"You've heard of my story?"
Dr. Animo never expected anyone to know his name. At the sound of it, his expression turned from surprise to excitement, his eyes gleaming with joy.
Thin and sickly with a bluish complexion, he looked unwell. Yet now, he gazed at Bren with the eagerness of a child hoping for a teacher's praise.
Of course, I know you! Bren thought to himself.
Dr. Animo, his real name was Aloysius James Animo, was once a brilliant veterinary scientist. But his obsession with reconstructing animal DNA to create super creatures drove him to madness, costing him everything.
He lost his dream of winning the prestigious Truth Prize. Five years later, he re-emerged with his invention—the Genetic Variable Modifier.
Bren's eyes lingered on the device on Animo's head, a contraption resembling Loki's horned helmet. Though crude in design, it possessed terrifying capabilities.
Still…
"Dr. Animo, what are you doing here?" Bren asked with a frown.
Animo was a classic villain from Ben 10, even rumored to be one of the smartest humans on Earth. But he wasn't supposed to exist in this universe.
And yet, here he was. Animo didn't recognize Bren or the Omnitrix, either.
"Animo?" The doctor's voice turned icy.
He glared at Bren, placing a hand over his chest as if receiving a knighthood. "You disrespectful brat! It's Dr. Animo!"
"Doctor?"
"Fine, Dr. Animo," Bren replied casually. Titles didn't matter to him. What he wanted to know was how this infamous scientist had ended up in the Marvel Universe.
"No offense, Dr. Animo," Bren said, jumping down from the ceiling. "But I'd like to know, how did you end up in this world?"
"This world?" Animo finally caught on to Bren's meaning. His gaze shifted, a newfound curiosity lighting his expression. "So, you're not from this world either?"
Before Bren could respond, Animo grumbled in frustration:
"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?"
"I was on my way to claim my Truth Prize with my precious inventions, and then suddenly, I ended up here!"
"No Truth Prize!"
"No one even knows the name Dr. Animo!"
"Those idiots, calling me a beggar!"
His face twisted with anger, his body trembling. Losing the Truth Prize, his lifelong dream, at the moment it was within reach had driven him into a frenzy. Years of research now felt like wasted effort.
And the humiliation he'd endured in this new world only fueled his rage.
But just as quickly, his face relaxed. His clenched fists and unrelenting anger seemed to vanish.
"No matter," he said with a sinister grin. "It doesn't matter which world I'm in. I'm destined to restore the glory of prehistoric life! This Earth will become a paradise for mutant creatures!"
"You're insane!" Bren snapped.
"Insane?" Animo retorted. "Don't you think New York City is a little too urbanized?"
Bren: ???
Great, another guy obsessed with tearing down civilization.
Animo ignored Bren's bewildered expression. If anything, he seemed to relish his newfound purpose in this world.
The doctor pulled out his phone, showing a blurry image of a lizard-man. His face lit up with excitement. "Look at this! Such a beautiful creature. A strong body, sharp claws... If I could turn everyone in this world into lizard-men, I'd rule them all!"
"Beautiful? Your taste is questionable. Wait, don't tell me you're one of those people who likes horrifying fish-men or edgy Juliet rip-offs," Bren quipped.
"I suggest you take a break from watching weird videos on YouTube. Try Twitter instead, plenty of professors and good food recommendations there."
Despite their lack of common ground, Bren couldn't help throwing out sarcastic reMatts.
Animo's expression darkened. He'd noticed Bren's powers but had mistaken his identity.
"You're that Spider-Man from the news, aren't you?"
"Nope, that's my brother…"
"Don't lie! Everyone knows when someone says 'I have a friend,' they're talking about themselves!" Animo interrupted, rolling his eyes.
Bren: …
"Whatever."
Animo regarded Bren with a mix of pity and disdain. "You've been lucky enough to gain the powers of animals, but unfortunately, not lucky enough."
"Your body remains weak and pitiful... like a failed evolution. You'd best stay out of my way," Animo sneered coldly.
Suddenly, the machine on his head sparked to life, its glow crackling ominously.
Bren felt a chill run down his spine.
From all directions came the eerie sound of scuttling. In the darkness, dozens of blood-red eyes glimmered menacingly.
Bren's heart sank.
He glanced at his Omnitrix, still in cooldown. It needed at least ten more minutes to recharge, and now he was surrounded by a horde of lizard-like monsters.
These creatures were clearly mutated lab mice, enhanced further with Animo's Genetic Variable Modifier. Each one now resembled a miniature dinosaur; ferocious and deadly.
Their razor-sharp claws and teeth gleamed like daggers, their bloodthirsty eyes locked onto Bren.
"This is the end for you, pitiful creature," Animo sneered, retreating into the shadows.
From the beginning, Animo had intended to eliminate Bren. Not just for his interference but because of the serum Bren had developed to reverse genetic mutations.
To Animo, Bren was the greatest obstacle to his plans.
Eliminating him meant no one could stop his vision of a mutated world.
As for now, Animo had a new goal: finding the lizard-man from the previous night and collaborating to improve the serum for his mutated creations.
"A great prehistoric world can't have just one species of mutant!"
**********
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Link: [P]atreon.com/Vynthor [Remove the brackets]