Ryder 10 Returns

Story
It is the middle of the night, immediately after the final battle with Diagon, with Ryder, Ester, Kevin, Morty, and Steel still at the canyon. They head back towards the Rustbucket, where there are some Forever Knights still hanging around.

Ryder: I thought we rounded all of those guys up already.

Steel: It’s only natural for there to be a couple of stragglers. Let’s scatter them.

Steel walks in front, as Ryder stop, wincing as he grabs his head. Ester notices, going back to him.

Ester: Hey, you okay?

Ryder: Yeah. I should be. Just a headache. I guess I’m still exhausted after kicking Diagon’s butt.

Ester: In that case, don’t exert yourself too hard. Even heroes need to rest.

Kevin: Ryder! Get over here!

The Forever Knights fire blasters at them, Kevin having absorbed metal and taking the shots. Morty jumps over Kevin, coming crashing down, scattering them. Steel charges, jabbing a Knight and knocking him down with ease.

Steel: Huh. I expected punching metal to hurt more.

Forever Knights come at Ryder Ester, Ryder activating the Omnitrix.

Ester: I thought you weren’t feeling well.

Ryder: Doesn’t mean I get a choice to fight.

Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix, transforming into Goat Foo. He fires mana hooves at the Knights, disarming them from their blasters. Ester then charges in, tackling a Knight and stretching to punch another one. Goat Foo charges and knocks the others away with his palms, as he lets out a bleating moan. He falls to his knees, grabbing his head.

Diagon: ''So weak. You can’t even handle these inferior hybrid creatures. Transform into Diagoneir, let my power out and teach them to fear you.''

Goat Foo: Hybrid? What are you?

Kevin punches a Knight in the face, a cracking sound occurs. An ID mask breaks, revealing the Knight is really a DNAlien. The other Knights remove their masks, revealing them all to be DNAliens.

Kevin: Well that’s new.

DNAlien: We are the DNAliens! And we will exterminate all those inferior to us!

Goat Foo: Yeah, yeah. How about I take you on a ride?

Goat Foo charges in, as the DNAlien spits a slime ball, hitting Goat Foo and pinning him to the ground. The others fire slime balls as well, trapping the others to the ground as well. The DNAliens makes a retreat, leaving them trapped. Goat Foo releases a burst of mana, freeing himself. He breaks the others free, as he reverts.

Ryder: Have any of you heard of DNAliens before?

Kevin: Nah. It’s a new one for me.

Ester: They talked about exterminating those inferior to them, yet they let us go.

Steel: They were most likely grunts. I don’t know what they were doing here though.

Morty: Ooh ooh ooh.

Ester: Surveillance? On our battle?

Ryder: Whatever they are, if Diagon had risen to power, then they’d be in trouble, I guess.

Steel: If they think that they can advance with their plans because Diagon’s gone, doesn’t mean that they’ll succeed. I’ll give a report back at Plumber HQ. You guys track those things and stop them.

Ester: How do we find them? They’re most likely gone by now.

Ryder picks up a half of the broken ID mask, examining it. Ryder smiles, as he stands.

Ryder: Morty, take Steel back to the base. Everyone else, we’re grabbing our bikes. We’re going for a ride! End Scene

Wildmutt rides the Tenn-Speed, sniffing the air, trying to stay on the scent from the mask. Kevin and Ester ride behind him.

Ester: Should he really be out right now? I mean, we just had our biggest battle yet, against Diagon, and it affected him more than we realize.

Kevin: It doesn’t really matter. Right now, we need him to find the scent. After we stop that band of DNAliens, we’ll help him take a break.

Wildmutt leads the group towards an abandoned mine, a construction worker guarding the blocked off tunnel entrance. Wildmutt pulls up, the worker unamused.

Construction Worker: This area is off limit. Leave now, Vulpimancer scum.

Wildmutt snarls at the construction worker, as Ester and Kevin come to a stop.

Ester: How does a human know what a Vulpimancer is?

Kevin: And isn’t even scared of it. Probably one of those DNAliens in a mask.

Wildmutt roars, as the construction worker removes an ID mask, it revealing a DNAlien. The DNAlien spits a slime ball, Wildmutt leaping over it, it hitting Ester and Kevin.

Ester: Ew! Not again!

The DNAlien goes to flee down the tunnel, as Wildmutt lands in front of it, pushing it back. Wildmutt strikes the DNAlien with his paw, knocking it down. Wildmutt then bites around DNAlien’s waist, flailing it around and tossing it aside. Wildmutt frees Ester and Kevin, reverting.

Ester: I officially don’t like these things. Yuck! Let’s just get this over with!

Kevin: Let’s tie this guy up before we head down to see what they’re up to.

The group ties up the DNAlien, as Kevin puts the ID mask on, disguising himself as a DNAlien. Ester and Ryder hide in a mine cart, as Kevin pushes them around. They go down the mine, revealing it to be connected to a spaceship, hidden underground. Several DNAliens are working on the ship.

Kevin: Whew. This isn’t a small operation. This is a full fledge invasion crew.

Kevin brings them to a supply room, taking the ID mask off and letting Ester and Ryder out.

Ester: Invasion?

Kevin: This thing is a scouting ship. It’s designed to come down to the planet, find statistical weaknesses and report them back to the head leader, who will initiate an invasion when ready. Whoever we saw at the canyon before, informed their leaders that Diagon is out of the way.

Ryder: Meaning that they’ll make that invasion soon.

Kevin: In any case, they’ll begin preparing for it soon.

Ester: We’ve never handled alien invasions before. We fought Vilgax and some space enemies, but the majority of our major foes were from Earth.

Ryder: So, what? We destroy the ship?

Kevin: If we do that, they’ll be forced to accelerate their plans. That could be good or bad. But our best bet in any case. End Scene

Ryder, Ester and Kevin make their way to the control room, Kevin accessing the controls.

Kevin: Alright. Initiating the self destruct sequence, now.

A slime ball hits Kevin’s hand, trapping it and preventing him from finishing the sequence. Ryder and Ester turn, seeing DNAliens led by a Highbreed at the entrance of the room.

Highbreed: So, the Omnitrix wielder comes to our ship after his near defeat by the being known as Diagon. A trivial manner, but you defeating it makes our work much easier.

Ryder: What are you supposed to be, a banana?

Highbreed: How dare scum like you refer to me like that?! You are looking at a Highbreed, the most superior and oldest alien species in the galaxy!

Kevin: Ha! That’s a load of baloney if I ever heard it.

Highbreed: All that aside, this is actually ideal for me. I get to crush the vermin that is considered  a threat, and most likely get a promotion in the process! Attack!

The DNAliens spit slime balls at them, as Ryder and Ester dodge to the side, Kevin getting stuck to the console even more.

Kevin: (Squirming) A little help here!

Ryder activates the Omnitrix, transforming into Elaskimo. Elaskimo and Ester stretch their fists, punching several DNAliens. DNAliens charge at Elaskimo, who jumps into the air, rapidly stretching and retracting his arm, releasing a barrage of punches, striking and blowing them away. Ester leads DNAliens away, then turns at them, going down on all fours and stretching her leg, tripping them. Highbreed grabs Kevin, dislodging him from the console, squeezing him.

Highbreed: How pathetic. You all really think that you have a fighting chance. Perhaps I should crush this one into jelly, to show you just how superior to you I really am.

Highbreed squeezes harder, Kevin screaming.

Kevin: Ryder! Any time now!

Elaskimo stretches his arm back behind him as he runs at Highbreed, twisting and coiling his fist. Elaskimo jumps, and retracts and untwists his arm, it spiraling and punching into Highbreed’s back. The attack increases in power as it continues to unravel, though Highbreed doesn’t flinch from the attack.

Elaskimo: (Shocked) O, kay. That should’ve worked better.

Highbreed swings his arm around, slamming into Elaskimo and sending him flying. Elaskimo hits the wall, and struggles to stand, shook up.

Elaskimo: Whoa. I actually felt that, even with my absorbent body.

Black speech echoes in Elaskimo’s head, him trying to shake it off.

Diagon: ''It should be obvious from that attack that all your minor aliens are no match. Even your rubber Kraaho form couldn’t take a physical blow from that thing. Embrace my power, and you will be able to save your friends’ lives.''

Elaskimo: Stay out of my head!

A slime ball hits Elaskimo, pinning him to the wall. Elaskimo stretches his arm, though it is hit by a slime ball as well, pinning it to the wall. The DNAliens surround Ester, who does a handstand and spins, stretching her legs to kick all of them away. Highbreed approaches, and holds Kevin out, Ester’s leg wrapping around him. Highbreed whips it back, reeling Ester in. Highbreed punches Ester, sending her flying. She groans, and fails to stand back up. Highbreed tosses Kevin, him landing on Ester.

Highbreed: Now that I have you, we can leave this position. We’ll take the Omnitrix to the Highbreed Supreme, and we’ll have nothing in our way!

Highbreed goes over to the console, pulling the slime off it. Highbreed activates the ship, as it breaks out of the ground, flying into the sky.

Highbreed: Dispose of the extras.

The DNAliens go over to Ester and Kevin, dragging them off.

Elaskimo: Hey! No! Leave my friends alone!

Elaskimo reverts, as Ryder pulls his stuck arm free. His expression is grim, as black speech clouds his thoughts, him activating the Omnitrix. He slaps it down, as he breaks free from the slime as he turns into Diagoneir.

Diagoneir/Diagon: Freedom! Finally!

Diagoneir turns, firing a laser of fire at the DNAliens, blasting them off Ester and Kevin. Diagoneir fires a shot to the sky, busting a hole in the ceiling.

Highbreed: You continue to pester me, worm? I will show you what it means to defy me!

Highbreed goes to throw a punch at Diagoneir, who catches it with his claws. Diagoneir turns and snaps, biting into Highbreed’s shoulder.

Highbreed: Agh! You bit me! You mangy beast!

Highbreed knees Diagoneir, who then spins and slams Highbreed with his tail. Highbreed crashes into the console, as Diagoneir tackles Highbreed, destroying the console and the wall behind it. The two tumble off the ship, falling through the sky.

Diagoneir/Diagon: Now, to finish you.

Diagoneir pushes off Highbreed, extending his wings to fly. Diagoneir fires a laser of fire, as Highbreed extends his own wings, dodging and gliding away. Diagoneir roars ferociously, it echoing through the spaceship. Ester stirs, getting up.

Ester: Ugh. So that’s what it feels like to take a real punch. Huh? Ryder!

Ester gets up, stepping on Kevin’s face as she passes.

Kevin: Ow! What the heck?

Ester looks out the hole, seeing Highbreed flying off. Diagoneir turns, and breathes a fire laser at the spaceship, taking out the engine. Parts explode, as the ship drops from the sky.

Ester: Kevin! Time to go!

Kevin runs over, as the two jump out of the ship, falling through the air. Ester extends her arms and legs, Kevin grabbing them. Ester’s body expands out like a parachute, them falling gently through the sky.

Kevin: Well, this sucks.

Ester: (Straining) You’re telling me. Ryder! Can you come give us a ride?!

Ryder turns his head to look at Ester and Kevin, and flies at them. He speeds up, as his entire body is lit aflame, him going to ram them.

Kevin: Bad call, bad call!

Kevin lets go of Ester’s limbs, as they snap back to Ester, the force knocking her upwards. Diagoneir flies in-between Kevin and Ester, as Kevin drops like a rock while Ester is momentarily suspended by the rushing air.

Kevin: AAAAHHHHH!

Ester: Kevin!

Ester dives down after Kevin, grabbing and clinging to him as they fall. Diagoneir goes after them, approaching at an increasing velocity.

Ester: I have a plan! Get ready to grab on!

Kevin: I already don’t like this plan!

Ester and Kevin push up, landing on Diagoneir’s back as he flies at them. Kevin gets a grip on a spike on Diagoneir’s back, as Ester makes it to Diagoneir’s head, wrapping her arms around his nuzzle, forming a muzzle.

Diagoneir/Diagon: (Muffled) You shall die. This vessel is now mine, and there is nothing that you can do to get him back!

Ester: Diagon? We’ll see. Kevin, take out a wing!

Kevin: Oh, come on!

Kevin pulls out his knife, absorbing the metal. He slides to the side, cutting at the wing and through the membrane. They drop fast, them dive-bombing towards the ground.

Ester: Brace for impact!

Diagoneir crashes into the ground headfirst, skidding along the ground as his momentum keeps him going. Kevin is flung off, though Ester is stuck on the head. Kevin chases after Diagoneir, who finally comes to a stop, falling over. Diagoneir reverts, Ryder out cold. Ester stands, weak and barely able to stand.

Kevin: Mind telling me what was going on?

Ester: Diagon. He somehow left a piece of his influence in Diagoneir, and was eating away at Ryder’s mind. I figured a little cognitive reconditioning would get him out.

Kevin: By crashing him headfirst into the ground at hundreds of miles an hour.

Ester: (Shrugs shoulders) At least Ryder always wears a helmet.

Kevin: Heh. You think Diagon’s gone?

Ester: No. But I think it’s stuck in that one form. Now that we know,

Kevin: We can work to prevent it.

Characters

 * Ryder (16 years old)
 * Ester
 * Kevin
 * Lt. Steel
 * Morty

Villains

 * Diagon (voice only)
 * DNAliens
 * Highbreed

Aliens Used

 * Goat Foo (first re-appearance)
 * Wildmutt (first re-appearance)
 * Elaskimo
 * Diagoneir

Trivia

 * This is the first episode of 16 year Ryder, taking place immediately after the first series ended.
 * Diagon's black speech is a reference to Sauron in Lord of the Rings.
 * Ryder hints at the inspiration to the Highbreed when calling him a banana.