(Scene shows the garage. Ben is wearing boots that allow him to levitate.)
Ginger: Hey, guys! Whoa! Whoa!
Tom: These e-Levator levitating boots are amazing! Why haven't we released them to the public yet?
(The boots malfunction and leave Ben hanging upside down.)
Ben: Well, that would be one reason... the remote! Get me down!
Tom: (takes tablet) Oh, uh... (presses button on tablet)
(Ben moves uncontrollably.)
Ben: Watch out for my precious head!
(Ben nearly bumps his head into the ceiling. He stops just in time.)
Tom: Uh... (presses button on tablet)
(Ben continues flying uncontrollably.)
(The CEO appears on the television.)
Hank: Hey, Ben? Ben? It's the... C... EO.
CEO (on TV): Hi, friends, and by friends, I mean customers. (holds phone) Take a look at my new Super-Spy Sound-Recording Device! (plays recording)
Recording (on phone): (sings jingle) Super-Spy Sound-Recording Device! Gonna find out what-
CEO: This bargain baby is perfect if you want to, say, I don't know, spy on a small, garage-based tech company.
(The television shows the spy device being used on the garage.)
Hank: Uh-oh...
Tom: All right, I got it now! (presses button on tablet)
(Ben crashes head-first into the floor.)
(Theme song plays)
(Ben is on the floor unconscious.)
Ben: Ugh...
Tom: Ben, wake up. You've got to wake up, buddy!
Ben: (gets up) Whoa- what happened? Who-who are you?!
Tom: Oh, no.
Hank: I am Hank, this is Ginger, and this is Tom.
Ben: Tom, what happened to me?
Tom: I definitely did not drop you on your head, that's for sure.
Ben: Wait, it's all coming back. (dings) Yes! I remember everything! You did drop me on my head. Thank goodness!
Tom: Thank goodness I dropped you? Okay, guys, he's still out of it.
Ginger: If you like it that much, you could try it again! I'll go first! (holds tablet)
Ben: (takes tablet) Give me that! I meant, thank goodness I remember what's up here. (points to head) Imagine if the contents of my brain were lost forever... a disaster. That's it. I need a backup system- someone to pass all my data onto. A protégé.
Hank: Well, how 'bout me, since I'm standing right next to you? Ooh, let me make room for new stuff. (knocks dust out of ear) Ow.
Ben: Actually, my protégé should be someone younger- impressionable.
Hank: Aw.
Ben: Someone like, say, Ginger?
Hank: Huh?
Ginger: (scoffs) You want to teach me science stuff? No offense, Ben, but science is eugh! Bleugh!
Ben: Am I to take that as a yes?
(A whirring sound is heard. The CEO is in the driveway unseen.)
Recording: (sings jingle) Super-Spy Sound-Recording Device! Gonna find out what they're up to!
CEO: Tristan, turn the volume down on the spying device! They're gonna know we're here.
Tom: Well, the CEO's spying on us again.
Ginger: So? All he knows is that I'd rather eat lava than be Ben's protégé helper.
Ben: Fine, Ginger. I don't need you. I'll just go to your school and scads of eager students will line up to be my protégé!
(Scene cuts to the school. Ben waits for students in a classroom.)
(The classroom is empty.)
Ben: (sighs) Hm... eh... hm... well, this is a predictable, embarrassing disappointment. (sighs) I'll just gather up my Erlenmeyer flasks and my graduated cylinders and be on my way, I suppose.
(A student enters.)
Darren: Aloooha!
Ben: (excitedly) Huh?
Darren: Am I late?
Ben: What?! Darren?!
(A flashback is shown from Tennis Kid. Darren arrives at the garage with a jet pack.)
Darren (in flashback): Aloooha!
Darren (in flashback): You're a loser!
Darren (in flashback): Everyone knows I'm going to win.
Darren (in flashback): I'm Darren! I'm unstoppable! I'm the best!
(End of flashback.)
Ben: Get lost, before I give my honest opinion of you, which is that you're bratty, obnoxious, and mean.
Darren: (breathes deeply) Huh! Smart kids are so often misunderstood. Oh, well, as they say in Latin, "Ingenium mala saepe movent."
Ben, Darren: "Misfortune sharpens the genius."
Ben: Hmm, as a child genius, I, too, was misunderstood- maybe because I was always speaking Latin.
Darren: (laughs) Too funny.
Ben: Darren, maybe I misjudged you.
(Scene cuts to the garage. Tom holds the e-Levator boots out of Ginger's reach.)
Ginger: Come on, Tom, let me put those babies on and ride the sky!
Tom: Uh-uh-uh, there's only one pair of e-Levator boots. We can't afford to have you break our most fashionable invention yet.
Ben: (enters) Everyone! (clears throat) I'm pleased to announce I have found my protégé!
Darren: (enters) Aloha!
Tom: Wha-
Ginger: Come on! You chose Darren?! He's a mean, spoiled, braggy cheater-face!
Darren: Fair point, and I really want to apologize to everyone. (to Tom) Thomas- can I call you Thomas? You seem so much more sophisticated than a Tom.
Tom: (laughs, in British accent) Yes, yes, of course, my good man! (in normal voice) Whoa, "Thomas" is sophisticated!
Ginger: (taps Tom's shoulder) Tom, this is Darren. He is lying.
Darren: No, no, no. I'm a different person now. Maybe because I watched the Be Nice or Get off the World episode of Alpha Squadron Explosion Go.
Hank: Wow, that episode changed me, too! I was a person who hadn't seen it, and then I saw it, and then I was a person who had seen it. Freaky.
Darren: Or maybe it was listening to my fave-o song, What's Not to Love?
Angela: (gasps) That's my song!
Darren: I know. I wanted to compliment you. I just wasn't sure if I could talk to such an amazing talent directly.
Angela: (flattered) No, go ahead. Please, go ahead.
Darren: Whatever it is that changed me, I've dedicated my life to knowledge, and I want to learn from the smartest guy in the world.
Ben: Me! He's talking 'bout me!
Darren: See? Smartest man in the world. (snickers)
Ginger: Come on! He's just acting like you guys are great to get what he wants!
Angela: Oh, you don't think we're great?
Ginger: Ugh, I don't do compliments.
Ben: Ginger, it's obvious that you're jealous of my protégé. Don't be. He's going to be a fantastic addition to our merry band.
(A montage is shown of Darren settling in the garage.)
(Ginger prepares to watch a movie but finds that all seats are occupied.)
(Scene cuts to the office. Ben allows Darren to work on the boots but pushes Ginger away.)
(Ginger takes an object but is tackled by Ben.)
(Scene cuts. The boots are flying in midair. Ginger jumps into the boots.)
Ben: Ginger!
(Ben suddenly stops the boots, which causes Ginger to fall.)
(End of montage.)
Ben: Well, the moment we've all been waiting for is here. The e-Levators are now ready, thanks to the help of my protégé, Darren!
(Darren appears onscreen floating with the e-Levator boots.)
Darren: Alohaa!
Hank: Ooh! Or maybe aah? I can't choose; they're both so appropriate.
Ginger: (enters) Wait, you let him wear the floaty boots? But- he's only been here a day!
Ben: Ginger, it's not how long you've known someone...
Darren: ...it's how well.
Ben, Darren: (chuckles) So true.
Ginger: Bleugh. You know what, you guys? We haven't been having much fun together since somebody got here, so I got us five tickets tonight's Cyborg Extravaganza!
(All cheer.)
Hank: Uh, oh, do the math.
Tom: D'oh, Ginger, five tickets? There are six of us.
Ginger: Oh, right. Darren, hey, sorry, buddy. We'll miss you.
Ben: Ginger, we can't leave Darren out of a big friends trip.
Ginger: Sure you can! Here, I'll show you!
Darren: Guys, it was going to be a surprise, but, I have six tickets for tonight's Cyborg Stuntacular, the best giant robot fight in town!
(The friends cheer.)
Darren: (whispers to Ben) Five tickets? There's six of us. No wonder he's not the protégé.
Hank: It's "OOH VS. AAH" all over again!
Ginger: Aw, come on! Now, you're choosing his stuff over mine, all because of these stupid boots!
(Ginger throws one boot down and it breaks.)
Ben: Stop that!
Ginger: Yah!
(Ben catches the boot before Ginger throws it.)
Ben: Maybe we should choose him over you! He's nice and helpful and he wants to learn! Everything you are not!
Ginger: (sobs) Fine! If that's how it's gonna be, I'm outta here! (leaves, slams door)
Angela: Are we okay with Ginger leaving?
Tom: Well, he was being a brat.
Ben: Look what he did to the e-Levators!
Darren: Don't worry about it, Ben. You go without me. I'll stay behind and fix the boots.
Ben: But- but-
Darren: Butts are for sitting at the Cyborg Stuntacular. I'll hear no more of it! Besides, I can use all the amazing things you've taught me.
Ben: Wow! You're the best protégé a genius scientist could hope for. I was wrong about you, just like Ginger is wrong about you now.
(Scene cuts to after the event has ended. The friends return to the garage, laughing.)
Hank: Of all the giant robot fights I've ever seen, that was by far the best!
Ben: It's too bad Darren couldn't be there. He woulda loved it... as much as I'm gonna love the repairs he made to those e-Levator boots.
(Ben enters and turns on the lights. The garage is empty.)
Tom: Huh.
Ben: Darren? Where is Darren? And where are the e-Levators?
Tom: Well, they're not in your work area where you left 'em.
Hank: They're not in the fridge where I sometimes leave things. Hey, my hiking boots! (takes out muddy boots)
Angela: They're not in the bathroom.
Ben: Hm, it's not like the Darren I know so well to be careless with cutting-edge technology.
Tom: Yeah, that's the sort of thing Ginger would do.
(Tom and Ben gasp in realization.)
Tom: Ginger!
Ben: Phone, dial Ginger!
(The phone calls Ginger, who is in his backyard.)
Ginger: (sips drink) Hey, guys! I bet you're calling to apologize for being mean to me. I forgive you. I-
Ben: Where are my e-Levators?!
Ginger: (scoffs) How should I know? Maybe stupid Darren took them.
Ben: (sarcastically) Hah-ho-ho, that's nice! You steal my boots and then accuse my innocent new friend of something you clearly did!
Ginger: Seriously! I was in my backyard, digging a hole.
Ben: Well, you're gonna have plenty of time for hole-digging now, because you won't be coming over here anymore!
Ginger: But-
Ben: Good day! (ends call)
Hank: Wow, Ginger works fast. He already put the e-Levators on TV.
(The boots are displayed on the television.)
Ben: He put the what on the what?
CEO (on TV): (with boots) Hello, consumer-friends! Welcome to a live demonstration of my newest invention, the e-Levator boots! O' course, I didn't invent them all myself. I also got to thank my nephew, Darren!
Darren (on TV): Aloooha!
Tom: Whaaaat?!
Darren: You're welcome, Uncle C.
Ben: My protégé is the CEO's nephew?!
CEO (on TV): Yep, he's my nephew.
Tom: Darren tricked us all!
Ben: No, he tricked me!
(The CEO laughs.)
Ben: I can't let this happen.
(Ben manipulates controls on his tablet.)
CEO: This is a real game-changer! All thanks to my great genius. Nothing can stop me now-
(The CEO starts flying around uncontrollably. He screams and crashes into a wall.)
Ben: Good! My tablet still controls the boots!
CEO: (crashes into wall) Let! Go! Me! Of! You!
Ben: E-Levator going down!
(The CEO crashes into several walls.)
CEO: Naughty boots!
Ben: And now, to teach Darren a lesson!
(Ben controls the boots to chase Darren.)
Darren: No, Uncle CEO! Stop, please!
(Darren is hit in the head with one of the boots. He falls and the friends cheer.)
(The boot breaks.)
CEO: Stupid, unworking boot! Hey, turn that camera off!
(The television cuts to static.)
Tom: Ben, you just showed the CEO that he shouldn't mess with us... again!
Ben: That may be, but I also let Darren wheedle his way into our lives because I was so eager to have a protégé.
Hank: And don't forget, you also ruined your friendship with Ginger.
Angela: Hank, no! That's one of those sad things you don't say out loud because it hurts too much to hear.
Hank: Oh, right. Sorry, Ben, not that stuff I said.
Ben: Actually, I'm not good, and I won't be good until I earn Ginger's friendship back. And only when I do will I consider myself good.
(A drink slides into Ben's hand and a hat falls on his head.)
Ben: So, I'll just sit here, waiting for that to happen... in limbo, somewhere between good and evil!
Hank: Ooh, that's a relief. I'd hate to go out on a sad note.
(Credits roll)