On the bus heading to Dr. Connors lab
Izuku: Dude I can't believe we are actually going to Dr. Connors lab this is so freaking cool!
Bakugo: Jeez calm down man I know you're a nerd, but this is a little much.
Izuku: You dont understand Kacchan. Dr. Connors work on genetic engineering is DECADES away from anything we currently have. The crispr technology thats able to identify and modify SPECFIC genes in DNA is-is-is IS INSANE!
Bakugo: Sounds like the guy is playing god. Is it really such a good idea to mess with that stuff? What if he turns himself into a giant rat, or house fly, or a lizard?
Izuku: Well its a extremely regulated facility. I'm sure they have many security measures and ethical board committees so stuff like that never happens.
(You would think huh?)
Another student then chipped in on there conversation.
Student 1: Yeah maybe since you like the lab so much you should do that instead after all you have no quirk and are usel-
He was then caught off by Bakugo grabbing the other student shirt while making his other hand smoke up and with little explosions. He then smirked giving off a vibe of (Yoda voice) "mhm fucked up you did".
Bakugo: I'm sorry what was that last part.
Student 1: I uh um.... nothing.
The bus then stops as they have arrived at the lab. They walk out of the bus to then meet up with their tour guide. Izuku and Bakugo walk into the lab and Izuku is absolutely in aw struck. He is completely nerding out about everything there from the giant Electro magnetic microscopes to the genetic samples they collected in there quirk research they have done.
Izuku: OHMYGODKACCHANTHISISSOCOOL EEEEYYYYY!!!!
Bakugo: Deku shut up you damn nerd! I get it but calm down. Your getting looked at weird.
Izuku looks around at his classmates and other guests and employees at the facility looking at him weird and gossiping about him.
Izuku: .....sorry.
The tour guide then stops to introduce the man himself. Dr. Connors.
Tour guide: Now I am honor to introduce the man who made all this responsible. Dr. Connors! His research into cross species genetics and quirk research has been revolutionary!
The man in a white lab coat, glasses and a missing arm then introduces himself to the class.
Dr. Connors: Well thats certainly a way to welcome someone. Thank you. Im very honored.
The scientist then went ahead and started to explain his research to the class.
Dr. Connors: Now as we all know quirks are based upon our family genetics. You would either get one of your parent's quirk or a combination of both. This seems like the only way to get quirks is by just being born with one. However, thanks to the Crispr technology I developed. I have been able to not only identify but edit these very specific genomes.
A student then raised his hand at the back of the class.
Dr. Connors: Yes? What is your question?
Student: What exactly are the possibilities with this new technology?
Dr. Connors: Well as of now not much application can be used on quirks. Nothing thats ethical. Things like genetically altering an embryo before it can grow. We can also use this technology to alter certain animals and plants to yield higher protein, growth rate or other traits. But we have had GMOs for some time. This would be just a more advanced version of that.
Another student then raised there hand. This time a girl.
Student: What about altering someone pass the embryo stage? Like an adult?
Dr. Connors: Well dont you have an active imagination? Well if you must know. Right now that technology is not available. However there are 2 ways you could try and make possible what you hope.
Dr. Connors then kept on explaining. Walking over to a hologram presentation showing a sequence of DNA.
Dr. Connors: When DNA is exposed to large doses of radiation. It causes mutations to occur. So technically if you exposed an organism to doses of radiation, a mutation that gives someone the ability to heal rapidly, or to lift cars over there heads is possible. However the more probable outcome are cancers. Radiation is like a lottery that has a 0.0001% chance of winning. Not like A comic books where you drink radioactive waste by accident and get super strength or turn green.
Student: And the other way?
Dr. Connors: A more promising idea is to use a virus. Viruses have the unique ability to infect cells by inserting there own DNA inside the cells. If you could create a virus that is able to identify and modify specific genes. You could then release it inside a organism and it would change there biological make up over time. Virus do this in a way so it spreads and reproduces either other viruses or just changes the genome of a cell to kill itself.
Student: Could you give people quirks with this type of technology?
Dr. Connors: Well to be quite frank with you. I wouldn't be much interested in that and thats not what my lab facility is focused on doing. We hope to find cures for diseases like Parkinson's, cancers, or Alzheimer's. Either using regeneration abilities from reptiles and amphibians or through enzyme production found in some species of fish and insects.
The class however seem bored of that answer. So Dr. Connors gave in feeding into there interest of knowledge.
Dr. Connors: Theoretically yes. However despite the hundreds of years of research into quirks. We still have no idea there exact origins or how they first came into existence in the 1st place. We can only pinpoint certain traits and reproduce QUIRK LIKE abilities. But not quirks themselves. We still have no idea where to even begin looking for quirks inside the human genome.
Student: What? That doesn't make any sense.
Dr. Connors: Well you see-
Izuku then chimed into the class.
Izuku: -So its like sending JPEG?
The whole class then looked back at Izuku. Separating to show the boy with green hair in the back of the class next to his blond friend Bakugo. With the scientist showing the most interest and humor in his analogy.
Bakugo: What the hells a JEPG?
Izuku: Its a type of image file. They shorten an images data so its easier to send over. However each time its sent the file or image loses quality. Making it look less and less like the original copy.
Dr. Connors: Interesting analogy.... Go on?
Dr. Connor then let Izuku continue with his unusual analogy. Peeking his interest in such a young brilliant mind.
Izuku: Well if what your saying about cross species genetics and quirks is true. Then as of right now. We have no way of finding or re-creating the whole genome that allows a quirk to exist. So we shorten the data were specifically looking for in DNA and only take or send over that trait.
Dr. Connors: I must say you have the strangest analogies young one. What is your name?
Izuku: Izuku...Izuku Midoryia. So also another question?
Dr. Connors: Go on. Id love to hear it.
Izuku: If the transferring of DNA between species is incomplete. Doesn't that leave a large factor of errors or uncontrollable factors. If we tried to replicate a quirk that gives someone the ability to shoot fire. We could also lose that quirks ability to create an insulation of skin and not just produce fire. Burning the subject when ever they made fire.
Dr. Connors: You are absolutely correct. Which is why here at my lab. We are only in the animal testing phase and not the human testing phase. This large margin of lost data we can not replicate is highly likely to develop....mutations. Which to be quite honest. I have no idea what that could look like.
Bakugo then whispered over to Izuku.
Bakugo: You know I can take a guess and figure it involves mutant animals or monsters everywhere.
Izuku then nudged a shoulder at his friend joking.
Izuku: You read way to many sci-fi horror flics.
Dr. Connors then started to take his leave. Letting the tour guide take over again while walking away to continue working in his lab.
Dr. Connors: Now thank you all for your time. I see many bright minds here and I hope you are inspired to find and discover new things while at my lab. My assistant will take you to some of our genetically modified subjects and animals. Have a good day.
The tour guide then led them over to lots of aquariums and glass cages of all the reptiles, mice, insects and arachnids they had created at there facility.
Tour guide: We have successfully managed to give these 8 genetically engineered spiders traits similar to quirks but are not quirks as Dr. Connors explained before.
The lab assistant then one by one. Started to explain each spider that was presented.
Tour Guide: We have this giant house spider which can jump to catch its prey and we made it stronger by using the same method a quirk user we used as a test subject does and physically enhances its power. This spider can now jump, run, and carry more than it ever could before.
Student: How long did it take to make this spider?
Tour Guide: This spider specifically took maybe 3,200ish attempts before it was successful. Which was about 5 months. I think.
The whole class eyes widened thinking about how many dead spiders there are now in the name of science.
The whole class: SO many dead spiders?!?!
Tour Guide: Next, we have the net web spider which can spin a web stronger than steel and more flexible.
She then jokingly said to the class.
Tour guide: I named her charlotte.
Bakugo then joked to Izuku next to him.
Bakugo: Charlette is one ugly looking spider.
Izuku: *gaps* Bakugo. Thats no way to talk to a lady.
Bakugo: ITS A BUG!
Izuku: ARACHNID! And she sacrificed her life to give her kids too a empathetic pig.
Tour guide: We then added a trait from a quirk user that allowed her to understand the molecular level of everything known. While this quirk trait has no combat or tactical use the spider can now make its web stronger and even make it do different things with the help of the quirks traits and understanding of chemical engineering.
Izuku: Woah! Bakugo look! The spider is a chemical engineer! Isn't that amazing!
Bakugo: Oh great.....like that wont back fire.
Tour guide: Then, we have the tarantula who has over 40,000 hairs per cm squared while we humans only have 60 hairs per cm squared. These hairs have triggers that tell a spider if something is nearby. We how ever added a quirk trait of someone with such fast reflexes he could sense a person in another room but not to an extreme he could just tell if someone was behind a door or if something big was goanna hit him. This once again how ever is a great trait to add to the spider as it now has almost a 6th sense of its surroundings a spider sense if you would and can react faster than the speed of lightning.
Izuku: Can you imagine having that much hair on you?
Bakugo: Sure can. Haven't you seen your old man at the beach. Just take a look at his back and you'll see a green tarantula.
Izuku laughed hard at that one.
Tour guide: Then finally we have our own genetically made spider which has all the previous traits the other spiders had.
A female student however raised her hand pointing to an empty glass case.
Student: Excuse me? You said there was 8? I only count 7.
Tour guide: Oh, um... uh I guess its in the lab for testing.
Unknown to everyone though a spider crawls in its web on the roof right above where Izuku is standing. The spider then crawls down from a web above Izuku as he is trying to take a picture with his phone of the other spider. The group then starts to leave and Bakugo tells his friend to hurry up.
Bakugo: Deku the groups leaving. Hurry it up.
Izuku: Yeah just one second. Im taking a pic-
The spider then lands on Izukus hand. Before Izuku could even register what happend. The spider had bit him. Izuku flinches in pain.
Izuku: OW....GAH what the hell?
He then slaps the spider off him and watches it fall to the ground. Crawling a little until it shriveled up and died. He then looks at his hand with the nasty bite and he keeps walking towards Bakugo and the rest of the group.
Bakugo: Hey are you ok?
Izuku: Yeah I'm fine. Something bit me?
Bakugo: What was it?
Izuku: I dont know. I didn't even get a good look at it.
Izukus head: Was it.... a spider?
Izuku and Bakugo along with the rest of the class went on with the tour. Eventually leaving Dr. Connors research facility and heading back to school on the bus. With Izuku slowly dozing off to sleep feeling unwell.
Unknown to Izuku. Inside his body a virus inside the spiders venom was unleashed upon his physiology. Re-writing his DNA, creating new cells, and changing his very physiology.
Hey thanks for reading ..... OK BYE