The bustling mall was packed with people and full of noise and excitement.
It was home to many famous chain stores from across the country, like KFC, McDonald's, and Starbucks, along with all kinds of entertainment, claw machines, basketball games, arcade cabinets, King of Fighters...
Lucian took his phone out of his pocket, just about to snap a photo, when several green lines flickered across the screen before it went black.
"What the...?"
Lucian tried turning it back on, but it failed.
He tried several more times, but every attempt ended the same way. The phone still would not power on.
Left with no choice, Lucian turned to Grandpa Max. "Grandpa, my phone's broken. I'm going to find a phone repair shop nearby and get it fixed. You take Ben and the others around. I'll be back in a bit."
"Okay. Be careful on the way," Grandpa Max said warmly.
After waving goodbye, Lucian did not head to any repair shop.
Instead, he walked into the restroom.
He picked a random stall, stepped inside, and locked the door.
"No repairman is faster than Grey Matter..."
Lucian pressed the Omnitrix. His eyes reflected green light, and with another press, he instantly transformed into Grey Matter.
Looking like an upright little frog, Grey Matter picked up the brick-like phone and started taking it apart...
...
Meanwhile, Ben and Gwen were wandering around the entertainment area.
As for Grandpa Max, they had already ditched him so he could go buy daily supplies.
Ben was definitely not doing something that boring.
And if Ben was not doing it, Gwen was not either.
So the two of them wandered around the entertainment section together.
"The Super Amazing Sublimino, Hypnosis Master Mind Show, last day..."
Just then, Gwen noticed a sign nearby advertising one of the mall's events.
"A mind show?" Ben yawned. "That kind of thing is for little kids. Oh, right, and nerds too."
"Doofus." Gwen rolled her eyes at him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am the hypnosis master Sublimino. Next, I will lead you into the magical and mysterious realm of the mind."
A short man stood on the stage ahead.
He had a head of golden curls, black sunglasses, and a burgundy suit, looking like some ridiculous gentleman.
A crowd had gathered below the stage, watching him curiously.
"I need a few volunteers up here. This mysterious realm is very fun. Is there anyone in the audience who wants to try it?" Sublimino said with a sinister smile.
Below the stage, Ben looked at him with open disdain. "Oh man, only people with totally empty heads would play a boring game like that!"
The moment Gwen heard that, she grabbed Ben's hand and raised it.
"Here's one!"
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"What? Afraid people will find out your head's empty?" Gwen grinned.
"Whose head is empty? Fine, I'll do it. Who's scared?"
Ben strode forward and climbed onto the flashy stage.
Besides Ben, there were two other volunteers, an old man and an old woman.
The three of them stood in a row facing the hypnosis master, Sublimino.
"All right, now the game begins."
Sublimino pulled a pocket watch from his pocket and swung it in front of them, muttering in a spooky tone, "Your eyelids are getting heavier and heavier. Soon, you will fall asleep..."
Ben felt completely unimpressed. He exchanged a glance with the other volunteers and shrugged, showing he felt nothing.
"The real show is only just beginning..." Sublimino sneered inwardly as he took out another pocket watch.
This time, instead of swinging it, he pressed a button on the side.
Thunk!
A golden shockwave burst from the watch and swept over the three volunteers.
Their expressions immediately went blank. Their eyes became hollow and lifeless, like soulless corpses.
"Now, you are newborn babies," Sublimino said slowly.
All three volunteers, including Ben, immediately burst into loud crying, rubbing their eyes as tears streamed down their faces.
It was as if they had really turned into babies.
Gwen quickly pulled out her camera and filmed the rare scene. "Oh my God, this is way too good. I have to save this forever."
"All right, now you are no longer babies. You are little chickens," Sublimino said with a smile.
"Cluck cluck cluck!"
The volunteers instantly stopped crying, tucked their hands behind their backs, and started clucking and running around the stage like chickens, looking absolutely ridiculous.
The audience burst into laughter.
"Gwen, what's going on over here?" Grandpa Max walked over, carrying a bag of supplies.
"Grandpa, look at Ben. He's adorable!" Gwen pointed excitedly at the people on stage.
"A hypnosis show? Lucian did say not to take part..." Grandpa Max frowned.
"Next, you are no longer a chicken."
As he spoke, Sublimino pointed at the old man. "You are a bunny!"
The old man, who had been pretending to be a chicken, immediately raised both hands above his head and started hopping off the stage like a rabbit let out of its cage.
"And as for you..." Sublimino's eyes turned sly as he looked at the old woman. "You are a big gray bear!"
"Rawr!"
The old woman bared her teeth and waved her arms around like a standing bear, whipping the audience into excited cheers.
"And you, little boy, are an alien," Sublimino commanded, pointing at Ben.
Ben stared blankly ahead and instinctively reached for the Omnitrix, about to transform.
"This is bad." Grandpa Max's face changed immediately.
Gwen instantly threw down the camera and lunged forward, shoving Ben behind the curtain in one motion.
Thunk!
A flash of green light slipped through the gap in the curtain and vanished.
"Hey! You ruined my show!" Sublimino snapped as he yanked the curtain open.
Behind it, Gwen turned back awkwardly. "Uh, sorry. My cousin needed to use the little alien's room."
Sublimino snorted and returned to the stage.
Only after he left did Gwen finally breathe out in relief. She opened her hand, revealing a little green frog standing in her palm.
Grey Matter!
"Master, please give me your orders. I will obey your command," Grey Matter said respectfully, bowing to Gwen like a loyal servant.
...
Half an hour later, everyone was back in the Rustbucket.
Lucian's phone was already fixed. Grey Matter really was part of the smartest species in the universe. Repairing a bad circuit had only taken a couple of moves.
As for Gwen, she was happily rewatching the video she had recorded earlier.
Ben rubbed his sleepy eyes and leaned over to look. The second he saw it, he was completely dumbfounded.
"Oh man, can somebody explain what the heck is going on?!"