FINAL WISHES
By Gary Curtis
Powerpuff Girls created by Craig McCracken and all related characters owned by Cartoon Network
NINE
As soon as he pulled into the garage and stopped, the professor bolted from the car and ran toward the front door. No time to lose. He pulled up short. To his shock, the door stood wide open. He saw that all the downstairs lights, including the ones in the basement lab, were burning. He ran inside, calling for the girls, but got no answer. They weren't in their room. The house was empty. He called the mayor's office to see if they'd been sent on an emergency. Even if they had, it wasn't like them to leave the house wide open like this. It had to be something serious and he was worried. But when Sara Bellum answered the phone, what he heard shocked him even more.
"Yes, Professor, there's been an emergency. The police are on the way over to you now. The girls appear to be unhurt, but the situation is very serious. I'm sorry, Professor. I'm afraid not even the mayor or I can help you."
No sooner did he thank her and hang up, he heard the siren as the cruiser pulled up in front. He ran out to find two officers approaching. One was tall and dark and spoke in a gruff voice. The other was short, red-haired and red-faced, and spoke in an Irish brogue.
"Officers! Are my girls all right?"
"Uh, not exactly, Professor." the tall one said. "We need you to come downtown with us."
"They seem to be in a wee bit o' trouble, sir." said the other.
"May I at least lock up my house?"
They followed him in and walked around the downstairs while the professor checked the house again. Nothing seemed out of sorts here. Then they heard a gasp and ran down the basement steps. They saw him staring at a page on his computer screen.
"Oh no!"
"What's the matter?" asked the taller officer.
"Oh, what have I done? Officers, the girls found something that was never intended for them to see!"
"How bad is it?"
The professor quickly printed out the letter the girls had read and grabbed the four pages.
"Bad. I only hope it's not too late!"
A guard escorted him to the holding cells and left him there, moving off to keep an eye on things as everything got sorted out. "Tell 'em kids not to try anything. We got the place surrounded."
On one side were Morbucks and Princess; in a cell for their own protection, obviously. Morbucks stood in his pajamas and smoking jacket, and slippers. Princess had her bathrobe over her pajamas and scowled as soon as she saw him. In the cell opposite, Buttercup stood flanked by her sisters as they all clutched the bars and squealed in anxious delight upon seeing him. Their legs were still shackled.
"I'm afraid of what he can do to me, but I have to show my girls that I'm confident." He smiled. "Hello, girls."
"Well, hello, Daddy!" Princess said mockingly.
Bubbles missed the sarcasm and smiled. "It's okay if you call him Professor. Right, Professor?"
"Utonium, what in blazes is this about?" Morbucks thundered.
"Tell him, Professor!" Blossom pleaded.
"Yeah, Professor." Buttercup muttered, glowering and shaking her fist menacingly at the opposite cell.
"Now, girls, I want you to remain calm. The truth is going to come out and you don't have to worry about me any more."
"See? I told you!" Blossom said to Morbucks. "Princess, when this is all over, you'll see!"
"Yeah, I'll see that you three get what's coming to you!" She turned to Morbucks and said, "Daddy, I'm cold!"
He pulled out a fat stack of hundreds and handed it to her. She promptly tore the bills in half and dropped them on the floor, then pulled out a lighter. She rubbed her hands over the resulting flames. "Ah, that's better." She looked straight at the professor. "I wouldn't be your kid for all the money in Town-"
She stopped rubbing her hands, her eyes growing wide. She pulled out a calculator and furiously punched numbers, then sneered back at him. "For half the money in Townsville!"
"I'm sorry, girls." the professor said, shaking his head. "She's just too far gone. It's best to forget the whole thing and move on. I'm sorry I raised your hopes. I was wrong to think I could change things."
"No, Professor!" the girls pleaded as one, looking over at the sister who spurned what they were offering. "Don't give up!"
"BLAST IT!!" Morbucks shouted, his arms thrust straight down from his jacket. "Will someone tell me what's going on here?!"
Professor Utonium reached inside his lab coat to his shirt pocket and produced the letter. He handed the sheets through the bars to Morbucks, who took them. His hand went inside his jacket for a pair of reading glases. He held the letter up to his face, obscuring it from the girls' view as they waited anxiously for the reaction.
'N. Olive Burl, Esq.
1947 Capitol Ave.
Townsville, USA'
"Aha! B'wahahaha! Oh, this good, Professor!"
The professor grinned slightly and Morbucks saw the stares from the four girls. "There hasn't been any live burlesque in Townsville since they tore down the Capitol Theatre back in '47. Clever, Professor."
"Thanks. I figured nobody would even catch that."
The children scratched their heads in mild confusion. Morbucks read on.
'Dear Ms. Burl;
In the accompanying envelope you will find my Last Will and Testament. I prepared it myself using the approved form for this state and it was duly and properly witnessed by Sara Bellum, who I'm sure you will agree is as standout a citizen as we have. She is truly an asset to this community.'
"Oho, yes indeed, that Sara Bellum certainly stands out. Great asset."
The two men chuckled. The four girls squinted up at them. "Wha'?"
Blossom implored, "Professor, what's going on?"
"Oh, nothing. Now be quiet and let him read my story."
"What??!!" came four shouts.
Blossom was incredulous. "Professor, this whole thing is just a story?"
"You made the whole thing up?" Buttercup shouted. "Why, I oughta..."
"Whose idea was it to go snooping through my files?"
"Hers!"
Buttercup found herself being pointed at on both sides. She slumped. "Mine. Guess we deserve it, huh?"
"We're sorry, Professor." Bubbles said sadly.
"We're sorry!" they all said to those across the aisle. Morbucks waved his hand in dismissal. He was engrossed in what he was reading.
Princess chortled, "Hah! Serves you right! You dorks really thought I was your sister!"
Bubbles fired right back. "Yeah, well the only way you're gonna be our sister now is in a story!"
"Or a Powerpuff Girl!" Buttercup shouted.
The brat ignored them. "Now I know where your noses went, you keep sticking 'em where they don't belong!"
She got a whack on the head from her father with the pages. "Zip it!" She saw he meant business. He went back to reading. Suddenly he held up his hand. "Oh, now wait a minute!" He looked out at the professor. "I think you just crossed the line!"
"Hah!" Blossom pointed through the bars. "The truth hurts, don't it?"
"What'd he say, Daddy?"
"Some not very nice things about me."
"Sue the pants off of 'im!"
"Hey, it's just a story, Princess." Blossom said somewhat angrily. "What's the big deal if it's all made up?"
The professor reached through the bars to pat her head. "It's all right, Blossom. I've got lots of pants." That made Bubbles giggle hysterically and the other two grin. Even Morbucks chuckled.
"Funny. Love the Chapin reference, too. Ah, good old Harry. We always lose the good ones."
"Uh, thanks."
Morbucks scanned the pages for a few more minutes. When he finished, he told the totally confused guard to release the girls. They were all let out and the girls and Princess moved as far away from each other as possible.
"Tell our friends outside it was all a big misunderstanding and they can go home."
The guard left. "OK, Utonium, you made your point. What exactly were you planning to do with this little flight of fancy?""Put it on the Web. With a disclaimer that it's just a piece of fiction."
"I could stop you but I won't. I'd really appreciate it, though, if you changed a few names. You're a pretty clever guy. You can do it without changing your story much."
"Oh, I think I can do that. And my kids and I would appreciate it if you would sit on your daughter. You can do it without changing her lifestyle."
He gave the little brat a smirk. "Much."
"Oh, I think I can do that."
"YAY!!"
"Daddeeeeeeee!!!!"