Unusual Pet - Ch. 1

Our story begins at the Equatorial Jungle, where our favorite group of plumbers is heading back to their spaceship after preventing the Forever Knights from buying alien technology from mercenaries. XLR8, the speedy dinosaur-like alien, was leading the group, making way through bushes and branches using his sharp claws to cut them. Behind him was Chromastone, helping Jetray to walk, since the ray-like alien had injured his legs and wings on the battle with the Knights. Big Chill was right behind them, and Swampfire finished the line.

"Hey XL, you sure this is the right way?" – Jetray asked.

"Yup! The clearing where we left the ship is right past those trees over there" – XLR8 answered while pointing forward to a particular group of trees near the edge of a cliff. They had left their ship on the valley at the bottom.

"Well, Big Chill, looks like you'll have to fly us down there all alone this time, since Jetra…" – Swampfire started, but his phrase stopped as something hit him on his back. The impact was so strong that he was pushed towards the cliff and fell down, hitting his head on a rock on his landing, and falling half-conscious on the ground below.

"SWAMPS!!!" – The others cried as their leader fell. The attack was so unexpected that none of them could react in time to save their friend.

"He's been through worse situations, he'll be fine" – Chromastone stated while turning around to face their attacker – "Looks like one of those robots followed us. Jetray take cover, we'll handle this."

As Jetray hid behind a tree, Chromastone charged up his powers to begin the battle. Big Chill and XLR8 were ready too, but it was their enemy who made the first move by lifting up a large portion of the soil above his head and throwing it at the plumbers.

"Yowch" – XLR8 screamed when he saw the large rock coming in his direction, although he and the others easily dodged it. – "This one is a heavyweight."

"The heavier they are, the harder they fall" – Big Chill replied before he turned intangible and rushed towards the robot, breathing ice.

---

Meanwhile at the valley below, Swampfire was feeling something rubbing his face. His eyes were closed and his head was aching a lot, but he was struggling to keep himself awake. The rubbing on his face became faster; it was like someone was trying to keep him awake as well. He slowly opened his eyes and as his blurry vision was getting clearer, he realized there was nothing in front of him but his spaceship. Yet, he could still feel the rubbing on his face. The methanosian gathered all the strength he could and slowly managed to lift his body up. He sat on the ground and examined his surroundings until he finally found out what was causing the rubbing sensation on his face.

"So you were trying to help me, huh?" – He said looking down.

---

Back at the cliff, the last robot was giving some hard time to the plumbers: his skin was too hard for XLR8's claws; Chromastone's energy blasts were ineffective; and, to make things worse, he also revealed to be ice proof. The enemy had another rock above his head, ready to be thrown at the aliens, and it was then when Big Chill had an idea. In his intangible form he flew through the rock, freezing it.

"Now, Chromastone!!! Aim at the rock!" – The necrofriggian ordered, and his friend obeyed shooting an energy blast on the specified target.  The rock broke in two, yet large, parts which fell over the robot, crushing him.

"YOU DID IT!!!!" – XLR8 commemorated.

"I told you, the heavier they are, the harder they fall." – Big Chill replied in a joking tone.

After reuniting with Jetray again, the icy moth-like alien began to fly his teammates down into the valley, starting with his injured friend, then Chromastone, and lastly his speedy friend who loves to play pranks on him.

"Phew" – The necrofriggian sighed after putting XLR8 on the ground – "Okay, now where did Swampfire fall?"

"I'm gonna take Jetray into the ship, and I'll look for him inside." – The dinosaur alien stated, before helping his best friend to walk.

"Let's go take a look around, Chromastone." – the other replied.

The two aliens didn't have to go far to find their leader sitting on the ground near some rocks and bushes. His back was facing them so he didn't see their arrival, and his posture indicated that his attention was focused below. He was obviously entertaining himself with something that was right in front of him, so he didn't hear his companions approaching either.

"SWAMPS!!!" – Chromastone yelled.

The methanosian gasped and jumped in shock as the sound of his nickname rushed through the air, cutting his thoughts and his entertainment. – "C-Ch-Chromastone? W-What's up?" – He said after a little time thinking.

"What are you doing there?" – Big Chill asked.

The plant alien made a motion with his hands as he was picking something off the ground and stood up, hiding his hands in front of his chest. – "Uh, n-nothing." – He replied, turning around to face his friends, but keeping his hands hidden behind his back now.

"Are you hiding something from us?" – The ice alien continued.

That question caught Swampfire off balance. He needed to think wisely and fast to get out of that situation; and that's when an idea stroke him. He began walking in the direction of his friends and, after a moment, took both arms from behind his back, revealing two empty hands. – "Nope!! I'm not hiding anything!! Why would I?" – He said in his usual tone.

When he got closer to the other two he stood between them and turned them to the other side, wrapping his arms around their necks and resting them on their shoulders in the process, just like a big bro in the middle of his little brothers. – "Now tell me, did you defeat that thing that attacked me? What it was?..." – He began some kind of endless monologue to prevent his teammates of asking any more questions, as the three walked towards the ship to go home.