"Well, you guys have been busy," Max said cheerfully as he walked up to the kids, holding a paper bag stuffed with strange ingredients.
SFX: sniff sniff… followed by a collective groan from the kids.
Gwen pinched her nose, grimacing. "Ugh, what is that you're holding?"
Max grinned proudly. "Dinner! I made sure to get the freshest—pickled squid, cactus fruit, goat cheese, and a little dash of fermented beet juice." He shook the bag as if it were treasure. "Tonight, I thought I'd spice things up by having you kids help me prepare the meal."
Ben and Fred exchanged horrified looks. Gwen sighed, already bracing herself. The three silently agreed this was going to be a long night.
The Next Morning
Late the next morning, Max stepped out of the Rustbucket's bathroom in a gown, humming happily. He shook his head with a chuckle. "I'll never get used to how the bathroom bigger on the inside than the outside."
As Max walked out, he found Ben and Fred glued to their screens, playing Sumo Slammers Online.
Ben shouted, "Ha! Got you with the Thunder Belly Slam!"
Fred shot back, "Oh yeah! Then how do you like my Iron Palm!"
Their voices overlapped, both yelling over each other, completely engrossed in the match.
Max sighed, shaking his head. He stepped forward—only to be hit by a dirty pan flying from the sink, beans splattering across his gown. He froze, dripping sauce.
Across the room, Gwen sat cross‑legged, her spellbook open. She was enchanting dishes to wash themselves. Plates and cups floated through the air, scrubbing and rinsing in mid‑flight. The enchanted Roomba zipped past, bumping into Max's leg.
Max steadied himself, exasperated. "Okay… now I've just about had enough of this!" His voice boomed, finally drawing half the kids' attention. Ben and Fred glanced back briefly, then returned to their game. Gwen looked up for a moment, then back to her spell.
The Rustbucket fell silent for that moment—until the radio crackled to life.
"Y'all ready for a little fresh air!? Wanna commune with the animals!? Then come along to our family farm camp at—"
The kids froze. They turned slowly toward Max, dread written on their faces. They knew exactly what was coming next.
Later that day, Max drove with a wide smile, the Rustbucket humming along the road. "Trust me, you're gonna love it. When I was a kid, I used to go to my Uncle Jedediah's farm. Best summers of my life."
Ben slumped in his seat, arms crossed. "Yeah, sure. Nothing says fun like shoveling cow poop."
Fred added dryly, "Or waking up at dawn to feed chickens. Sounds thrilling."
Max chuckled, unfazed. "You'll see. A little hard work, some fresh air—it's good for the soul."
Gwen leaned back, resigned. "Well… at least it can't be worse than last night's dinner."
Ben groaned. "Don't remind me."
Fred smirked. "I still say that stew was a mid‑level boss fight."
Arriving at the farm, the Rustbucket parked with a low rumble. The gang stepped out, greeted by the warm smiles of the Maplewoods.
"You must be the Tennysons. Welcome to Dairyville! My name is Joan Maplewood, and this is my son Todd," Joan said brightly.
Max tipped his cap. "Yes, ma'am. You can call me Max. And these tenderfoots are my grandkids—Ben and Gwen—accompanied by my old friend's grandson, Fred."
The three kids stood behind Max, looking half‑alive, their expressions flat.
"Hi, nice to meet you," Todd greeted, cheerful.
"Hey," the kids replied in unison, unenthusiastic.
Joan clapped her hands. "Alrighty then, greetings done. Time to work. You can start by unloading the chicken feed off that truck." She gestured toward a truck stacked high with sacks.
Max stepped forward, grabbing a heavy sack and handing one each to Gwen, Ben, and Fred.
Ben staggered, groaning. "Ugh! This thing weighs a ton!" He looked at the truck. "We're supposed to unload all of this in one day?"
Gwen muttered, "There must be a thousand sacks."
Ben puffed his chest. "I bet Fourarms could—" He reached for the Omnitrix, but Max immediately grabbed his wrist.
"Ben 'I'm too lazy to fill a water tank' Tennyson—and only him—if you know what I mean," Max said firmly.
Ben sighed, defeated. "Fine." But then he noticed Gwen and Fred whispering, glowing faintly before continuing with ease. "Hey! What did you guys just do?"
Fred smirked. "Strength enhancement. No one will notice."
"That's not fair!" Ben cried. "Grandpa!"
Hours later, the truck was empty, all feed stacked neatly in the barn. Ben collapsed onto the pile, exhausted. Gwen and Fred stood tall, barely sweating. Max wiped his brow, glaring. "Cheaters."
Joan's voice rang out. "Supper time!"
The gang gathered at the Maplewood table. Max smiled, savoring the food. "Joan, this is delicious."
Ben turned to Todd. "No TV, no video games, no mall… what do you guys even do for fun out here?"
Todd leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Well, you won't believe what I saw last night."
Joan cut him off. "Now, now. No one's interested in your tall tales. Let's get these dishes cleaned up and hit the hay."
"What!? But it's still light out!" Ben protested.
Max chuckled. "Trust me, you'll be glad you slept early when morning comes."
After the dishes were done, Todd guided them to their sleeping quarters. The kids pressed him again.
"So, what did you see?" Gwen asked.
Todd hesitated. "Nah, you wouldn't believe me."
"Try us," Gwen insisted.
Todd took a breath. "Fine. I was at old man Johnson's pasture when—right in front of me—was… a mummy. A genuine Egyptian mummy."
The kids exchanged looks, half skeptical, half intrigued.
Ben raised an eyebrow. "Really?"