Grudge Match (Ryder 10)

Story
Steel is reporting to Colonel Rozum, who wasn’t pleased with his results.

Rozum: So, not only did you fail to catch the boy you call “Ryder,” but you re-arrested Viktor for treason.

Steel: Yes sir. He never planned to help us.

Rozum: And you expect me to believe that you were too occupied with him that you couldn’t stop the boy as well?

Steel: Yes. By the time I had finished with Viktor, he had already taken back his friend and his motorcycle.

Rozum: (Looking intrigued) Did he now? Well then, we are in luck.

Steel: Sir?

Rozum pulls out a remote, pressing a button, a map appearing on the monitor. A red light flashes, marking a moving target.

Rozum: In case of such an event, I ordered a soldier to place a tracker on the bike. This way we could find him again. He can no longer escape from us.

Steel: You compromised one of my trusted men?!

Rozum: They’re all my men! As are you, so don’t go out of line. I still haven’t overlooked Area 51.

Voice: And what happened at Area 51?

Rozum and Steel turn, seeing a guy in a Plumber suit walking in. He has darkish grey skin and blue hair which is spiked up. His stare is as cold as ice.

Rozum: Who are you?! This is a restricted area!

Plumber: I don’t think I’m restricted when I wield this. (He holds up a Plumbers’ badge, with the redspot symbol.) I am Officer Brago of the Plumbers.

Steel: Plumbers?

Rozum: The intergalactic police officers. They handle alien affairs, and throw their criminals in jail.

Brago: I have been sent to retrieve the villain you were referring to, Viktor. I assume he shall be given to Plumber authority immediately. (Brago walks forward, pushing past Steel as he goes to the map.) So, who’s your target?

Rozum: Classified.

Brago: Shame. As I have been given access to your records already. Seems like you’ve been chasing the Omnitrix wielder for some time.

Steel: Omnitrix?

Brago: The watch that transforms him. You shall take me to him.

Rozum: No! That boy is our target!

Brago: And I would like a word with him. (He turns.) Lieutenant Steel, correct? You shall take me to him. That, is an order.

Steel: Yes sir!

Rozum: Steel!

Steel: Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.

Brago: Now, the prisoner. ​End Scene

On a ship in space, a short, purple crustacean alien with a big head is operating a computer. A call comes in, and he answers it. Khyber is on the screen.

Khyber: Dr. Psychobos.

Psychobos: Ah, K-k-khyber. To what do I owe this p-p-prearranged meeting?

Khyber: I obtained the Omnitrix data that you ordered. I need more time to capture the Omnitrix wielder.

Psychobos: No need. That contract has been terminated. My master, and I use the term loosely, has recovered and g-g-gone down to capture him himself.

Khyber: That was not the bargain!

Psychobos: Tough! My m-m-master goes by his own rules, and you have become obsolete to him. However, I s-s-still require your services. End Scene

Ryder is driving the military transport truck into the city of Bellwood, and goes down a tunnel. The tunnel has a dead end, when Ryder pulls out a key from his pocket, pressing a button. The wall lifts up, allowing them down past. They drive down into Undertown, heading towards Mecha Mechanics.

Ryder: Here we are. Home sweet home.

Ryder pulls up in front, Kevin and Argit hanging out outside. They are alarmed at first, then see Ryder.

Argit: Ryder! Buddy!

Kevin: Sweet ride! Where’d you get it?

Ryder: An SACT base.

Ryder gets out, Charles slinking behind. Ester and Kolar come out of the back, Kolar carrying the Tenn-Speed.

Kevin: That?

Ryder: Yeah.

Ester: (Stretching her arm) Ah! It feels so good to move again! It feels like it’s been weeks!

Ryder: Only a few days. Is Mecha in, or is he on break?

Kevin: Oh, he’s in there. And it’ll be a marvel if nothing is broken.

Ryder goes inside, an engine thrown, missing his head. Mecha is having a tantrum, two other aliens of his species laughing. One is tall and skinny with a beard, while the other is shorter and rounder.

Mecha: I asked you bozos to fix a Level 16 tachyon engine! And now, it’s not even assembled correctly! (The engine is roaring, squeaking.) And you put a rubber duck in there!

Grick: I told you that my brother stinks at this.

Grack: And I told you my brother likes rubber ducks!

The two laugh obnoxiously, as Mecha is about to burst a gasket.

Ryder: Uh, Mecha?

Mecha turns, seeing Ryder. His anger dies down slightly.

Mecha: Ah, Ryder. The human with such an imagination. How’s your custom bike?

Ryder: Uh, totalled. (Mecha’s anger returns.)

Mecha: What?!

Ryder: (Scared) Uh, I was hoping you could fix it!

Mecha: (Sighs) Fine. Bring it in.

Kolar goes in through the garage door, dropping the pile.

Ryder: Hey! Gently!

Mecha: Hm. (He runs around the pile, inspecting it.) Not as bad as I thought it would be. Give me a few hours. It’ll be good as new.

Charles: Well, thanks for everything. But now, I’m gone.

Charles turns invisible, disappearing.

Ester: Well that was rude.

Kolar: He cares more on survival than honor.

Argit: I can relate to that.

A siren starts going off, Ryder turning. He sees a red light flashing, as Kevin turns the alarm off.

Ryder: What was that?

Kevin: Surface detector. Something big is going on up on the surface. Which means we need to stay down here for a while.

Ryder: Forget that. I’m heading up there.

Ryder takes off running, Ester concerned.

Ester: You think it’s bad up there?

Kevin: It’s nothing good, that’s for sure.

From inside an old warehouse, a cabinet moves as Ryder opens a trap door in the ground. He gets out, and repositions the cabinet, as he heads outside. Several UFO shaped robots with robot claws were flying around, firing lasers, leveling the town. Ryder activates the Omnitrix, slapping it down.

A robot flies over the city, firing a laser that blows up a car. Then, a fireball hits it, damaging it and sending it crashing to the ground. Heatblast stands in the middle of the road, eager.

Heatblast: Alright. Who wants a piece of?

Robots fire lasers at Heatblast, him jumping to dodge, firing propulsion flames to take to the air. The robots give chase as he flies off, when Heatblast turns, releasing a wave of fire. The first few drones crash down, as Heatblast collides with another, not watching where he was going. He hits the ground, the robots surrounding him.

Heatblast: Ugh. This feels like a trap. They were all waiting for me.

The ground shakes, as a large, spike ball ship rolls down the street, tearing through the pavement. It stops, and opens, revealing a healed Vilgax. He has respirators and steroid boosters on his body.

Heatblast: Another bounty hunter?

Vilgax: You think that I am at the level as those pitiful and worthless bounty hunters? I am the one who promised to pay them, Vilgax.

Heatblast: Vilgax? Seriously? That’s it? I thought your name would be much more terrifying.

Vilgax swats his arm, slamming into Heatblast’s chest, sending him flying. He tears through several robots and a building, groaning on the other side. The Omnitrix times out, as he reverts. Ryder sits up, groaning as he activates his full face helmet mode. The spike ball ship rolls forward, going through the building. The building starts to topple, people running out of it.

Ester: Ryder!

Kevin drives his hover-cycle by, Ester in the passenger car. She stretches, grabbing Ryder and pulling him with them. Vilgax’s ship opens, face to face with Kolar.

Vilgax: You are not the Omnitrix wielder.

Kolar: No. I’m not. End Scene

Kevin: Vilgax? We’re in trouble.

Kevin is driving as fast as he can out of the city, going out on plains.

Ryder: What’s so scary about an octopus face?

Kevin: He’s one of the most deadly villains in the universe. Relentless, merciless. He can never hold a crew of living beings because they're either too scared or they’re too weak to survive his wrath.

Ryder: He said he hired the bounty hunters.

Kevin: We need to stay ahead of him.

Ester: (Looking up) Uh, I think that’ll be a problem.

Kevin and Ryder look up, seeing the spike ball ship dropping down from above them. Kevin speeds up, the collision missing them, but launching them up, crashing into the ground. It opens, as Vilgax comes out. The army of robots fly in from the city.

Vilgax: Enough of these childish games. Give me the Omnitrix.

Ryder: Sorry. But I’ve grown to like this thing.

Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix, turning into Eatle. The robots fire lasers, which Eatle takes with ease. Ester stretches, pulling off a piece of metal off the hover-cycle, tossing it to Eatle.

Kevin: Hey!

Ester: Sorry! Emergency!

Eatle eats it, as he turns around, firing a laser, which tears through several robots. The debris falls, as Eatle charges in, Vilgax going to intercept. Vilgax punches Eatle away, as he crashes into an armored truck.

Eatle: This truck? This is!

The truck opens, revealing Steel and Brago. Brago looks up, seeing Vilgax.

Brago: We’re right on time.

Steel: Ryder. We meet again.

Eatle: Steel! Now’s not the time! I have to stop this guy!

Steel: Before he takes the Omnitrix and uses it to conquer the galaxy. Yeah, I’ve been debriefed.

Vligax: A Plumber?

Brago: Officer Brago. And you, don’t stand a chance.

Brago raises his hands, it glowing with blue aura. The robots in the air start spinning in a circle, completely helpless. He then swings his arms down, as they all crash into the ground, exploding. Vilgax is caught in the explosion wave, but comes out, jumping and stomping the truck, destroying it. Eatle tackles Vilgax, his horn striking Vilgax’s face. Vilgax lifts Eatle and slams him into the ground several times, then throws him at his spike ball ship, skidding to a stop in front of it. Eatle reverts, Ryder on the ground.

Vilgax: Too easy.

Vilgax starts walking, when he meets resistance. He turns, seeing Brago standing arms out, straining from the pressure. Steel pulls out a rocket launcher, firing several missiles at Vilgax, hitting him dead on, yet doing no damage. Vilgax turns, and jumps, letting his body flow with the gravity field. He rams Brago hard, sending him into the distance.

Ester: We need to do something!

Kevin: We’re nothing compared to that guy. We’ll only get in the way, or get killed!

Ester: Well, I’m not waiting.

Ester runs forward, Kevin trying to grab her arm and stop her. She jumps, stretching and landing on Vilgax’s back, pulling at his respiration system. Vilgax reaches for her, but she dodges with ease. Vilgax then jumps and does a back flip, Ester floating off. Vilgax grabs her, as he stomps down, leaving a crater. He slams Ester into the ground, her laughing while slightly dazed.

Ester: I’m a Kraaho! You’ll have to do better than that to hurt me!

Vilgax grabs her throat, it stretching to fit the full length of his hand. She tries to stretch out, but is gripped tight. She starts gasping for breath.

Vilgax: Even with your body composition, you still need to breathe.

A vibration occurs, as Vilgax turns. His spike ball ship has been taken over by Upgrade, who rolls straight into Vilgax. Vilgax skids across the ground, Ester being launched from his grasp. Steel catches her, as she gasps heavily.

Steel: You alright? (Ester pulls away from him, standing.)

Ester: Yeah, fine. Like you care.

Vilgax charges at the spike ball ship, grabbing Upgrade’s liquid like body, pulling him off. He is liquid, as he morphs onto Vilgax’s body, accessing his respiration system.

Upgrade: Let’s see how you like being choked.

The respiration system turns off, Vilgax struggling. He bites into the respirator, getting a piece of Upgrade in it. His steroid boosters activate, his muscles expanding and Upgrade’s body expanding out, off the respirator.

Upgrade: Huh?

Vilgax grabs Upgrade, and taps the Omnitrix symbol. Upgrade reverts, Ryder caught in his hand.

Ryder: Hey! How’d you?

Vilgax throws Ryder into his spike ball ship, as he walks in. It closes, and rockets into the air, heading to a spaceship that appeared in the air, the Chimerian Hammer. End Scene

Ryder is captured in an energy field, arms and legs spread out. Vilgax goes through his assortment of tools, looking for one to saw off the Omnitrix.

Ryder: Uh, you don’t have to do this. Surely you know of a code to take it off.

Vilgax: Even if I did, you’d still be dead at the end anyway.

Vilgax takes an energy saw, and goes over to Ryder. He swings it, it hitting the Omnitrix. Feedback occurs, as Vilgax is launched back, as Ryder transforms. He becomes a yellow and black yeti, with lightning shaped eyebrows. He wears a green belt, where the Omnitrix symbol is.

Shocksquatch: A new guy, eh? Alright then. Let’s see (He punches his fists together, them sparking with lightning) what he can do!

Shocksquatch charges at Vilgax, fists charged with lightning. He punches Vilgax several times, him sparking up each time. Vilgax swats Shocksquatch away, who flips and lands on his feet. He raises his hand, firing lightning from it. Vilgax charges through it, as Shocksquatch jumps up, grabbing a pipe with his hands. He climbs across like monkey bars, dropping down by a control console. He goes to the outlet.

Shocksquatch: Alright. Let’s try it.

Shocksquatch’s body lights up with lightning, as he fires it from his mouth, into the outlet. It overloads, as explosions happen everywhere. Vilgax grabs Shocksquatch, throwing him. Shocksquatch reverts, as Ryder backs up.

Vilgax: Little insect. I’ll teach you to play with me.

An explosion occurs, the wall breaking down. The suction of wind is strong, as it sucks Ryder out.

Ryder: Later!

Computer: Self destruct mode initiated.

Vilgax: NO!

Ryder is falling through the air, as he activates the Omnitrix. He turns into Xylofreeze, as he flies off, the Chimerian Hammer exploding in the air. Xylofreeze lands, the others waiting for him.

Ester: Ryder! (She goes and hugs him.) You’re okay!

Xylofreeze: Sheesh. Have a little more confidence in me.

Brago: We haven’t officially met. I’m Brago of the Plumbers.

Xylofreeze: Plumbers?

Kevin: Alien peacekeepers and law enforcers.

Brago: Your actions have attracted our attention. And if you’re interested in having more resources, to do your tasks better, you can join us.

Xylofreeze: You want me in your police group?

Brago: Consider it. If you decide to, go to Mount Rushmore. (He turns to Steel.) That applies to you as well.

Steel: Me?

Brago: You have enough of a conscious to oppose Rozum, and we respect that. If you’re tired of his actions, we’re open to you. Now, good day.

Brago walks away, as Xylofreeze reverts.

Ryder: Weird.

Characters

 * Ryder
 * Ester
 * Kevin Levin
 * Argit
 * Kolar
 * Charles
 * Mecha
 * Grick
 * Grack
 * SACT
 * Colonel Rozum
 * Lt. Steel
 * Brago

Villains

 * Vilgax
 * Vilgax's Drones
 * Khyber
 * Dr. Psychobos

Aliens Used

 * Heatblast
 * Eatle
 * Upgrade
 * Shocksquatch (first appearance)
 * Xylofreeze

Trivia

 * This episode introduces Psychobos, who is working for Vilgax.
 * Kevin and Argit rejoin the team.
 * Grick and Grack appear, as Mecha's cousins.
 * They were previously mentioned in On the Road Again (Ryder 10).
 * Brago makes an appearance, officially offering both Ryder and Steel a spot in the Plumbers.
 * He is of a lower rank than in John Smith 10.
 * Unlocking Shocksquatch gives Ryder access to three of John Smith's original 10, being Upgrade, Eatle and Shocksquatch.
 * Coincidentally, they all appear in this episode.