Toad in the Hole
Todd felt like he was falling forever. Then blackness claimed him. He heard voices.
"OW! I can't believe it! My back hurts!"
"Serves you right for standing there in the first place!"
"Let's just bring her back to the boss!"
Todd opened his eyes. To his surprise he saw several squat humanoid creatures with yellow skin and tiny black eyes wearing simple brown and green outfits around him. "Hey she's awake!" One snapped.
"That's not a girl you idiot!" Another creature snapped.
"How would you know?" A third creature snapped.
"Because I'm a girl and I can tell!" The creature told them.
"Really?" The third creature asked. "I thought you were a guy?"
"That's because you have a cold," Another creature spoke. "Trust me it's a guy."
"So this is a surface dweller," The female creature looked intently at Todd. "Hey I thought these guys were supposed to be all ugly. Like on TV."
"You're right," One spoke. "He does look a lot more handsome than what we see."
"Well I am a mutant," Todd spoke the words before he could think.
"Oh that explains it," The female spoke. "No wonder he looks so handsome."
"Hello? Remember me? Your fiancée right here!" Another creature waved his hand at him.
"Oh please he's not that good looking," She waved. "And he's still too thin for my tastes."
"You two are engaged?" The first creature asked. "Since when?"
"At Molto's party last week," The Fiancée spoke. "You were drunk and passed out under the table. As usual."
"Oh yeah," He nodded. "No wonder I'm the last to know everything."
"Excuse me," Todd waved. "Uh I don't wanna be rude or nothin' but who the heck are you guys and where am I?"
"Oh sorry," The Female spoke. "We're Moloids. We're taking you to Subterranea."
"Uh…WHOA!" Todd looked and found that he was riding in a wagon being pulled by a pair of giant lizards running very fast. "Okay…are you some kind of mutants?"
"Nah we're another race," One of the Moloids spoke. "You guys didn't think that humans were the only species on the planet did ya?"
"Typical," Another spoke.
"Well we have been kind of hiding underground for a few millennia," The female spoke. "It's not like we advertise on TV or something."
"That's true," They nodded.
"Besides our leader is human, technically," The female continued.
"What?" Todd asked.
"It will all be revealed," The female spoke. They soon came to a metal platform. "Ever see Star Trek? You know that transporter they have?"
"Oh yeah I actually use one myself," Todd started to show them. "Hey where'd my watch go?"
The Moloids turned around and looked at one of their own. "Beffle…" The female said in a warning tone.
"Hey it wasn't me this time!" Beffle held up his hands. "Honest!"
"I know the feeling pal," Todd said.
They went on the transport pad and soon Todd found himself in a huge stone underground city. "Wow," Todd looked around. "An underground city. Who would have thought?"
"Hey Mole Man!" Beffle called out. "We got somebody from the surface world!"
"Idiots!" A very short stocky man with black hair and thick blue glasses walked out of a cavern. He was wearing a green uniform and carried a wooden staff. "That's Lord Mole Man to you buffoons! And why the hell did you bring a normal human to this sanctuary?"
"I am not normal!" Todd snapped. "I'm Toad! I'm a mutant!"
"Oh," Mole Man squinted. "So you are. Man and I thought I was homely!"
"Watch it!" Todd snapped.
"Sorry," Mole Man apologized. "But I've been down here so long I've kind of lost touch with some of my social graces. And it doesn't help that I spend all my time with these clowns!" He jerked his thumb at the Moloids who were eating messily at a table nearby.
"Forget about it," Todd said. "So are you a human?"
"We've been asking that question ourselves for years," Beffle said as he stuffed his face.
"Silence!" Mole Man snapped. "Don't pay them any mind. Actually it's nice to meet someone like myself for a change. Yes I am human but…Like mutants I too know the pain of being an outcast."
"Here we go…" The Female Moloid sighed.
"Somebody get out the violin," Beffle groaned.
"Oh please listen to my tale of woe!" Mole Man sobbed. "Nobody ever wants to hear my stories!"
"That's because we've all heard them for a thousand times!" One Moloid called out.
"Shut up!" Mole Man snapped. "I'm your ruler, remember? I am the King of Subterranea! Lord of the Moloids! Supreme Master of the Underground! I and I alone managed to seize control of the Moloid Empire and rule wisely these past…15…no 17…Is it 20 years? Well I've been down here a long time and I'm the boss so don't you forget it!"
"Only because nobody else wanted the job!" Another Moloid yelled out.
"Yeah its too much work and it takes away from our TV time!" Another yelled.
"Oh yeah? Well I'm the only one who knows how to get a signal down here and keep all of you in free cable!" Mole Man snapped. "One flick of my wrist and all of you will be forced to watch basic cable!"
"You wouldn't!" One shouted.
"Try me!" Mole Man shouted.
"ALL HAIL LORD MOLE MAN! KING OF THE MOLOIDS!" They all chanted and bowed.
"That's better," Mole Man puffed up his chest.
"Is it me or are the people I'm running into just keep getting weirder and weirder?" Todd asked himself.
"Look I'm not really a bad guy," Mole Man said. "Just a little lonely."
"Well that's understandable," Todd said. "Okay so tell me your story."
"Big mistake," Beffle said.
"DO YOU WANT TO WATCH MONSTER TRUCK WRESTLING HOUR TONIGHT OR WHAT?" Mole Man snapped.
"I'll be good," Beffle said.
So who is the Mole Man? What is his story? And yes I did borrow him from the Fantastic Four universe. So I put an odd little twist on him and some other members of the underground here. He he…