Marvel:Hero

Just as I closed my eyes, I opened them again. This time, I wasn't in my original body anymore but in the body of an infant.

After several days of internal panic internal because, as a baby, crying was my only form of communication I began piecing together my new reality. From what I could gather during those first few months, I was in New York City, and I had new parents.

My father had short brown hair, square glasses framing his face, and a stern demeanor. He wasn't particularly remarkable physically, but his sharp green eyes seemed to pierce right through you. My mother, on the other hand, had short black hair, striking purple eyes, and a petite frame. She was kind and soft-spoken most of the time, though she could be loud when she wanted to be. They were a new couple, but I wasn't entirely comfortable calling them my parents yet.

Keyword: yet.

10 Years Later

It's been a while since my rebirth, so let me catch you up. My name is Ken Saiki. Yes, that Saiki. While my name is slightly different, I seem to have the looks and parents of Saiki K. from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. To my disappointment, I don't have his psychic powers. What I do have, however, is his absurdly pink hair and green eyes, making me stick out like a sore thumb in a world where everyone else looks relatively normal.

Adding to the surrealism, my parents act just like they did in the anime—Kuniharu, the bumbling but well-meaning father, and Kurumi, the doting yet occasionally explosive mother. The biggest difference? We're in New York, not Japan. They seem to be of Asian descent, but my vibrant hair and unnatural appearance make me look like I'm not even related to them.

Life's been… manageable. School's been rough—kids love calling me girly because of my hair. Not that it bothers me. They're kids doing kid things.

Oh, and did I mention we're neighbors with the Parkers? Yep, those Parkers. Classic main character stuff.

5 Years Later

Attending Midtown High has been a journey, to say the least. For some bizarre reason, this school and its surroundings are a magnet for supervillain fights. Just last week, the Fantastic Four stopped a kaiju from flattening the place. I got to watch it unfold from the classroom window. Cool? Sure. But the feeling of helplessness stung.

Speaking of helplessness, my relationship with Peter Parker is… complicated. We're friendly but not close. I'm keeping my distance for now. I know his destiny, and I can't risk changing one of the greatest heroes I've ever admired. Besides, the Oscorp field trip is next week. That's when things get real. I've got a plan to snag the spider after it bites him. It's risky, but I need powers… desperately.

The Day Everything Changed

The morning was dark, storm clouds blanketing the skies over Queens. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, and a strange unease settled in my chest. I brushed it off as I went about my day. After freshening up, I headed downstairs to join my parents for breakfast.

"Finally awake, Ken?" my father greeted, his usual grin plastered on his face.

"No, I'm still asleep. Just walking down the stairs in my dreams," I replied, dripping with sarcasm.

He laughed, and my mother handed me a plate of pancakes and eggs. "Eat up, sweetie. Don't miss the bus again," she said with a teasing smile.

By the time I got to school, the uneasy feeling in my chest hadn't gone away. Thunder continued to grumble, and the sky was so dark it looked like evening. The day dragged on until the last class. I sat in the front row, while Peter, MJ, and Harry chatted in the back. Gwen was next to me, but we'd never spoken. The distant rumbles of thunder provided a strange sort of ambiance.

Then, the bell rang.

That's when the world exploded.

A bolt of lightning struck near the school, the shockwave shaking the building to its core. The force sent everyone tumbling to the ground. Outside the window, chaos unfolded. A small army of Doom-bots filled the sky, chasing after the Human Torch. One by one, the bots slammed into an invisible wall—Sue Storm's doing, i figured and they exploded.

Panic broke out. Students screamed and ran. The faculty urged us to evacuate. I joined the crowd, but as we reached the parking lot, I froze. There, amidst the chaos, stood the Thing, battered and groaning. He'd been blasted away by a green, crackling force—Doctor Doom.

I ducked as he crashed into the ground nearby, groaning in pain. Everyone else ran, but I couldn't leave him there.

My breath hitched. Doom descended from the sky, his presence suffocating. The air grew heavier with every step he took toward the Thing. Most of the students had already fled, but I couldn't move. I couldn't leave the Thing to die.

I ran toward him.

"Kid, get out of here!" the Thing growled, struggling to stand. "This ain't your fight!"

"I can't just leave you here!" I shouted, trying to help him up. He was too heavy. I couldn't move him.

The Thing's gaze softened. "You've got guts, kid. Now use 'em to run. Don't waste your life here."

Before I could respond, the air grew colder.

Rain poured harder, plastering my hair to my face as I stood, trembling. The sky rumbled, as if the heavens themselves were warning me to run.

Doom had arrived. His green cloak billowed in the wind, and his metal mask glinted ominously.

"Such futile bravery," Doom sneered, his voice deep and commanding. "You dare stand before Doom? Kneel, child, and perhaps I shall grant you the mercy of a swift death."

I stood frozen, every instinct screaming at me to run. But I couldn't. My legs refused to move. The storm above grew fiercer, rain beginning to pour in heavy sheets. Lightning danced across the sky, as if the heavens themselves were furious.

This couldn't be how I died. Not like this.

I felt small under his gaze, my body frozen with fear. But then something inside me snapped. I refused to die like this—not without a fight.

"No!" I screamed, my voice raw and desperate. "I refuse to die here! THIS IS NOT HOW IT ENDS FOR ME ILL DEFY THIS END I REFUSE THIS END."

The heavens roared in response. Thunder boomed louder than ever, shaking me to my core. Doom raised his arm, green energy crackling around his gauntlet.

"Defy?" Doom mocked, his voice cutting through the storm. "You are but an insect beneath my boot. Let me show you the folly of your defiance."

With a flick of his wrist, a massive bolt of lightning no massive doesn't do it justice it was a lightning bolt the size of a building. It struck me. Pain unlike anything I'd ever felt surged through my body. My vision blurred, my senses overwhelmed. As I collapsed to the ground? No, the ground below me was vaporized, leaving my broken body in a crater. How I wasn't dust yet, no one knows, the last thing I saw was Doom towering over me, his laughter echoing in my ears.

The rain continued to pour, washing away the blood and pain. For a brief moment, everything went black.

Then something stirred within me