Episode 10: Eleven Minutes of Fame (Hopefully)
The city of Townsville: The citizens couldn't be happier today, something's happening that they've been waiting for for several weeks now. I wonder what it is that's getting them so excited. Oh, that's right: Rouge.
The latest pop artist to hit the scene, Rouge's music had been all over the place the last couple of months: the radio, advertisements, viral Internet videos. Her single to her debut album of the same name, "Can't Forget Me," was especially popular. However, the Utonium family seemed to be the only ones who didn't care much for Rouge. Of course, that probably wasn't true, but it sure felt like it to them.
What really started to annoy the Powerpuff Girls, the Professor, and even Ms. Bellum, was two really big fans of Rouge: the Mayor and ALFR, the Utonium's sentient app. At first, the Mayor had a radio in his office turned on full volume at all times so he could catch the single whenever it played; but, eventually, the Mayor, with no help from his secretary, learned how to use his new phone just so he could download Rouge's album and play it nonstop so loud that whenever he called the Powerpuff Girls, they could hear the infectious music from the other line.
ALFR was smart enough to know he'd irritate his masters if he played Rouge's music nonstop, but couldn't resist playing the music to himself on the computer in the basement, or on the Professor's phone at night, quietly so he could spare the family from twelve more hours of the music. Even so, he still sang the lyrics to "Can't Forget Me" to himself sometimes:
Ya can't ignore these tresses, can't look away from these dresses,
What's been seen can't be unseen, I'll make it so you can't forget me!
On Saturday morning, while the sisters and dad were in the kitchen eating breakfast, ALFR appeared on the Professor's phone. His avatar looking somewhat devious, ALFR didn't speak right away,
"Tonight's Rouge's concert, you know," the AI made a coughing sound. The Professor raised an eyebrow,
"Yes..."
"Well, what would you say if I asked you if you were mildly interested in going to the concert?" ALFR asked. The Utonims set down their spoons, staring at the AI.
"People here only like Rouge because apparently she's from Townsville!" Buttercup huffed,
"No, people in Townsville like her because they have no taste, along with the rest of the country," Blossom informed her sister,
"What's to dislike about her?" ALFR asked,
"I don't know," Blossom replied, "Something about her voice just rubs us the wrong way."
"I bet it's cause she uses Autotune," Buttercup suggested, "Like almost every other pop star."
"Rouge is a... mysterious singer, no one knows what she even looks like!" Bubbles giggled. ALFR's avatar took on a wistful expression,
"Well, the thing is," he said, "I bought four tickets for you weeks ago online so you could take me to the concert!" The Utoniums sat in awkward silence for what seemed like a half hour. Finally, the Professor said to the AI,
"ALFR... I don't know what to say... except, I wish you could have told us earlier." ALFR's avatar hung down his head,
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I just couldn't gather up the courage to tell you until now." he then offered, "I could send the tickets to someone else, if you don't want to go..." the Professor smiled, and looked back at his daughters,
"ALFR's been so good to us," he pointed out to them, "I'm sure we'd have a good time, regardless if you like the music or not." The Powerpuff Girls had different reactions; but, they all agreed,
"Okay, I can't wait!" Bubbles said cheerfully,
"Ugh, fine!" Buttercup moaned,
"I guess it'll be fun," Blossom admitted. ALFR smiled brightly, thanking the girls and Professor over and over again,
"You don't know how excited I am right now!" he cheered, "I could just appear on any old Joe's phone at the concert; but, that'd seriously scare the living crap out of him or her!" the Powerpuff Girls and Professor laughed along with the AI.
To have any hope of getting a parking spot near the old theater where the concert for Rouge would be held, the Utoniums left their house around three in the afternoon; Buttercup complained on the way there,
"But, what'll we do for dinner?"
"The line to get in will be long, one of us can go and get something while we're waiting," the Professor replied. After paying for parking, Utonium had to go to the very edge of the parking lot to find a spot. Walking (or hovering) towards the theater, the sisters and Professor read the license plates of rows upon rows of cars; people had come from at least all over the country to see Rouge's first live performance.
Utonium was right: the family had to stand in the back of a line that stretched out to the streets. Upon hearing the groans of his daughters, the Professor reminded them, "I told you before we left to bring something to do; but, I guess you underestimated Rouge's popularity!" While they were waiting in line, ALFR entertained the girls by playing some casual games with them. The sun crept over them as it grew to be later in the day; the Professor gave Blossom some money so she could buy hot dogs for the four of them.
The old clock tower in Townsville read six-thirty just as the family went inside the theater to the front of the line. ALFR pulled up the tickets and a woman at a desk scanned them. Squeezing through the crowd, the family went to the auditorium where Rouge would play; but, they were forced to sit in one of the balconies above the stage. The Mayor and Ms. Bellum, who, even though she had a hand covering her face, looked like she wanted to leave, just so happened to be in the same balcony as the Utoniums,
"Oh, I can't wait to get an autograph from Ms. Rouge!" the bumbling Mayor squealed,
"Forget it!" Ms. Bellum had to shout to be heard, "She's leaving as soon as she's done!"
"Phooey!" the Mayor grumbled, "I'm sure she could make an exception for the mayor of Townsville!" An hour and a half went by before the lights dimmed down; the Powerpuff Girls held ALFR so he could see the stage below. An eerie cloud of green smoke covered the stage like a blanket; the men and women in the crowds screamed even louder.
Two men wearing black robes wheeled out a strange life-size glass tube to the center of the stage that was covered all the way around and even the top with a red curtain so you couldn't see who was inside. Then, lights from inside the tube flickered on so the audience could at least distinguish Rouge's silhouette. The singer began filling the theater with her "Can't Forget Me" song, while several dancers around her dressed as shadowy figures and what was assumed to be demons leaped and spun around the stage.
The Powerpuff Girls, the Professor, and Ms. Bellum couldn't help but cringe every time Rouge couldn't quite reach the high notes; nonetheless, ALFR and the Mayor were screaming like a couple of teenagers. While Rouge was caterwauling her third song from her album, the bored Bubbles hatched an idea in her head. She had to lean in really close to her sisters so they could hear her,
"I'm gonna use my X-ray vision to see what Rouge looks like!" the blonde Powerpuff shouted,
"What?"
"I said, 'I'm gonna use my X-ray vision to see what Rouge looks like!'" Bubbles felt like her voice would give out any second,
"Ooh! We'll do it too!" Buttercup proposed,
"We'll be three of the first people to know what she looks like!" Blossom said excitedly; then, quickly added, "I mean, not that I really care, I'm just curious." The Powerpuff Girls stared at the covered tube below them intensely. Within the tube, the sisters could see Rouge's very slim body; the pop star had a headset on and was sitting down on a stool.
However, the Powerpuff Girls could also clearly see who the singer really was. The fangs for canine teeth, the powdery white skin, the gel-filled hair that moved around like it had a mind of it's own... ALFR noticed how quiet the Powerpuff Girls got all of a sudden,
"Well, what does she look like?" he inquired,
"Sedusa..." the girls answered without taking her eyes off the singer. ALFR's avatar frowned,
"One of Townsville's super villains?" he asked incredulously, "True, there's been no record of any recent criminal activity from her; but, surely her manager or someone would be aware of her true identity... no, it can't be her!"
"It is," Blossom said bitterly, "You can't see her, but there's no mistaking it: that's Sedusa."
"Well, if that is her, it's an awful lot of work to be an evil plan to try and defeat us," Buttercup noted,
"Yeah, she's all famous now, she's a real pop singer," Bubbles added. The four stood there, trying to think,
"Maybe she got tired of being Sedusa," ALFR suggested, "Maybe she turned a new leaf and decided to take up the persona of Rouge the singer to put it all behind." They were interrupted when the Professor leaned over to speak to them,
"I'm so sorry, ALFR," Utonium apologized, his hands to his ears, "I'm really starting to get a headache now, and I'm sure the girls will get really tired soon, so, can we just take off right now?"
"Oh, yes, let's go!" the AI responded hurriedly. As the family left the balcony and descended the stairs, the Powerpuff Girls and ALFR glanced at the tube where "Rouge" was singing, not sure of what to do about her. If it's all part of some plan thought out years in advance, she'll have a whole lot on her shoulders as Rouge, she could lose more than she ever gains, they finally decided as they left.
Has Sedusa really turned over a new leaf to live out her life as Rouge? I guess only time will tell now...