That night…

Shiori and her team arrived at the Evernaland Theme Park due north of Daitoshi City, ready to investigate the suspicious activities that have been going on after dark.

The park was deserted, and the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the occasional creaking of a roller coaster carriage in the wind. There were signs posted on the front gate, which read: “Temporarily closed due to biohazard”.

Shiori gazed around, taking in the empty amusement park that was usually filled with laughter and joy. “Here we are, Evernaland Theme Park. Me and my twin brother, Shingo used to come here quite frequently,” she said, reminiscing about the happy memories she shared with her brother.

“That’s typical for normal theme parks,” Nishi, always the skeptic, replied, “There are only two reasons people come to closed theme parks at times like this. One is to do a shady business, and the other is to investigate such business.”

“Well said, Nishi,” Fuwa interjected. “You know we’re doing the latter, so just try to keep silent and move stealthily.”

Keiji, the team’s strategist, reminded them of their objective. “You heard the director, gals. Let’s do this like the way we did in the warehouses complex to confront Daigo Katoh, silent and discreet.”

Shiori nodded in agreement. “Copy that. Where to go first?”

Keiji consulted the park map and explained, “See, the outer pavilions are Enia’s Sanctum Rides and Yggdrasil River Boat Ride, and the inner pavilions are Mallevarte Magma Slopes and Kraal’Thragon Demonic Palace. So, we enter according to the map in that order.”

Shiori’s face lit up with excitement. “Yes, they’re so cool! It’s like being a hero in ‘Fireheart Legacy,’ the greatest legendary event in Terra Everna, ever.”

Nishi, on the other hand, was unimpressed. “Too bad my dad seldom took me to theme parks or anywhere, so I don’t remember anything about this place.”

“Enough about your childhoods,” Fuwa interjected. “Look, the gate to the Enia’s Sanctum Pavilion is open. Let us search in that pavilion first.”

Keiji hesitated, “Beg your pardon, Madam, but maybe the conspirators closed the gate of the Yggdrasil River Ride, which was closer to Kraal’Thragon Pavilion to make us think they were in another pavilion, not Kraal’Thragon.”

Fuwa considered Keiji’s suggestion but countered, “That’s good thinking, but how can you know for sure they’re in Kraal’Thragon? Even if you’re right, it’ll be a noisy job, with blaring alarms and all. So, we must go to Enia’s Sanctum anyway.”

Shiori agreed, “Well, the Director has a point. It doesn’t matter where we start. What matters, we must do this silently, swiftly, and stealthily.”

Nishi concurred, “Right, just focus on the original plan, then.”

Keiji remained silent, looking frustrated. Shiori sensed his unease and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, showing him her sweet smile. It was as though she was saying, “It’s okay. It was a very good question.”

Keiji smiled back at Shiori, thanking her sincerely. The team then moved forward, ready to face the first challenge of the night.

Shiori’s heart was pounding in her chest as she approached Enia’s Sanctum Pavilion, the location of the first attractions on their mission list. It was the first section nearest to the entrance of Evernaland Theme Park, with the area covering two-thirds of the outer ring.

Consisting of popular rides commonly found in theme parks, Enia’s Sanctum turned out to be more of a challenge than any of the GI agents had anticipated, with each ride presenting new obstacles and opponents to overcome.

As they approached the exit, they were met by a cute, yet fierce-looking Cait Sith girl. Shiori couldn’t help but notice the cat-girl’s piercing green eyes, which seemed to be sizing them up.

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“Here come the intruders, meddling with our affairs! I’m Trish the Cait Sith, prepare to be ripped apart!” Trish snarled, baring her sharp teeth.

Fuwa stepped forward, unfazed by the feline’s hostility. “At least someone is being honest here. So, I want to offer something for you as thanks. Surrender and your sentence will be lighter!”

Trish scoffed. “I might be a foreigner, but I know my place, meow. The Big Boss hires me to fight, not to surrender. The Boss knows you’ll come, so my mission is to eliminate the GI Director, Miss Fuwa Mizutani.”

Shiori felt a wave of anxiety wash over her at the mention of Fuwa’s name. She couldn’t imagine losing her mentor to this ruthless cat. But she knew they couldn’t back down now.

“So, here’s my offer as well. Surrender, and maybe I’ll be so inclined to bring you to the Big Boss, still breathing, mroww,” Trish added.

Keiji stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. “Since you’re underestimating us, it’ll be easier for us to deal with you, cat girl.”

Shiori nodded in agreement. “Let’s match our strengths as professionals do.”

“And you’ll realize that you have been weighed and found wanting. Therefore, you must be cut down,” Nishi added, her expression steely.

Trish let out a ferocious meow and launched herself at them, accompanied by a group of tiger bunnies. Shiori dodged Trish’s sharp claws and kicked one of the tiger bunnies aside, while Keiji delivered a powerful punch to another.

The boom boom car, once a joyous ride for laughter and thrill, now lay dormant as a battlefield. Trish, with her feline agility, launched herself towards Shiori, claws gleaming with malicious intent.

Shiori swiftly parried the attack, her katana meeting the claws with a resounding clash. Sparks flew as their weapons collided, each strike a testament to their determination.

Nishi, always keeping a watchful eye, spotted an opportunity. She swiftly moved to the merry-go-round, utilizing its layout to her advantage. With precise aim, she fired a volley of bullets toward Trish, forcing her to retreat momentarily. The air was filled with the sounds of gunfire, the rapid succession of shots echoing through the stillness of the theme park.

Seizing the opportunity, Keiji darted towards Trish with lightning speed, utilizing the roundabout planes as his cover. His bo stick whirled through the air, striking Trish’s defenses with calculated precision. Trish, her agility matched only by her cunning, managed to dodge and counter, clawing at Keiji with fierce determination.

Amidst the chaos and the clash of weapons, Shiori saw an opening. She launched herself towards Trish, her katana slicing through the air with deadly grace. Their blades met once again, the clash of steel reverberating through the theme park. Shiori’s focus was unyielding, her every movement calculated and swift.

Sensing her impending defeat, Trish the Cait Sith made a quick decision. With a flick of her tail, she turned back to flee.

Trish let out a hiss of defeat. “Meowrr! You made me fail to accomplish my mission! You shall pay for this!”

“You know, in my vocabulary, there’s a term, ‘professional failure’,” said Keiji. “Just embrace it like I embraced my blunders, and you’ll go far.”

Trish glared at them before disappearing into thin air, leaving behind a cloud of dust. The tiger bunnies also fled the scene.

Shiori couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. “What a lucky cat girl!” she exclaimed frankly.

Nishi chuckled. “Yeah, she is the foreign version of Maneki Neko, the luck-calling cat.”

“More like Nekomata, if you ask me,” said Keiji casually.

Fuwa interrupted their banter. “Enough about cats. Let’s move out before we’re out of time.”

Shiori nodded, feeling a renewed determination. They still had a long way to go, but with each victory, they were one step closer to completing their mission.