Somewhere in a far away, unknown city, there is a market street that sells items of the oriental nature. One such shop was a drugstore whose name was written in Japanese katakana. The owner of the shop – a balding elderly man with a long white beard and moustache – was thrown backwards into the wall, knocking several jars off the shelves and causing them to break on the floor. The shopkeeper gritted his teeth, holding his shoulder which was racked with pain, mustering up the strength to glare at the people who intruded upon his shop.
Two Forever Knights garbed in trench coats and fedoras stood over the weak elderly man with their laser swords primed to strike. The only reason they haven't thus far was because of their group leader, who walked between the two and kneeled in front of the old man.
"I don't suppose that may have loosen your tongue," said Phil vindictively.
"Do with me what you wish," the old man spat defiantly. "I will not breath a word to you dishonorable cowards."
"I would expect nothing less," said Phil casually. "That stubborn self-righteous streak is an inherited trait, I'm sure…. But I wonder. Would your son in Nebraska be as stubborn? Or what about your daughter in New York? Maybe your grandchildren in Michigan would be more cooperative. There's so many to choose from."
The old man's calm exterior quickly faded as Phil listen off the names and locations of his family. He grabbed his cane that had fallen nearby and took a swing at Phil, but one of the bodyguards quickly stepped in, slicing the stick in half with his sword. Phil just smiled smugly.
"You leave them be!" yelled the elderly man.
"Oh, don't worry, I will," Phil promised with a wicked smirk. "As long tell me what I want to know."
"…What do you want?" the elderly man reluctantly submitted.
"All I need is for you to point us in the direction of your father," said Phil. "The man called…Samurai Jack."
"Is this the fourth or fifth time we've been back to this same state?" Trixie whispered to Ben.
"I stopped keeping track of grandpa's travel plans after the first week," Ben muttered back.
"Shush, you two," Gwen hushed them both. "I'm trying to listen."
Ben just rolled his eyes.
For the fourth (or fifth) time that summer, the Tennysons doubled back to Florida, which was quickly becoming their most traveled to state. This time they paid a visit to St. Augustine, which was purportedly the first city in America. Max's latest travel activity included a historical tour of the conquistadors that first settled in America. Trixie thought it questionable to celebrate people who literally called themselves "conquerors," especially after multiple battles against Vilgax. But Trixie decided to say nothing and just followed the bored-looking tour guide in the funny outfit.
"Don Juan Ponce de León arrived with Christopher Columbus on the adventurous second voyage to America in 1493. While in Spain, de León heard stories of the Fountain of Youth and made it his mission to find it. He located this stream," he indicated to the narrow river below as they crossed a stone bridge, "here in St. Augustine, Florida. However, he never found the fountain."
"What I want to know is where is the fountain of soda," Ben muttered.
"You really should cut back on that," Trixie suggested. "All that sugar is going to negative effect on you in the future."
"But it tastes good now," Ben quipped.
"Could you two show a little respect?" Gwen scolded them. "You're in the oldest city in North America."
The tour guide brought them to a large picture board of a group of conquistadors, seemingly lead by a bearded man. By comparison to the other conquistadors, his facial features were narrow with thinner eyes. There was a smaller picture of a man in the corner that named him as "Don Juan Ponce de León."
"You can read it in this text," the bored guide gestured to the board. "De León's description of his discovery."
"For someone who is supposedly from Spain," Trixie spoke out loud, "de León possesses facial features similar to Asians."
"Little is known about de León's family," the tour guide admitted, "but many historians believe he may have been of oriental descent."
Max moved closer to the board, pulling out a pair of glasses that none of the kids realized he had, squinting at the text.
"Now why do the words always have to be so darn small?" said Max.
"Well, if you can't read the words, grandpa," said Ben, "maybe we should get a magnifying glass or a big telescope."
Ben laughed at his own joke, but he was the only one. Max only seemed mildly confused as he tucked away his glasses and followed the tour guide. Trixie shook her head disappointedly and moved on while Gwen punched her cousin in the shoulder.
"Ow!" he cried. "What? What'd I say?"
The Tennysons followed the tour guide to a fountain which was, supposedly, a "recreation" of the purported Fountain of Youth. Max went to read the sign, leaning in close to see the small writing, while the children hung around the edge of the fountain.
"The one thing about old people," Gwen chastised her cousin, "is they don't want to be reminded they're old."
"Azmuth was particularly sensitive about his age, along with his height," said Trixie. "I remember how he used to throw a tantrum whenever Myaxx called him 'old timer.'"
"Ah, I wouldn't worry about grandpa getting mad at me saying stuff like that," said Ben, who, for some reason, had a toy water gun in his pocket and dunked it into the fountain.
"And why's that?" questioned Gwen.
"Cause he can't hear me over your nagging," Ben taunted, pointing the water gun at Gwen. "I gotcha beat."
"I heard that!" Max called. "What do you mean I have lead feet?"
There was a short pause of awkward silence as Ben and Gwen exchanged looks…. Ben pulled the trigger on his water gun, but Gwen ducked away in time, letting the water spray Trixie. Ben visible tensed up as Trixie stood there, menacingly, her wet hair draped over her face. Then, without a word, she held out her left arm, which suddenly grew metal nodes similar to Buzzshock. Trixie parted her hair out of her left eye, glaring at Ben, her hand crackling with electricity. Ben knew where this was going and threw up the water pistol with a shriek, bolting away with Trixie chasing him down.
"I love it when he messes up like this," Gwen grinned like a gremlin, following the pair.
Max looked up to see his grandkids running, suddenly getting the idea that they were playing, and said, "I can still catch all of you!"
They were heading towards a nearby fairgrounds, which seemed to be hosting a world culture festival. Ben hopped over the turnstile, earning an angry shout from the security guard, who quickly went silent when Trixie hopped over with her electrified hand. Gwen paid the for the fair like a good little girl, and Max stopped at the gate, leaning against the turnstile to catch his breath.
Ben dropped to the ground and slid behind a booth, taking deep gasping breaths. He nervously peaked around the booth…and was bewildered when he realized that Trixie seemingly disappeared. The wielder of the Omnitrix scratched his head…then felt a hand touched the back of his skull, followed by a sharp surge of static electricity. Ben jumped up with a startled yelp, his hair rising in every direction. He turned around, patting his hair down while glaring at Trixie, who grinned smugly.
"Not so fun now, isn't?" Trixie mocked him.
Gwen and Max arrived about a minute later, the latter leaning on the former and he tried to catch his breath.
"Are you all right, Maxwell?" asked Trixie worriedly.
"Oh – Oh yeah, I'm fine," said Max, standing up straight and wiping his brow. "Must be the Florida heat and humidity."
"You never had a problem the other four or five times we visited," Trixie pointed out.
"They say older people need to stay indoors during the summer," said Ben jokingly, earning another punch in the shoulder from Gwen. "Ow! What'd I say?"
"What Ben meant was 'age challenged,'" Gwen excused.
"How does that make it any better?" questioned Trixie.
Max frowned, far from amused.
At the same time in a booth nearby, an Asian man with a handsome beard and his dark hair pulled into a topknot was setting up his wears. His booth seemed to be a tribute to traditional Japanese culture, selling items that ranged from ink-wash paintings, to ceremonial fans and teapots, to lanterns, ceramic bowls, and noh masks. He was hummed a little song under his breath as he straightened out an imperial Hakama when he heard a rattling noise behind him. He turned around as his daughter – a dark-haired girl around the age of ten – set down a box of items on the table.
"Otou-san, where do you want these box of wooden toys?" she asked.
"Set them over by the ceramics, Naomi," said the father. "We'll sort them out after we unload everything."
"Hai," said Naomi, lifting the box with a struggle, carrying it off to the corner. "Phew. You have a lot of old stuff, Otou-san. I've never even seen half the stuff in here before? Where'd you find it all."
"I suppose the best way to describe them would be family heirlooms," said the father cryptically with a hint of pride in his voice. "Be careful with them. They're genuine antiques, and very valuable."
"So they're worth a lot of money?" asked Naomi excitedly.
"Don't even think of running off with anything," her father warned. "I've counted every piece in stock."
"I wasn't…mostly," Naomi admitted as she started rummaging through the box, pulling out a toy that looked like a hammer with a ball attached to it. "Where's all the cool stuff like an awesome Japanese sword?"
"They're called katana, little one," said the father amusingly, as he began setting up the piece of old shogun armor on a stand. "And I know better than to bring sharp things where you can reach them. Remember the what happened when your mother tried to teach you how to cook?"
"Hey, okaa-san said she was looking for a new hair style," Naomi argued, trying and failing to flipped the ball on the hammer's pointed spike.
"The fair owner will not be so forgiving if you end up chopping someone's finger off," said the father, adjusting the armor's helmet. "So no katana."
"Oh, that's too bad. Because I was in the market for one."
The father turned around and came face-to-face with Phil flanked by two Forever Knights in trench coats. The stall owner narrowed his eyes, the hair raising on the back of his neck. Naomi looked at her father worriedly. The bearded man held up her hand to her in assurance as he walked to the table, meeting Phil's eyes and putting on his best smile.
"Excuse me, sir, but we're not quite set up yet," said the father. "If you could come back in a little while, we'll have everything ready."
"Oh, this won't take long," said Phil with all the charm of a bullfrog. "You see, I happen to be looking for a sword. A very special sword on Japanese make. Some would almost call it…magical."
"I'm sorry," said the bearded man, gesturing to the stall. "But as you can see, we do not sell any swords."
"But I'm sure you could point me in the right direction," said Phil with a cryptic smile. "Couldn't you…Samurai Jack."
The man named Jack's smile immediately faded and was replaced with a hardened look, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Naomi, get behind me," he told his daughter, who did as she was told and took cover behind her father, staring fearfully at the masked men. "I do not know how you have discovered my identity, but I must ask you to leave."
"We will," Phil assured him. "Just as soon as you tell us where you hid the sword."
"That sword is hidden away where none may find it," said Jack firmly. "And I shall not reveal its whereabouts. So end this foolish quest and leave."
"Why do they always have to choose the hard way," Phil sighed, shaking his head disappointedly. "If you won't cooperate willingly, then we'll make you cooperate. Take him!"
The two men lunged at Jack and his daughter. In the same instance, Jack swept all the items off the table (amazingly tossing them safely on a pile of folded kimonos) then kicked up the table to slam it in the Forever Knight's faces. The armored minions staggered, momentarily stunned. Jack surged forward, hitting one knight with six precision strikes all over his body before slamming his chest with an open palm strike, sending him flying to the ground. The second knight recovered and lunged at Jack from behind, but the bearded stall owner slammed him in the face with a backhanded fist, his metal mask ringing out. The knight stumbled away just before Jack spun around, kicking him in the stomach, and threw him into a nearby pole, knocking him unconscious.
Jack stood tall and unharmed as he rounded to Phil, who rightly took a fearful step back.
"I will not say this again," Jack told him while summoning his daughter to his side, holding her protectively. "Leave us in peace."
"Very impressive," said Phil, trying to keep his cool. "Just what I would expect from the Immortal Samurai. But you didn't think those were the only men I brought with me, did you?"
Jack took a leery look around the fairgrounds and understood what he was imply. One by one, more than a couple dozen men in trench coats who had been blending in with the crowd turned to reveal their armored faces. They slowly encircled Jack and his daughter, reaching into their coats and withdrawing their laser-edged swords. Now that he was surrounded by many of his armed men, Phil regained his cocky confidence.
"Now it's my turn to tell you I won't say this again," said Phil. "Where is the sword?"
As this was all happening, the Tennyson family had been wandering around the fair, looking through the many interesting artifacts and traditions of various cultures from around the world. Well, interesting to everyone except Ben. While Max, Gwen, and Trixie were watching a traditional folklore dance from Kenya, Ben broke away from the group with his hands in his pocket and a grumpy look.
"This place is so lame," Ben complained. "Maybe there's a Japanese store around here. Been dying to get my hands on the Sumo Slammer game that was only released in Japan…."
Ben trailed off as he round the corner, quickly jumping back as person collapsed in front of him. A person wearing a trench coat over a familiar suit of armor. Ben recognized the the goon immediately: he was with the Forever Knights.
Ben quickly took cover behind the nearest stall and searched down the path where the commotion was coming from. He couldn't resist exhaling a soft "wow" as he watched Jack skillfully take on twenty Forever Knights at once. A knight threw a punch at the Immortal Samurai, but Jack grabbed him by the wrist, twisted it, and then toss him at two more knights coming from the left. When two knights came at him from either side, Jack jumped up and performed a perfect split kick to their faces, then landed and went into a spinning kick that knocked a third knight into a hot dog cart.
One Forever Knight managed to slip past and grab Jack from behind, pulling his arms back, while his partner charged Jack from the front. As the knight took a swing at him, Jack lifted his lower body so the knight's punch would fly under him and strike his partner in the gut. Jack brought his foot down on top of the knight in front of him, making him crumple to the ground, then broke free from the winded knight behind him and flipped the man over his shoulder.
Phil was understandably scared when one of his henchmen collapsed at his feet and another was sent flying over his head.
"What are you fools doing!" Phil yelled. "He's just one man! Capture him!"
Jack dodged a laser sword and karate chopped a knight in the throat, causing him to collapse with a choking noise. He heard a series of clanging footsteps and turned to see a dozen more Forever Knights running straight at him.
Ben, who had been watching the whole time, thought it was time to bring in some back up.
"Grandpa! Gwen! Trixie!" Ben yelled frantically. "Come quick!"
The Tennysons did not hesitate to run over to him when the noticed the concerned tone.
"What is it, Ben?" asked Max worriedly.
"Look!" Ben shouted, pointing around the corner to the fight.
"Are those the Forever Knights," Gwen gasped.
"And Phil's with them," said Max, glowering at his old partner.
"They're all ganging up on that one man," said Trixie, who looked very impressed when Jack knocked down three knights with a single spinning kick, "who appears to be putting up an remarkable fight."
"Yeah, but I don't think he can keep this up forever," said Gwen, wincing as a Forever Knight slashed the man's back. "We gotta help him."
"Going hero," said Ben.
Ben activated the Omnitrix and turned the dial until he found the marker with Rath's silhouette. He slammed the faceplate down and exploded in a burst of green light. But when the glare faded, instead of transforming into a ten-foot angry tiger alien, he had become –
"Pesky Dust!" Pesky Dust complained in his trilling, high-pitched voice. "Aw man!"
"I've missed this alien," said Trixie. "It's still cute."
Pesky Dust grumbled, but there was no time for complaining – he had hero work to do.
Jack sidestepped a laser sword, raised his arm to block a punch from his left, then kicked another laser sword that took a stab at his stomach. He flipped a charging Forever Knight and twist his arm, breaking it, but he failed to notice another armored soldier running up behind him with his sword raised. Luckily, a cloud of green powder feel over the knight. He looked confused for a moment before he suddenly collapsed, snoring loudly. Jack looked around curiously as more strange green powder fell from the sky and the knights dropped one by one. The Immortal Samurai looked up, spotting the alien fairy waving at him.
"Nighty-night, Forever Jerks!" Pesky Dust laughed.
"A Nemuina?" said Jack as Pesky Dust floated to his level. "On Earth?"
"Yeah, I – wait, you know what I am?" asked Pesky Dust surprised.
"I have encountered many of your kind over the years," Jack explained.
"Are you a Plumber?" questioned Pesky Dust.
"No, but I have worked with them," admitted Jack.
The loud clanking of armor drew Jack and Pesky Dust to a group of six Forever Knights rushing at them with their swords rasied. Just as they were getting ready for a fight, the Forever Knights were launched sideways by a supersonic howl. They hit the ground in a pile, groaning while slowly picking themselves up. Suddenly, a chanting cry ("Retov alagoria!") rang out and a roll of fabric flew out from a nearby booth, wrapping around the Forever Knights a dozen times before tying itself off with a big bow.
Jack blinked curiously when Trixie (half-Pyronite, half-Loboan form) and Lucky Girl ran over to join them.
"A hybrid and a sorceress?" said Jack. "Will wonders never cease."
"You don't seem too surprised," Lucky Girl remarked.
"Believe me, I have seen many stranger things in my time," said Jack cryptically. "But…who are you three?"
"Just your everyday superheroes," said Pesky Dust brightly.
"Well, it that case," said Jack, smiling gratefully, "would you assist me in driving off these villains?"
"You don't even have to ask," said Lucky Girl enthusiastically, opening her spellbook and summoning a pink glow around her hand. "Beat up Forever Knights is our favorite pastime."
The remaining Forever Knights who weren't sleeping or tied up gather together in a single group and charged at the heroes with unified battle cries. Pesky Dust, Lucky Girl, Trixie, and Jack roared with their own war cries as they ran to meet the knights halfway.
Meanwhile, Phil was keeping his distance from the chaos.
"Those brats are here?" gasped Phil. "Then that means – "
"PHIL!"
The traitorous Plumber turned just as Max charged at him, tackling his ex-partner and pinning him against a dunk tank. Phil choked and clawed at Max's arm, which was pressing down on his throat.
"What are you doing here, Phil?" Mac interrogated his old partner. "What are you and the Forever Knights up to?"
"Oh…you know…," Phil grunted, managing to put on a smug face despite the circumstances. "Just fulfilling a forty-year long dream of yours: searching for the Sword of the Immortal Samurai."
"I'm not falling for that this time, Phil," said Max, slamming Phil into the tank again. He vividly remembered their adventure in Mexico where Max almost lost his granddaughter. "I know the sword isn't real."
"But it is real, Max," said Phil. "And it's right here, in America's first city. Ironic, when you think about it?"
"And how would you know where it is?" questioned Max.
"I don't," Phil shook his head. "But he does."
He pointed to Jack, who flipped one a Forever Knight and kicked him from behind before performing a leg sweep at another knight running at him.
"Him? What does he have to do with anything?" asked Max.
"Haven't you figured it out, Max?" Phil grinned maniacally. "That's him. That's the Immortal Samurai."
Max is left dumbstruck by this new information as he looked back at the seemingly ordinary stall owner. Although, anyone who could fight dozens of men in armor armed with laser swords alongside an alien pixie, a mutational hybrid, and a sorceress would hardly count as "normal."
Phil seized his ex-partner's moment of distraction and punched the retired Plumber in the stomach. Max stumbled back with a winded gasp, but quickly recovered himself and raised his fists ready to fight. He shot a right jab at Phil, followed by a right hook, then a left uppercut. But Phil dodged all of them and retaliated with a sharp jab to Max's face. Max took another swing, but Phil leaned out of the way and threw back a punch to Max's gut again, causing him to double over. Phil then threw a right hook to the side of his old partner's head and threw him on the ground. Max groaned, wanting to get back up and continue the fight, but his old tired body refused to obey.
"You're getting slow in your old age, 'partner,'" Phil mocked him. "Why don't you rest up for a while. Now, how am I gonna get him to show me where the sword is?"
Phil stayed safely on the sidelines, watching the Immortal Samurai and the Tennyson brat soundly defeat his men like they were nothing. It was clear that direct confrontation was not going to work on him. He was going to need some other way of persuading him…. And he spotted the perfect candidate poking her little head out from behind the stall tent….
"That's the last of them," Pesky Dust announced as he dropped the last two Forever Knights in a powdered shower.
"Is it just me, or are we getting good at this," said Lucky Girl, standing proudly on a small pile of defeated knights.
"We've had a lot of practice over the summer," said Trixie, who reverted to human form.
"Thank you, my friends," said Jack, bowing respectfully to them. "Your assistance was greatly appreciated."
"It's not over yet," Pesky Dust reminded him. "We still have Phil – "
"I'll stop you right there!" The four heroes turned in the direction of the voice. Jack let out a terrified gasp when he spotted Phil pulling Naomi out into the open. She struggled at first until the ex-Plumber pulled out an futuristic gun and pressed it against the girl's temple. "If you don't want anything to happen to this sweet little girl, I suggest you surrender."
"Naomi!" cried Jack.
"Otou-san!" screamed Naomi.
"Holding kids hostage?" said Lucky Girl, scowling. "That's a new low, even for you, Phil."
"You should by now that there is no low I won't stoop to, Gwenie," Phil taunted.
"Please, she is just a child," Jack pleaded, stepping forward with his hands raised in surrender. "It is me you want. Release my daughter and I will lead you to the sword you seek."
"How do I know you won't try escape?" questioned Phil.
"I swear on my honor," said Jack, bowing slowly with a serious expression.
"Now was that so hard?" Phil taunted. At that moment, the Omnitrix blinked with its warning sound before Pesky Dust exploded in a burst of red, returning Ben to his human form. "Perfect timing. Here, kid, go ahead and put these on him."
Phil tossed something to Ben, juggling it in his hands before he caught it securely. They looked like a pair of futuristic handcuffs. Ben frowned and looked at Jack, not liking the handing him over to a creep like Phil. Jack silently nodded, giving his blessings, and held his arms in front of him. It was with great reluctance that Ben clamped the cuffs over Jack's wrists, which suddenly translucent barrier when the cuffs clicked. Ben backed away and glared at Phil, showing him that the deed was done.
"Good, now get over here," Phil demanded. Jack scowled, but nevertheless obeyed and moved to the traitorous Plumber's side. And once Jack was with them, he threw Naomi forward, who was caught by Lucky Girl before she hit the ground. "Keep the kid. We'll on our way to finding the sword now. Tell your grandpa that we're so sorry he'll miss it. Well, when he wakes up, that is."
Afraid of what that comment might mean, Ben and Gwen look around wildly and spotted Max lying flat on the ground several feet away.
"Grandpa!" the Tennyson cousins screamed, running to his side.
Phil decided to make a hasty exit while they were distracted. As they ran around the corner, Jack flashed a reassuring smile to his daughter before he disappeared.
Naomi did not feel any better.
The Tennysons relocated to the Rust Bucket parked outside the gardens fifteen minutes after Phil escaped with his prisoner. They left the Forever Knights at the fairgrounds after making a call to the local authorities, though they didn't know if would do any good. Besides the fact that they might wake up before the police arrived, it was obvious the Forever Knights had a lot of influence and would probably have their men back out on the streets by the end of the day. It was better not to worry about that for now.
Naomi, who had nowhere else to go now that he father was captured, opened the Rust Bucket's freezer to retrieve an ice pack. She carried it over to Max, who was sitting at the table, and pressed it softly against the bump on his head. Max winced from the chilly surface.
"Gomen," Naomi apologized.
"Mondai arimasen," Max said in perfect Japanese, taking the ice pack himself and holding it gingerly to his head.
"What was that all about?" asked Ben on the opposite side of the table.
"Yeah, why were Phil and the Forever Knights after your dad?" Gwen asked Naomi.
"They said, ooh," Max winced again, "they were searching for the Sword of the Immortal Samurai."
"That thing you had us chasing back in Mexico?" Trixie questioned curiously from the couch. "I thought that was just a ruse to trick us into fighting Fina and divide us."
"A trick that almost worked," Gwen commented, frowning slightly. "Grandpa, are you…?"
"Don't worry, Gwen," Max reassured her. "I've given up on that old thing."
"So what does the sword have to do with Naomi's dad?" asked Ben curiously.
"Phil seems to think that he is the Immortal Samurai," answered Max.
"Naomi, did you know – " Trixie started.
"That my dad is an immortal samurai warrior that wielded a magic sword and defeated a shapeshifting demon of pure evil in eleventh century Japan?" Naomi interjected. "Yeah, I kind figured it out after seeing my dad's picture in my history book, and the museum, and even on that boring Fountain of Youth tour guide."
"Your dad served under Don Juan Ponce de León?" Gwen asked interestedly.
"He was Ponce de León," said Naomi.
"Co-o-o-o-ol!" Gwen gushed.
"All right, all right, enough boring history lessons," said Ben impatiently. "We need to get to the sword before Phil does."
"Legend say that if the sword is wielded by someone with evil intentions," said Max seriously, "Aku will be revived to unleash ten thousand years of darkness on the world."
"So how do we find them?" questioned Trixie. "Did your father ever tell you where the sword was, Naomi?"
"No, he was always tightlipped about it," said Naomi, shaking her head. "But I do have a way to track where they're going." She pulled out her smartphone and pressed an app. "Otou-san installed this app into my phone so that he would know where I was at all times – total helicopter parent. But what he doesn't know is that it works both ways. So if I just track his phone signal, we should…. There!"
"Great work, Naomi?" Gwen complimented her as she showed the digital map on her phone.
"Where're they headed?" asked Ben.
"Looks like they're headed to somewhere in…Jacksonville?" Naomi answered strangely.
"Then that's where we're going, too," said Max determinedly, throwing off the ice pack and making his way to the driver's seat.
They drove fifty miles northward following the GPS signal on Naomi's phone until they stopped in front of an large farmstead with an orchard field that must have stretched over a hundred meters. Max parked the Rust Bucket in front of the dirt driveway and they disembarked. Ben saw a saw the colorful sing out front that told them they were at the Columbus Orange Grove.
"Hey, did you say your dad was that don…something or other?" Ben asked Naomi.
"Don Juan Ponce de León," Naomi corrected, keeping her eye on her phone's tracker.
"Ponce de León first came to America aboard Christopher Columbus's ship in 1513," said Gwen as the group walked through the orange grove. "Oranges were brought to the New World aboard Columbus's ship and were the first foreign produce planted and harvested on American soil. I guess these orange trees were part of the original voyage. Or at least their seeds came from them."
"Guess it makes sense the sword would be somewhere around here," said Max. "Do you know anything about where it's hidden, Naomi."
"Otou-san barely said anything about being immortal," said Naomi. "I didn't know anything about a magic sword until today…. Otou-san's signal is straight ahead. We're getting close."
They walked out of the orchard and came up to the barn. There they saw Jack hanging from length of rope by his wrists, still bound by the alien cuffs. He didn't look harmed, just hanging his head in shame.
"Something tells me we're too late," said Trixie.
"Otou-san!" cried Naomi.
"Naomi?" Jack gasped, snapping his head up. "What are you doing here?"
"Rescuing you, duh," said Gwen.
"Where's Phil?" questioned Max.
"You just missed him," said Jack, his brow furrowed seriously. "I tried to withhold the true location of the sword for as long as possible, but that man is more clever than I imagined. Once we had arrived, he suspected where the sword may be hidden and took off into the wetland nearby. We have to stop him before he obtains the sword."
"Don't worry, I'll get you down in a jiffy," said Max, moving to the anchor where the rope was tied to.
"Hold on a minute," said Ben. "They just left you here? Does that seem a little…weird."
"Yeah," Gwen agreed. "Almost like this is – "
All of a sudden, the barn doors are blown open, sending Naomi and the Tennysons flying backwards. The children sit up as a giant suit of armor at least fifteen feet tall stomped out of the barn, destroying more of the barn with its head. Because of its size and the whirring noises it made with each move, they knew there wasn't anyone inside the suit. It was a machine, just like the Squires from Philadelphia.
"Move, or get turned to pulp!" Naomi shouted.
The kids scrambled to their feet and ran in opposite directions; Trixie and Naomi went left and the Tennyson cousins went right. The titanic knight seemed to take a moment to consider which direction to go, until its sensors zeroed in on the Omnitrix, recognizing it as the greater threat.
The monolithic knight removed something from its waist that looked like a handle and gave it a flick. A hard-light construct shaped like a mace appeared from the handle. It stomped after Ben and Gwen, catching up to them in two strides, and swung its hard-light mace down. The Tennyson cousin just narrowly dodged it, but the shockwave threw them on the ground. They flipped around on their backs as the giant knight ripped its mace out of the dirt, raised it overhead, and brought it down on top of them –
"Presidium!" cried Gwen, throwing up her hands.
A dome of pink energy appeared around Gwen and her cousin, miraculously bouncing the mace off and made the giant knight stagger. Unfortunately, the impact still caused the barrier to shatter. While the knight was regaining its footing, Ben activated the Omnitrix.
"Come on, give me something good," Ben requested desperately before he slammed down the faceplate.
When the green transformation light faded, he looked down at himself. He had metal claws, buzzing wings…and he was only a centimeter tall.
"Nanomech?" the microscopic hero complained. "I seriously think this watch hates me."
"Ben, where'd you go?" Gwen cried when her cousin vanished, not realizing he had shrunk.
She looked up as the titanic knight raised its foot and brought it down, rolling out of the way with a frightened scream. It began to raise its mace when a bolt of green electricity seemingly flew out of nowhere, blasting it in the head. Despite its small size, the electric charge did a surprising amount of damage, making the robot's helmet crack and smoke. More bolts of electricity shot out from various directions. The knight blindly swatted its hand around, but Nanomech casually slipped between its fingers and shot it with more electricity.
It took a moment for Gwen to realize what was going on as she got to her feet, her ears perking up to a familiar and annoying buzzing noise.
"Nanomech?" Gwen scoffed. "Just what we need, the pint-sized pest – OW!"
Nanomech shot a bolt of electricity her way.
While they were dealing with the Forever Titan, Max untied the rope and lowered Jack to the ground. Though the ropes were off, the alien cuffs were still holding Jack's arms together. Of course, Max had the solution literally in his back pocket. He pulled out what looked like an electronic card and held it over the cuffs. The cuffs beeped in approval and unlocked themselves.
"Plumber standard issue," Max told Jack as he massaged his wrists. "Even after joining the Forever Knight, Phil's still holding on to old Plumber tech."
"Otou-san!" cried Naomi, jumping into her father's arms as she and Trixie ran over.
"Naomi!" Jack shouted happily, hugging his daughter. "I am so glad you are all right. "You're not hurt, are you."
"I'm fine," Naomi reassured her.
"Until Phil finds the sword," said Trixie. "We need to hurry up and find him before it's too late."
"What about them?" asked Jack,
Back over at the fight, Nanomech shot another electric bolt at the titanic knight, but he wasn't making much progress. At the rate he was going, it was going to take hours before he did any real damage. However, he quickly found an opportunity to change turn things around when his latest blast made a sizable crack in the Forever Titan's helmet.
Nanomech slipped inside the Forever Titan's head through the crack, coming into a cramped space filled with spinning gears and sparking nodes. The microscopic hero flew into the center of the space, clapping his hands together, and started gathering an enormous amount of electricity between his finger.
"Why do you try this on for size!" said Nanomech.
He threw out his arms and unleashed a dome of green electricity that spread in every direction; all the electric nodes exploded and the gears snapped in half.
On the outside, the Forever Titan had stomped to Gwen and raised its mace overhead when the machine's head suddenly rattled violently. Gwen stared in apt confusion as the giant knight started sparking and plumes of smoke started billowing underneath its helmet until it stopped moving all together. A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed before the Forever Titan fell backwards and hit the ground with a ringing thud!
Jack, Naomi, and the Tennysons gathered around the smoking husk of the Forever Titan; Naomi kicked the armor for good measure. Nanomech crawled out of the machine's helmet just in time for the Omnitrix to power down and return Ben to human form in a flash of red light.
"Nice job, Ben," Max praised his grandson.
"I guess big things do come in small packages," said Gwen.
"Thank you all for your assistance," said Jack, bowing his head gratefully. "Now come, we must hurry, before that man makes off with the sword I believe I saw a jeep parked near the entrance of the grove."
They began their long trek through the orange grove with Jack leading the way. Max was walking side-by-side with Jack while the children were hanging behind them. Naomi was enthusiastically asking questions about the Omnitrix, which Ben was more than happy to answer, especially when he got to show off in front of a cute girl. Though between Trixie constantly correcting him, Gwen making fun of him, and Jack shooting protective glares back at him, Ben didn't like his chances.
Max looked back as the children were engrossed in their conversation, then whispered to the Immortal Samurai.
"Your daughter said you traveled to the New World with Columbus," he said.
"Oh yes, he was a nice man," said Jack reminiscently. "Though he wasn't very good with directions."
"And the Fountain of Youth is…?" Max left the question open-ended, fearing the answer.
"A myth," said Jack seriously. "Created to lure away those who would see the sword. If you were to choose between an ancient sword and a fountain that could make one live forever, which would you choose?"
"I figured as much," Max sighed. "I envy you, Jack. Stay young forever sounds like a dream come true. Sure beats living with these weary old bones."
"I don't share your opinion, Max," said Jack, frowning. "In truth, it is I who envy you, Max."
"What? Why?" asked Max, genuinely surprised.
"When I struck down Aku, he cursed me to live forever as his last act of revenge," said Jack, hanging his head in thought. "At first, I thought nothing of it. But as time moved on, my friends and loved ones grew old and perished while I remained unchanged. I have fallen in love many times, have had many children, and I cherished every moment I had with them. But it always ends the same: they die, and I live. Even Naomi will leave me behind one day." He looked back sadly to his daughter, who was laughing at something Gwen said at Ben's expense. "I envy you, Max, because you have the benefit of knowing that your grandchildren will live long after you are gone."
"I…never thought about that," said Max remorsefully. "I'm sorry."
"Time is your friend, not your enemy," said Jack. "Appreciate what you have."
"I will," said Max, nodding and smiling gratefully. "Thank you."
Jack smiled, then looked ahead an spotted a green jeep parked in the middle of the grove for some random reason.
"There it is!" Jack celebrated, running over to the jeep. "We should be able to use this to reach the sword!"
"How're you going to get it to work?" asked Trixie, leaning over the driver's side. "There's no key."
"I've learned a few tricks over the centuries," said Jack smugly.
After Jack er…borrowed the jeep, he drove them deep into the heart of the Florida wetlands several miles west of for the grove. They drove through dense forests and dense bogs, crashing through tangles of wild vines and thick brush. The local gators scuttled out of the way before they were run over, snapping their maws irritably. Jack finally brings to Jeep to a screeching halt at the mouth of cavern covered in moss.
"This is it," said Jack as they all climbed out of the jeep. "This is where I hid the sword when I first came to America."
"And it looks like Phil already beat us to it," said Max, crouching down and pointing at a row of indentations in the moss. "Look, fresh footprints."
"Do you think Phil's got the sword?" asked Gwen worriedly.
"I hope not," said Ben, frowning as he looked at the Omnitrix, which was still red. "The watch is still recharging."
"I do not believe we have anything to worry about," said Jack confidently. "But be on your guard nonetheless. Naomi, stay beside me."
They entered the cavern with Jack leading the way. The tunnel was unnervingly silence save for the water dripping down the stalactites. It was shot trek before they arrived at the end of the tunnel and discovered a small, handmade staircase covered in moss leading to a Japanese-styled shrine that looked remarkably out of place. The shrine was weathered from years of neglect, several wooden panels missing, the roof caved in, and the hanging rope lying on the ground. But resting on the pedestal in the heart of the shrine was traditional Japanese katana still in its saya, looking perfectly preserved as if time had not touched it in four hundred years.
"There it is," said Jack, pointing to the katana. "The sword of the ancients."
"Cool," said Naomi in awe. "What's making it glow like that?"
"Glow? What glow?" asked Gwen, narrowing her eyes, trying to make herself see what Naomi was seeing.
"You…," Jack looked at his daughter, surprised, "you can see the divine aura?"
"The what?" asked Naomi, confused.
"Okay, so we found the sword," said Trixie, looking around. "But where's Phil?"
"Right in front of you!"
The heroes took a step back in surprise as Phil dramatically appeared from behind the shrine, grabbing the sword with malicious glee.
"So glad you could make it, Max," said Phil mockingly. He unsheathed the sword from its saya, the blade humming softly after being drawn for the first time in centuries. "Funny, isn't it. You spent four decades looking for this sword, and now I'm the one walking away with the prize."
"Give it up, Phil!" shouted Max. "Surrounded! Put down the sword and walk away!"
"After everything I went through to get it?" Phil scoffed. "Not a chance. I'm tired of playing second fiddle to everyone else! You, Enoch, Fina, Vilgax! With this sword, I'll be the one calling the shots! No one will be able to get in my way with this puppy in my arsenal!"
"You seek to use the swords power for your own selfish desires," said Jack neutrally. "But it will not work. The sword can only be wielded by those who are pure of heart and defend the innocent. It is worthless in the hands of those who would use it for greed and violence."
"Why don't we test that theory," said Phil confidently.
The traitorous Plumber gripped the blade with both hands and lunged at the Immortal Samurai. Jack crossed his arms and stood his ground. Logically speaking, there was nothing Phil could do to him. He was immortal and, if what he said was true, the sword wouldn't work for selfish people like Phil. But that didn't register to Naomi – all she knew was that her father was being attacked.
Without thinking, Naomi jumped in front of her father, holding out her hand to stop Phil, and screamed, "Stay away from my Otou-san!"
The Tennysons couldn't figure out what happened next. Phil swung the sword and it connected with Naomi's outstretched hand, but a ethereal golden glow appeared at the point of contact, creating a shockwave of energy. Phil was thrown clear across the cave and hit the wall while the sword clattered at Naomi's feet. The young girl gapped, as did her father, as she looked at her hand.
"Whoa…," Noami murmured in amazement.
"Son of a…," Phil groaned, picking himself up. "How did…?"
"Hey, Phil!"
The traitor looked to the left before Max socked him across the face with a strong right hook. Phil staggered, but remained on his feet. He retaliated with a quick jab to his old partner, but Max blocked it and returned with a sharp jab between the eyes. Max followed up with another strong right hook and finished with an uppercut to Phil's jaw. Phil was knocked off his feet and collapsed backward on the ground with a pained groan. He didn't get back up.
"Who's getting old now?" Max quipped playfully.
Jack, Naomi, and the Tennysons returned to the orange grove with Phil and the magic sword in tow. Naomi was holding the sword protectively to her chest after her father had asked her to keep it while they watched Phil being shoved in the back of a S.E.C.T. transport truck. They knew the Forever Knights would bail Phil out of a regular prison, so Trixie decided to call in a favor from her old friend Lt. Steel.
"So what're you going to do, now that the sword's been discovered?" Gwen asked Jack.
"I think this is a sign that the sword should not be hidden any longer," said Jack. "Rather, it should return, to protect the innocent from the forces of evil, like that man and his knightly compatriots."
"You're going back to the hero business?" asked Ben eagerly. "Cause if you ever want to team up – "
"Oh no, I put that life behind me," said Jack amusingly, shaking his head. He then turned to his daughter. "Instead, I think it's time to train…a successor."
"Successor? Me?" Naomi gasped.
"You can see the sword's divine aura," said Jack, kneeling to his daughter's level. "And the sword shielded you from Phil's attack. It is clear to me that it deemed you worthy to carry it's mighty legacy. But be warned, Naomi." His expression turned serious. "This path is one of many hardships. Should you choose to accept it, you will undoubtedly face much pain, heartache, and loss. Are you sure this is what you want, Naomi?"
"I'm ready," said Naomi determinedly. "I won't let you down, Otou-san."
Jack smiled proudly and ruffled his daughter's hair, making her giggle.
Max's heart was warmed by the scene and rested his hands on his grandchildren's shoulders, who smiled proudly back at him.
Getting old, Max supposed, doesn't seem so bad anymore.
This chapter took longer to make than usual. I've been putting more focus on my stories over at AO3 that this one hasn't been getting much attention. I only ask that you be patient with me.
Coming up:
Tired of not getting the respect she deserves, Gwen decides its time for a much needed upgrade. Look out world – here comes Gwen 10!