Animal X: Natural Mystery Unit season 3 part 3

Episode 15: Legend of the Ningen

Featured Cryptid: Ningen

Our episode opens up on Domino's airship where we see Nile's cybernetic hand latching onto poor El Toro causing him to scream in pain while Domina watches on her throne, a suit of cybernetic armor bearing the Black Dot insignia forming over El Toro's body with a bear skull-inspired mask closing in on his face with robotic dreads sprouting from the back of the helmet. Domina then says "welcome back Nile, or should I say... Pack Hunter. like your new body?" Nile looks at his new armored form and says "I like it" Domina then contacts Mayu and Agent N (who are both wearing winter gear) over hologram and asks the two women of their status report on their hunt for the Ningen in Antarctica and if they slayed the beast or not, Mayu says that Agent N's underwater drones are searching the frigid waters for the beast as they speak. we then cut to Antarctica where we see Agent N's underwater drones patrol the dark icy waters of the southern ocean, passing by a pod of Minke whales. however something much bigger spooks the whales, a gargantuan pale white beast with a vaguely humanoid shape: the legendary Ningen, the drones firing torpedoes at the creature's backside making it scream in pain causing the gentle giant to fight back, swinging its giant flattened forearm to destroy one drone before diving down to the depths below where the drones can't follow, much to the frustration of Agent N who aboard a boat brandishing the Black Dot insignia informs Mayu of the creature's escape. Agent N asks Mayu why they're even out here in the first place hunting the darn creature, saying that she's talked to Adewale and Ivan (but heard nothing from El Toro) and they agree that Lady Domina's errands aren't productive and are nothing more than petty revenge just to spite Animal X for killing her lover. Mayu tells her "none of us like Domina, but we must remain loyal to her until our true leader returns to restore the Black Dot to its former glory" Agent N then says "You're not talking about Domino are you? I thought he was dead!" Mayu tells her "You are naive young one, rumors spread amongst the Black Dot's ranks that Domino secretly survived the incident at Honey Island Swamp and is in hiding, biding his time waiting for the right moment to strike. and don't worry about Domina, as I have special plans to create a weapon from chemicals found in the Ningen" And right on cue, we cut to the Animal X research vessel cruising through the Antarctic ocean while Helena, Tony, and Dominic watch as the X-copter lands on the boat much to the excitement of Tony who runs up to hug Marcus while Dominic shakes hands with Kira, saying that her and her boyfriend came at the right time which makes Kira blush. Helena tells Dominic "that's enough" before informing Marcus and Kira that she called them here to help stop the Black Dot from killing a cryptid known as the Ningen, Kira saying "I have heard of these Ningen before, a ghostly white giant of the sea. their migration routes pass through the coast of Japan my home country" we then see Bill in winter clothes walk up onto deck as he presents everyone with a holographic image of a Ningen, saying "That is why the Black Dot must be stopped, the Ningen secrete a chemical compound that is both toxic and medicinal in nature as a defense mechanism from predators, which we believe the Black Dot are trying to harvest for profit by culling these giant marine sloths" Tony's eyes widen, exclaiming "wait, that thing is a SLOTH?" Bill tells him "Indeed my darling, the Cetopilosa Ningen, more commonly known as the Ningen for short, is the sole surviving descendant of a lineage of Marine Sloths known as Thalassocnus dating back to the Miocene. they have completely given up land for adapting to life at sea as slow-moving suspension feeders, and are the largest member of the Xenarthran family rivaling even the largest blue whale" Helena tells Marcus and Kira that Dominic will go with them underwater to find the Ningen, while Tony stays with her and Bill on the boat to monitor the surface, Tony activating his gauntlets telling his mother that he'll be ready for any attackers. Marcus, Kira, and Dominic don their scuba gear and dive down to the Antarctic waters, only for the trio to get attacked by Agent N's underwater drones, Marcus whipping out his katana and tanto blade to protect Kira and Dominic slicing the drones apart one by one. our heroes then hear a deep bellow as the Ningen swims right under them, Kira reaching her hand out to touch the nose of the gentle giant to show that they're not going to hurt it before it swims off. Agent N is frustrated by the fact that Animal X took out her drones, and Mayu whips out her kunai saying that they shall take the fight to Animal X then. Agent N dons her scuba gear and straps a syringe to her belt, saying that she'll dive down there and take a sample of the beast's secretions herself. Agent N then dons her scuba gear and dives down to the icy depths, we then cut to Bill contacting Marcus, Kira, and Dominic asking the trio on a status report. Marcus informs Bill that the Ningen is safe, saying that they destroyed all of Agent N's drones as the trio look up to see a whole pod of Ningens swimming above their heads. our heroes are then attacked by Agent N who uses her energy whip to knock Marcus, Kira, and Dominic into each other before using it to grab onto the arm of one Ningen and latch onto its back, pulling out her syringe and penetrating one of the Ningen's glands managing to take a sample of the creature's glands. however she is surrounded by Marcus, Kira, and Dominic with Marcus saying "stop right there, Agent N. you're surrounded so leave the poor animal alone and surrender" Agent N laughs, saying "sorry Animal X agent, but I already got what I came here for" only for Dominic to pull out his extendable sword to slice Agent N's breathing tube causing her to start suffocating and float to the surface, dropping her syringe only for it to be caught by a Black Dot grunt in Scuba gear who's joined by a couple others who capture Marcus, Kira, and Dominic in nets before carrying them to the surface up to the Black Dot vessel. Tony spots an unconscious Agent N floating in the icy waters and shouts "mom look!" Helena looks down to see Agent N floating in the water exclaiming "I don't believe it" only for her to turn her head to see Tony climbing onto the edge of the research boat with Helena exclaiming "Tony get back here!" Tony tells her "sorry mom, I have to go save her. she's my sister!" Helena then says "She's not your sister, she's a clone that Doctor Uno made in his lab!" Tony then tells her "Even if that's the case she's still family!" as he uses his seismic gauntlets to propel himself into the air, swimming through the icy waters grabbing onto the unconscious Agent N telling her "It's okay Nina, your little brother's here to rescue you" before launching himself with a sonic blast from his gauntlets to launch himself into the air carrying Agent N on his back before dropping her on the deck of the research vessel. Agent N's mask falls off as she lets out several deep breaths waking up to see Tony looking down at her, Agent N asking "you saved me... but why?" Tony tells her "because Clone or not, you're still my sister" Agent N then has flashbacks to the episode "fear and fun in Florida" when Helena told her that she was a clone of Helena's dead daughter Nina. Agent N asks him "you were Nina's brother?" Helena grabs Tony's hand and pulls him away from Agent N, telling him "family or not, she's still dangerous. she does work for the Black Dot after all" Agent N then reaches for her belt only to see that her syringe is gone, asking Doctor White what she did with her sample. Helena says "I don't know what you're talking about, now where are Marcus, Kira, and Dominic?" Agent N says "I don't know, I was knocked out after that Dominic kid of yours cut my breathing apparatus" Bill then interrogates her, asking "Then how about you tell us what your boss wants with the Ningen?" Agent N tells him "Fine, Mayu plans on harvesting the chemical secretions of the Ningen to weaponize it, to kill our boss Domina. none of us like her, always sending us to kill Cryptids for no other reason than to avenge her beloved Domino" Bill then tells him "and how do we stop her?" Tony then butts in, asking her "You know the ins and outs of the Black Dot's facilities, you are the key to stopping them. come on, help us. help your brother" Agent N slaps Tony's hand away, telling him "you're not my brother... but I will help you, if it means you letting me go" Bill looks out to the sea looking to see the massive congregations of Ningen swimming away from the Black Dot's ship, Bill having a worried look on his face due to his empathy for all living creatures. we then cut to Marcus, Kira, and Dominic being tied up and held captive aboard the Black Dot vessel where they are interrogated by Mayu who holds her kunai up to the necks of each of them, saying "Look what we just fished from the sea, my former student, Domino's adopted son, and some agent who just so happens to look like Domino. what are the odds?" Kira saying "bite me" while Marcus tells Mayu that she can't get away with whatever she's planning. Mayu then tells Marcus "excuse me, but is your sister here to save you? I don't think so" Dominic then asks Mayu "what exactly are you planning to do with us?" Mayu then says "I'm glad you asked. you three are gonna be test subjects for our experimental poison bullets that we made with the chemical sample from the Ningen, we plan on using it in our mutiny to overthrow Lady Domina" as she hands the bullet to a Black Dot grunt that he loads into his gun that he points at Marcus's head, the grunt saying "we're gonna see if this kills you, traitor" only for her to hear a voice say "wait! we got another prisoner" and we see Agent N enter the room with a seemingly-captured Tony. Mayu is pleased, thanking Agent N for her contribution only for Agent N to turn on her and tie Mayu up in her electro-whip, Mayu shouting "Traitor!" with Tony freeing Marcus, Kira, and Dominic. Marcus asks Tony what's going on, and Tony says "she's on our side now". Kira then asks "Are you sure we can trust her?" Tony then shrugs and says "she's family" the Black Dot grunts aim their guns prompting Dominic to tell his fellow Animal X agents "There's no time, we need to go now!" as he along with Marcus, Kira, Tony, and Agent N all don their scuba gear and leap into the Antarctic waters below, our heroes swimming amongst the migrating pod of Ningen and manage to hitch a ride on one that swims toward the Animal X research vessel. our heroes then climb aboard the research vessel where Helena has a happy reunion with her son, Tony telling his mom to thank Nina. Agent N crosses her arms and says "Don't call me that, I'm still not your sister" Tony then says "You're gonna need a name tho, and what a better way to honor my sister? you do have her DNA after all" making Agent N smile as Tony tosses her the same Animal X uniform he offered to her. Bill tells Marcus, Kira, and Dominic that he's happy to see the three of them alive, and Dominic tells Bill that he managed to gather some information from the Black Dot, explaining to him that the cronies plan on overthrowing Domina. Bill ponders, saying "I should have expected treachery in the ranks, it seems like some of them have remained loyal to their fallen leader Domino" Dominic says "yeah..." and gives off an evil smile while Bill isn't looking. our heroes then all witness a Ningen breach making them all smile before we cut to Mayu being freed by the Black Dot grunts, Mayu picking up the gun with the toxic bullet inside and smiling. we then cut back to the Black Dot airship where we see Domina sitting on her throne only for Adewale, Ivan, and Mayu to enter the room all pointing guns loaded with the toxic bullets at Domina who isn't surprised, saying "betray me one, betray me twice. is there no honor among thieves?" Mayu then says "be careful, these are no ordinary bullets, they're loaded with toxins concocted from the glands inside the Ningen. you'll die a slow painful death if shot by one" Adewale then says "you better answer our question if you want to live" followed by Ivan asking "What have you done with El Toro?" Domina laughs evilly, telling them "He's not here right now, your comrade is busy being a temporary host body for Nile" only for Pack Hunter to show up and slice the barrels off their guns with his claws and violently attack them and kick them out of the airship one by one. Domina then tells him "good work, Pack Hunter. the boy they call Daniel Searle is on his way to Ziro Valley to find the Cryptid Guru, kill him before he can get his ESPer powers back and I will reward you with a new, organic body cloned from your own DNA just for you. we can make you human again" Nile/Pack Hunter responds with "It will be done" before exiting the room ending our episode on a cliffhanger.