Chapter 1: The Lost Tree
*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

In the city of old Evergreen, bustling with cheer,
A group gathered yearly, year after year.
Led by a leader, so clever, so keen,
A group full of talent—indeed a marvellous team!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

They worked to spread joy, Christmas cheer far and wide,
With gifts for the children and hearts open wide.
They sang merry carols, their voices so bright,
All while juggling their schedules, morning, noon, 'til night!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

But the townsfolk, it seemed, paid them no mind,
Ignoring their hard work, their spirits confined.
So a plot they devised, so sneaky, so sly,
To steal the great tree and make spirits run dry.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

And so, with the help of their clever engineer,
They hatched up a plan, without any fear.
With creativity, sparkly and bright,
She crafted a scheme that would take flight!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

They sneaked through the night, so quiet, so sly,
Heading to their lair, deep under the sky.
In the heart of the forest, so secret, so deep,
They hid all their plans where shadows would creep.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Evergreen City’s beloved Christmas tree lighting ceremony is the highlight of the season,
Drawing townsfolk from far and wide, to witness its glow and reason.
But this year, when morning light peeked through the sky,
The townsfolk were shocked, for the tree had gone awry!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

“Someone stole the tree!” the townsfolks exclaimed,
Leaving only pine needles and footprints to be named.
A note was left behind, with a clue and a trace,
A mysterious message, a name in its place.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Behind this festive heist, a secret group did arise,
The Evergreen Bandits, their faces disguised.
With plans of their own, the tree they did take,
For a hidden purpose, a festive mistake.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Can they keep it secret, their plan in the dark,
Or will the townsfolk uncover the plot with a spark?
With Christmas Eve looming, their secret’s at stake,
Will Evergreen City discover what’s at stake?

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

The Evergreen Bandits, a cunning, sly crew,
Led by the Frosty Mastermind, with plans that they knew.
Once the leader of merriment, jolly and bright,
Now, they plotted to steal the tree in the night.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

With a heart once warm, now cold as the frost,
Sakura has turned from cheer, to something she’s lost.
Her eyes on the tree, her mission so clear,
To take it for herself and bring holiday fear.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

It was Naomi, The Garland Engineer, who helped her with flair,
Swift and precise, she moved through the air.
At the heart of the city, she took the tree with ease,
Her skills were unmatched, no one could seize.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Handy and quick-thinking, she went with such grace,
Handling logistics, keeping up the pace.
With every move planned, and every detail in line,
The tree was their prize, and the plot would align!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Then came The Ornament Obsessive, Holly by name,
Her love for decorations was her claim to fame.
She longed for the baubles, the ribbons, the glow,
But she knew the tree’s ornaments had to stay low.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Her obsession was strong, but she fought with all might,
To keep her hands off the tree, despite her delight.
For the plan must succeed, no matter the cost,
The tree’s decorations, she couldn’t have, though she was lost.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Among them came the Festive Spy, Vincent was his name,
A charming snoop, with a knack for the game.
He’d keep track of the townsfolk, their suspicions to spy,
A friend to their faces, but a foe in disguise.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

With a wink and a smile, he’d blend in with ease,
Pretending to be trusted, while causing unease.
The townsfolk thought him loyal, but they couldn’t see,
That his true allegiance lay with the bandits’ decree.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

There’s also The Jingle Prankster, full of delight,
Jamie loves leaving pranks, causing laughter at night.
Mischievous and playful, with a gleam in her eye,
Thrill-seeking and daring, she’d never pass by.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

With Christmas cheer twinkling in her heart,
She’d stir up a joke, a trick, or a start.
Her laughter was merry, her spirit quite free,
For in every prank, she kept Christmas glee!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Then came The Shadowy Snowman, Wei Lan was her name,
Mysterious and quiet, she played the secretive game.
Resourceful and clever, with motives unknown,
She stayed in the shadows, her plans all her own.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Hidden and silent, she moved with great care,
Her true purpose unknown, like a ghost in the air.
With every step, she stayed out of sight,
A shadowy figure, ready to ignite!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Then came The Peppermint Powerhouse, strong and true,
Dependable and sturdy, through and through.
He’s here for the challenge, the holiday fun,
Spreading cheer and strength, until the season’s done!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

And then came the most secretive of all,
The Heartfelt Holiday Hero, standing tall.
She was quiet and clever, her mission so clear,
To bring back the tree, without raising a fear.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Her name was Rachel, with a secret to keep,
A hero by heart, her mission runs deep.
Her older brother, Sean, worked in the town,
A police officer who wore a serious frown.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Sean had no clue of the secret she bore,
Her role as a bandit, he’d never explore.
He hunted them down, with a keen, watchful eye,
Unaware his sister was the one he’d defy!

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

And so Evergreen City awoke with surprise,
The Christmas tree gone, to everyone’s eyes.
Once shining so bright in the town’s festive square,
Now only pine needles float through the cold winter air.

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

The townsfolk, in chaos, with worry and dread,
Gathered together to figure out what was ahead.
A candy cane here, footprints leading away,
But where could the tree be? Who took it, they say?

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

At their secret lair, the Evergreen Bandits cheer,
Their plan had succeeded, but doubt now draws near.
With Christmas so close, what path should they choose?
Should they hold the tree tight, or risk holiday blues?

*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

Two groups now stand, with differing goals,
One seeks to save Christmas, the other controls.
A mystery is brewing, the tension runs high,
What will happen next? Only time will decide.