Chapter 9: Trouble In Undertown
"Pay up Baumann"
Three towering figures strode confidently through the aisles, their presence enough to send customers scrambling for the exit. No one wanted to stick around to see what would happen next.
Tetrax could already tell these newcomers weren't here for anything good. His posture stiffened as he stood, helmet closing over his face to conceal his identity.
Izuku and Uraraka exchanged a glance, quickly following Tetrax's lead. They positioned themselves at his side, tension thick in the air. Alan, eyes wide with fear, took a few steps back, unable to look away from the intimidating figures approaching.
"Shit," Baumann muttered under his breath, hastily circling around his booth. He positioned himself in front of Tetrax and the teens, his voice wavering. "N-now now, I have it! No need for… accidents."
The lead figure, a muscular chicken-like alien with cream and brown feathers, stepped forward. His beady black eyes gleamed with menace as he flexed his spiked elbows. "Baaak! Don't wanna end up like Pakmar, do ya?"
"O-o-of course not, Liam!" Baumann stammered, his hands trembling as he waved them in a futile attempt to placate the bird-man.
Izuku's curiosity was piqued. "Pakmar?"
A second figure, a tall woman with pink skin encased in black-and-orange power armor, grinned at Izuku's question. "Pakmar didn't pay up, so we said goodbye to his little toilet store... with a big boom!" Her bright yellow eyes scanned Izuku's body in a way that made his skin crawl.
"Shut it, Fistina," the third figure grunted. He was a strange worm-like creature encased in a bulky suit of armor, his head floating in a large glass dome. His voice dripped with malice as he turned to Baumann. "As you said, we don't want any accidents, right?"
The trio stepped aside, revealing what they had brought with them: a large, ominous red device. Tetrax immediately stepped back, his body tensing as recognition set in. Baumann, shaking in fear, mirrored the motion. Izuku and the others, however, just stared at it, puzzled.
Four Arms tilted his head, confused. But Fistina's earlier comment echoed in his mind: 'Big boom!'
"IT'S A BOMB!?" Four Arms exclaimed, realization hitting him like a freight train.
"H-huh!?" Uraraka instinctively took several steps back.
"B-bomb!?" Alan yelped, nearly tripping over his own feet in his rush to retreat.
Tetrax growled under his breath. "Stay calm." But Baumann was anything but calm as he hurried back behind his booth, casting an apologetic glance at Tetrax. Something in that look unsettled Izuku.
Baumann quickly fumbled with the code on an alien-looking safe, which opened with a soft hiss. Inside were glowing blue crystals that Izuku immediately recognized.
Diamondhead crystals? Izuku thought, his eyes widening.
Tetrax's reaction was much more intense. His fists clenched, his shoulders stiffened, and his entire demeanor darkened.
The worm-like alien, Bubblehead, smirked and raised his hand, stretching it unnaturally to snatch not just one crystal, but the entire box. "We'll take all of it, thanks."
"Wha—You can't! How will I pay next time?!" Baumann pleaded, desperation dripping from his voice.
"That's your problem." Bubblehead chuckled, turning with his gang as they made for the exit.
But just as they started to leave, something clinked against the back of Bubblehead's armor. He stumbled, turning with a sneer to see what had struck him. His expression shifted to confusion as he pulled a crystal shard from his armor, staring at it in disbelief.
His confusion deepened as he looked up to see Tetrax glaring at him, his mask sliding back to reveal a crystal-covered face.
"A Petrosapien…!" Bubblehead muttered.
"Oh myyyy~," Fistina gushed, eyes lighting up.
Liam cocked his head. "Baaak! The boss is gonna want to know about this."
Bubblehead snapped out of his stupor, his sneer returning. "Looks like someone needs to be taught a lesson."
Four Arms stepped forward, crossing his arms with a smirk. "Oooh, let me guess! You're the one who's gonna teach it?"
Fistina grinned wickedly as she stepped up beside Bubblehead. "I'd be happy to give you naughty boys a private lesson or two~"
"Eh?" Four Arms blinked in confusion, unsure how to respond.
Mr. Baumann's head darted between the two groups, realizing a disaster was about to unfold in his shop. "Nooo! Not in my store! Please! I'll pay you guys not to do this!"
Uraraka's head popped up at that, grinning. "Really?—I mean, no way! You guys are going down! Especially you, Chicken Little!"
"Baaak!?" Liam squawked in indignation, his feathers ruffling in agitation.
"Enough talk!" Bubblehead shouted, his baton-like arm cannons spinning as they fired red lasers in all directions.
Tetrax leaped into action, smashing his hands together to form a crystal shield. He stormed forward, blocking the barrage of lasers effortlessly.
"No lasers! No lasers!" Baumann's panicked voice echoed as he ducked behind his booth, peeking over just enough to witness the chaos.
The cries of Mr. Baumann gave Tetrax an idea. As more lasers pelted his shield, he narrowed its shape into a bowl-like curve, catching one of the beams. With a swift twist, he redirected the blast straight back at Bubblehead, hitting him square in the face. The worm-like villain flew backward, crashing into a pile of alien food shelves with a loud crash.
"My streak!" Baumann howled, pulling at his hair. "My streak of days without incidents! Its been perfect since i moved away from that green-haired delinquent!"
Tetrax, however, wasn't done. He dashed forward and delivered a powerful kick to Bubblehead's chest, sending him skidding further across the floor. As he moved in for another strike, Fistina and Liam saw their opportunity and made a beeline for the bomb.
"Oh no, you don't!" Four Arms roared, grabbing Fistina by her mechanical arm. With a grunt, he Judo-threw her over his shoulder and onto the floor, the ground cracking beneath her with the force of impact.
Fistina groaned, opening her eyes only to see the confident Tetraman standing over her. Four Arms smirked down at her. "That wasn't so hard."
Before he could finish his thought, Fistina lazily pointed her fist at his face.
"What? Want a fist bump or some—POW!"
Her mechanical fist rocketed off her arm and slammed directly into Four Arms' face. He stumbled back, growling in pain as he clutched his nose.
"Now, now, you might be a Tetraman, but you're no female," Fistina said smugly as she stood up, eyeing him from head to toe. "Don't think this'll be easy, darling."
Four Arms narrowed his eyes, raising his fists in preparation for a brawl.
Meanwhile, Ochaco found herself dealing with Liam, who was stalking toward her with his elbow spikes extended menacingly. He sliced through the air with a series of swift motions, striking an intimidating pose.
'Okay… think, Ochaco, think!' she told herself, glancing around nervously. Her eyes landed on a nearby crate full of birdseed. A desperate idea clicked into her mind.
Grabbing a handful of birdseed, she held it out toward him shakily. "U-uh… here?"
Liam froze, his head jerking awkwardly from side to side as he stared at the offering. Unable to resist, he stalked forward and began pecking furiously at the birdseed in her hand.
'That actually worked!?' Ochaco thought, wide-eyed in disbelief. Taking her chance, she snapped out of her stupor and smacked Liam across the back of his head.
"Bwaaak!" Liam squawked in outrage, completely forgetting about his meal. He flared his elbow spikes, ready to claw her face off—only to be launched into the air.
"Bwaaaak! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY!" Liam flapped his arms excitedly, flailing in mid-air.
Ochaco blinked under her mask, watching in disbelief. "I guess chickens can fly…"
"LOOK OUT!" Izuku's voice rang out.
She whipped her head around just in time to see Fistina's mechanical fist flying toward her face. "AAAAAAH!"
FFFFOOOOOTHHHH!
A fireball intercepted the attack, sending the fist careening off course into another pile of food shelves, much to Mr. Baumann's horror.
Ochaco glanced toward the source of the fire and smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Alan!"
Alan, visibly shaking, nodded nervously. 'What the heck is even happening right now!?' he thought.
Fistina growled in frustration, but her anger was cut short as Four Arms brought all four of his fists together and delivered a crushing hammer blow to her head. She crumpled to the ground with a groan of defeat.
Four Arms grinned triumphantly. "Beating people up is kind of addicting… no wonder Kacchan does it so much!"
With the immediate threats taken care of, the trio regrouped. Four Arms took a moment to watch the now "flying" Liam, who was flapping his arms blissfully, completely forgetting why he was even here.
"Uh… should we do something about… Liam?" Four Arms asked, scratching his head in confusion.
Uraraka shrugged. "Eh, let him think he's flying." She turned her attention toward Tetrax, who was standing over a defeated Bubblehead.
Bubblehead sat slumped on the floor, his glass dome cracked in several places. Tetrax loomed over him, his crystalline fist clenched.
"The Petrosapien crystals. Give them to me. Now," Tetrax growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Bubblehead, despite his situation, smirked. "And let my boss gut me? Not a chance."
This piqued everyone's interest. Izuku tilted his head. "Boss?"
Bubblehead's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. "None of your business, Tetraman!"
Tetrax's voice dropped another octave, a flash of anger crossing his features. "Maybe not his business, but it's definitely mine. Tell me who and where your boss is."
"Or what?"
Without hesitation, Tetrax's arm morphed into a sharp crystal blade, pointing dangerously close to Bubblehead's dome. Uraraka clapped her hands together, activating her quirk, while Four Arms cracked his knuckles and Alan lit a small flame in his hand threateningly.
Bubblehead flinched, but quickly regained his composure. "If I told you, I'd be dead by next week! Besides, even if you did find him… the Big Man would have your corpses fed to Rancors."
"Big Man?" Tetrax echoed, eyes narrowing. Before he could press for more, Bubblehead's gaze darted to something behind them.
Tetrax whipped his head around just in time to see Fistina and Liam activating the bomb, a red ray encasing it in a field of energy.
"NO!" Tetrax shouted, but it was too late. With a wicked grin, Bubblehead stretched his arm and flung the bomb toward an unsuspecting Four Arms.
"Hehehe, bye-bye Mr. Baumann's shop!" Bubblehead cackled, sprinting for the exit as Fistina and Liam made their escape.
"I got him!" Alan shouted, raising his hands and taking aim at Bubblehead.
"No time!" Tetrax commanded, eyes glued to the bomb. "We have to stop the bomb!"
"But I—ugh, whatever!" Alan groaned, rushing over to join the others.
The teens circled the bomb, panic setting in as the timer ticked down rapidly. Baumann, meanwhile, stood in the corner, tears brimming in his eyes. "No, no, no! This is all your fault! My shop is going to explode!"
Ignoring Baumann's meltdown, Tetrax analyzed the bomb. His eyes widened. "This type of bomb… I haven't seen one in a long time. And it's counting down fast!"
"We need to get it out of here. Now!" Tetrax yelled.
Izuku, in full panic mode, did the only thing he could think of.
"No, no, no! What are you doing!?" Baumann's desperate cries fell on deaf ears as Four Arms hoisted the bomb up. The red energy field stung his skin, but he powered through, launching it through the wall and out of the shop.
"MY WALL!" Baumann wailed, his voice cracking with anguish.
Ignoring the old man's cries of despair, Tetrax charged out of the broken wall after the bomb, the teens hot on his heels.
They found themselves in what appeared to be a large, cavernous space behind the store. It took Izuku and the others a moment to process what they were looking at—a barren parking area, save for one gleaming, muscle car parked like a prized possession.
Tetrax wasted no time. His eyes locked on the bomb as it arced through the air. With a swift motion, he covered it in a thick layer of crystal, encapsulating the dangerous device. Inside, he could still see the timer ticking down, now halfway to detonation.
"Lucky Girl! Make it float!" Tetrax barked, urgency in his voice.
"R-right!" Uraraka scrambled forward, fear driving her speed. She slapped her hand onto the crystal-coated bomb, making it hover in the air. Unfortunately, it still hovered a bit too close for comfort.
"Alan, give it a boost! Now!" Tetrax ordered.
Alan blinked in surprise but quickly regained his composure. With a deep breath, he unleashed a stream of fire from his hands, propelling the bomb higher and higher until it soared well above the store.
"Nice shot!" Izuku yelled.
"Thanks," Alan replied, still a bit shaky.
Wasting no time, Tetrax slammed his hands into the ground, raising a thick crystal barricade around them. The tension was palpable.
5.
Four Arms crouched low, using his broad frame to shield Uraraka and Alan from any incoming shockwaves.
4.
Tetrax stood ready, prepared to reinforce the wall if needed.
3.
From inside the store, Mr. Baumann peeked through the shattered remains of his back wall, his face pale with dread. He watched the bomb floating high above his store, immediately ducking back inside for cover.
2.
Far off in the distance, the bandit crew watched with smug satisfaction.
"Bye-bye, Baumann," Bubblehead chuckled darkly, waving with a grin.
"Baaak! Shame, I kinda liked his birdseed," Liam added.
"..."
"Shut up, Liam," Fistina groaned, rubbing her temple.
1.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The bomb detonated in a blinding explosion of light and fire. The shockwave burst forth with a deafening roar, sending shards of crystal raining down onto the mysterious muscle car parked below.
"MY CAR!" Baumann's voice shrieked in the distance.
Correction—Baumann's car. The shockwave was so strong that it cracked Tetrax's crystal barricade, sending chips of it flying. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and both Alan and Uraraka stumbled as the force rattled the entire area.
As the explosion's aftermath slowly dissipated, the teens emerged from their protective cover. The once-empty parking area now looked like a warzone—cracks and holes littered the ground, and fragments of crystal were scattered everywhere. And then there was the car.
Or rather, what was left of it.
The sleek muscle car was now a mangled wreck. The roof was punctured by large shards of crystal, the windows shattered into a million pieces, and the tires had melted from the intense heat of the explosion.
Baumann stepped out through the broken wall, his face a mask of horror. He took in the destruction surrounding his once pristine parking area, his eyes slowly drifting to the ruined heap that was his car.
"H-...How?" His voice was barely a whisper, his expression one of disbelief. "How did it get to this?"
Izuku, sensing the tension but missing the frantic gestures from Uraraka and Alan trying to stop him, made the mistake of speaking up.
"M-Mr. Baumann… are you okay?"
Instantly, Izuku regretted his words.
Baumann's slow turn toward them was like watching a volcano about to erupt. His breathing grew faster, his face reddening with each passing second, and his fists clenched tightly.
"You."
"Huh!?" Four Arms took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to retreat.
"ALL OF YOU!" Baumann roared, eyes blazing with fury. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
From seemingly nowhere, a mop appeared in Baumann's hands. He jabbed it at Four Arms, who immediately recoiled.
"MY WALL!?" Jab. "WHO THROWS BOMBS THROUGH BUILDINGS!?" Jab. "WHO FIGHTS IN A GROCERY STORE!?"
With each jab of the mop, Four Arms retreated another step, flinching like a scolded child. Memories of his mother yelling at him for breaking things flashed through his mind.
"M-Mr. Baumann, we were just trying to help!" Four Arms stammered, waving his hands defensively, his massive Tetraman body not doing much to protect him from Baumann's wrath.
"HELP?!" Baumann screamed, his voice cracking with frustration. "ALL I HAD TO DO WAS PAY THEM! BUT NO, YOU JUST HAD TO GET INVOLVED!"
He tugged at his hair, letting out a final, exasperated yell. "JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?"
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
Both Baumann and Izuku froze, turning their heads simultaneously toward the source of the noise—the blinking red light of the Omnitrix.
"Eh?" Baumann blinked. "Eh?" Izuku echoed.
FLAAAAASH!
Baumann yelped, rubbing his eyes as the flash temporarily blinded him. "What was that? Huh…?"
When his vision cleared, he found a much smaller Izuku standing there, sheepishly waving. "Uh… hey, Mr. Baumann."
Baumann's face went pale. His lips quivered as his body swayed back and forth.
"W-woah!" Izuku tried to catch him, but the old man was already out cold.
Thud.
The teens stood there, staring in silence at the unconscious Baumann sprawled on the ground. No one dared to move.
"...So, you know each other?" Tetrax asked, raising an eyebrow.
Izuku scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Eheh… you could say that."