xxix. alien gladiators

——

~The Lab~

Freya and Leo walked into the lab with excited smiles. Adam, Bree, Chase, and Juliet were there. Juliet was healed enough to go back to school and not be stuck at home resting. She was so happy.

"Guys, Alien Gladiators are coming to Mission Creek!" Leo announced and Freya clapped happily.

Alien Gladiators is one of her favorite movie series. That's the only nerd related thing she will admit she loves out loud and not get mad fun off.

Adam gasps. "I knew this day would come. Thankfully, I'm prepared for an alien invasion." Adam puts on tinfoil hat and Juliet frowned with a chuckle. "Chase, you hold them off while the rest of us who deserve to live escape."

Adam grabs Juliet and starts to run away.

"Adam!" Juliet yelled, stopping him and pulling him back over.

"No, no. Not real aliens. My favorite sci-fi movie franchise: Alien Gladiators." Leo explained. They host annual fan conventions, and this year..."

Freya giggled. "It's in Mission Creek!"

Chase walked around the console and over to them. "Oh, I love Alien Gladiators!" Chase starts to imitate the voice from the movie with hand gestures and Leo copied. "In the future, rival alien worlds, the Morfs and the Zarkanians will battle over control of the galaxy!"

Freya smiled at Chase as he did this. She thought it was cute. This is one of the few movie series they bond over. Her favorite character is Princess Lucinda. Prince Landor's cooler and hotter sister.

Adam frowned. "Oh. I remember that movie. It was terrible. The whole thing was blurry."

Bree scoffed. "You didn't wear your 3D glasses."

Adam shrugged. "Well I didn't wanna look stupid."

"I bet the entire cast will be there. I have everybody's autograph. Except for the new guy playing Prince Landor in the sequel: Andre Ethier." Chase told them.

"Whoa, whoa, wait. As in baseball superstar Andre Ethier?" Bree asked with a smile forming.

"Since when do you care about baseball?" Chase asked her.

Bree scoffed. "I love baseball. You know, with the bases and...the ball." Chase nodded and Bree rolled her eyes. "Okay, whatever. Andre Ethier's cute, and if he's there, I'm there."

"He is pretty." Juliet agreed and Adam looked at her.

"The convention is going to be awesome. They're bringing back the fire staff challenge." Leo mentioned.

"What's a fire staff?" Adam asked.

"This..." Leo grabs fire staff from the console and spun it, banging it on the ground, making it light up. "...Is a fire staff."

"In real life it's just a stick with lights-"

"It's a fire staff!" Leo snapped at Juliet, who rolled her eyes. "Competitors battle each other with their own fire staffs, and the winner gets a walk on role in the next movie." Freya and Chase shared a look of shock. "And that winner is going to be me." Leo accidentally hits himself in the head with fire staff and Freya chuckled.

"Hard to win if you knock yourself out," Freya joked and Leo glared at her.

Davenport walks in with a fire staff and robe.

Davenport. "Greetings, good Morfs."

Leo frowned, approaching him. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for the Alien Gladiators convention. I am Elder Lumina. And Elder Lumina will be victorious in the fire staff challenge." Davenport grinned confidently.

"Look, Elder-ly Lumina," Leo began and Davenport glared at him. "I hate to get your robe in a bunch, but that role is mine."

Davenport laughs. "That's cute. But I've loved these movies my entire life, and winning that role will fill my biggest childhood dream, so..."

"I think childhood dreams expire once you hit 40." Leo grinned smugly.

"Oh, all right, out of the way, micro Morf." Davenport starts spinning fire staff in an impressive way and spins it over his back as Leo backed up in shock. He finishes it in a fight stance. "Still think I'm too old to compete?"

"I don't know what was more amazing, your moves or the fact that your dentures didn't fall out." Leo challenged and Davenport starts to chase Leo out of the lab with him yelling.

"That was the nerdiest thing I've ever seen." Juliet chuckled.

"I don't need a firestaff. I got my own," Freya smirked and went to form her whip, but Juliet stopped her. "Hey!"

"You can't use your bionics at the competition." Juliet told her.

"She's right. You can't," Chase agreed.

"But it'd be so fun," Freya complained.

"It's a firestaff competition not an electric whip competition," Bree remarked.

"I can make my whip look like a firestaff," Freya frowned. "Watch."

Freya went to create her whip, but nothing happened. "Hey! What's happening?"

Juliet held up a remote with a smirk. "Dougie gave me this remote to disable your bionics whenever you are being irresponsible."

The bionic trio chuckled and Freya glared at her sister. "Turn them on!"

"I don't think so." Juliet shook her head and leaned down to her height with Freya frowning. "Once you're responsible, I'll take your training wells off, honey."

Freya swiftly snatched the remote and rushed out of the lab, yelling. "You can't catch me!"

"Freya Renee!" Juliet yelled as she chased after her and the bionic trio shared an amused look.

——

~The Next Day~

At school, Bree, Chase, and Freya were watching Leo practice his fire staff for the competition. Chase and Freya were sitting together on the circle bench as Bree was standing.

Leo was spinning the firestaff and pretending to attack someone. He stood up when he finished and grinned. "Pretty cool, huh? It's shiny 'cause I showered with it."

Freya was holding Chase's hand, fidgeting with his fingers and made a face. "TMI, Leo."

"Okay." Bree nodded. "You really think you're gonna beat Mr. Davenport?"

"Please." Leo rolled his eyes. "Once he starts sweating, he'll go blind from his hair dye."

Chase looked at his girlfriend as she laid her head against his shoulder. He smiled and kissed her head as Adam came down the stairs with Juliet.

"Okay, Juliet caught me up on Alien Gladiators. Great movies, but they're missing one thing." Adam told them and Juliet sighed as he continued. "Space Dog."

Chase frowned. "Space Dog?"

Freya gasped, lifting her head. "I love that."

"Freya," Chase gave his girlfriend a strange look.

Adam smiled at her. "Yeah. He'd be the perfect companion. Plus in space, after he does his business, it just floats away."

"Adam, I told you-"

"Shush, sister. I love it!" Freya smiled, ignoring her sister and Adam and her high fived.

Caitlin shoved her way into the conversation and Freya's smile faded, turning into an annoyed one. Juliet folded her arms, rolling her eyes. Both girls dislike Caitlin.

Caitlin smiled. "Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late."

"We weren't waiting for you." Freya said annoyed.

Caitlin glared at her. "Back off, Freya It's been a bad day." Chase squeezed Freya's hand to stop her from attacking. Caitlin looked at Leo. "Cool fire staff. Are you guys going to the convention tomorrow, too?"

"Yep. We're even dressing in character. I'm going as Gigabit, half human, half robot." Chase stood up and pretended to be a robot, which made Freya giggle faintly.

"And I'm going as Prince Landor. Handsome yet brave...yet handsome." Leo grinned confidently.

"You're neither of those things," Juliet remarked and Adam snickered as Leo glared at her.

"I'm going as Princess Lucinda, Prince Landor's better and hotter sister," Freya smirked at Leo, brushing her hair behind her shoulder. "The girl that saves the galaxy in the second movie-

"We get it! She's cool!" Leo interrupted Freya, who was smirking.

"I'm going as the Zarkanian Assassin, Athena, that tries to take out the Morf Colony. She's pretty cool," Juliet grinned.

"Like, how you tried to take- Mmm!" Chase covered Freya's mouth and she rolled her eyes, sighing. Chase removed his hand and she looked at him.

"Well, I will be going as the beautiful Queen Andromeda." Bree smiled, brushing her hair back.

"Really? You?" Caitlin frowned. "Well, it is a fantasy world."

Caitlin walks away and Juliet sighed, staying calm.

"Takes everything out of me not to shove her down a well." Juliet seethed and Adam rubbed her shoulder.

"I'm glad I have you and Freya as my friends," Bree mentioned and Freya smiled, resting her chin on Chase's shoulder.

"Gimme my bionics back and I will gladly shove Caitlin down a well," Freya remarked and Chase patted her leg as Juliet gave her a warning look.

"How about no." Chase grinned, kissing her temple.

"No fun," Freya grumbled and Chase chuckled at her.

Leo resumes playing with his fire staff and charges at the person walking out a classroom, who is revealed to be Principal Perry

Perry yelled, pushing the fire staff. "Aah! Watch the glow stick, cirque du so-lame."

"Sorry, Principal Perry. Just gettin' my Morf on. There's an Alien Gladiators competition tomorrow--"

"Blah, blah, blah, I hate all that Morf stuff." Perry shrugged and Freya gasped, lifting her head off Chase.

"But Alien Gladiators rule!" Freya protested.

"No. I rule." Perry snatched Leo's staff. "And that's why I'm confiscating this stick. No weapons allowed on school grounds."

"But I need this for the fire staff competition." Leo objected, grabbing the staff.

"And I need it to unclog my toilet." Perry reasoned, grabbing the staff and walking away.

——

~Alien Gladiators Convention~

(Juliet's Costume. She is wearing lace up ankle boots)

(Freya's Costume. Her hair is half up half down and curled. Her makeup is the same as Bree's)

Adam, Bree, Chase, Juliet, and Freya walk into convention dressed in character. Freya found it stupid yet cute that Chase was dressed as a full on robot. She wished he would take the head off, so she can actually see his pretty face. Juliet was laughing to herself at Adam's space dog costume, she found it adorable.

Adam ran in panting and growling like a dog. He stood up straight and walked over to a group of people with a clipboard. "Please sign my petition to get Space Dog in the next Alien Gladiators. He'll make a solid addition to the team. Bark my words." Adam winked and handed the kids a clipboard.

"Will you leave people alone? Nobody cares about Space Dog." Chase told Adam, his voice echoing underneath the robot head. "And you look ridiculous in that thing."

Freya pressed her lips together, holding back her laugh as Chase took off the robot head. She smiled when she saw his face.

"Space Dog isn't concerned with looks. Space Dog only protects. And occasionally eats his own vomit." Adam smiled and showed them the petition. "Freya and Juliet signed it."

Chase looked at his girlfriend and she grinned. "It would be so cute! Little dog never hurt nobody."

"Look what he's wearing I can't say no," Juliet chuckled and Adam grinned goofily.

Chase turned to see the autograph signing. "Ooh. There's the line for the autograph signing." The group walked over to the line as Chase showed them his action figure case. "I brought my action figure carrying case for Prince Landor to sign."

"You mean, Andre Ethier." Bree corrected.

"No, I mean Prince Landor." Chase objected. "Who'd want a baseball player's autograph."

"A baseball fan," Freya remarked and Chase rolled his eyes, grabbing her hand.

"You know what Prince Landor needs--"

"If you so much as mention Space Dog to Prince Landor, I will roll up the windows of the spaceship and park you next to the sun." Chase threatened and Freya grinned, blushing as Juliet faintly chuckled. Adam's eyes grew and Juliet patted his back.

Freya loves when Chase does that.

——

The group has been in line for two hours and the line was moving, but at a slow pace and Chase was getting more and more excited as they got closer. Freya found Chase getting all giddy and excited really cute, even if he kept repeating "just a few more minutes" every few minutes was a little annoying. She was okay with it, because whatever makes Chase happy.

"Just a few more minutes. Just a few more minutes!" Chase giddily chuckled.

"You have been saying that for two hours. How long until you stop talking?" Bree asked with annoyance.

Chase grinned, giddily. "Just a few more minutes."

Freya giggled. "You're so cute."

Chase blushed and kissed her cheek. "You look amazing by the way. You could totally play Princess Lucinda."

Freya brushed her hair back. "I know I could."

Chase and Freya chuckled, sharing a blushing smile.

"Stop being so cute, I'm gonna vomit rainbows," Juliet rolled her eyes.

"You have a chance at a relationship-" Freya started and Juliet flicked her forehead, making her frown.

Juliet leaned down to her. "That man is currently in a dog costume."

"That's on you for liking a man in a dog costume," Freya snickered and Chase stifled a laugh, making Juliet glare at both of them.

Adam, unaware of the conversation, spoke. "Hey, I'm happy we've had all this time in line. It's given me a chance to collect signatures for my Space Dog petition. So far, I have Space Dog, Adam Davenport, Juliet and Freya Monroe. Thanks girls, you are the best!"

Freya and Juliet shared a grin. "Anytime!"

Juliet blushed for a second as Adam smiled at her.

Caitlin walks up to them in line dressed Queen Andromeda. Freya groaned, looking away and Chase held her hand. Juliet rolled her eyes when she noticed her costume.

"Hey, guys. Great costumes." Caitlin greeted and saw Bree. "Oh, look, we both dressed up as Queen Andromeda."

"I told you I was dressing up as Queen Andromeda." Bree reminded Caitlin with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't worry. I'm not mad." Caitlin told her and Juliet clenched her fist, wanting to fight. "Hey, can I jump in line with you?"

"No." The sisters blankly told her.

"I was asking Bree!" Caitlin rudely seethed.

Bree shrugged. "I don't know, Caitlin. I mean, it's really not fair--"

"The Morfs pride themselves on being loyal to fellow Morfs, Bree!" Caitlin snapped.

"Well, I'm not a Morf. It's actually my job to-"

"Okay, fine. Come on in." Chase cut Juliet off and she glared at him.

"Really?" Freya hissed at Chase as Caitlin got in line.

"I hate that I said to," He whispered back and Freya sighed.

"Excuse me, pardon me. Out of the way." Caitlin pushes her way to the front of them and Juliet was fighting the internal struggle not to rip her hair out.

"Can I please rip her hair out?" Juliet asked the four.

"If I wasn't worried about getting kicked out, I would say yes," Bree remarked.

"I'm not, do it," Freya told her, folding her arms.

Adam grabbed Juliet, holding her back and she huffed, rolling her eyes. Adam and Juliet looked at one another and then looked away, blushing. Juliet didn't mind being held by Adam.

"Bree, you look better as Queen Andromeda," Freya told Bree and she smiled, brushing her hair back.

"Thank you, Rey."

The Security Man suddenly made an announcement. "Folks, turnout's higher than expected, so we're cutting off the line. Please don't riot like you did last year. I just got feeling back in my scalp." Freya and Juliet shared a shocked look. "Everyone from this point forward." He draws line between Caitlin and Chase. "Gets a wristband granting them access to the Andre Ethier autograph signing. Woo-hoo." Everyone ahead cheered as the rest groaned loudly.

"What about everyone else?" Chase asked the security guard as he handed wristbands to the people ahead of them.

"You get a frustrating story to share in the cafeteria." The security guard told him and Freya glared at him.

"I'll give you a story to share," Freya threatened, putting her hand in Chase's shoulder.

"Caitlin!" Bree scolded.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" Caitlin turned her head to look at them and Juliet was still being held back by Adam.

"I'll make sure you do!" Freya exclaimed and reached for Caitlin, but Bree and Chase held her back. Caitlin chuckled, turning away.

——

Caitlin squealed happily as the others were out of line. "I can't believe I'm gonna meet Prince Landor. We're gonna be best friends!"

"Your happiness makes me nauseous," Juliet seethed with irritation.

"Caitlin, we were in line first. We only let you in as a courtesy." Bree complained.

"I didn't," Freya folded her arms.

"Which is why I deserve that wristband." Chase remarked and Freya nodded. "What happened to Morf loyalty?"

"Get a grip, dude. It's just a movie." Caitlin scoffed.

"Just so you know, you could never pull off Queen Andromeda," Freya smirked and Caitlin gasped.

"Well, at least my costume looks good," Caitlin shot back and Juliet glared at her.

"Don't talk to my sister like that!"

Chase got angry at Caitlin insulting his girlfriend. "Give me that wristband!"

Chase attacks Caitlin and Adam, Bree, Freya, and Juliet rush in to break up the fight. The fight tumbled to the floor with a bunch of yelling and arguing.

——

"You're not gettin' out of here till Mr. Ethier has left the building, so sit tight, nerds." The security guard told Adam, Bree, Chase, Freya, Juliet, and Caitlin as they walked inside a jail cell. There was one other person inside the cell.

A kid dressed up as Mindmeldor approached the group. "Greetings, good Morfs. I am Mindmeldor, spiritual guide, and-" He turned to Bree and Freya with a smile. "The most eligible bachelor in the galaxy." Juliet chuckled, sitting down enjoying not being flirted with. Bree and Freya stared at him blankly. "Nope? Nothin'? Uh, the Zarkanians have captured us."

Chase sighed. "Not now, nerd." He looked to Caitlin. "Look what you've done. Because of you, I'm gonna miss out on meeting Prince Landor."

"Well, so am I!" Caitlin complained. "And now I'm stuck in here with you, Giga-Butt."

"Giga-Butt. Really?" Chase asked and they started to argue indistinctly till Mindmeldor interrupted them.

"Silence, Morfs. Halt this bickering, else I will melt thee brains." He warned and mimicked the gesture of melting brain.

"Okay, it's melt thy brains. Learn your Morfian lexicology." Chase told him and laughed, looking at his siblings and Freya. "This guy...what a loser."

Mindmeldor saw Juliet dressed as Athena and gasped. "It's the Zarkanian Assassian, Athena!"

"If you don't shut up, you'll end up exactly like King Alexander!" Juliet snapped and Mindmeldor's eyes grew in fear, backing away.

Freya sat down next to her sister and Chase attempted to sit next to her, struggling to do so with his costume. Freya helped him adjust so he was comfortable and he awkwardly chuckled.

"Not the most comfortable costume," Chase said and Freya kissed his cheek, which made him smile.

"You look cute, so it's okay." Freya told him and he blushed.

——

Group was still in the cell. Caitlin had fallen asleep on the ground. She was asleep on Adam, but Juliet pushed her off and took her spot.

"Great!" Adam sighed. "Now, I'm stuck in here with a bunch of idiots!"

Freya looks at everyone dressed up. "Yeah..."

"Says Bree every Saturday night," Bree remarked.
Juliet snuggled into Adam more and he blushed, resting his head on hers.

"Guys! Look!" Chase pointed to the keys on the desk.

Adam gasped, patting Juliet and she woke up, groaning as Adam got up. She stumbled a bit, before she got up and Freya walked up to the cell door with Bree. Juliet turned moments later.

"The guard left his sandwich. Chase, you're gonna have to use your molecular kinesis to get it for me." Adam told his brother.

"Or...I could use it to get the keys." Chase suggested.

"After the sandwich." Adam told him and Freya pulled her boyfriend aside.

"Hey, Pretty Boy. You cannot do that. If Mindmeldor realizes that the three bionic humans are in front of him, we'll become the convention." Freya informed Chase.

"I've got a better idea." Chase told her and turned round Mindmeldor in character. "Mindmeldor, make haste."

"Is there danger, Gigabit?" Mindmeldor asked, confidently.

"Yes. Our Zarkanian overlord left his keys on the desk." Chase informed him.

"Who needs keys when Mindmeldor can explode steel bars with his mind?" Mindmeldor asked and mimes an explosion.

Juliet applauded him sarcastically. "Wow."

"Do not mock me, you Zarkanian Assassin!" Mindmeldor warned and she pretended to be scared.

"Quite impressive." Chase cut in. "But perhaps you could use your mind-shifting abilities to retrieve the keys."

"You serious, dude?" Mindmeldor asked him with disbelief.

"Now, he breaks character," Freya sighed.

Chase cleared his throat and Bree nodded, pulling Freya along.

"I'm not doing it-" Juliet smacked Freya's back and she sighed, standing next to Bree reluctantly.

"Oh...I am the Morf Queen and she is the Morf Princess. Impress us with your mental prowess and we'll..." Bree trailed and looked at Freya for her to finish.

Freya rolled her eyes, looking away. "...Be into you and stuff..."

Mindmeldor nodded, smugly. "Yeah, you will." He changed his tone to a confident one. "I mean, your wish is my command, your highnesses!"

"You owe me!" Freya hissed at her sister, who grinned as Mindmeldor walked over to the door.

"Yeah, also, see if you can nab that sandwich." Adam added and Juliet hit his arm.

Chase stands behind Mindmeldor and grabs the keys with his molecular kinesis. The keys floated to him and they landed in his hands

Chase took the keys with a smirk. Yes!" He unlocks jail cell

Mindmeldor gasped in shock. "I did it! I am Mindmeldor!" He runs out of the cell yelling. Moooooom!!!"

Caitlin woke up as the others walked out of the cell and Freya closed the door, locking her inside. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"You betrayed us, and Morfs pride themselves on being loyal to fellow Morfs, Caitlin!" Chase mocked her and Freya stuck her tongue out at her. "Later."

They turn around to leave, both are stopped when they see Andre Ethier enter the room.  They stood there in shock and Freya smiled.

Bree smiled in a flustered voice. "Andre Ethier."

"Hey, you guys know where I can change? I got a game tonight, and I don't wanna make the mistake of showing up in this thing again." Andre asked them, pointing to his Landor costume. "It's not very flattering on the jumbotron."

"I'll, uh, I'll tell you where the bathroom is if you give me an autograph." Chase negotiated.

"Baseball fan, huh?" Andre asked, getting out a sharpie to sign the case.

Chase smiled. "Nope."

"Hey there, Andre, I'm Bree." Bree giggled.

"That's a beautiful name." Andre smiled.

"Thank you, I came up with it myself." Bree chuckled and then stammered over her words, bashfully. "Wait. No, I didn't. Who's talking? Hi!"

"Honey, calm down," Juliet told Bree, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You look exactly like the actress that plays Princess Lucinda," Andre told Freys and she chuckled, twirling her hair. "Just as beautiful."

"Thank you!" Freya giggled and Chase rolled his eyes. "Brec Bassinger is my doppelgänger!"

Freya hadn't realized how blushy she got till Chase gently nudged her. She sent him an apologetic smile and grabbed his hand.

Chase cleared his throat as Andre gave him his case back. "Uh, second door on the left."

"Thanks." Andre noticed Adam and smiled. "Space Dog. That's brilliant." He left and Adam's mouth fell open as he was eating the sandwich.

"I knew it!" Adam screamed and he rushed out. Juliet rolled her eyes with chuckle and the four ran after him.

——

Up Next: Brother and Sister Battle

Fun little chapter. Freya's costume is inspired by Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy. My favorite movie!