Pop☆Step bounded energetically across the rooftops, her long pigtails bouncing with each leap as the last echoes of her street performance faded behind her. Neon lights glimmered below as the city buzzed with its usual late-night rhythm.

Pop☆Step:“Ughhh, I’m starving!” She groaned aloud, balancing momentarily on the edge of a billboard before vaulting off with practiced ease.

Pop☆Step:“Koichi better have cup noodles or something. I worked my butt off tonight!”

She twisted mid-air, landing in a perfect crouch before kicking off again—headed toward Koichi’s apartment, still in her Pop☆Step costume, glittering faintly in the city light.

But then—

CRASH!!

A sudden eruption of concrete and metal exploded from a rooftop just ahead, sending her spinning off-course. She yelped as the shockwave hit, hurling her backward.

Pop☆Step:“Wha—AHHH!”

She skidded across the adjacent roof, gritting her teeth as she scrambled to her feet, one elbow scraped. Her eyes widened as a massive villain emerged from the wreckage—its bulk covered in jagged armor, steam rising from its shoulders.

Villain:“Another bug to squash.”

The brute raised a huge arm toward her, casting a shadow that swallowed the moonlight.

Pop☆Step:“This is not how I planned tonight going!”

Just as the hand came crashing down—

THWACK!

A blur in a dark hood swung in from the shadows, slamming their boot against the villain’s arm with enough force to divert the blow. The shockwave blasted dust across the rooftop.

Pop☆Step’s eyes widened, coughing slightly.

She blinked up at the figure now standing between her and the villain. The stranger’s face was obscured by a hood, cloak fluttering faintly in the breeze.

Pop☆Step:“Wha… Who are—?”

The figure didn’t speak. Just shifted their stance and raised their fists—ready to fight.

Pop☆Step:“Well… okay, mystery person. Guess we’re doing this team-up style!”