There is a monitor. A jet black monitor screen. It reads:
Targets Acquired.
Digitizing Humans...
Then it reads:
ERROR
Cannot Digitize.
Chris/Martin was standing in an empty space surrounded by pure black. (This scene will pan between Chris and Martin who are having their own individual experiences) Then a man that Chris/Martin knew from the news appeared wearing what can only be described as some weird meta armor.
Chris/Martin: Lex Luthor! (The Wild Kratts crew has heard of this man and didn't trust him one bit.)
"Lex Luthor": Please hear me out.
Chris/Martin: why should I?
"Lex Luthor": Because if you don't listen, then Brainiac will win.
Chris/Martin: Brainiac?
Then Chris/Martin was suddenly in an weird scene of a destroyed city filled with alien ships.
The future Luthor began to explain about everything that had happened in the future: he had made the mistake of making a deal with Brainiac, the Coluan known as Vril Dox aka Brainiac would never invade the Earth and in return he would be able to steal endless samples of superpowers from earths heroes and villains, giving non-supers a chance to be the ones to save the day. But then after a large battle that resulted in Superman's death and Luthor's victory, Brainiac betrayed him and invaded earth. Desperate to change the timeline to make sure this never happened, Luthor stole the very Exobytes that Brainiac stored the powers from Earth with, made them time-lost, and transported them back in time, that way they can create a force that will stand up to Brainiac. The scene became black again.
Chris/Martin: And that's... me?
Future Luthor: You are one of the many Exobyte targets chosen. (Turns away) I have to go.
Chris/Martin: Wait! It this real... ?
Future Luthor: This scene... no it is an image brought to you by the very Exobyte that infected you. When you try to remember this moment, the memory will be like a blur... Goodbye.
Chris/Martin: Where are you going?
Future Luthor: That I cannot say. I only hope that I am too late, for I will not be here, to see this new future. I must... leave this Earth, to you... claim the Exobytes, and take destiny into you own hands.
And with that the Future Luthor vanished into thin air, leaving behind a glowing, rainbow colored orb. Chris/Martin assumed that that was the Exobyte. He slowly walked towards it then... he took it and held it in his hand. The glow felt truly friendly. It felt like... he could do anything.
Then, the dream ended, gone from his mind.
(NOW COMES THE EXITING PART!)
Chris woke up feeling groggy he wondered what those robots were and what happened... then, he opened his eyes. He was trapped in some sort of pod! He was suspended in some sort of breathable liquid that was bright orange in color; it looked sinister. He panicked, trying desperately trying to find a way out. He eventually began to bang on the front of pod, screaming. He began to struggle even harder. Then, he didn't know how, but vines began to form, growing around him, giving him extra strength to work with. Eventually, he broke the glass-like barrier and fell down onto the floor, the weird liquid evaporating almost instantly.
Chris looked around he was... in a large room, with pods, similar to the one he was just in. Inside those pods were people, none of them conscious. There was some kind of doorway leading out but it was sealed. He looked down and found a little shock.
He was deprived of most of his clothing.
The only thing he was wearing were his boxers, which, quite frankly was a little embarrassing. The then paused to check something, his body looked different. He was about two inches taller, his muscles were slightly bigger and molded to the standards of acrobats. His fingernails, thought still as short as ever, seemed slightly sharper, even if only slightly, giving them an animal-like quality. All in all, it made him feel full of energy. He looked around and saw an open container that read "Confiscated Earth Goods". He looked inside and found a lot of things, including his and Martin's Creature Pods. Then he realized something... where's Martin? He looked around the room until he found him.
Martin was only in his boxers and, much like Chris, also went through some sort of physical change. He was two inches taller and the back of his hair was longer by around three centimeters. His build has greatly changed from that of an average person to, well, his muscularity has increased to the point where the older Kratt looked like a miniature Man of Steel.
Chris immediately tried to think of a way to get him out of here. Then he remembered, the vines.
It may have seemed crazy, but Chris was actually thinking that he was controlling the plants. There was only one way to find out. Chris walked toward the plants and touched one gently (he saw that Poison Ivy criminal on the news reports do this) the plant responded by moving a little.
Chris was shocked; he could control plants! Now he tried to use them he motioned the plants movements with one hand and held the other facing the pod Martin was in. The plants immediately understood and attacked the surface of the pod. The next thing, Martin was sprawled on the floor, the liquid from his pod evaporating like there is no tomorrow.
Chris: (looking at his hands) I see why Ivy enjoys this sensation. (kneels down toward Martin) Martin! Bro, wake up!
Martin: (a little groggy at first) Wuh? Chris? (fully awake, looking at his surroundings) where are we? (turns to Chris and see the alteration to his body, a little confused) Chris? You look a little different.
Chris: So do you. (Searches in the "Earth Goods" container, which by the way was the size and shape of a metal crate, and finds a medium-sized mirror) Here, take a look. (holds it up so Martin could see his reflection)
Martin looked at his reflection, surprised at the sudden changed in his build. He flexed his arms, his muscles rising to a more definite peak. Martin grinned at this. Chris just thought "typical Martin behavior" and rolled his eyes, smiling.
At that moment Chris's Creature Pod rang, signaling that he was getting a call, which at that point shouldn't b possible wherever they are... curious, Chris answered.
The holoscreen showed the image a robotic face having human features that made it look female. It was evident that this was just an avatar photo, not a real person.
?: The hack worked, I'm in and you're awake and free! (a sigh of relief is heard) Okay I know that you must have a lot of questions right about now, but all you need to know at the moment is that I'm Oracle and we are going to get you off of that ship! Look for a doorway out. (the transmission ended)
The two look towards the doorway and find that they were not alone anymore.
There was a robot guarding the only exit of that room. Chris decided to use the plants again.
Chris: Martin check this out... (he tried to summons the vines again, but this time nothing happened) huh? Why isn't it working?
Martin: CHRIS!
Chris looked, then panicked mentally; the robot guard was running at him. Martin ran in front of him.
Martin: Leave my brother alone! (he threw out his fist)
Okay, so he wasn't as strong as Superman, but when he punched the sentry, he pummeled a lot of vital parts and sprockets. He threw his other fist out finishing the robot. Martin just stood there, shocked at how he was able to that much damage.
Martin: (looking at his hands) How... did I...
Chris: Bro look out!
Another sentry appeared out of nowhere (Teleportation maybe?) a came up behind Martin for a surprise attack. Chris suddenly jumped up and grabbed the sentry's head with his legs and pulled back wards. He successfully flipped the sentry over and caused it to malfunction and shut down from the force of the blow to the floor.
Chris: Whoa. How did I do that?
The holoimage representing Oracle appeared again (this time from Martin's creature pod)
Oracle: Shocked right? Oh no... they broke my hack. The ship knows that you're both free, so I'll make it quick. … okay so you know about the several superhumans who have come up from out of the blue right? (the Kratt bros nodded) well there are these things called Exobytes, microorganisms just filled with the imprints of superpowers that come from an alternate future. A future where the Earth was destroyed by an alien from Brainiac, when you're safe I'll show you a newspaper covering the entire story. Anyway, a man came from that timeline to present day and set these Exobytes free in out Earths atmosphere to create new heroes and villains. And you two are lucky enough to actually get infected by the Exobytes or as the term goes, "become Exobytten" and receive powers. I've analyzed the Exobyte data inside each of you and determined what powers you each have. (two screens popped up from Chris's Creature Pod) Take a look.
The bros saw what powers they received.
Name: Chris Kratt
Exobyte type: Meta
Power type: Nature; Plants/Shapeshifting (into any animal form). Note: When the battle gets really tough, those with this power can also let the call of the wild surge through them and actually become a beast full of rage, cunning, and animal instincts.
Movement type: Acrobatics
Combat type: Martial Arts
Iconic capabilities (If any): Animal Mimicry; the ability to mimic the qualities of any animal (in human form) [Animal Man].
Name: Martin Kratt
Exobyte type: Magic
Power Type: Ice; Cryogenics/Storms (can create things like icy winds and snowstorms) Note: An Ice powered being can create a form of cryo-armor, turning them into an ice brute. This can be quite useful.
Movement type: Flight (Yes this means you can fly all on your own)
Combat type: Brawling
Iconic capabilities (if any): Super-Strength [generic]. Freezing Breath; the capability to unleash a powerful, freezing blast to chill, slow, and (eventually) freeze your enemies. [Superman].
The Kratts were amazed; they could do all of those extraordinary things?
Chris: whoa...
Martin: double whoa...
Oracle: Impressive right? Anyway for now just focus on what you want your powers to do and they'll do it. Break's over, so get ready; my readings show forces gathering beyond that door. (the screens disappeared then the image Oracle uses appeared on the screens build in to the two Creature Pods) I'm going to remain in constant contact with you two, like this. Ready to fight your way out?
Chris: Alright... ready bro?
Martin: Yeah, (the two face the door) lets leave this ship.
The door opened revealing a small team of Brainiac Sentries in a hallway that turned to the right. A voice was heard, an intercom perhaps.
Intercom: All units move in to position. Contain the humans.
Chris decided to give his animal shapeshifting powers a try. He concentrated, and successfully turned into an ape. He then began to tear at the sentries reducing them to scrap.
Martin wanted to put his ice powers to use, so he decided to try the basic "freeze 'em" strategy. He held his hands out in front of that and began to literally think cold. It worked the sentries he aimed at slowly froze up. He then used his now tremendous strength and pummeled them to the ground.
When the hallway was clear another doorway opened on the other side were two Brainiac robots and... a really big robot. It had six legs and reminded the Kratts of some giant brain.
Giant Robot: (to the Sentries) Gather reinforcements; I will patrol towards the prisoner bay. (The two sentries left)
Chris: Okay... a giant, multi-pedal robot...
Martin: That's a first...
Chris: (thinking) okay, I think I have an idea...
The Brainiac robot was looking towards the wall on the right when it heard something behind it. It turned to face the source of the noise.
Chris: Hey! Looking for me?
Giant Robot: Escapee detected. Charging. (The robot began to glow as if to gather energy) Overload. (The robot was prepared to ram Chris!) Slam.
At that moment Martin jumped on top of the robot and, with a well aimed blast, froze the entire robot. Before the thing got a change to struggle free, vines appeared and pulled the robot apart.
Oracle: (from the creature pods) Impressive, that was an overseer, they're usually harder to beat than that. Let's get you out of their patrol range, there's a transport tube above you use that to get away.
Chris and Martin looked up, and there it was, high up in the room which was two stories high. Martin immediately smiled.
Chris: what?
Martin: (Still smiling) Get on my back, Chris.
Chris: Wait a sec. (he thought back to the Exobyte data list.) Uh bro... do you even know how to fly all on your own?
Martin: Trust me. How hard can it be?
Reluctantly Chris grabbed onto Martin's back. Martin then tried to picture the sky, that he was just plain air, any thought that would enable him to fly, he finally settled for the first time he used the Creature Power Suit's Peregrine Falcon Disk. And immediately... he wasn't touching the ground anymore. He got pretty exited, I can tell you that. Anyway, he managed to steer and move around the room to get the hang of it. Then, he flew into the transport tube. The intercom was heard talking again. The brothers assumed that the voice was Brainiac himself.
Intercom: The subjects have left the main corridors. Search the vessel.
After they left the transport tube, they were in another hallway. They looked down, the floor below was able to be seen from up there because of the transparent floor. Five Sentries and two Overseers were walking down the hall.
Oracle: The entire ship is connected to Brainiac you have to get out of there.
They proceeded down the hallway and ended up turning left to a large room. There were 8 Sentries and 2 slightly larger humanoid robots that Oracle identified as Subjugators. Chris and Martin quickly took care of the Sentries. The two Subjugators were hard but Chris was able to tangle them in vines; it seemed that he can just spawn plant seeds from his own bod without end. Either it was game over for the Subjugators.
The Kratts were continuing down the next hall and took a left at the next door.
Oracle: Okay there's a high-speed nexus up ahead, get through and use the transport tube.
They found the nexus with the transport tube in the middle of the room. They looked down; it wasn't that big of a drop. With that in mind they both jumped. They landed on their feet onto a pile of dirt and were surrounded by garbage. This must be some sort of storage area they found a hallway and went through, going down another drop. When they hit floor, they were in some sort of computer room. And in front of that room was some sort of dump... with a LOT of Overseers in it. An intercom of a Sentry came up.
Intercom: Delivering shipment of earth goods.
Martin looked trough the transparent-wall-window- thing.
Martin: This doesn't looked good Chris. (No reply) Chris? (Martin looked down (he was hovering at a spot to get a better view) and saw Chris messing with what looked like a computer.) Chris what are you doing?
Chris: Martin, this is all in english... maybe I can... (at that moment, all of the Overseers in the other room immediately shut down) YES!
Martin: (impressed) Way to go, bro!
Oracle: Yeah, that was pretty impressive. Now keep going! You're not out yet.
The two went through a doorway at the other side of the "Earth Goods" room and took a left, then a right at the next dead end. Coming across, eerily enough, no guards. They hoped Brainiac was just looking elsewhere for the two Kratt Bros. They ended up on a hallway that overlooked a large hangar. And in that hangar... was what looked like a small army.
There were Brainiac robots as far as the eye can see. All of them were inactive thank god, but it still was scary.
Chris: uh... Oracle?
Martin: We may have a slight problem (holding his creature pod so that Oracle could see.
Oracle: whoa... uh-oh... these energy readings... Brainiac has a beyond-full-scale invasion force stored on this ship... we have to destroy it.
Chris/Martin: WHAT?!
Oracle: Don't worry I'll be right here to help you every step of the way.
Chris: … Okay.
Martin: Just- let us know what to do.
Oracle: Thanks. For now, just keep going; the ships main gun is nearby. Destroy it, and the ships main drive will go offline. Then the League can go in and get you out of there.
Chris and Martin kept going threw a few more hallways. They knew they were heading the right direction because Brainiac spoke using the intercom throughout the ship.
Brainiac: The prisoners are near the prime weapon chamber. Destroy the escapees before damage becomes critical: Damage to the weapon power cufflinks will destabilize the ship.
The two brothers manage to get to another hallway... and went through one final door.
The gun chamber was big, but around the same size as the prisoner bay. There were four structures around the room. The brothers assumed that those were the power cufflinks. There was also a Brainiac robot hovering there in the middle of the room. It was humanoid and was had green, glowing, Brainiac insignias all over it. Oracle told them beforehand about the ship's Guardian. Unfortunately it managed to send a code to the doorway, sealing it shut. It then spoke to the two.
Harvester Guardian: Do not be foolish humans; you cannot stop the incursion.
Oracle: Don't listen to him, I have a League member standing by for when the shields drop, for now destroy anything connecting the gun to the ship!
She didn't need to tell those two twice. Especially with the three teleporters in that chamber spawning several Sentries.
Chris: Martin take out the cufflinks; I'll distracts these guys.
Martin: Alright, bro.
Chris's body began to acquire honey badger-like features. He then began to beat up each of the Sentries like there was no tomorrow. Martin meanwhile was using his ice powers to pelt sharp icicles toward one of the four cufflinks. Chris and Martin were doing a good job, they already destroyed a power cufflink already.
Harvester Guardian: Cufflink destroyed; stability at 75%.
Martin immediately turned and jammed the second cufflink with an ice block out of thin air, said cufflink crushed under the weight.
Harvester Guardian: Stability is now at 50%. Stop the prisoners.
Chris meanwhile was putting up a great effort as well; he was now showing traits that belonged to an orangutan (Remember Huge-O?). Sentries were literally being thrown all over the walls. The pile and amount of Brainiac scrap was increasing. Meanwhile Martin has destroyed cufflink number three.
Harvester Guardian: Only one cufflink remains. NO NOT FAIL BRAINIAC!
There were no more sentries left. Chris and Martin worked together to destroy the fourth cufflink and... it worked. Martin froze key weak-spots and Chris dismantled it using vines to pull out the vital peices.
A large boom could be heard; it was the sound of the ship loosing its gun and shield.
Oracle: YES! The gun is falling; it's smashing into Brainiac's Bottle below!
Unfortunately the Harvester Guardian finally hovered towards the floor and was pulsating some sort of energy that grew brighter with each flash.
Chris: Uh, Oracle? What's that?
Oracle: Freeze it now! It's forming an EMP! Out of its body!
Martin: Wh-What?! (Get's deadpan look from Chris) Okay! Okay!
Martin had to do this; he concentrated hard and calmly. Then, he blew out a subzero breath. It successfully froze the robot. Then shattered away, damaging the robot.
Harvester Guardian: No... this one has failed... powering... down... … … (the Harvester Guardian shuts down, recognizing defeat).
Oracle: (She suddenly sounded exited) Superman, get ready; I'm bringing you in there!
The two Kratt brothers were suddenly exited; they were about to meet one of the three co-leaders of the League in person! However there excitement was cut short as A: they heard rumbling throughout the harvester, meaning that several parts were just falling apart with the Harvester Guardian's absence. And B: the teleporters had let in a large group of Subjugators. Then the voice of Brainiac was heard through the intercom.
Brainiac: Foolish human, you have only doomed yourself. You will go down with this ship.
Then a light appeared behind them the turned around to see what looked like a one-way Zeta portal. But the biggest shock was the person who stepped out of it.
He was tall, has a lean, strong build, and was wearing a blue, red and yellow costume, complete with cape, with a stylized S-Shield on his chest. They couldn't believe their eyes...
They were looking directly at Superman himself!
Superman: (apparently to the intercom Brainiac was talking through) Think again Brainiac; you can't take out all three of us. And were not leaving until we shut this ship down, permanently. (to the Kratt bros.) Looks like you two could use a hand, (walks up to the sentries) ready to fight.
Chris: Y-Yeah.
Martin: Ready!
The three began to fight all of the robots. All throughout the time the intercom was spewing out evacuation commands from Brainiac like "Harvester ship Vi-7 has been compromised. Deploy all remaining forces to Earth." and "The ship is no longer of use, all personnel evacuate the area."
after a few minutes the battle was one.
Superman: that's all of them... (To the now exhausted Wild Kratts) are you okay?
Chris: (clearly pooped but catching his breath like it was normal for him) We're okay...
Martin: (slightly wheezing) yeah... just fine.
Superman: (still concerned but continuing with conversation) Okay. Well, Brainiac certainly wasn't counting on you breaking out and disabling his ship. (motioning towards one of the three teleporters) Now use the teleporter to escape into the city, Miss Martian should help you learn more about what's going on.
Superman then uses his strength to break through the door behind him. Leaving the two Kratts with the teleporter in front of them.
Oracle: Yes! It's done I've hacked the teleporters, they should help you escape! GO! (finally ends her transmission)
Chris and Martin looked at each other and nodded to one another, signaling that they were ready for what is on the other side of that Zeta teleporter. They walked towards the teleporters and then they were gone. Where? That will be for the next chapter. For now all I can say is... "It's a big, scary world out there."
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