Schooled (Young Plumbers)

[Zon, Jack, and Ben are walking along the side of a building. Zon is carrying the ring.]

[Zon]: Well guys, that was a great break but we finally got through it.

[Jack]: I know. We did so much stuff related to the Academy that it was almost as if we never left.

[Ben]: I mean, we had that whole thing with the Star Relic, and then we found this ring and there were those problems, too...

[Jack]: But now we'll be heading back and living the good life again...

[Zon]: I just hope it isn't too difficult!

[Ben]: Oh it will be!

[He starts to laugh maniacally but then Jack and Zon laugh it off.]

[Jack]: Do either of you wish that our lives would just return to normal? I mean, I was in my home town for all of a week before Ben ended up in my village and then we went to Center City...

[Ben]: I never thought of that...

[Zon]: I'm actually glad that we are the way we are...

[Jack]: I guess it is great, but I just miss my old life sometimes...

[A panel shows just down the side. Sci is standing just inside the building. He overhears their conversation and then jumps out.]

[Sci]: I don't!

[Jack]: SCI! Long time no see!

[Jack and Ben run up to Sci. Zon puts away the ring and walks up to him.]

[Zon]: So is anyone else here yet?

[Sci]: No I haven't seen anybody...

[Ben]: So how have you been?

[Sci]: I've been... great. Paper, Toon, Bink, and I left the Academy a few weeks ago. I've been in my hometown ever since then. Just relaxing and stuff.

[Jack]: I wonder if the Elite have been doing anything is these two and a half months we've been...

[Zon]: Rob!

[Rob, entering]: Hey guys! Fancy meeting you here?

[Ben]: Ready for our first full year?

[Rob]: Definitely...

[Water, entering]: Well I know someone who had a good summer!

[Rob]: Water!

[Aevan, entering]: I'm here, I guess...

[Sci]: You guess?

[Aevan]: I guess...

[Jack]: I'd guess the others have to be arriving soon...

[The next few panels show Toon, Bink, and Brian arriving. Paper is the last to arrive.]

[Paper]: Well guys, the gang's all here...

[Brian]: Yeah, says the guy who arrived last...

[Paper]: Hey, it's my style... It's how I roll...

[Sci]: Wait, did you say style?

[Jack]: OPPA GANGNAM STYLE!

[Bink]: Oh, yeah, I saw that! Who else saw it?

[Toon]: We should start dancing...

[Ben]: We shouldn't...

[Jack]: Come on, you know you can't resist dancing...

[Hornbok]: Well Jack you're going to have to resist it a little longer...

[Sci]: Hornbok...

[Hornbok is standing across from all the recruits. They begin to file into the building. Everyone except for Water, Rob, and Aevan get into the building when Khyber's pet jumps out from around the corner.]

[Rob]: What the...?

[Rob gets tackled by Khyber's pet. He throws the dog off of him and then jumps up. Water runs over to the dog and then jumps up and slams down on it. Aevan shoots his shadow and knocks the dog across the ground. The rest of the recruits watch from the doorway.]

[Toon]: That's the creature that attacked us a month ago when we arrived here...

[Sci]: And it attacked me in Midnight City...

[Rob]: What?

[He dodges a lunge from the dog. The dog turns into a Slamworm and then burrows into the ground. It comes out underneath Rob and knocks him into the air. Water punches the Slamworm down to the ground turning it back into its dog form. Water helps up Rob and then all three recruits run into the facility. The dog comes running in but it doesn't attack the recruits. It jumps up machine after a machine until it reaches a figure standing on the balcony. The figure steps into the light.]

[Hornbok]: Well if it isn't Khyber himself...

[Khyber]: I want the child... The child of darkness...

[Sci]: What?

[He blasts a large stream of fire at Khyber and Khyber's pet. Khyber takes out his hunting rifle and fires blasts at Sci and the other recruits. Toon jumps in and sends fire ball after fireball at Khyber. He continues to shoot his hunting rifle at the recruits. Sci jumps begins to climb up a ladder up to the balcony where Khyber is standing. Khyber's pet jumps at Sci but he knocks him down to the ground. Aevan kicks the pet and then knocks it into the wall.]

[Khyber]: You're as good as mine...

[Sci]: What do you want with me?

[Khyber]: The Elite pay well. I need to capture you and bring you to them so they can begin preparations.

[Sci]: For the prophecy...

[Khyber]: They didn't say, and I didn't ask. You are coming with me

[He blasts his hunting rifle at Sci. He dodges and throws to tornadoes at Khyber, knocking him back. He throws his gun to the side and charges at Sci, knocking him down and over the railing. Sci makes a fire stream below him and eventually comes to a gentle landing.]

[Sci]: It's not going to work on me...

[Khyber]: It doesn't need to.

[Paper]: Sci, watch out!

[Sci turns around and sees Khyber's pet charging at him. He rolls to one side and dodges. The recruits run to help him.]

[Sci]: No... Khyber's after me, let me do this alone...

[Rob]: Are you sure?

[Sci]: I'm sure...

[He walks towards Khyber's pet. It growls at him and turns into a Tyrannopede and charges at Sci. He dodges its charge and then blasts fire at it. It turns around and then charges at Sci again. This time he connects, knocking Sci back into the wall.]

[Sci]: How do I beat this thing?

[He looks at the Tyrannopede for a moment and then notices the Omnitrix like device on it.]

[Sci]: That's it!

[He charges at the Tyrannopede but then jumps into the air and blows himself forward onto the creatures back. He crawls along it until he eventually makes it to the creature's neck. It crashes into a wall and tries to shake Sci off, but Sci grabs the Omnitrix like device and makes Khyber's pet detransforms. He eventually takes off the device and then jumps up off the pet. Sci holds the device in his hand. Khyber's pet growls at him and then charges, but Sci throws a fireball at it. It dodges but then Sci kicks it into the wall. He throws a large rock at it, making it crash into the wall. The dog falls to the ground and doesn't move. Sci falls to one knee. Meanwhile, Khyber backs into the shadows and disappears.]

[Sci]: It's finally over...

[All the recruits are sitting behind the Magisters. The Magisters are standing around a podium. Every other student at the Academy is sitting in the audience.]

[Hornbok]: Hello and welcome to another great year here at the Plumbers' Academy... We are looking forward to a great year and this I can guarantee. After most of you left at the end of the last term, these 11 recruits remained and went on a mission. A mission to protect not only the Academy but the rest of the galaxy. And they succeeded. Let's here it for them!

[The Academy erupts in cheers. The next panel shows the 11 recruits.]

[Paper]: Well guys... While I may miss the excitement of constant missions to Ranova or the Villain's Academy, it's better this way. We can finally become normal students...

[Toon]: But we will still train. There's bound to be another crisis at some other point.

[Paper]: And when there is one, we will be ready for it!

[Khyber is leaning against the wall of a back alley. He projects a holographic screen onto the wall. A figure is on the screen.]

[Khyber]: I failed: The boy is back at the Academy; I lost the Nemetrix; and my pet is dead...

[Figure]: Don't worry. We can get him next summer. This is why I planned for this to happen so early. For now, return to whatever you had been doing. But when the next term ends, you'll return to my team and this time you will get the boy.]

[Khyber]: Yes, I will...

[Figure]: Because if you fail me again, I won't be very happy...

[The next page shows Paper, Sci, Rob, and Brian is their barrack.]

[Rob]: So what did you guys do this summer?

[Sci]: I rebuilt the Academy and then I went home and relaxed...

[Paper]: Same...

[Brian]: My town was flooded in a bad storm, but nothing out of the ordinary...

[Rob]: Is it okay now?

[Brian]: It was less than three weeks ago, but yeah. No one died and not much was destroyed. Just some bad rains and stuff...

[Paper]: We never get rain. But we get a lot of snow...

[Sci]: We get rain, but there wasn't a lot this summer...

[Rob]: Meanwhile, I had great weather the whole summer...

[The door opens and Hornbok is standing in the doorway.]

[Hornbok]: Just checking in... How are you doing?

[All Recruits]: Great!

[Hornbok]: Great! Classes start Wednesday. Schedules will be available tomorrow and stuff.

[Sci]: Sounds good...

[Hornbok]: Oh, and I've already planned your first test for Friday...

[Rob]: What?

[Hornbok]: And I thought I was the one without the sense of humor...

[Hornbok leaves and closes the door behind him. The last two panels show the recruits staring at each other and then breaking out into laughter.]

[The End]