The dark alleys of Undertown were a maze of shadows and neon lights, a place where secrets and danger lurked around every corner. Ray Carver moved with precision, keeping to the dimly lit edges, his hood pulled low to obscure his face. The mix of aliens and humans moving through the narrow streets barely gave him a glance. They were all too busy with their own shady dealings to notice the young intergalactic thief in their midst.
Undertown was the perfect place to lie low for a while. The bustling underground city beneath Earth's surface was home to the forgotten, the criminals, and those who didn't want to be found. Ray blended right in.
Above the hum of alien chatter and the occasional hiss of vented steam, Ray caught snippets of a conversation that made his heart race. Plumbers. They were here.
The dark alleys of Undertown were thick with the smell of grime and oil, a labyrinth of shadows and flickering neon signs. Ray Carver navigated the twisting streets with practiced ease, slipping between groups of shady figures, aliens and humans alike, doing their best to avoid the Plumbers. The intergalactic police force had ramped up their presence lately, likely due to Ray's recent escapades. Stealing blueprints from Azmuth himself had put him high on their most-wanted list.
He pulled his hood down a little lower as he passed a pair of Plumbers, their green-and-white armor gleaming under the faint streetlights. He needed to lie low, just for a while. Find a quiet corner, wait for the heat to die down, and then make his next move.
As Ray turned into a narrower alley, a sudden figure stepped into his path. He was human, rough-looking, with a worn jacket and a knife in hand. Clearly just a low-level robber, but Ray didn't have time for this.
Robber: "Alright, kid, Hand over that fancy gadget, and maybe I'll let you walk outta here."
Rays heart quickened, but he kept his expression calm. This guy had no idea what he was dealing with. But a fight wasnt the right move, not with the Plumbers so close by. He needed to get out, and fast.
Ray: "Sure, No problem."
His finger brushed against the dial on the Ultimatrix belt, scrolling quickly through the options. Fighting would draw too much attention, but running? That, he could do.
Before the robber could blink, Ray slammed his hand down on the Ultimatrix, and a flash of black light illuminated the alley.
In an instant, Ray's body transformed, his limbs elongating, skin hardening into the chitinous armor of Wreckingbolt. His form hunched as spikes jutted from his back, and his claws elongated into dangerous hooks.
The robber's eyes widened in fear, but Ray didn't give him a chance to react. Without a word, he curled himself into a tight ball, the spikes along his body retracting just enough for the roll to be smooth. Then, with a burst of energy, he rocketed forward, spinning through the alleyway at an incredible speed.
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The robber dove out of the way with a terrified shout, his knife clattering to the ground as Ray rolled past him like a living wrecking ball. The city blurred around Ray as he picked up speed, weaving between obstacles and rocketing past startled bystanders.
He could feel the spikes on his body trying to extend again, a painful sensation crawling up his spine, but he pushed through the discomfort. Not now, he thought, biting back the discomfort. He needed to get as far from that robber and the Plumbers as possible.
In just a few short seconds, Ray burst out of the alley and onto a higher level of Undertown, the marketplace ahead filled with vendors and black market stalls. He uncurls from his spinning form, grimacing as the spikes painfully retract. He shifted back to his human self before anyone could notice him.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Ray ducked into the shadows of a nearby shop, trying to catch his breath. His body ached from the transformation, the familiar sting of the poorly crafted Ultimatrix lingering in his joints.
Ray: ".......Could've gone worse."
From the corner of his eye, Ray saw a pair of Plumbers turning into the alley he had just left. The robber would likely tell them some wild story about a spiked monster rolling through the streets, but by then, Ray would be long gone. He melted back into the crowd, his heart still racing, but his lips curled into a small smile.
