[4] Mutant Shenanigans

Chapter 4: Mutant Shenanigans

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It was strange how quickly the impossible could become normal.

I had two sets of memories, with each finding it difficult to make sense of the other. I’d gone through the night thanks to pure excitement and adrenaline, but when it ended, as I lay down on the bed trying to sleep, everything felt surreal.

On one hand, were my memories from the “real” Earth. There, just a few days earlier, the concept of aliens and superheroes was something I encountered solely in comic books or films. Now, I was experiencing it for myself, feeling the cold metal watch securely attached to my wrist, transforming into aliens I'd previously only seen on TV.

How was I supposed to deal with that? Could I just wake up one morning and accept that mutants, superheroes, aliens—everything was suddenly real? Don’t get me wrong, I am excited to receive a second chance at life, but…

On the other hand, I’d grown up in this amalgamation fantasy-like world from a young age, without ever knowing that in another life, I’d watched shows about it.

Unlike most isekai stories I’d read, total acceptance took some time. Not long, but it wasn’t immediate. I spent the next two days switching between disbelief, excitement, and mild panic.

I came to accept the truth then. I died and was reborn in this world, and after receiving the Omnitrix as it was fated, I awakened memories of my previous life.

Aliens were real. Marvel heroes were real. Grandpa Max was probably involved with some cool Marvel lore. The Avengers would soon exist, for the X-Men already did. This world… all this… It wasn't just a TV show or comic book anymore. This was now my life—filled with dangers I'd once only considered entertainment.

Alright, back to the silly question—could I just wake up one morning and accept that mutants, superheroes, aliens—everything was suddenly real?

Apparently, yes.

It took two days of pondering and three nights of sleeping on it, but I finally came to the acceptance that this wasn’t a weird lucid dream. That I was incredibly happy, excited, and full of anticipation to explore this new world using my powers.

On the fourth day, I slowly woke up in the dark, my heart beating calmly as I let out a soft yawn. “Yawn…” Then my first instinct was to reach for the watch, running my finger over it as it made a weird, mechanical sound. I smiled.

Life was looking good.

The Rust Bucket was silent around me. None of the usual road hum or gentle swaying that came with driving. We'd stopped.

Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I checked my watch—6:47 AM. It’s been hours. We'd been driving after my Diamondhead stunt, Grandpa insisting we put serious miles between us and that town. "Just in case," he'd said, though his expression had been unreadable.

I swung my legs over the side of the bunk and realized Gwen's bed across from mine was empty, covers thrown back. The narrow hallway stretched ahead, dimly lit by a single night light near the bathroom. A low murmur floated from the front of the RV.

"...disappointed to see that something like this is happening under our radar." Grandpa Max's voice was unusually tense.

I froze, then carefully crept forward, staying low and avoiding the creaky floorboard near the kitchenette.

The dashboard lights cast eerie shadows across Grandpa's face as he sat in the driver's seat, phone pressed to his ear. I slipped behind the curtain separating the cab from the living area, peeking through a thin gap. I didn’t know why I was hiding, but I felt like I should.

"I don't care what protocols say, Molly." Grandpa's tone was sharp and authoritative, nothing like his usual easygoing manner. "This is the third incident this month, and this one’s the craziest. I think someone related to Vilgax is involved. But that’s not what bothers me. Civilians were endangered… do you understand?” He fell quiet for a moment, hearing the other side’s reply. “I hope you guys resolve it quickly. Otherwise, I’ll have to reach out to Fury."

My eyes narrowed. Fury? As in Nick Fury? Director of SHIELD?

"Right. Keep me updated." Grandpa ended the call, then sat motionless, staring out the windshield at whatever lay beyond.

I backed away silently, my brain spinning. Grandpa knows Nick Fury? It wasn’t that surprising, given my theories about him, but I was curious about what their relationship was.

The floorboard I'd been so careful to avoid earlier creaked under my weight.

"...Ben? That you?" Grandpa called out.

I panicked, diving into the bathroom and flushing the toilet to create an excuse. "Yeah, just needed to pee." I faked a yawn and called back as casually as possible, emerging with what I hoped was a sleepy expression.

Grandpa had moved to the small dining table, holding a steaming mug. Everything about his posture was normal and relaxed, except for the slight tightness around his eyes.

"Everything okay?" I asked, wondering if he'd give anything away. I didn’t want to push the information out of him myself. Not yet, anyway…

"Fine, fine." He smiled, taking a sip from his mug. "Just couldn't sleep. Thought I'd make some tea."

He was lying through his teeth, and I was fine with that so far. I was old enough to understand that secrecy was beneficial in this line of work.

The RV door clicked and swung open. Gwen stepped inside, her face illuminated by her phone screen, hair slightly messy from the night breeze.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"Outside. Better signal." She looked up, and I was startled by the mixture of excitement and alarm on her face. "Guess what, doofus? You're famous."

She thrust her phone toward me. A shaky video filled the screen—Diamondhead standing in front of terrified civilians, creating a massive crystal shield against the robot's attack. It was pretty to see that from a third-person point of view. The video had already received over nine hundred thousand views.

"Holy shit," I whispered, forgetting Grandpa's presence. Such a high view count in such a short time, especially in 2011, was honestly insane.

"Language," he muttered automatically.

Gwen swiped to another video, this one clearer, showing me impaling the robot from below with diamond spikes. The comment section was exploding with speculation.

"They're calling you Crystal Man," she said with a snort. "Or Diamond Dad. I think the video didn’t record your shout properly. Or my personal favorite, 'Shiny Rocker.'"

I felt my ego deflate like a punctured balloon at those names. Gwen noticed my expression and smirked. She was clearly enjoying my distress. "Hey, what did you expect? 'The Amazing Diamondhead'? Nobody knows what you are. Plus it's not the worst, you know? 'Captain Erectile Dysfunction' must already be taken since nobody said it.”

I shot her a glare. “Screw you, Gwen.”

Gwen smirked, “You wish, dweeb.”

“You two!” Grandpa’s irritated voice came, and Gwen cleared her throat while I smirked at her. She really let all those curves get to her head, this attitude…

Gwen leaned forward, whispering so that Grandpa couldn’t hear. “Anyways, congrats, Ben. You’re officially the internet’s favorite walking rock-hard joke.”

I didn’t feel annoyed anymore after taking a good look at her body. I huffed, “Maybe I should start with deleting the internet.”

Gwen mocked a gasp. “Wow, already getting that superhero god complex, huh? Gonna start calling yourself ‘Lord Quartz’ next?”

I ignored her after that and kept scrolling through more comments; my initial thrill of fame had long since turned sour because of my stupid cousin. So, I read bizarre theories about my origins instead.

"Definitely an X-Gene mutant."

"Government experiment gone rogue."

“Crystal guy looks like one of Stark’s weird suits.”

"Anyone else notice the weird symbol on his chest? Remember that conspiracy a few years ago…?"

That last one was interesting, and as I read it, it got removed right before my eyes. It was probably related to the Plumbers, who used the same symbol, and they were clearing the comment section.

"Some people are saying you're working with the robot," Gwen added, pointing to another thread. "Like it was all staged to introduce you as a new government hero or something. Their stupid conspiracy and lack of trust annoys me a little, truth be told.”

"Yes, it sounds ridiculous," I muttered. Rather than becoming a government dog, part of me couldn't help but think how it would be to be an Avenger. Then again, maybe I wasn’t interested. I didn’t feel the attraction toward a large superhero group.

"Viral fame is a double-edged sword," Grandpa observed, somehow looking both concerned and proud. "Good thing nobody knows it's you under all that crystal."

I handed the phone back to Gwen, my mind racing between the videos, Grandpa's mysterious call, and the implications of it all. I frowned.

I did have the Omnitrix, and I planned to enjoy using it, but such a powerful machine…. People will come after me. And this time, not just Villgax.

"Earth to Ben," Gwen waved her hand in front of my face. "You okay? Not letting fame go to your head already, are you?"

"No," I said, my thoughts elsewhere. "Just tired."

"Well, get used to it, Crystal Man," she teased, making jazz hands. "Your adoring public awaits."

I groaned, flopping back onto the small couch. "Stop calling me that, dweeb."

****

I slouched against the Rust Bucket's window, watching the Washington Monument shrink into the distance as we rolled through D.C.'s streets. Three days of being a tourist had worn thin, especially with Gwen lecturing me about the historical significance of every damn building we passed.

"Did you know the Lincoln Memorial contains thirty-six columns representing the states in the Union when Lincoln died? Fun fact." Gwen didn't even look up from her phone as she spouted another useless fact. Did she have to be such a pain in the ass?

“Yay, amazing," I muttered, counting the minutes until we left the city.

Grandpa Max hummed along to some ancient rock song on the radio, occasionally pointing out landmarks I'd already seen twice. The Omnitrix sat heavy on my wrist, unused recently. Grandpa didn’t allow me to play around with it without reason. I thought it would be alright, that I’d use it when villains appeared, but…

Turns out, being a superhero wasn't much fun when there was nothing heroic to do. It wasn’t that easy to encounter crime.

“....!”

A flash of black caught my eye, pulling me from my thoughts. Dark smoke billowed into the clear blue sky, rising from a brownstone a few blocks away.

"Grandpa, stop! There's a fire!" I shot upright, suddenly wide awake.

The Rust Bucket screeched to a halt as Grandpa slammed the brakes, sending Gwen tumbling forward.

"What the—" she started, but I was already halfway to the door.

"Ben, wait!" Grandpa called, but I was at the door before he could finish.

People stood frozen on the sidewalk, phones raised to record the blaze. The smoke thickened as flames licked at the second-story windows. Someone screamed about people being trapped inside.

But my fingers found the Omnitrix dial right before I left the RV, twisting it with practiced precision. I didn't slam it down recklessly like the original—I needed a specific alien for this.

"It’s… Hero Time," I muttered, finding Heatblast's silhouette. The familiar green flash enveloped me, and the transformation rippled through my body. Flames surged along my limbs, my human form melting away into glowing volcanic rock. Every cell ignited like tiny suns inside me, filling me with blazing confidence.

My skin hardened into molten rock, my insides turned to living magma. “Heatblast!”

[Image Here]

When the light faded, I jumped out of the RV, causing people to gasp and back away from my fiery form. "Everyone stay back!" I shouted, my voice gravelly and deep.

I sprinted toward the burning building, ignoring the screams behind me. The heat from the blaze grew more intense with each step, but to Heatblast, it felt like nothing – like walking through a warm breeze.

The front door had collapsed inward, blocked by burning debris. I channeled energy through my palms, manipulating the flames to part like curtains. Stepping inside, I raised my hands and absorbed the worst of the fire around me, feeling it strengthen me with each passing second.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice booming through the crackling house. "Anyone here?"

A faint cry answered from upstairs. I bounded up the burning staircase, which groaned but held under my weight. Following the sound, I kicked open a door to find a woman clutching a boy no older than six. They cowered in the corner of a bathroom, a wet towel pressed against their faces.

"It's okay," I said, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible despite literally being made of fire. "I'm here to help."

As I approached, the woman's eyes widened with terror. Surprisingly, the boy looked more curious than afraid.

"A-are you a superhero?" he asked through coughs.

"Something like that," I replied, gathering them both in my arms. "Hold on tight."

I was worried that touching me would hurt them, but it didn’t when I remained careful to control my body’s heat. The ceiling creaked ominously above us. I had seconds before the entire floor collapsed. I shielded them with my body.

For a brief moment, as I defended the child and mother, an unexpected wave of pride surged inside me. Protecting lives—it felt good. It resonated with me.

Once the collapse calmed down, I made sure they were fine. Then, I channeled heat through my feet, creating a blast powerful enough to propel us through the hallway and down the stairs in a controlled fall.

The front entrance was now completely blocked by fallen beams. I held the mother and son closer, shielding them with my body as I charged through the wall itself, bursting out onto the street in a shower of brick and embers.

A crowd had gathered, along with several fire trucks just arriving. I gently set the family down on the sidewalk as paramedics rushed forward. The little boy stared up at me with wonder.

"Thank you, mister fireman!" he shouted out loud, trembling in fear while tears painted his face.

I couldn't help grinning, though I wasn't sure if he could tell with my flaming face. "All in a day's work, kid."

Gwen pushed through the onlookers, her expression frantic. "B- uh, Fireman!"

"Crisis averted," I said proudly, gesturing to the rescued family.

"No, you idiot!" She grabbed my arm, apparently forgetting I was made of living fire. She jerked her hand back with a hiss now that I wasn’t controlling my temperature anymore. "Ugh! That wasn't the main problem! It's just a distraction—the real criminals are escaping!"

"What?" I spun around, scanning the area.

"The fire was set to cover a bank robbery three blocks over!" She pointed down the street. "They're getting away in a black sedan!"

The realization struck me like a bucket of water. This was exactly like that episode from the original show – where Heatblast saved people from a burning building while criminals used the distraction to rob a nearby jewelry store. The minuscule details of the show weren’t vivid in my head, so I forgot.

But would things really proceed like the original? After all, this world is full of superheroes, not just me. Regardless, I wasn’t going to put this on someone else.

"I'm on it," I said, and then ran into a narrow alley between buildings. There weren’t many CCTVs, but I still had to be careful.

I carefully tapped the Omnitrix symbol on my chest, and in a flash of red light, I reverted to human form. Then I brought my watch to my face again.

I quickly cycled through the available aliens and found what I needed.

"This should be perfect." With another flash of green, my body transformed. My legs thinned and gained powerful calf muscles, my feet morphed into wheel-like structures, and a sleek black and blue exoskeleton covered my body. A visor snapped down over my face, completing the transformation. “XLR8!”

[Image Here]

"Time to catch some thieves," I said, my voice hissing slightly through XLR8's mouth.

I took off in a blur, the world stretching around me as I accelerated to speeds over five hundred miles per hour. Following Gwen's directions, I weaved through traffic, past confused pedestrians who only felt a strange wind as I passed.

I found a bank nearby, and from the commotion, I knew it was where the robbery had taken place. I focused on the people’s reaction, where they were staring and pointing, and then I took that path.

Buildings whipped past in streaks of concrete and glass. Sounds warped strangely, a symphony distorted by my velocity. Everything blurred if I didn’t focus. This speed was addictive, intoxicating—I could see myself getting addicted to this.

Three blocks, then five, then eight – I spotted tire marks indicating a sharp turn. I followed them down a side street, toward the edge of the city.

The screeching of my wheels echoed through an empty alleyway as I braked hard.

"What the hell?"

A cold sweat ran down my back. The black sedan had been crushed against a brick wall, folded like it was made of paper. Two bodies were barely out of the window, squashed and twisted at impossible angles. Blood pooled beneath them; their limbs flattened as if a giant had stepped on them.

The twisted metal gleamed grotesquely, bones poking out underneath crushed limbs. It couldn’t be a simple accident. I’d seen violence before, but this... was raw power displayed casually—cold, indifferent. It sent ice through my veins.

People were gathering around the site, and amid the crowd, a man stood trembling, his phone raised, recording the carnage. "I saw it! D-did you guys see it too?! I just saw some guy twist his finger, and then... this happened! What the hell is going on in this world?!"

"When?" I demanded, dashing to him in a blue blur. "When did this happen?"

The man jerked backward in surprise. Like everyone around me, he looked at me in shock, stunned by my appearance, but managed to blurt out an answer. "J-just now! Like a minute ago! Some old dude in a weird helmet—he didn't even touch them! He just—" he twisted his finger in demonstration, "—and the car flattered and slammed against the wall!"

My blood ran cold. A twist of a finger. Metal manipulation. An old man in a helmet.

"...Magneto," I whispered. Not a low-level criminal or alien bounty hunter, but one of the most dangerous terrorists on the planet. Not good.

A human-hating super-terrorist was here in Washington D.C.

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