DISCLAIMER: I don't own Penn Zero Part Time Hero nor Walter Melon Hero for Hire.
"Mom, Dad! What are you doing here?" Penn demanded.
"We just wanted to see where you work," Vonnie trying to sound innocent.
"With your resumes?" Sashi accused.
"Well you never know when a good employment opportunity will come around," Brock coughed nervously.
"Uh-huh," Sashi retorted sarcastically.
"Speaking of employment," Walter cutting in. "This is actually impressive. Even more so than young Penn over there." Walter said holding up their resumes.
"What does that mean?" Vonnie asked holding in her excitement.
"It means that you're replacing us," Penn sulked.
"Wait, What?" his parents gasped in disbelief.
"Yup it looks like you guys are going to be Heroes for Hire while we have to start filling out our UB-40s." Boone sighed. Everyone looked at him curiously wondering how the heck he knows about Unemployment Benefit forms.
"Well that's unacceptable!" Brock cried. "If taking this job means that our son is getting fired them we won't accept!"
"Now let's not be hasty dear," Vonnie trying to calm her husband down.
"Dad! Mom is right." Penn stepped up. "You guys have been Part Time Heroes long before I even knew that was a thing. If anything, you guys are perfect for this job."
"But son," his parents not wanting to hurt or betray Penn.
"While this is a lovely family moment, I have a business to run." Walter said. "It's clear that you all want the job, but I can't hire you all. So in the name of fairness, I propose a test. The best will be hired and the rest leave."
"That sounds fair," everyone agreed.
"Excellent, come back here this weekend and I should have something set up." Walter instructed.
Needless to say the walk home was rather awkward for the Zeros. With none of them saying a word the whole time. Even Sashi and Boone were put off by the silence, but said nothing. In the days that followed, Penn barely said a word to his parents. Not sure if he should feel angry at them for trying to steal his job or just be supportive that they found a job that suits them. Things were even more awkward at school with Sashi and Boone. Sashi being all gung-ho about it eager to see how she'd fair going up against seasoned part time heroes like Penn's parents. Boone, in his usual Boone-y carefree attitude, doesn't seem to care either way; or if he did, he didn't show it. No one seemingly understanding Penn's dilemma of the situation since for him this is literally friends vs family. So no matter which side wins, he loses. That Saturday morning, they all received a call instructing them to come to the office.
"Ah Zeros, Wiseman, and Kobayashi." Bitterbug greeted as they came in.
"Before you say anything, I just want to say that we're dropping out!" Brock suddenly announced.
"Dad don't," Penn objected. Knowing how much his parents want to get back into the hero game.
"Penn we discussed this. This is you dream, and as parents, it's our job to support you not hinder you." Vonnie said trying to hide her disappointment.
"Mom, Dad, while I appreciate what you're doing..." Penn paused inhaling deeply. "But it wouldn't be right. I mean this is your dream as well, and I'll feel guilty if you just gave up on account of me. So let's just do this and may the best Zero win." Penn challenged extending his hand.
Brock and Vonnie glanced at each other confusingly. On one hand they're a bit unnerved that their son just challenged them to a show down; but on the other hand, by doing this, Penn is showing a sense of maturity and fair play. "You got it," Brock and Vonnie shaking their son's hand. Accepting the challenge. At that moment, Walter Melon entered the room.
"Welcome, I trust that you're already for the test?" Walter asked. They all nodded. "Excellent, I called in a few favors from some of my old clients. They agreed to set up some test for you all." Walter then proceeded to hand them all their assignments.
"Um why are we all getting assignments?" Penn asked nervously.
"Naturally I'm testing all of you. The top two of you will get the job." Walter informed them.
"Bu-but, me, Sashi, and Boone have always been a team!" Penn protested.
"Look kid," Bitterbug chimed in. "You've been lucky so far since we've been getting lots of requests for three replacements; but sooner or later, if you guys still have a job here, you and your friends will have to do solo assignments." Bitterbug pointing out that most heroes either work alone or have only one partner. That hit Penn rather hard. While he really enjoys being a part time hero again, he's not sure if he can handle it without his friends.
"Well if there are no further questions. I suggest you get to work." Walter ordered. With that the Zero family and friends gathered their outfits and headed out.
Brock found himself in the middle of a party museum, wearing a leather jacket, fedora, and sporting a nasty looking bullwhip. Definitely not the proper attire for this event. Making him wonder if he misread Walter's instructions. "Ah you must be trainee Walter Melon sent," a rather distinguished looking man in a tux said.
"Uh yeah, Brock Zero. Uh am I in the right place?" Brock said nervously.
"I'm afraid so," the man sighed. "I'm sorry but I completely forgot about this party when I sent Walter the instructions. My name is Windiana Bones by the way." Windiana introducing himself.
"Brock, Brock Zero." Brock shacking Windiana's hand.
"Nice to meet you, now if you'll follow me." Windiana guided Brock through the museum showing off some of the exhibits acting more like a tour guide than a hero here to test him. At first Brock was going to turn off his brain but since he wasn't sure what his test is going to partake, he figured he should just pay attention. "And here is the map room," Windiana opening the doors.
"Wow this is amazing," Brock yawned. As much as he tried to stay alert, he's in a museum!
"Exciting I know," Windiana commented. Hard to tell if he's being sarcastic or not since he seems rather into archaeology. No surprise since he's working in a museum. "This is what I need you to do," Windiana pulling out a dusty old book.
"You need me to dust?" Brock half joking.
"No I need you to retrieve a map. A map that shows the location of lost city of Aztlan." Windiana said with all seriousness.
"Aztlan? The mythical city of the Aztecs?" Brock chocked.
"So you were paying attention," Windiana clearly impressed.
"I have an interest in old things," Brock lied. Truthfully he was just guessing since Aztlan sounds almost like Aztecs.
"I'm sure," Windiana smirked catching the lie. "The only known map in existence in currently in possession of a treasure hunter named Lene Bellhop. I need you to get for me."
"Now hold up. I'm a hero for hire. Not some thug." Brock protested.
"That map belongs in a museum not in that thief's private collection!" Windiana countered. The two men engaged in a starting contest for a few seconds before Windiana backed off. "Besides, the man stole it from a museum in Spain and is now looking for Aztlan to plunder it for its riches." Windiana showing Brock a newspaper clipping of Lene stealing the map as well as the man's files of all the artifacts that stole and sold on the black market.
"Well that's different," Brock perked up. "So where do I begin?"
"That is part of the test," Windiana grinned before exiting the map room. Leaving Brock without any clues other than the files he left him.
Vonnie wandered around this strange the city checking the map that Walter provided. "Now if I'm reading this correctly I should be at a flower shop?" Vonnie feeling a bit confused as she stared at a seeming normal flower shop run by 5 teens. After all when she thinks hero, flowers are the last thing on her mind. Still she has been trapped in the most dangerous world imaginable for a long time now, so maybe things have changed in her absence. Seeing as how she has no other option she entered the flower shop.
"Hey a customer," one of the employees said.
"Welcome to Angel Groove's flower emporium how can I help you?" this boy with a name tag Mason asked.
"We have roses, carnations, and more which we can arrange into any bouquet you can think of." a boy named Willie offered.
"That's nice but I'm not here for flowers," Vonnie calmly explained. "Walter Melon told me"
"Oh you're the new trainee," Mason identified. He gestures the other kids who then quickly start to cover the windows and put up a close sign on the door. "Come with me," he instructed.
Vonnie followed the boy to the back to a fountain display with a rather nice looking waterfall effect. "This is nice. How much is it?" Vonnie couldn't help but ask, almost forgetting why she's here.
"This is not for sale!" a disembodied voice roared.
Vonnie jumped back as this head appeared in the waterfall. "Who...What are you?" she asked.
"I am Sortdon, spiritual horticulturist and leader of the Flower Rangers." Sortdon introducing himself.
"Okay, I'm"
"Vonnie Zero, yes I know. Walter Melon told me about you and how you wish to join his employment and how he was sending you to me to be tested." Sortdon interrupted her.
"Great," Vonnie feeling a bit miffed that he just cut her off like that. "So can we get this test started?" Before Sortdon could say anything, a large explosion could be heard outside. That's when Willie cam rushing in.
"Sortdon! Mason! The city is being attacked by Pita Pocket's monsters again!" Willie reported.
"Rangers it's Transmutation Time!" Mason ordered. The rest of the Rangers got their mood ring morphers ready.
"ROSE!" "MUM!" VIOLET!" "CARNATION!" "DAISY!" "FAR OUT FLOWER RANGER!" After donning their battle suits, the Flower Rangers finished their transformation sequence by striking a pose.
Vonnie couldn't but help be flabbergasted seeing these kids now wearing hippie style tights and what looks like flower pot themed helmets posing like cheerleaders. After the Flower Rangers were done they immediately charged into battle. "I hope you're not expecting me to wear that," Vonnie said. Not at all liking the Flower Rangers fashion sense.
"What no, the sixth ranger has already been selected. He's just not here at the moment." Sortdon informed her. "But what I require of you does in fact involve him." Sortdon's face faded from the waterfall and was now showing some kind of quarry. "Hidden somewhere in this location is the sixth Mecha-Soid. It can only be found by one with a true hero's heart. Normally I'd just send my sixth ranger to retrieve it but he's always busy doing something other than saving the world that he hasn't awoken it yet. So I need you to find it." Sortdon's voice coming out of nowhere.
"You can count of me," Vonnie saluted.
"Excellent. For plot convenience sake, I'll transport you as close as possible." With that Vonnie disappeared in a whirlwind of flower petals.
Within seconds, Vonnie found herself just outside the quarry. She was taken back by the sheer scope of it. While the quarry seemed rather small inside the waterfall, now she finds out that it stretches over a mile long. Making her task almost impossible, but that won't deter her! "Now if I was a floating head in a fountain, where would I hide a Mecha-Soid? And for that matter, what the heck is a Mecha-Soid?" Vonnie realizing that she has no idea what it is she's suppose to be looking for!
Boone dressed in a loincloth riding on elephant through the jungle until he reached a quaint tree house. "Nice digs," Boone complimented. "I wonder who lives here?"
"Me," said a man wearing a similar loincloth that Boone has. "Me Marzipan"
"Marzipan," Boone drooling thinking about sweet cakes.
"Ahem," Marzipan snapping Boone out of his stupor. "Like me said, me Marzipan king of the jungle."
"Heh you talk funny," Boone laughed.
"Hey, you no Henry Higgins yourself piggy-man!" Marzipan shot back poking Boone in the stomach.
"Shouldn't that be Pygmalion," Boone joked.
"Me see what you did there," Marzipan chuckled. "But back to business. Me been king for many seasons now, but apes not happy with me being man. They say that man is not civilized as apes."
"Yeah everyone tells me that all the time," Boone said drinking one of the pineapples then letting out a huge belch.
"So now ape champion is challenging me for title of king. Me can win easily but me owe Walter so me use the challenge for your test." Marzipan finished telling him though seemingly a bit more nervous than he should be.
"Great so who's my opponent?" Boone asked. A loud roar that blew the roof off the tree house!
"The son of King Gong, Bling Gong!" Marzipan cowered as his giant 30 ft tall gorilla wearing gold chain necklaces, gold rings on each finger, and has gold teeth came stomping up to them.
"Somehow I get the feeling that you're just using me to get out of fighting him yourself," Boone accused. Marzipan now hiding under his bed didn't confirmed or denied the allegations.
"High a top the tallest building in the City, two figures stand ever alert in their fight for justice! For no evil can escape the watchful gaze of THE FLEA! And his trusty sidekick Arnie!" a tall buff man in a green insect theme costume calling himself the Flea monologue.
"Flea you're doing it again," said Arnie. Who is wearing a butterfly costume with his wings folded inside his bag.
"Oh come on Arnie, join me, it helps puts us in the mood to fight crime!" Flea preached.
"Flea did you forget, we can't go crime fighting tonight because of that thing we promised Walter Melon." Arnie reminded him.
"Oh right, who's Walter Melon again?" Flea shrugged.
"Walter Melon, hero for hire," Arnie trying to jog the Flea's memory.
"Scoundrel, charging the good folks for heroic deeds!" Flea snapped believing this Walter to be some kind of a con-artist.
"No Flea, he hires himself to sub for other heroes when they are indisposed. Just like when you were sick and he filled in for you against that alien invasion." Arnie explained.
"Oh right, I guess we do owe him one. What did he want?" Flea asked.
"To test one of his trainees," Arnie said. Just then they heard two people coming up the stair way to the roof.
"Come on we're late," a woman's voice grumbled.
"NO I AM NOT GOING OUT IN PUBLIC DRESSED LIKE THIS!" Sashi complained.
"You don't have a choice," the woman grunted. Sounding like she's struggling to pull something or rather someone up to the roof.
"Make me!" Sashi yelled in defiance. POW! Came the sound of a very powerful punch followed by Sashi flying up the stairs and land right at the feet of the Flea and Arnie.
"Maiden America, is that you? You seem a little shorter than before." The Flea helping Sashi up. Sashi growled in anger since she really didn't want any one to see that she's wearing a maid's outfit with a Star Spangle Banner motif.
"Flea that's not Maiden America," Arnie pointed out.
"But she looks just like her," Flea insisted.
"He's right," said an older woman also wearing another maid's outfit with an American flag apron said joining her companions on the roof. "She's the new part timer Walter sent us to evaluate."
"Ah wanting to follow in the footsteps of America's most patriotic and cleanest superhero," Flea praised. Giving his thumbs up of approval to Sashi.
"Not my choice," Sashi hissed. She always seems to draw the booby prize when it comes to superhero jobs. "I mean who wears heels when fighting crime!"
"Count your blessings. At least you don't have to go out in a giant butterfly costume and have everyone mistake you for a fairy princess." Arnie moaned.
"Enough," Maiden America groaned. She really hates mentoring rookies. "Your test is easy, just thwart 3 crimes tonight and you pass."
"Only 3?" Sashi crooked her eye suspiciously.
"Yup just 3 and your done," Maiden America reiterated.
Sashi looked over the roof and could see several dozen police cars and fire trucks racing down the streets as well as hear even more sirens and alarms going off everywhere. "Forget that!" Sashi objected. The Flea and Arnie were a bit taken back by her outburst, but Maiden America had a satisfying smirk believing that Sashi has already given up. "It's a waste of time fighting lackeys. I'm going after the big fish. I'll stop this entire crime wave before this night is done!" Sashi boasted as she jumped down off the roof.
"That stupid kid!" Maiden America chasing after her. Leaping behind her is the Flea with Arnie extending his orange and yellow wings, flying along side.
"Huh he does look like a fairy princess, and I should know I used to be a fairy princess. Well a fairy anyway." Sashi commented after seeing Arnie colorful wings.
Penn Zero couldn't help but feel a bit confused about his situation. For some reason he's in a strange land with sentient mushrooms and turtles. Not to mention all these pipes that seems to be everywhere. Other than wondering where the heck is he, the only other question he has is where is his observer? According to Walter's instructions, he was suppose to meet him here. "Hey, are you Walter Melon's boy?" a strange voice with a thick accent asked.
"Depends on who's asking?" Penn said cautiously. That's when this strange man in red overalls jumped out of one of the pipes.
"It's me Mr. Segale!" the man introducing himself giving a peace sign.
"And you're the guy to test me?" Penn figured since Walter had him wear similar overalls.
"Yes," Segale nodded. "It's simple, you just have to find the kidnapped princess in one of the castles." Segale explained.
"Wait, one of? As in more than one? How am I suppose to do that?" Penn choked.
"Good luck," Segale said diving into one of the pipes without giving him so much as a hint.
"Typical," Penn sneered. "I wish Boone and Sashi were here with me," Penn couldn't help but miss his friends. If they were here they could give him some insight on what to do or at the very least keep him company.
Meanwhile back at Walter Melon's office. Walter and Bitterbug were playing a game of chess.
"Our interns should be starting their trials now," Walter figured moving his rook.
"Should be," Bitterbug agreed checking his watch. "Say who do you think is going to make it?" Bitterbug asked moving his knight.
"Well," Walter taking a moment to consider it. "I'd say Boone. I don't know why but for some reason I like him." Walter chuckled. Taking Bitterbug's knight with a pawn.
"The kid who ate your sandwich?" Bitterbug gagged. He wasn't expecting Walter to pick that kid.
"Oh and who'd you pick?" Walter asked.
"I'd put my money on that Penn kid. He seems to be the only level headed one of the bunch." Bitterbug putting his two cents in.
"Then it's a good thing you're not a betting man because you'd lose that one," Walter laughed.
"Well if you gamble as well as you play chess," Bitterbug moving his rook in front of Walter's king. "Boone is in deep trouble. Checkmate." Bitterbug claiming the win.