completely as Bakugo had also used three bars of his energy meter. In a fancy cutscene, his character crossed his arms and overwhelmed both Kirishima's character and the entire stage with a giant red wave from his pupils!

There wasn't any time to block, Kirishima watched as the hit took out a quarter of his health. After that, Bakugo went right back to combo his hits, as Kirishima's character was seemingly caught off-guard. Now both characters were flashing red.

"What's that mean?"

Bakugo rolled his eyes.

"It means you're a clingy bastard." Bakugo shook his head. Reaching the end of his combo, he dashed back.

Just like he thought, Kirishima's character punched the air, so he answered with another blow to his feet and got right back into it.

"You've got somethin' going. Nothin too fancy but it works, so you want it to work for others too." Bakugo said. "So much so that I'm half sure you've got a cat, because you have a soft spot for strays."

Kirishima pursed his mouth, and averted his eyes.

"Well, my dad's allergic…"

"Then you'd have one if he weren't." Bakugo pressed, as his character leaped and landed another eye laser. "It makes you able to overreach like no one else…"

Bakugo lifted his eyes off the screen, and glanced at Kirishima, making brief eye-contact with him.

"...but somehow you're also staying out of the way just enough, to not become fucking irritating like some other people."

Kirishima winced. His mouth opened, reckoning that the other people in question was something about Midoriya, but he chose to close it back down–

With a roundhouse kick, Bakugo's character knocked Kirishima's into the corner.

"Why is that? Not because you respect me too much, it's impossible, but… you respect yourself too little."

Bakugo's character put a hand next to his visor where the beams came out of. It started to light up from one side to the other, and pulsated. His character's energy meter, which was really high, began to decrease!

"Like on the bus to the damn rescue place, you complained your quirk wasn't flashy." Bakugo said, and… Kirishima remembered that.

They were talking as a class, and said the three with the flashiest quirks out of all of them were probably Todoroki's, Tennyson's, and Bakugo's.

"You don't pity me, but you were pitying yourself. You can take blows from me and walk them off, so don't piss me off." Bakugo said, taking his hand off the stick, and just leaving one finger holding down the button. "You have a spine. Use it. Or…"

Kirishima also stopped, right before his eyebrows went up. He only had a sliver of health. Reaching for the two buttons, he wanted to unleash the same sparking blast–

"...get the hell out of my face."

Bakugo's hand let go of the button, and Kirishima pursed his mouth. As Bakugo's character fired, Kirishima's character did the exact same move as last time, hovering in the air while enveloped in a red electric aura. However that aura only clashed with the beam for a bit before he was left open for the last bit of the blast and even the little impact, depleted his health.

"K.O.!"

"That's why I'm number one." Bakugo said right before he pointed to the console. "And, you suck."

Kirishima inwardly sighed.

"Fair enough. I'll learn from that." He put his hands on his hips, and Bakugo crossed his arms. He leaned back as if he was gonna smirk self-satisfiedly as well, but didn't.

He looked directly at Kirishima.

"But there's something you should know– or…" The redhead raised his finger, before he put both hands in his school jacket's pockets and leaned against the machine. "... More like something you already know, very well."

Bakugo glanced at his win for a second, before turning to his side and leaned on the machine as well. Kirishima put his hand into his jacket's pocket… before taking out another coin. He placed it on the machine.

"I'll also never give up."

Bakugo looked at the smug expression on Kirishima's face, and felt his eyebrows crossing in irritation.

"You know you'll regret that." He said, looking at the coin.

However, Kirishima was easy-going. He just shrugged in response.

"I can't." He shrugged. "Like you said, I'm clingy."

Bakugo smirked.

"Choose! Your! Character!"

This time, he hovered over another character. A young man with a white gi and headband, wearing a black belt and red gloves. Kirishima, on the other hand, chose the same one.

---

"Aaaaaaaand, three matches… three o's!" Ben yelled.

Kenko, who was played by Uraraka, transformed into a wyvern and put up a wall of fire. However, Ishiyama negated it with a stomp on the ground before grabbing him mid-air, ending the fight.

"Dang…" Uraraka said under her breath.

Yaomomo pursed her mouth, seeing as Tennyson wasn't taking out another coin, she did. "Did you two want to play again?"

"Nah…" Uraraka shook her head. "You want to tag in?"

Tennyson's eyebrows went up, looking at her with anticipation. Yaomomo tilted her head though, and stared off into the distance.

In that position Uraraka had definitely held the advantage, as utilizing Kenko's second transformation would have been proper, since the avian form allowed for two dashes in the air instead of just one.

Kenko could have definitely gone behind Ishiyama and tried his hand at a knockback. However, there was also the chance of Tennyson resorting to spending energy instead and bringing out the Sumo Saber…

Last time Uraraka had put herself in a similar position, it was Tennyson's choice to use it as it hit both sides at the cost of a long cooldown… But considering that she just thought about it, wouldn't she be able to block–

Yaomomo just shook her head instead.

"No… I'd rather not." She put away the coin.

Yaomomo didn't notice that Tennyson seemed to be upset briefly, as if it had rained on his parade, however he quickly bounced back.

"I did say Kenko was a complex character." He said to Uraraka. "They gave Ishiyama gadgets to really fit the theme, but they didn't really do much with Kenko's shapeshifting."

"Yeah, it felt off to transform into a dragon when it had the title 'Space Wars'." She said. "If he's a shapeshifter, why not aliens?"

"Exactly!" Ben said, before shaking his head disappointedly. "Oh no, but give us the same Wyvern form 20 times because of course we would pay for it!.. even when it's DLC."

Uraraka tilted her head. That felt oddly-specific to her.

Ben just shook his head and stared off into the distance with his arms crossed.

"I'm not proud of it." He said, but Uraraka felt the need to continue.

"You know that makes you part of the proble–"

"Heyyyyyyyyy!" Ben cut her off. "Why don't we check to see how the explosion boy is doing!" He changed the conversation.

Getting around other gamers which had beads of sweat going down their foreheads, they managed to find the ash-blonde and the hardening redhead relatively quickly.

However, once they reached them…

"Oh no!" Kirishima back dashed with his character, and let the super attack wash over his block, doing no damage. "Not this time, Bakugo! I'm getting a stock over you!"

"Over my dead body, Shitty Hair!" Bakugo perked up before he started to hit the buttons even harder and faster.

Seeing them so engaged in combat, Ben shrugged.

"Maybe we don't disturb them…?" He said.

Uraraka shook her head, and Yaomomo vocally reaffirmed.

"Agreed. Then… perhaps we shall check in with Ashido?"

Ben's eyebrows went up.

"OHHHHH, good idea! They were playing DDR…" He said.

Yaomomo raised her eyebrow as Ben seemed really excited to check out this game as well…

"Yeah, let's go to them." He said. "I'm sure they're having fun."

---

Ashido's head fell onto her hands.

In front of them were both Midoriya and Jiro on a dance-dance-revolution machine, and…from what she could describe by their poses, either performing a ritualistic rain dance or buffering in real time.

Jiro was a bit better than Midoriya, most likely because she was listening to the music, however the prompts with the arrows kept going up and they were either too early or too late in pressing them.

It was all just "Meh…" or "Boo!", being returned as their scores–

"Aha…"

Ashido turned around and saw the mildly surprised and amused faces of Tennyson and Uraraka, with Yaomomo in tow. They probably had the same thoughts that she had.

"Not the lightest pair on their feet, are they?" Ben crossed his arms.

"I thought a couple of rounds would warm them up!" Ashido pleadingly opened her arms. "Now? I'd get any claw machine prize to anyone who can take their place."

Ben raised his eyebrows.

He glanced at the machine. There was a sizable plasma tv, attached to two dance platforms of four acrylic glass pads below the player's feet ordered in a plus sign. Each of the game edges held a unique symbol, and the goal was to press those exact symbols when they reached the top of the screen… which was where the dancing came from.

There was music also blasting from the tv which dictated the pattern of the symbols, and there was a bar behind each of the players in case they wanted to hold on.

Excitement bubbled up from inside.

"Alright!" He took off his school blazer, and loosened his tie. Yaomomo widened her eyes as he walked over to Midoriya, who was panting in front of his results.

"How… was I?" Midoriya asked.

"Still a little ways off." He said. "You're gonna play another round?"

"N-No…" Midoriya said, and immediately Ben nodded.

"Then let me have this round!" He pointed to himself with his thumb.

All the while, Midoriya didn't argue a second longer. He stepped back to Ashido's side, while Tennyson hung his jacket on the bar.

"Good try, Midoriya." The pink girl tried to be gentle at least. "But pay attention to the music more. You're planting your feet too much, just let loose once in a while, light the fire and flame on!" She said, gesturing with her arms to drive the point even further.

"Roger…" Midoriya nodded his head, right before Jiro joined them.

"Huh, Jiro?" She exclaimed. "You're not playing with Tennyson?"

The hearing hero immediately shook her head before crossing her arms.

"Nope." She said. "This type of game is really not my thing…"

"Uh-huh…" Ashido replied, with pieces just clicking together in her head. "I thought this'd be your jam, but you were still kind of stiff… Oh, but your earphone jacks were moving just fine!"

Her pupils became like dots, before she blushed and looked away.

"I don't wanna talk about it." She said– right before Tennyson turned around.

"Heyyyyy, you say that too!" He exclaimed with a cheeky tone, and Jiro stared back with a slightly annoyed deadpan.

"Alright then, Tennyson!" Ashido cracked her knuckles, catching Yaomomo off-guard.

"Get ready to meet your maker, twice in one day!" She said.

"Bring it on then!" Tennyson clapped back.

Ashido raised her eyebrows, before narrowing them down very amusedly. "Oh you have no idea what you're in for…"

"One minute, Ashido." Yaomomo interjected. She glanced at the second platform.

"Could I… perhaps compete in this game? Against Tennyson?"

Both Tennyson and Ashido seemed surprised.

"Sure…" Ashido said, and she responded with a nod.

"Thank you." Yaoyorozu said, and got on the platform. She didn't take off her blazer, however she did undo the top button.

Ben on the other hand was still mildly befuddled, as he was about to throw down with Ashido only to then go up against Yaomomo… He felt the need to dial down his enthusiasm.

"You… know how to play?" He asked as he straightened up.

Yaomomo nodded. "I believe I understand it."

She couched lightly, and Ben followed. Both of them had their gazes locked on the screen, before the music started.

---

"I'm sorry Azmuth, however I doubt that." Tetrax stated– only to see the first thinker standing resolute behind his argument.

Back in Galvan Prime, hearing that Ben Tennyson was busy with matters even more important than the Highbreed, Tetrax raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of matter could be more important than the survival of everyone in the universe?" He asked. "I would say nothing, even if Ben and I hadn't known each other personally."

Azmuth pursed his mouth, and refused to answer. Seeing that, Tetrax didn't lash out and press his point.

He had a feeling that if he was acting this resolute about Ben Tennyson, then there was something he shouldn't know about.

However, even though there was that, there was also the board in front of him.

"In either case, our strategy still requires an edge." He said. "Lest we let the battle drag out at best…"

"... or we do not succeed at worst." Azmuth grimly finished his sentence, before he bowed his head, closing his eyes and rubbing the small tendrils on his chin in deep thought.

Tetrax crossed his arms and rubbed his own chin, looking at the wall where the window was supposed to be. Perhaps he should bring in some of his trusted contacts into this too… If they were to all put their heads together, maybe a solution would reveal itself–

"First Thinker Azmuth, sir…?"

Suddenly the door behind them opened and the holograms immediately disappeared. A galvan, which was a little larger and wearing a mint green mumu and glasses, entered the room.

"Yes, Y-it?" Azmuth exhaustively asked, opening one of his eyes ajar.

Y-it checked his tablet.

"Umm, the drone that you've sent out has stopped transmission from…" He said, and Tetrax looked down to check on Azmuth's expression. Y-it must have noticed it briefly as well so he stiffened.

"...from Vilgaxia?" Y-it finished– and Tetrax felt himself flare up.

"From where?" He asked with his hands tightening into fists.

"One of the planets which we contacted…" Y-It continued. "First Thinker Azmuth felt as though sending a delegate would be too dangerous–"

"I understand!" Tetrax declared. "I understand well…"

He gritted his teeth before opening his mouth again but… what would be the point.

"Leave us." Azmuth said to Y-it and gestured him back outside. Y-It immediately nodded and went out the door before it started closing up again. The holograms appeared– however Tetrax was quick in his step.

If he wanted to deal with a conqueror, then he could just as well without him.

He quickly went to the door and held his hand in between, stopping it, before he got out as well. However, Azmuth was nonchalant.

"Myaxx?"

"Already on it." She said putting down her tablet, wearing a serious and annoyed expression.

She pressed a button on the wall and let the door open again, before throwing a glance to Azmuth. The First Thinker however looked back, unashamed. She shook her head and the second the door opened enough, she walked fast outside.

Meeting up with Tetrax as he was also brisking outside the corridor, was thankfully not too difficult.

"Hey!" She yelled. "Hey Tetrax, wait a sec."

Tetrax stopped, and as Myaxx saw his face, she took a deep breath.

"Okay, take a breather too, Tetrax." she said-

"How?!" He thundered, feeling offended to the utmost degree. "Without consultation, the conqueror of my world is asked for help."

Myaxx sighed.

"You said we needed an edge and–"

Tetrax glared daggers back at her.

"Let me finish." Myaxx raised her finger. "You said we needed an edge, and as far as highly militaristic empires that are willing to support a peace mission goes… the list itself isn't that long."

"Vilgax is an intergalactic warlord who was willing to leave our vehicle, which was attempting to save the universe from the Omnitrix's self-destruct, dead in space." Tetrax countered.

"Yeah, but… he has a softer spot when it comes to his people. We're not a warrior race."

Tetrax raised an eyebrow. "You were also on said vehicle." he replied, to which Myaxx stared back, deadpan.

"Well… Vilgax wasn't aware." She brushed it aside quickly. "But, the one who chose to contact him is still Azmuth."

That was the point Tetrax sighed, letting go of the desire to go down to the hangar bay and fly out.

"And… he's an ass." She said and shrugged. "But, I guess no one would know that better than *you*, who's meeting him for the second time ever."

Tetrax gritted his teeth. However… he cooled it.

She had a point with the sarcasm. After all, Myaxx had to be the assistant to him day in day out, and even when she had gone to prison, Azmuth hadn't even bat an eye at it.

"Sorry."

Myaxx nodded, and gestured to go back inside before gesturing to all the other Galvan next to their feet. All of them had stopped and were looking at them curiously.

So, he moved back through the corridor.

"Did you know?"

"You only have one guess." Myaxx rolled her eyes. Tetrax noticed her feeling vexed as well for him, even under all the declarations of being a selfish and self-centered being.

Tetrax nodded, feeling glad.

"Very well…"

"I'm just hoping he has a decent explanation this time." Myaxx said before she pressed the button for the doors and they started to open.

---

Yaoyorozu bit down on her lip.

As they were reaching the end of the song and the symbols were continuing to go up, she had figured out a pattern for herself, utilizing many of the stances that she had for her martial arts.

She was merely weaving in a light hop whenever she needed to, but… a drop of sweat rolled down from the side of her face. Her strategy only allowed her to get by.

The movements she had were still stiff since she was going through the entire list in her head almost every time, and after she made an impulsive choice, the following pattern would trip her up, making her lose points.

She gritted her teeth with the ends of her eyebrows slanted down… Then, she looked at how Tennyson was doing.

Just like with their exercises in class, he was wearing his signature grin. Their starts were extremely similar, however he had adapted a lot faster.

As opposed to keeping his torso facing forward at all times and glancing at the board, he wasn't afraid to spin around occasionally while also moving his hands.

There were these select moments which he would get close to laughing, before he raised his arms and started to utilize jumps just like her but… with more flow. He was utilizing them not when just hitting pads directly on opposite sides, but sometimes when the pads were perpendicular.

Momo's mouth pursed.

However, when he made a mistake, he would slowly have them descend back to his sides and face the board carefully again.

But… he had also never glanced in her direction.

At the last burst, Ben stuck out his tongue to the side and tried to go into another burst of moves with the jumping, but lost points on one of the last few buttons.

As they finished though, both of them crashed back on the bars at the same time.

Just then, she saw Tennyson smile back at her.

"So… fun, huh?" He asked with his chest going up and down, and sweating.

"I suppose…" She responded in kind, before looking at their scores and seeing a sizable lead.

They got off the game platforms with Tennyson also grabbing his jacket, and Ashido had her arms crossed.

"Now, that's HOW YOU DO IT PEOPLE!" She said and raised her hands, high fiving the two of them. "Woohoooo!"

Their pink skinned friend turned to her first.

"Okay, Yaomomo, a little stiff around the edges, but we can handle that." she said. "Your flows like, how do I put this… You're buildin a wall with bricks falling down from the sky. And I see you tryin to put it all together nice and fancy like if one misses the whole things gonna come down."

Yaomomo nodded.

"But this ain't an essay tho." Ashido opened her arms. "Just let loose. It's fine if you make a couple missteps."

She raised her hand and gestured to Tennyson.

"Just like Tennyson. He doesn't care about the mess he makes."

Tennyson crossed his arms, before puffing up his chest.

"Yep! That's so right–"

His eyes opened, realizing what he just crashed face first into.

"Hey!"

Ashido gave a cheshire smile, before turning back to her. "You see?"

She nodded reluctantly.

"I think so…" She said, before Jiro also spoke up.

"You did pretty good, Yaomomo. Nevermind the beat, I couldn't even make out which arrow was which towards the end. "

Ashido's face lit up. "Definitely! It's your first time, but you never had the jitters to show for it!" She snapped in her direction.

"I see…" Yaomomo responded, still feeling internally critical of her performance but it made her feel glad that she came across unique compared to the rest.

Plus the feedback she got in response felt extremely solid to work off from. She just needed more experience–

"And for you, Tennyson!" Ashido looked pointed at the self-proclaimed hero of heroes and his confident expression with crossed arms.

She pursed her mouth, musing for a couple of seconds… before then lowering her hand in a flash.

"Not bad."

Ben was visibly taken aback.

"Not bad?" He asked as he unraveled his hands.

"Don't take it personally, really quite decent for a first timer." Ashido said. "But my level? Not bad."

Ben couldn't help but feel peeved. "Well, I–"

"Don't argue with her, Tennyson."

He turned to see Kirishima and Bakugo approaching after clearly having fun with their fighting game world tour.

"I've seen her take on *and* smoke three of my classmates before on one of those machines back to back." He said. "And that's AFTER she had almost two weeks off these things."

Ben's eyebrows raised. He looked back at Ashido in a whole new way. She blew on her nails before rubbing them on her shirt all arrogantly.

"Sprained ankle while skating." She said. "I WAS gonna play, but the doctor was *insistent* with a capital i."

Ben's eyes became like dots, before they closed and he sheepishly put a hand behind his head.

"Yeah, you win…"

Bakugo on the other hand, still scoffed. No matter what "skill" she thought she had, he could overtake her… if only this was a worthwhile thing to do.

"The games here kinda stink anyway…"

"Don't I know it?"

Ben's eyebrows went up, as the one select person he didn't want to interact with this side of his life had shown up here, in this arcade.

In the corner, leaning on one of the game consoles with a defiant grin, was Kevin with his gruff attitude.

His eyebrows crossed immediately, whereas the three that also knew him grew uneasy. The rest however were quite puzzled.

"Hey, Tennyson." Kevin said with his hands in his pockets.

Ben forced a smile.

"Heyyyyyyyyy… And what a way to pick a place to show back up." Ben said between his teeth. Part of him really wanted to punch Kevin across the face for pulling this kind of stunt… but part of him also wanted to be able to explain this to his currently unaware classmates–

"You know him, Tennyson?" Uraraka pitched in before he could get another word in.

"Oh yeah." Kevin said. "We go way back, right, Tennyson?" He tapped him on the shoulder, and Ben's eyes followed as his hand did that.

"Too far." Ben said between his teeth again, before laughing and forcing himself to be more cheery.

"Anyway, he's a friend of mine from America…" He said to his friends, before crossing his arms and shifting his focus to Kevin. "So my question is what brings him here?"

Kevin's smile also faded, giving him the hint that maybe his smirk was forced as well. Granted, there wasn't much laughing the ex-con did when he was around Tennyson, however now he could sense the duty-bound attitude behind it coming out.

"Your cousin, Gwen–"

"Gwen? The one who left?" Jiro curiously remarked, much to Kevin's seeming annoyance.

"Yes." He stated, looking away just a second. "She told me she'd forgotten a book here or somethin. Knowing I was around, she called me."

"Why not me?" Ben pointed to himself with his thumb, to which Kevin gestured to his pocket.

Ben took out his phone right that second, and saw two missed calls from Gwen.

"Oh." He said before putting it back. "She probably wants me to send it back then. Okay, let's go."

Kevin gave a dismissive nod, as he moved towards the exit.

"Sorry guys, for having to leave out of the blue like this." Ben said as he waved to his friends. Honestly, part of him really wanted to stick around, maybe indulge Ashido a bit, definitely show that ash-blonde what's what in gaming, but duty called.

Kirishima responded for the group. "It's no problem." He said, glancing back at Ashido. "We should do this again anyway."

"Yeah!" She piped up just like he wanted. "You could train up in the meantime too!"

And when that happened… he'd definitely be there for the entire time. Ben turned his gaze to Bakugo.

"Raincheck then, ash-blonde?" He grinned, whereas Bakugo gave him a thumbs down.

"Whenever you want, freak show."

Ben nodded. He was really looking forward to yet another competition with Bakugo too, especially on a different medium, but he guessed that it also had to be on hold as well.

Part of him couldn't help but smile internally at that. Even though it was a topic from the stars which was probably calling him, it always failed to shake. Because he knew he had this small circle waiting.

He shook his head– before he noticed Yaomomo step forward as well and join him.

"Yaomomo?"

"Your cousin and I spent time together after the festival, if you remember." She said and made sure the others heard her with a straight and yet hesitant expression. "Perhaps, it was left at my house." She gestured with her head.

"Uhhhhh…" Ben's mind tried to frantically search for an excuse. He looked back at the ex-con. "Kevin?"

"Whatever." Kevin replied.

"Dammit, Kevin…" he thought to himself, before turning back to Yaomomo and as he looked into her eyes, part of him really screamed in his head to not do this. However, the other half gave no such panicked response. The complete opposite.

When he looked into her eyes, his other half advised him to stand up straight. To think. It allowed him to consider the possibility that if Yaomomo was concerned about something, or had anything to add, it must also be imperative to consider. So…

"That's right." he said, shaking his head and then turning to the others. "Maybe we'd find it there."

From behind the crowd, Kirishima and Midoriya gave them a thumbs up. They were going to hold down the fort here.

Together, Tennyson and Yaomomo went outside the arcade before seeing Kevin's car parked right in front. They got inside without saying a word, and Ben couldn't help but look back at the arcade before his door closed right in front of his face.

---

Tetrax brushed his hands across the opening door.

"Now, are you properly calmed down?"

"Yes. Enough to listen to a clear explanation of your motives, Azmuth." Tetrax said, getting back around to his old position next to the table.

Azmuth heard the door close behind the pair and saw darkness descend back into the room. He glanced back to his assistant, however judging by the angry look on her face, there were going to be no favors coming from her. It was easy to see that she was overcome by emotion just like Tetrax… and just like how he once was.

So, he took a deep breath and faced them.

"Where would you like me to start?" He asked.

Tetrax looked down, before he looked at the First Thinker again and opened his mouth.

"What made you think about contacting that conqueror for aid?"

Azmuth took his own second to respond as well.

"Nothing…" he said. Tetrax felt his anger sparking once more–

"... as my intention was to never contact him for aid."

Tetrax took a step back.

"Ever since Tennyson's big victory, I've had my suspicions of his return." He said. "And if we're adamant on calling half of the galaxy for a war… then we have to be very sure."

The hologram of the galaxy appeared again, and this time zoomed into a different sector.

"If there were someone keeping the seat warm for him, then they would be accepting of an alliance, either to survive the upcoming crisis or backstab us during it by procuring information." Tetrax said.

"The drone however was destroyed…" Myaxx followed the thought through. "Definitely his calling card."

"And now he is aware of the matter which is going to occupy everyone's hands." Azmuth established. "If he's as shrewd as fearsome, then he'll be aware that the Highbreed will present a considerable danger for him as well."

"The fleet is going to be mobilized, suffice it to say, at the very least for defensive purposes." Tetrax said, before an idea of his came to mind.

"The Chimeran Hammer… Vilgax's flagship would be forced to stay up."

The conqueror had used a petrosapien crystal artifact on that very same ship… and destroyed his home.

Tetrax clenched his fists.

With Vilgax's eyes on somewhere else, and the ship around the orbit or further at all times, far away from any ground defense. It was probably his one, very best chance to get revenge.

He turned to Azmuth, as the Galvan still seemed deadpan and unsurprised. With the snap of his fingers, the hologram changed from the planet of Vilgaxia itself to the Chimeran Hammer.

"After which, if you were to move several long-distance satellites, you would get this." He declared. "However I must inform you that your best move currently will still be to wait, as to lead the conqueror to be more complacent via an extended 'calm before the metaphorical storm–"

Tetrax couldn't believe what he was hearing… Finally, he would be able to get back at him for what he did all that time ago…

Just then, an idea of his own hit him, making him turn to Azmuth.

"Putting Vilgax on high alert and getting the ship in orbit. You never went to him expecting any sort of aid. And I had already agreed to fight this war. Strategically, it didn't allow you to gain any substantial advantage for what we had already needed to do." Tetrax said, before tilting his head. "So… why do it?"

Azmuth kept his head down and had his hands assembled behind him. Myaxx also shut up, listening them at attention–

"For one, history. You shall look into that, Tetrax Shard as I would not give up on your people so easily."

As he heard the First Thinker finish, Tetrax felt odd.

"This is about my people…" He thought, and put a hand on his chin. "The crystal was one of *our* artifacts…"

Could neither Vilgax or him understand the true nature of the artifact perhaps…? It would definitely be worth looking into at the very least.

"Excuse me." He said and moved towards the door. With Gluto, he had to punch in the coordinates for the wreckage again. Maybe there was something he missed–

Azmuth cut in.

"You may use our archives instead." He said, stopping Tetrax dead in his tracks.

Myaxx felt her anger fade, and as she looked at the First Thinker again she could see that this whole period was greatly straining him, as if he had aged another quarter of his lifetime… since the last assistant was off the case.

However, just then, a smirk formed on his face.

"History… as well as hope." Azmuth called out. "Succeed and you might not waste what little of the latter I have left, Tetrax Shard."

"Understood." Tetrax answered, but this time leaving with determination rather than anger.

Azmuth on the other hand closed his eyes melancholically.

"... As do, others."

---

Ben opened the car door. Along with Kevin, he got out as Yaomomo pushed the chair down and then managed to get out.

"We're… back here?" She asked while closing the door.

Kevin had driven them back to their make-shift hideout inside the cave, the collapsed Highbreed ship.

"She said to meet somewhere private." The ex-con slammed the door and locked it. "Figured there was no better place."

He headed inside, and Ben couldn't help but feel caught off-guard by how serious the ex-con was acting.

Just like Yaomomo though, Ben still followed him inside.

"What do you think?" He leaned and whispered to her as they got past the doors.

She responded by raising her brows.

"I was about to ask you." Yaomomo replied. "You know of Levin best…"

"...Yeah, but this is not his M.O." Ben said. "It's not how he acts at all."

"So, his reason to call the both of us here isn't a trap." Yaomomo said.

"His reason to call us here isn't a trap at all." He echoed. "So, the call on my phone is legit… and we're in for something big." He ominously stated, making Yaomomo brace on the inside, as the doors to the control room opened.

Some of the Megawatts were inside, floating or sitting by the monitor or control panels.

"Get… Get!" Kevin waved them away angrily, watching them zap away in bolts of lightning and laughter. "You know, you're the first two that I saw who actually want pests in their place… These things suck on your power core you know."

"Yeah…" Ben replied. It was probably a bother, but it was necessary for the Megawatts.

"It's kind of the idea."

Kevin looked at him emptily, before he shrugged. "Anyway, this place does look private enough." He took out his phone. "You're on Gwen."

As he showed it to them, both Tennyson and Yaomomo got to see Gwen and Magister Labrid behind her in a video call.

"Thank you, Kevin."

Kevin nodded–

"How's it going, Cuz!?" Ben immediately waved his hand. Might as well try to put a positive spin on this. Hell, maybe there was a chance that what they were going to hear wouldn't be that bad..!

However, her face didn't light up.

"Not all that great, Ben." She said.

Magister Labrid however didn't wait further for any more pleasantries.

"Where are the rest of your team members Kirishima and Midoriya?" He unraveled his arms and stepped next to Gwen.

Instead of him, Yaomomo replied.

"Covering for our untimely departure, I'm afraid." She said.

Gwen pursed her mouth–

"We have to make do with what we can get then." Magister Labrid said. "I'm sure you'll inform the two of them?"

To that, Yaomomo nodded.

"Very well."

Ben took a breath and internally prepared.

"We have called you here for a simple reason." He said. "As you both are aware, I went away to a different sector on your planet, searching for the next move of the Highbreed."

"Hence, you entrusted Japan to us, which made us really get entangled with the Forever Knights." Ben added.

The Plumber officer straightened up. It seemed to bother him as well that the Forever Knights have also become troubling during this time.

"Exactly, and my efforts have borne fruit." The Plumber officer said, straightening up as if he was being debriefed. "They are indeed in the region you refer to as the United States."

Ben felt his eyes widen ever so briefly.

"Yeah, Ben, though you drove them from Japan, now they're crawling all over here." Gwen added. "And… we're not enough."

"Right now, we have a force of three." Magister Labrid said. "However, they are in many locations at once. If we want to hit them back to back everywhere, all before they manage to adapt, we need more power."

Unbeknownst to Ben, Yaomomo's pupils dilated upon hearing the last part, as she looked away. Her open hands tensed, and shook. It was a bit of a soft spot of hers. To think about power.

Ben on the other hand, managed to stand firm like a rock and managed to stay reasonably level-headed.

"You want me to help?" Tennyson asked.

"Indeed. I'm sorry, Tennyson. However, we're at a point where the situation here takes precedence." Magister Labrid spoke.

The ends of Tennyson's eyebrows lifted up.

"It isn't what Grandpa would've wanted." Gwen added. "But Magister Labrid is right, Ben–"

"... Could the rest of my team join?" He cut in, not wanting for her to finish. If they were all to go…

The team came together before his eyes… and a faint smile appeared before his face. It kind of made him giddy. To fight alongside the people he cared about that is.

So much so that even the monstrous threat of the Highbreed almost melted before his very eyes… before the world became more clear to him.

The Forever Knights appeared next to the Highbreed and their DNAliens. Rising from the ground, as if they were summoned, Shigaraki and his League of Villains also came to view. Giant shadows outright manifested behind them, of many old familiar faces alongside Kevin.

With that, Ben's mouth pursed.

"Nevermind…" He said internally and shook his head, before raising his head.

"I'm afraid not." Magister Labrid said. "According to your school schedule, you are currently about to begin your internship program."

Yaomomo nodded.

"Hence, even if we were to all agree… it would be difficult to justify all of us going abroad, specifically in an exercise that's supposed to spread us all throughout only Japan itself."

"Sneaking away will also not be an option." Gwen raised a hand. "Seeing as you're going to be monitored by pro-heroes who will want to ensure your safety."

Ben clenched his teeth and looked up. What they all said was correct, so it was going to be an infinitely annoying task to get out of the country…

"Wait." He tilted his head, just realizing something. "If it's gonna be so hard, how are you gonna sneak *me* away?"

Gwen and Magister Labrid looked at each other. Yaomomo felt her breath getting shaky, unable to prevent herself from feeling ever so slightly sour deep inside.

Gwen opened her mouth again, to answer.

"We took some liberties–"

Alarms suddenly started to blare out from inside the ship!

Even Kevin felt unnerved as he lowered the phone and looked up while Ben reached for his watch.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Yaomomo however had already moved towards the control panel.

"The external cameras you've repaired." She answered. "They've detected someone."

Ben joined her and glanced up at the screen. Who could it be…

His eyes became like dots.

"Hello?"

A young teen, about the same age as them appeared from behind some rocks, entering into the cave. She had pink skin and fuzzy hair, small horns, black irises with yellow eyes, wearing the same type of school uniform as Yaomomo…

"Oh, no." Yaomomo raised one hand over her mouth.

"Oh, man…" Ben said, as it was Ashido who was on the feed in front of them!

"I saw the car heading into this cave!" Ashido called out to them as she curiously looked around. "I dunno what rich people're all about, Yaomomo, but I don't think they hang around here!"

They then saw as she laid eyes on the base.

"Woah… is that a rocket?!"

Ben cursed under his breath, as *of course* the Highbreed had to design their spaceships like humans, with it being a large cylinder-shaped object alongside a giant engine at the bottom.

"Okay, I'm heading out." Ben said, turning his back–

"Wait!" Yaomomo stopped him. "To do what exactly?"

"Uhhhh… To bring the cave down and seal us in so that she doesn't see us? I don't know!" He said, also unable to not freak out.

"Hey." Kevin called out to them. "That's my car out there, Tennyson. You're not doing that."

"Exactly." Yaomomo said, clearly being the level-headed one of the group. "Kevin's car IS outside the spacecraft. She might not have seen us yet, but she definitely saw us entering the car when we were leaving the arcade. So, even if we do not get spotted, if she were to see the car–!"

"Heyyy, isn't that the car they drove away in?" Ashido said as she ran up and looked at the car curiously with her hands assembled behind her back. "So, they really ARE here!"

If you were to listen carefully during that moment… you would actually be able to hear Ben physically deflating.

"I can't believe it…" He said, starting to pace back and forth around the room. "How did I let this happen to me twice!"

Yaomomo looked down. It was true, Tennyson was followed once more and… now that she was part of it, she could really feel how much it stung–

"Seriously, does no one have a sense of privacy–!?"

He glanced back and saw Yaomomo looking at him from the corner of her eye… looking ever so apologetic.

"Sorry… Yaomomo…" Ben said, and gathered himself back again. "It was uncalled for–"

"No, it… wasn't… really. Not until I make up for it, to you." Yaomomo said, still feeling rather wounded about that time.

However, at least that awkward moment had given them a second of respite and allowed their emotions to calm down.

"So…" Yaomomo said. "Who shall go outside and explain the situation to her?"

Ben signed as he put one hand on his hip.

"Let's just go together…" He said. "Easiest way that bandaid is ever gonna come off."

Yaomomo nodded and followed him as they left the control room. Kevin on the other hand remained behind, showcasing zero interest in helping them and instead looking at his phone where all of them were talking to Gwen and Magister Labrid just prior.

Arriving before the closed main door, Yaomomo and Tennyson took one look at each other. Even though no words were exchanged, a million thoughts were floated and connected together.

Nodding at each other, they let the main door open and the steps form below them, as they basked in the light coming from behind them.

"Ashido!" Ben called out, and took the pink girl next to the green muscle car by surprise. She looked back at him, with her mouth slightly and dumbfoundedly open. "There's no easy way to say this, but since you saw this you're about to step into a world larger than you can ever imagine."

Yaomomo looked at Tennyson, before looking back at her pink friend. Ashido had started walking to the stairs, still looking apprehensive like a kitten.

"A world that… some of our friends already got introduced to." Tennyson said.

"It's true!" Yaomomo immediately added.

As Ashido was coming up, still only a few steps up to them, Yaomomo bit down on her tongue.

"It's a world… No, a universe of aliens!.. Organizations!... Conspiracies!.." She said, taking a breath after mentioning every single of them as if it made her feel overwhelmed.

"It's a universe of so… ever so much." She said. Ashido was halfway up the stairs.

"If you want to turn back, it's fine with us! You don't have to know anymore than what you saw with this! Ben continued. "But getting into it now… is a commitment."

Ashido lightly jogged, and got up just a few steps below the end, where Yaomomo and Ben were, still with the ends of her eyebrows looking down.

Yaomomo looked down, and she got to see Ashido's feet facing her. Her whole body, SHE, was facing her.

"The gist of it is so, however." Yaomomo spoke softly. It wasn't her intention to overwhelm her, but it also wasn't her intention to be insincere.

"The world is soon to be on fire, and..." She said. "I've seen how fast flames move before."

Tennyson lowered his head, trying to get a glimpse of Yaomomo's face fully but couldn't. A swirl of emotions was crashing inside of her. Sorrow. Regret. Pain. Anger…

"How suddenly you may find yourself and others encapsulated in its heat… and how much it pains, to even just get close enough to be burned."

"So… I understand wanting to get away. But if we were to fail…" Yaomomo raised her gaze and looked into Ashido's melancholic eyes with teary ones of her own. "... There wouldn't be a safe distance."

Ashido closed her mouth, briefly glancing away before staring back into Yaomomo's conflicted eyes yet again. Now, she was standing at the very same step as the pair of them, and still looking up to their eyes.

"Well?" Ben asked, equally low energy. "What's your answer?"

Ashido briefly looked at Tennyson, before looking at the vice class Prez again. And Yaomomo tried to analyze her face, her eyes, trying to anticipate what was going through *her friend's* head after all that she managed to say–!

Ashido suddenly raised both arms into the air.

"Psych!"

Yaomomo widened her eyes and opened her mouth ever so much, before the sight of Ashido… morphed and changed.

As if her classmate was made up of vax and she was placed under the sun, parts of her face dropped onto the ground like melted ice cream before her clothes also lost their color, changing textures similar to what was happening to the rest of the body. In place of the previous one a whole new slender figure, fully pink glowing eyes, and tendrils coming off from her face with a big one behind her head flowing down like a ponytail appeared.

The girl in front of her grinned at her with hands behind her back and standing on the front of her feet.

"Cousin Lucy…"

Tennyson had lowered his head, attempting to play things cool with his hands on his hips and eyes, but a nervous smile was plastered on his face, clear for all to see that things weren't definitely cool ten seconds ago.

Yaomomo on the other hand had to do a double take.

"Cousin… Lucy–?" She uttered, before the deep pink girl wrapped her arms around Yaomomo in a hug.

"Awwww… I'm so sorry, girlfriend. You had to give such a sincere performance."

Yaomomo was still stuck, processing what just happened, hence couldn't manage to reply. Lucy then stopped hugging her.

"So sorry I scared you half to death. Could you forgive me?" She then asked again, tilting her head and then giving her a warmer grin.

"I… suppose so?" Yaomomo gave the first response that came to mind.

"Awesome!" Lucy then pulled her in for a second hug. "I'll make it up to you, you'll see! When I'm done we're gonna become the bestest of friends!"

"O… kay." Yaomomo replied, and now that the loading in her head finished and she adjusted to the new situation, she managed to glance in the shapeshifting hero's direction.

"Tennyson, you have another cousin?" Yaomomo asked, still enveloped in the hug.

"More like five cousins. From them meet Cousin Lucy, Lucy Mann. And Lucy, meet one of the inner circle, Yaoyorozu." Ben said, before Lucy raised her head.

"You've got to see the family get togethers." She said. "But nice to meet ya, Yaoyorozu slash Yaomomo."

"And… she isn't technically my cousin." Ben followed up with hands on his hips. "She's my second cousin-in-law, once removed… basically the brother's son's wife's mother's sister's daughter of my grandfather."

Yaomomo stared back at him with dot like eyes, but once Lucy let her go and she got a chance to narrow her eyes and look at the two at the same time, she made the connection.

"Aha, I see–"

"And like I said, doesn't apply himself in school." Gwen said as Kevin brought the phone outside to them. "If he can remember that, then I'm sorry. I refuse to believe any excuse for school work."

"For real." Even Lucy agreed– making Ben feel teased.

But he shook his head, gathering himself once again… while Lucy got to see Kevin.

"Ohhh! Hey Gwen, look, you're being held up by your boyfriend!"

Kevin smiled at that remark. "Hey." He even replied, while it was Gwen's turn to feel teased–

"Kevin Levin is your boyfriend?" Magister Labrid leaned down, and asked Gwen.

The magic user couldn't end up but turn red. "No!" She raised her hands. "Can we get back on topic please?!"

"For real." Ben remarked slyly, now getting the brunt of Gwen's fiery gaze but played it off well.

Yaomomo on the other hand settled for looking at all of them and staying silent. She felt as though Magister Labrid and her were kind of tagging along unnecessarily, being the metaphorical fifth wheel to this conversation. The most unfortunate part though, by far, was that she was the only one self-conscious enough to realize that between the two of them.

"Anyway." Ben said, saving Yaomomo from feeling left out any longer. "So, Lucy is your play." He remarked with arms crossed.

"Indeed." Magister Labrid said. "Through my connections, I managed to get her a temporary leave of absence from the Plumber Academy. We figured that only the shapeshifting powers of a Lenopan could accurately mimic the powers of your Omnitrix."

"Yep yep! Our shapeshifting powers are unrivaled throughout the galaxy." Lucy remarked with eyes closed, head tilted back as if she's putting on a show and her thumb raised to point at herself.

"Fascinating…" Yaomomo thought to herself in the meantime.

"Alright, but how're you gonna do the holograms? " Ben asked, rolling his sleeve down to actually show the Omnitrix. "What about the light show and the sounds of my watch?"

"Yeah." Kevin said relatively deadpan. "Because God forbid, Tennyson doesn't get to showboat."

He earned himself a glare from Tennyson but Yaomomo and Magister Labrid found themselves agreeing.

"Such a behavioral change WOULD attract attention." Magister Labrid said.

"I agree." Yaomomo said. "Additionally, due to the new aliens his device has unlocked, his quirk is already under close watch of the school board. I imagine whatever internship he would decide to go to, the pro-hero there would have been made well-aware to watch out for any oddities."

"Don't worry, you two. Because *I* didn't come for this mission unprepared!" Lucy said. "Behold!"

She manifested the exact same school jacket Ben was wearing now, before she rolled her sleeve back and revealed a device that looked remarkably like the Omnitrix!

"It was basically a regular old Plumber communicator a few days ago, but now I attached a portable strobe light, small smoke machine, as well as a generator for sound, electricity, water and lasers!" She said, before absorbing it back into her body again.

"Now, when I need to transform and mimic your alien powers, I can do it, like this!"

Her sludge shifted around, before it congested closer to the ground, forming shorter limbs, a large head, and white silicone-like skin. Echo Echo had appeared before them and when he opened his mouth, a sound blast came out in a similar way!

She shifted back to her human and Lenopan hybrid form.

"I just put the device near my throat, press down on it with the sludge there and boom." Lucy opened her hands. "Perfect Sonorosian duplicate."

"Not bad." Kevin remarked with a hand on his chin.

"She has been briefly informed on all your transformations…" Magister Labrid said, before turning to Yaomomo a little more apologetically. "... as well as your personal connections."

Yaomomo saw fit to nod. So that's how Lucy was aware of Ashido–

"Oh, yeah, that friend of yours is a total vibe." She said. "If only we could hang out!"

Ben sheepishly smiled. "I'll… make a note to introduce you two, when this is all over."

Lucy nodded.

"So, for aliens, I can do Water Hazard, Chromastone, Ball Weevil… Even Rath and Wildvine if I wake up on the right side of bed that day." She said.

"That sounds quite effective." Yaomomo nodded, before with the hand on her chin, it was evident that she had some concerns.

And Ben saw right through them.

"Fliers." Ben said. "I've got Jetray and Big Chill, but even if you can mimic their wings, you can't fly like them… right?"

"Nope." Lucy answered, but her pupils slyly moved back onto Gwen.

The second cousin raised her hand.

"That's when I knew it was my turn to lend a trinket."

Lucy reached into her stomach, and pulled out a small white disk with green lines. "Remember this?"

Ben's eyebrows went up.

"Heeeey! That's *my* X321!"

Yaomomo glanced over to Gwen for further explanation.

"His hoverboard from back in the day." The magic user then explained.

Lucy nodded towards Tennyson. "Yeah, guess you weren't using it anymore. So, it's now mine!"

Ben had to fight every urge in his body to not say "No, give it back!" in front of Kevin, Magister Labrid, and Yaomomo, before getting right into a chase with his cousin.

However, unlike before, he chose to keep his mouth shut and not clap back for a change.

"So…" He said instead. "... It's going to be the same principle as before. You're gonna be activating that on the inside–"

"Before I get to soaring in the sky! It's how I got here, so I think I'm pretty good with it at least." Lucy said, and Yaomomo put one hand on her hip.

Considering how versatile Tennyson could be, the fact that Lucy had the ability to approach so close to his level was awe-inspiring.

However, when she thought about the words 'so close', she knew she used them for a reason–

"Very impressive." Ben said, beating her to the punch. "However, with the two devices inside, how're you gonna do Big Chill's intangibility trick? Or the ice powers."

The two cousins looked at each other again. However, unlike before, it was one of mutual defeat as opposed to anticipation.

"Well, I didn't exactly have an Iacon relic lying around." Lucy said under her breath– before Yaomomo took the lead.

"Unfortunately, it isn't just Big Chill either, is it? You would be actually short of a few powers of all of Tennyson's arsenal. Echo Echo's duplication, Chromastone's energy absorption, as well as Brainstorm's enhanced intelligence." She said.

"Plus a hoverboard, compared to Jetray's speed?" Ben said, raising both hands that indicates he's comparing the two of them, and lowered his hand that was for the hoverboard.

"Unfortunately, it is the safest one which could be sprung up in a time frame this short." Magister Labrid said. "We're going to be relying on Lucy's skills in improvisation and creativity on such occasions."

Lucy deadpan stared at Magister Labrid, pondering whether he thought good ideas in the spur of the moment just grew on trees. But she shrugged, trusting in her abilities that she would be flexible in case things got too hot… unlike her uncle and aunt who were still statues and rotting in prison.

"So, that's the gist of it." She said, opening her hands. "What do you say?"

Ben opened his mouth–

"Oooooh, wait, tell me what internship you chose first!" Lucy said, stretching one hand to Tennyson's backpack and pulling it right out of his hand!

Yaomomo flinched. Be it subconsciously or fully aware of her actions, she found herself leaning forward, feeling intrigued out of her mind. Tennyson thankfully also didn't seem to react, so it wasn't something he wished to hide either.

Lucy took out the paper, and as she turned to face it, the suspense in Yaomomo's mind was at a fever pitch.

And what she ended up seeing… didn't disappoint.

Ben had the list completely filled, albeit with a pencil so that he could always return back to it. And as his number one choice…

"The Rabbit Hero: Mirko?" Lucy asked questioningly, which allowed Yaomomo to answer.

"The number seven of the Hero charts." Yaomomo said. "But… I heard she doesn't work at an agency or any organization for that matter?"

"Yeahhhhh." Ben replied, sheepishly putting a hand behind his head. "It was weird seeing a name on my list too as opposed to a group or something. But it's true, she really doesn't work anywhere and just put a request for me personally!"

He put his hands on his hips and puffed up his chest, glancing quickly at the rest of the group. However, all that was gathered were the deadpan faces of Lucy and Kevin.

"It is truly impressive–" Magister Labrid then attempted to say, but Gwen cut him off.

"Don't encourage him right now."

Yaomomo, on the other hand, tried to keep a poker face.

"What are his other two rankings?" She asked.

"Ninja Hero: Edgeshot, and then Wing Hero: Hawks." Lucy read outloud.

"Number five and number three…" Yaomomo thought to herself, with a hand on her chin–

"You know your choices, Tennyson. Do we need to change anything about them?" Magister Labrid asked, which also put Tennyson in thought.

"Yeah, probably." Ben ended up saying. "I read up on Mirko, and she's very intense. If she pushes Lucy, thinking that she's me, it might be a dead giveaway… So, maybe Hawks–?"

"However, Mirko not being affiliated with any organization could work better."

Tennyson's eyebrows went up, as Yaomomo raised a hand in his direction.

"Then your plan would not have to work on an entire organization but only for one hero, and specifically a hero who is also known for her drive and focus on her self-improvement opposed to the abilities of others."

Hearing that, he pursed his mouth.

"Huh… good call." he said. "Then, with this reveal out of the way, we're adjourned!"

"Agreed." Magister Labrid said, and everyone in his range, felt the need to straighten up. "Then Ben Tennyson shall be transferred to the United States, for the duration of his internship to combat the Highbreed threat."

"Easy." Tennyson confidently crossed his arms and Yaomomo… looked down.

"I could probably teleport him…" Gwen thought out loud while Magister Labrid continued.

"Lucy Mann the Lenopan shall impersonate him, until his return."

"You got it, boss!" She had her hands behind her head, but stretching one into the sky.

"And Momo Yaoyorozu, along with the remaining U.A. students, shall continue to remain in Japan."

Momo pursed her mouth, biting onto her tongue.

Kevin noticed it, and his deadpan expression changed for the first time since Gwen had thanked him for bringing the other two.

He took a step forward, and joined the crowd as she seemed to struggle.

"So…" Tennyson spoke, not noticing Kevin at all. "Midoriya and Kirishima had handed in their papers, I think… Where are you going to intern–?"

"I!.." Yaoyorozu said. "I was thinking I would… stand by your side actually."

Ben however, felt his eyes become like dots.

"My… You mean with Mirko and Lucy–"

"No." Yaoyorozu shook her head. "I meant, My parents' company has offices throughout America, it is our second largest market and… you would be able to access them if I were present with you. Hence I… additionally haven't handed in my preference paper just yet."

She took off her backpack and opened it, showing the top of the paper but… not the rest of it.

Her hand had tensed over the paper but she pushed on, letting it go.

"Besides, I want to get more experience in the field… and this is a prime opportunity to–"

"This ISN'T a prime opportunity." Ben shook his head. "Yaomomo, this is a responsibility–"

"Exactly!" Yaomomo said. "This is a prime opportunity to do something more. To contribute, unlike before. To be like…"

She looked at him, and… averted her eyes.

Kevin scowled, as he saw Ben sour and talk himself into treating her like glass.

The ex-con looked at himself, and crossed his brows because he felt comfortable with how he was treated… but not with her.

Meanwhile Ben, just like Kevin thought, drowned in his concern.

"Unlike before." His mind had taken note of those two words while not really taking note of her aversion to gaze. Those words had gotten his attention and weren't leaving his mind. And unfortunately, he had an idea why.

"She must still be upset about what happened with Ingenium." He thought. In that case, it made sense why she wanted to come then. But… he couldn't let her. He didn't want to let her–

"Sure. Tennyson." Kevin called out and grabbed his attention.

"Let her stay." Kevin said, unraveling his arms. Gwen immediately noticed that he was acting up way more than this calmer, more subdued Kevin usually would.

"I mean, I'm sure that if Vilgax stopped by, she'd be safer by my side than yours, right?"

Ben's eyebrows knitted. He hadn't liked Kevin's sarcastic and nonchalant way. However, when the ex-con stared back, it was pure deadpan. So much so that Ben felt like he should… seriously consider the question, while Kevin himself didn't even think anything and held an expression that only expected the least of the least.

And after another look from the shapeshifting hero… Ben folded, nodding his head.

"Alright." Magister Labrid spoke in his place. "Momo Yaoyorozu shall join us in the United States, for the fight against the Highbreed."

Yaomomo felt a rush of excitement. However, she then looked back at Kevin as the ex-con placed the phone and took his place far away from the group, crossing his arms, and resting one foot on the wall.

She looked in his direction, and as she caught his gaze, she nodded her head as a sign of gratitude. He returned a diligent nod, before looking away.

Part of her then wanted to ask again to be sure but… she felt as though it would only serve to force her luck. Magister Labrid's eyes turned to Lucy.

"Ms. Mann. Please, make sure to monitor Izuku Midoriya and Eijiro Kirishima for the duration of their internship, as well as Kevin Levin."

Kevin pursed his mouth.

"Will do!" She gave a thumbs up.

"If no one has anything else to add?" Magister Labrid asked around, and Yaomomo's eyes followed. But no one was saying anything.

"Are you sure you can manage your own cover?" Gwen asked. "Because we don't have anyone else to masquerade as you."

"We can prepare a fake offer." Yaomomo said. "Since my father has connections, not just to pro-heroes of Japan but also America, it would also be believable."

"Do you think it'll work? Wouldn't your father worry?" Ben asked, and Yaomomo pondered for just a second.

"We can ensure that it does." She ended up replying with unbridled determination. "I will make it happen."

Gwen nodded in response, and leaned back.

Seeing that no one else was about to ask anything, Magister Labrid nodded in Gwen's way.

"Take care of yourselves." He said.

"You too..." Tennyson responded. "...Until I get there."

Magister Labrid shook his head, and the call came to a close.

"I… apologize for not getting to spend time together." Yaomomo spoke up first to Lucy.

"Oh, it's no prob, we can raincheck." She waved her hands in response. "Or… you know what, scratch that, we'll definitely raincheck." She said…

"So, did you find a place to stay, Cuz' Lucy?" Tennyson continued in her place.

"Yeah, got somethin like a hotel to crash at for a couple of days before the internships start." She said.

"What? You could have stayed with us!" Tennyson said. "Maybe you'd need to slip away a bit early in the mornings but…"

"That's the problem. Plumber Academy also has a strict turn around, this time on Earth is gonna be sunshine and rainbows by comparison…" She trailed off in Yaomomo's head.

As everyone then started walking towards the car to get back, she took her chance to walk slower. Tennyson and Lucy quickly took the lead, and she got to walk side by side with Kevin.

Upon reaching the car, the two cousins quickly filled out the backseats. Kevin opened the driver's side and…

"Wait." Yaomomo said to their surprise. "Could I have a moment?"

Kevin glared at her while Ben leaned forward. "Yaomomo?" he asked.

"It'll only be for a second." She replied, holding out her hand for his friend to calm down. Once she saw him lean back again, she looked at Kevin.

"Alright." He said and closed his door before he crossed his arms.

Yaomomo slightly bowed her head with her hands assembled.

"Thank you for your help, convincing Tennyson." She said, but Kevin was stone-faced.

"Hm." he shrugged and… turned more wistful.

"It was either gonna be him taking a chance on me, or not. Of course he'd choose 'not'." he said.

"Still, I insist." Yaomomo pressed, and so Kevin shook his head up and down, along with his hand.

"Yeah, yeah." He said, but before she went to sit on the passenger seat, he spoke again.

"Okay. I'll bite. How did you two meet?"

Yaomomo's eyebrows went up.

"Hmm?"

"Don't play. You're looking at Tennyson different every time." He said. "Even back when y'all were at the castle, and now when you wanna come with him."

"Not true. We're all just equally concerned about him." Yaomomo retorted. "And if Midoriya or Kirishima were here, they would also sign up to stand by his side."

"Sure." Kevin rolled his eyes, smirking. "But the other two are always the same way. The redhead kid's always like waiting to be instructed to punch through a wall, and that Midoriya always has his head in the clouds. But you aren't, you're looking *at* him."

He crossed his arms.

"You're thinking too much about what he's going to say, or do."

Yaomomo looked away. Kevin wasn't in the least bit surprised.

"On the money again, huh?"

She… reluctantly opened her mouth.

"He saved me, back a long time ago."

Kevin smirked, as if that black and white baseball shirt appeared right before his eyes again.

"Uh-huh, of course." He said. "What exactly was it? Burning building? Sinking ship?"

"Villain attack." Yaomomo said.

She didn't see it, but the smirk from Kevin's face was wiped away. Putting both arms on the roof of the car and resting his head on them, he listened…

… while from inside the car, Ben was feeling upset that he couldn't.

"On a cable car above Niagara Falls, two villains attacked Tennyson. One I came to now know as Vilgax, but the other… I haven't yet."

Kevin's pupils shrunk, as he then tilted his head.

"That, huh." He said, not looking away at all and watching the melancholic teen's face, as she was clearly whisked away to the past.

"Yes." Yaomomo continued. "Most likely they attacked Tennyson for his Omnitrix, but my family and I were caught in the crossfire. He got in front and protected us from the second one, the villain… that creature."

She looked down, with anger but mostly fear in her eyes.

"That's why. Now that I know he's here, I want to repay him for what he did for me." Yaomomo said.

Kevin also looked down, pressing his lips together.

"Well, do I know how that feels." He brushed that away and raised his arms–

"Wait!-" She stopped him before he could open the door. "You were also one of Tennyson's foes. Perhaps you know who that was?"

Kevin was frozen stiff. He opened his mouth, immediately before bringing his teeth together.

"You have a similar black mullet…" Yaomomo made an observation, before Kevin finally opened his door.

"It was a popular style." He shrugged in response to her question, before sitting inside and starting the car.

Yaomomo didn't prod any further and sat on the passenger seat like a feather after seeing his reaction.

"Whoever it is… Perhaps they had an effect on Levin as well." She thought, before sneaking a look at him again.

She shook her head.

Meanwhile, Tennyson was dying to know.

"What happened, you guys?" He asked, but as Yaomomo was glancing at Kevin again, she had missed it. Tennyson looked back at Lucy, and when she gave a shrug, he dropped it but gave even more of an angry expression to Kevin. The ex-con however just brushed his hair out of his face and tapped on the steering wheel with his thumb as the car started up.

He took a deep breath.

"Do I know him girlie…" He thought angrily to himself. "Of course!.."

He closed his eyes and held his tongue, subduing his anger, before he opened up his eyes again.

"Of course, I know him." He said, and looked into his own eyes in the rear-view mirror. "He is me."

But when he looked in the rear view mirror, along with his own eyes, he could also see the back seat. What he saw, especially upset him.

"Hey, Mann. If you so much as leave a stain on the couches, I'm making you walk. You hear me? " He called out… and then watched as Lucy took out her tongue to him.

Yaomomo however didn't join in on the conversation.

She just looked out of the window… watching as the caverns of their hideout's entrance transitioned to the lights of the city.

Though there was so much to be done, with the condition of Iida's brother, plans of the Forever Knight known as Enoch, actions of Shigaraki and the group of villains which announced themselves as a League, or declarations… of the killer known as Stain, this felt like the correct start.

Tackling the widespread infection known as the Highbreed as well as their DNAlien army. So, she envied the version of her in a couple of days.

The one who would attend their internship. The one who would finally side with her hero, from a lifetime ago.

"Yaomomo…?" Someone said from inside the car, but she couldn't hear it.

"Yaomomo…"

"Yaoyorozu?"

Her eyes grew. She shook her head.

---

"You were not paying attention." Todoroki said.

Yaoyorozu looked around. She found herself at the Musutafu Train Station. All of her classmates were gathered, and both in their hands and hers… were their hero suitcases.

"Everyone has their costumes, right?" Aizawa asked. "Remember, even a little change for your costume takes a long time to process, so do not lose them."

"Gotcha, teach!" Ashido said as she held up the case with her costume over her head.

"Speak properly." Aizawa said. "It's 'yes, sir', Ashido."

She put the case down.

"Yes, sir…" She replied.

"That's right." Yaomomo thought to herself. A couple of days had passed, and… that version of hers had arrived.

"I apologize." She said to him under her breath to which Todoroki nodded.

"You seem to have a long journey ahead. So, I hope you're feeling well." He stated.

Yaomomo looked down again, and besides the suitcase in her hands, she found the other two large sized luggages beside her.

"I am."

"Make sure to mind your manners with the other heroes during your internships." Aizawa advised one last time. "Now get to it."

"Yes, sir!" Everyone answered at the same time, before the group dispersed while talking about destinations or rows they were going to go off from.

From among the crowd, she then saw Tennyson… or the person disguised as him. With a larger than usual smile, he or she waved at her, to which she waved back but she then lowered her hand anxiously.

Seeing that the second recommended student was still by her side, looking around not too far away for the train he is going to take, she opened her mouth.

"Todoroki. Have you ever been scared of something, while fully believing it is what you need to do?" Yaoyorozu asked.

The fire and ice teen stopped, and indulged her.

"Do you mean before or after I unleashed my quirk, and fought against Midoriya as well as Tennyson?"

Her eyebrows went up, realizing her insensitivity. She bowed her head, but Todoroki was unbothered.

"I have." Todoroki answered. "However, I found that it's no use to stop. If you let it wash over you, drown you and allow it to dictate your life, then nothing would ever change. You would always be scared and cold."

He looked into his left hand, and the suitcase it held.

"The only way to move… is to go into the fire itself." He looked ahead, and saw the call-out for the Tokyo train, the place where Endeavor Hero Agency was located. His indifferent expression grew.

Yaoyorozu nodded. Her anxious hands didn't go to her hair, they clenched firmly.

For Midoriya… she saw him go after Iida.

"Hey, if you ever wanna talk, just let us know." Midoriya said, with Uraraka nodding insistently next to him. "We're friends… right?"

Iida turned around, slowly. And with a mournful look, he raised his head before he answered.

"Yes."

With no other words, he then looked back and walked towards his train. Midoriya and Uraraka had to walk away… but Todoroki still followed after him.

Meanwhile, Kirishima seemingly had no one else.

"Really, Tokoyami?" He asked. "You're going through Kyushu?"

"Yes." The raven-black hero answered. "Unfortunately our paths will be diverging."

"Where're you going anyway, Kiri?" Ashido asked.

"Yamanashi, Fourth Kind's agency." He answered. "Told ya I didn't wanna go far–"

"Don't you dare return with some useless shit." Bakugo said as he joined them with crossed arms.

"I won't!" Kirishima confidently replied.

Yaomomo smiled at the redhead, and as their eyes met, Kirishima started waving at her.

"Have a nice flight, Yaomomo!" he called out, which perked up both Ashido and Bakugo.

"Flight?" Ashido echoed, while Bakugo narrowed his eyes.

"Where's Ponytail flying off to, Shitty Hair?"

Seeing the ash-blonde's intense glare, Kirishima self-consciously looked back at him.

"Abroad. Turns out Yaomomo and her folks are known across the ocean so… someone from there put in an offer for her. "

Bakugo rolled his eyes dismissively, while Ashido had stars in hers.

"Oh man, that's so awesome and exciting!"

Yaomomo put a faint smile on her face, and looked ahead. Her train was to the Nagoya Airport.

"That's right I suppose… to a certain extent." She thought. "I'm excited, like never before."

---

That's it! What did you think?

Fun fact by the way, while I was writing the last chapter, just like how you guys noticed, I really wanted to push how the internships were going to force the Hero Force to split up, and so I decided to mention that.

It won't really change the story that much or have any real consequences, as in for example if Midoriya isn't there for the fight against Stain it won't be solely because Gran Torino's house was too far away. It was just an oversight on my part, and so I'm gonna have to remember it going forward.

Also, something I shouldn't forget to go over before the hiatus is that on August 5th, the final chapter of MHA came out. Over the course of the days, I've seen many opinions get tossed around all over, and since I'm also one who's writing a MHA fic, I wanted to also toss my hat into this flaming ring! (Without spoilers of course)

Overall, MHA has been a series that's very special to me. Those who have read my tribute to Akira Toriyama's passing, know that MHA has been the second anime that I've ever engaged with and probably one of the biggest reasons as to why I like reading/watching shonen to begin with. At the time, it hooked me by scratching a big itch that I had that Marvel, DC or any other superhero media couldn't really itch for me, after a while, it was what introduced me to fanfiction and this community of people, and I was steadfast that there is nothing that MHA could do to make me regret ever engaging with it.

So… did this final chapter change my mind?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. (I'm sure I had a couple of you going there for a second though XD.) Overall, I thought that the ending was good. I found that it was thematically appropriate, and the message of it was consistent with what was given to us in the past.

But did it need MORE than one chapter to cover ALL that it needed to cover? Absolutely yes, no doubts about it and in that sense I would say this series ran into the Attack on Titan problem. Where it had so many things to cover, so many things to resolve, address and not only did it not get to all of them, but the things it DID get to were not communicated that well.

Now, time for the hiatus.

Unlike the last few times, I won't really make a giant post about it.

The long and short of it is rather simple. With my Master's thesis on the horizon, and the search for an internship, I figured that it's probably for the best if I were to just take a step back and put the majority of my energy there, as opposed to constantly trying to make up for the next missed chapter deadline. So, I'm sorry.

(Plus, considering that this chapter is 14 days late due to the editor procrastinating, I have a feeling he's burnt out as well.)

[Editor here: I was, but I'm better now. Sorry for the wait.]

As for how long I'm going to be gone, I'm really hoping to just at least take 1 or 2 months with complete radio silence, and then after that I'll probably go on twitter and do regular status updates UNTIL I finish writing all the chapters for this "Internship Arc". Within the 1 or 2 months, I'm hoping to build at least some backlog so that the updates will be more informative.

Until then though… have a nice day and I hope to see you again on the next one.

---

Replies to 'Guest' reviews

Guest: This was a great chapter, the fight scene was well done, it's nice that everyone got a chance to shine there(I think), and we start to see where everyone is going during the internships. Looks like the core Hero Force quartet is getting split up, that sounds like danger if an alien event happens. So Ben replaced Hagakure, huh? If you made this point clear in a previous chapter, I am so sorry. It's been so long since I've seen this story update and I'm almost constantly bouncing between different MHA related fanfics with different character lineups for this section of the MHA narative because it's relatively so early in the timeline, I probably forgot that fact. Mea Culpa. Looking forward to the next chapter, whenever that happens. Have fun on vacation and God bless you!

DBZpower197: Thanks! Also forgetting stuff is no problem. At this point the story has been going on for more than three years as well, so even I forget stuff sometimes :D.

Some1call4MR-E: You know, with Hero academia and its misplaced timeline and technology. There are a lot of authors who use the excuse, of the series being superhero based, to make up stories like those, spider-Deku jargon...Deku, by way of spider-man, more or less.

Considering that, the rest of the hero academia earth is never fully explored, and that the 'glowing infant' timeline is always up for debate. One can say that, the Age of Marvels (Marvel Comics) or rather even, (DC comics) have existed in the past, so they can lead into, what is Hero academia, today! It's ALL weird but, just wanted to say that, off the top of my head, before it goes away.

DBZpower197: Yep, that's exactly what I want to go for too!

With X-23's inclusion, someone could definitely infer that a version of the X-Men have existed in this story's past, just like how Sero has a fascination with someone who is suspiciously described like Spider-Man in the canon character guidebooks.

So I definitely do want to make more references, definitely ones not as overt as X-23, because I think if used correctly it can make the past of the story feel that much richer.