"Would it really be so bad if they got me-?"

"YES." The other four answered synchronically.

"Why would you ask that?" Aviva questioned angrily.

"It's nothing that hasn't happened before..." The green brother mumbled.

"That's the last thing that should happen to you with everything that's been going on." Martin answered.

The only reply he received was Chris hugging himself and turning away slightly with a pained expression on his face.


As Aviva and Koki pulled Martin aside to bandage his arm, the older Kratt realized immediately how horrible his brother must've been feeling.

"Chris... I'm fine. It was just a few scratches-"

"I dug my claws into your arm. My claws... You bled because of me. What kind of brother does that...?" The climbing adventurer spoke softly before walking down to the garage with his head hanging low.

"Chris-"

"I'll talk to him, Martin. Don't worry."

"But Aviva-"

"Koki knows how to set up the defenses. Jimmy! I need you to finish the bandaging."

"You got it."

The inventor stepped down into the garage. She squinted her eyes and gazed through the darkness. Chris's silhouette was sitting on the floor, alone and dejected. She took one step toward him and was greeted by a soft growl.

"It's just me." The snarling halted. The black figure turned toward Aviva. He opened his mouth to speak, she heard it, but no words came out.

The green adventurer, now sulker, heard the light switch flick on.

"Agh!" He shielded his eyes from the brightness. Distracted, he was startled by a slender hand being gently placed on his shoulder. He spun around, still blinking.

"Are you okay?"

"Go ask that to Martin." He barked.

"The pair of you have been through worse."

"Doesn't make me feel better..."

Aviva sighed and sat next to the climbing brother. She had noticed the tear-stains on his cheeks. She grasped one of his hands and held it up, observing the claws.

"Are these retractable?"

"I-I don't know... I didn't test it out. I doubt it, since-"

"But your eyes are different. Give it a try."

More than willing, he focused. Instead of being retracted however, he returned to a normal human state. No claws, dulled teeth, and normal pupils.

"Wow."

"What...?"

The mastermind looked into the bro's mouth again.

"Everything's normal. Even your pupils.

Chris exhaled softly in relief.

"Has anything else changed?"

"When I was running... I think I was going faster than intended... And I ran farther than I normally could've for sure. My ears have been more sensitive, but that might just be the stress..."

"We won't let them get you, okay?"

"I know... but you guys shouldn't get captured, either. I-if anything happened to you-"

"I know. We'll be careful."

The younger sibling gave a small grin and stood up. Aviva followed and returned to the rest of the crew. The green Kratt hesitantly did the same. He was shocked when a pair of arms wrapped around him.

"Chris, we'll figure this out, okay? You don't have to do it alone."

"Martin... I-"

"It was just an accident."

Slowly, Chris returned his brother's embrace.

"Jimmy. get us to South America." Aviva demanded.

"What?" The bros replied, equally confused.

"We'll fly with camouflage applied. We need to run some tests."

"Some what?" The younger adventurer questioned.

"We need to find out what you can do. How much you've been changed. And we really need to figure out what exactly caused it."

"I... uh..."

"I wonder how we've never run into anything like this before."

"B-but, uh... Aviva-"

"Maybe it isn't permanent. It might be a temporary change."

"I seriously doubt that-"

"If you can actually turn into a wolf without a suit... Just imagine the possibilities-"

"AVIVA!" Chris shouted. All eyes were on the climber as he started screaming.

"You might feel excited about this and I understand that because wolves are some of the coolest creatures in North America and it'd be a breakthrough for you and science and I wouldn't change having the suits and these adventures for anything, but what about all this new stuff I'd have to learn?! If I can actually transform into a wolf without a suit or whatever in the creature world I might turn into, a lot of struggles would come with that! I'm not excited. I hate this. I hate what's happening to me! I don't want tests. I don't want control. I want it to be fixed!"

Everything was silent as the green adventurer trembled and leaned against the wall, taking several breaths.

"... Well, there's also the possibility that it can't be fixed. We just need to be prepared for-"

"For all situations... I know. But I don't want everyone to think that I feel lucky or entitled by this."

"I'm sorry for making it seem like I didn't care."

"I'm sorry for yelling... This is just kind of scary..."

"I shouldn't have jumped so quickly. There's a lot that has to be researched and-"

"It's okay. Martin has the same problem-"

"What?! No way! You've done that more than I have...!"

"You might wanna check your memory, bro."

Martin rolled his eyes and stepped into the Tortuga's cockpit as it took off. The inventor and technician followed. Chris slightly lowered his head, his smile disappearing in the blink of an eye. He knew what he had to do...