Hop Pop drove Bessie out into the outskirts of Wartwood with the kids sitting beside him. They weren't exactly enthused about their latest trip they were on.
"I still can't believe you're bringing us to a day care, Hop Pop." Sprig said.
"Look, I'm sorry, OK?" Hop Pop asked. "But I have to go to the annual crop convention. It's a long ways away, and I can't leave you kids on the farm for the weekend."
"Are you kidding?" Anne complained.
"Wish I was Anne, but you kids need supervision."
"Even me?" T'Challa asked. "No offense to the others, but I've been on my best behavior the most."
"Even you, T'Challa. Why, sometimes, it feels like we have at least two wacky adventures a week."
A short while later, the snail stopped at the front of a large, decorated tower with a daycare sign posted out front. The front door opened revealing a newt in a professional teacher's uniform with a short mustache and a goatee. He spoke with a Spanish accent.
"Greetings. I am Tritonio Espada, the instructor of this daycare."
"Huh. I thought Briar and Iris Bogwater ran this place." Hop Pop said.
"The Bogwaters retired last year and sold their business to me." Tritonio explained.
"Well, in that case, I'm Hopadiah Plantar. This here is Sprig, Polly, Anne, and T'Challa. The last two may be gigantic, but they're also children."
"Hey!" Anne yelled.
"That's a bit of an undermining word for royalty." T'Challa said.
"Royalty?" Tritonio asked curiously. "I see. Well, in any case, I shall educate these children. Teach them true discipline."
"Oh. I like the cut of your jib, Mr… Tray-Tony. Did I say that right?"
"Absolutely not."
While Hop Pop and Tritonio continued talking, the kids dismounted Bessie and chatted behind her.
"This isn't so bad, I guess." Sprig said. "There is a cool tower."
"You guys don't get it." Anne said. "And Tritonio is a teacher; enemy of all that is good."
"Don't you think you're judging him a bit too quick, Anne?" T'Challa asked. "I've had plenty of private instructors back at Wakanda. Sure, they were strict, but they're good people."
"That may be how they are for you, T'Challa, but me and teachers don't mix. Remember the week before we got sent here, how Mr. Everstine snuffed me out and sent me to detention?"
"You were playing your video game in class and ran away after he caught you." T'Challa reminded.
"My point still stands."
Once he was done with his talk with the instructor, Hop Pop turned to the kids before starting up Bessie. "Well, kids, looks like you're in good hands here with Mr. Tritonio. Crop Con, here I come!" With that, Bessie drove out into the distance with Hop Pop at her seat.
Once he lost sight of the elder Plantar, Tritonio turned to the kids. "Finally. It is just us now. So let us cast aside these illusions, yes?"
"Illusions?" T'Challa asked.
All of a sudden, Tritonio took his uniform and ripped it off revealing a different attire underneath. He instead wore what looked like a vintage French-style jacket with white sleeves. With his hat gone, his hair flowed and glistened in the sunlight.
"What's going on here?" T'Challa asked.
"What's going on is this is no mere daycare." Tritonio kicked the daycare sign making it spin around revealing it to be more violent on the other side. "This is a combat crash course for kids!"
"Woo-hoo!" Polly cheered along with her brother.
"So this is a combat camp?" T'Challa asked. "Why would you open something like that for children? And why hide it from Hop Pop?"
"Because adults shelter their children. I say no! Teach them to fight, for danger lurks around every corner of Amphibia. Stay on your toes. Trust no one. AH, LOOK OVER THERE!"
"AH! What is it?! Danger?!" Sprig screamed turning around to where Tritonio was looking, only to get hit on the head from behind by the newt's stick.
"I said trust no one! Now, follow me, and we will begin the next lesson."
"This guy is awesome!" Polly cheered.
"This place is a tad unconventional, but it's better than dealing with normal daycare stuff." T'Challa said.
"Eh, we'll see." Anne said with narrow eyes still not trusting her newest teacher.
Tritonio led the four into the tower, specifically in a room that was full of weapons, sandbags, training dummies, and more.
"Your next lesson is to pick your weapon. Find one that resonates with you."
Excited, Polly bounced from the group to look for a weapon for her. She stopped when she found a bucket full of blue mushrooms with white spots.
"Ooh. What are these?"
"Ah, the noble boom shroom." Tritonio said picking one of the mushrooms out. "Small. Unassuming. But in the right hands…" He pushed the stem of the mushroom into the cap and let it beep for a moment. He then threw it into the air. "EXPLOSIVE!"
BOOM!
Polly watched with wide eyes of admiration as the mushroom became a blue cloud of destruction.
"Perfect for you, I think." Tritonio continued. "Who's next? No wrong answers." He then spotted Anne reaching for a sword and jumped forward to stop her. "No! Wrong!"
"What?! How so?" Anne asked.
From what I have seen, you do not have the dexterity to wield a sword." Tritonio said. "Pick something else."
"Whoa, these are big forks." Sprig said coming to Tritonio with a pair of sais in his hand.
"Ah, excellent choice, Sprig." Tritonio congratulated making Anne steamed. He then looked ahead and saw T'Challa still browsing. He broke off from the three to approach him. "Still picking something out, young man?"
"You said something that resonates with me." T'Challa said. "So far, nothing really appeals to me."
"No one expects to find a weapon right away." Tritonio said. "So, about what I heard earlier, did I hear you say you are royalty? Like King Andrias?"
"I don't know who that is." T'Challa said. "I'm from another world. There, I'm the crown prince of a nation called Wakanda."
"Really?" Tritonio asked slightly surprised. "Well, your appearance certainly makes that believable. In that case, I shall tell you. Andrias is the mighty king of all Amphibia. A mighty newt who is said to have a playful attitude towards his subjects."
"Is that so? Well, that might be good to know later." T'Challa said. Just then, he stopped when he eyes a pair of daggers. He plucked them off the wall to get a closer look at them. "Well, I'll be."
"Ah. I see you have chosen the twin daggers, T'Challa." Tritonio said. "Very nice."
"It's more than that." T'Challa said. "These weapons remind me of the Panther's Claws, one of the signature weapons of the Black Panther."
"Really?" Anne asked. "Because we spent over a month in the valley fighting giant monsters left and right, and you never once brought them out."
"That's because I don't have them on me." T'Challa said. "They're sacred weapons only to be wielded by the official Black Panther, which in this case, happens to be my father. Don't forget, I'm not officially the Black Panther. I'm just using the skills of the Black Panther so we can survive."
"Well, T'Challa, if you believe those daggers are meant to be yours, then they shall be." Tritonio declared.
Throughout the day, Tritonio had the kids through an elaborate set of physical activities. First was a field of tires they had to hop or step over fully. Next, they swung through a set of monkey bars. He even had them practice wall-climbing up the side of the tower.
Of course, T'Challa, Sprig, and Polly had no problems with those activities and earning praises from Tritonio. However, when it came to Anne, all she got was constant criticism. Tritonio always berated her telling her that what she was doing was wrong, even when she was wall-climbing with her friends.
"Anne, your hand placement is all wrong!" he cried out.
Anne groaned. "What'd I tell you? The guy's totally picking on me!"
"Why don't you ask him why?" T'Challa asked. "I mean, he only just met you. He shouldn't hate you just like that. If he's criticizing you, then he might have a reason for it."
"It's like Tritonio says," Sprig said, "'An honest dialogue is more powerful than any weapon'."
"Blech! That's the corniest thing I've ever heard." Anne said right before she lost her grip. She screamed as she fell off the tower and landed in the bushes beneath her.
"Even your fall needs work, Anne." Tritonio said.
Later that night, Tritonio helped T'Challa, Sprig, and Polly to cups of hot beverages made over a campfire.
"Here, children. Your quinoa macro bowls are ready."
"Quinoa macro." T'Challa said taking his bowl "Huh. Never had any food that wasn't made with bugs for a while."
Tritonio looked around. "Hey, where's Anne? Does she not like quinoa?"
"She said she wanted to be alone." Sprig said pointing at the tower.
"She's pretty discouraged over all the criticism you gave her today." T'Challa said.
"What? Does she not welcome constructive criticism?"
"It's more like she gets criticized on a daily basis." T'Challa said. "Back in our old world, she gets into disagreements with teachers in almost every class."
"Really?" Tritonio asked before turning to the castle. "I think I'll go have a talk with Anne."
"I'll go with." T'Challa said standing up. "She'd probably respond better coming from me anyway."
T'Challa and Tritonio climbed up to the side of the tower and reached the top where Anne sat. She sadly gazed out into the night sky until she noticed the two approach her.
"Didn't I tell you I wanted to be alone?" Anne asked.
"Well, I think the last thing you need is to be alone." T'Challa said.
"You must eat, Anne." Tritonio said offering a fourth bowl. "Only a fool fights on an empty stomach."
Anne sighed. "Tritonio, can I ask you something? Why don't you like me?"
"What? I like you."
"Oh, come on. You're always being super tough on me for no reason. Just like my teachers back home. Blech."
"Anne, those teachers didn't have 'no reason' to be tough on you." T'Challa said. "You were basically disrespecting them with your video games and your not-so-quiet talks with Sasha and Marcy. I mean, how would you feel if you were trying to tell someone important, and they were just ignoring you?"
"Well, I guess I'd be pretty upset and…" Anne stopped when she realized his point. "Oh."
"Anne, if I seem tougher on you, it's not because I don't like you." Tritonio said. "It's because I see a girl who is not living up to her full potential."
"Really?"
"Indeed. In you, I sense someone that, with a little effort, could achieve greatness. And I am sure your teachers back home felt the same way." That statement made Anne smile. "And now, I believe you are ready for this." He pulled out a blue sword held within a yellow sheathe, which he then gave to Anne.
"Oh, wow!"
"This blade has been in my family for many years, and now, it is yours. Get some sleep, Anne. You two, T'Challa. For tomorrow, the real training begins." He leaped off the tower.
T'Challa looked at Anne, who gave a determined smile once she looked at her reflection in her new blade.
"Looks like you're ready to take training more seriously." T'Challa said.
"Oh, yeah. Now that I know that Tritonio's just trying to help me, I'm more determined than ever to make him proud."
True to her word, Anne took Tritonio's advice to heart and improved on her training, especially with her new sword. While the others practiced with their own new weapons, Anne was practicing with Tritonio.
"Parry! Swing! Imagine I'm a fearsome assassin! Or perhaps a meddlesome train conductor!"
"Train conductor?" T'Challa asked quietly glancing over to the instructor. "That's weirdly specific."
"You're too fast." Anne said to Tritonio.
"Indeed. But if you find yourself outmatched, think outside the box."
With Tritonio's advice, Anne turned her attention to a light of sunshine gleaming down at her. Using it to her advantage, she held up her sword and used its reflective blade to bounce the light right at Tritonio's eyes blinding him just long enough for her to knock his sword out of his hands.
"Excellent!" Tritonio praised. "You've all improved so much. Especially you, Anne. Now, come. It is time for your final test."
Tritonio led the four to the next room, where a bunch of train schematics and a picture of a butterfly-shaped gem hung on display.
"Tomorrow is our last day together, so I put together an exercise to test all the skills you've learned. I have rented a train, inside of which, I have hidden a fake priceless ruby. Also, I have hired actors to portray guards who will stop at nothing to keep the ruby safe."
"Really?" T'Challa asked suspiciously. "How did you pull all that off? We never saw you leave the camp."
"That is not important." Tritonio answered dismissively. "You must retrieve the ruby using the wisdom and skills I have taught you. Now, study these plans. Become one with the plans. Eat the plans."
"Yeah, I'm not gonna do that last part." T'Challa said grossly.
"Suit yourself. We leave at dawn!"
Once he was gone, the kids looked at each other.
"So… does anyone else think this just looks like we're robbing a real train?" Sprig asked.
"Yeah." Polly said noticing a note telling them not to listen to the guards, no matter what. "Could Tritonio be using us?"
"It does seem obvious." T'Challa said.
"That's ridiculous!" Anne said slamming her fists on the table. "Tritonio's a good dude who believes in me. I think we should do it."
"Anne, you seem oddly invested." Sprig said.
"Yeah." Polly agreed. "Where's old 'teacher's stink' Anne?"
"That Anne is dead and buried." Anne answered dramatically.
"Anne, I'm glad you have a new view on teachers," T'Challa said, "But think about everything he told us about this 'test'. A train that is rented. A ruby that is fake. Guards who are really actors. This all seems awfully convenient and pretty elaborate for a final test."
"T'Challa, don't be so pessimistic." Anne said. "Now, come on. These plans aren't gonna study themselves."
The gang proceeded to study the blueprints. However, among them, T'Challa was still suspicious of Tritonio's words and plans.
The beetle-driven train rode across the tracks early in the morning. The toad conductor sat at the front watching ahead when suddenly, something caught his attention; something which made him blare out his horn and stop the train.
Sitting in front of the train was Sprig, who was dressed as a damaged orphan boy leaning on a crutch. He looked up at the guards with desperate eyes.
"Please, governor. I'm a poor orphan boy who done and twisted his wee ankle on these here train tracks."
The conductor shed a tear from his eye. "Poor kid. Guards, help me!"
Once the toad guards exited the train to help the conductor with Sprig, Anne, T'Challa, and Polly sneaked right past them and boarded the train. They poured hot coal on the beetle to make it start moving. By then, the guards realized that Sprig was faking his ankle, but it didn't matter. He leaped away from them and used his tongue to pull himself right back to his friends.
"Acting is fun!" Sprig cheered… right before the conductor revealed himself to have climbed on the train. He raised his sword threatening to slice at Sprig.
"I TRUSTED YOU!"
Sprig jumped to avoid the sword. The conductor climbed into the engine room and clashed swords with Anne, who quickly disarmed him and kicked him off the train.
"Man, these guys are really good actors." Anne said.
"Yeah. Imagine that." T'Challa said suspiciously.
While the train continued moving, the kids hopped a few cars back until they reached the one that was read "Newtopean Treasury". Polly used her boom shrooms to destroy the locks and allow them to jump right in.
Entering the car, the gang feasted their eyes at a butterfly-shaped ruby which rested on a fancy pillow in the center.
"There it is." Anne said getting closer to examine it. "We did it, guys. Big T is gonna be so proud of us."
"Proud is an understatement!" Tritonio said as he suddenly dropped in through the hole the kids made.
"Tritonio!" Anne cheered.
"What are you doing here?" T'Challa asked.
"I came to express how elated I am that you pulled off a flawless quote-unquote 'train heist'." Tritonio said. "You've all done so well."
"So this is the 'fake' ruby you set up?" T'Challa asked holding up the ruby from the pillow.
"Ah, yes. The Tiger Moth's Eye. Go ahead and pass it over to me."
"…Sure thing." T'Challa said holding up a black bag to drop it in. "Just gotta make sure this is safe. I mean, it'd be pretty bad to break a fake ruby."
"I suppose…" Tritonio said. "Just pass it over, and I'll consider your training officially passed."
"Of course. I'll just… WHOOPS!" T'Challa fell behind the pedestal where the ruby once was, but quickly returned to his feet. "Sorry. Here you go." He proceeded to pass the bag with the ruby over to Tritonio.
"Well done, my students! Now, I have one more question. What was the first lesson I taught you?"
"Ooh! Ooh!" Anne said eagerly raising her hand. "Trust no one!"
"Bingo." Tritonio immediately hopped up the hole and quickly closed it before sealing it shut.
"Tritonio, what are you doing?!" Anne asked in disbelief.
"Sorry, kids. But I never could've robbed this train by myself." Tritonio said from outside.
"So none of this was fake?" T'Challa asked in an upset tone. "You were just using us to steal a real priceless ruby from the toads?"
"Yes. When I heard you were royalty, T'Challa, I was worried that if you were somehow related to King Andrias, then I would find myself with a BIG target on my back if I set you up." Tritonio said. "So I was relieved when you told me you weren't associated with him. He may be playful, but no one wants to be on his bad side. And now that I have what I want, I'll be going. Give my regards to the guards." He laughed as he leaped away.
"I don't believe this! He double-crossed us!" Anne grunted angrily before slouching on the wall. "The first teacher I really clicked with ended up being a fake. Well, he's not getting away with this."
"I can get us out of this car." T'Challa said. He tapped his pendant to equip his Black Panther costume and whipped out his claws. "These vibranium claws will certainly cut through this old metal. Plus, I left Tritonio a little present."
"You did?" Anne asked. "What?"
On top of the train, Tritonio stopped to think about the children he tricked. "Ah, they were good kids. Too bad they have to go to prison forever. And now, let's see my prize up close." Just then, he heard a feint beeping sound. "Hmm? What's that sound? It sounds almost like a…" He widened his eyes and pulled out the bag T'Challa threw to him. He opened it up and pulled out a boom shroom that was beeping frantically. "Oh, no."
BOOM!
The blue explosion sent Tritonio flying back across the train. When he landed, he spotted the kids standing over him.
"You? But, the ruby…"
"We put it back on the pillow after I clawed us out." the Black Panther said. "Anne may have been swayed by your sweet words, but I wasn't convinced this was all just for show. So when I 'fell' earlier, I switched it out with the boom shroom and handed it over to you just in case."
"So you anticipated my double-cross and escalated it into a triple-cross?" Tritonio asked. "I have to admit, I'm not even mad."
"You're not gonna get away with this, you jerk!" Anne yelled. "Guys, now!"
First up was Sprig, who leaped into the air and stretched out his tongue which had his sai held in it. However, Tritonio held up his sword and made him wrap his tongue around it before throwing him over at Polly, who was ready to throw boom shrooms at him before Sprig hit her.
The boom shrooms detonated close to the Black Panther, but he evaded their blasts and ran right at Tritonio, who quickly turned and ran. T'Challa quickly gained speed over him, but Tritonio just ran to the edge of the rood and jumped right off. T'Challa jumped after him, but soon realized that Tritonio was still hanging onto the side of the train by his tail tricking him into jumping off the train.
Once he recovered, the Black Panther groaned. "Well, he's good. I'll give him that." He hopped out of the bushes and sprinted ahead to try and catch up with the train.
It was only Anne and Tritonio now. Anne took the lead and charged ahead, but Tritonio effortlessly blocked and parried her attacks and countered with a kick sending her over the edge. She hung onto the side of the train while Tritonio walked up to look down on her.
"Trusting you was a mistake!" Anne shouted. "But you've made a huge mistake too."
"Oh, yes?" Tritonio asked. "And what is that?"
"You taught me how to fight!" Anne said before raising her sword.
Like in their sparring session the other day, Anne used her sword to reflect the sunlight at Tritonio blinding him for a second. Anne quickly took the advantage and knocked his sword out of his hand. At the time she did, the Black Panther returned to the top of the train and grabbed Tritonio by his arms keeping him in place.
"School's out, teach!" Anne proclaimed cementing her victory.
The gang stopped the train and allowed the toads that were guarding it to catch up. After explaining the situation to them, they handed Tritonio to them allowing them to bind him in chains.
"Thanks, kids." the conductor said. "The tower's been trying to catch this slimeball for months. Been robbing trains with kids for quite sometime now, the sicko."
"You do have to respect my creativity." Tritonio said as he was escorted into the train.
"We respect nothing!" Polly yelled.
"Yeah, get out of here, you fraud!" Sprig yelled.
The Black Panther turned back to the conductor. "So are me and my friends off the hook?"
"Yeah. You were tricked, so it's understandable." the conductor said. He then took notice of his full-bodied Black Panther costume. "Hey, are you the Black Panther?"
"Yes. You've heard of me?"
"Yeah. Everyone over at Toad Tower's been talking about you. Seems you really caught the captain's eye."
"Did I?" the Black Panther asked. For some reason, he felt uneasy hearing that.
As Tritonio was brought to the train, he took one last proud smile at Anne. "See you around, Anne. I wasn't kidding when I said you had potential. You certainly bested me."
"Save it, you crook." Anne returned. "I just have one more question for you. Was the goatee even real?"
Tritonio plucked his goatee off his chin easily. "What do you think?"
After that, the train's whistle blew and everyone went their separate ways.
Returning to the front door of the camp, the kids sat on the steps exhausted. T'Challa removed his costume and sat right beside Anne groaning alongside her.
"Sorry about Tritonio, Anne." T'Challa said. "I know how much this meant to you. You probably hate teachers now more than ever."
"You know what? Tritonio might have been a crook, but he was onto something."
"He was?" T'Challa asked.
"Yeah. Looking back, I can see the real reason why my relationships with my teachers haven't always been great. They were just trying to help me, and I took them all for granted. Well, that stops now. When I get home, I'm gonna give my teachers another chance."
"OK." Polly said in a monotone.
Finally, Hop Pop and Bessie returned. However, both of them looked beaten up with bruises and bandages covering certain parts of their bodies.
"Hey, kids." Hop Pop said weakly.
"How was the convention, HP?" Anne asked tired.
"Oh, fine. Didn't get swarmed by killer locusts, if that's what you mean. How was your weekend?"
"Good." Anne answered.
"We didn't rob a train." Sprig said.
"Or find out that our teacher was a master criminal." T'Challa said.
"Nope. No crimes committed." Polly said.
"Good, good." Hop Pop said choosing to ignore the statements the kids made. "Great to know we definitely didn't have two wacky adventures."