Well, here's a new episode! It's mostly going to center around Robotnik and Derek… so this should be worthwhile.
d~b
~Episode 9~
The Mad-Scientist's Apprentice
It-
*KA-BOOM!*
Oh, come on! I didn't even begin my narration!
*sigh* Well, it WOULD have been a nice day at Paradise Towers, but something went horribly, horribly wrong down in Robotnik's lab, as it always did.
Inside the lab, we see a blackened wall… and five charred figures fell off said wall, leaving Robotnik, Scratch, Horace, Jasper, and Grounder-shaped imprints on the used-to-be gray wall, the villain and his lackeys laying face-down on the ground. Just three feet in front of them was a small crater where their latest invention once stood.
"I TOLD you dolts it ran on Regular, not Unleaded." Scratch sneered, coughing out smoke.
"So much for the Nuclear Brain-Drain Reactor 4000," Grounder added, then took out a catalogue, putting an 'x' over a picture of what the machine was supposed to look like… the page full of crossed-off machines that barely lasted a day in the lab. "Ooh, but the 5000 model is finally out!"
"Boss?" Horace asked, looking down at Robotnik, who had yet to get up. "Um… since the machine blew up, and the next one won't be delivered until Monday… might we have the weekend off?"
A growling sound erupted from Robotnik's throat as he clenched his fists, looking up with sheer hatred, anger, and an ill-will to kill burning in his eyes. (Horace suddenly felt he asked at the wrong moment). He stood up, seething with fury, drew in a breath so deep his gut shrunk to a scrawny size while his chest puffed out, then bellowed at the top of his lungs:
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
The shout was so loud, it rattled the charcoal off the walls, shook the entire building, made Shaggy, Pugsy, and Flip fall out of their beds upstairs, made Zippy hit the ceiling, Shawn K. spill his coffee, Uncle Ted jump out of his chair while gripping the newspaper, and the masked figure standing on top of the roof stagger as a flock of pigeons shot to the skies.
"What makes you think that, after my machine blew sky-high due to YOUR incompetence, that you'd deserve any time off?!" Robotnik shouted in his stooges' faces.
"Because… the more time off we have, the less you have to pay us?" Horace replied weakly. Jasper slapped his forehead.
*WHACK!*
Robotnik struck him on the head with a sledgehammer, knocking him out. "Anyone ELSE got a smart-remark?!" he demanded.
"Geez, Robotnik, calm down!" Scratch yelped, ducking behind Grounder. "It's not the first time something in the lab blew up!"
"Yeah- remember last week with the Kitten-Powered Time-Bomb Launcher?" Grounder added.
*CLANG!*
Robotnik whacked them both with a giant wrench. He then turned to Jasper, who flinched and covered his mouth. "All of you, get to work cleaning this place up… with THESE!" the villain growled, handing them tiny toothbrushes.
"Aw, boss, why can't we use mops and brooms?" Horace asked.
"Because if I gave you anything else, chances are you'd turn the whole place into a scene from The Sorcerer's Apprentice! …besides, our budget doesn't cover efficient cleaning supplies. NOW GET TO WORK!" with that, Robotnik stormed off.
"Waaaiiit… we can afford large, powerful death-machines, but we can't afford a Swifter?" Scratch questioned, looking at the others. "What's up with that?"
"Don't ask me- I'm just trying to figure out how something always explodes once a week," Jasper scoffed.
d~b
Robotnik stormed through the lobby, just as Shaggy and Pugsy were walking out. "Seriously, can't we go ONE week without something exploding?" Shaggy said.
"Hey, I'm just trying to figure out why no coppers have been investifying by now," Pugsy replied as they walked out, heading for work.
Robotnik sat at his desk, grumbling to himself. "This is getting aggravating! It isn't enough that I have three simpletons to kick out of here due to their meddling-"
"Uh, when was the last time they meddled?" The Nostalgia Critic asked, passing by while checking his mail. "So far the only thing they've done was hit a baseball into one of your machines, and that was in the Pilot! Other than that, they haven't really done anything, you're just trying to kick them out for no reason,"
*BAM!*
Robotnik hit the Nostalgia Critic in the face with a boxing-glove on a spring, then continued, "…but I'm also stuck with a bunch of simpletons as henchmen! Geez, I doubt Doctor Drakken has this sort of problem…" he stood up, walking outside. "Not only that, but with all the disasters going on, it will be ages before I conquer the world, I fear. If this keeps up, I'll be too old to enjoy my victory when it comes! And I can't rely on those imbeciles to take over… why, with their incompetence, they might end up putting me in the grave before my 40th birthday!
"If my legacy is to live on, I'll have to find an accomplice- someone to take my place and carry out my plans once I retire… or if I end up meeting an early demise. But who, and how? I have no offspring, and I'm not willing to adopt! No, I need to find someone I don't have to nurture and care for, who's not only young, but also merciless and cruel, lacks morality, and takes charge… like a Hollywood producer! But who? WHO?!"
"Hi, Robotnik! Hey, what was with the yelling this morning?" Flip asked. "What exploded this time?"
"The furnace- now beat it! I'm pondering here!" Robotnik snapped. "Wait, aren't you supposed to be in school? It's Friday!"
"Not today- Teacher Inservice."
"Oh, never mind! Scram!" With that, Robotnik shoved Flip away.
"Sheesh, what a grouch," Flip walked across the yard, heading over to the garage to get his bike…
Only to have an encounter with Derek. "Hey, Chan, what're you up to?" the bully asked, sinisterly.
"D-Derek?! I thought you had school!" Flip stammered.
"It's called 'skipping class', you doofus. What say we have some fun?!"
Flip took off running, Derek in pursuit. The pre-teen tried to get to the safety of the apartment complex, but wasn't so lucky, as halfway across the yard the bully tackled him, bending his arm behind his back to make him say 'Uncle Grandpa' (…to utter such a title would be as bad as cussing). "Ow! Knock it off, Derek!"
"Say it!"
"No!"
Robotnik was pacing around the yard, just a short distance away, his back to the scene. "…Maybe that Gizmo kid from the .E Five needs a job… ah, no, he and that Calvin-kid ended up in Juvi weeks ago! Darn it, isn't there any self-respecting, inconsiderate youth I can make an imprint on?!"
"Say it!" Derek was still shouting.
"No!" Flip was still replying. Derek stomped his foot on the back of Flip's head, smothering his face in the grass. "Mmf!"
"Say it!"
"Nmf!"
"Say it!"
"Nmf!"
"Why is it so hard to find someone who has no decency towards others, is prone to violence, and is most likely to skip school?" Robotnik kept going on. "Where can I find such a child? …And who the heck keeps making that ruckus?!"
The villain turned around, suddenly spotting Flip was now pinned on his back, while Derek picked his nose, ready to stick a booger to the pre-teen's face! "NO! DEREK! DON'T! PLEASE!" Flip was screaming.
Robotnik's eyes widened in shock. "YOU THERE! BOY!"
Derek gasped quickly standing up and flicking the booger away, while forcing Flip to his feet. "I didn't do anything!"
Robotnik gave an unconvinced glare. "You had Flip pinned to the ground!"
"Oh, that… um… I was just showing him a wrestling move I learned in gym class!"
"You were not!" Flip snapped, and Derek smacked him upside the head to shut up.
"Your friendly façade can't fool me, kid. I saw the loathsome, sadistic, brutal display of harassment, and I have ONE thing to say about it!" Robotnik snarled… then grinned and calmly asked, "Would you be interested in a job?"
"Huh?!" Flip and Derek both responded, confused… well, Flip wasn't really confused that much, since he knew Robotnik was the kind of jerk that could make Alexandra from Season 1 look like a saint.
"I'm looking for an accomplice for my schemes- er, I mean, some extra help around the building. The men I have now are just too incompetent, and just don't know what it takes to rule… uh, I mean 'run' things." He stepped forth. "The moment I saw you putting Flip at your mercy, I saw great potential in you. You're just the kind of young lad I need to take charge!"
"You've got to be kidding," Flip deadpanned.
"What do you say, Derek? Want to join me in my conquest- I mean, my business?"
Derek scoffed. "No way, man. I've got better things to do than be bossed around by some overweight weirdo," he replied, beginning to walk off.
"You get paid 5 bucks an hour and I'll forge permission slips to help you skip school,"
Derek rushed back. "Done!"
"Excellent! Now, come with me, I'll give you the tour of my lab- I mean, the basement!" they walked off, Robotnik grumbling, "(I have GOT to get used to this secret identity thing!)"
Flip blinked a couple times, then walked off. "I wonder if Shaggy and Pugs would be willing to move," he said to himself.
d~b
Meanwhile, Robotnik showed Derek down to the basement, aka his 'secret' lab, where the lackeys were still scrubbing soot and grime off the walls and floor with toothbrushes. "Here, Derek, is where it all happens!" Robotnik exclaimed. "This here is the birthplace of my nefarious schemes for world domination!" he turned to the teen. "Yes, Derek, it is the truth- I'm not just a manager of the building, I'm truly an evil mastermind!"
"Yeah, I figured that out already," Derek scoffed, not really that impressed. "Unless EVERY middle-aged goon runs around in a dumb outfit and laughs like a maniac every other day."
"Um… well… that aside, let me tell you about my scheme!" Robotnik then turned to Horace, who was now at a piano. "Horace, begin the tune!"
Crud, don't tell me he's going to- Derek (as well as the readers) groaned mentally.
Robotnik (singing as if he were in some sort of opera): I can hear the guitars start to play and very soon they say I was a fool to turn my enemies away
And with each glass of wine I feel a glow and very soon I know I was a fool to let those heroes go
So let their heartaches begin
They won't help it, I shall win
I've lost my final battle, for sure
Karma won't help anymore
Yes, let their heartaches begin
Don't deny it, I can win
They'll lose the fight for sure
Once I've won, they won't hold in their tears anymore~
"GAH, SHUT IT!" Derek shouted, covering his ears to block out Robotnik's horrible singing. "Geez, man, did you flunk choir or something?!"
Robotnik sneered. "I suppose YOU could sing better?!" he demanded.
Derek grabbed an electric guitar. "Just listen and learn!"
Derek (singing in a punk-rock genre): {I can see the nerds gaming through the night
They engage in virtual fights, as I troll into their game 'til the morning light!
The geeky ideas they always share just make me feel aware of the beating I'll give without a care!
So let their heartaches begin!
I can't help it, I love to win!
They've lost face for sure!
Their tears won't stop anymore!
Yeah, let the heartaches-
Lackeys (jumping in): Heartaches!
Derek: {Begin!
I just can't help it, you know that I'm going to win!
Those dweebs will lose for sure!
And when I'm done, they won't have the strength to even cry anymore!}
As Derek played out the final notes, all the lackeys, and a crowd of spare robots working around the lab, all burst into applause. "Alright, alright, that's enough!" Robotnik shouted, then turned to Derek. "Rule #1: Never try to outshine your boss!"he then swiped the guitar and smashed it over Grounder's head. "Now, come on! Let me show you how everything works down here,"
"Whatever," Derek muttered, following.
Robotnik lead him around the basement, where a variety of machines, gadgets, and gizmos were stored all around, as well as some weapons that included drills, lasers, mechanical claws, the works. "For years, Derek, I've had a goal to take over this pathetic world and shape it in my image- a world of only industrialization, where only the mad geniuses like myself rule, and everyone else are enslaved. Those who defy us would only end up used as target practice for our machines. However, I've been doing this for a while now and I realize that, in order for my legacy to continue on, I will need someone to carry on in my place, and that's where you come in…"
While he was talking, Derek was looking around at all the technology, grinning as he ran over to a machine, pushing a few buttons and making a giant claw reach out and grab a work-bot's head, prying it off (the robot screwing his head back on and shaking an angry fist at him); finding a laser-gun and shooting it at some scrap material, melting it down; and finding a remote and pushing it… making some form of nuclear waste spill out of a large cylinder and onto a rat, which mutated and chased after the lackeys.
"You, my boy, have the most focused mind, the organized intelligence, and the clear vision of running things with an iron fist! You… Derek?" Robotnik turned, seeing Derek was about to pour some kind of blue substance on an ant-farm. Robotnik grabbed him. "Rule #2: Don't mess with stuff until you know how it works! Now come on!"
Derek scoffed, throwing the vial of blue substance over his shoulder, where it landed on the mutated rat, changing it back to normal, just as it had the lackeys trapped in a corner, all of them pale with fright.
d~b
After giving Derek the tour and showing him how each weapon worked, Robotnik decided to see how the teen would do on his own (clearly out of his mind). "And if the narrator doesn't shut up, he's going to get a fist in his mouth!" Derek snarled.
"That's it, my boy! You're getting the hang of it," Robotnik said. He heard the phone ringing upstairs. "*sigh* Derek, why don't you practice bossing the lackeys around? Show no mercy!" he then walked up the stairs. From downstairs, everyone could hear him shouting into the phone. "Mother! I told you- never call on the weekends! I've got diabolical plans to carry out!"
Derek turned to the lackeys, grinning viciously. "I-I don't like this, Jasper…" Horace stammered.
"Oh, relax! It's just a dumb kid! What's the worst he can-" Jasper began.
Five Minutes Later…
"Yes, yes, I'll see you for dinner next week. Goodbye," Robotnik muttered, hanging up the phone and heading down the basement stairs. "Ugh, should've put that woman in the home when I had the chance… I'd better go see how Derek is doing- God forbid those lackeys numbed his mind with their incoherent babbllllwhat the heck?!"
When Robotnik got to the bottom of the stairs, he couldn't believe what he was seeing! Half the lab was destroyed, one of the machines was on fire, Scratch was bolted to the ceiling-fan and spinning in circles, Jasper and Horace were running from a malfunctioning robot, and Grounder's head was rolling by… Derek using a hockey-stick to smack it around (while Grounder's body played 'goalie' by a net).
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" Robotnik shouted at the top of his lungs, making everyone freeze.
"Sheesh, lower the volume, dude." Derek scoffed.
"Derek, what are you doing?! I told you to boss the lackeys around, not destroy the lab!"
"I did- I made Scratch bolt himself to the ceiling fan, Jasper and Horace download a 'Slenderman' game into one of the robots, and then I got bored and decided to play hockey with Grounder's head,"
"You little idiot! You can't just abuse your lackeys that way!" he took the pipe from Derek, then picked up Grounder's head. "…Using their heads for bowling is more fun," he turned to Horace and Jasper. "Horace! Jasper! Quit messing around with that robot, unbolt Scratch from the ceiling, and get back to work!" he flung Grounder's head over his shoulder, guiding Derek along.
Grounder's head hit the 'off' switch on the robot, sparing Jasper and Horace's lives. Scratch fell down from the ceiling, after the fan finally broke off due to his weight, landing on the other three, Grounder's head rolling beside them. "And mom wondered why I never went out for sports…" Grounder groaned.
d~b
Once the lackeys got themselves back on their feet, Robotnik lead Derek over to one machine that was still intact. It was a large mechanism with four different levers, several buttons, and a large vacuum-like tube overhead. "This machine is still in the prototype stage. It arrived just yesterday," the evil mastermind was explaining. "It was designed to suck up any foes and put them through several levels of torture!"
"Neat, so it's like a machine that can do all the bullying for me," Derek said with a chuckle.
"Couldn't have said it any better myself! I plan on testing it on those three knuckleheads upstairs… or my old college room-mate, Wily, when he gets out of prison." He clenched his fists. "He shall pay for eating my potato chips without permission!"
Derek rolled his eyes. "How do you turn it on?"
"I think it's this black lever!" Grounder said, pulling said lever… and suddenly Robotnik and Derek were sucked into the machine!
"Whoa!" Derek and Robotnik cried as they were crammed through the tube, landing on a conveyor belt inside the machine.
"No, you idiot! It's the red one!" Scratch snapped, pulling the red lever.
Inside the machine there was a *ZAP!* as the bully and mad genius were electrocuted!
"No, it was the blue one!" Horace sneered, pulling the blue lever.
Inside the machine, a pair of sledgehammers slammed onto Derek and Robotnik, flattening them out. They popped back into shape, having bumps on their heads and seeing stars.
"You're all wrong! It was the green one!" Jasper snarled, pulling the green lever.
Green goop then fell on Robotnik and Derek within the machine.
The lackeys continued to argue, pulling the switches up and down, and pushing buttons, all of them trying to figure out how the machine really worked (not knowing they were harming their boss and the bully!)
With every push of a button and pull of a lever, Robotnik and Derek got fried by flamethrowers, slapped by giant gloved hands, punched by boxing-gloves on springs, drenched with hot water, pelted with snowballs, and attacked by a vicious wolverine (not necessarily in that order).
By the time the lackeys were done arguing, they had shorted out the machine, causing it to spit out Robotnik and Derek… both of them in a dazed, slimed, and bruised state.
"Whoops…" Horace gulped, once he and the lackeys realized what they've done.
Robotnik turned to Derek. "…that's how you work the machine…" he said in a delusional tone.
"Oh…" Derek replied with a nod, and they both passed out.
d~b
After that mishap, no one had to ask why the lackeys ended up with bumps on their heads and got their payment docked. They now stood on the roof of an old warehouse three blocks away, where the lackeys had hauled another machine. "Alright… before there are any FURTHER mishaps, let us begin our attempt at world domination!" Robotnik exclaimed.
"Why are we doing it way up here?" Derek asked. "Shouldn't we be doing it somewhere… like a place where no one would notice a giant satellite on top of an old building?"
"Hey, everyone today either has DirectTV or Dish Network, I doubt anyone will be suspicious!" he then smirked. "That is… until it's turning ever kind-hearted soul into a black-hearted, evil brute!" he then laughed maniacally.
"So… it turns everyone evil? Doesn't that seem a bit flawed? I mean, if everyone is evil, there would be competition for world domination, and people would probably end up mutilating each other, wiping out humanity… then I wouldn't have anyone to push around!"
"As long as there's not pure-souls around to stop us, we can make the best of it. Now, lets test this thing out! Derek, you can pull the lever,"
Derek shrugged, walking over.
"Lets find something 'good' to aim at…"
As the two were aiming, we get a view of the radio-station across the street, where Shaggy and Pugsy are walking out. "So, who's turn is it to cook dinner tonight?" Shaggy asked.
"Meh, lets just order out. The dishes are piling up high enough in the sink as it is," Pugsy replied, then looked ahead. "Oh, hey, Vincent! What's up?"
We see a tall young college student with dark hair, wearing glasses, and a long jacket, walking with a backpack over his shoulder. "Not much, just decided to take a walk before my next class," he replied, having a rock in his hand. "Figured I could chuck a stone or two at that old satellite dish on that old building,"
"Like, isn't that a form of vandalism?" Shaggy asked.
"The building's been desertified for years, and I doubt that satellite's working," Pugsy replied.
"Yeah, the building is going to be detonated, anyway," Vincent added.
"See, Shag? Let the kid have his fun," They watched as Vincent threw the rock.
"Aha! A little old lady feeding pigeons! Perfect!" Robotnik exclaimed. "Aim at her!"
Derek took aim, then pushed the button-
*CRASH!* The rock Vincent had thrown smashed into the satellite's antenna, smashing it off!
"Wow, good arm! You broke the antenna off!" Shaggy complimented Vincent, as they continued to walk down the sidewalk.
"Gah?! What was that?!" Robotnik yelped, looking over his machine.
"Some dork threw a rock, that's what!" Derek sneered, picking up the rock. He then heard noises of short-circuiting, and looked over, seeing the machine beginning to smoke. "Yikes! Bail out!" he then leaped over the edge, sliding down a lamp-post.
Robotnik and his lackeys weren't quick enough.
*KA-BOOM!*
Shaggy, Pugsy, and Vincent turned, the glow of the explosion reflecting off their faces. "Zoinks! You weren't kidding, Vince! That building was ready to explode!" Shaggy exclaimed, looking over at Vincent.
Pugsy eyed Vincent for a couple seconds. The way the shadows from the explosion's light bounced off his face, it almost looked like he was wearing a mask…
Back at the ruined building, Derek walked through the debris, finding Robotnik and his lackeys climbing out of the rubble, once again covered in soot. "Yeah… thanks for the job offer, Robotnik, but I'll pass." He replied. "I don't work with dorks," with that, he walked off.
Robotnik groaned, then turned to his lackeys. "This is all your fault!" he snarled, then bashed Horace over the head with his fist, then stormed off, grumbling to himself.
d~b
Later the next day, Flip was in the backyard shooting hoops, when Derek trudged over, catching him in a headlock. "Lets pick up where we left off yesterday, Chan. Say Uncle Grandpa!" he shouted.
"Ow! Let me go, Derek!" Flip snarled, trying to get out of his grip.
Flip managed to get away from Derek, running towards the building. Derek ran after him… though stopped in his tracks, looking up and seeing a masked figure glaring at him from a balcony. Derek rubbed his eyes and looked again, but the figure was gone…
As was Flip, as he managed to get to the elevator.
Derek sneered, then stormed off. "Ah, I'll get him tomorrow," he grumbled, walking through the lobby.
Robotnik passed by, watching the bully trudge up the stairs. "*sigh* He had SO much potential…" he groaned, then looked at his lackeys (Grounder waved dumbly at him), and he began to whimper. "So much!" he then slammed his head down on the desk, sobbing.
"Would this be a bad time to ask him about our health benefits?" Horace asked Jasper in a whisper.
d~b
A/N: Yeah, kind of threw in a little 'mysterious'-ness near the end there, but I believe we all learned a valuable lesson… Teenagers are hard to train in the job-industry.
Please review, don't flame, and we'll see what situation our characters get into in the next episode!