I arrived at the cafeteria, grabbed my food, and slid into my usual table with my friends. Everyone was already there—Yolanda, Ava, Kamala, MJ1, Ned, Cindy, Moon, Peter, and Betty.
As I munched on my lunch, I couldn't help but notice Yolanda and Ava were still in the same sullen mood as earlier. I leaned over and asked,
"Okay, can you guys tell me what's wrong?"
Both shrugged, muttering, "We're fine."
I wasn't convinced.
Before I could press further, MJ1 piped up, "So how are the new girls? I heard you have a crush on them."
That caught me off guard.
"MJ1, what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
"Will you ever stop calling me MJ1?" she retorted, half-teasing, half-annoyed.
I smirk. "No, I like it—it's easier this way. But seriously, explain. What are you talking about?"
For context, the reason I call her MJ1 is because there are two MJs in this school. I met her first—she's like the MCU version of MJ (yep, she kind of looks like Zendaya). The other MJ is more like the classic comic version with red hair and super popular—she's got a look that reminds me of Abigail Cowen. So I call her MJ2.
MJ1 rolled her eyes and then said, "Apparently, someone in your first class heard you call a girl beautiful—and also that you gave a tour of the school to the new girls. So now there's a rumor going around that you've got a crush on them. Is that true?"
I blinked, surprised.
"Okay, first off, you shouldn't take what he says too seriously," I replied. "Yes, I did say someone was beautiful, because I like to be honest. But that doesn't mean I've got a crush on her—or on any of them."
At that, Yolanda and Ava both let out a relieved breath, and for a moment, the table fell silent as everyone processed the conversation.
Cindy raised an eyebrow at me, her tone skeptical."If you don't have a crush on either of them, why'd you give them the tour then?"
I shrugged. "Because I was curious. Also—Kamala, they're coming to the club after school."
Kamala almost choked on her drink."Wait, what?"
"Yeah, after I mentioned it, I asked if they wanted to check it out. They said yes. I don't think they're joining or anything—probably just curious. I hope that's okay."
Kamala leaned back, grinning. "Of course! I'm always happy to have potential new members for the Captain Marvel and Other Heroes fan club!"
I groaned. "We still haven't decided on the name, and we are not calling it that."
"Oh, come on!"
Peter chimed in, clearly not letting it go. "I still think we should call it the Avengers and Other Heroes Club."
"No," I said firmly. "And before you say anything, Ned—we are not calling it the Justice League and Other Heroes Club either."
Ned opened his mouth like he was about to speak, then just shut it with a small pout.
I smirked and went back to eating while the rest of the group laughed. Despite the weird vibes earlier, things were finally starting to feel normal again… at least for now.
"So, what'd you learn about the new girls?" MJ1 asked, leaning across the table with a sly grin.
I took a sip of my drink and shrugged casually."Quite a bit, actually. First off—they're sisters. Well, adopted sisters. I'm not gonna get into the why, it's personal. But they're clearly close. Used to live in a small town called Blue Valley."
I glanced at Cindy sitting with us. "And the one named Cindy used to be a cheerleader over there. So, for clarity—you are now Cindy One."
"You can't be serious," Cindy1 groaned, already rubbing her temples.
"I mean, I could just call you 'Moon' if that's easier…" I offered with a smirk.
She glared half-heartedly."Whatever. Call me Cindy One."
"Anyway," I went on, "the other one's named Courtney. She's into gymnastics, but they didn't have a team at her old school. Sounds like she might want to join one here."
"We don't have a gymnastics team," Ava said, raising an eyebrow."You really should learn more about school sports."
"Nah, I'm good," I said, brushing that off. "They moved to New York a couple months ago but have been homeschooled until now—today's actually their first day. Courtney's mom works with the city council, and her dad opened a new mechanic shop. They've also got a little brother, but he goes to another school."
MJ1 leaned in with an even bigger grin."Oh wow, that's all very touching. Now… did you get their phone numbers?"
I stared at her. "That's your follow-up?"
"Hey," she said, shrugging. "Info's great. But access is better."
Kamala snorted into her juice. Peter tried not to laugh. Ned looked like he was genuinely considering the logic.
And Cindy1 just sighed."This is gonna be a long year."
After lunch, things felt normal again. Yolanda and Ava were back to their usual selves, chatting and laughing like nothing ever happened. The rest of the day flew by, and now here I am—sitting in math class after school, waiting for the club meeting to start.
I was zoning out, thinking about maybe squeezing in a little hero work after this. Maybe clear some debris at my base, run tests on a few of the new aliens I haven't tried yet. No sense jumping into a fight with powers I don't fully understand.
My thoughts were interrupted when the door opened.
Courtney and Cindy walked in, glancing around the room.
"Are we early?" Courtney asked.
I checked the time."Only by a minute. Everyone should be here soon. Just take a seat."
They nodded and sat next to each other. Silence followed. No small talk, no questions—just three people waiting in quiet anticipation.
A few minutes later, the rest of the club arrived. Kamala came in first, followed by Peter, Ned, Chuck, and Eddie. They each found their seats, except for Kamala, who made her way to the front of the class.
"Hello, everyone! Welcome to the Captain Marvel and Other Heroes Fan Club!" Kamala beamed.
"We're still not calling it that," we all groaned in unison—except for Cindy and Courtney, who just looked confused.
Kamala ignored us."Today, we've got two new potential members. Would you two like to introduce yourselves?"
"My name is Courtney Whitmore."
"I'm Cindy Burman. And seriously… you guys don't have a name for this club yet?"
"Sadly, no," Ned said with a sigh."We all want different names… except Franklin."
Cindy raised a brow at me."You never gave a suggestion?"
I shrugged."Never really had one. And even if I did, it'd just get shot down like the rest. We all have to agree on the name unanimously."
"And we've never actually done that," Peter added, laughing.
I nodded."So I just veto anything too biased toward one hero. This club's supposed to be about all heroes—analyzing powers, gear, history, the works."
Cindy tapped her chin."Then why not call it the Heroes Analysis and Understanding Club? H.A.A.U.C. for short."
Silence.
We all looked at each other.
That… actually sounded good.
Kamala blinked."Okay… raise your hand if you're down to make that the official name."
Every single hand went up.
"Alright then! It's official. Welcome to H.A.A.U.C.," Kamala declared proudly."Now let's get into the topic of today—the new hero who showed up yesterday. Ned, set it up."
Ned moved to the front and hooked his laptop to the smartboard. The screen lit up with a paused video feed.
"Please tell me you didn't hack a bank to get this," I said, narrowing my eyes.
"For legal reasons… let's just say I found it somewhere," Ned replied with a smirk.
"Good enough for me."
He hit play.
The footage wasn't great—grainy security cam quality—but it was enough. One moment the robbers were waving guns and yelling, hostages on the ground. The next, all the guns were piled in a corner, hostages safely outside, and a sleek, blue, lizard-like alien stood over them.
Then came the moment I remembered all too well—the robbers trying to shoot me, and me disarming them in a blur.
The class was silent as the clip ended.
"Dude…" Chuck said. "That was insane."
"That speed... is unreal," Eddie added.
I tried not to smirk.
Let them wonder.
The club meeting was fun—everyone had their theories on why the new hero had two names and what team he'd be the perfect fit for: the Justice League or the Avengers. We spent two hours going back and forth, analyzing everything from speed to alien physiology to possible gear. Classic H.A.A.U.C. vibes.
After everyone packed up and went home, I didn't. I had other plans.
I headed straight to my base.
As always, I parked my car in a hidden spot, making sure no one could spot it. Then I made my way inside the abandoned building and descended underground. It was quiet—just how I liked it.
Yesterday, after the bank incident, I'd cleaned the place up a little. Cleared some debris, leveled out the ground. I even installed a large mirror against one wall—big enough to see my full reflection. Seemed smart, considering I needed to check out how I looked in each alien form.
Standing in front of it, I activated the Omnitrix.
"Suit mode."
Green light flared, and the sleek black-and-green armor formed around my body, sealing with a metallic hum. I scrolled through the Omnitrix's alien selection until I landed on one I hadn't tried yet. Something about this one just felt right.
I slammed the dial.
A flash of green engulfed me—and then... I changed.
My body grew taller, bulkier. My skin turned into thick white fur. I looked like a humanoid polar bear, but more savage and battle-ready. I was wearing a sleeveless black trench coat with glowing blue trim and intricate frost-like patterns etched across the fabric. Small shards of ice clung to parts of my fur, and the Omnitrix symbol pulsed faintly from my waist.
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I stepped forward, taking in my reflection.
"Whoa..." I muttered, flexing my claws. "Okay, this is badass."
The powers kicked in like muscle memory. I could feel the cold inside me—deep, raw, and dangerous. My breath fogged up the air around me as I dropped the temperature without even trying. I raised a hand and moisture in the air instantly froze, swirling into jagged icicles. With another motion, I formed a massive ice sword and started swinging it like I'd trained with it for years.
I grinned.
"All about ice, huh? Cold control, freezing the air, making weapons... Alright. I think I'll call this one—Snow Beast."
The name fit.
After a few minutes of cutting through rubble and launching ice spikes like missiles, I finally hit the dial again. A green flash later, I was back to my regular self—armor still engaged, steam rising from where my breath had frosted the mirror.
Snow Beast... was definitely a keeper.
I activated the Omnitrix again, cycling through the alien options. My eyes scanned each one carefully until something familiar caught my attention.
"Wait… I know this one."
I slammed the dial, and a flash of green light consumed me.
When it faded, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing a sleek black and green suit with the Omnitrix symbol glowing brightly on my chest. What stood out most, though, were the four horns on my head—two large ones curved back and two smaller ones near the front.
image here
"I'm an Osmosian?" I muttered, frowning in confusion.
That didn't make sense. Osmosians aren't a real alien species—they're more like metahumans or mutants in the Ben 10 universe. But then again… this isn't a regular Omnitrix. Maybe it can scan metahuman DNA. That would explain a lot.
Curious, I crouched down and placed my hands on the concrete floor.
A strange sensation surged through me as my body absorbed the material. In seconds, my entire form was transformed into living stone. I clenched my fists, hearing the deep grinding echo of rock shifting through my arms. My strength felt amplified—like I could punch through a tank if I wanted to.
"Okay… this is kind of amazing."
Once I was done testing the form, I pressed the Omnitrix symbol again and reverted back to normal. The stone melted away from my skin, leaving me standing in my armored suit.
"Note to self—Osmosian mode is OP. Might have to test what else I can absorb later."
I was about to activate the Omnitrix and try out another new alien when I caught a signal through the police scanner.
"We have an armed robbery in progress at a local store. Suspect appears to be unstable. Officers needed immediately."
I smirked.
"Well, I guess it's hero time once again."
This was the perfect opportunity to clear up the confusion about my hero name. If I transformed, maybe it'd stick better. I activated the Omnitrix, scrolled through my options, and slammed the dial down.
"XLR8!"
In a flash of green light, I transformed and took off toward the store. It didn't take long—within seconds, I zipped inside, got all the hostages out safely, and then darted back in to face the suspect.
He turned and looked at me, clearly startled.
"What the hell are you?" the robber shouted, voice shaking.
"Haven't you heard? There's a new hero in town."
I slammed the Omnitrix symbol on my chest and reverted back to my regular form, still suited up.
"The name's Omni. Now, let's do this the easy way. Drop the gun."
To my surprise, he did—at first.
Then his hands started glowing blue, and before I could react, he launched an energy blast that sent me flying straight out of the store. I landed hard, skidding across the pavement.
"Okay... so he's a mutant or metahuman," I muttered, getting back up.
Without hesitation, I activated the Omnitrix again, scrolled until I found the form I needed, and slammed the dial.
"Chromastone!"
I transformed just in time as the robber stepped outside, his eyes wild, his breathing erratic. His hands pulsed with that same unstable blue energy.
"You just changed again?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Kinda the point of the name 'Omni.' One hero, many forms. Now give up before things get ugly."
"You haven't seen ugly yet, freak!"
He fired another blast. I stood still, absorbing it easily through Chromastone's crystalline body. He poured more energy into it, but it only pushed me back slightly.
When he finally stopped, he was sweating buckets, hunched over and gasping for breath.
"All done? Good. My turn."
I raised one hand and fired a small energy pulse. It hit him square in the chest, knocking him out cold. The guy dropped like a sack of bricks.
"That was easier than expected."
But before I could relax, I heard cheering. I turned and saw a crowd gathered across the street, recording on their phones. I grinned and waved.
"Guess that name's gonna spread fast now—"
"I'm not done yet, you mother—!"
I spun around just in time to see the guy getting back up—
—but he didn't get far.
WHAM.
A blur in white struck him clean across the jaw, knocking him out cold for good.
I looked up.
Standing there was White Tiger—Ava's dad. His costume looked awesome up close: sleek white and black, patterned like a tiger, with an amulet at the center of his chest shaped like a tiger's head.
"Thanks for the assist," I said, slapping the Omnitrix and returning to my regular form.
I walked over and held out my hand. "I'm a big fan. I've seen your work around the neighborhood—respect."
He tilted his head slightly, then shook my hand firmly.
"Thank you, young one. But remember—never take your eyes off the enemy."
I let go, rubbing the back of my head with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, lesson learned. Won't happen again."
Then we both heard it—sirens in the distance. Cops were on the way.
"Guess that's our cue."
He gave me a quick nod, ran into an alley, and leapt side to side up the walls before vanishing across the rooftops.
I activated the Omnitrix again, transformed into XLR8, and raced off in the opposite direction.
Once I was a mile away from the robbery scene, I transformed into Ghostfreak and flew back to my base, invisible. It took a while—Ghostfreak wasn't built for speed—but I made it. Once there, I reverted back to my normal form, deactivated the armor, grabbed my car, and headed home. It was getting late, and I was running on fumes.
When I got home, I threw together a quick meal—just some macaroni and pork chops. It didn't take long to cook, and I was just about to dig in when I heard a knock at the door.
I frowned and got up. Who the hell could that be this late?
I opened the door—and blinked in surprise.
Ava and her dad.
"Whoa, didn't expect to see you two tonight," I said, stepping aside. "But hey—welcome. Everything alright?"
Ava looked nervous, like she was debating whether to speak. Her dad, Hector, looked dead serious.
"I think we should sit down for this, Omni," Hector said calmly.
I froze.
...What?
My brain scrambled. How the hell does he know? I've only been a hero for two days and already someone figured me out?
I had two options: play dumb or admit the truth. I chose the first, just in case.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. "Why would you think I'm that new hero?"
Hector didn't even blink. "I'll explain. Let's sit."
We moved to the living room. I sat on the couch, Ava beside me. Hector took the recliner across from us.
"Okay, now tell me why you think I'm that superhero," I said, trying to sound casual.
"Franklin," Hector said slowly, "I've known you since you were a kid. You think I wouldn't recognize your voice? And when you transformed back into your human form during the robbery, I caught your scent."
My face must've said it all.
Seriously? That easy?
I completely forgot about the amulet boosting his senses. Why didn't I think to tell the Omnitrix to modulate my voice?
Hector caught the expression on my face and smirked slightly.
"I see you connected the dots," he said. "Yeah. I'm the White Tiger."
I act surprised. I didn't want him asking how I already knew that.
"So," I said, leaning forward, "what now?"