A/n: This appeared after I read 'anarchy in the pre-k' by gersemi, and then read a challenge put out by AOneWordStory (now TheDarkYinYang). This is my first attempt in writing a toad-central fic, and hope I did well.

MCTAGGERT!!" Eric screamed in terror as he ran down the hallway, four large toads hopping after him. "MISS MCTAGGERT!!"

Mort—a.k.a. Toad—sniggered quietly from under the couch as Eric ran past, tears streaming down the latter's face. That's what you get, buckethead, he thought spitefully. Once the five-year-old had gone past, Mort crawled out from his hiding place, pushing an open Superman lunchbox in front of him. Putting the lunchbox on the couch, he sat on his heels and grabbed three of the amphibians as they went by, setting them in the lunchbox.

"Oi!" Mort yelled after the last pet, which had made a mad dash for freedom and was rapidly hopping down the hallway. Leaving the lunchbox, the toddler quickly stood up and went after the toad, demanding, "Where d'ya think you're goin', Godzilla?"

Apparently sensing that he was about to be caught, Godzilla attempted to hop under one of the armchairs, but Mort grabbed him just in time. "Where did ya think ya were goin', Godzilla?" he repeated with a scowl as he stood up and carried the attempted escapee back.

Closing up his lunchbox, Mort heard the sharp click of Ms. McTaggert's heels on the tile floor behind him. Time to scramble, Mort thought, and checking over his shoulder he saw that Ms. McTaggert was only half of the hallway away. Yipes! Definitely time to move.

"Stop right there Mortimer Tonybee!" Ms. McTaggert yelled as he just started to step away, his makeshift toad container under his arm. Pouting, he put his foot back on the floor and turned back around, hugging the box to his chest.

"Mortimer," the woman said dangerously once she reached him. "Did you put frogs in Eric's lunch?"

"Maaaaaaaybe," Mort mumbled, shuffling his feet nervously. "And they weren't frogs, they were toads."

Mort watched Ms. McTaggert rub her forehead and ask tiredly, "Well then, why did you put toads in Eric's lunch, Mortimer?"

"'Cause 'e's an annoying, slimy little git," Mort answered quickly.

"Mortimer…" There was a warning tone in Ms. McTaggert's voice, one which made Mort think twice about staying quiet as to the real reason.

"Weeeeeeeeell," Mort wheedled, looking at the ceiling, his shoes, anywhere but Ms. McTaggert. "'e might've pushed Nina off of the swings yesterday."

Ms. McTaggert sighed and asked quietly, "What am I going to do with you Mort?"

"You're gonna send me back soes I can play, Ms. McTaggert," Mort answered promptly, shifting the grip on his lunchbox so he was holding its handle.

"Go on then," Ms. McTaggert huffed, rolling her eyes.

Mort didn't waste any time in getting out of there. He took off down the hallway, the toads croaking in distress. I can't wait to show Nina my pets, he thought as he skidded around a corner, his feet almost sliding out from underneath him.