MORNING CLASSES HAD ENDED, Dustin had practically jumped out of his seat at the bell, grabbing his bag and beckoning his friends to follow before he ran to the AV Club room.

The party exchanges confused glances before shrugging and following after, Max trailing behind before she catches up and walks alongside Mariella.

"What do you think it is?" Lucas asks, looking to Mike then Will curiously.

"Probably some list he made about his top candies," Mariella responds, nudging Will who was on her other side with a small laugh.

Will scoffs, a laugh coming from his lips. "It's be nougat, nougat, nougat, then nougat," He says.

"Then more nougat," Mike agrees, nodding.

"Then at the very bottom he'd put Reese's," Lucas adds as Max looks between the group with a confused expression. She wasn't there for the conversation on Halloween night.

Mike opens the door to the room and enters, the others trailing in behind him as Dustin looks up to them in excitement. His homemade 'Proton-Pack' in the middle of the table.

"Alright, what is it?" Lucas asks, all of them forming a circle around the table and looking towards Dustin.

He smiles back at them cheekily. "Okay, first. No telling anyone. This is my discovery, not yours," He tells them, pointing a finger at each of them.

They stare at him in confusion, not responding before exchanging looks.

"Say it! It's 'Dustin Henderson's discovery and not mine'!" Dustin shouts at them, still wagging a finger at them.

Will flinches at the noise in surprise. "Dustin, we get it," He sighs, shaking his head.

"Just show us!" Lucas rolls his eyes.

"Say it!" Dustin enunciates, looking down at the box with a smile.

"Oh my gosh, do you really think we'd steal your 'discovery'?" Mike asks, shaking his head in annoyance.

Dustin scoffs at them. "Yes! Because this is groundbreaking,".

"For Christ's sake! This is Dustin Henderson's discovery and obviously we won't steal it," Mariella snaps, shaking her head in annoyance as she taps her fingers against the table.

Dustin smiles at her. "Thank you, Mars!" He says. "Alright, now come, look down," He gestures to the box.

Reluctantly, they lean in, looking down at the closed box. Dustin clicks it open. The sound of chittering coming from it. They stare down at the odd creature, eyes wide with surprise.

"His name is d'Artagnan," Dustin tells the group with a cheeky smile, picking it up from the box carefully. "Cute, right?".

"It looks like a booger," Mariella says, staring down at the creature in disgust.

"d'Artagnan?" Mike repeats.

"Dart for short," Dustin shrugs, looking down at his pet with adoration.

"And he was in your trash?" Max asks.

"Foraging for food," Dustin replies, looking to Max. "Wanna hold him?".

"No, no," Max shakes her head rapidly.

"He doesn't bite," Dustin presses, bringing d'Artangan closer to the fearful girl.

"I don't want to," She shakes her head again before Dustin drops his pet into her hands.

"Oh, God, he's slimy!" She exclaims, tossing it to Lucas.

"It'll probably give you warts," Mariella groans, looking at the creature with her brows furrowed.

"Ella!" Lucas shouts, tossing the creature to Will and wiping his hands on his pants hurriedly.

"Ugh! Oh, God!" Will coughs, passing it to Mariella whose eyes go wide.

"It's not even cute!" She says, turning to Mike and handing it to him before quickly rubbing her hands on the desk.

Mike holds it, lifting it closer to his face curiously. "What is he?" He asks.

"My question exactly," Dustin pulls a book out, slamming it onto the desk. Eastern Reptiles and Amphibians by Roger Tory Peterson. "At first, I thought it was some sort of Pollywog," He begins flipping through the pages.

"Pollywog?" Max repeats.

"It's another word for tadpole," Dustin confirms.

"Then why didn't you say tadpole?" Mariella asks.

"Because. A tadpole is the larval stage of a toad," He explains.

"I know what a tadpole is," Max shakes her head.

Mariella laughs. "Yeah, she's not stupid, stupid".

"Okay, why are you so lippy today?" Dustin turns to Mariella with a raised brow.

"Because," She mimics him from earlier. "Go on with your presentation," She waves her hand with a goofy smile.

"I will, you shut it, Marlie," Dustin teases her, the boys laughing at the mention of her childish nickname.

She opens her mouth in retaliation but is cut by Dustin beginning again. "Anyways, you all know tadpoles are aquatic, right?" He begins, opening to the page needed and flattening it out. "Well, Dart, he isn't. He doesn't need water,".

"Yeah, but aren't there non-aquatic Pollywogs?" Lucas questions.

"Terrestrial Pollywogs? Yep. Two to be exact," Dustin answers turning the page, "Indiana Semipalmata and the Adenomera Andreae. One's from India, one's from South America. So how did one end up in my trash?".

"Easy, last year from Hawkins La—" Mariella begins, Mike clamping a hand over her mouth and telling her to be quiet. She nods, realizing that she almost let the events of last year slip. Turning to him with drooping eyes and mumbling out a "Oh, gosh. Sorry,".

"What? From where?" Max asks, looking to Mariella who chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"Nothing. It was just this trial run thing," Mariella lies, shrugging while she leans on Mike's shoulder lightly — a habit she had.

Max squints at her, knowing she is lying but not pressing on the subject. "Maybe some scientists brought it here, and it escaped?".

"Do you guys see that?" Mike says, looking down at d'Artangan. "It looks like something's moving inside him," He goes on, softly pressing Mariella off his arm as he leans closer before taking the overhead lamp and placing it over the creature.

It hisses loudly, scurrying away and off the table. Into Dustin's outstretched hand. "Whoa! It's okay, it's okay. I got you, little guy. I know you don't like that. It's okay," He tells his pet. The party staring at him with wide eyes.

"And there's another thing. Reptiles, they're cold-blooded. Ectothermic, right? They love heat, the sun. Dart hates it. It hurts him," Dustin looks to them an explains while petting d'Artangan.

Lucas squints at him, "So, if he's not a Pollywog or a reptile,".

"Then I've discovered a new species," Dustin beams, looking back down at his pet and continues to pet it lovingly.

"Okay, but, what if—" Mariella begins, cut off by the bell. The party still looking to her to finish. "Never mind, let's go to class," She picks up her backpack , the rest following as they begin to exit the room.

As they walk out, Lucas who led, began to ramble. "We gotta show him to Mr. Clarke,".

"No, what if he steals my discovery?" Dustin protests.

Mike rolls his eyes, looking to Dustin for a split second. "He's not gonna steak your discovery,".

"Why would you even think he'd steal your discovery?" Mariella adds, walking behind them, shaking her head at the thought.

"You know, I'm thinking of calling it Dustonious Pollywogus. What do you think?" Dustin asks, turning to Max with bright eyes.

Max looks back to him. "I think you're an idiot,".

"Watch it not even be a discovery just some weird deformed critter," Mariella laughs, pushing between Lucas and Mike.

"When I become rich and famous for this one day, don't come crawling back saying, 'Oh, my God, Dustin, I'm so sorry for being mean to you back in eighth grade. Oh, my God,'." Dustin looks to Mariella and Max with a scrunched up nose as he puts on a Valley-Girl accent.

Mariella mimics his face, looking to Max with a pretend curious expression. "Do we sound like that? I don't think we sound like that," She questions, placing a finger to her chin as if she was pondering a thought.

Max laughs. "I mean, maybe we do? I just, don't think we notice it?" She nods, mimicking Dustin's voice impression.

"Oh, my God! We do!" Mariella puts her hands in her hair in false shock, copying the accent and shaking her head while making her eyes wide.

"What will we do?" Max exclaims as the two girls begin to giggle and shake their heads at the boys who watched in pure confusion at the strange exchange they had just witnessed.

None of them seeming to notice that Will had fallen far behind, mind plagued with thoughts of Dustin's pet. His eyes wide as he realizes what it truly was.