"You know, it's kind of funny," said LJ to his friends... Also Lynn. "When I was told we'd be taking part in an actual mission to retrieve the Delightful Children's birthday cake, I was pretty psyched. I didn't think things would go downhill so suddenly."
"It's crazy to think about," Kimberly replied. "Such a big honor, but also quite the conundrum."
"I know..." Akito replied. "I thought we had them, especially when Numbuh 2 dropped that bridge to try and stop the Delightful Clones. Who'd have guessed they had a jet waiting for them?"
"Who coulda foreseen that?" Kimberly nodded.
"Definitely not me," Raul remarked. "I have a bad feeling about how this'll go down with the Big Wigs though."
"Well, we're about to find out." said Chrissy, as Numbuh 362 arrived on the scene.
"Numbuh 1, you let the Delightful Children get away!" exclaimed the commanding officer.
Numbuh 1 turned and gave a salute. "Don't worry, sir! We'll catch them," he vowed, walking forward. "Come on, team!"
But Numbuh 362 just held up her hand to stop him. "No! Just forget it." she sighed.
"But what about the cake?" asked Numbuh 5.
Numbuh 362 had a heavy heart and a sullen expression on her face. "Look... I think it's time to take you guys off the case." she finally declared.
Numbuh 1 was mortified by this news. "WHAT?!" he exclaimed. "My sector is always in charge of liberating the cake from those Delightful dorks!"
"And it's your sector that always loses it!" said a bratty voice, coming from a brunette boy standing next to Lee and Sonya. "I mean, have you clowns EVER gotten the cake back in one piece?!
"Ugh... This kid..." Kimberly groaned.
"Hello to you too, Nujmbuh 218." The boy glared, a bit harshly.
"Well, yeah, we got that cake!" Numbuh 1 glared back at the younger boy. "Once..."
"And just who the crud are you, Beaver Teeth?!" Numbuh 4 snapped as he grabbed the boy by his collar.
"He's my brother." Numbuh 362 replied.
Numbuh 4 looked scared to death and grinned nervously as he let go of the younger boy. "R-Right... Your brother... I-I can see the family resemblance." he then said nervously as the boy dusted himself clean.
"Since taking over Sector W, Numbuh 363 has the highest mission success rate in the Kids Next Door," explained Numbuh 362. "So I'm putting HIM in charge of all cake retrieval missions."
"SAY WHAT?!" exclaimed Sector V in shock.
"You can't do that!" Numbuh 1 gasped.
"Sure she can," sneered Numbuh 363. "She's in charge, and ob-viously she thinks you're getting too old to handle the big missions. So step aside and let a real sector handle business, Numbuh Was!"
As he walked off, Numbuh 1 tried to lunge at the little brat, but 2 and 5 held him back. "I'LL SHOW YOU SOME BUSINESS, YOU LITTLE-!"
"You and your team are off this mission, Numbuh 1," Numbuh 362 decided. "Is that clear?"
"B-But-" The bald boy began to protest.
"Is that clear?!" Numbuh 362 repeated sharply.
"Yeah, Numbuh 1, is that clear?" Numbuh 363 added mockingly.
"Watch it, runt." Raul growled as he shook his fists.
"Yesss..." Numbuh 1 forced himself to say.
"Sector W, it's your show now," said 362. "So go get us that cake!"
The trio saluted. "YES, SIR!" they exclaimed as they took off, leaving Numbuh 1 to fume in anger.
"So, what do we do now?" Akito asked.
"I guess go back to the treehouse." Raul replied.
"Yes, you probably should, we're going to be looking for any new recruits we can," Numbuh 362 advised. "I'm sorry it had to be this way too."
"You're just doing your job, we get it," Akito replied. "Do you have any ideas though?"
"I've heard some talk about a group of kids who live in some place called Third Street," Numbuh 362 said. "Apparently this old guy tried to ban recess during their summer vacation until one of the kids was left behind at home while everyone else he knew ended up in summer camp."
"I know that kid," realized Akito. "That's TJ Detweiler! I went to his school for a while, and I can definitely say that he and his friends are incredibly resourceful. Personally, I think they'd make great Kids Next Door members."
"I'll take it into consideration, Numbuh 2772," Numbuh 362 nodded. "Now you are dismissed as well."
"Yes, sir." The group before her saluted before they filed out as Sector V was a bit dejected, though probably not as much as their core leader.
"Wow, Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 3 piped up as they left for their treehouse. "Numbuh 363 was totally right! We never have got the cake back in one piece!"
"We did once!" Numbuh 2 reminded her.
"Really? I don't remember! Hmm... Let's see," Numbuh 3 replied thoughtfully before she thought of past events. "There was the time we blew it up by accident, and oh, we sent it to the wood chipper that other time... Oh, oh! And remember when the birdies pooped on it?" she then asked with a laugh. "Remember that one, Numbuh 1?"
"Yes!" Numbuh 1 snapped, having enough of the girl's cheerful memories. "Thank you for the memories!"
"Now, now, let's just chill out with some cartoons or video games," Raul suggested. "That always perks me up."
"Solid idea," LJ agreed as he and the others entered the main room.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to talk about anything except... Cake?" Numbuh 1 stated, before he noticed a camera crew, as well as the Delightful Children, standing in the room. "You!" he growled, getting their attention. "Kids Next Door, battle sta-" he shouted, as the group charged into action; but before they could act any further, they were trapped within several monstrous hands made of flames.
"No, no, no! Cut!" Father shouted as he came over, wearing a beret and holding a megaphone. "You Kids Next Door are NOT IN MY SCRIPT! ...But on the other hand, you might just be what this picture needs!"
"What...?" Akito blinked. "Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Father?"
"Father! What're you doing in our treehouse?!" Numbuh 1 demanded.
"Just indulging my more artistic side by producing the most Mega Blockbuster movie of the century!" Father announced as he showed the crew and a Happy Birthday tarp beside his Delightful Children.
"And we're the stars!" The Delightful Children added. "It's called 'Let Us Eat Cake'! And once it's complete, jealous kids worldwide will get to see us enjoying our delicious birthday cake on the big screen! And what backdrop for us to savor it in than your STUPID TREEHOUSE?!" they then added maliciously as they approached the hostage KND operatives as they shared an evil, obnoxious laugh together.
"Oh, MAN!" Numbuh 4 glared. "It's not gonna be one of those chick flicks, is it?"
"EEEENOOOOUGH!" Father roared in his face with an increase on his flames. "We must film before the muse escapes. All right, my stars," he then added before he soon pushed his Delightful Children closer in front of the tarp. "In this scene, you'll unveil the cake! I wanna feel the passion between you and its scrumdilly-yumminess like electricity!"
"At least Aunt Darla isn't working for this guy." Akito grumbled to himself.
"QUIET ON THE SET!" Father shouted as he sat down again. "PLACES! Aaaaaaand... ACTION!"
"At last, we are alone, my love," The DCFDTL declared to the cake. "I have yearned too long to taste your frosty icing..."
The rest of their hackneyed dialogue was, fortunately, drowned out by Sector V's complaints and grousing.
"Come to me, my tasty-" The DCFDTL smiled as they took off the tarp...only to find underneath was no cake, but a very smug-looking Numbuh 74.239, sitting with a parasol.
"Hel-lo~" The smug operative greeted, ever-so-casually.
Raul snickered at the sight of Numbuh 74.239.
"Numbuh 74.239?!" Numbuh 1 gasped. "What're YOU doing here?"
"Cut! Cut! CUUUUT!" Father yelled out as he grew aflame again. "YOU ARE RUINING MY SCENE!"
"That was mildly amusing actually." Raul smirked.
"And what have you done with MY CAKE?!" The Delightful Children demanded.
"Oh, we took it, but I assure you, it is quite safe," Numbuh 74.239 smirked as he sipped his drink. "Mm!~"
"HOW DARE YOU?!" Father snarled. "Give it back this INSTANT!"
"Oh, you can have it back if you want it; you just have to pass a little test we came up with first." Numbuh 74.239 grinned.
"TEST? What test?" asked Numbuh 1. "And who's 'we'?!"
Numbuh 74.239 gave a sinister smile. "Oh... You'll see..." he replied. "Either you release them, or I destroy the cake." he told Father.
"You're a kid!" Father retorted. "You'd never willingly destroy or turn down a perfectly good birthday cake!"
"I'd turn down cake." LJ stated.
"Don't test me." Numbuh 74.239 replied to the horrible hothead.
Finally, Father relented and released Sector V.
After the release of Sector V, Numbuh 74.239 had ordered the other operatives at the amusement park early the next morning known as The Rainbow Monkey 'Let's Learn About the Lavatory Fun Park'. That's right, a theme park based on potty training.
The group soon made it into the theme park, though it seemed to be deserted and even old Rainbow Monkey dolls rolled around like tumbleweeds in The Wild West.
"So where the crud is that cake stealin' thief, anyway?!" Numbuh 4 glared as they were all armed with weapons.
"Who cares? We've got the whole park to ourselves!" Numbuh 3 gushed. "Let's go on the roller-coaster first!"
Then suddenly, the roller-coaster broke down right behind them.
"I don't think that's going to be an option." Kimberly said to the girl.
"We haven't got time for rides, just keep an eye out for the Delightful Children!" Numbuh 1 glared. "We should be-"
"Leaving!" A familiar voice interrupted.
"Aw, muetra..." Raul grumbled. "I know that voice anywhere."
Of course... It was Numbuh 363. "What part of my sister saying 'you're off the cake mission' don't you LOO-SERS understand?" he snapped.
Numbuh 4 stepped forward. "And what part of YOU is your sister gonna recognize after I get done rearranging your-" he was cut off when Lee and Sonya pointed their weapons at him.
"Not cool." Lee said, before Sector V pointed their own weapons.
"Not cool is right," said Numbuh 5. "You bettah get'cho yo-yo outta my teammate's face!"
"You FIRST!" Numbuh 363 retorted.
"Can't we just talk about this calmly?" asked Sonya.
But before any further responses could be given...
"HEY!" shouted Mr. Boss, as he came in, accompanied by The Crazy Cat Lady, Mr. Wink, and Mr. Fibb. "Whaddyou brats think you're doing-" he was silenced by the sounds of weapons being pointed in his face. "...Here?"
"We could ask you the same question, Mr. Boss!" Akito glared. "As well as other KND villains!"
"Hi, guys!" The Toiletnator smiled as he came by before weapons were shown right at him next. "Hey! Don't point those things at me!" he then whined as he flinched.
"Aw, jeez, it's The Toiletnator!" Mr. Boss groaned and face-palmed.
"NOBODY MOVE!" Captain Stickybeard called out as he was shown with a female pirate in a mostly purple outfit who was known as Captain Syrup and his crew as they held their candy cane swords close. "If any of ye think yer takin' old Stickybeard's cake, ye got nougat for brains!"
"Your cake?!" An old woman who looked like an old, female version of Numbuh 2 glared as she was shown with a couple of friends of hers. "The Senior Citizen Squad is servin' that cookin' TONIGHT AT BINGO!"
"...Do you know her?" Raul asked Numbuh 2.
"She's my grandma." Numbuh 2 explained.
"Ohh..." Raul nodded, now understanding.
"All right, everyone shut up and back off!" Kimberly glared, showing a rare aggressive side. "That cake is ours!"
"Well..." LJ blushed. "Didn't expect to see this side of you, but today is just full of surprises."
"You back off!" Numbuh 363 snapped. "Getting the cake is MY mission now!"
"Not if we get it first!" LJ retorted, flicking him in the nose.
Numbuh 363 slapped his hand away. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he spat. "D-DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH ME!"
Everyone soon broke out into arguments with each other which lasted for quite a while.
"Hello~" Numbuh 74.239 greeted once he found them all. "So glad you could all make it!"
The others soon pointed their weapons at him once they caught him up on the stage.
"What's with all these jerks, kid?!" Mr. Boss demanded. "You said if we came here, we'd get the Delightful Children's cake!"
"Hey! That's what the little schmulboogie told us!" Grandma Gilligan argued.
"US TOO!" Captain Stickybeard and Captain Syrup added.
"I just stepped in to use the bathroom, but isn't this place toiletriffic?!" The Toiletnator explained before looking overly excited.
Everyone else then threw stuff at him in annoyance before breaking out into another angry mob argument, though now they looked like they wanted to lynch Numbuh 74.239.
"Yes, yes, you've all been invited to share in the most delicious birthday cake ever and all you have to do to win it is win our little scavenger hunt." Numbuh 74.239 soon announced with a small smile.
"SCAVENGER HUNT?!" exclaimed Numbuh 363. "You gotta be kidding me."
"What, is the great Numbuh 363 too stupid to handle a meager scavenger hunt?" LJ smirked.
"The Kids Next Door would never allow villains a chance at the cake!" Numbuh 1 pointed out.
"Ah, but this goes beyond the Kids Next Door you know, Numbuh 1," stated Numbuh 74.239. "...FAR beyond..."
"Well, forget it!" Mr. Boss glowered. "We're not playin' some stupid game for a lousy cake!"
The crowd agreed firmly and decided to leave the theme park in a huff, grumbling in disappointment and frustration.
"Oh, well, suit yourselves," Numbuh 74.239 shrugged nonchalantly. "But those of you who do wanna play, the list of items is right there!" he then added as he gestured to a booth that was filled with several scrolls of paper. He then checked his wristwatch. "And look at that! The game's already started."
Suddenly, the crowd had a change of heart and they suddenly rushed over to get their own scroll.
"Wow. What a bunch of sell-outs." Raul rolled his eyes.
Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 363 soon grabbed for the last one there and began to have a tug-of-war over it.
"Hands off, Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 363 demanded. "My sister gave you a direct order to stay outta this mission!"
"You heard what 74.239 said!" Numbuh 1 argued as he won the scroll. "This goes beyond the Kids Next Door! Then again... Maybe you're just afraid that my team will win!"
Numbuh 363 looked wide-eyed before narrowing his eyes. "I'll see you get decommissioned for this... But first... I got a cake to win!" he then grinned as he swiped the scroll away from the older boy and soon ran for it.
"Why you little-" Numbuh 1 growled darkly.
"C'mon, Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 5 called out from their ride as she had a scroll they could use. "Everyone's getting a headstart on us!"
Just as they went to leave, a group of six other kids came to the theme park.
"Man, just lookin' at this place is makin' me sick!" A gruff tomboy's voice was heard. "This is worse than when Mikey had that Bonky birthday party!"
"Relax, guys; we need to get in on that scavenger hunt so we can score that cake," said her friend with the red cap. "And it looks like things are getting pretty wild."
"Alright, everybody, scavenger hunt or bust!" LJ declared as he got aboard the ship.
And so, the scavenger hunt began with two kid announcers at work.