Edwin led the group through a labyrinth of sleek corridors until they emerged into an expansive undersea atrium—a vast, open space crowned by a ceiling of transparent glass. Drifting beams of sunlight penetrated the deep water above, illuminating the atrium's interior. The space was a striking blend of industrial grit and natural, hushed calm—a design that Fred mentally compared to his own ideal, futuristic visions.
For most of the tour, Edwin's precise, almost robotic narration maintained an aura of professionalism. Yet as the tour neared its end, Edwin's well-rehearsed persona began to fray. He directed the group's attention to the pride of his grandfather's collection—a majestic undersea manta ray that glided languidly behind a curved pane of glass.
"It's my grandfather's prized manta, and I hoped to show it off today," Edwin announced. But sensing that the others were not thoroughly impressed, his tone shifted. "How about we take it for a ride?" he proposed with a mischievous glint.
"I'm not sure we'd be allowed," Gwen countered, her voice a blend of caution and wonder.
"Come on, lighten up, will ya?" Ben chimed in, his tone echoing Edwin's excitement—a little too eager, almost identical in pitch.
"Yeah, if he says so," Fred murmured with a sardonic smile as he followed along.
Before anyone could protest further, Edwin secured the manta ray vessel—a custom-engineered submersible fashioned to resemble its namesake—and with little hesitation, the kids boarded. Within moments, they were gliding into the deep blue, the vessel descending to darker depths. As they ventured further, Gwen's eyes tracked hypersensitive schools of fish—some with a prehistoric appearance—drifting steadily by.
A sudden shaft of light illuminated the vast ocean below, revealing the underwater hotel in all its ostentatious brilliance. "Won't that draw unwanted attention?" Fred remarked, noting the intense brightness even from within the submersible.
Almost immediately, a strange mechanical presence disrupted the serenity. A single, mechanical jellyfish creature drifted close to the manta ray. "Okay… That's weird," Gwen observed softly.
Before anyone could respond, another—and then another—mechanical jellyfish swarm into view. Edwin's voice, now laced with alarm, cut through the quiet: "And that's weirder!"
The jellyfish mechs launched an assault against the vessel. Edwin frantically steered the submersible, trying desperately to shake the intruders off. But their synchronized assault proved relentless.
"I think you should let me drive!" Fred insisted, instantly moving to take control.
"Not you too!" Gwen cried out as she ran to catch up with him.
Edwin bristled in protest. "I'm not handing over control!" he growled. But before he could escalate, Fred's quick thinking won the day. Raising a gloved hand, he whispered a few magical words that sent Edwin into a sudden, deep slumber. "Sleep well, buddy," Fred murmured with a wry smile, as he took the helm.
Transforming into his Upgrade form, Fred deftly commandeered the vessel. "Ben! I'll need you to take care of those mechanical nuisances," he ordered urgently, his voice resonant and authoritative. Fred's eyes flashed as he added, "Gwen, try using your magic to disrupt their circuits. I want you to slow them down."
"Uh… I don't know if I can do that," Gwen stuttered, a hint of apprehension in her voice.
"Perfect timing for some on-the-job improvisation!" Fred encouraged, already merging with the vessel's controls. With his galvanic mechamorph ability, Fred fused with the submarine's systems, materializing temporary weapons that blasted several of the mechanical jellyfish away. However, he left a few close so that Gwen could practice her spellcasting. Amid a whirlwind of blasts and cascading mana, Gwen's focused incantations sent concentrated pulses of energy that short-circuited the approaching mechs.
"Man, there seems to be no end to those things," Ben grumbled as he sealed the submersible's hatch when his Omnitrix cycled into Wildmutt form.
The vessel then jerked to a halt. "Why'd you stop?" Ben demanded as it slowed. But Gwen, having just finished her spell, exhaled triumphantly—a final, blinding ball of energy sent the last of the jellyfish mechs crashing into the wall of a nearby pool house.
"Nice!" Fred said, now back in his human form, as he rechecked the vessel's controls. He steered the manta, which now resembled nothing short of a sleek, ocean-going chariot, back toward the hotel.
As they docked, alarms and shouts erupted. Donovan rushed forward, his concerned face lit by emergency lights. "Is everyone okay?" he called out while Max peppered the kids with questions about their condition. But before anyone could settle, Edwin's expression darkened, and he nearly exploded with anger.
"I knew it! They've come because you took IT from them!" Edwin roared, his voice echoing down the corridor.
"Not now, Edwin! I'm sure that has nothing to do with this," Max countered sharply, his instincts as a Plumber flaring with suspicion whenever aliens were involved.
"Don't kid me, Max—I can sense something's off!" Edwin retorted, his tone biting. Before the bickering could intensify, the sound of shattering glass drew their attention. Mechanical jellyfish mechs had broken through a structural door near the docking area, surging forward like metallic phantoms.
"They broke through!" Gwen yelled, and chaos ensued as everyone scrambled toward the nearest elevator. Without hesitation, Donovan pressed the elevator's emergency button, and the doors closed just as the mechs pressed against the glass.
"What is going on, Donovan?!" Max shouted from inside the elevator, his voice a blend of irritation and fear.
With a deep sigh, Donovan relented. "Fine. The truth is… the whole underwater volcano project was a bust, Max. I was one moment away from being a laughing stock when—"
"When what?!" Max prodded, his impatience mounting.
"I discovered something. Down below, not far from here, I found a strange craft—an energy source like I've never seen before," Donovan continued, his tone hushed and mysterious.
Fred snorted lightly. "It always starts like this in movies: a mysterious energy, a monster unleashed, and a greedy soul dying to keep it safe. But here we are—28 years of Plumbing, and I haven't figured out who's behind the Bermuda Triangle tragedies, only to get chased by them!"
"That's enough," Fred grumbled. "I don't like the sound of this one bit."
After a brief moment of tense silence, Fred proposed, "Alright, listen up, everyone. How about we split into two teams? One team stays behind and takes care of that core—use it as bait to lure those aliens. The other team gets out of here safely."
Donovan exchanged a wary glance with Edwin, who still wore an expression of bruised pride. "I don't exactly know what you kids are capable of," Donovan remarked, "but if you promise not to cause a universal cataclysm, I'm in."
Max tried to cover for Fred, saying, "Oh, Fred's just playing around," but Fred cut him off. "No, I'm serious. In fact, I'm going to send a clone of myself to handle the alien distraction." With a few deft gestures, Fred split off a duplicate—a doppelgänger reminiscent of his Ghostfreak form. The clone faded to invisibility and darted toward the energy core, drawing the mechanical jellyfish away with well-timed decoys and clever misdirection.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team piled into the elevator, racing upward. As they reached the higher deck, Donovan reconciled with an irate Edwin. "Look, Edwin, I'm sorry about the mix-up. We'll sort this out," he murmured, clapping the young man on the shoulder.
Later, as the adrenaline subsided, Fred gathered Donovan in a quiet corner. Fred proudly pulled out his tablet, revealing a detailed design of an entirely new, lavish underwater hotel—one that wasn't just functional but a marvel of modern engineering and magic.
"Mr. Donovan," Fred began, "I've been tinkering with an idea—a better way of securing an energy source while ensuring the hotel remains safe against these… unexpected visitors. What do you say to a partnership? We can combine your expertise with some of my modifications. Trust me, this is the future!"
Donovan chuckled, taking Fred's business card—yes, Fred always carried one—and shook his head in genuine admiration. "Max is right about you kids—always surprising us old fools," he said, laughing warmly as he pocketed the card.
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