[CHIRP ♪♪]

FADE IN:

EXT. TOKYO — AFTERNOON

Chirp stands atop a fire escape. He had been trailing a criminal for a few blocks. For whatever reason they had felt particularly brave and mobilized all at once. There was no reason to suspect foul play — any fouler than one would expect from roaches of the underworld. But after his first run-in with one of these eager miscreants, he found himself in possession of a phone. One he couldn’t access.

The crook he pursued seemed to be in possession of a similar — nay, identical phone. If anyone had answers, it was them.

Chirp pulls out the device as the man comes to a halt. It seems they’re taking a breather. Not the best cardio, it seems. Before he has a chance to examine it further, the sound of glass breaking reverberates through the street.

CHIRP ♪♪ (V.O)
Did he notice me?

Chirp pulls out his gun, aims at the man, and pulls the trigger. A polaroid comes out and his eyes glow red — looking into the past.

He immediately runs through the building and crosses the room. The window’s open, he jumps through it and slides down a ladder on the other side before kicking off the building and landing on the hood of the car.

CHIRP ♪♪ (V.O)
Jesus Christ. I almost died there.

Beat.

CHIRP ♪♪ (V.O)
Now, how to get inside…

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

To say that was startling would be... well a lie. Though, it sure as hell was a startling experience for the folks around her in that moment. From, 'ohs' to 'oh my' and other exasperated experssions. Apparently something was going on however as quick as everyone had seen the situation start to play out it disappeared.

A loud 'thud' was heard on the opposite of the building and while some of the people were curious most of them either left it alone. Others pulled out their phone and began to dial the local law enforcement to check it out just to be safe.

Now while it was true she was student and she didnt have a single thing close to the words license let alone pre-liminary one...that didnt mean old habits didnt die hard.

One second she was in the crowd, the next she was able to shimmy herself into an alley hide behind a dumpster and jump up to the roof.

....Now she just had to figure out how to do this without exposing herself to the public eye.

She needed a costume on the fly and fast.

[CHIRP ♪♪]

EXT./INT. CAR — AFTERNOON

Chirp knocks on the window, flashing the ENKI System phone. The thief rolls down the counter and starts yelling.

THIEF
I didn’t call for backup!

CHIRP ♪♪
Someone did. Now unlock the door before I turn into roadkill!

The thief unlocks the door.

THIEF
Fine but this haul is mine. What’s with the dumb mask anyway?

CHIRP ♪♪
You’re the one wearing a ski mask! It’s not even snowing.

THIEF
But I can see!

CHIRP ♪♪
I saw well enough to hop in the car! We’ve got someone tailing us anyway!

THIEF
What? Who?

CHIRP ♪♪
I don’t know. I’m as new to this as you are.

THIEF
I’m not new to this.

CHIRP ♪♪
Then, how come you didn’t know someone was tailing you?

THIEF
I…

The thief swerves, trying to shake off a nonexistent threat.

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

The car was getting away. Unfortunately, Jo was wracking her brains for a choice of mask. Something she could use to cover herself up... that's when it hit her.

'Oh right, your quirk!'

JoJo thought in her head and smiled, it would look strange but it was worth a shot. The woman cracked her neck and began to focus, closing her eyes. The growth of her hair covering her bare skin came all at once.

A sleek coating of blue covered her skin while atop her head came a black mask that covered her head. She looked weird, as though she was wearing a body suit underneath her clothes but unfortunately, she had no time to think about the details.

Right now she had to catch up with that car which seemed to be... swerving.

Oh, boi.

CHIRP ♪♪

[CHIRP ♪♪]

Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea.

The man was already panicked and would hurt people if he continued to drive this dangerously. It was in their best interest, in Gabe's self-interest, and Japan's self-interest that he navigated this guy somewhere safer. Backseat driving was annoying but if he tried to steal the wheel, then they'd for sure crash!

"Buddy, if we stay on the road we're gonna get surrounded."

"Huh? What do you mean??"

"If we're getting tailed then more people will get involved. Heroes, cops, vigis... I don't know if we're getting any more back up."

He swerved again.

"Then where the hell should I go?"

"I know just the place."

"Then quit your yappin', birdie. Tell me where to go!"

The pressure was getting to him. Good.

"Make a left here. Right here. Pass this light. Take the roundabout." A whole lot of nothing. Eventually, they'd reach a dead end, but until then, he'd slow him down as much as he could.

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

Okay, okay, okay

So they weren't swerving anymore, but that didn't mean that ya know they couldn't start up again and hurt someone. Now, Jo had to deal with the following options of how to stop this crazy car.

She swerved in the air above them and kept close high above. Now the first option was she could've suspended the car in mid-air and ripped them out of the car... but that may be a little too extreme. Another plan of choice was to kick them both out of the car and have the vehicle come to a screeching halt. Which, would cause alota people to pull out their cameras and videotape the whole thing. After that, it may go viral, and then Americans might see it and pinpoint her out... Yeah no.

Honestly, the best choice here was to follow, however that didn't mean she couldn't prep herself and get a little closer. Though the moment they even slowed down a bit she'd be on them.

For now, she made her way closer to the street and continued following, that way she could swoop in god forbid this driver tried to do a hit-and-run.

[CHIRP ♪♪]

Dead end.

“What the hell? You fucked us. You utterly fucked us.” The car came to a screeching halt as skid marks trailed. They could still make it on foot, but they seemed to have lost whoever was following them. The cops would catch up soon, but if they ran now, they’d get off Scott-free. “I’m gonna kick your ass!”

“Wha—” Gabriel was dragged out of the car as the man started wailing at him. “Ow, OW! I gave us an escape route, why are you—” The frustration was palpable. But that’s when inspiration struck. “They’re still following us!”

“Huh? What?” The man turned around preparing his fists for battle, only to get nut-checked by Gabriel as he swung his foot upward toward an unsuspecting criminal.

“Yeah, asshole. Bite me.” Gabriel said. “I owned your ass. Now I’m gonna tie you up and let the cops arrest you.”

“Like hell you are…” He took a tablet.

“Hey… what did you you swallow?” Gabriel gulped. “I said…”

Then, the man started to grow. And grow. And grow.

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

Okay let's look at the postives, they didnt try to run anyone over so that was a plus and the car came to a complete halt. So now it was time to take care of the crooks...

It seemed they were taking care of one another.

A mini-fight had broken out between the two people that were within the car, and Jo couldnt help but sit there and watch in mid air. A thick strand being of ichor (it was really hair but she purposedly made it look like something else when bringing it out) she held onto while slowly making her way to the ground.

"So do you got this? I mean it looks like you got this and theres a code to this type of stuff." She spoke in that broken puberty voice until Jo watched the 'badguy' in this situation take a pill and begin to grow.

She stood still watching the situation and just looked over to the other fella once again.

"So do you have this under control or?"

[CHIRP ♪♪]

“I’m a lover, not a fighter!” The man reached full size. They were 12 feet tall and friggin’ jacked. At this point, even a kick to the almonds wouldn’t bring them down.

The criminal swung their fist down vertically, trying to crush Gabriel in one fell swoop. He rolled out the way and landed back on his feet, ready to continue this game of cat and mouse. Er, bird. But without wings, it was only a matter of time before he got caught. Gabe wouldn’t last in a battle of attrition.

“Help me! Help!” Gabe called out to his new, wonderful, totally awesome friend. “I’ll distract him — all according to plan.”

Not his best attempt at covering up what was happening here, but it was… a movie-worthy performance, that’s for sure!

“You’re too pretty to die,” Gabriel muttered to himself.

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

A heavy eye roll occurred underneath that mask at this fellow's reasoning. If that was the case why the heck was he ever in that car to begin with, was he trying to get community hours for some university project?

Jo shook her head a couple times before a small blob of greasy hair appeared in her hand. "Hey buddy," The young hero in training shouted out before throwing it at the back of the guy's head. If he was still regular-sized it likely would've knocked him out and the possibility of concussion. Considering how big they were now though, it'd probably do not that much.

hopefully...

"HEY, IM TALKING TO YOU! Quit picking on the e-boy and actually fight someone that would cause you to use that pea-brain in ya head!"

[CHIRP ♪♪]

The behemoth turned around as the glob slammed into the back of his skull. He leaned over, almost tipping onto Gabriel. Recomposing himself, his one-track mind looked toward the tiny, hairy hero that had initiated their fight. He growled incoherently and sent their arm towards them in a wide, horizontal swing.

“Yeah, get ‘em—” Gabriel stopped mid-cheer. The question dawned on him. “What’s your name by the way? I’m Chirp, the handsome bird.” He squinted. Not that this mysterious savior would be able to tell behind the mask. “I’d prefer e-bird, thank you very much.”

The behemoth didn’t like that and threw a kick backward. Due to the awkward angle, when Chirp stumbled a few steps back, falling to the ground, he avoided the maneuver.

I’ve got to stop talking so much. The heart and the tongue were divided. It’s like I’m asking for trouble.

“So, uh…” He couldn’t help it. “Guessing you don’t wanna talk this out, buddy?” He scrambled to his feet. What could he actually do to help here? Was he really this useless?”

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

'I’d prefer e-bird, thank you very much'

That sentence alone, almost caused her to head back up into the air and leave. Jo didn't know it was possible that a single line from the usual Joe could make her feel that, just ew.

The behemoth's swing was easily dodged, in fact, she wasn't even focused on keeping her voice sounding like a prepubescent kid. After that statement alone she was having a serious mental battle even to help this guy.

I mean, ugh. BEINGS OF THE WORLD UNITE.

"Hey Junkie! Leave the teeny alone!" The actual voice of JoJo jutted out of her body while she launched herself up to the back of this giant. Swinging her body round she brought her leg up and cracked into the back of biggums head.

At this point forget hiding, forget falsities, she was annoyed and she wanted to be gone!

[CHIRP ♪♪]

Her strike landed.

The behemoth staggered, losing its balance for a moment before regaining composure. It rubbed the back of its head as it turned its attention to JoJo. Chirp was struck by a flash of genius — the man may have been strong, but he was still human. Weak spots existed. And with how ill-proportioned they were, they were more susceptible to toppling over.

“Hey, ugly!” Gabriel needed to distract him. Quickly. He picked up a few rocks off the ground and tossed them to the back of the man’s head. It didn’t have the same striking power as JoJo’s kick but the irritant would get his attention.

“Same spot!” Gabriel called out. Then, when JoJo would strike he’d make his move. But that was under the pretense she understood what needed to be done. Hopefully, this oaf was too simple to understand their plan. Even if they could understand each of the words individually.

“Hope you’re not stuck this way,” Chirp muttered. Criminal or not, people deserved better. “It would be a damn shame…”

---

JoJo

[JoJo]

It didn't take a genius to figure out what the bird was planning unfortunately JoJo was ready to smother this oaf and knock him out. Unfortunately, the more she thought about it, it wasn't the smartest idea to go ahead and keep choking out every problem in Japan.

Plus that's how you eventually get yourself on a most wanted list whether your results are helpful for the community or not. This time rather than some fancy kick she decided to keep it simple. The moment the fella turned around she launched herself upwards and right to the back of the head she performed a knee lift.

Now that may have been a little much, however considering the other option was either choke him out or let the biggums rip the bird in half it was safe to say neither of those was a good option either way.

[CHIRP ♪♪]

The distraction worked.

As it refocused on Gabriel, JoJo made her strike. The creature lost balance and that’s when Gabriel sought to make his move. Moments after he wobbled, he was tackled onto the ground. Much like a turtle on its back, the weird oblong shapes of his bulbous muscles prevented him from getting up from the ground. It wasn’t the prettiest way to win a fight, but it got the job done.

“Thanks for the help,” Gabriel said. “But if you’re not a hero, you should get out of here. Don’t want to get up in the politics of bureaucracy.” Gabriel pretended he belonged, even though he didn’t.

“Either this guy stays this way forever or he doesn’t. If he does, then he’s stuck and can’t move. If he’s not, then he’ll eventually return to human form and stop being a threat. So… I’ll watch him until the cops or a hero arrives and we’ll handle the rest.”

He paused.

“Name’s Chirp. You got one you’re willing to share?”

---

JoJo