Chapter Text
In Playtime Plains, the Smiling Critters are seen skateboarding on the sidewalk. DogDay, CatNap, Bubba Bubbaphant, Bobby Bearhug, CraftyCorn, and MittenKitten are wearing protective gear. While KickinChicken, Hoppy Hopscotch, and PickyPiggy aren't wearing any. MittenKitten was in a baby carrier worn by DogDay.
"He-ha! Ha-ha-ha-hehe!" MittenKitten laughed as she moved her arms around joyfully.
"You're having fun, MittenKitten," DogDay asks.
"Me-ow!"
"I'm glad you are."
"Come on, DogDay. It's my time of the day to hold MittenKitten," Kickin said.
"I would if you put on some gear."
"But that won't be cool for me."
"Isn't encountering pain part of the fun?" Hoppy asks.
"No, pain can only bring suffering, Hoppy. And also pleasure, if you're a masochist," said Bubba.
"Really, you two? In front of MittenKitten," CatNap was annoyed.
"CatNap, I don't think she's paying attention," said Crafty, pointing out MittenKitten, still giggling from riding on a skateboard.
"As long as our baby is happy, it doesn't matter," said Bobby.
"I agree, Bobby. When there's happiness, everything is fine. Ack! I swallowed a bug. Actually, it's not that bad," said Picky.
But then MittenKitten began to meow in panic and move her arms in worry.
"MittenKitten, what is it?" DogDay asks.
"You were fine a second ago. What changed?" CatNap asks.
"Meow!" MittenKitten shouted before pointing ahead.
The Smiling Critters looked ahead and saw the Nightmare Critters on their skateboards coming out from a different direction.
"Look out!" Smiling Critters shouted.
"Huh?!" Nightmare Critters are confused.
"AAAH!"
Suddenly, both Critter Crews crashed into each other in a dust cloud. They all end up sitting on the sidewalk, dizzy, with swirls in their eyes.
"MittenKitten, are you alright? You're not hurt?" DogDay asks.
"Meow-meow," MittenKitten gives a thumbs-up.
"Ouch! GoldyClaws, you good?" Baba Chops asks.
"Meow," GoldyClaws nodded, who was on Baba's head.
"You Fuzzy Wuzzy Smiling Freaks! Why don't you watch where you're going?!" Simon Smoke yelled and shook his fist.
"Yeah! What are you trying to do?! Kill us?!" Icky Licky shouted while everyone got back on their feet.
"Well, sorry. We were enjoying ourselves, dude. Also, I never thought I would see all of you having skateboards," said Kickin.
"We're the Nightmare Critters. We love to go to extremes. And the same to you. I never thought my Piggy rival, the unicorn, the bear, and the elephant would have skateboards," said Maggie Mako.
"I crafted them myself. I'm called CraftyCorn for a reason," she said.
"Right. Anyway, we're glad you literally ran into us. I got some news that I heard while we were riding," Rabie Baby continued. "Wynn Wolfe was able to come back from the sea."
"What?! Oh no!" Bubba scared.
"Yeah. And also, Old Man Modo is planning to get rid of our "toys" too."
"That grouch better not touch MittenKitten," said Hoppy, while DogDay and CatNap touch MittenKitten in worry.
"The same goes for our baby, too, Hopscotch. I will bite him if he tries to harm GoldyClaws," said Allister Gator, gently scratching GoldyClaws' neck.
"Good to hear. Now, let's get back to skateboarding," said CatNap.
"Woah, woah, now. Don't think we're going to forget the fact that you rammed into us," said Touille, showing the Hand.
"It was an accident. We didn't mean it."
"We're sorry for running into you," said Bobby.
"Nope. Apologizing ain't going to let it slide. You're going to have to prove your apology is meaningful by racing us with skateboards," said Poe.
"Are you serious?" Kickin questioned.
"Aw, what's the matter, Chicken tenders? Scared to lose?"
"No. I find it weird that you will accept our apology if we race you. It doesn't make sense. Right, Bubba?"
"Yeah, I'm with Kickin on this," Bubba agreed.
"Oh, I get it. You're inviting us to play with you. Am I right?" DogDay said.
The Nightmare Critters blushed at the thought that they were caught.
"Just shut up and race us," Baba yelled before the Nightmare Critters skated off.
"Mm-mm. Sure. Let's race," said DogDay, before the Smiling Critters skate after them.
Once the Smiling Critters caught up with Nightmare Critters, Simon commented, "Nice to know you're not slow on your wheels, Fuzzy Wuzzies. But let's see if you have tricks to be close by."
The Nightmare Critters then skate on guardrails to perform Overcook Grinds.
They got back to the ground to the Smiling Critters for Allister to say, "Beat that!"
"Oh, yeah? Helipop together, Critter Crew!" Hoppy shouted.
The Smiling Critters come together to do the Helipop together, which surprises the Nightmare Critters.
"That changed your mind on us?" Picky smirked.
"Oh, we got plenty more tricks that came from," said Maggie.
"Well, so do we."
Unknown to both Critter Crews, they skateboarded past a van that was parked in a dark alley. The person inside the truck was asleep until the Critter Crew's skating woke them up.
"What the-? Was I seeing things? Or did I actually see animals skateboarding?" said the driver.
The driver moves their van out of the alley to see the Smiling and Nightmare Critters skating further away.
"How dare these filthy creatures come into my new home and act like people?! I'll fix that!" said the driver, before driving their van after them.
"Woo! Who couldn't ask for a better day to skateboard?" said Kickin.
But when a laser nearly hit Rabie, she shrieked, "Gah! What the garlic salt was that?!"
The Critters looked back to see an animal control van. It features a Matte black body with subtle gray highlights, accompanied by the words ANIMAL CONTROL' in large, block lettering on the side. A simple paw-print icon next to the text reinforces the theme. Its roof features a roof-mounted satellite dish, multiple antennas of varying heights, an articulated mechanical arm on the side that holds a glowing blue ring, and large side hatches and panels that suggest hidden compartments. The truck's windows are tinted so that no one can see inside. There's a laser gun coming out from the side hatches to fire at the Critter Crews.
"Animal control?! What did we do?!" Crafty is freaking out.
"I didn't even know we had animal control in Playtime Plains," said Bubba.
But when the lasers are still firing at the Critter Crews, Icky shouted, "This crazy driver is trying to kill us!"
"We've got to lose this guy!" said Baba.
"There's nowhere to escape. Look, dead end," said CatNap, seeing a brick wall at the end of the road.
"I have an idea. Lamppost spins at 12 o'clock!" DogDay pointed ahead.
The Critters grabbed the lamppost so they could spin on it, and the van passed by before crashing into the wall.
"Yes!" Maggie cheered.
"That's what you get for trying to kill us, Mack!" Allister yelled.
But then the van turned around unscathed and tossed the blue ring, which caught the Critters together.
"Ugh! What is this?! I can't break free! My arms can't get loose." The Critters struggle to free themselves.
The driver stepped out of the van, revealing themselves to be a light-skinned, brown-haired human man with a Pixie Cut, a pointy nose, and his hair covering his eyes. He's wearing a navy-blue polo shirt, khaki cargo pants, sturdy black boots, a gray jacket, and a white dog-catching net pendant. The animal catcher walked over to the trapped Critters with a cocky smile.
"Who could've guessed Playtime Plains was plagued with a bunch of animals that can skateboard?" he said.
"Animals?! How dare you! We prefer to be called Critters, thank you very much," said Touille.
"We didn't do anything wrong, officer. We're just having fun," said Bobby.
"You can talk?! I'm glad I decided to move here. Playtime Plains has a talking pest problem," said the animal catcher.
"Hey! Only the Nightmare Critters can call the Smiling Critters pests! And also, call us pests again, and I will cut out your tongue!" Poe angered.
"So that's what you're called? Let me tell you, Smiling and Nightmare Critters. Animals don't belong in towns. They are meant to live in the wilderness. Shame you have to break that rule to come here," said the animal catcher.
"Now that's just stereotypical. We live in Playtime Plains. We even have houses to call home," said Hoppy.
"Oh, I get it. You're misbehaved pets who decided to run around the town."
"We're nobody's pets. We own the houses we live in," said Simon.
"This is very wrong. Time at the pound will teach you that no creature besides humans should act like a person."
"You are nothing but an amialist and a very stubborn one at that," said Picky.
"Just who do you think you are to act like you're superior to us?" Baba yelled.
"I'm Alex the Animal Catcher. I ensure every town and city is clean and free of animals and pests that don't belong here. Now, if you excuse me, it's time to haul all to your cells at the pound," said Alex, taking out a hook to hold the ring.
Alex pulls the Critters over to his van.
"There's no way I'm being locked up because I'm a Critter," said CatNap.
MittenKitten and GoldyClaws merged out of the tied ring to see what was going on.
"Babies? You're free," DogDay whispered.
"There's a lock on this ring, babies. See if you can get Alex's keys so we can get out of his pocket," Bubba whispered.
"Meow," said MittenKitten and GoldyClaws, before running over to Alex.
Mischievously, with a giggle, GoldyClaws climbed up into Alex's pants. Feeling her in his pants, Alex began to shriek while holding his pants and moving his feet. The Critters begin to laugh hard at Alex's reaction. While Alex does the Squurriels in His Pants dance, MittenKitten climbs up his back and retrieves the blue key for the ring trap in his back pocket. Once she did, she jumped over her tied-ring family and their rivals.
"Atta girl, MittenKitten," said Hoppy, while taking the key with her ear.
She uses the key to unlock the ring, thus freeing the Smiling and Nightmare Critters.
"Someone is getting a treat once we leave here," said Picky, petting MittenKitten's head.
Then Baba whistled for GoldyClaws to come over. Before GoldyClaws, she got out of the back of Alex's pants to give him a big wedgie and put his underwear over his head.
"That's our little wildcat!" Simon said, being proud.
"Hehe. You little tykes saved our skins. Someone is going to be rewarded with a dessert indeed," said Maggie, petting GoldyClaws's head.
"Now let's get out of here before Alex comes too," said Crafty.
"No need to tell us twice," said Poe.
DogDay and Baba quickly picked up MittenKitten and GoldyClaws and placed them in the baby carrier and on top of Baba's head. The Smiling Critters and Nightmare Critters got on their skateboard and rode off with their colorful energy tails behind them.
Once Alex frees himself from his underwear, he spots the Critter Crews riding off.
"No animal ever escaped and tricked Alex Carnage," he shouted before going back into his van and riding after them.
The Smiling and Nightmare Critters continue riding on their skateboards to flee from Alex the Animal Catcher.
"You think he's still after us?" Allister asks.
"Yep, he is. I can hear his van coming behind us," DogDay said.
The Critters turn to see Alex driving his van and say, "Smiling and Nightmare, there's nowhere you can hide! Alex always gets their animal! Give up, so I won't have to stun you with my lasers!"
"This guy is as persistent as Wynn Wolfe," said Picky.
"We'll never escape as long as he has his van," said Poe.
"That's it, Poe. We need to take out his van. GoldyClaws, you think you can throw my knives at the van's tires?" Baba said.
"What?! You are not letting GoldyClaws touch your knives!" Crafty yelled.
"Well, how else am I supposed to keep riding here?!"
"Grab my tail. I'll drive until you stop," said Touille.
"Okay, Touille."
Once Baba grabs Touille's tail, she takes out four knives to throw.
"Keep it steady, Touille," said Baba, before throwing one knife at each tire.
The tires pop, causing the van to swerve.
"Hey! It's a good thing I'm prepared for something like this," said Alex, pushing a button.
The tires turned into tracker rollers as Alex laughed.
"No fair!" Icky complained.
"Now what!?" Kickin asks.
"Let's split up! Critter scatter!" DogDay yelled.
When each Critter goes in a different direction, Alex said before pushing a button, "You want to play tag? Hah! Then I'm it!"
The hatches in his van release drones with stun lasers to chase the Critters, one by one.
"You've got to be kidding me?!" CatNap said.
"This guy really has it out for us to be thrown in the pound!" said Rabie.
"I'd rather not face this flying robot alone," said Simon.
DogDay then howled for everyone to come back together. Once the Critters did, they continued forward together, and the drones crashed into each other while Alex caught up to them in his truck.
"My drone babies! Some animals are going into the pit cell for that!" Alex yelled.
"Is there anything that could stop this guy?!" Maggie said.
"Meow! Meow!" MittenKitten and GoldyClaws screamed.
"Now what, babies?" Hoppy said.
The babies pointed ahead so the Critters could see a "bridge out" sign.
"Oh no!" Bobby shouted.
"Quickly, to the sides, everyone!" Baba shouted.
With the Smiling Critters going to the right and the Nightmare Critters going to the left, Alex said, "Hey, where are you animals going and-?!"
When Alex noticed the bridge was out, he hit the brakes, but nothing happened.
"What the-?! My brakes aren't working! Crud!" Alex shouted.
Alex screamed as his van crashed through the sign and went down an abyss. The Smiling and Nightmare Critters went to the edge to witness the van hit the ground off-scene. The Critters covered their faces when an explosion occurred, causing a mushroom cloud to form.
"Woah," they said.
"Me-ow," MittenKitten and GoldyClaws commented.
"I think Alex is dead, cause there's no way they would survive," said Bubba.
"Good riddance for trying to throw us at the pound. Anyway, I'm pooped. I need my bed," said Baba.
"You're right, Baba. I am tired. Let's head home to take a nap," said DogDay.
"Best words I heard from you all day, DogDay," said CatNap.
"Same here, Moonkitty," Allister agreed.
The Critters then skate off from the edge to head back to their home neighborhoods. But at the bottom of the abyss, Alex is seen crawling out of the wreckage of his van with his clothes a bit torn.
Once Alex stood up, they gasped in terror and said, "Vandette! My one true love! Don't worry. I shall grant you revenge upon those Smiling and Nightmare Critters, once I get out of this abyss. May vengeance seep into my body like my scent caramel."