♪ Who's gonna help when the danger overwhelms ♪
♪ And the mysteries are piled high? ♪
♪ Who's gonna be around, never gonna let you down ♪
♪ When you're on a wild ride?
♪ Your friends are always by your side ♪
♪ It's Craig of the Creek, he's gonna save the day ♪
♪ It's Craig of the Creek
♪♪
[ Grunts ]
♪♪
Unlock.
♪♪
[ Ting! ]
♪♪
[ Choir vocalizing ]
♪♪
Ah!
Kelsey: Go longer!I got it!
Whoa! Oof!
Craig, what did you do?!
I got it! I got it! I got it!
[ Doll squeaks ]Hey, did you get it?
Craig, what is wrong with you?!
Yeah, you're seriously bad at baby ball.
I ain't talking about that!
He just destroyed my new merchandise!
Are these Red Velvet Choco-Rolls?
-Oh, I wanna try some! -Ooh, me too, me too!
Oh, my gosh.
That's the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.
What are you talkin' about, Kelsey?
This stuff tastes like dirt.
Uh, yeah, that isdirt.
Eat the red stuff.Oh, my gosh.
That's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.
Those Red Velvet Choco-Rolls were limited-edition.
You would not believe what I had to trade to get them.
You need to pay for all of those, Craig,
or you're banned.
Banned?!
Come on, Kit. It was an accident!
Cut me a break. We're friends, right?
Yeah, we're friends,
but I'm trying to run a business here,
and fond memories and high fives don't trade the bills.
They don't?Come on, Kit.
This is the only place that gets snacks in the whole creek!
If you ban him from the Trading Tree, he'll starve.
Or worse -- try to bum snacks off of us.
Yeah, look at him.
He's just skin and bones...
and blood and guts
and a beautiful soul.
Please, Kit.
My parents only let me have a specific number
of sugary snacks at home.
It's a sometimes food.
[ Clicking tongue ]
Ugh, this is gonna throw me way off schedule.
All right. You want to make it up to me?
You're gonna need to help me out with my trades.
Sure. Whatever you say.
[ Grunts ]
[ Blows ]Together: [ Coughing ]
Fuzzy head boppers, yay!
Ha ha! Whee!
Yeah, they look kind of dumb.
Thanks. I know.
I made a bad trade to get rid of some expiring pizza muffins
awhile back, and I got stuck with these awful things.
I need you to move them.
How am I supposed to get anyone to wear these?
They're absolutely gaudy.
[ Laughs ] I dunno. I'd wear 'em.
You look like a bee! [ Laughs ]
Okay, I don't wanna wear 'em anymore.
Look, sometimes with trading, it's all about advertising.
You get someone cool to wear those,
and they'll trade like hot cakes.
Now get out there and be an influencer.
Hmm. Someone cool.
What's up? It's your boy Toman here,
aka T-Money, aka the Better Competitor,
aka Blacktop Champion Supreme!
I'm out here today getting a statue made in my honor
as the greatest athlete of all time!
Okay. So, can you fit all that on the plaque?
I don't know. It's kind of a lot.
Hey, I believe in you.
Man, Toman is so cool and kind.
No wonder he's getting a mud statue of himself.
Okay, but how are we gonna get him to wear a head bopper?
Hmm. I got an idea.
The new Blacktop Thumb Wrestling Champion is...
Craig! Ha ha ha!
That's right! Now hand over that crown!
-Oh, man. -Hold up.
Well, well. Looks like peanut-head
has got the golden thumbs.
Guess you're the new Blacktop Champ, huh?
[ Chuckles ] Guess so.
Well, the toe is the thumb of the foot,
and I am the toe man, aka Toman.
So let's see what you got.
[ Zing! ]
Both: One, two, three, four,
I declare a thumb war!
[ Both grunting ]
Thunder thumb buster!
Ow, ow, ow! Okay!
Whoo! Ha ha ha!
Your thumb is so weak.
Well, you beat me.
Guess you're the champion now.
Duh.
'Cause I'm the Toman,
aka the Thumb Man, aka Thumbs of Steel.
Wow. Those head thingies are cool!
What?
[ Indistinct conversations, laughter ]
Here's your fuzzy head boppers!
Yeah! I'm a bee!
Buzzzzz!
That was the last pair.
Great hustle out there.
Mm-hmm.
So, are we even now?Move!
Elder coming through!
Ahem. Greetings, snack merchant.
I'm here to pick up my order of Yuzu Chocolate Snacks.
Gah! I forgot to pick 'em up!
All this head-bopper business
made me super behind schedule.
[ Ting! Zip! ]
Heh. Well, glad we could work off that debt.
Later, Kit!
Hold on, Craig.
I'm gonna need you to do another trade for me.
What? Another?
But I want to go plaaaay!
Hey! Playtime at the creek is business time for me,
and you're still on the clock.
[ Groans ]
You'll be traveling to the Ninja Kids
at the Ninja Garden Waterfall.
Speak to their leader, Yustice.
She's a tough warrior and a tough trader.
But when you're dealing with a tough customer,
sometimes a little bit of mystery goes a long way.
Ah, I love "Two-Piece."
It's my third favorite lifeguard manga ever printed,
right behind "Buoy Buoy Panic" and "Surf Guardian CPR."
Craig: Hey, Yustice!
[ Gasps ] Normies!
[ Explosion ]
Together: [ Coughing ]
[ Grunting ]
Who dares interrupt our training in the Ninja Garden?
We are here on behalf of the great merchant Kit.
We offer up three bubblepops
for one bag of yuzu-flavored Knack Knacks.
I see.
Very well, then.
Dang. Elder Mark is gonna be so pumped
when we hand these over.
Wait, these are for the Elders?
No deal!
W-W-Why?
I have been in a blood feud with the Elders
ever since Mark took my OC and copied it.
Look. they're exactly the same!
All he did was add cat ears!
Therefore, I cannot trade for less than 16 bubblepops.
Aw! Kit only gave me three.
Hmph! Then you will leave snackless.
Um, who's got something to trade?
JP, give her your clothes.
Okay. [ Gasps ]
Where did this come from?
Kit: Sometimes a little bit of mystery goes a long way.
Craig: Well, it's too bad you don't want to trade
because I've got this limited-edition
"Two-Piece" blind box.
[ Gasps ] "Two-Piece"? What figure is in there?
Well, it's a blind box,
so I guess you won't know till you open it.
If there's a Floofy figure,
then I can finally complete my collection,
but what if it's a Bruno?
I already have, like, eight Brunos already! Aah!
What'll it be -- your bitter grudge with the Elders
or what's in the box?
Huh...
The box, the box!
[ Chuckles ]
Here ya go. Aha!
I saved Anime Night!
And I guess you helped. Bye.
[ Sighs ] All right, Kit.
Now we're even, right? Hmm.
I actually got one more trade for you.
Are you serious?!
There's not gonna be any time left in the day to play.
Don't worry. It's an easy one.
Just bring these chips to the Junk Lord,
and he'll trade you a granola bar.
Ah...that's it?
That's it.
And then we're square.
Fill 'er up.
[ Sighs ]
I can't believe we have to trade with the Junk Lord.
That kid doesn't let go of anything, not even junk!
Well, I hope we all went to the bathroom
'cause this trade's gonna take the rest of our lives.
Here you go.
Oh, th-- That's it?
You don't want to haggle or have a nervous breakdown?
You think I'm gonna eat thatgranola bar?
There's no nuts, no dairy,
no gluten, and no raisins, Craig.
I might as well be chewing on cardboard,
and I got plenty of cardboard.
[ Chomping ]
Mmm! I think there was a burger in this.
So you have no problem with us taking this?
Nope!
But the junk cats, on the other hand...
[ Meows ]
Oh!
[ Cats meowing ]
Oh, oh! I got this, you guys!
I learned cat from my cat Goo.
Who's my gooey kitty?
[ Yowls ]
Aah!
[ All screaming ]
[ Cats yowling ]
You forgot to tell us about the cats.
Oh. Yeah, sometimes with trading, ahem,
you got to distract a bunch of feral cats with a can of tuna,
and I forgot to give you that tuna.
Sorry about that.
You're sorry?!
Do you have any idea what those beasts put us through?
I can still hear their horrible howls.
[ Cat yowls ] Aah!
Yeah, and I think this experience
is gonna leave a mark on Mortimer.
Look, Kit, I know you're trying to run a business here,
but people matter, too. Like me.
I lost a whole day at the creek
running back and forth, trading stuff,
and nearly getting eaten by feral junk cats.
But, of course, you don't even care
because you have no heart!
Oh, hey! Is that my nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free,
raisin-free granola bar?
Thanks, Kit.
Ah, you shouldn't be thanking me, Todd.
It was these fellas who got it for you.
You should be thanking them.
Huh?
[ Chuckles ]
Thanks so much, you guys!
I'm basically allergic to everything,
so this is the only snack I can eat.
I hope it wasn't too much trouble.
Well, now that you mention it...
No. It was no problem.
Well, thanks, Craig.
You sure I can't trade anything for it?
Nah, Todd. You know the drill.
[ Clicks tongue ] It's on the house.
Bye! Thanks again!
See you tomorrow!
Kit, I'm sorry I said you had no heart.
Ah, that's okay.
But, still, you did make us do a lot of trading.
Boy, please. You had to make three measly trades.
Do you know what I traded
for those Red Velvet Choco-Rolls?
Gonna go buy some almond milk.
Wh-- Where's my car?
Kit!
♪♪
Just like I drew it.