Chapter Text
[New Orleans, LA – 11:49 PM]
[A curly-haired man wearing a dark blue jacket and sweatpants walked down the streets of closed shops and buildings. He lifted a video camera to face him, and the panel switched to the camera's point of view.]
Henry: Whaaadduuupppp, Mystery Solvers! It's ya theorist, Henry Rosco! Right now, I'm at the spooky 23rd Row Street, where supposedly there was a rumor about the Trash Mancoon! Half-Man, Half-Raccoon – ALL the more excuse to steal ya trash! Just like Bigfoot and the Legendary Sea Witch, the Trash Mancoon hides a lot from photos and video evidence – But this time, I won't let it escape!
[Henry turned the camera to face the street, where there was nothing but a dark and weary road near closed shops.]
Henry: So this is where they usually strike, at nearly midnight, when all of the shops are closed and vulnerable. No one around but yours truly, and the Trash Mancoon! (Laughs) Man! This will be the prime time of my business! Now there will be more than just my two besties!
[Suddenly, Henry stopped when he heard rummaging. In a rush, he raced towards the noise, camera view bouncing in a blurry speed. He quickly stopped and turned to the corner, aiming his camera at... Nothing.]
Henry: AHAAaaaaa.... Aww man! I thought I got him this time! (Frustrated, he lowered his camera down and kicked a pebble, throwing the pebble at a can... Or what was supposed to be the can, when he heard a sturdy thud) Huh?
[Henry curiously walked towards the source and aimed his camera at a small box... A jack-in-a-box. Henry bent down to pick it up and scanned it. In his face, he felt unsure, confused, yet squinting closely as if he's... Familiar with the toy. With his brain scratching, the young man reached on the toy's handle and started to crank it.]
[A slow, unsettling music rose, playing the simple chorus of “Pop Goes the Weasel.” Just as the climax stopped, the lid of the box opened up, revealing...
Henry...]
Henry: (Shock and dread in his eyes) W...What?!
P!Henry: Welcome to our game!
Henry: T...That... That's – (Henry didn't have time before he heard loud pops from above. Quickly, he spun up to find colorful fireworks, but unfortunately – He didn't see claws coming out of the shadows to cover his mouth.) MmmmMMMMPH!
[As he struggled, Henry dropped his video camera on the bag, with its final shot recording Henry being dragged away in the shadowy void.]
[Title Card: PLAYTIME OVERTIME.]
[WOOHP World, Singapore – 9:32 AM]
[A woman with black, curly hair walked down the hallway, holding her cup with both hands as she stared nervously at her reflection. Unlike her usual demeanor, Zerlina Lewis walked down the halls with anxiety and broken pain.]
Zerlina: Tomorrow's the day, Zerlina... Tomorrow's movement day.
[Zerlina shut her eyes and sighed, then she opened them to enter her office.]
Zerlina: Today – It's mission time.
[Zerlina sat on her desk and turned on her computer, researching the current news. Pictures of parades, fireworks, and confetti appeared, but despite their childish nature, the reading headlines didn't suggest otherwise.]
Zerlina: (Reading the headlines) “Strange Unscheduled Parade Occurs in Lyon” – “Fireworks in New Orleans, Never Planned in the First Place” – “Confetti Chaos in Chicago.”
…
[Zerlina's eyes shifted to the drawer beside her table. Pondering with other thoughts, she reached down and opened it, pulling out a framed picture of a childhood event. Her thumb rubbed the picture of girls and boys smiling, wanting to feel the warmth of that nostalgic feeling.]
Zerlina: I wish...
[Zerlina paused, unable to continue or even think of what she's going to say. Instead, she put the picture away and began preparing the overview of the mission.]
[An hour and a half later, Zerlina folded her hands together, staring at the ceiling until the faint screams of three girls crashed down in front of her, landing on the couch she prepared for them. A red-head, blonde, and dark-haired trio groaned in pain, dizzy and sore from the impact.]
Zerlina: (Professionally calm) Good morning, girls.
Sam: (The redhead flipped back her hair) Hey, Zerr. Thanks for waiting until we finished our tests...
Clover: (The blonde groggily lifted her head) But chill down with the whooping slides. My brain cannot land safely.
[Zerlina briefly nodded, but she continued with her usual job. She tapped on her computer and the previous pictures popped up.]
Zerlina: Today's not a good day for a party. Right now, we're dealing with anomalous events happening randomly in the city. Organizers and planners weren't aware of these occurrences; however, we believed whoever was behind this was up to something. I need you to investigate these locations and find a connection.
[The three girls saluted, but the black-haired woman turned her gaze at Zerlina, seeing her confident aura being broken with a small frown.]
Alex: Is something wrong, Zerlina?
[Zerlina was caught off-guard and turned to Alex with a shocked face.]
Zerlina: Huh? O-oh. It's nothing. I just have busy plans tomorrow, and I won't be at the desk for a while. You'll have to contact Toby in the meantime.
Alex: But you don't look happy with the plans. You usually have that boss look who knows what to do around here.
Zerlina: It's just... (She gripped her arms) It's none of your concern. I just had to file and relocate the baddies to another prison for movement day. Mostly your baddies.
[All three girls gasped.]
Clover: Like the ones we faced since high school?! Are you going to be alright?
Sam: Is one of them bothering you? We can report it to the officials!
Alex: Do we have to kick their butts again?!
Zerlina: (She raised her hands in protest) Girls, girls, girls! It's nothing much. It's part of my job and... I have to do what I have to do.
Clover: (Confused) But what's with the cold shoulder, then?
Zerlina: I... I don't want to talk about it. It's a lot.
[The girls frowned sadly at their boss's depressing behavior, but Alex paused to think and raised her hand.]
Alex: What if one of us helped you out?
Zerlina: (Shocked) What?!
Sam & Clover: WHAT?!
Alex: I know I have a mission right now, but I don't want to leave you behind!
Zerlina: (One of her hands gripped her sleeve tighter) Alex, it's not your business to interfere.
Alex: But you did so much for all of us! (She stepped in and pulled Zerlina's hands to cup them closely) If there's something going on tomorrow, you feeling concern or lonely would be the last thing I needed for the day. (She smiled softly) So let me accompany you on the movement! I know my way around the baddies! I faced a lot of them before!
[Zerlina stared at Alex, mind filled with concern and hesitation. But once she saw Alex's determined and unmoving aspiration, Zerlina finally sighed and smiled in defeat.]
Zerlina: Fine. I'll allow this. (She held Alex's hands and shook them) I'll see you tomorrow, Alex.
[Alex couldn't keep her smile, and she squealed, pulling herself to hug her boss. The girls joined in, thanking Zerlina as they smiled. Zerlina, however, gazed at nothing with an impending frown. She felt hurt from whatever she's keeping in her mind.]
[New Orleans – 1:12 PM]
[Flying to New Orleans in their jet, the girls inspected their gadgets.]
Sam: Alright! Let's go over our equipment for the day. Laser lipstick?
Clover: Check!
Sam: Sticky Powder Print Pack?
Alex: Check!
Sam: Grappling Hook Bracelet?
Clover: Here!
Sam: Explosive pearl beads? Check!
Clover: We also got the Tracker Bird, Kitty Claw Nails -
Alex: And Roller-Derby boots! (She pointed to her boots)
Sam: Great! Now we're right above the fireworks spot, so let's jump out, girls!
[Sam opened the door, and the three girls jumped off, turning on their backpack wings as they flew down. The three girls finally land on the rooftop buildings, tucking away their wings to scan the area.]
Alex: Huh – Zerlina's right. New Orlean's supposed to be filled with festivals and parties, but I don't see either of those things.
Clover: Maybe the fireworks are for a proposal?
Alex: Or a birthday surprise?
Sam: That still doesn't make sense. (She then noticed something nearby) Hm?
[Sam walked over and found a sparkler used to release fireworks. There are fallen, glimmering ashes surrounding the sparkler, and a shifting trail rolled in. As if whoever set the sparkler off used some sort of wheels to get around.]
Sam: Found Evidence #1! And I don't think ashes are supposed to be sparkling like that.
Clover: (Eyes sparkling) Oooh! It could be a new makeup trend!
Alex: (Confused) Sparkling ashes? Might as well use them for zombies and stuff.
Clover: Perfect for Mandy! (She sparkled so innocently after delivering that burn)
Sam: We need to deliver them to Toby, and I got the lucky tool. (She pulled out the sticky powder print pack and hold up the circular powder puff. She dabbed the puff on the ashes, letting them stick, before she put them on the compowder to scan it.) We also need to scan that trail. That could be our culprit.
Alex: I got it! (Alex opened her compowder to scan it; however, as she scanned, something bright shot at her eye) W-woah! When did the sun decide to take over the spotlight? (She blocked the view with her hand and looked down, finding a fallen object on the alleyway ground.) Wait – Girls! Look!
[The trio looked over the edge and saw the shiny source; a video camera on the trash, at the perfect view of the light.]
Clover: A video camera? Was someone recording?
Sam: Only one way to find out!
[Sam leapt off the edge and flew down to the alleyway, followed by Alex and Clover. Once the girls landed safely, Sam picked up the video camera and looked around.]
Sam: Out of batteries. Someone must've used it recently.
Alex: But why dump it on the streets? Cameras have chargers, like phones or computers!
Sam: (Sam tapped on the side and pulled out the sim card) At least they're lucky enough to leave the sim card. We might be able to see what's going on if we send this to Toby. (She placed the sim powder into her com, sending the data.)
[Suddenly...]
???: Oooh Oooh Ah Ah.
[The girls froze, turning their heads to the dark side.]
Clover: Did you, like, hear that?
Alex: I'm pretty sure the nearest zoo to New Orleans is like 50 miles from here.
[Sam turned on her flash from her compowder and peered into the darkness. The light revealed normal trash and a space, until Sam raised it up and right in front of them...]
Sam: (Gasps)
[The spies stared up and, much to their horror, they saw a giant gorilla plush with a menacing face and razor-sharp teeth. The gorilla hangs onto the ceiling with their huge arms, and they roared. The girls screamed, just as the gorilla lunged down and landed in front of them. He then grabbed Sam and ran out of the hallway. Sam cried as she struggled to free herself.]
Sam: WAAAAAH! HELP ME!
Alex: Oh no, this is like the zoo again!
[The two spies chased after the plush gorilla, running as quick as they can. They rushed on a path filled with bumpy, rocky textures. Sam looked back at her friends, seeing them starting to slow down due to exhaustion.]
Sam: Alex! Clover! Use the roller-derby boots!
Clover: On this rocky road?! The textures don't end well, Sammy!
Sam: (She grunted in her struggle as she turned to look for an alternative way. As if luck had struck, she saw a ramp leaning against a smooth wall.) The wall! Use the wall!
Alex & Clover: On it!
[Alex and Clover followed through Sam's order and raced towards the ramp. Suddenly, a beeping sound was heard and a pair of wheels appeared underneath each boots. They glided on the ramp, sliding towards the wall's surface and rolled down side-ways. As expected, they began catching up to Sam and the gorilla.]
[As the chase continued, Clover reached her arms out for Sam's, trying to grab hers to pull away. Alex, behind the two, turned her attention up to the buildings opposite of them. Her eyes immediately shrank into dots.]
Alex: Look out!
[She pushed Clover onto Sam and the gorilla, and Alex dived in as well. As soon as they left off the building, a splat of glue and paint lunged in the air and hit the surface wall, right at the area from where Alex and Clover leapt off.]
[On top of the opposite buildings, there is a grinning jack-in-a-box, holding a manufactured toy gun with glue and pain ammo bottled up. They aimed their gun at the spies, shooting at them. Both Alex and Clover moved their bodies in acrobatic poses to dodge the incoming splats, avoiding being hit while they tried to free their friend. Clover looked at her pocket and pulled out the explosive pearl beads, and in a quick rush, she tossed them in front of the gorilla.]
Clover: Hold onto me!
[She reached out her hand, revealing her grappling hook bracelet, and aimed at the nearby pole. On cue, the bombs flickered bright red, before they exploded in front of the gorilla. Frightened at the loud scene, the gorilla halted in his tracks, which gave Clover the signal to shoot out the grappling hook at the pole. Once the grappling hook wrapped itself around the pole, Clover used the gorilla's weight to pull enough force and lunged her and her friends out of its grasp, just in time when a huge splat hit the gorilla instead of them. The girls swung around the pole, screaming; however, they changed their trajectory to land in the nearby alleyway and dashed away, running away from the two sentient toys.]
[Once they're in a safe zone, the girls panted heavily, relieved to be safe.]
Sam: What... What was that?!
Clover: My guess... Scary, sentient toys...
Alex: I think... Now we know what we're dealing with... But why come after us?
Sam: Maybe... (She looked down at the camera she's holding) They're getting on our trail to find this camera's owner. We should head back and do an aerial scan on these two toys, so that we know where they left off.
Clover: Oh yeah, let's go ahead and scan the entire city of New Orleans for a giant gorilla spider and a glue-shooting jack-in-a-box.
Alex: (Alex paused, raising herself up) Maybe they're connected to the strange events.
Sam: Only one way to find out. Let's head back and tell Zerlina about what happened, which also gives you more time to prepare for your rotation trip with her tomorrow.
Alex: At least facing my old baddies would be less painful than that gorilla!
[The three girls quickly pulled out their jetpacks and flew out of the area; however, they are being watched by a kid's rolling telephone toy near the dumpster. The toy's nose beeped, repeating the following phrases:
“Let's head back and tell Zerlina --- Prepare for your rotation trip with her tomorrow.”
“Let's head back and tell Zerlina --- Prepare for your rotation trip with her tomorrow.”
“Zerlina. Tomorrow.”]
[Transitioning to another scene, it showed a dark and eerily terrifying room, and a sharp claw tapped on a keyboard key. On the screen, it revealed the toy had sent an audio recording of the message, and the figure did a full scan on the three spies and their background.]
[Dozens of WOOHP images popped up, until Zerlina's photo came up. Next to her photo, a pop-up revealed the current list of rotations for tomorrow's rotation, stopping at a certain point to capture two names off the list.]
[Behind the screen, a figure can be seen smiling with sharp teeth]
???: Found you~