At the lowest depths of the ocean, Fip Mub zipped past every predator at incredible speed. For a ray, this was not typical. Instead of gliding, he had intrinsic propulsion. It was a gift, a leap in evolution and nothing more.

 

Fip played with his brothers and sisters around the murky depths, dipping into and out of the brine. Their parents had always warned against doing so, yet Fip knew it to be safe at his speed. He would vanish for just a moment and then “SPLOOSH” blast upward in front of his entertained siblings.

Of all the ray children, he was the oldest, and took charge of their care. They followed him closely, and he guarded the, tending their well-being.

A current began to make its way past the young Mubs. It was powerful, carrying many creatures through carelessly to another part of the ocean. Fip steered everyone away from the current and toward where his parents were.

In a flash, the current followed where the rays moved. Escaping was not an option. Fip reacted quickly, using his size to block his smaller siblings from being carried away and lost forever. Fully spread, he signaled everyone to hold on and propelled them out of the current.

 

Again, the strong force of the ocean caught up. Fip pushed all his siblings to the seafloor to avoid the moving water column. He recognized that this wasn’t nature. Something was causing this phenomenon.

Fip entered the current and stabilized himself, facing all the passing marine life. He honed in on his propulsion and zoomed through the water rapidly. Animals he had never seen before were brushing up against him, bumping him, (he may have killed some on accident).

Eventually, he caught the source of the disturbance. A human rode a pack of dolphins on an underwater wave of his own making. Through the water, he spoke in bubbles.

 

“KOWABUNGIS!”

With his word, he sent another current flying through the ocean, which would have disintegrated a slower ray.

Fip had to protect his ocean. He propelled himself, reaching the human in just a moment. A burst of energy pushed his body through the water towards the enemy. Fip was determined, and confident.

Unfortunately, his aim was nowhere near the surfer. He flew right past and into the side of a passing whale. The whale slowly turned and bumped the human. An indirect win for Fip. The human let out a soft yelp and ascended to the surface while Fip watched, angry in his failure.

The eldest Mub returned home to his family, who were huddled near some coral. Three of his siblings were missing.

Fip zoomed around the ocean floor to find the bodies of his smallest two brothers and oldest sister floating just above the brine.

Kowabungis would pay.

Fip bid farewell and flew through the ocean to the nearest shore. He would enter the world of man until locating and defeating the scorned surfer. In the world of man, he would be known as Fearless Manta.