We were driving along and Ben and Gwen were arguing about our birthday. You see, the three of us have shared a birthday forever. But every year, it's always the same; Ben and Gwen argue. They're arguing about which one of them gets to celebrate it on the exact day. "Change it!" "No way! You change yours!" "It's your turn!" Ben argued. "Sorry, but I already picked the cake... color-coordinated the balloons, and sent the invitations. By the way, here's yours. Oh, and yours too, Paige," Gwen said, handing me my invitation.
~💚~
"Who plans their birthday party six months in advance?" Ben asked, annoyed. "The one who gets to celebrate it on her actual birthday this year!" Gwen said. "I don't think so. Grandpa promised... he's taking Paige and I for laser tag for my birthday." "But you can't miss my party, grandpa," Gwen said. Finally, I'd had enough, "Will you two stop? This is getting ridiculous!" I said. "Now you three have shared the same birthday for ten years... and if you don't stop arguing... neither of you will make it to eleven! Here, Ben. Try this on your foot. It gets rid of all kinds of fungus," Max said, throwing Ben a container. "Athlete's foot powder?" Well I am an athlete," Ben said. "More like an athletic supporter, if you ask me," Gwen said. "They're coming! Help me!" We heard. Then we saw a boy with red hair standing in the road. "Grandpa!" "Max" The three of us altered him.
~💚~
~💚~
"Stinkfly to rescue!" Ben said as we stopped. He activated the Omnitrix but instead of Stinkfly, he transformed into Cannonbolt. "Oh, man. Can't this thing ever get it right?" "Just a few scrapes and bruises. That's good, but he's out cold," Max said. "His name's Gilbert," Gwen and I said. "How'd you two know that?" "Ben asked. "Women's intuition," Gwen said.
~💚~
That, and he's wearing a nametag," Max said, showing us. "He must go to Camp Opinicon," I said. "That is one scary-looking rash." "Ben! Don't touch it! Find something else to touch," I said. He smiled and started poking my cheek. "It's obviously some kind of fungus," Gwen said. "I saw the sign for the camp a little way's back. They must have a nurse." We handed there to see if anyone could help Gilbert. But when we got there, it looked completely deserted.
~💚~
"Hello? Anybody home?" Max called out when we entered the mess hall. "It looks abandoned." "Yep. Definitely abandoned," Gwen said, looking around. "Food's still warm. Looks like they left in a hurry," Max said. We heard a loud thunder clap and then the lights went out. I hugged Ben tightly because thunder scares me and so does the dark. Ben led me over to the spaghetti and meatballs. He grabbed one end of the pasta, I grabbed the other end we kissed. "Just like Lady and the Tramp," I thought. "Hey! We did it just like Lady and the Tramp, princess!" I blushed and nodded.
~💚~
Max aimed a flashlight at us and saw that Ben and I were eating the spaghetti and meatballs. "What? Paige and I are hungry," Ben said. "Here. You two can share, Paige," Max said, handing me a flashlight. Suddenly, we heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Ben aimed the flashlight at the door and was doing shadow puppets. I giggled while Gwen was very annoyed.
~💚~
We entered the kitchen to see what that noise was. Ben had the flashlight in one hand and my hand in the other. He wanted to keep me as close as possible. Suddenly we saw something. Ben yelled, dropped the flashlight and I fell down with him. "Sorry, princess. Are you OK?" "I'm fine. Are you OK?" "I am now," Ben said as he put his hand on my cheek. "Hey! Now is not the time, love birds," Gwen said.
~💚~
"It is safe to come out?" Two adorable kids said. "You two OK?" Max asked. "For now." "What happened? Where did everyone go?" "We heard something outside, but... We were too scared to come out. I'm Andy. And I'm Mandy. We're twins!" They said as they introduced themselves. "Where's the camp nurse?" Max asked. "Gone," Andy said. "With all the others," Mandy finished. "That's so cute! They finish each other's sentences!" I thought.
~💚~
"The storm must have taken out the landlines. And there's no cell phone reception either. Let's get back to Gilbert. We'll drive into town," Max said as Ben and I nodded. "Here. To help you dry off. Sorry, but I've only got two clean ones." Max handed Ben and I one, the other to the twins and Gwen. We dried off while Max went to start the Rust Bucket. "You know, you two could really learn something from Andy and Mandy," I said. Gwen didn't say anything, she just gave me a blank stare.
~💚~
Suddenly, the RV wouldn't start. Ben and I went out with Max to see what the problem was. "Engine's covered in some kind of fungus. Well, looks like we're hunkering down here for a while," Max said. We all entered a cabin and laid Gilbert down on a bunk bed. Ben was itching his foot again. "I wish that there was something that my magic could do to help," I thought.
~💚~
"Athlete's foot?" "Everyone gets it here," The twins said. "Now you kids remain put. Keep an eye on Gilbert. I'll see what I can rustle up for us from the kitchen," Max said. "Grandpa rustling up a meal?" "Now that's a scary thought," Ben said. "No kidding. Wait a minute, I made some sandwiches," I said as I pulled them out. "There's ham, turkey, tuna and Italian Assorted. Take your pick, everyone," I said as I grabbed a turkey sandwich for myself.
~💚~
Ben and Gwen each grabbed the same sandwich. Then they started fighting over it. "Not this again!" I thought, tired of their fighting. "Guys, I made plenty. There's no need for this! Enough!" I said. "Can't you guys just share?" "Like sharing the same birthday with a relative every single year? You don't get it." "Benji, they're twins. As in born on the same day," I said.
~💚~
"I knew that, princess," He said. "They're here! All around us!" Gilbert said suddenly. "Who's here?" Gwen asked. "That sounded like grandpa!" Ben said as we rushed to the door. "Don't go out there! They'll find you," Gilbert said. "Chil. I have animal instinct," Ben said. "I'm coming with you. There's no way I'm letting you go out there alone," I said. Knowing that there was no point in arguing, Ben nodded.
~💚~
As soon as we were far enough away, Ben activated the Omnitrix. In a flash of green light, he was Wildmutt. I got on his back and we raced to find Max. Suddenly, I saw many mushrooms and a giant one. Then tentacles rose from the ground and Ben ran as fast as he could to get away. But it was no use, they got us and dragged us down into the hole. When we reached the bottom, we saw Max. "Ben! Paige!" He yelled. Then he was dragged away.
~💚~
Ben freed us and we raced to find Max. Suddenly, the Omnitrix timed out. "Man! Not now! Grandpa?!" "Max! Where are you?!" I yelled, praying he could hear me. Then giant mushrooms came alive and stalked toward us. Ben grabbed my hand and we ran as fast as we could. We made it out of the hole and went to a piece of construction equipment. "How do you work this thing?" Ben asked. "I'm taking you guys out at the root!" Many of them were shoved back into the hole. Then those tentacles showed up again and dragged the machine into the hole.
~💚~
"OK. So much for that idea, princess," Ben said. Then we ran back to the camp. "You won't believe it. There are..." "Killer mushrooms everywhere!" Gilbert said. "And they're taking over the camp!" Gwen finished. "Right, and they've got grandpa," Ben said. "Oh, no!" "They must be a dormant species that came alive... when the camp dug in this new area. See, that's what I was trying to tell you when your RV almost ran me over. We got to get out of here!" Gilbert said.
~💚~
"Paige and I aren't going anywhere without my grandpa! Right, princess?" "That's right!" I said. "Make that all three of us." "What do you think they want?" "Well, Paige and I took this advanced botany course last semester... and we think..." She was cut off when more mushrooms came up from the ground. "They want us for plant food!" Ben said as we rushed back to the cabin. "Everyone out!" Ben said as another mushroom appeared.
~💚~
"OK. They stopped. That's good." "Actually, it's worse. Those are puffballs containing billions of mushroom spores. If those mushrooms mature and release those spores..." Gilbert was cut off by Gwen. "They could spread over the whole State... or even the whole country!" Ben and I pulled her aside. "That's it. I'm going XLR8. Paige and I are going to save grandpa and start chopping them down," Ben said. "Actually, the only way to eliminate a mushroom... is to destroy its mycelium," Gilbert said.
~💚~
"It's what?" "Its brain, Benji," I said. "You know way too much about mushrooms, princess. Let's go," Ben said. "I'm coming with you and Paige. He's my grandpa, too!" Gwen said. "We might share a bunch of stuff, Gwen... but we don't share this or Paige's magic," Ben said as he held up the Omnitrix. "Be careful, both of you," Gwen said as she hugged me. We nodded as Ben grabbed my hand.
~💚~
Ben was now XLR8, I was on his back and we were racing to find Max again. "This doesn't look good, princess." I shook my head, "It definitely doesn't." "Grandpa?" "Max!" Suddenly, some tentacles tried to grab us but Ben sliced them up. "Keep your roots to yourself." Finally, we found Max! "Grandpa!" "Max!" "Ben, Paige," He said weakly. "Save your strength. I'll have you free in just a..." Then the Omnitrix decided to time out. "No!" "Ben, Paige, behind you!" Then we got tangled up by the tentacles. "Princess!" "Benji!" We tried to reach for each other but we couldn't.
~💚~
"Ben, can you reach your watch?" Max asked his grandson. For some reason, my magic didn't want to work. "I'm trying. I think it needs more time to recharge," He said. Then he pressed down on it and in a flash of green light, Ben was a new alien. "What the heck is that?" Max asked. "Beats me. I never went him before. But I like what he can do," Ben said as he freed himself and then us.
~💚~
"Let's get out of here, princess," Ben said. "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" Max and I asked. Max was pulled under by tentacles and Ben and I tried to grab him. We just ended up going under ourselves. "No!" "Let me guess. You're the brainiac," Ben said. "Ben, who are you talking to?" Max asked. "Mr. Mushroomhead. It's like we're connected or something. Oh, man! Why can't you be a vegetarian?" Ben said.
~💚~
"Well, you're not starting with us," Ben said. He freed himself and then picked Max and I up. "I'm not good at sharing anything! Unless it's with my princess! Just ask my cousin." "I'll worry about about them next!" Ben said as the Omnitrix timed out. The three of us were grabbed and about to be eaten. "Paige, grandpa, I'm sorry. Princess, I love you so much," Ben said.
~💚~
"Wait... Ben loves me? He picks now to say it? When we're in danger?" I thought. "I love you too, Benji. So much," I said with tears in my eyes as I kissed him. "If I'm going down... I'm at least going to kick the fun out of this fungus," Max said. "That's it!" "That's what?" "You said the foot powder kills all kinds of fungus, grandpa," Ben said as he kicked his shoe into the mouth of the mycelium. Then he threw the rest of the container into its mouth as well.
~💚~
The three of us ended up getting covered in a gross goop. "You did it!" Gwen said. "Almost. We still got to stop those spores. Did you say everyone at camp gets athlete's foot?" I asked Andy, who nodded. We cleaned up then went to the nurses office. "Any brilliant ideas on how to let this stuff go, princess?" Ben asked. "Actually, as a matter of fact..." I said with a smile. The next thing I knew, Gwen and I were on Stinkfly and destroying the puffballs. Now, we were at a pizza place and enjoying a nice dinner. "Nice work, cuz. Couldn't have done it without you or my princess," Ben said. "Anytime," Gwen said. "And I was thinking. As long as Paige is celebrating with me... I guess I can have my birthday anytime. You take the real date." "That's nice of you, but it's really no big deal. You take the real date," She said. "Sneak! I knew I'd get it after only one, 'you take the real date!'" "Dweeb!" Gwen said. I shook my head, "I guess things really aren't going to change," I thought. "Oh, well. Guess you two really can't agree on anything," Max said. Our pizza came and... it had mushrooms on it! "Mushrooms?! Gross!" Ben said. I had to resist the urge to throw up when Max ate a slice. "Well, almost anything." Max said.