Smear Campaign

Story
Ryder, Ester and Kevin are driving through the city of Chicago at night, the wind chill being excruciating. Ester is shivering, in pain.

Ester: W-w-w-why a-a-a-a-re we in this c-c-c-c-razy city?!

Kevin: We’re just passing through.

Ryder: What?! But, Chicago is the Windy City! We’ve got to see the sights!

Kevin: This is the home city of that news caster Will Harangue. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have problems here.

Ryder: Oh, please! I don’t think it’ll be that bad.

A rattling sound occurs behind them, as they look behind them. The pod of the Stalker Robot is on top of red truck, which has tank like tracks for wheels. The glowing eye in it fires a laser, the group swerving out of the way. The tank speeds up as they do, right on their tail.

Ester: Are y-y-y-y-ou kid-d-d-d-ding?! We’ve b-b-b-been here les-s-s-s-s-s than five minutes!

Ryder: Now that’s a welcoming committee! Time to heat things up!

Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix, turning into Heatblast. The heat he exerts warms Ester up, her relaxing.

Ester: Ah. That’s better.

Heatblast slows down, pulling up right next to the Stalker. He shoots streams of fire, which all bounce off it. A hose comes out of the Stalker, which fires fire extinguisher foam at Heatblast, him swerving away as he coughs from the foam in his face, his fire extinguished.

Heatblast: Why would a robot have a fire extinguisher equipped into it?!

The Stalker robot turns to face Heatblast, shooting lasers at him. Heatblast maneuvers to dodge, as he throws a fire ball. It breaks harmlessly on the Stalker, as Heatblast speeds up, pulling up next to the Stalker. He presses the autopilot button on the Tenn-Speed, as he jumps, flying in the air. He hits the Omnitrix symbol, turning into Shocksquatch, who lands on the Stalker.

Shocksquatch: Let’s see how you like this, eh!

Shocksquatch releases lightning, which does nothing to the Stalker robot. Kevin pulls up beside the Stalker, absorbing its metal. He hits the tank with a mallet hand, though barely dents it.

Kevin: What the heck is this thing?

Shocksquatch starts punching the Stalker pod, doing no damage.

Shocksquatch: How should I know?! All I know is that it’s not breaking!

The Stalker fires foam at Shocksquatch, burying him. He tries to electrocute his way out, but is insulated, unable to move now. Stalker blasts Shocksquatch with a laser, sending him flying back, tumbling across the road. He bounces up in the air, reverting. Ester appears from behind, stretching and catching Ryder, pulling her onto her bike.

Ryder: Ow! What is that thing?

Ester: It seems ready for any of your alien forms.

Ryder: I’ll have to try something new. Take it out with a technology alien. How about, Rustcharge!

Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix, turning into Bullfrag. He sighs, as he extends his tongue, wrapping around the rearview mirror. Bullfrag pulls himself to the tank, grabbing onto the side. He tries punching the window, though it doesn’t budge.

Bullfrag: I’ll break you one way or another. Capisce?!

The Stalker fires a laser at Bullfrag, who hops off, landing on the Tenn-Speed. He turns the autopilot off, as he speeds in front of the tank. He spins around, driving in reverse. He presses a button, activating the missile launchers, firing them at the Stalker. The missiles do no damage, as Bullfrag extends his tongue at the Stalker. The Stalker secretes super glue down the front of the tank, Bullfrag’s tongue getting stuck to it.

Bullfrag: (Muffled) Uh-oh.

Bullfrag presses the autopilot button, as the tank comes to a stop, jerking Bullfrag forward, as he retracts his tongue. The tank accelerates, Bullfrag heading for the track wheels. Bullfrag hits the Omnitrix symbol, turning into The Worst.

The Worst: This is going to hurt!

The Worst gets caught under the tank in the tracks, the tank up bumping up and down. Squeaks  occur as the bumps occur further back. The Worst shoots out the back of the tank, as he lands on his butt, cringing in anticipation. The tank drives off, as The Worst looks around, wondering what happened.

The Worst: Hey. That wasn’t too bad. Maybe this thing isn’t useless after all.

The Worst stands up, squeaking as he does. He slaps down the Omnitrix, turning into XLR8. XLR8 dashes after the Stalker, which turns to watch him. The Stalker fires slime, hitting XLR8 dead on. XLR8 tries to run free, but snaps back to the slime.

XLR8: Oh, come on! This thing! I’m getting tired of this!

Ester and Kevin are being chased by the Stalker. The Stalker fires lasers after them, Kevin looking back.

Kevin: Ryder! Get over this already!

Black tentacles wrap around the Stalker, it trying to process the situation. Ghostfreak becomes visible, as he pulls on the Stalker.

Ghostfreak: Let’s see how you like being dislodged by the head! (He stops, surprised.) Wow. I still sound like that evil one.

Ghostfreak pulls on the Stalker, as steam hisses. The Stalker comes up, it revealing four spider legs.

Ghostfreak: (Deadpan) You’re kidding.

The Stalker fires slime, hitting Ghostfreak. Ghostfreak is pinned to the ground, as the tank drives off. Kevin and Ester circle back around, as Ghostfreak reverts.

Ryder: That, was the worst battle ever!

Kevin gets his knife out, working on getting Ryder out.

Kevin: I don’t think we’ve seen the last of that thing. We’ve got to get ready for it.

Ester: Well, it can’t get any worse. End Scene

Harangue: Hello. I’m Will Harangue with Channel Three. Yesterday, the menace known as Ryder arrived in our glorious city of Chicago. Fortunately, we got video proof of the threat being all but eliminated.

The scene shows the battle between Ryder and the Stalker, focusing on moments of Ryder’s defeat.

Harangue: This battle was caught on video by a passerby, who happened to be one who knows Ryder personally. Please help me welcome, Mr. Argit!

The camera view opens up, showing Argit sitting in the chair next to Harangue.

Argit: Hello, Mr. Harangue. It’s an honor to be here!

Harangue: Now, you said you know Ryder. What has been your experience with him?

Argit: Well, he’s a very self-destructive guy. He usually attacks without thought, and while he attempts to, (Coughs) help people, he mostly just causes unwanted destruction.

Harangue: And the battle you witnessed. How was it to see him being completely crushed?

Argit: Well, I must say, it was the least destructive battle I’ve seen. That robot or whatever it was was trounced him, which I must say was quite entertaining.

Harangue: Well, you heard it here. I’m Will Harangue with Channel 3.

Kevin: Told you Harangue wouldn’t allow us to move through his hometown.

The group is at a restaurant, as Ryder chows down.

Ester: And why’s that Argit on his side? I thought he was our friend. Sort of.

Kevin: He’s more of a self served kind of guy. Whatever’s in his best interest is what he does.

Ryder: So, we’ve got two options. Leave the city, or break the robot.

Ester: Let me guess which one we’re doing.

Kevin: Argit just happened to be in the right place at the right time? He’s got to be a part of it.

Ryder: Then let’s look for them.

Will Harangue and Argit meet in the back room, where Enoch is waiting for them. The Stalker is behind Enoch, inactive.

Enoch: Well, I saw your recent exert. Very well done. It seems the Stalker is a success.

Harangue: Yes! With it, we can ruin Ryder once and for all!

Argit: Yep. And you’re going to pay me for this, right?

Enoch: Oh, of course.

Harangue: Now, let’s drive him out of town in shame!

Enoch: Hm. Why settle for just that? Why not try and kill the boy?

Harangue: Kill him?!

Enoch: This menace must be stopped at any cost, and the best way is to do that is to eliminate him.

Harangue: Hm. Think of the ratings if I catch his defeat on camera!

Argit: Uh, you do realize that’s crazy, right?

Enoch: Nonsense. It’s the perfect plan.

Harangue: It is. We’ll finally be rid of him once and for all!

Ryder, Ester and Kevin pull up in a square outside the Channel 3 building, where Argit meets with them.

Ester: This better be good.

Argit: Okay, I know that I messed up a bit.

Ryder: How about betraying me on live television?

Argit: Hey, I got paid to do that! Anyway, Harangue’s lost it! That Enoch guy has made him think that he’ll be a hero or something for killing you.

Ester: Enoch? That Forever Knight with the gold mask?

Argit: Yeah, yeah! That’s the one! He created the Stalker robot, and he paid me good to give him info on your aliens.

Kevin: So, it’s your fault Ryder’s losing.

Argit: Uh, I guess you could say that.

Ryder: Alright then, Argit. Get the robot out here then. I want to end this.

Ryder stands in the square, as the Stalker robot comes out. On its body is a screen that shows Will Harangue.

Harangue: Hello, Ryder. We meet face to face.

Ryder: I’m not sure you understand what face to face means.

Harangue: Today, I’ll end your reign of terror once and for all!

Ryder: (Sighs) Fine. Sure, whatever. I just want to break this little toy of yours.

Harangue: Ha! Bring it on! I’ve programmed all of your aliens into this thing! There’s not a form you have that’ll surprise me.

Ryder: (Smirks) We’ll see.

Ryder slaps down the Omnitrix, transforming into Mummy Dusk. The Stalker sparks slightly, as it searches its database.

Stalker: Error. Data not in memory.

Harangue: What?! Impossible!

Mummy Dusk: Hate to disappoint you. But I’ve gotten some new aliens since the last time I saw  you.

Mummy Dusk charges forward, as Stalker begins to recover. Mummy Dusk punches Stalker, it stumbling back. It lifts one of its spider legs, it spinning like a fan blade. Stalker charges forward as Mummy Dusk extends bandages, which are chopped up in the fan. Mummy Dusk is sucked in, and chopped up into confetti.

Harangue: I did it! Yes! Yes!

Mummy Dusk reforms himself, as he extends a bandage to grab a spider leg. He pulls on it, the Stalker tumbling over. It gets up, Harangue furious.

Harangue: No, no, no!

Enoch: Harangue, be calm. It is essentially the same as his plant alien.

Mummy Dusk: Hey there, Enoch. I hear you!

Stalker turns to Mummy Dusk, extending a torch. It shoots a flamethrower, Mummy Dusk running out of the way.

Mummy Dusk: Huh. Should’ve expected that. Alright. Time to give it an alien that even I don’t know how to use!

Mummy Dusk slaps down the Omnitrix, as he takes a humanoid gorilla form, with buff muscles. He grows thorns all over his body, even his long black hair being thorns. He wears a green and black jumpsuit and has the Omnitrix symbol on his chest.

Quilscade: Meet, uh, Quilscade! Yeah, let’s go with that.

The Stalker sparks even more, beginning to malfunction.

Stalker: Unidentified alien! Error! Error!

Stalker shoots its flamethrower, as Quilscade swings his arm, launching thorns at Stalker. It cuts through the fire, though bounces off Stalker’s armor. Stalker charges forward, shooting slime, as Quilscade is caught. He inhales, a series of thorns growing all over his body, piercing and tearing through the slime. Quilscade charges in and jumps, slamming his arms into Stalker. Stalker takes no damage, though its eye light starts to flutter.

Quilscade: I’ve got it.

Quilscade curls up into a ball, rolling backwards. He opens up on one knee, pointing his finger at Stalker. It moves around frantically, but Quilscade waits, watching. Stalker recovers and stares right at Quilscade, as he shoots a thorn from his finger, his hand recoiling like a gun. The thorn flies straight, and pierces through Stalker’s eye, electricity forming from the injury.

Stalker: Vision lost! Vision lost!

Stalker starts attacking randomly, spinning around as it fires slime, lasers and foam. Quilscade dodges stray attacks that head towards him, but most simply fly overhead. Quilscade hits the Omnitrix symbol, as Jury Rigg runs forward.

Jury Rigg: BREAK! BREAK, BREAK, BREAK!

Jury Rigg climbs up the Stalker, making it to its face. He pulls the thorn out, and tears an even bigger hole in it from where the thorn had pierced. He gets into the circuitry, pulling on wires and hardware. The Stalker powers down, and drops. Jury Rigg climbs out of it, satisfied.

Jury Rigg: Whew! That was easy.

Stalker: Self destruct mode initiated. Detonation will occur in 5, 4,

Jury Rigg: Uh-oh.

Ester stretches her arm, grabbing Jury Rigg by the collar. She pulls him back, as Stalker detonates, debris flying everywhere. The main pod head crashes into Harangue’s convertible.

Jury Rigg: Ahahahaha! Success!

Ester: How was that a success?

Jury Rigg: (Smugly) I hit his car.

The next day, Ryder, Ester and Kevin watch the battle against the Stalker on Channel 3, the Stalker exploding and hitting Harangue’s car. It focuses in on Jury Rigg.

Jury Rigg: (On TV) I hit his car.

Harangue: And there you have it! This “Stalker” robot or whatever it’s called was just a publicity stunt by Ryder to gain attention to himself. And as revenge for me simply reporting the facts, he takes it personally and had his robot destroy my car!

Ryder: He shouldn’t even have enough money to get a convertible anyway!

Kevin: It’s amazing how much newsmen make just to stand and talk on TV.

Ester: Can we please just leave this town already? I don’t want him coming after us with another robot.

Ryder: Good call. Let’s ride!

Characters

 * Ryder
 * Ester
 * Kevin

Neutral

 * Argit

Villains

 * Stalker
 * Will Harangue
 * Enoch

Aliens Used

 * Heatblast
 * Shocksquatch
 * Bullfrag (accidental transformation; intended alien was Rustcharge)
 * The Worst
 * XLR8
 * Ghostfreak
 * Mummy Dusk
 * Quilscade (first appearance)
 * Jury Rigg

Trivia

 * In this series, Will Harangue lives in Chicago.
 * Argit returns, though is serving himself instead of helping Ryder.
 * Ryder reuses Ghostfreak since the Zs'Skayr incident.
 * With Quilscade's appearance, there is only one alien that was unlocked in Inspector Number 13 (Ryder 10) that hasn't appeared.