Several days had passed since Kenny and Ally had been taken to stand on the moon by Gwendolyn, and they had only grown closer since. The two were sitting on Kenny's bunk in the barracks, surrounded by Kenny's friends. The sounds of laughter echoed off the walls.

"What have you been up to, man?" Kenny questioned, casting an amused glance over at Pulu. "Haven't seen you much lately."

"I've been busy," the Methanosian shrugged. Kenny raised an eyebrow and shot a skeptical glance at Ally, who was already grinning. Whatever Pulu was up to, he clearly wasn't planning on sharing.

Hock was the next to speak up. "How about you two? You've been hanging out a lot lately."

Kenny and Ally exchanged a quick, embarrassed glance, cheeks reddening at Hock's comment, but neither had a chance to respond before Pulu jumped in. "Yeah, really! What are you doing questioning me when you're the one getting up to mischief, Kenny?" Pulu teased, though there was still a hint of something guarded in his tone, a flash of defensiveness. It almost sounded like he was trying to deflect attention away from himself.

"I- well, err – we just enjoy each other's company!" Kenny stammered, awkwardly crossing his arms in a failed attempt at nonchalance, his eyes darting between Pulu and Hock. Ally bit her lip to hide her laughter as Kenny fumbled over his words, clearly flustered.

Seemingly satisfied with his friend's embarrassment, Pulu turned to Hock. "How about you, big guy? Any luck with the ladies?"

"Seriously? Me? Having luck with the ladies?" Hock gawked. "I'm practically a walking runny nose – even by Sphoeroid standards!" He groaned dramatically, the self-deprecating humor evident. Pulu couldn't help but snort with laughter, while Ally placed a comforting hand on Hock's shoulder.

"You'll find your perfect match," she told him, smiling encouragingly.


Two figures stood in a room lined with computers and other technical equipment. An alarm was blaring, and screens were flashing red. Of the two figures, one was wearing the standard plumber cadet uniform. It was a bipedal, feline-esque figure. Akko. The other was a tall, slender figure with long arms. His frontside was white and his backside was black with vibrant green lines that pulsated almost as if they were circuitry. On his chest was the black and green Omnitrix symbol. Kenny was in his Galvanic Mechamorph form – Upgrade.

"We need to get out of here!" Kenny shouted in his new form. His voice sounded almost robotic, as though his voice had been run through several effects and then transmitted through a radio. "With Upgrade, I should be able to merge with the computers and shut off the defenses."

Akko nodded. "I don't see any doors. I'm going to look for a way out." As he spoke, Akko was feeling around the walls of the room, hoping to find any sign of an escape. He pressed every brick in the wall, hoping that one might open a secret doorway. When that was unsuccessful, he dropped to his hands and knees and felt around the floor for any trapdoors or other similar passageways.


Meanwhile, Pulu and Ravi were in another similar room working to find their own way to escape. However, they seemed to lack the urgency that Kenny and Akko possessed in the other room.

"I've seen you hanging around the chicks in our class quite a bit," Pulu commented as he haphazardly pressed buttons on the computer dashboard.

Ravi smirked. "Could say the same thing about you, couldn't I?"

Pulu looked over at him as he finished, extending his hand for a fist bump. Ravi returned the gesture, a sly grin still on his face. As he pulled his hand back, a curiosity flashed on his face. "How many?"

"Guess," was all Ravi responded.

"Single or double digits?"

Ravi didn't say anything.

"So it's definitely double then? You sly dog!" Pulu punched him in the arm playfully.

Throughout their entire conversation, the alarm still sounded and the screens all continued to flash bright. The pair looked at each other, realizing they should probably start on their actual mission.


Kenny's mechanical, yet oddly lifelike arms extended into the nearest console, tendrils merging seamlessly with the circuit board. The flashing red screens flickered for a moment, and Kenny closed his eyes, focusing his mind on the code streaming in front of him. "I'm nearly in," he said, his voice calm. "Give me a second to bypass the firewall."

Akko, who was still inspecting the walls, gave him an approving nod. "Take your time. If you can disable the defenses, maybe we can move through this place without tripping any traps."

Kenny smirked. "I'm on it. Just keep an eye out in case this triggers something unexpected." With an almost meditative focus, he began integrating with the computer system, the computer taking on the same black, white, and green palette as Upgrade. Now one with the system, he began picking apart the layers of digital security as if they were puzzle pieces. The room was quiet except for the hum of the equipment and Kenny's occasional muttering as he navigated the program.


Across the simulation complex, things were considerably less organized. Pulu was hitting random buttons on a control panel, which was beginning to emit concerning sparks and angry beeps. Ravi, meanwhile, had given up on subtlety and was rummaging through a pile of miscellaneous equipment stacked haphazardly in one corner of the room.

"Hey, this looks like something we could use!" Ravi held up what looked like a half-disassembled flashlight.

"Yeah, sure, Ravi," Pulu replied sarcastically, still slamming his hands onto the panel. "I'm sure the flashlight will be super helpful against whatever comes in here and tries to kill us." He gave a careless shrug as he watched one of the alarms switch from red to an ominous shade of purple. "What do you think purple means?"

Ravi shrugged back, tossing the flashlight aside. "It's probably fine. Besides, did you see the look on Akko's face when he went to his room? Way too serious. We'll be done before they are, easy!"

Pulu snorted, but as he glanced back at the flashing screens, a bit of uncertainty crept in. "Right. Sure."


In Kenny and Akko's room, Kenny finally broke through the last firewall, the alarm lights fading from a piercing red to a calm green. He exhaled in relief. "Alright, defenses are off. We should have a clear path from here on out."

"Good work, Kenny," Akko said with a nod of approval. He turned to examine their surroundings once more, scanning for any possible hidden doors. Just as he reached out to feel a crack in the wall, it shifted, revealing a narrow passage. "There we go – seems like we triggered an exit."

Kenny smiled, separating himself from the computer system and standing up straight. "Let's move. We're nearly done here."

The two moved quickly but quietly into the passageway, Kenny maintaining his Upgrade form just in case another system reactivated. They shared a brief look, a mutual understanding passing between them: stay sharp, stay focused, and get out fast.


At the same time, Pulu and Ravi's situation was spiraling further into chaos. After pressing one button too many, Pulu had set off a series of electrical currents across the room's floor, creating a field of sporadically sparking tiles.

"Um... so maybe we shouldn't have hit the purple button," Ravi said, hopping between the safe spots on the floor.

Pulu rolled his eyes. "You think? How was I supposed to know it would turn the floor into a lightning grid? They didn't mention that in training!"

"Well, we're in it now!" Ravi called back, narrowly avoiding a spark. He darted across the room, looking around frantically for a solution. "What do you think, should we try the green button?"

Pulu groaned but didn't stop him as Ravi slapped his hand onto the green button. Suddenly, the lights turned blue, and the room started filling with smoke. They both began coughing.

"Oh, great! Now it's smoke. This is just fantastic!" Pulu choked out, waving his hand in front of his face to clear the air.

Through the haze, they managed to catch each other's gaze. "Maybe we should've paid attention in that 'critical systems' class," Pulu muttered sheepishly.

Ravi just shook his head, grinning despite the chaos. "We're in way too deep to turn back now."


Kenny and Akko crept down the narrow passage, the only sounds being the faint hum of machinery and the occasional shift of their footsteps. Suddenly, the corridor widened into a chamber lined with glowing, holographic panels.

A brief look of amazement appeared on both of their faces. "I didn't know this place would be so big," Akko remarked in surprise.

"More computers," Kenny murmured, his robotic voice picking up a note of intrigue. "Think this is another trap, or could this be a control center?"

Akko studied the room carefully, his feline eyes narrowing as he scanned the walls and floor for signs of hidden hazards. "Maybe a bit of both," he replied, motioning Kenny forward. "Stay alert. Let's see what we can access without setting anything off."

Kenny nodded, extending his arm to interface with the nearest console. His Galvanic Mechamorph form enabled him to meld seamlessly into the system, allowing him to navigate its labyrinthine digital layers without difficulty. As he tapped deeper into the network, he accessed a map of the simulation facility. "Found a blueprint. This corridor should connect us back to the main room where the exit is," he reported, his tone steady.

Akko gave a small, approving smile. "Perfect. Lead the way."


The room was still filled with smoke, and Ravi was fanning the air uselessly, squinting to see through the haze. Pulu, coughing, rubbed his temples in frustration. "This is ridiculous. Every button makes things worse!"

Ravi chuckled, unfazed by the chaos. "So, aren't Methanosians supposed to have, I dunno, cool plant powers? Think any of those could help us out?"

Pulu glanced around, an idea sparking. "Actually... maybe."

Taking a deep breath, he focused, his hands morphing into vines with vibrant green leaves. He raised his fist, opening it to reveal a palmful of small seeds. In one swift motion, he scattered them about the room. Within moments, roots snaked their way up through the smoke, anchoring themselves in the floor that they had grown from. With a sweeping gesture, the roots absorbed the thick, chemical smoke, clearing the air around them until the room was breathable once more.

Ravi gave him an impressed look. "Not bad. Got anything for the electric floor?"

Pulu grinned, shifting his other hand to grow several thick, sturdy vines. He wove them across the sparking tiles, creating a temporary bridge. "Let's go before this wears off!"

Together, they raced over the makeshift path, Pulu's vines absorbing some of the shocks along the way but holding strong. They finally reached the door on the far side, both a bit singed but otherwise grinning, breathing a sigh of relief as they escaped into the next room.


In the main control room, Kenny pulled back from the console, once again returning to the typical stature of Upgrade. "Alright, systems are down," he confirmed. "We'll need to hurry, though – the whole simulation is set to reset in five minutes."

"Understood," Akko replied, already heading down the corridor. "Let's finish this."

They picked up the pace, moving through dimly lit hallways with renewed urgency. As they approached the final chamber, they could hear muffled sounds of shouting and coughing through the walls.

Kenny exchanged a bemused look with Akko. "Sounds like the others ran into some trouble," he noted dryly.

Akko gave a slight smirk. "Let's hope they're in one piece by the time we meet up with them."


The four cadets emerged from opposite sides of the final corridor, each group looking slightly battered but relieved to see the other. Pulu grinned, dusting off his shoulders, his plant-like arms still retracted but showing traces of singe marks. Ravi looked just as tousled, his fur sticking out in random patches.

Akko raised an eyebrow at their appearance. "What happened to you two?"

Pulu laughed, glancing at Ravi. "Long story. Let's just say we took the scenic route."

Kenny, still in his Upgrade form, gave them an approving nod. "Well, good timing. The exit's right around the corner, but the system's about to reset any second now. Let's move!"

With urgency renewed, they sprinted down the corridor. Just as they reached the main doors, the simulation's alarms blared even louder, signaling the imminent reset. Panels on the walls began to slide shut, and the lights flashed in a countdown sequence.

Kenny didn't hesitate. "Cover me – I'll override the lock!" He melded his hand into the exit panel, quickly interfacing with the system. The countdown continued, but Kenny's control over the circuits surged, forcing the door to slowly creak open.

"Come on!" he shouted, holding the door as Akko, Ravi, and Pulu dashed through to safety. Kenny released his connection and sprinted through the doors just as they slammed shut behind him.

The simulation room powered down, and the blaring alarms finally quieted. They caught their breath, exchanging a mix of laughter and exhausted smiles.

"That was… a ride," Ravi chuckled, still a little breathless.

Pulu gave Kenny a fist bump, his smirk wide. "Thanks for the save back there. I don't know what we'd have done without your tech powers."

A green light stretched over the group as Kenny reverted to his normal form, grinning. "Could say the same to you, swamp guy."

A voice came over the intercom, breaking the moment. "Simulation complete. Teamwork needs a little work, but you all survived. Barely."


A/N: Been a minute since I put out a chapter for this story, but that's because I've been hard at work on a new story – Warriors: The Storms of Change. If you've been enjoying this story, I highly recommend you check that one out too. The drama over there is just getting started!

We've now seen 6/10 of Kenny's initial playlist… expect that number to increase and quickly as we get through the next couple of chapters. I think you all will like the transformations I've got cooking.

Lastly, you can expect for me to get back to a more consistent schedule of pumping out these chapters now that I've gotten the initial burst of chapters out for my Warriors fic.

Cheers!