Chapter 25: Plumber Phil
It was another quiet night. The lake's surface, a mirror for the moon, rippled softly in the breeze. Then, without a sound, the space by the water's edge seemed to fold in on itself, and a cosmic, human-shaped silhouette appeared.
A faint blue light pulsed once, and only Klein remained, standing on the damp earth.
He was back. The omnipotence of Alien X was such that he could return to the exact second after he had left, a seamless stitch in the fabric of time. Klein walked quietly back to the Rustbucket, slipped inside, and returned to his bunk to continue sleeping.
It's worth mentioning that for the rest of that night, his lips were curled into a faint, knowing smile as he slept. He had always known he was strong, but now, he understood. He could truly create anything he wanted.
...
The next evening, the Tennysons found themselves parked outside a city museum.
"Alright, I've already dealt with that weird thing inside!" Ben announced, jogging up to the group with a triumphant grin. "But there was this strange old man who almost turned me into fried fish sticks."
He gestured with his thumb toward the museum's main entrance. Just then, an older man in a peculiar, slightly outdated uniform walked out, carrying a heavy-looking safe.
"Max!" the man called out, his eyes widening in recognition as he spotted Grandpa Max.
"Phil!" Grandpa Max turned at the sound of his name, a look of surprise crossing his face.
"Phil?" Gwen echoed, stunned. She glanced at her grandfather. "Is that the partner you told us about, Grandpa?"
"That's him," Grandpa Max confirmed with a nod. "We used to solve a lot of alien weirdness together, back in the day."
By then, Phil had made his way over, his face split by a wide, folksy grin. "It really has been a long time, Max!" He pulled his old friend into a hearty, back-slapping hug. "Just took care of a Destroyer in there. Guess I've still got it."
Phil said this as he casually loaded the safe into the trunk of his car.
"Hey! That was clearly a robotic kni—" Ben started, his face scrunching up in indignation at having his credit stolen. He was about to argue when a firm hand from Grandpa Max on his shoulder stopped him.
"A Destroyer?" Grandpa Max's brow furrowed slightly. "Haven't seen one of those in years."
"Yep," Phil said, puffing out his chest with a smug smile. "Good thing I was here." He then looked at Max, his expression turning sincere. "By the way, Max, have you ever thought about coming out of retirement? You and me, we'd be a great team again."
"No, Phil," Grandpa Max shook his head, his tone firm but polite. "I'm retired. For good."
Ben, however, was practically vibrating with interest. The idea sounded amazing to him, and he was about to launch into a campaign to persuade his grandpa when Phil's attention shifted.
"What's that?" Phil asked, his eyes zeroing in on the Omnitrix on Ben's left wrist. "I feel like I've seen that thing somewhere before..."
"Of course you have! This is the Omni—Ow!" Ben proudly shook his wrist, but he barely got the word out before Klein, with a flick of his finger, sent a sharp rap against his forehead.
It wasn't that Klein feared Phil knowing anything; even if the old man knew the whole story, Klein doubted he had the ability to do a single thing about it. No, Klein was simply frustrated by his foolish cousin's complete lack of situational awareness.
'Can't you use your brain for one second?'Klein thought with a sigh.'Is it not blindingly obvious this old man isn't a good person?'
At that moment, Phil's gaze shifted, finally noticing the silent, dark-haired boy who had just disciplined Ben. His eyes briefly flickered to the red device on Klein's wrist—the Another Omnitrix. Though Klein's watch had an imposing, alien look to it, Phil's attention was ultimately drawn back to the more legendary, more remarkable-looking Omnitrix on Ben's arm.
Grandpa Max shot Klein a subtle, approving glance before turning back to his old partner. He offered a few perfunctory pleasantries, effectively dismissing Phil, and then herded his grandchildren back toward the Rustbucket and drove away.
As the old RV's taillights gradually disappeared down the street, the folksy grin melted from Phil's face, replaced by a cold, calculating glint in his eyes.
...
Inside the Rustbucket.
"Sorry, Cousin," Ben mumbled, rubbing the sore spot on his head. For once, he seemed genuinely reflective. "It won't happen next time."
His contrition lasted only a moment before he turned to their grandfather. "Grandpa, why won't you come out of retirement? It sounds so cool!"
Grandpa Max just shook his head, his eyes fixed on the road. He didn't offer a long explanation. "Ben, being a Plumber isn't a game. There are some things I hope you three never have to know."
Just then, the RV's radio crackled to life with a frantic, static-laced distress call. It was Phil. "Max, come save me! There are two Vulpimancers here... they've got me cornered!"
The relaxed set of Grandpa Max's shoulders tensed instantly. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as his expression turned grim. Without a word, he spun the wheel, executing a sharp U-turn and gunning the engine toward the location Phil had broadcasted.
...
The Rustbucket screeched to a halt outside a derelict meat processing plant.
Klein and the others pushed open a creaking iron gate and stepped inside. The air was thick with the smell of rust and old blood, and an eerie silence hung over the compound. Then, a series of savage snarls and a panicked shout echoed from one of the main buildings.
They followed the sound, running until they reached a large, heavy door. Shoving it open, they found themselves in a cavernous room. Inside, Phil was pressed against a wall, fumbling with an energy pistol as two hulking, adult Vulpimancers circled him, their lipless mouths dripping with saliva.
Ben glanced at Klein, who gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod.
"Let me communicate with them!" Ben declared, slapping the faceplate of the Omnitrix. In a flash of green light, he transformed into Wildmutt.
"Roar!" he barked, announcing his presence.
"Roar roar roar!" one of the Vulpimancers snarled back, its hackles raised.
"Roar roar!" Wildmutt retorted, puffing out his chest.
"Roar roar roar!" the other Vulpimancer joined in, its growl dripping with contempt.
The two wild Vulpimancers were successfully enraged.
"What did you say to them?!" Gwen shouted, quickly manifesting a shimmering pink shield of mana just as the two beasts lunged.
Wildmutt let out a series of yelps that, unfortunately, no one could understand. He then tried to pounce, only to be immediately outmaneuvered. The two adult Vulpimancers swatted him aside like a bothersome fly and began chasing him around the room.
Seeing the situation, Klein simply crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. If Ben were in any real danger, he'd step in. But for now, watching his cousin get chased around by angry space dogs was proving to be quite entertaining.
"Vulpimancers are notoriously difficult to reason with," Grandpa Max explained from the side, his voice calm despite the chaos. "Sometimes, they'll even attack their own kind."
At that moment, Phil, who had been plastered against the wall in a daze, finally seemed to snap out of it. He stared at the rampaging orange beast that was Ben and muttered, "So it's true... it really is the Omnitrix!"
With a newfound resolve, he pulled out a metallic device resembling a tuning fork and activated it. A low-frequency hum filled the air, and all three Vulpimancers—including Wildmutt—clutched their heads and howled in agony.
"Sorry, Ben!" Phil yelled over the noise. "This is the only way to subdue Vulpimancers!"
A flash of red light erupted, and Wildmutt collapsed, transforming back into a very dizzy Ben. He pushed himself up from the grimy floor, shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears.
Suddenly, one of the wild Vulpimancers, driven by pain and fury, broke free from the sonic assault. It launched itself directly at the tuning fork in Phil's hand, causing the man to stumble back in a moment of pure panic.
But before it could reach him, Gwen's hands glowed. Pink tendrils of pure mana wrapped around the beast, lifting it and its companion into the air. With a grunt of effort, she flung them into an adjacent food processing chamber.
Grandpa Max was already moving, slamming a large red button on the wall. A heavy iron door slammed down, its clang echoing through the plant. The Vulpimancers were successfully locked away.
"Max!" Phil exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with a manic sincerity as he turned to his old partner. "Let's cooperate! Your experience, my talent, and Ben's superpowers! We'll make a fortune!" He had noticed Gwen's display, of course, but after so many years as a Plumber, he'd seen a few humans with special abilities. They were a dime a dozen compared to the living legend he believed was strapped to Ben's wrist.
Grandpa Max hadn't even answered yet, but a soft, derisive chuckle cut through the air. It was Klein. The old man was talking about talent, but all he saw was a washed-up relic grasping at straws.
This time, however, Grandpa Max didn't refuse outright.
He gathered his grandchildren and followed Phil, but not to discuss a partnership. His goal was far simpler: to make absolutely sure that Phil kept the Omnitrix a secret.
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