43Chapter 5: Protective Parents
The next morning, the kids woke up before anyone else and decided to play quietly until their family was up. "I wonder what Aunt Rachel will let us do in the show," Gwen said.
"Maybe a magic trick or we can join one of our uncles in their act," Kevin said. "I'd like to do the strongman act."
"I'd like to do the cannonball trick," Ben said.
Gwen giggled, making sure she kept it down. "I like how Mom did that quick-change act with Aunt Hope. Maybe I can ask Aunt Rachel if she'll let me join on that one."
Finding some paper and colored pencils, the three began drawing quietly, imagining what their costumes would be and imagining that the audience would be cheering. Apollo came in and he smiled at seeing them. "Good morning, you three," he said.
"Good morning, Uncle Apollo," Ben said and the other two greeted Apollo the same way. "We were just drawing some stuff."
"So I see," the Celestialsapien said with a chuckle. "Are you excited to be part of the show today?"
"Yeah," Kevin said. "There are some acts we'd like to do. Do you think Aunt Rachel would be okay with them?"
"What acts did you three want to do?"
Upon hearing their requests, he smiled. "I think those are good acts to start with, especially with you children being so young," he said.
"Plus I don't think Mom would let us do dangerous acts yet," Ben said.
"Certainly not," came Rachel's voice as she came in, smiling at them and she noticed the pictures. "The strongman, quick-change, and cannon acts?"
They nodded. "Is it okay if we do those?" Gwen asked hopefully. "I'd love to work with Mom on the quick change."
"And Uncle Four Arms is really strong," Kevin said.
"And the cannon act looks like fun," Ben said.
Rachel gave it some thought before nodding. "Alright," she said. "Though it's going to be both Four Arms and Way Big doing the strongman act together and they were thinking about a third person." She saw Kevin perk up and she smiled. "You can go ask them, Kevin."
She turned to Gwen. "Your mother and father are picking out was designs to use and what tricks to use too," she said. "I think they're in the costume room."
She looked at Ben. "Ben, if I let you do the cannon act, then you have to listen to whoever does it with you, alright?" She said.
"Yes, Mom," he said respectfully. "Who's going to be doing it?"
"Swampfire and Wildvine."
"Someone call us?" Wildvine asked as he and Swampfire came in.
Rachel turned and smiled at them. "Ben wants to join you two on the cannon act," she said.
"What a coincidence. We were hoping to ask if you were alright with him joining us for that," Swampfire said.
"We were going to make it to where the net would catch him and he'd slide down to Swampfire after Ben and I were launched from the cannon," Wildvine said.
Rachel nodded. "Okay," she said before looking at her son. "Follow their instructions closely, mijo."
"I will, Mom. I promise," Ben said, happy he could do the act with his uncles.
After breakfast, they all began practicing and the kids watched as their parents and uncles explained each part of their acts. Ben suddenly smelled something bad and made a face. "What's that smell?" He asked.
Moments later, the smell became more apparent and Rachel turned into a Loboan with a quick twist and press of the Omnitrix. "Blitzwolfer, let's clear the air!" She said.
"On it!" He said.
Both used their powers to do so, but in the commotion, they didn't see striped arms grab the three kids and pull them away.
The kids struggled as they tried to get free. "We got them, boss," said a female voice.
"Good," came a dark chuckle before a clown came into view.
Ben froze as he saw that, his fear of clowns kicking in. Gwen looked fearful too and Kevin looked angry.
"Boss, they've just about cleared the air," said a male voice.
"Then let's get going," said the clown pulling out a balloon and making them all vanish, but their disappearance did not go unnoticed. Nanomech saw them and quickly flew down to find Rachel.
Once the air was clear, everyone looked around. "What could that have been?" Whampire asked.
"Guys!" Nanomech cried out, coming into view. "The kids are gone! Four really creepy clowns took them!"
Rachel stiffened. "Zombozo?" She asked, knowing the creep all too well as he had attacked the family before with his cronies before Circa Magica had been created.
"It's this world's version of him, yes," Nanomech said.
Sasha and Whampire came up to Rachel, as did Hope and Shocks. Rook joined them too, pulling out his Proto-Tool. The blonde-haired girl nodded. "Apollo. Celesto, you two are with us," she said before spying Swampfire and Wildvine. "Swampfire. Wildvine, you're with us too."
"Good," Wildvine said, his vines ready to grab an enemy.
"The rest of us will hold down the fort," Zeus promised.
"Be careful," Ultimate Way Big cautioned.
"We will," Sasha said. "But those clowns aren't going to be so lucky."
"Let's go," Shocks said. "I'm eager to give them a shock."
"Same here," Hope said.
"No one kidnaps my daughter and gets away with it," Whampire growled.
"We'll make sure they never forget how protective we can be," Rook said.
Rachel turned the dial on her Omnitrix and became Jetray. "Let's go," she said.
In a circus tent, far away...
The three kids struggled against their bonds, trying to get out of them. "I hate clowns," Ben grumbled.
"Same here," Gwen said.
"Especially creepy clowns," Kevin said.
Frightwig laughed. "Don't bother struggling, kids," she said. "The boss wants you all to stay put. You'll make a good meal for him."
The kids froze. "Meal?" Gwen squeaked out.
"Yeah," Acid Breath laughed. "Our boss feeds on fear and you kids are full of it."
"Boss be happy," said Thumbskull.
"Oh, yes," Zombozo said, coming out. "They'll make a fine meal."
Just then, the wall to the side exploded and the circus freaks were thrown back by the explosion, as was Zombozo. The kids were shielded by some boxes, but hunkered down all the same.
Zombozo looked up and there stood the childrens' parents and uncles and none of them looked happy. "Zombozo," Rachel hissed, pressing her Omnitrix and becoming an Ectonurite. "You've made a grave mistake."
Her ghostly voice made the kids shudder before they saw their parents attack the circus freaks and their leader. Swampfire and Wildvine came over to the kids and got them free. "Let's get out of here," the Methanosian said.
"No argument here," the Florauna said.
Apollo came up to them and teleported them safely back to Circa Magica while the parents faced a beaten Zombozo and his cronies. Rachel had the evil clown by the throat and she was glaring at him with her one purple eye. "Heed my words well," she hissed. "Don't ever come near the children again or it'll be the last day you ever see."
He whimpered and nodded, to which she let him go and he quickly scampered away with the freaks, also beaten and bruised, following right behind him. Rachel took a deep breath and looked at them. "Come on," she said. "Let's go home."
Celesto transported them there and the kids ran to their parents, hugging them, though they were a bit afraid. "How did you find us?" Gwen asked.
Sasha smiled. "Your father can sense heat signatures with his infrared vision," she said.
Ben clung to his parents. "They were clowns," he whimpered.
"We know, son," Rook said soothingly. "Don't worry, they'll never come here again."
"How did they find out about us?" Kevin asked.
"They no doubt heard people talking about us and were hoping to use you kids as leverage to get us to leave," Shocks said.
"But little did he know how protective we are," Hope said.
Rachel sighed before noticing the kids looked a bit worried. "Kids, what's wrong?" She asked.
"Well...," Gwen trailed off.
"You guys are scary when you're mad," Ben admitted.
The parents hugged the children again. "Don't worry, kids," Rachel said soothingly. "No one will ever hurt you three again and our anger will never be directed towards you three."
"We save it for creeps like those clowns," Sasha said.
The kids sighed in relief, settling down. Zeus smiled before gently clearing his throat. "Should I send word the performances tonight are cancelled?" He asked gently.
Rachel looked at everyone. "What do you think, guys? Should we take a night off?" She asked.
Everyone was quiet before Four Arms stood up. "I think we should do the show," he said. "It'll help us get our mind off of what happened and...if we don't do the show, that'll give those creeps a victory that they stopped us from performing."
"He's right," Ultimate Way Big said.
"And not only that, we promised the kids they could join us," said Wildvine before pausing. "If they're still up to it."
All three perked up, which gave everyone their answer. "I think that's a yes," Whampire said with a chuckle.
Rachel nodded and stood up. "Then we better get going," she said. "We've got two hours before the first performance."
Everyone rushed to get ready to give another dazzling performance for an eager audience.
Looks like Zombozo and his cronies tangled with the wrong family. XD
Next up: Family fluff and bonding! :)
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GoldGuardian2418
