Chapter Text
A blond woman of small stature and pale skin was hiking in the Coolsville Wilderness Park, experiencing the wonders around her with a somber expression, “Nature truly is beautiful, I should do something special for the Wild Kratts for showing me, they deserve it, it’s only fair,” she thought to herself.
The woman’s thoughts were interrupted by rather loud music.
Earth, Wind, Fire and Air!
We may look bad but we don’t care
We ride the wind, we feel the fire
To love the earth is our desire.
“What song is this,” the woman said to herself trying to follow its source.
Love the earth, it’s only fair,
It’s one big earth that we must share
We love the earth with all our fire
It’s in our souls, our one desire.
The song’s lyrics put pangs of guilt into the woman’s heart, as before the Tortuga’s crew got through to her, she didn’t share nor love the earth, she was selfish, uncaring and saw nature as nothing more than an obstacle for her to remove in the name of progress no one truly needed.
Earth, Wind, Fire and Air!
We may look bad but we don’t care
We ride the wind, we feel the fire
To love the earth is our desire.
The woman kept following the song to find who was responsible for this, she eventually found who she was looking for, a young girl in her early teens with auburn hair and large glasses, “Excuse me, miss, were you the one playing that song,” the woman asked as the girl paused her music player.
“I’m sorry, I forgot my earbuds, I’ll turn it down,” the girl apologized.
“I don’t recall asking you to stop, now then, who performed that song,” the woman asked.
“Oh,” the girl responded sheepishly as she turned her music back on, “it’s Earth, Wind Fire and Air by my sister’s favorite band, the Hex Girls,“ the girl noted the older woman’s confused expression and continued, “they’re an all-girl eco-goth rock band.”
Nature is a precious gift
It can make your spirits lift
Love the earth with all your fire
It’s in your soul, your one desire.
Earth, Wind, Fire and Air!
We may look bad but we don’t care
We ride the wind, we feel the fire
To love the earth is our desire.
To love the earth is our desire!
“I don’t know what an eco-goth is but there are special people I’ve been meaning to thank and you’ve just inspired me,” The woman said as she got out her phone and made a video call.
“Hey Paisley, how’ve ya been? Do you have a Creature Mission for us, or are Zach, Donita, and Gourmand causing trouble again," answered a black woman on the other line.
“Thankfully, it’s neither, Koki, I have a proposition for you and the rest of the Wild Kratts. You helped creatures all over, helped me see the error of my ways, and I want to do something to properly thank you.”
“If you want to thank us, just keep doing the right thing,” responded a Latina, tinkering with orange and reddish pink objects, sitting at a large table.
“Aviva’s right,” said a young man wearing a reversed baseball cap, “You legally changed your name to Planter and pivoted your whole company to environmentalism instead of construction, I’d say you’re doing enough.”
“I respectfully disagree, Jimmy Z,” Paisley said, slightly raising her voice, “That’s why I want to put on a benefit concert for the Wild Kratts.”
“Oh, cool. Who did you want to get,” Jimmy asked.
“Are any of you familiar with The Hex Girls,” Paisley asked as Jimmy put on earplugs in the background in preparation for what was about to happen.
“EEEEEEEEEE,” Aviva and Koki squeed at the news so loud the Kratt brothers, Chris and Martin, came running.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” an amused Paisley responded.
“Is something wrong?” asked Martin, the blue brother.
“Paisley wants to put on a Hex Girls benefit concert for us,” Koki exclaimed.
“That’s so nice of you, Paisley,“ said Chris, the green brother, “But instead of it going to us directly, how about it goes to our Creature Hero Foundation?”
“That's a great idea, bro,” Martin added, “We can help you set up the concert.”
“Unfortunately, that's for the best,” Paisley somberly responded, “If you two forgot I changed, what hope would I have other people believing me?”
“Hey! We did too remember, it’s just your Planters have the same paint job as your Pavers and there was land development nearby,” Chris protested.
“And I forgot to tell them what we worked on,” Aviva sheepishly added, “Sorry.”
“Apology accepted,” Paisley said as the girl she was talking to before she got her phone out.
“If you need a place for a venue, why not right here in Coolsville, it does have a greenbelt policy. Heck, it's responsible for this very park,” the girl said with a smile on her face, gesturing to the wilderness around her, “And if you need a new paint job, I have a suggestion,” the girl said as she showed a picture of four teenagers and Great Dane standing in front of a blue and green van to Paisley and the Wild Kratts.
“The shades of blue and green are perfect for my planting machines, thank you miss…”
“Madelyn, and if I’m not being too imposing, you might want to think about making a Great Dane Power Disk.”
“Why would the bros need Great Dane powers, specifically,” asked Jimmy Z.
“Trust me, you’ll find them very useful while you’re here,” Madelyn responded.
“You're thinking what I’m thinking, bro,” Martin asked.
“I think I’m thinking the same thing,” Chris responded.
“That it would be so cool to have Great Dane powers,” both the brothers explained.
“The running speed, the tracking skills, canine endurance,” exclaimed Martin.
“It’s like being a detective!”
“I’m not making any promises,” Aviva sternly responded, “Creature Power Suits are highly sophisticated inventions meant for helping wild creatures, not toys to play with pets.”
“That’s fair,” a slightly embarrassed Madelyn responded as she left, “See you at Coolsville!”
“Now that's settled,” Paisley said, “I need a pick up at the Coolsville Wilderness Park, we have a rock band to visit!”
After picking up Paisley and reaching New York, where The Hex Girls’ record label is located, the Tortuga landed in the city park.
“All right, we're here,” Jimmy exclaimed as he engaged their ship’s landing feet.
“We should hurry to Gus Boggs Productions, there's Varmitech Industries’ HQ in this city, and I do not want Zach nor the other villains catching wind of what we’re doing,” Paisley noted to everyone.
“Don’t have to tell us twice,” the Kratts bros exclaimed.
“Good luck talking to Mr. Boggs,” Aviva said to Paisley and the rest of the Wild Kratts.
“You aren't joining us,” Paisley questioned.
“I have two inventions that's almost complete and I want to keep the inventing juices flowing,” Aviva responded.
“And I have a creature mystery to solve,” Jimmy added, “And if I solve it fast enough, there’ll be fresh pizza when you get back.”
“Someone has to monitor comms in case Wild Kratt Kids call us with questions,” Koki concluded.
“Sounds good! See you when we get back,” replied the Kratt bros.
With Jimmy, Koki and Aviva staying behind, Paisley, and the bros got into the Createrra and headed towards their destination.
“Any ideas on Jimmy’s creature mystery or Aviva’s new inventions,” Paisley asked on the way to Boggs Productions.
“I don't know what Jimmy’s researching but I’m proud of him for taking initiative,” Chris responded behind the wheel of their adventuring jeep.
“As for Aviva's invention,” Martin continued, “If it’s my bro’s Christmas present you wouldn't believe us, but it's what I think it is, trust me when I say the surprise will be more than worth it.”
“I used to work with people that had flying mannequins with paralysis beams, plane,boat,car/restaurant hybrids and robots that are way too literal to be worth keeping around, try me,” Paisley responded with a slightly smug grin on her face.
“Fair enough,” Martin responded, “it’s a time-jumping trampoline, my bro has a coupon for it.”
“To be clear, did the rest of you get IOUs for Christmas?”
“No, just me,” Chris explained, “Aviva made everyone homemade inventions for Christmas, and the trampoline was too complex to be fixed in time.”
“Wait, fixed that implies that…”
“...we already went through time? We tried to save Dodos and Tasmanian Tigers from extinction but it didn't work,” Chris responded with a forlorn expression he shared with Martin.
“That’s rough, Kratts,” Paisley said, unsure of how to respond.
“Yeah, and that's why we all need to do our part to protect creatures from people like Zach,” Chris exclaimed with an intensity Paisley’s never seen before.
“And from people like me,” Paisley thought to herself, the guilt she felt earlier returning.
“And the money we’re going to raise with the Hex Girls will make that easier,” Martin exclaimed, unintentionally distracting Paisley from her feelings of malaise, “Because we're here.”
Paisley and the bros entered Boggs Productions to see the secretary, “Hello, we have a proposition for your boss if he’ll hear us out,” Paisley asked the woman at the front desk, quickly composing herself from earlier.
The secretary picked up a phone on the front desk, “Mr. Boggs, Chris and Martin Kratt are here to see you and they have a guest with them.”
“Thank you Hannah, send them through,” Gus Boggs answered with a noticeable British accent, “The girls will love to hear what they have to say.”
“Top floor, room 618,” Hannah told Paisley and the bros.
“Thank you, Hannah,” Paisley said as she and the Kratts entered the elevator.
Gus Boggs was in his office when the Paisley and the Kratts entered, “Sorry for the short notice visit, Mr. Boggs,” Chris said, entering first with the others following soon after.
“Nonsense, darlings,” Gus Boggs said, with a touch of flamboyance, “because of your similar passions, the girls have been dying to work with you.”
“Sweet,” Martin exclaimed, “we want to put on a benefit concert for our Creature Hero Foundation.”
“And I am more than willing to help with funding,” Paisley told Mr. Boggs.
“And you are,” Gus questioned.
“Paisley Planter, CEO of Save Nature Inc.”
“Never heard of it. Is she a friend of yours?”
“Absolutely, she helped us make a creature refuge with one of the Wild Kratt Kids,” Chris explained.
“It was also her idea to make Blue and Green World,” Martin added.
“Lovely, do you have any preferences for a location,” Mr. Boggs asked.
“We were hoping for Coolsville,” Chris answered.
“I’ll see what I can do, I’ll have my people call your and Ms. Planter’s people.”
“Thank you, sir,” Paisley exclaimed.
Everyone was sitting around the Tortuga’s main area with the scents of cooked organic cheeses wafting from the center of the table.
“I see someone solved their creature mystery,” Martin said, eating the organic four cheese pizza.
“Yep, which reminds me, do you want to go first, Aviva,” Jimmy asked his inventing teammate.
“Go ahead, I’m curious what mystery you had to solve to begin with.”
“Earlier today, I asked why would we need Great Dane Powers in Coolsville and I present to you the answer,” Jimmy said as he pressed a button on the monitor’s console, revealing a photo of the same kids Madelyn showed earlier, “ladies and gentlemen of the Wild Kratts, let me introduce you to Coolsville's resident amateur detectives, Mystery Incorporated! Daphne Blake, the observant and resourceful leader, Fred Jones, the driver and trap specialist, Madelyn’s older sister Velma Dinkley, the brains and tech expert, and finally Shaggy Rogers and his dog Scooby Doo, they’re the bait and Scooby is an honorary police dog. I can't place it, but I swear I’ve seen him before.”
“Rogers? Wait, isn't that Maggie’s older brother, Norville,” Koki pondered
“Yeah and I think I met Velma at science camp too, small creature world,” Aviva noted.
“I thought he looked familiar,” Jimmy realized, “but I can't imagine using a dog as bait is responsible pet ownership.”
“Great Danes can run 30 mph,” Chris noted.
“And I know Norville isn't the bravest guy around but I doubt he’d let Scooby do something he couldn't handle,” Martin added.
“What cases have they solved,” Paisley asked, with acute fear in her voice.
“Oh, well, uh…,” Jimmy awkwardly responded, not wanting to make Paisley’s fear worse, “art forgery, bank fraud, jewel smuggling, counterfeiting and a lot of other stuff, b-but don't worry, the criminals they go after all dress in costumes to commit their crimes.”
“And they’d be pretty lousy detectives if they go after someone who didn't do anything wrong,” Koki comforted.
“Especially if they're a Wild Kratt,” Aviva said as she handed an orange keychain to Koki and a reddish pink box to Paisley.
Realizing what Aviva was implying, Paisley opened the box, revealing an odd looking communicator, its color matching the box, “I don't know what to say, except, why?”
“Because Zachary Bennett Varmitech is easily the most petty and spiteful man on the planet, Chris and Martin told him he can't make a frog into a robot when they were kids and he’s hated Kratts, creatures, and kids ever since, and he hates me for being better than him at inventing,” Aviva bluntly told the newest Wild Kratt, “he’s going to treat you like one of us regardless, and you’re already on our side, so why not make it official?”
“Because I don't belong here! I’m not like the rest of you, I have too much to learn about animals and nature to be a Wild Kratt,” Paisley exclaimed with tears in her eyes as she fell to her knees, “and would my building skills even be needed most of the time!”
“You talk like we don't learn new things all the time, especially me,” Jimmy said, comforting Paisley, “and if it makes you feel better, I was sexist and toxically masculine earlier in our careers.”
“Don’t remind us,” Koki deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
“Really,” Paisley asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“Yeah, trust me, being around Koki and Aviva killed that attitude real fast, and uh, the feeling of not belonging here, is something I find very relatable.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
“Okay, you were not like this when we were making Blue & Green World or Karl’s creaturefuge, what could have happened,” Chris concernedly questioned Paisley as she regained her composure.
“Earth, Wind, Fire & Air by the Hex Girls happened, it spoke to me and didn't like what I heard, I didn't love nor share the earth despite the answer why I should be so simple,” Paisley responded.
“You aren't a bad person, Paisley,” Aviva said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “if you were, having a conversation with us wouldn't have convinced you to change.”
“That means a lot, Aviva,” Paisley exclaimed, “it really, really does, but if someone successfully frames me for fraud, the rest of you might go down with me, and I’d rather rot in jail than let that happen!”
“According to my brief research, Mystery Inc. doesn't usually go out of their way to fight crime, they just solve the mysteries they happen to come across, so you should be fine," Jimmy said, “and if that does happen, they’re smart kids, Paisley, they’ll realize something's up and help us clear your name.”
“I hope so,” Paisley replied after a decompressing sigh.
Suddenly, there was a call on the Tortuga's communication’s system, “I’ll get it,” Koki said as she moved her hover chair over to answer the comms station.
“Hello, Wild Kratts, this is Thorn of The Hex Girls,” the caller on the other end was a pale-skinned goth woman with red highlights in her black hair and her two bandmates, “Gus told us about your proposal.”
“And we approve one hundred percent,” said Luna, a dark-skinned redhead.
“Gus will send you the venue details later,” said Dusk, an equally pale-skinned blonde compared to Thorn, “See you there.”
“That’s great! We look forward to working with you,” Koki said as she closed the communication channel. “It’s happening, it’s actually happening,” Koki excitedly squeed in sharp contrast to the professional demeanor she had talking to the Hex Girls.
“We’re gonna meet the Hex Girls,” Aviva squeed with her.
“Setting course for Coolsville,” Jimmy exclaimed as he flew to Tortuga, to set up the concert of their dreams.