Chapter 8: Mr Baumann
"I think you're my dad."
"Eh?" Izuku's brain short-circuited, his face going completely blank with confusion. He stared at the smaller, skinnier version of HeatBlast, trying to make sense of what he'd just heard.
Uraraka's eyes widened in shock, her head snapping back and forth between the two fiery beings. "D-Deku, you have a kid!?" Her cheeks flushed pink, her mind racing with all kinds of wild theories.
Izuku snapped out of his stupor, waving his hands frantically. "What? N-No! I'm 14! I can't have a kid! And he doesn't even look like me!"
Alan, still in his fiery form, blinked in disbelief. "What are you talking about? You look exactly like me! And you're 14? You're nearly double my height, and you sound like someone who's been smoking for 40 years!"
HeatBlast opened his mouth to argue back, but a familiar noise cut him off.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
FLASH!
"GAH! What the heck!?" Alan yelled, rubbing his eyes from the sudden burst of light.
"My eyes! Why do I always forget to look away!?" Uraraka groaned, shielding her face.
As the light faded, Izuku found himself back in his normal form, wincing as the cold air stung the bruises and cuts on his body. He could feel every ache and scrape from his earlier battles. Ow... I forgot how much this hurts.
Alan blinked, his confusion growing as he looked up at Izuku, now significantly shorter and clearly not the towering fire-being he had been moments ago. "You're... actually 14? You're not my dad?"
Izuku gave him a sheepish smile. "Yeah, uh... sorry. I'm not."
Alan's face fell, disappointment settling in. "But... how did you...? That transformation—it's exactly like mine. We have to be related somehow!"
Alan transformed back into his human form, his eyes watering slightly as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Seeing Alan's distress, Izuku awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to say.
Tetrax stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "Fortunately, you're most likely not related to him."
"'Fortunately'?" Izuku muttered with a deadpan expression, but Uraraka quickly shushed him.
Tetrax kneeled down slightly to meet Alan at eye level, placing a steady hand on his shoulder. Alan looked up, his confusion deepening as Tetrax's serious expression gave him no room to argue.
"You're an alien," Tetrax said bluntly.
Alan's face froze in shock.
SO BLUNT! Izuku and Uraraka internally screamed, their minds spinning as they watched Alan's reaction.
"A-An alien?!" Alan sputtered, stepping back from Tetrax. "Is this some kind of joke? Because it's not funny!"
"It's not a joke," Tetrax replied evenly. "You're a Pyronite. Though, by the looks of it, you're only half-Pyronite."
"Pyronite...? You expect me to believe that?"
Tetrax nodded. "I don't expect you to believe it without proof. That's why we're taking you to a place where you'll get the answers you need. Follow me." Without waiting for a response, he turned and started walking in the direction set by his GPS.
Alan took a step back, alarmed. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm not going anywhere with you! You're crazy!"
Tetrax stopped and glanced back at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "In case you've forgotten, we saw you on the news causing chaos. Mind-controlled or not, you were still part of the destruction. And as an unauthorized alien, you're technically in restricted areas. That alone could get you deported—off the planet."
"Off the planet?!" Alan stared at Tetrax like he was talking nonsense. "Okay, now I know you're crazy."
Before they could argue further, the distant wail of sirens echoed through the streets, growing louder with each passing second.
"Ehh, I don't think you have a choice," Izuku said, glancing around nervously. "This area's going to be swarmed with police and heroes any minute. You might want to come with us—at least we can help you figure out... well, your 'Quirk.'"
Tetrax, already moving again, didn't look back. "If you want to leave, go. We don't have time to argue."
Izuku and Uraraka exchanged quick glances before hurrying after Tetrax. Alan hesitated, glancing around the empty street, the sound of sirens inching closer. With a frustrated sigh, he hurried after them, keeping his distance but following nonetheless.
______________________________________
Far away from the chaos, a shadowed figure sat in a dimly lit office. The only light in the room came from the glow of a monitor, flickering as it played the recent news.
"...And it doesn't stop at Sublimino's hypnotism madness, ladies and gentlemen!" a voice boomed dramatically from the screen. Harangue, ever the bombastic media figure, banged his fist on his desk for added effect.
Behind him, the screen filled with footage: HeatBlast (Alan, though unknown to most), igniting buildings, Ripjaws battling Bebop and Rocksteady, Tetrax and Lucky Girl fighting through crowds of mind-controlled civilians.
"As you can see, these vigilantes—these mutant vigilantes—have wreaked havoc on our streets. Their dangerous quirks have burned down homes, businesses, and even endangered lives! Worse still, they've interfered with heroes, hurting innocent civilians in the process!" Harangue took a deep, overly dramatic sigh, straightening his tie. "Now, some of you misguided viewers may be thinking, 'But the civilians were mind-controlled,' or that 'HeatBlast himself was under Sublimino's quirk!'"
He sneered, leaning closer to the camera as if delivering a personal message. "Well, to that, I say: what about this?"
The screen cut to the now-infamous footage of HeatBlast and Endeavor's battle, replaying the brutal knockout seen by millions.
"Our sources tell us that Sublimino's quirk can be broken by physical hits—and we see Endeavor land plenty of them! And yet, this menace continued to fight, going so far as to catch Endeavor off-guard and assault one of our top heroes! Clearly, he was no longer under Sublimino's influence. So, I ask you... was he ever under it at all? Who's to say this vigilante wasn't in on it from the start? Was this part of some larger scheme?"
Harangue's tone shifted, turning somber as he stared directly into the camera. "Think about that, ladies and gentlemen... Now, on to ton—"
The figure in the office clicked the tab closed, cutting off the broadcast. The room was plunged back into near-darkness, with only the faint glow of a new browser tab opening. The figure began scanning the public's reactions across social media—and what they saw wasn't good.
@EndevourIsTheGoat! #Endevour #Vigilantes #Sublimino
That was a fluke! Endeavor was just caught off guard!
400 replies…
@Staples #Endevour
You get what you deserve…
@StarEars #Vigilantes #HeatBlast #Endevour
Not only did HeatBlast burn down an entire block, but he beat Endeavor… the Number 2 hero. Does this mean no one but All Might can stop him? That's kinda scary when you think about it…
@AllMightTower #Endevour
We here at All Might Tower wish Endeavor a speedy recovery. Thoughts and prayers to the Todoroki family.
@PeanutLover #Endevour #HeatBlastIsInnocent #Vigilantes
Obviously, Sublimino had HeatBlast under control until Endeavor broke the spell. It's likely Endeavor didn't stop his attack fast enough. This is just a misunderstanding…
@WormBadger Reply to @PeanutLover
You seriously think that villain deserves defense? He's a criminal, plain and simple.
@Yobby #Vigilantes #Endevour
So one of these vigilantes took down the Number 2 hero? What does that say about the heroes? Who's gonna stop these guys if they go rogue?
@PeanutLover #Vigilantes #HeatBlast
Hey guys, me again… Is it just me, or did HeatBlast look kinda different?
The figure scanned post after post. Millions of messages were already trending, with reactions ranging from mockery of Endeavor to outright fear of the vigilantes. But what made the figure pause were the growing number of posts that expressed a disturbing sentiment: uncertainty and fear.
Some posts questioned whether the heroes could truly protect the public from these powerful vigilantes. Some wondered what would happen if the vigilantes became a more dangerous force. Others feared that, if even Endeavor could fall, then perhaps no one could stop them.
The figure narrowed their eyes. The public is scared. And fear, once it took root, was hard to pull out. It was already spreading like wildfire, destabilizing trust in heroes and law enforcement.
But then there were the vigilantes themselves. The figure clicked through images of HeatBlast, Tetrax, Lucky Girl, and the others. Studying them, the figure leaned back, understanding exactly what they were dealing with.
They weren't ordinary people with quirks. No, they were something far more dangerous—and far more complicated.
The screen went black, reflecting the figure's features—a chimera-like being, eyes sharp with deep contemplation. Standing up from the chair, the figure, Nezu, tapped a paw against the desk thoughtfully, his mind already calculating.
"Seems I have a few calls to make."
___________________________________________
"...Then that little dude hypnotized everyone in the crowd, including me."
Izuku nodded, finally putting the pieces together. "So that's why Endeavor was talking like we'd already met. He thought I was you!"
"Yeah... sorry about that."
"We're here," Tetrax announced, coming to a sudden stop.
The group paused, looking around in confusion.
Uraraka tilted her head. "...A grocery store?"
Alan facepalmed. "I knew you were crazy."
Izuku groaned, his bruised body aching from all the evasive maneuvers they had made to avoid police and heroes on the way there. "This better be worth it."
From the outside, the store did look a bit off—it was more of a large warehouse dressed up like a grocery store. But something else struck Izuku as strange: the back half of the building was fortified with thick, tall brick walls. It seemed a bit... excessive for a grocery store, right?
Tetrax pulled his hood up over his face and turned toward the others. "You may want to change into your alien forms. Uraraka, keep your mask on."
Uraraka adjusted her Lucky Girl mask, giving him a confident thumbs-up.
Alan rolled his eyes but reluctantly transformed into his fiery HeatBlast form. "I still don't buy this alien stuff, but whatever…"
Izuku didn't put too much thought into his choice, dialing up an alien and pressing down the Omnitrix. FLASH! As the light faded, the towering, muscular form of FourArms stood where Izuku had been. He flexed his four massive arms, grinning with pride.
Alan jumped in surprise. "W-Whoa! You're the guy who fought that animal dude too!"
"Dr. Animo? Oh yeah, you wouldn't know," FourArms said, puffing out his chest. "I'm all the vigilantes you've been seeing on the news recently! Pretty cool, right?"
"All... of them?" Alan blinked in awe. "I can't lie, dude, that's pretty cool."
FourArms grinned wider. "You could say it's pretty... handy!" He shoved all four hands into Alan's face. "Eh? Get it? Handy? Eh?"
Uraraka facepalmed. "There it is…"
Alan sweatdropped, immediately deflated. "Annnnnd you lost all the cool points."
"Huh?"
Tetrax, clearly unimpressed, growled, "Enough fooling around, Izuku. You've fooled around enough already today." He turned back to the door. "Now, don't cause a scene. I'll handle the talking."
Awkwardly nodding, the teens followed him up to the warehouse-like building, which, to their surprise, appeared closed.
"Guess we'll come back tomorrow?" Uraraka suggested, shrugging.
Ignoring her, Tetrax knocked hard on the door—a large, rolling warehouse door. After a moment of silence, he knocked again, this time louder.
"OKAY, OKAY! I'M COMING!" a distant, grumpy voice shouted from inside.
The group exchanged relieved smiles. At least their journey hadn't been for nothing. But something tugged at the back of Izuku's mind... That voice sounds familiar…
The door's peephole slid open, revealing a single, squinting eye. The man behind it studied them, his gaze lingering on each of them before he grumbled, "Oh... I see. Come in."
The teens shot each other confused looks but followed as the door rolled open. Standing in the doorway was an elderly man in a striped shirt and a stained apron. His hair was white and balding, and his round, chubby frame made him look like a typical old shopkeeper. Uraraka and Alan exchanged puzzled glances.
But before anyone could say anything, FourArms let out a panicked-sounding yelp.
"MR. BAUMANN?!"
The elderly man glanced up at the towering, four-armed figure, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Do I know you, sir?"
Izuku could only stare, eyes wide with shock, his jaw hanging open. His mind was suddenly flooded with memories—memories of pure terror and trauma.
Not him... anyone but him.
[FlashBack]
Izuku, Age 5 and a Half
"Hey! Mr. Baumaaaaan!" Izuku shouted excitedly, his small voice cutting through the quiet afternoon air. For Izuku, Mr. Baumann was one of the few adults—besides his mom and Kacchan's parents—who didn't treat him any differently because he was Quirkless.
Mr. Baumann, in the middle of cleaning his car, let out a long, tired sigh before turning to face the young boy. Despite his gruff exterior, he couldn't help but notice how adorable Izuku looked, standing there in his All Might overalls with a gap-toothed grin and a bandaged nose. He'd never admit it, but the kid had a certain charm.
"Can I help you, Izuku?" Mr. Baumann asked, trying to mask his amusement with a grumpy tone.
"I doubt it! Kacchan wouldn't let me play with him, so I thought I'd come hang out with you instead!" Izuku's voice was cheerful, but the slight droop in his shoulders showed a hint of disappointment.
Mr. Baumann felt a twinge of sympathy as he looked at the boy. It was obvious from the bandaged nose and his disheveled appearance that the other kids hadn't been kind. Izuku always tried to stay upbeat, but Baumann knew the reality of how kids treated someone like him—a Quirkless child in a world of superpowered peers.
He sighed again, this time softer. "I... suppose you can help me clean my car," he said, already regretting the decision but unable to turn the boy away.
Izuku's face lit up immediately, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He rushed over, clambering onto a nearby toolbox to get a better view of the car. "Thanks, Mr. Baumann! What should I do?"
Mr. Baumann grimaced, realizing he hadn't thought this through. His eyes scanned the area for something simple enough to keep the boy occupied. He spotted a magnifying glass he'd been using earlier for a small detail job. With a shrug, he handed it to Izuku.
"Here. Use this magnifying glass and let me know if you see any spots I missed."
Izuku took the magnifying glass with wide-eyed enthusiasm, holding it up to the car's hood. After a few moments of scanning, his eyes lit up. "I found a spot! Right here!"
Mr. Baumann leaned in, humoring the boy. To his surprise, there was indeed a tiny patch of grime he hadn't noticed before. He smiled—a rare occurrence. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.
But then, the smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He hadn't considered the angle of the sun. He watched in slow-motion horror as the sunlight intensified through the magnifying glass and hit the tiny spot of grime, causing it to burst into flames.
"AAH!" Both Mr. Baumann and Izuku shouted in unison. Startled, Izuku dropped the magnifying glass, which shattered on the pavement.
The fire crackled on the hood of the car, small but undeniably real. Izuku's eyes widened in panic, and before Mr. Baumann could say a word, the boy bolted.
"Cya!" Izuku squeaked as he darted away, disappearing around the corner.
Mr. Baumann stood frozen for a moment, staring at the small but growing fire on his car and the shattered glass on the ground. He let out a frustrated groan, gripping his hair in despair—accidentally pulling out a few strands in the process.
"Why do I even bother..." he muttered to himself, rushing for the fire extinguisher.
#################################
Izuku, Age 6
Cans of peas and various vegetables rolled across the floor of the small grocery store, creating a chaotic mess. Behind the counter, Mr. Baumann sat rubbing his temples, clearly in pain.
"Izuku! Must you destroy everything in my store?" he groaned, his patience wearing thin.
"It was an accident, I swear it'll never happen again!" Izuku pleaded, scrambling to pick up the rolling cans.
"Mmhmm." Mr. Baumann, unconvinced, reached under the counter and pulled out a large, well-worn pink book, its cover labeled Izuku Ledger in big, bold letters.
Izuku's eyes went wide with horror. "Oh no! Not the Izuku Ledger!"
"Congratulations," Mr. Baumann said dryly as he opened the book and scribbled something down. "With this latest accident, you now owe me... $20 and five cents."
Izuku gasped dramatically, slapping the back of his hand to his forehead. "Oh man, that'll take me years to pay off! I'll be an old man by then!"
Mr. Baumann shuddered at the thought. "Please don't tell me you'll still be destroying my store 10 years from now," he muttered under his breath, already dreading the future.
Izuku, still caught up in his own theatrics, suddenly tilted his head and asked innocently, "Why are you so grumpy all the time, Mr. Baumann? Isn't there a Mrs. Baumann to keep you from being lonely?"
Mr. Baumann stiffened, his eyes narrowing as his face flushed slightly. "Lonely? Me? I was nev—NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, KID! WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHOP ONLINE LIKE OTHER PEOPLE?" he shouted, trying to avoid the subject.
BEEP BEEP.
Izuku perked up at the sound of a car horn from outside. "Oh, Mom's here! Cya later, Mr. Baumann!" he called, waving as he headed for the door.
Mr. Baumann watched him leave with a groan, slumping against the counter. "That always sounds like a threat..." he muttered to himself, eyeing the mess left behind with a resigned sigh.
###################################
Izuku, Age 10
Izuku bounced a soccer ball on his knee, trying to impress two kids he could sort of call friends—despite being Quirkless. It wasn't often he got the chance to show off.
JT, the short, chubby kid with curly brown hair and oversized glasses, watched skeptically. He had a Quirk, but it wasn't much to brag about—he could shoot jam from his hands. Not the most useful ability, but Izuku thought it was cool. After all, they were both outcasts at school, so they stuck together.
The other kid was a bit older than them, a blonde-haired foreign girl named Melissa. Her family was visiting Japan for a week, and their parents thought it'd be fun for them to meet. What made it extra special was that Melissa, like Izuku, was Quirkless. She clapped and smiled as Izuku continued his tricks.
"Behold my mad skills!" Izuku exclaimed, grinning triumphantly. He bounced the ball off his knee before launching it into a corner kick aimed at some makeshift bowling pins. "My corner kick against Kacchan in the finals is legendary!"
JT scratched his cheek, confused. "Didn't Kacchan beat you and... y'know, beat you up after?"
"Pfft, whatever, he cheated," Izuku replied dismissively. With a hard kick, he sent the ball flying into the pins. "Strike!"
Melissa clapped politely again, while JT rolled his eyes, already wishing he could go home. With a sigh, JT got up and went inside to grab a drink from the Midoriya kitchen.
"Any questions?" Izuku asked with a confident grin, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Melissa's eyes lit up with curiosity as she spotted something across the yard. "Yeah, who's that? And... why are they dressed like that?"
Izuku turned to look, following her gaze to his neighbor. "Oh, that's Mr. Baumann! He's awesome. Wait... why is he wearing a tuxedo?"
It was true—Mr. Baumann, usually seen in casual clothes, was wearing a sleek black tuxedo, looking sharp but out of place in the neighborhood. Curious, both Izuku and Melissa headed toward him, just as JT returned with a tall glass of milk, joining them out of curiosity.
"Hot date, Mr. Baumann?" Izuku teased as they approached, a playful grin on his face.
Mr. Baumann sighed, instantly regretting leaving the house. "No. I'm going to a housewarming party at a friend's place. Fancy dress," he explained, adjusting his bow tie. He shot a warning glance at Izuku. "No kids allowed, especially you."
"Oh mannn..." Izuku groaned in disappointment.
Mr. Baumann turned to leave but paused, already thinking about the dim sum that would be served. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm late, and I've heard there's going to be some dim sum," he muttered, almost drooling at the thought.
Before he could get far, Izuku grabbed his hand, his eyes wide with excitement. "But wait, Mr. Baumann! You've got to see my new tricks. Just one more time! Please?" He put on his best puppy-dog eyes.
Mr. Baumann opened his mouth to protest, but froze when he saw the boy's pleading expression. With a heavy sigh, he lowered his head. "Fine... but make it quick, boy."
"Yes!" Izuku cheered, already rushing to set up the bowling pins again.
He moved with surprising speed, eager to show off his skills. Once again, he began bouncing the ball on his knee and performing trick kicks, each one more exaggerated than the last. Mr. Baumann sat down next to JT, who was sipping his milk, while Melissa clapped in encouragement.
"For the grand finale," Izuku announced with a grin, "it's all about eyeball-to-soccer-ball coordination!"
He wound up for a powerful kick and launched the ball with all his strength. The ball soared through the air... and missed. Horribly. It bounced off a tree and rocketed toward the spectators, smacking JT square in the face. Milk went flying from his glass, splashing all over Mr. Baumann's tuxedo.
Both JT and Mr. Baumann screamed, but it wasn't over. The ball ricocheted off JT's face and smashed through the window of Mr. Baumann's prized muscle car.
All three kids froze in horror, eyes wide as they turned to look at Mr. Baumann. The man's face was an emotionless mask as he glanced down at his milk-soaked tuxedo, then at his shattered car window. Slowly, his expression twisted into one of pure rage. A mop appeared in his hands as if conjured by magic.
Izuku gulped, backing away. "Oh man."
The rest of the day was spent with Mr. Baumann chasing Izuku around the street, waving the mop wildly, while JT and Melissa tried in vain to calm him down.
[End of flashback]
Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—somewhere along the years, Mr. Baumann moved. Something about new business opportunities, Izuku remembered vaguely. That had led to him opening this grocery store, but Izuku couldn't help wondering...
Why are we here?
Realizing he hadn't answered Mr. Baumann's question yet, Izuku—currently in his FourArms form—quickly shook himself out of his surprise.
"Eh, n-no! Just heard about you from a friend!" FourArms stammered, trying awkwardly to avoid the curious and nervous stares of the aliens and people around them.
Mr. Baumann raised an eyebrow, looking at Tetrax with suspicion, then his expression softened. "Is that who I think it is?"
Tetrax stepped forward, his helmet retracting to reveal his familiar face. "Yes, it's been a while. Good to see you again."
Mr. Baumann walked forward, shaking Tetrax's hand with a hearty grip. "Oh nonsense, Tetrax! I should be the one saying that! I remember all the trouble you used to find yourself in."
Tetrax chuckled. "Seems like things haven't changed much. We need a place to lay low for a while."
Mr. Baumann nodded, looking the group over with a discerning eye. "I get the Tetramand and Pyronite, but what's with the girl?"
Uraraka froze, her eyes widening as she suddenly felt self-conscious, unsure if she'd done something wrong.
"She's a hybrid, don't worry," Tetrax said, waving off the concern. "Same with the Pyronite."
"Half-Pyronite, huh?" Mr. Baumann muttered, his gaze analyzing both Izuku and Alan for a moment before nodding. "Interesting... Alright then, come on inside."
He turned and led the group into the store, Tetrax following closely behind while the teens trailed behind, still confused by the whole situation. Izuku, especially, was caught off guard.
Since when did Mr. Baumann associate with aliens?!
Inside, the store was what you'd expect from a typical grocery store that was closed for the day—empty shelves and no staff around. Mr. Baumann led them through a staff-only door at the back. It had an unusually high level of security, with Mr. Baumann entering a code to unlock it.
The teens exchanged confused glances as they entered a bland, unremarkable staff room. Except... why were the doors so large? Izuku could barely fit through, his Tetramand form squeezing into the space.
As they looked around, Mr. Baumann turned to Tetrax, his expression serious. "You're sure the girl is trustworthy?"
"I promise," Tetrax replied confidently.
Nodding, Mr. Baumann walked over to a light switch in the corner of the room. With a flick of the switch, the floor beneath them began to glow green, and suddenly, the ground shifted beneath their feet.
"Whoa!" Izuku yelped, gripping his stomach. "What's going on!?"
The floor descended rapidly like an elevator, sending the group down into the unknown.
"I think I'm gonna hurl," FourArms muttered, clutching his stomach.
Just as quickly as it started, the elevator stopped, leaving them standing in a room that looked nearly identical to the one they had just been in—except this one felt... different.
"What... was that?" Alan asked, still trying to process what had happened.
Mr. Baumann gestured to the door with a sly grin. "Why don't you open the door and find out?"
With a hesitant look exchanged between them, Izuku, still in his FourArms form, reached for the door handle and pulled it open.
What greeted them on the other side was beyond anything they could have imagined. It was another grocery store, almost exactly like the one above, but this one was bustling with customers—and not just any customers. Aliens. All kinds of aliens, browsing the aisles as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
FourArms' jaw dropped. "W-whoa! This is... so cool!"
He watched as a pink bunny-like alien casually picked up a squirming tentacle-like object and placed it in a shopping bag. The sight made Izuku's mind itch for his notebook.
"This is incredible! It's like a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie!" Uraraka said, her excitement growing as she took in the various alien foods and products.
"T-this can't be real... They must be people with mutant-type Quirks. That's all," Alan mumbled, trying to convince himself. But his theory fell apart as identical alien species passed by, destroying his explanation.
Tetrax clapped a hand on Alan's back. "It's real. You're looking at actual aliens."
Alan stared down at his own hands, still trying to process what that meant for him and his Pyronite heritage.
Mr. Baumann waved them along. "Yes, yes, very impressive. Come along, I've got customers to serve."
Following Mr. Baumann to the counter, Tetrax sat down across from him, with Uraraka and Izuku sitting beside him. Alan, still overwhelmed, stood off to the side, not wanting to damage anything.
"Now, how long are you all planning to stay on Earth? Or are some of you thinking about moving to UnderTown permanently?" Mr. Baumann asked, sounding casual but curious.
"We've got a ship in orbit right now," Tetrax lied smoothly. "We're just here on a mission."
"Hmph, bounty hunting, I assume?" Mr. Baumann raised an eyebrow. "Just make sure you don't bring any of that drama near my shop. I've had enough trouble around here."
Uraraka's curiosity piqued. "Drama? What kind of drama?"
"Ehh, don't worry about it," Mr. Baumann muttered, waving off the question. "Now, since you're here, might as well get something to eat! What'll it be?"
The group looked over the strange alien menu, none of them—except for Tetrax—knowing what any of it was.
Uraraka, hearing her stomach growl, decided to take a chance. "I'll try the canned Tiffin."
FourArms' stomach rumbled even louder. "I'll take the Gloppenbeef sandwich!"
"I'm... not really hungry," Alan said, still distracted.
Mr. Baumann grunted. "Alright, I'll be back in a moment," he said before disappearing into the back.
As they waited, Uraraka turned to Tetrax, her eyes wide with wonder. "Wow, Tetrax, what is this place? UnderTown's amazing!"
Tetrax nodded. "It's a hidden city beneath the surface. A safe haven for aliens who've been stranded on Earth for various reasons."
Izuku's eyes widened even further. "So, there's been an entire civilization of aliens living beneath us this whole time?"
Tetrax's expression became serious. "Yes, and it must remain a secret for their safety. Understand?"
The teens nodded in agreement, taking in the bizarre, alien marketplace around them. Moments later, Mr. Baumann returned, holding a strange, colorful sandwich for FourArms and a can with a cute marshmallow-like drawing for Uraraka.
"Here you go, the finest UnderTown has to offer!"
FourArms didn't waste any time, biting into the sandwich with a crunch. "Chew... chew... Hey, this is pretty good!"
Seeing that, Uraraka popped open the can and hesitantly took a sip. Her eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh! It's like... marshmallow!"
As they enjoyed their meals, no one noticed the three figures approaching from behind, until a filtered voice demanded:
"Pay up, Baumann."
All heads snapped around to face the newcomers—three intimidating figures that definitely looked like trouble. Tetrax stood up immediately, readying himself for a fight.
But all Izuku could think as he stared at the towering figures was one simple, baffling thought:
"Is that a giant chicken?!"