The next day
I was heading to school.
Yep—weekend's over. Back to reality. But I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday.
I kept wondering how Ben felt every time he saved someone or took down a villain. That rush. That responsibility. I wanted to get back out there, do more, help more—but I knew I had to be patient.
My base still isn't finished, and I haven't tested half the aliens in my Omnitrix yet. Jumping into another fight with an alien I don't fully understand? That's a quick way to hurt someone—maybe even get someone killed.
So yeah… patience.I'd use this time to test the new forms, learn their abilities, and—maybe the most fun part—name them.
I couldn't wait.
When I got to school, I headed to my first class and dropped into my usual seat. I leaned back and just stared at the board, zoning out until class started.
"Hey Franklin! What'd you get up to this weekend?"
The voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I turned to see Kamala—yep, Kamala Khan, future Miss Marvel herself.According to my memories, she's one of my closest friends here. We're in a school club that talks all things superheroes. She's smart, hilarious, and crazy obsessed with Captain Marvel.
"Nothing much," I said casually. "Did a little research, watched the news, ordered some stuff online."
She wrinkled her nose. "Wow. That's boring. You usually hang out with Yolanda and Ava."
"Yeah, not this weekend," I replied. "Those two got into a fight over a boy. So I just left them to it."
Kamala blinked and tilted her head, a weird look crossing her face.
"…By any chance, do you know who that boy is?" she asked.
I gave her a look. "No, I didn't ask. Do you?"
"NO!" Kamala blurted out—way too fast.
I raised an eyebrow.
She quickly changed the subject. "Anyway! Did you hear about the new hero in New York?"
Yup.She definitely knew something.And she was definitely trying to change the topic.
I could press… but for now, I decided to let it go.
"No, can you tell me about them?" I asked.
Kamala perked up immediately. "Okay, so—yesterday, there was a bank robbery. If I'm remembering it right, the police had the place surrounded and the robbers were holding hostages. But out of nowhere, the hostages were suddenly outside—safe. So the cops moved in."
She leaned in, clearly enjoying the storytelling. "But when they got there, the criminals were all knocked out cold. Just lying there. And apparently, some kind of lizard-like being was standing over them. Then it ran off before anyone could catch it. The criminals said the guy called himself Omni and Accelerate or something."
She shrugged. "Kinda weird, right? Two names? Anyway, I really wanna talk about him in our club. He might be the next big thing!"
I kept a straight face, but inside I was groaning.
Okay first of all, it's XLR8, not "Accelerate."
And yeah, I get why people are confused. They don't realize "Omni" is my hero name and XLR8 is just one of my forms. It makes sense they'd think they're two different people.
Looks like I need to get out there again. But not for the big stuff—just small-time crimes. Low-profile things to help people and, more importantly, clear up the name confusion.
I've gotta make it obvious:One hero. Many forms.
And yeah, maybe it's time to let the world know…
Omni's just getting started.
Right after that, the bell rang.
Class was starting.
Kamala slid into her seat beside me, and the rest of the class followed suit. The lesson began, but honestly? It was hard to focus.
The class was boring. I already knew all this stuff. I mean—I'd finished high school in my last life. I could ace this in my sleep. Still, I was grateful this was my final year. I barely survived high school once… no way I'd want to do it twice.
My thoughts drifted.
Did I even want to go to college after this? I mean, I'm already a billionaire. No student loans, no part-time jobs, no stress. And honestly, college might just get in the way of hero work. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
Suddenly, the classroom door opened.
Two girls walked in.
One had long blonde hair and a bright smile. The other had black hair with a bold silver streak that curled just along the left side of her face.
My eyes widened slightly, but I kept my expression calm.
No way.
It was Courtney Whitmore—Stargirl.And next to her... Cindy Burman. Shiv.
What the hell are they doing here?
"Sorry to interrupt," Courtney said with a polite smile. "We're new here. This is our first class."
"It's alright," the teacher replied. "Just find a seat."
Courtney sat directly in front of me. Cindy, to my surprise, took the open seat right beside me.
I glanced at her. Couldn't help it. She looked exactly like I remembered. Fierce eyes. Confident posture. Definitely someone who didn't take crap from anyone.
She caught me staring.
"Take a picture. It'll last longer," she said without looking at me.
I smirked. "Sorry about that… You just look really beautiful."
That caught her off guard. She blinked—surprised—but didn't say anything. Just looked away, pretending to ignore me.
But I could tell.
I'd gotten her attention.
I tried not to keep staring at Cindy or Courtney, but my mind was racing.
Why are these two here?
In the show, they were supposed to be in Blue Valley. So what are they doing at Midtown High?
Especially Cindy. She was originally a villain. And yeah, sure, by the end of the series she turned over a new leaf… but that doesn't erase what she used to be.
Then there's Courtney.
If she somehow gets her hands on the Wildcat suit and gives it to Yolanda, things could get complicated fast. Don't get me wrong—I think Yolanda could make a great hero, but in the beginning? She was reckless. Almost got herself killed more than once.
Still, I couldn't focus on that right now.
I needed to figure out why Cindy and Courtney were here.
The bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts.Class was over. Everyone got up to leave, and so did I—but then an idea hit me.
Cindy and Courtney were heading toward the door, so I called out.
"Hey, new girls!"
They both turned around.
"Name's Franklin. If you want a guide around the school, I'd be happy to do it."
"No." Cindy said flatly.
"Yes, please!" Courtney chimed in with a big smile.
Cindy turned to her, eyes narrowing.Courtney glanced back—her expression softer, but steady.For a second, they just stared at each other. A silent showdown.
Finally, Cindy rolled her eyes.
"Fine."
Courtney nudged her. "Cindy."
Cindy let out a breath and muttered, "Will you please be our guide," in the fakest nice-girl voice I've ever heard.
Courtney just sighed.
I nodded. "Alright then."
I turned toward Kamala, who was still gathering her stuff.
"I'll catch up with you later. I'm going to show them around."
"Sure," she said quickly, but there was something off about her face. Conflicted. Uneasy.Before I could ask, she was already walking away.
Weird. I'll circle back to that later.
Right now, I had two mysteries walking beside me—and I intended to get some answers.
I looked at Cindy and Courtney.
"Mind if I see your schedules?"
They both handed them over without much hesitation.
One glance was all I needed.
They had the exact same schedule. Every class, every period.
That's no coincidence.
I kept my tone casual."Wow, lucky you two—same classes all day."
Cindy shot a look at Courtney."Yeah. Lucky," she said, voice dry enough to drain the Pacific.
We left class, and I walked Courtney and Cindy to their next period. Along the way, I decided to ask a few questions—nothing too obvious, just enough to maybe get some useful information.
"So... are you two friends or something? You kinda give off the same vibe."
"She's my sister," Courtney said with a smile.
"Adopted sister," Cindy corrected flatly.
"But we're still sisters. And friends," Courtney added, bumping Cindy's shoulder. "I'm probably the only one not scared of her."
Cindy chuckled softly, just for a second. I wasn't expecting that.
Wait—adopted? That surprised me. Courtney's family adopted Cindy? That… was definitely not how things played out in the show. I wondered how that happened.
"That's cool. Your family adopting your friend—that's pretty amazing," I said.
"Something like that," Courtney replied, her tone suddenly a little sad.
"It's none of your business," Cindy snapped, her voice sharp and defensive.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to upset you," I said quickly. "Just curious, that's all."
Cindy looked away.
"Nothing to be curious about. My parents are dead. Her parents helped me out, that's all."
There was silence for a while. We just walked.
Then I finally spoke again.
"I'm sorry for your loss. I know how it feels to lose your parents."
That made them both stop and look at me.
"You do?" Cindy asked.
I nodded.
"Yeah. My parents died in a car accident when I was a kid. My grandpa took me in afterward. Eventually, he moved to another country, but I stayed here. He visits sometimes, sends money. He's a good guy."
I glanced between them.
"But yeah… I know what that feels like. If you ever want to talk, I'm here."
They didn't say anything for a bit.
Then Cindy spoke.
"Thanks. But I'm fine. Courtney helped me out a lot… You don't know how much I owe this girl."
Courtney smiled, a little awkward but genuine.
"I'm glad you two are such good friends," I said.
As we turned a corner, I spotted Kamala, Ava, and Yolanda talking by the lockers. They hadn't seen me yet.
"Speaking of good friends—those three over there are mine. Yolanda and Ava? We've been tight since childhood. I think you guys would get along."
"Oh, really?" Courtney said. "We should go say hi then."
"Yeah, I don't see why not," I started, but then—
SLAM.
Yolanda shut her locker with way too much force, her jaw clenched in pure anger. Ava stood beside her, more composed, but her eyes said it all—controlled rage.
I immediately turned on my heel.
"On second thought," I said quickly, "probably not the best time. I know another way to your next class—this way."
I guided Courtney and Cindy in the opposite direction, keeping things casual but moving fast.
Whatever was going on with Yolanda and Ava… it wasn't the kind of energy I wanted to throw new girls into.
Not yet.
I still had no idea why Yolanda and Ava were so pissed, but this little detour turned out to be a good thing. The walk was longer, which meant more time to talk—and more chances to ask questions.
"So, besides Cindy, you got any other siblings?" I asked.
"Yeah," Courtney said. "We have a little brother—Mike. He doesn't go to this school, though. He's at a different one."
"Yeah, Mike's not that smart," Cindy added bluntly.
"Cindy." Courtney gave her a look.
"What? It's true. And I said it in a nice way this time." Cindy smirked.
I chuckled.
"What do your mom and dad do?" I asked.
"My dad's a mechanic," Courtney replied. "And my mom works for the city council."
"Oh, that's cool. I know a little about cars myself. Does your dad work on a specific kind, or all types?"
"All kinds," Courtney said, brightening. "If you ever need help with your car, go to Pat Dugan—he'll get you back on the road."
I gave her a smirk. "That sounded way too rehearsed."
She laughed. "Okay, yeah, it was. He asked me to promote his new shop. He doesn't get much business yet."
"It's all good. With a tagline like that, I'll definitely stop by for a tune-up."
"That'd be great!"
"So, where'd you two live before this? Or have you always been in New York and just went to a different school?"
"We used to live in a town called Blue Valley," Cindy said. "You probably haven't heard of it. We moved here a couple of months ago, and now we're finally starting school."
"You guys were out of school for a month? Lucky."
"Wouldn't call it lucky," Cindy muttered. "We were homeschooled by her mom. It was hell. Trust me—you do not want her as a teacher."
Courtney looked mildly embarrassed. "I really want to defend my mom, but… yeah, she's right."
That made me laugh a little.
"So, you two into any extracurriculars? We've got a bunch of clubs and after-school stuff here."
"Oh, I love gymnastics," Courtney said quickly.
"I'm into science," Cindy added. "But I did cheerleading at my old school."
"That's cool," I nodded. "We don't have a gymnastics team, I think, but cheerleading's definitely an option."
Courtney muttered, "Seriously? Again?"
I shrugged. "Hey, maybe. I'm not really into sports myself—more of a nerd. But you could ask the coaches or check with the main office."
They both gave me a once-over.
"You're not into sports?" Cindy asked, surprised. "You're pretty well-built for a nerd."
"Thanks. That's all from boxing. Been doing it since I was a kid. Actually how I met Yolanda. But yeah—I'm still a nerd at heart."
"So what kind of club are you in then?"
"Oh, I'm in this superhero discussion club. You've already met one of the members—Kamala. We meet once a week and talk about powers, gear, and future potential team-ups and stuff."
Courtney's eyes lit up. "Oh really?"
"Yep. We've got a meeting today, actually. We're gonna talk about that new hero who showed up yesterday during the bank robbery. Analyze his powers, discuss which team he might join—Justice League, Avengers, etc. If you're interested, you should come. We're always open to new members."
"New hero?" they both said, confused.
"Yeah," I nodded. "Stopped a robbery yesterday. Mysterious alien speedster. Called himself 'Omni'—and I think 'XLR8'? We're gonna break it all down today."
"No th—" Cindy started, but—
"We'd love to," Courtney cut her off, smiling quickly.
Cindy turned toward her, visibly confused—and annoyed. Courtney shot her a look I couldn't quite read, but it was enough to get Cindy to bite her tongue.
"Sounds like fun. Where's the meeting?" Cindy asked.
"Math room after school. The teacher lets us use it for discussions."
"Can't wait," Courtney said, grinning.
Later that day
Right now, I'm sitting on the bleachers outside during free period. I figured some fresh air might help me clear my head.
That was until I spotted Courtney and Cindy on the far end of the field, slipping underneath the opposite bleachers. A secret little meeting? That immediately piqued my curiosity.
This was the perfect chance to dig a little deeper.
I got up and headed toward the school building, making sure to use the old restroom nobody likes—half the lights are out and the place smells like mold. Perfect spot for a quick transformation.
I double-checked that no one was around, then activated the Omnitrix.
I scrolled through the list of aliens until I found the one I needed. Without hesitation, I slammed the dial down.
"Ghostfreak," I whispered.
Now it was time to find out what Courtney and Cindy were really up to.
I turned invisible and floated toward the bleachers, sticking close to the shadows. Courtney and Cindy were underneath, deep in what was clearly a serious conversation.
"Courtney, seriously," Cindy snapped, arms crossed. "Out of all the dumb ideas you've had—and trust me, there are a lot—this has to be the dumbest. Why the hell do you want to join some nerd club? We literally just got here. I do not want people thinking I'm a nerd."
Courtney didn't flinch. "Because I want to know more about this new hero and the others around New York. I want to make a good impression when I eventually meet them… in costume."
Cindy's face turned cold. Her eyes narrowed like knives. "No."
"What?"
"I said no," Cindy repeated with force. "Did you forget you almost died last time? Wearing that stupid costume, fighting my dad no less. Took you months to recover. I'm not letting you do that to yourself again."
"I appreciate the concern, Cindy, but you can't stop me. The staff chose me—"
"Don't give me that chosen one crap."
"I'm meant to be a hero—just like the original Starman."
Cindy's voice dropped, bitter. "And where's the original Starman now? Oh right… dead. In the ground. Being worm food. That glowing stick isn't a ticket to invincibility. I'm not letting you run off and get yourself killed. Not again."
She stepped forward and grabbed Courtney's arm—not aggressively, but firmly. There was a tremble in her voice now. Something raw.
"I'm not letting my best friend die in a stupid costume," Cindy said, softer this time, the weight of her words hanging between them.
Courtney met her eyes, calmer. "I'm not going to stop being a hero. I love it, Cindy. But… I can promise this time I won't go rushing in without thinking. I'll play it safe. And for the record—my costume is not stupid."
Cindy sighed and, after a moment, pulled Courtney into a hug.
"Fine," she muttered. "But you're not doing it alone. You and your family are the only good thing that's happened in my life. I'll be damned if I let some lunatic with a gun take that away from me."
I was taken aback by what I'd just heard.
So… Courtney was already a hero. And not just thinking about becoming one—she already fought the Dragon King. Nearly died, too. That explains the tension between her and Cindy. There's real history there. Real pain.
Interesting.
That changes a lot. I might be able to bring these two in as allies one day. But for now, I'll just keep an eye on them—and on her whole family too. Because there's no way they don't know about Courtney's alter ego. And if I remember right… Pat might've already built his robot by now.
The bell rang, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Guess it's time to move.
I made my way back to the old restroom, turned off the Omnitrix, and shifted back into my normal form. Then I slipped out like nothing happened and headed to lunch, my mind racing the whole way.
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