By Gary Curtis

Powerpuff Girls created by Craig McCracken and all related characters owned by Cartoon Network.

STANDARD OPENING SCENE:

NARRATOR: Sugar...spice...and everything nice. These were the ingredients used to create the perfect little girl. But Professor Utonium added an extra ingredient to the concoction...

[The scene changes to show the professor picking up the black pot and in a tender moment placing his lips against the side of it, his eyes are closed.]

NARRATOR: ...a father's love. Aw, ain't that sweet! But wait a minute...something's wrong here! The show doesn't open like this!

[Camera pulls back to show this scene taking place in a 'dream bubble' above the professor's head while he lays sleeping in his bed, a smile on his face. It's somewhat dark in the room.]

NARRATOR (hushed voice): Oh, he's only dreaming! Well, let's not interrupt this pleasant reverie...

DREAM SEQUENCE:

[The sequence takes up the full screen. The professor stirs the ingredients with a large spoon, then removes it and smiles down into the pot. His smile turns into shock and then joy. We hear a little girl's voice.]

VOICE: Hi, Daddy!

[Lying inside the pot, looking up, is a beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl of about five. Her hair is long and tied back in a ponytail like Blossom's. She has a bright red bow in her hair and is wearing a green dress with the white stockings and black shoes we are accustomed to seeing. The dress has pink bunnies on the front. He picks her up and takes her in his arms, hugging her tightly while she does the same to him. They wear matching expressions of love and happiness.]

PROFESSOR: Oh, sweetie!

[She pulls back and looks up at him.]

GIRL: Daddy? How did I get here?

PROFESSOR: Well, I always wanted to have my own perfect little girl, so I created you right here in my laboratory!

[He waves toward all his equipment. She is wide-eyed with wonder.]

GIRL: Really? Wow! But, I don't have a name!

PROFESSOR (rubbing his chin): Hmmm, let's see...I used sugar and spice and everything nice, so...

[As they look at each other, they both smile at the same time, sharing the same thought.]

PROFESSOR and GIRL: CANDY!!

[She throws her arms around his neck.]

CANDY: Oh, thank you for making me, Daddy! I'll be your perfect little girl forever and ever!

DREAM MONTAGE:

[We see them walking along a Townsville street hand in hand, smiling while everyone smiles at them. We see him pushing her on the swings at the playground and she burying him in the sand at the beach. We see a smiling Ms. Keane hand her a paper with a large A+ at the top, while she sits at her desk and all the other kids smile. We see her helping the professor measure and pour chemicals in the lab while she is wearing a miniature lab outfit and goggles just like his. We see him reading a story to her while she is tucked into bed, in a room that is similar to the one familiar to us. It has one large round window, the bed's headboard has a heart carved into it with 'Candy' inside it, and the bed has the very same tri-colored spread we all know. He kisses the smiling girl goodnight and turns out the light.]

END OF MONTAGE

[The dream sequence comes to an end and the camera pulls back to show a smiling professor still asleep. The room is lighter now and a sliver of the morning sun can be seen through a window.]

NARRATOR: What a sweet dream...but wait...

CUT TO: POWERPUFF GIRLS' ROOM

[The girls are all asleep in bed and smiling. Buttercup is to camera left, Blossom in the middle, then Bubbles. Bubbles turns over toward the side, clutching Octi.]

NARRATOR: ...doesn't he already have THREE perfect little girls? I wonder what's causing this...

CUT TO: PROFESSOR?S ROOM

NARRATOR: ...but I guess we'll just have to wait, for another day is about to start.

[The professor snorts and stirs, and when a beam of sunlight passes over his eyes, he makes a face, opens his eyes briefly, then turns away from the light and tries to go back to sleep. He sits straight up suddenly, his eyes wide open. He looks around him, then his face falls dejectedly and his shoulders slump.]

PROFESSOR (sighing): Not again...(looking up and straight ahead) ...this is the third time this week I've had that same dream! What's the matter with me? I already have more than a father could ask for...

[He bows his head once more.]

PROFESSOR (sighing): I know why...it's the scientist in me. What if there had been no accident? Would the formula have worked? It's something I'll never know and it just won't leave me alone...

[He glances over at the clock radio on the bedside table. It reads 6:29.]

PROFESSOR: Hmmm. It was about to go off anyway...may as well get up.

[He yawns and stretches.]

CLOSE-UP SHOT

[On his hand and the radio as he reaches to hit the button on top that will silence the alarm. We can see that it is set to 'Wake to Music', and the clock changes to 6:30.]

WHIP PAN TO PROFESSOR

[He pulls his hand back sharply as the music blares out of the speaker.]

RADIO: Yeah, you go back, Jack, do it again...we'll turn him 'round, and 'round you go, back, Jack, do it again...

[As the music from the Steely Dan song plays in the background, a more determined look appears on his face.]

PROFESSOR: Yes, that's it! I'll do it again!

[His expression changes back to softer one.]

PROFESSOR: I just hope I can make the girls understand that it has nothing to do with them...

NARRATOR: Uh, oh. Great song, Professor, but BAAAD idea!

CUT TO: GIRLS' ROOM - MORNING

[The professor pokes his head into the room.]

PROFESSOR: Girls?

PAN TO GIRLS

[They open their sleepy eyes a crack.]

BLOSSOM: Huh? Professor?

[Buttercup sees what time it is on their clock and pulls the cover over her head. Bubbles and Blossom sit up, worried expressions on their faces.]

BUTTERCUP: Go 'way, it's too early!

PAN TO PROFESSOR

[He is now all the way in the room.]

PROFESSOR: Please, girls. I have something very important to tell you.

DISSOLVE TO:

[Professor sitting on Bubbles' side of the bed. All three are sitting up and looking at him.]

PROFESSOR: So, you see, girls, this doesn't mean I'm not happy I wound up with you three instead. It',s just that unless I try the experiment again I'll never know if it was really me and my formula that brought you about, or just the Chemical X. It's just something that I feel I have to try, but if you don't want me to, I won't.

BLOSSOM: We understand, Professor, but this IS kinda sudden. Can we have some time to talk about it?

NARRATOR: Take all the time you want, girls. Just talk him out of this crazy idea!

DISSOLVE TO:

[The same scene, only the girls are now dressed and floating in the room while they talk. The professor has left.]

BLOSSOM: Girls, I can understand why the professor feels that way. If we say no, this is going to bug him forever. I say yes. What do you say?

BUBBLES: Does he know what he's getting himself into? He musta forgot what changing our diapers was like.

BUTTERCUP: Bubbles, we changed our own diapers, remember?

BUBBLES (making a face): Oh, yeah. But still, I think it would be cool to have a baby sister, so I say yes, too!

BLOSSOM: What about you, Buttercup?

BUTTERCUP: Well, after everything went wrong with Bunny, I always wondered what woulda happened if somebody tried it without adding anything to the concoction.

BLOSSOM: Me, too. You know, I can't believe nobody thought of this before.

BUBBLES: So let's go tell him!

CUT TO: PROFESSOR?S LAB

[The professor is standing while the girls hover in front of him.]

BLOSSOM: Professor, we talked about it and we have just one question.

[He looks at them expectantly.]

ALL THREE: Can we help?

[He grabs them out of the air and hugs them.]

PROFESSOR: Oh, thank you, girls! I knew you'd understand!

[He lets them go and stands.]

PROFESSOR: I'll have the ingredients all ready when you get home from school!

CUT TO: EXT - POKEY OAKS KINDERGARTEN

CUT TO: INT - CLASSROOM

[The girls are seated at their triple desk. Buttercup and Bubbles can't sit still, but Blossom doesn't seem as excited as before. Buttercup looks at the clock on the wall; it reads five after nine.]

BUTTERCUP: Man, I just know today's gonna crawl.

BUBBLES: Hey, do you think she'll crawl? She should come out bein' able to walk if she's perfect.

[Blossom reacts to that with surprise.]

BLOSSOM: Girls, what if she IS the perfect little girl?

PAN TO MS. KEANE

[She's at the front of the room holding a book, eyeing the conversation with annoyance at being interrupted from reading something to the class.]

KEANE: Girls?

PAN TO BUTTERCUP

BUTTERCUP: Blossom, nobody can be completely perfect. Not even you!

[Blossom sticks out her tongue.]

PAN TO KEANE

KEANE: Girls!

PAN TO BUBBLES

BUBBLES: And if she can't fly and stuff , then she'll need big sisters like us to take care of her!

BLOSSOM: Hey! I LIKE that idea!

PAN TO KEANE

[She is now standing next to their desk, looking down.]

KEANE: GIRLS!! What's so important that you feel it' OK to interrupt the class?

GIRLS: We?re gonna have a baby sister!!

[Naturally, this takes Keane by surprise. She reacts with shock, as do the kids sitting at their desks.]

KEANE: Oh! Who's the lucky girl?

GIRLS: We are!

[Keane's eyes become huge and she drops the book she's been holding.]

KEANE: Uh, I meant that I didn't know the professor had a girlfriend...

BLOSSOM: Oh. He doesn't, Ms.Keane.

BUBBLES: Professor's gonna do the same thing he did with us!

BUTTERCUP: Except WITHOUT the Chemical X this time!

KEANE: Oh, my! That's...er...wonderful, girls! Uh, class, I think it's time for recess, don't you?

KIDS: Yay!

[The room empties out with lightning speed. The girls float, waiting.]

KEANE: Go on ahead, girls, I'll be right out.

PAN ON GIRLS

[They float out the door.]

WHIP TO KEANE

[Ms. Keane is looking straight at the camera.]

KEANE: A child that never talks back, throws things or puts holes in my ceiling? That WOULD be wonderful!

[She runs to the phone.]

CUT TO: EXT

[The girls are floating toward the swings.]

BUTTERCUP: We should come up with a surprise like that more often, if it gets us recess!

BLOSSOM: I don't know, Buttercup, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell anyone.

NARRATOR: You got that right, Blossom. It's gonna be all over Townsville faster than you can say Alexander Graham Bell.

MONTAGE:

[Using split screens, Keane talks on the phone with an unidentified person, who then calls someone else as Keane drops off screen and a new person pops up. This is repeated rapidly for several screens until finally someone is talking to the MAYOR in his office. As the full screen comes back, he slams down the phone. He picks up the hotline and calls the girls.]

MAYOR: Girls! Hurry! I need you down here right away!

[SARA BELLUM comes to stand near his desk.]

BELLUM: What is it, Mayor?

MAYOR: That's it! The man's gone too far this time! He must be stopped!

BELLUM: What man? What are you talking about?

MAYOR: Professor Utonium! He's planning to make a perfect little girl out of sugar, spice and everything nice!

[The girls crash into the office through the roof.]

BLOSSOM (concerned): What is it, Mayor?

BUTTERCUP (agitated): This better be good!

BUBBLES: We gotta get back to school and then home so we can help the professor make our sister!

BELLUM: Blossom, is this true?

BLOSSOM: Yes, Ms. Bellum, only no Chemical X this time!

BELLUM (thinking): I wondered when he'd get around to trying it again! I hope it works!

BELLUM (aloud): Well, Mayor, what do you think we should do about this?

MAYOR: Why, call the media! Close the schools! Declare a holiday! Oh, and I think a medal for the professor is in order, don't you, Ms. Bellum?

BELLUM: Sigh!

BLOSSOM: So, what's the emergency?

MAYOR: Emergency? What emergency?

BELLUM (sighs): No emergency, girls. False alarm.

NARRATOR: Wrong, Ms. Bellum! The trouble hasn't even started yet, but it's about to...

CUT TO: EXT - MOJO JOJO'S MOUNTAINTOP OBSERVATORY

[MOJO JOJO is sitting in his easy chair watching television and seeing the news.]

NARRATOR: ...for in the lair of the evil Mojo Jojo...

[Mojo jumps to his feet.]

MOJO: Professor Utonium is going to create the perfect little girl? Without Chemical X?

[He blinks in astonishment, then pounds his fist into his other hand, and his simian face breaks into a broad grin.]

MOJO: And I will create the perfect little superpowered means to destroy those accursed Powerpuffs for good! All I need is some of my special high-potency Chemical X formula!

[He frowns and rubs his chin.]

MOJO: Unfortunately, I am fresh out of it at the moment. To get more of it, I will have to do something I have never done before, therefore it will be a first for me! I will break INTO prison! Muahahahaha!!

NARRATOR: Oh, no! Mojo Jojo is going to create evil Powerpuffs! (under his breath) For about the bazillionth time.

[Mojo looks straight ahead.]

MOJO: Hey! It has to work sooner or later!

NARRATOR: Yeah, right! Well, now that school's out, let's see what the girls are up to.

CUT TO: HIGH ABOVE TOWNSVILLE

[The girls are flying in formation, Blossom in the lead in the center, Bubbles above and farther away, Buttercup in the foreground.]

BLOSSOM: Well, that was strange. Sometimes, girls, I think the mayor's lost it.

BUTTERCUP: When did he ever have it?

[Bubbles eyes grow wide and she points toward something below them.]

BUBBLES: Girls, look!

[Down below them, surrounding their house, is a fleet of TV trucks and a swarm of media people.]

BUTTERCUP: Whoa. The professor's not gonna like this.

PAN ON GIRLS

[As they zip down toward the ground. Reporters shout questions at them and flashbulbs pop as the girls ignore them and fly through their round bedroom windows.]

GIRLS: No comment!

CUT TO: GIRLS ROOM

[The girls float back and forth, looking worried.]

BUTTERCUP: What do we do now, Blossom?

BLOSSOM: I dunno, Buttercup. We can't fit all those reporters in the lab.

BUBBLES: I wonder if the professor even knows they're out there?

PROFESSOR (off-camera): Girls! Get down here right now!

[They react with surprise, then float toward the door looking like they expect to be chewed out.]

BUTTERCUP: That answer your question?

CUT TO: LIVING ROOM

[The professor stands looking up toward the stairs as the girls come into view. He doesn't look angry at all. Next to him in the foreground we see the top of a hat.]

PROFESSOR: There's someone I want you to meet. He's going to document our little experiment for the whole world to see!

WHIP TO GIRLS

[Their faces register open-mouthed shock.]

TRIPLE-ZOOM CLOSEUP

[On the new figure. It's a poorly disguised Mojo dressed like a reporter, except he is also playing the role of cameraman. He holds a microphone in his right hand and has a TV camera balanced on his left shoulder. A large men's hat covers his huge head and the collar of his trenchcoat is pulled up to partially obscure his face. On the long handle of the mike and the side of the camera are the call letters KPUT.]

WHIP TO GIRLS

BLOSSOM: But Professor, that's no reporter! It's...

BUTTERCUP: Mojo...

BUBBLES: Jojo!

WHIP TO PROFESSOR AND MOJO

[The professor jumps back, startled. Mojo drops the mike and whips off his disguise, his cape now billowing behind him. The camera has suddenly become one of his ubiquitous laser cannons, and it's in his left hand.]

PROFESSOR: Mojo Jojo?!

MOJO: That's right!

SIDE VIEW SHOT

BLOSSOM: Git 'im, girls!

[The girls attack, but Mojo grabs the professor and puts the cannon right to his head. The girls screech to a halt in mid-air.]

MOJO: Stop right there, Powerpuffs!

PROFESSOR: What do you want, Mojo Jojo?

BLOSSOM: He found out about the experiment and he's gonna mess it up!

[Mojo looks horrified, lets the professor go and lowers the weapon.]

MOJO: Me, mess up the greatest scientific discovery of the millennium? Please! I may be an evil genius, but I am a genius first, and we geniuses must stick together. Right, Professor?

[Mojo hands the laser to a surprised Blossom as the professor straightens his tie.]

MOJO: I only did this as a precaution, to prevent you from beating me up, as I do not wish to be beaten when I am only trying to witness a fellow genius at work.

PROFESSOR (smiling): You see, girls? You need to learn to stop jumping to conclusions!

[They frown and do not look at all convinced of Mojo's sincerity, but he just smiles. Professor leads the way, smiling.]

PROFESSOR: I was just about to add the final ingredient when you got here, Mojo. Right this way!

CUT TO: LAB

Professor stands next to the pot, holding a bag. There is a beaker of clear liquid next to the pot. The girls float nearby to his left, wide-eyed in anticipation. Blossom still has possession of Mojo's laser. Mojo stands to Professor's right, looking down.

MOJO: I see the sugar and spice have already been added. That is the everything nice?

[The professor smiles at him and begins to pour. It looks the same as what we see in the show opening. When he is finished, he stirs it and then lays the long spoon down.]

BUTTERCUP (frowning): I still say he's gonna mess it up!

MOJO (looking at her with disdain): I already did that when I helped to create you! Now stop with the interruptions!

PROFESSOR (smiles at Mojo): Thank you, Mojo. Now for the one ingredient essential to all life, water.

[He reaches for the beaker. The girls and Mojo creep closer. Then, in one quick move, Mojo pulls the professor back sharply with his left hand and snatches the laser away from Blossom with his right. The beaker falls and shatters. Before the girls can move, Mojo shoves the professor aside and pulls out a test tube from his tunic. The girls attack, but he blasts them backward with a shot from his laser. He stands over the pot and pours a brown liquid into it, tosses the tube over his shoulder and smashes it, then begins to stir. His eyes glow and his evil grin widens.]

WHIP TO GIRLS

[Blossom is horrified, Buttercup is furious and Bubbles makes a face.]

BUTTERCUP: I knew we couldn't trust him!

BLOSSOM: What have you done?!

BUBBLES: Phew, what is that stuff? It STINKS!

WHIP TO MOJO

[He raises his fists in triumph.]

MOJO: At last! Using the same Chemical X that I created my boys with, I have finally succeeded in creating the means to destroy you Powerpuff Girls once and for all! These evil girls will have all of the powers that you have and you will not be able to defeat them! Mohohohohahahaha!!

[He smiles down into the pot.]

MOJO: Arise, my creations. Arise, and the world will be ours!

[Camera pulls back to include everyone. Nothing seems to be happening.]

BUBBLES (peering closer): They must be sleepy.

PROFESSOR: Patience, Bubbles.

BUTTERCUP: Well, I'm not waitin' for 'em to wake up! Let's bash his no-good brains in!

[The professor holds out his hands.]

PROFESSOR: No, Buttercup, you should ALWAYS allow a genius his moment of glory!

[The girls look at him strangely but he just smiles. Mojo frowns into the pot.]

MOJO: I appreciate that, Professor Utonium, but why is this taking so long? Why is nothing happening?

PROFESSOR: Oh, give it some time. There! I think it's starting to bubble!

[Mojo leans in.]

MOJO: Where? I do not see bubbles!

[Bubbles waves her arms frantically.

BUBBLES: Over here, Mo-

Blossom covers her mouth and Buttercup pulls her arms down to her sides. Both give their sister the 'eye'.]

PROFESSOR: You aren't looking close enough. These evil concoctions don't explode like the good ones do, you have to get right in there to see them!

[Mojo sticks his head right into the pot. The pot starts to tremble slightly.]

MOJO: Yessss! Finally, something is happening!

[Suddenly, a brown, gooey mass explodes in his face, leaving only his eyes showing through it.]

MOJO: CURRRSES!!

BUTTERCUP: NOW, can we git 'im?

[Blossom and Bubbles are holding their 'noses'.]

BLOSSOM: I don't think you want to, Buttercup!

[Professor and the girls laugh.]

CUT TO: EXT - GIRLS' HOUSE

[Reporter Stanley Whitfield stands speaking, while behind him, several Townsville Police officers hold their noses as they toss Mojo, still covered with slime and looking very unhappy, into the back of the paddy wagon. It speeds away. The shot is filled with onlookers but no girls or professor.]

WHITFIELD: And so, once again, the Powerpuff Girls wash their hands of another foul scheme by the evil Mojo Jojo. Whether or not the perfect-girl formula will be attempted at a later date, no one is saying.

CUT TO: INT - LIVING ROOM

[Stanley Whitfield disappears into the shrinking TV screen as the professor turns the set off. He is sitting on the couch with the girls. Bubbles is on his lap, Blossom to his right, Buttercup on the left.]

BLOSSOM: You knew the whole time, right, Professor?

PROFESSOR: Yes, Blossom. When I saw all the people outside, I figured you girls must have told someone and that the whole town knew about it. That included Mojo. He was sure to try something.

BUTTERCUP: That was cool, Professor! What'd you use to make it do THAT?

PROFESSOR: Do you remember me teaching you how to make a 'volcano'?

BUBBLES: You mean, with baking soda and vinegar?

PROFESSOR: That's right, Bubbles. The 'sugar' was baking soda, and I had some crystallized vinegar laying around for the spices. When he put his nasty stuff in there, it should have blown right up, but the 'everything nice' delayed the reaction just long enough.

[Blossom 'polishes' her hand on her dress. Her sisters scowl briefly.]

BLOSSOM: So, when can we get started doing it for real?

PROFESSOR: We're not, Blossom.

GIRLS: Why not?!!

[They look quite saddened by the news. Bubbles snuggles a bit closer and he pats the other two girls' heads reassuringly.]

PROFESSOR: Girls, it was just my foolish vanity that made me want to try this again. But what happened today made me realize that it's just too dangerous to you girls. Someone will always try to fool around with my formula and attempt to make evil creatures to destroy you with.

BLOSSOM: But now you'll never know if it was you who made us or just the Chemical X. You'll never know if we're really yours or not.

[She looks down sadly.]

PROFESSOR: Blossom, sweetie, you girls will always belong to me. You see, even if it WAS just the Chemical X that caused you to be born, your TRUE creator is the same one that created me and everything else in this world, and you girls are that creator's gift to me.

[They all smile and hug him. Buttercup looks up.]

BUTTERCUP: But Professor, we're not exactly perfect...

PROFESSOR: Buttercup, nobody's perfect. Think how boring the world would be if everyone was.

BUBBLES: Yeah, what's important is TRYING to be perfect, right, Professor?

[Blossom nods, and smiles along with Bubbles, in total agreement.]

PROFESSOR: No, Bubbles, we shouldn't try to be perfect. We should just always try to do our best.

BLOSSOM: That's all important to remember, Professor, but now I'm always going to wonder if the formula really woulda worked or not.

[He looks at them conspiratorially.]

PROFESSOR: If I tell you girls something, will you PROMISE not to tell ANYONE this time?

[Buttercup's eyes go wide.]

BUTTERCUP: You tried it before we got home, didn't ya?

[He looks at her sternly.]

PROFESSOR: Promise?

BUTTERCUP: Cross my heart and hope to kick Mojo's butt!

BLOSSOM AND BUBBLES: Us too, Professor!

[He stands up and the girls float up and hover.]

PROFESSOR: Don't come downstairs until I call you!

CUT TO: LAB

[The professor stands in front of a table while the girls hover next to him. He is looking at a square box with buttons on the front and a small hopper on top.]

BUBBLES: Oh no! Are they in THERE? It's too dark in there!

PROFESSOR: No, Bubbles. Girls, it WAS the Chemical X. The formula by itself doesn't work...at least, not the way I intended.

BUTTERCUP: Eeeee...what DID it do, then?

PROFESSOR: Well, in a way, you COULD say they ARE the perfect little girls.

[He swings open the front door to the box, revealing three Powerpuff-shaped, solid molded objects, properly color-coded, of course.]

GIRLS: CANDY!!!

[They zip forward and each take their own confectionery likeness and float, holding them. Everyone smiles happily.]

NARRATOR: Aw, what a sweet ending! Looks like the professor got the 'Candy' he's been dreaming about after all!

STANDARD 'HEARTS AND STARS' CLOSING

[The girls are happily munching away on their candied selves.]

NARRATOR: So once again, the day is saved...thanks to the Powerpuff Girls! And the professor...and the Creator...and...hey, give me some of that and I'll shut up!

THE END

Story Written October 2001