Avery Trent - Chapter 4 (Ribbits and Rain)

Avery and Jason were riding, cramped, in the backseat of less-good Avery’s dingy little car. After another screaming tantrum from Avery, followed by a second bout of handkerchief swinging, Jason had been able to calm him down and explain that he was perfectly safe.

“But you just said that I was in danger here!” Avery had protested, stomping at less-good Avery as if he were a feral animal attempting to join one’s picnic.

“Yes, it’s dangerous for one to meet their less-good version, but only because they behave like a madman. Much,” Jason grabbed Avery’s handkerchief and crammed it into his pocket, “like you are.”

Wide-eyed, Avery stared at Jason in disbelief. “I only did that because you made me paranoid! You could’ve explained further! Maybe that’s why people act like madmen!”

“Excuses, excuses,” Jason had said, waving his hand about as if he could swat the excuses away. “Now apologize.”

With less-good Avery looking on, confused, Avery had apologized. Less-good Avery accepted said apology and promptly invited the two to join him on a drive down to Thames Town.

And so, that is how they ended up in the backseat, complaining about being poked in the ribs and someone taking up all of the leg room. Needless to say, it was a very small backseat.

“Don’t worry, gents. We’re nearly there,” less-good Avery reassured them through the rear-view mirror.

“Cool, Avery!” Jason called over the loud wind rushing through the open windows. “Avery, man, stop leaning on me,” he then said to the Avery beside him.

“Alright, you, guy-- er-- Avery!” Avery called to the driver.

“Yessir?” Less-good Avery asked, glancing back quickly before refocusing on the road.

“Do you have a nickname or something? Us both going by ‘Avery’ is going to get really confusing!”

“I agree!” Jason concurred. “But why does he have to go by a nickname? What if he’s older than you?”

“What?” backseat Avery asked. “He’s a parallel version of me, isn’t he?”

“Exactly!” Jason said, cranking his window shut. “So?”

“So, he can’t be older than me, can he?”

Less-good Avery suddenly slammed on the brakes and the car skidded to a halt.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jason exclaimed. "First off, that's offensive, he could totally be older than you. Second, Aves, keep driv--"

"Aves!" Avery suggested. "We can call him Aves!"

"But-- I don't want to be called Aves," less-good Avery complained with a pout as he began driving again.

"See? He doesn't want to be called Aves," Jason said pointedly. "Why don't we call you Aves, Sneezes?"

Less-good Avery chuckled from the front seat. "I like 'Sneezes'. Let's call him Sneezes!"

Jason looked as if his hand had gained sentience and socked him in the mouth. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

Avery just groaned and waited for them to reach Thames Town. And that’s just what they did, several moments later.

“Here we are, gentlemen!” Less-good Avery quickly hopped out of his door and hurried to open Jason’s. The two backseat passengers slowly squeezed out of the car and onto the asphalt. Standing and recomposing himself, Avery looked about.

“Um, sorry, but it looks like we’re in the middle of nowhere.”

Less-good Avery didn’t seem phased by this and just grinned back at Avery.

“What? Why are you smiling like that? Stop it!” Avery demanded, growing anxious. Jason finally peeled himself off the ground and stood beside less-good Avery.

“Stop being so paranoid, Sneezes! Avery probably has something cool to show us.” Jason turned to less-good Avery. “I really hope you have something cool to show us.”

Less-good Avery simply laughed a cheery yet eerie laugh. He then pulled an umbrella from his coat pocket and opened it above him.

“Oh yes, it’s very cool,” he said even more eerily than he had laughed.

“Yes!” Jason pumped the air with his arm and turned to Avery for a high-five. Avery winced, thinking Jason was going to slap him, then slowly high-fived the hand presented to him. There was a gap of silence.

“Awkward…” Less-good Avery said.

Suddenly, something wet dripped onto Avery’s neck. He wiped it away and looked up. “Rain.”

Jason looked up too, followed by less-good Avery peeking out from beneath his umbrella.

“So… Is this the cool thing?” Jason asked, turning his attention back to less-good Avery. Less-good Avery shrugged. “Depends on your definition of ‘cool’.”

Jason nodded, then looked back up at the sky and watched the clouds darken and swirl together.

“Cool…”

The three stood there for a moment, Avery and Jason watching the sky while less-good Avery watched them. Then the downpour fell.

“Well, this is lovely,” Avery said. “Are you gonna share that umbrella?”

Less-good Avery shook his head and stepped away from Jason, who was trying to scoot beneath the umbrella.

“Aw, come on, man! I let you keep the name and gave him the nickname!” Jason pointed back at Avery with his thumb.

“I’m still here, you know,” Avery stated sarcastically.

“Cool,” Jason said, turning to look at him. Turning back to less-good Avery, he mouthed “not cool”. Less-good Avery didn’t reply and instead smirked at Jason.

Just then a wet plop brought everyone’s attention to the road just ahead of the car. Sitting in a puddle, staring at them with large golden eyes, was a frog. A silver frog.

The three men stared back at the frog for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then the frog croaked at them.

“Tell me,” less-good Avery said, “is this cool?”

Jason and Avery were suddenly bombarded with a downpouring of gold-eyed silver frogs. They held up their arms to protect their faces from the amphibian storm as they stumbled back to the car. Avery fell upon the door handle and pulled on it. The door wouldn’t budge. He began yanking at the handle in a panicked attempt to open the door.

“Hurry, Sneezes! Can’t you get in any faster!?” Jason shouted over the din of ribbits and rain. “Just-- move!” He grabbed Avery from behind and shoved him out of the way, ripping the door open and leaping into the backseat himself.

Avery scrambled in after him and slammed the door shut.

Less-good Avery remained outside, still staring at them with a smirk on his face. In the field, far behind him, a large cylindrical object fell from the sky. It looked a lot like Jason’s silver can, but was much darker and slightly larger.

“What was that?” Avery asked in surprise.

“Oh shoot,” Jason mumbled as he watched the top of the can slide open. A white and orange figure hopped out of the top and turned to face the road they were on.

“Come on, really!?” Jason exclaimed.