Chapter 19: Crush Basher

Max and his team were watching a wrestling match on TV in the apartment. "Oh, boy. I've been dying to see the upcoming match between Crush Basher and Shrub Shredder." Zad said. "I fail to understand how wrestling can hype people up so much." Steel said. "Well, Steel, to be fair, even though wrestling is a staged sport, it's still about muscular men and women giving it their all to be the best." Max said. "Quiet! The match is about to start." Vandana said. Everyone sat quietly as the match was about to start.

Crush Basher and Shrub Shredder wrestled hard, trying hard to shove each other down. But Shrub Shredder managed to shove Crush Basher hard into the side of the ring. Shrub Shredder gave a great shout of pride, getting the people all riled up. But then, Crush Basher, getting highly frustrated from his massive losing streak, ran up to Shrub Shredder and grabbed his lip with an illegal fishhook move and threw him to the ground. But as he landed, his jawbone cracked, causing him to scream in pain.

Max and his team gasped in horror at that. "Holy Turbo!" Steel cried.

(Intro)

Before Crush Basher could do anymore damage to Shrub Shredder, the referee stepped in between them. "Crush Basher, you are hereby disqualified!" The referee announced. "That's not for you to decide!" Crush Basher exclaimed, preparing to slug the referee. But then, security guards climbed into the ring and grabbed him. "GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME!" He exclaimed as they dragged him out of the ring.

Max turned off the TV to avoid seeing anymore savagery. "Man, that was brutal." He said. "That Crush Basher is a no-good cheater. I'd like to give that brute a taste of his own medicine if I ever see him in person." Wandella said venomously. "Sheesh, Wandella, for as long as we've known you, you've really been so brutal yourself. Especially against Butch and his cronies." Rayne said. "Yeah, you never fully explained why you hate bullies so much." Iden said. "Well, I've watched a lot of fighting scenes on TV. Cobra Kai, Teen Titans, cop shows. I watched and learned every move they've used on the shows. And I used all those moves to beat up the bullies for bullying my siblings and cousin. Since I'm the second born, they sometimes call me the Brawler. I've always had the fighting spirit in protecting the innocent from harm. Like one time, when we were newborns, Dad tried to get up close to Xena with a camera. But then, I smacked it, thinking someone was trying to take my dear sister away. I took Xena's hand in my own and refused to let go." Wandella explained. Alex was amazed by his girlfriend, always being there for her family in times of danger. That made him think about his own childhood.

Meanwhile, at the stadium, Crush Basher was confronted by an angry group of people. "You, sir, are by far the worst wrestler I've ever managed in my life! I QUIT!" His manager exclaimed. "And you can consider yourself banned for life. Get out of our faces!" The stadium owner demanded. Crush Basher growled, clutching his fist as he walked away. "Those fools think they can just kick me out? I gave everything to my wrestling career and they just toss me aside like a piece of rotten fish! Well, I'll show them. Crush Basher doesn't go down that easy!" He declared. Just then, he heard something crash in the alleyway. He walked down the alley to investigate. Suddenly, he saw a box moving. He walked up and moved the box. "What the?!" He exclaimed as something attacked him, causing him to scream and everything went black.

Meanwhile, Max and Steel were getting ready for bed. Alex, Rayne and Iden already went home. The Ferrus Quintuplets already went to bed. "That was quite the tale Wandella told us, Max. I mean, I knew she was nuts for fighting, but I never knew she's been a fighter since she's been a baby." Steel said. "Yeah, I know. Wandella's an amazing fighter. And I'm lucky to have her as my cousin." Max said as he tucked himself in. "Still, I'd like to see how she'd fair up against Crush Basher if he should dare to show his face around us." Steel said. "One can only hope, Steel. Well, we better get some sleep then. Don't wanna be tired for school." Max said. "Yeah, you're right. Goodnight, Max." Steel said as he powered off. "Goodnight, Steel." Max said before going to sleep.

Meanwhile, back in the alley, Crush Basher groaned as he recovered from his attack. "What…happened…to me?" He asked. As he went to support himself on the wall, his skin suddenly absorbed the bricks, creating armor on his arm. "What?" He said in shock and confusion. He looked at his chest and noticed a strange emerald disk embedded in the middle. "What did this thing do to me?" He asked. He removed his arm and it reduced back to normal. "Amazing." He looked over at the dumpster, placed his arm on it and absorbed the metal. "Truly amazing. With this new power, I can exact my revenge on those fools. Look out, wrestling world! For you will taste the wrath of the new and improved…CRUSH BASHER!" He declared, cackling madly.

The next day, Max and his team were hanging out in the city with Sydney, Kirby, Tawny and Mirta. "So, I got the award for having the biggest steps after accidentally stepping on my competition's feet." Tawny said, making everyone laugh. Suddenly, there was a scream. The group looked as they saw people running past them. "Wow. What's their problem?" Kirby asked. "Uh, I think it's that." Rayne said. They saw an unknown enemy rampaging through the streets in a dust cloud. "Syd, Kirby, Tawny, get to safety." Max said. "What?! No way, Max!" Sydney exclaimed. "We're not just gonna leave you!" Tawny exclaimed. "Forget that!" Kirby exclaimed. "Just go. We'll be fine." Max said. "We always are." Xena said. Kirby and Tawny did as they were told, but Sydney hesitated for a bit before she followed. "Suit up, team! Go Turbo!" Max called, morphing into his Steel Suit. The Ferrus Quintuplets transformed into the Mana Quints. Alex, Rayne and Iden activated their watches and transformed into their suits. "Oh yeah! Go Turbo!" Stephan exclaimed, transforming into his Titanium Mode. "Mirta, you ready for your first field assignment?" Max asked. "Oh, I'm all set." Mirta said, using her power to transform herself into a robed mage from one of her books.

The team fully ran into the dust cloud and gazed at their new enemy. Crush Basher. Aside from the disk embedded in his chest, he was also more muscular than he usually looked. His left arm was armored with metal while his right was armored with brick. "Hey, that's the cheating wrestler from TV!" Wandella exclaimed, recognizing him. "That's Crush Basher?!" Alex asked in shock. "How did he get so big?!" Rayne asked in shock. "Look at his chest!" Stephan exclaimed, pointing to Crush Basher's chest. "Is that…what I think it is?" Vandana asked. "An Ultralink!" Max exclaimed. Suddenly, Crush Basher turned around to see the team. "Who are you?" He asked. "We're here to stop you." Max said. "Really? You think you can stop me?" Crush Basher asked. "Oh, we know we can!" Rayne exclaimed. She tossed 2 lightning bolts at Crush Basher, but he blocked them with his brick arm. Rayne gasped in shock at that. "Is that your best shot? Well, here's mine!" Crush Basher exclaimed. His right fist morphed into a brick block and slammed it into Rayne, sending her flying. "Tempestra!" Zad cried. "Take him!" Max ordered. The team surrounded Crush Basher, causing him to chuckle sinisterly. "Come. Let's see how you fight." He dared. Alex shouted as he charged towards him with rhino strength. But Crush Basher grabbed him and tossed him at Xena, Yeager and Iden, knocking them down. "Nobody does that to my boyfriend!" Wandella exclaimed as she charged towards Crush Basher. But as she prepared a mana punch, Crush Basher punched her with his brick-covered fist and knocked her down.

"Okay, that's it. Let's see how you fair against the Page Master." Mirta said, opening 3 of her books. "What're you gonna do? Read me to death?" Crush Basher asked mockingly. "Not exactly." Mirta said. Just then, she summoned up Aslan the lion from The Chronicles of Narnia, a Griever from The Maze Runner, and a Cave Troll from Lord of the Rings. "Sick him, boys." Mirta commanded. All 3 of them roared as they charged towards Crush Basher, but he managed to beat all with 3 easy blows, turning them all to dust. "Uh oh." Mirta said with worry as Crush Basher slammed his fist into the street, sending a wave of gravel spikes towards her. "Look out, Page Master!" Zad exclaimed as he and Vandana ran up and summoned their mana shields, but the force from the attack knocked them all out. "That's it. You can mess with us, but you don't mess with our team." Max said. "Yeah. Especially the rookie." Stephan said. "Come on then. Let's see what the legendary Max Steel and his new sidekick have to offer." Crush Basher dared. "Go Turbo Strength!" Max called, morphing to Strength Mode while Stephan readied his chainsaws as Crush Basher charged towards them. But then, as they prepared to attack, Crush Basher out-maneuvered them and dodged their attacks. Then he grabbed Stephan with his granite hand and slammed him into the pavement as he kicked Max with his right metal-covered foot, knocking them both out. "I have no time for you. I have revenge to enact." He said as he marched off towards the stadium, leaving the team unconscious.

Meanwhile, at the stadium, the owner and Crush Basher's former manager were going through a selection of wrestlers to try and replace Crush Basher. "Hmm. I'm not sure. What do you think?" The owner asked. "Beats me. Any one of them could have potential. More than Crush Basher ever had." The manager said. Suddenly, the stadium's front doors were smashed open. Everyone started screaming and took cover as Crush Basher entered. "Basher?!" The manager said in shock. "That's right! I'm back and bigger than ever!" Crush Basher exclaimed. "You look like something out of a Victor Frankenstein movie." The owner said. "You say that now, but it's time for me to do what I came here to do." Crush Basher said. "And what's that? Convince us to give you another shot?" The manager asked mockingly. "No. DESTROY ALL OF YOU FOR BANNING ME!" Crush Basher exclaimed angrily, morphing his arms into diamond blades.

Meanwhile, back in the streets, Max and his team started to recover from their recent fight with Crush Basher. They all groaned from the brutal hits. "Is everyone okay?" Max asked. "Ugh, define okay." Rayne groaned. "Did anyone get the number on that flying train car?" Zad asked in a daze. "Where did Crush Basher go?" Vandana asked. "Before I passed out, he said he had revenge to enact." Stephan said. "Revenge?" Alex asked in confusion. "The stadium!" Wandella exclaimed with realization. "Of course! He's getting payback for them banning him from the ring!" Max exclaimed.

Meanwhile, back in the stadium, Crush Basher was tearing up the whole place, destroying bleachers and beating up the other wrestlers. "Think you can take it all away from me?! I'm Crush Basher! I'm the greatest wrestler in the whole world!" He declared. The owner and the manager hid under their table. "This is not good." The owner said with worry. "I know. I wonder if they're hiring at the stadiums in the next town." The manager said. Just then, Crush Basher flipped the table over, exposing them. "Oh, revenge is a sweet, savory dish best severed cold." He said. But then, before he could crush them under his brick arm, he got hit by a Turbo Blast, knocking him down. As he quickly recovered, he looked up and saw Max and his team run into the stadium. "This ends now, Crush Basher. You're done wrecking this place and harming innocent people." Max said. "You'll not stop me, Max Steel. No one is going to stop me from having my revenge." Crush Basher snarled. "Except me, brick-head." Wandella said, daringly stepping forth. "You?" Crush Basher asked, amused. "Yes. I challenge you, one wrestler to another." Wandella said. "Me too. I challenge you too." Stephan said, stepping up next to her. "2 against 1? I like a challenge. I accept." Crush Basher said. The 3 started walking towards the ring. "Why'd you challenge him too, Steel? I could probably handle this cheater by myself." Wandella whispered. "Because 2 fighters are better than one. And I got a new Turbo Mode for the occasion." Steel said.

They climbed into the ring as Max, the team, the owner, the manager and all the wrestlers gathered around. "Welcome! Today's main event, I, forever champion Crush Basher, versus infamous Violet Fury and Titanium! 3 fighters, but only one winner! Alive." Crush Basher announced. Wandella fueled her fists with mana as she got ready to fight. "Go Turbo Fighter!" Steel shouted as he transformed his Stephan android into a new Turbo Mode. It resembled a dark blue sleeveless fighter outfit with the chest section open a bit to show Steel. He also had a bandana tied across his head. "You think a fancy new look can help you stop me?" Crush Basher asked mockingly. "Oh, you have no idea." Steel said. "Let's go!" Wandella exclaimed. Crush Basher morphed his right hand into a giant brick block and tried to smash Wandella with it. But Wandella rolled under him, dodging the attack. Crush Basher came around again, but Wandella blocked his attack with her mana shield. Steel activated his chainsaws as he jetted forward with his thrusters and jabbed Crush Basher in the belly with a good old One-Two. Crush Basher stumbled back as he held his belly as everyone thought Steel actually sliced him. But then, he started chuckling evilly. "You think you can cut me? I've got literal abs of steel now." He said, revealing that his abs were covered in thick steel. Steel's chainsaws only left a couple of scratches. "Well…that's a little unfortunate." Steel said. "But that still doesn't mean we can't hurt you." Wandella said. She ran up to Crush Basher, powered her feet with mana, leapt up and kicked him hard in the steel belly, denting the steel as he was knocked down. "Why you little!" Crush Basher snarled as he started to recover. But Steel activated his right leg's thruster, spun around and kicked him, knocking him down again. Max and his team, and the wrestlers cheered for Wandella and Steel. Even the owner and the manager were impressed.

Suddenly, as he recovered, Crush Basher started breathing heavily and angrily as his pupils shrank. Just then, his whole body began mutating, tearing out of his clothes and covering every inch of his body with the materials he absorbed. Steel looked on in shock and disgust while Wandella almost puked. Crush Basher's head was now completely armored in diamond, his right arm and chest covered in brick, his left covered in granite, and his stomach and legs encased in steel. "Oh, that is just wrong." Yeager said in disgust. Mirta grabbed a nearby bucket and puked in it. Crush Basher saw what he did to himself and tried to change back. But he couldn't. "I…I can't change back! I'm stuck like this! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" He roared as he charged towards his opponents. "Wow. Is there any bad guy who's not gonna blame us for turning them into monsters?" Wandella asked sarcastically before she and Steel dodged Crush Basher's attack. "You won't defeat me! I won't allow it!" Crush Basher roared. "Fury, time to bust out our new move!" Steel exclaimed. "Right! Head's up!" Wandella exclaimed. Steel grabbed his head in his hands and popped it off, startling the owner, the manager and the other wrestlers. "Do it, Fury!" Steel exclaimed, tossing his head. Wandella powered her right foot with mana and kicked Steel's head towards Crush Basher. "Ka-boom." Steel's head said before it exploded, knocking Crush Basher down with a strong force from the explosion. "No…fair." Crush Basher said before passing out.

Afterwards, N-Tek arrived after Max called them over to the stadium. The team watched as Kat and Jefferson loaded Crush Basher into their Jump Jet. "Crush Basher, went from cheating wrestler to Ultralink-powered super-criminal. Who would've thought?" Steel asked, having already grown his new head. "Not bad for your first field assignment, Mirta." Max said. "Thanks. But I think I need a little more training before going back out with you guys again." Mirta said. "And when you do, we'll have a position open for you." Max said. "Hey, Wandella, I just want to say…" Alex started to say while blushing. "Yes?" Wandella asked, knowing what he was trying to say. "Well…you were the best, challenging Crush Basher like that." Alex said. "Aw. You are just so sweet." Wandella said. She grabbed his shirt collar and kissed him right on the lips. "Aw!" The team went at the sight of the sweet moment.

Later, after the team changed back into their civilian looks, they met up with Sydney and Tawny. "Guys! Are you okay?" Tawny asked with worry. "Yeah, we're okay. We got to witness Titanium and Violet Fury take on Crush Basher." Rayne said. "Wait, that was Crush Basher? The cheating wrestler from TV?" Tawny asked in surprise and the team nodded. "Well, I'm just glad you're okay, Max." Sydney said, hugging Max. "Same to you, Syd." Max said, hugging her back. "Wait, where's Kirby?" Xena asked, noticing Kirby wasn't with Sydney and Tawny.

Meanwhile, in the alley where Crush Basher found his Ultralink, Kirby popped out of a dumpster he was hiding in. "Why is whenever I go to hide from danger, I always seem to choose a dumpster?" He asked himself. Suddenly, there was a strange glow underneath all the trash. Kirby moved the trash aside and found what appeared to be a strange mechanical insect. It was shaking and looking frightened. "Wow. That is so cool." Kirby said. Just then, the insect leapt into his arms and continued shaking. "Aw, don't be scared little guy. Kirby'll take good care of you." He said. The insect just kept shaking.

Wow! Wasn't that cool?! Former wrestler Crush Basher was just banned from the ring for using illegal moves. After that, he came across an Ultralink, bonded with it, and started absorbing different materials into his body. Max and his team, accompanied by their friend Mirta, the Page Master, for her first field assignment, followed Crush Basher to the wrestling stadium. Before he could tear up the place, Wandella and Steel challenged him to a wrestling match. But as they were kicking his butt, Crush Basher, in a fit of anger and frustration, mutated himself with the materials he absorbed. But Wandella and Steel managed to defeat him and have him arrested. But what was that weird robot insect Kirby found? Will Mirta officially join the team after her training improves? Leave a review if you'd like.