Realm of Reality

Story
Bullfrag extends his tongue, swatting and hitting an Esoterica off his hover cycle. Several Esoterica have Bullfrag, Ester and Kevin boxed in, as they try to break through. Ester stretches her fist, punching an Esoterica off his cycle. The Esoterica slides on thin air, then disappears, re-appearing on the cycle. Kevin has absorbed the paint off his bike, and morphs his hand into a blade, slashing at a bike. The Esoterica drives up invisible stairs to dodge, then comes back down.

Kevin: These things are annoying!

Ester: And impossible to get rid of.

Bullfrag: Give me room. I’ll swat them down.

Kevin and Ester duck, as Bullfrag extends his tongue, twirling it around. He hits several Esoterica, knocking them away, as new Esoterica come and take their positions. The Esoterica throw energy spheres at them, Ester and Kevin hit and them exploding. Ester and Kevin are flipped over, caught in a multi-bike crash. Only three bikes stay with Bullfrag, when they pull away.

Bullfrag: Big mistake.

A new Esoterica materializes, revving the engine loudly. He eggs Bullfrag on, and revs off, going fast. Bullfrag smirks, as he revs the engine.

Bullfrag: A speed demon? Bring it.

Bullfrag reverts, as he activates the thrusters. He blasts forward, catching up to the Esoterica. The Esoterica speeds up, as the Esoterica swerves, the hover cycle getting in Ryder’s path. The Esoterica jumps off, as Ryder collides into the bike, the velocity causing the Tenn-Speed to tumble forward. The Esoterica catches Ryder’s jacket, pulling on him and holding him up in the air. The Tenn-Speed tumbles down several yards, while the Esoterica’s bike was completely crushed.

Ryder: (Panting) If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that’s what you were trying to do.

The Esoterica drops Ryder, him landing on his feet. The Esoterica lands on the ground, pulling off the mask. It was Julie, who smiles at Ryder.

Ryder: Julie?

Julie: Sorry about the bravado. Figured the best way to get your attention was a race.

Ryder: If my bike’s damaged,

Julie laughs, then hugs Ryder. Ryder pushes away, suspicious.

Julie: It’s good to see you too.

Ryder: What are you doing here? With the Esoterica?

Julie: With the Flame Keepers’ Circle? Meeting you inspired me, Ryder. After meeting you, and the adventures we had, I couldn’t just sit around. I heard of the Flame Keepers’ Circle, which believed in the use of alien technology to promote peace. In the hands of such trusted individuals like ourselves and the Circle, we have the ability to do incredible things!

Ryder: Yeah, if you listen to Edwards. But these guys have an ulterior agenda, to use their deity Diagon

Julie: To recall the Diagon to bless us with the technology necessary. I thought you would understand.

Ryder: Have those who’ve promised peace through superior technology ever not wanted to use the tech for war?

Julie: The Diagon is different. If you could just experience him. If you like, I can show you.

Julie holds her hand out, Ryder hesitate to take it.

Ryder: (Sighs) I guess it can’t hurt to take a look.

Ryder takes Julie’s hand, her expression ecstatic. Julie walks through an invisible door, taking Ryder through it. End Scene

Ryder closes his eyes as he goes through the door, and opens them to see the green dimension. It has a labyrinth of stairs going all around the area, in every direction. The green sky is shifting and rolling.

Julie: Beautiful, isn’t it?

Ryder: Uh, sure. If that’s what you want to call it.

Julie: Come on. I want to show you my favorite site.

Julie leads Ryder down a flight of stairs, going through the door of a structure. They come out a door several floors above, walking upside down as they descend.

Ryder: Ah!

Julie: Relax. As long as you’re standing on the right side of the stairs, the gravity will keep you on it.

Ryder: I’m liking this place less and less now!

Julie continues walking, as the stairs spiral, eventually putting them right side up. They end up walking backwards on a set of stairs, as they make it to the exterior side.

Julie: There it is.

She points to an advanced city, glowing blue from marble. It is surrounded by a gated wall, the head of the gate having the seal of the Forever Knights.

Julie: Well? What do you think?

Ryder: I think, (He backs away) I think I need to go back home.

Voice: Aw, what’s the rush, champ?

Ryder turns, seeing Baron watching from a level below.

Baron: It too much for you?

Ryder: You!

Julie: Yes. Your old leader. He said you had a falling out, but I think you guys can rekindle it. Diagon can help.

Ryder: Diagon can stay away from me. As can he. Baron is a murderer, Julie. You can’t trust him.

Baron: (Sighs) I told you he would react like this.

Julie: Ryder, please reconsider. You must understand that your presence will strengthen our cause to create a better world.

Ryder: Sure, sure. But I don’t plan on being a part of it.

Baron: Then I’m sorry to say, but we need to handle you.

Julie: Handle?

Baron: We’ll take him to the Diagon, allow him to broaden his mind.

Ryder: You want me? (He activates the Omnitrix) Come and get me.

Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix, transforming into Upgrade. Upgrade fires a plasma beam from his eye, Baron flipping over it to dodge. More Esoterica appear, as Upgrade morphs into a motorcycle form. Upgrade drives off, him shaking from the bumpy ride down the stairs.

Upgrade: Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Where are my shock supports?!

Upgrade extends some wings, as the tires rotate vertical, turbines in them. He hovers over the stairs, as he has a smooth ride up the bottom side of stairs. Esoterica ride hover cycles after him, going along several stair ways. Two Esoterica appear and come straight at Upgrade, who releases the missile launchers. He fires missiles, the Esoterica disappearing, the missiles destroying the stairs. Upgrade flies up to the other side and goes down the stairs, in the same direction he was going. The other Esoterica were going horizontal to Upgrade, going the wrong way.

Upgrade: Can’t catch me!

Upgrade appears at a platform with eight stairways attached to it, Esoterica coming along all eight of them. Upgrade increases the force of his turbines, as he floats into the air. The Esoterica disappear before reaching the platform, and reappear on the stair way across from their original pathway.

Upgrade: Nice try. But you can’t!

The gravity shifts, as Upgrade is slammed onto his head, splattering onto a platform. Upgrade reforms, as he reverts.

Ryder: Ugh. I miss regular gravity.

Esoterica surround Ryder, as Baron and Julie appear.

Julie: Ryder, stop! Listen, the Diagon is our friend and savior. He just wants to open your eyes to the glorious truth!

Ryder: What if I don’t want to see the truth?

Baron: Then you’re lying to yourself. You fight to end the fighting, to protect others from harm.

Julie: But what if we can stop crime and evil once and for all? The Diagon’s technology will create generations of peace!

Ryder: I’m dealing with a bunch of crazy people!

Ryder activates and slaps down the Omnitrix, transforming into Wildmutt. He growls at the Esoterica, many of them arming themselves with energy spheres. Wildmutt snarls, as the Esoterica throw their energy spheres. Wildmutt ducks, jumps to the side, and leaps over them, charging at them. The Esoterica appear, several of them stomping off them and kicking Wildmutt as they flip away.

Julie: Is this really necessary, sir?

Baron: Ryder’s always been a stubborn child.

Wildmutt swats an Esoterica away, as he catches one in his teeth. He shakes the Esoterica around, throwing it at another Esoterica, knocking it over. An Esoterica tackles Wildmutt, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him over, the two tumbling. The Esoterica goes through an invisible door, taking Wildmutt with him.

Baron: That wasn’t part of the plan.

Baron walks to the side and disappears, appearing near the road. The area was abandoned, no one in site.

Baron: This is where they’d appear! Where are they?! End Scene

Wildmutt and the Esoterica tumble out in a warehouse, Wildmutt kicking the Esotercia off. The Esoterica tumbles back, holding his arms out as if to halt him.

Male Voice: Whoa, whoa, whoa, John! Wait! It’s me!

Wildmutt stops, turning his head in confusion. The Esoterica removes his mask, revealing it to be Cooper. He tosses the mask in front of Wildmutt.

Cooper: Can you mess that up a bit? It needs to look like you tore it off.

Wildmutt picks the mask up with his teeth, as he flails his head back and forth, the mask ripping. Wildmutt stops, the mask stuck in his teeth as he reverts. Ryder spits the mask out.

Ryder: Pw! Cooper? Now I know why you weren’t at Area 51 when we took it down.

Cooper: I told you the last time I saw you. We aren’t each other’s enemy, but it is the Esoterica. Rozum, in order to prepare for their increased level of threat, sent me undercover to discover the truth of their plans.

Ryder: Rozum’s actually trying to protect the world?

Cooper: I know you two have had your differences, but we are on the same side. We have to work together to stop the Esoterica.

Ryder: There’s a seal with the Forever Knights’ mark on it. What do they have to do with it?

Cooper: (Sighs) We know that the Forever Seer is the one who gave us this intel. But if Rozum obtained any info on that, it was after I went under cover.

Ryder: Yeah, sure.

Cooper drops to one knee, suddenly panting heavily. Ryder looks confused, when the Esoterica surround the two. Baron appears, looking displeased.

Baron: Boy, how’d you end up here?

Cooper: Sorry, sir. My teleporter must be on the fritz.

Baron: Heh. We’ll see to that later.

Ryder: Where’s Julie?

Baron: I sent her to speak with the Diagon for advice.

Ryder: Which means you didn’t want her getting in your way as you try to beat the stuffing out of me.

Baron: Pretty accurate. Boy, I’ll take you back to get your gear fixed. Meanwhile, take them out.

Baron flips over them, grabbing Cooper and taking him away. The Esoterica throw energy spheres, as Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix. Goat Foo catches and redirects the energy spheres, them crashing into the other Esoterica. They charge in, as Goat Foo unleashes a series of palm thrusts, repelling all of them. The Esoterica skid along the ground.

Goat Foo: Time to run.

Goat Foo slams his hooves together, releasing a mana shockwave, which launches the Esoterica upward, then crashing into the ground. They begin to stand up, when the wall is broken down, Kevin driving his hover-cycle through it.

Kevin: You took your time.

Goat: How’d you f-f-find me?

Kevin: You’re bike’s outside.

Goat Foo: I think I know who did t-t-that.

Goat Foo runs outside, hopping on the Tenn-Speed, Ester waiting by it.

Ester: Where have you been?

Goat Foo revs the engine, as the three ride off, getting back on the highway.

Goat Foo: We’ve got some serious business to take care of. We need to call Brago, and set up a chat with Rozum.

Characters

 * Ryder
 * Ester
 * Kevin
 * Cooper
 * Julie

Villains

 * Baron Highway
 * Esoterica

Aliens Used

 * Bullfrag
 * Upgrade
 * Wildmutt
 * Goat Foo

Trivia

 * Ryder gets an inside look of Diagon's dimension.
 * Julie is revealed to have joined the Flame Keepers' Circle, still in control.
 * Cooper reveals that the SACT has actually been preparing for the Esoterica.
 * Ryder's opinion of Rozum changes slightly.