Croak Goes the Frog

Story
Ryder and Ester arrive at a county fair, Ester pulling on Ryder’s arm.

Ester: Look! Can we go?! Please?!

Ryder: Alright, alright. Not like we’ll run into anything crazy here.

Ryder parks, as the two head into the carnival. They see stands with games, performers and animals in cages. One of them is a giant mutant frog, which Ryder passes with worry.

Ryder: I stand corrected.

Voice: You’ve got a lot of nerve!

Ryder: That voice.

Ryder goes around a corner, seeing Kevin holding an old balding guy off the ground, Argit in a cage nearby.

Kevin: Let him go, Coleman, or they’ll be a price to pay.

Coleman: You wouldn’t hurt the mayor of this place, would you?

Kevin: Yeah, and I’ll rob you blind afterwards. Now, let him go.

Coleman: Alright, alright.

Kevin puts Coleman down, as Coleman starts to unlock the cage.

Ryder: Kevin! (Kevin turns, seeing Ryder approaching.)

Kevin: Ryder, my man! (The two clasp hands, shaking.) How you been?!

Ryder: Doing good. Why’s Argit in a cage?

Kevin: This double crossing low life promised us new parts, but it was a rip-off!

Ryder: And, you traded Argit?

Kevin: I planned to get him back. Eventually.

Coleman opens the cage, Argit walking out and pushing past Coleman.

Argit: (Irritated) Yeah, sure you would. (He turns to Ryder.) Ryder! What up, man!

Ester: Ryder! (Ester runs over.) You’ve got to see this amazing stand, where, oh. (She sees Kevin and Argit.) Friends of yours?

Ryder: Yeah. Ester, meet Kevin and Argit.

Kevin: A Kraaho girl, huh? Didn’t know you had it in you, Ryder.

Ryder: What? (Ryder blushes, as does Ester.)

Kevin: Just messing with you. So, where you off to?

Ryder: Still just cruising. First time I’ve ridden without a gang. It’s, much more peaceful.

Screams occur, as the mutant frog breaks out of its cage, hopping and destroying a stand. An old man with green skin appears, Coleman at his feet.

Coleman: (Nervously) Wwwwwhy hello Dr. Animo!

Animo: Don’t try that trick on me, Coleman! Do you think I would be entertained when you stole my scientific creation?

Coleman: That frog of yours has brought me dozens of new patrons to the fair! I was going to pay you your dues.

Animo: You think I’m in this for the money?!

Animo snaps his fingers, as his mutant frog extends its tongue, lifting Coleman and tossing him aside.

Ryder: Hey! (Animo looks, seeing Ryder standing him down.) Pick on someone your own size!

Animo: And are you the one I should crush? (Ryder activates the Omnitrix, slapping it down.)

Eatle: Yeah, cause I’m hungry for some battle!

Animo: (Leans closer, intrigued) Interesting.

Ester and Kevin join Eatle.

Kevin: (Absorbing metal) Can’t you go anywhere without getting into a fight?

Eatle: Old habits die hard I guess.

The mutant frog hops, the three diving out of the way. Eatle lands near a broken stand, and starts eating planks of wood. Ester stretches at Animo, but the frog catches her arm with its tongue, slobbering it.

Ester: EW! (She retracts her arms, flailing her arm to fling the slime off.) Gross!

Kevin charges in, the frog swinging its tongue. Kevin catches the tongue, but it lifts him into the air. Eatle fires a laser at the mutant frog, causing it to drop Kevin. Eatle charges in, as he gets underneath the frog, starting to lift it. Eatle throws it, and fires a laser, the frog crashing down at another stand.

Animo: Tell me boy, what is that wonderful device on your wrist?

Eatle: You won’t be finding out. (The Omnitrix beeps, timing out.) Oh, not now!

Eatle reverts, Ryder backing up. The mutant frog extends its tongue, grabbing Ryder, wrapping around his body, catching Ryder’s arms.

Ryder: Hey! Let go of me!

Animo gets on the frog’s back.

Animo: Ah. The typical response to any entrapment. But as a scientist, I have some experiments to do.

The frog hops away, Ester and Kevin regrouping.

Ester: We have to go after them!

Kevin: And how do you plan to do that?

Ester: The Tenn-Speed has been encoded with the helmet. As long as that, green guy is too conceited to take it off, we can find him.

Argit: Then let’s go! (Ester turns, surprised to see him.)

Ester: (Angry) And where were you during the fight?

Argit: Yeah, I’m not much of a brawler. End Scene

Ryder is strapped down into a chair in a dark laboratory. Animo boots up a computer, pulling out energy wires. The mutant frog is over in the corner. Ryder’s helmet is on his head, in cap mode only.

Ryder: You do realize that you can’t hold me forever. Soon, I’ll be able to use the watch again, and break out!

Animo: Oh, I’m sure you will. But until then, I shall do my experiment.

Animo plugs the energy wires into the Omnitrix, releasing waves of feedback, Ryder screaming. The computer obtains several streams of data, as Animo stops, examining the data.

Animo: Fascinating. This is millions of years beyond Earth tech. I could spend years trying to duplicate it, even with the data from it.

Ryder looks at his wrist, seeing the Omnitrix head had popped up. He wiggles his arm, loosening the straps enough to turn his wrist. He pushes the Omnitrix into the arm rest, it being pushed down. Ryder transforms into a humanoid frog, wearing a body suit. The suit has a green stripe going down the center, with a belt around his waist. He has two fingers and a thumb, along with two toes. He has green sunglasses over his eyes.

Bullfrag: Whoa. New guy?! Bout time.

Bullfrag extends his tongue, hitting Animo in the back of the head. Animo freaks, recoiling as he turns.

Animo: What the? (Bullfrag retracts his tongue.)

Bullfrag: Told you I’d break out.

Bullfrag pulls and breaks free from his restraints, as the mutant frog hops at Bullfrag. Bullfrag rolls to his back, catching the frog with his legs, throwing it overhead. The frog crashes, as Bullfrag takes off running.

Animo: Stop him!

The frog gets up, hopping after Bullfrag. Bullfrag kicks a door down, as he runs through. The mutant frog breaks the wall as it gives chase. Bullfrag slides underneath a table, as the frog extends its tongue at him. Bullfrag hops into the air afterwards, dodging.

Bullfrag: My granny’s a better shot than you, bub. (Bullfrag lands, facing the mutant frog.) Let’s dance, sugar.

Bullfrag charges at mutant frog, which extends its tongue. Bullfrag hops, and runs along the tongue. He hops into the air, and kicks mutant frog in the face, then punches it. Mutant frog shakes it off, ramming Bullfrag against the wall. Bullfrag inhales, his chest inflating and pushing the frog off.

Bullfrag: Nice job.

Animo is typing on the computer, looking through the data.

Animo: With this information, I could create an entire mutant army with this.

Kevin: Cool. Too bad it won't ever happen.

Animo turns, Kevin punching Animo, knocking him down. Kevin then goes over to the computer, typing through it.

Kevin: Basic human level encryption. I can delete this stuff in a matter of minutes. Argit! Make sure Ryder survives.

Argit: How come I get saving him?! Switch jobs with me!

Kevin: You know how to do this?

Argit: True.

Ester lands on top of the mutant frog, it trying to bulk her off. Bullfrag slams his tongue into its side, leaving a red mark on it. The mutant frog croaks and roars, when it falls over, asleep. Ester jumps down, as Bullfrag reverts.

Ester: What happened?

Ryder: Argit happened.

Quills are sticking out of the mutant frog, Argit right next to it.

Argit: That’s right. I saved the day! Bow to my awesomeness! (Ryder and Ester just stare at him.) Or, do nothing. That works too.

Kevin comes in.

Kevin: There we go. I deleted all the data he obtained about the Omnitrix. Unless he has a photographic memory, he’ll have no research to go back on.

Ryder: Thanks Kevin. Nice job.

Argit clears his throat, looking disapprovingly at Ryder.

Ryder: (Sighs) You too, Argit.

Argit: (Smugly) That's right. Give credit to where it's deserved. End Scene

Ryder and Ester are on the Tenn-Speed, while Kevin is on his hovercycle, Argit in the side car.

Ryder: Sure you don’t want to come with us? We have plenty of journeys up ahead.

Kevin: Nah. Mecha will kill us if we’re gone too long.

Ryder: Alright. Take care. Don’t sell Argit too many times.

Argit: Hey!

Kevin rides off, as Ryder rides in the opposite direction.

Ester: Those guys are really your friends? They seem like they’re on the bad side of the law.

Ryder: The line’s a bit blurry, I agree. But they’re good guys.

Characters

 * Ryder
 * Ester
 * Kevin Levin
 * Argit

Villains

 * Dr. Animo
 * ​Animo's Mutant Frog
 * Mayor Coleman

Aliens Used

 * Eatle
 * Bullfrag (first appearance)

Trivia

 * Bullfrag is the first new alien for Ryder to unlock.
 * Ester meets Kevin and Argit for the first time.