DISCLAIMER: I don't own Penn Zero Part Time Hero nor Walter Melon Hero for Hire.
In a desolated area of the Most Dangerous World Imaginable, Sashi sat alone sulking as she stroked her campfire. Ignoring the stream of blood leaking off the side of her face. True to form, Sashi has chosen to endure her pain by not applying any sort first aid or even a bandage on her wound. Planning to leave it to scar as a memento of her first big fight and lost against Penn. Staring into the fire, Sashi replayed her encounter with Penn over and over again in her head. His voice echoing on an on about philosophy of what they are doing. Seeing him falling back slowly, ending with his laser firing right at her! Every time it got to that part, she couldn't help but press her fingers on her cheek, causing the wound to reopen, as if using the pain to confirm that it really did happen. Yet the thing that hurts most is not what Penn did, but rather what she said afterwards. "Why did I say that to him?" Sashi muttered to herself. Sashi knows Penn well enough to know that it was just an accident, and yet for some unknown reason she just felt a wave of anger towards him. No, she knew the reason, she just didn't want to admit it to herself. She didn't want to admit that deep down she is upset, no angry, and envious that he's manage to find a life without her. It made her feel that Penn is leaving her behind. Now it because of her actions, he may be lost to her forever.
As Sashi wallowed in her misery, Phyllis slowly approached her. "My I never thought I'd ever see you in this state," Phyllis commented.
"Did you know?" Sashi accused without even bothering to look at her. "Did you know that Penn was going to be there?" she demanded.
"How can I possibly know that?" Phyllis shrugged. "Penn does not work for me anymore, I have no control over what he does or where he goes." Sashi could see the logic in that but deep down she suspects that Phyllis knows more than what she's telling her. "Well let's get you cleaned up and send you home. This mission may be failure but I may yet need you for others." Phyllis said waving her hand above Sashi's head. Then as if by magic, Phyllis not only cleaned her up, but also fixed her tattered clothes, and healed he wound on her face. Without even leaving a scar.
"Thanks," Sahsi grumbled. Rubbing her cheek after noticing that the pain is gone.
"Don't mention it," Phyllis mused. But not in the playful sarcastic manner as she did back when they all worked together. No, this time is sounded more malicious, almost scheming in a way. Sashi's conspiracy radar in her head began going of like crazy as she started to suspect that this Phyllis might not be the same Phyllis that she knew before. The only question is, will she be able to figure out Phyllis's game before it's too late?
Over at Cake City
Larry stared in the direction of where Rippen and the others fled. Trying very hard to hold back his tears but failing as he broke down crying. He couldn't believe what just happened. Rippen attacking his party declaring that they are now enemies. It's all too much for the former minion.
"Well I must say this must have been quite the party," Phil said looking at the all the ruined cakes.
"You said that this would make Rippen happy!" Larry cried.
"And whose fault is that?" Phil staring down at Larry. "If Rippen had just successfully destroyed this party, captured the leaders of the alliance, and if by some Las Vegas odds miracle he managed to beat Penn Zero in the process; then he would have had everything he desired. All you had to do was hide until everything was over. Instead you revealed yourself to be the architect of the alliance to Rippen. So now he thinks you are a traitor." Phil explained. "Not that being a traitor is anything bad. In fact it increases your villainy credentials."
"So what do I do now?" Larry asked.
"First off you need to clean this place. Second, rebuild the alliance. You're going to need it to work if you want to win Rippen back." Phil instructed.
Elsewhere
"PUULLLL!" Rippen screamed as one of his minions threw a picture of Larry into the air. Which Rippen quickly opened fired upon. Only to miss every shot and watched in anger as the picture fell into a pool of lava and quickly burned away.
"Great shooting Tex," Lady Starblaster mocks pointing her finger gun at him.
"Not now I'm not in the mood," Rippen growled.
"Honestly Rippen I don't get why you're so upset? We're villains, backstabbing is in our job description. If anything, you should be proud that your lackey has finally shown the initiative." Starblaster pointed out.
"That may be true," Rippen reluctantly agreed. "But Larry..." Rippen trying to hold back his tears. "Larry is...was... different. I thought I could trust him no matter..." Rippen unable to finish as he broke down crying. Causing Starblaster to roll her eyes as she pats his head in a lame attempt to comfort him.
Back on Earth
Penn laid in bed, the events of his last mission replayed in his mind over and over. Sashi attacking him, him accidentally shooting her, her saying something about the Plaster man? Nothing makes sense. He tried asking Boone about it but he just went off on some tangent that maybe Sashi was there for cake. Penn wanted to talk to his parents about this but he really didn't want them to think that this is a girlfriend/boyfriend issue.
The biggest concern he had is how Sashi got there in the first place? Sure he always found it weird how Walter is able to travel to different dimensions, but usually he uses his clients' directions to get to where he needs to be; or to put it simply, traces their calls. As far as Penn knows, there's no one else with that kind of connection or power. No one except, "PHYLLIS!" Penn realized. Sashi being in the Most Dangerous World Imaginable, talk about the Plaster Man, it all leads back to their old boss. But what could Phyllis be up to? When she and Phil left, they told them about maintaining the balance or something to that effect.
Is the universe unbalanced again? If so then why only Sashi and not him and Boone? Is this some kind of test? Or is it because he's working for Walter Melon now the reason why Phyllis didn't contact him? Too many questions flooded his brain. He needed answers but he feels that even if he can find Phyllis, he doubts she would tell him anything. That only leaves Sashi. Penn gulped in terror knowing that she sooner rip his head off than talk to him after what happened. Penn cautiously looked at his phone, debating whether or not to call her or just to wait until tomorrow when they meet up at school. Naturally since this is kind of important, this sort of thing should be discussed faced to face. So it's best if he wait for school. On the other hand, this is very important so maybe he shouldn't procrastinate. Penn paced back and forth hoping for something to happen so that he needn't have to decide. That's when his phone started ringing. Quickly checking it, he saw that he got a message from Sashi, requesting to meet him as the old theater location. It didn't take Penn long to realize that his theories of what's going on might be true. Hopefully now he can get some answers, or this is a trap and Sashi is planning on beating him up. He was just unsure which outcome will be more painful.
Somewhere at the end of the universe
Phyllis and Phil were meeting at what looks like a lone asteroid. "Seriously you couldn't think of a better place than a cold desolate rock?" Phil critizied.
"Eh I like the atmosphere," Phyllis shrugged off. "So how are things going on your end?" she asked her other half.
"According to schedule. Larry is rebuilding his alliance and new kingdom while Rippen..." Phil had to pause for a bit. "Okay Rippen is going through some emotional things right now but it is well within tolerance." Phil reported. "How about you?"
"Sashi is expectedly emotional distraught by recent events, but she seems willing to trust the Plaster Man." Phyllis said.
"I can never understand this obsession you have with that creepy statue," Phil cringed.
"Hey he was my best work, and it always worked with the kids." Phyllis jokingly laughed. Only for her mood to get more somber as she remembered her time with the kids.
"What about Penn Zero? Him working for Walter Melon could complicate things." Phil warned.
"Yes that man's ability to traverse the multiverse and gain the skills and powers of whatever suit he's wearing does make him an unknown factor in this equation. One that greatly tips the scales in Penn's favor." Phyllis agreed.
"Then perhaps I should hire a part time villain to assist Rippen as well," Phil suggested showing her Sneero's business card.
"Knowing Rippen he may need a little more help than that," Phyllis showing Phil another business card belonging to a woman named Amelia.
"So let it be done," Phil and Phyllis said in unison. Agreeing to the next phase of the grand plan.