DISCLAIMER : The following story is based on the character of Sirius the Dog Star, from One Night, by Norma E. Koenig and Robert E. Barry, a United Church press publication (he is NOT an original fanfic character) and the Powerpuff Girls show by Craig McCracken. The concept of traveling round the globe in one night is also from this book. The Sandman, of course, is from the show.
Getting Sirius
The City of Townsville….and it's nighttime. All over the city, parents are fondly tucking their little ones into bed. And the same is true in the house of the Powerpuff Girls.
It was 8 in the evening time for the Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup to get ready for bed. They were still up playing games, when the Professor came in. "Time for bed, Girls." He told them.
"Oh, man." Said Buttercup. "Do we have to?"
"Yeah," said Bubbles, who had all her stuffed animals arranged on the floor. "I was still reading a bedtime story to my friends."
"Why, of course you, must, Girls." Said the Professor. "little superheroes need their rest, so they can be up bright and early for school."
He tucked them into bed and was about to turn off the light, when Bubbles suddenly burst into tears.
"Huh?" Blossom and Buttercup both cried.
"What's wrong?" the Professor asked.
"It's nothing, Professor, …..it's just that I'm kinda sorta scared of the dark."
"Oh, man." Groaned Buttercup. "Not this stupid 'scared of the dark' stuff again!"
"Bubbles, you have got to grow up." Blossom told her.
"But what about the Boogieman?"
"We shouldn't have to remind you." Blossom told her." But in case you don't remember we kicked his Boogie behind more than once already!"
"Now, now, Girls." Said the Professor. "Bubbles just has to learn to face her fears."
"I know, Professor. But how?" she asked.
"Bubbles, listen to me. I want you to know that night is a very important time. It's when everyone can snuggle into bed and get their rest. And when we rest, our bodies build up all the energy we used up while we were playing and working during the day. And it's especially important to you three, because without your sleep, you wouldn't replenish your superpowers. Think of all that energy you girls expend ever day fighting monsters and villains. But when night comes, you have the chance to rebuild that energy. Kind of like recharging a battery. We all need a new dose of energy from time to time, and the night does that for us."
"Maybe so." Bubbles sniffed. "But the night is scary, with all the shadows and stuff. Why does it have to be dark."
"Well, maybe the night can be scary sometimes." He told her. "But the night can also be beautiful. Just take a look out that window. See all the beautiful stars in the night sky. And up there I see the friendly old moon."
Bubbles looked out of the oval shaped windows cut in the side of their room. It was a clear night, and the sky was a scintillating tapestry of glistening, twinkling stars, like sprinkling of diamond dust. And their was a crescent moon out tonight shinning with all its radiance. But there was one star that seemed to shine brighter than all the rest, and its light seemed to have a pinkish cast to it."
Bubbles pointed to it. "What's that one, Professor?"
"Why that's a very special star, Bubbles. That's Sirius the Dog Star. I know quite a bit about astronomy, and that's one I always remembered."
"What's so special about it?"
The Professor smiled mysteriously. "Hmmmmmm. Well, maybe you'll find out, Bubbles." He winked at her. "But for now, I'd best let you girls get your sleep. Remember, tomorrow's a school day." He tucked Bubbles, kissed them, and closed the door.
Blossom and Buttercup were soon asleep, but Bubbles remained awake for some time, thinking about what the professor had said about Sirius the Dog Star. What was so special about it?
Then, as she watched the shining, pinkish star from her window, the star seemed to be getting a little bigger. Was it only her imagination? No—the star was getting larger, and it appeared to be floating toward were window—and then into it! All at once the Powerpuff Girls' room was filled with all all-consuming brilliance.
Bubbles was momentarily blinded by the flash, though amazingly, her two sistered remained sound asleep. The room was still filled up with dazzling light. Bubbles zipped up from the covers, and gasped at what she saw standing on top of the PPG headboard.
It was friendly-looking puppy dog, with soft, shaggy brown fur which flowed and waved in a nonexistent wind, in the manner of Mojo's cape. The puppy's long, luxuriant tail, rippled and glowed like the tail of a comet. But the most amazing aspect of all was that at the end of the puppy dog's round black nose, a brilliant pink-white star flared and shimmered.
The puppy some what resembled one of Bubbles' stuffed animals—a new one that the Professor had got her for her birthday.
"Why, you're just my little soft puppy dog!" Bubbles exclaimed happily.
"You're close, Bubbles!" said the dog, in a voice that very much resembled the Professor's "I'm Sirius the Dog Star, and I'm here to take you on a very special journey to learn all about the wonders of the night. Just climb on board my back, and hang onto my fur."
Overjoyed by the invitation, Bubbles climbed onto Sirius's back, and the dog took off, flying miraculously into the night sky, and soaring above the lights of Townsville. Bubbles thought of telling him that she could already fly, but as she smuggled deep into the puppy's thick, silky fur, she found that she enjoyed this immensely.
The sailed out over the city, and whooshed low between the rows and rows of houses. Through the glowing window's, Bubbles could see other parents tucking their wee ones into bed, and in other darkened interiors, other kids were sleeping soundly. Then Sirius flew upward, a pleasantly cool night breeze ruffling his fur. He sped toward Mojo's volcano fortress. He whooshed up, and ran playful spiral about the shaft of the volcano. "Wheee!" exclaimed Bubbles joyfully. This was more fun than a roller coaster ride. As the reached the top, Sirius slowed enough for them to peer in the vast windows. The machery, and world-conquering devices, and weapons of mass destruction lay silent. And in Mojo's bedroom, the master criminal genius, was already tucked in with his jamies and night cap, and was snoring soundly.
"You see, Bubbles, the night is important for everyone. Not only for all those kids, and for young super heroines, but for Townsville's bad guys as well. Super villains need a lot of energy to go on those rampages during the day. If it weren't for the night, they'd be too tucked to do anything bad. And if that happened, you Girls would be out of a job."
"I never thought of that." Bubbles admitted.
"Come on. Let's meet some more folks." They whooshed down to a vast, spacious mansion on the outskirts of Town, one that Bubbles recognized easily. "Why are we going to Morebucks Manor?" she asked.
"To see how your old nemesis, Princess, is doing."
The peered in a large window looking down into the vast, luxuriant bedroom of Princess Morebucks. Townsville's little hellion lay in a vast, canopied bed her head cushioned on fluffy, silken pillows, cuddling her solid mink Teddy bear. Even in sleep, she was smiling nastily.
"Heh heh heh!" Princess chortled in her sleep. "Got you now Powerpuff brats! Time to pay for all the times you wouldn't let me be a Powerpuff Girl!"
"Why, she's dream!" said Bubbles. "Dreaming about getting back at us!"
"It seems she is." Agreed Sirius. "Well, I guess that's the only way she'll ever get you Girls, eh?"
"Hee! Hee! Right!" said Bubbles.
Next, they flew into a deep, dark pine forest, outside the Townsville limits. They came to cabin on the edge of the woods. Bubles knew it well. It belonged to Fuzzy Lumpkins, a pink-furred psychotic hillbilly who was one of Powerpuff's long term enemies. Bubbles saw Fuzzy relaxing in his rocker on his front porch. Joe, his prized country banjo, lay across his lap. Fuzzy must have playing it, but as Sirius floated closer, Bubbles saw that he had fallen asleep, and was snoring some serious zs.
Bubbles giggled. "Hold on, Sirius." She said. "I want to give Fuzzy a little surprise." She floated off Sirius's back, toward Fuzzy. When she reached the snoring hillbilly, she playfully yanked his two antennae.
Fuzzy was awake in the next instant. "Wha-? Who? Git ofa mah property, ya all! Rawt now!"
Bubbles giggled and zipped back up to Sirius. The dog looked at her sternly.
"Oops." Said Bubbles. "I guess maybe that wasn't such a good idea?"
"Provoking someone like Fuzzy isn't a good thing, Bubbles." Said Sirius. As you should know. But I think I can take care of this situation. Bubbles hung in the air, while he floated down toward the raging Fuzzy.
"Where are y'all?" Fuzzy roared, holding his blunderbust, and pointing it erratically. "Git off mah property 'fore ah blast y'all ta smithereens!"
Sirius floated over him, tossed his cape of shaggy fur. A shimmering cloud of glittering stuff like diamond dust showered from the puppy's fur onto Fuzzy, who immediately stopped raving, and blinked confusedly for a moment, before sinking back into his chair, and falling asleep. Once more.
He was snoring solidly when they left. "That was a neat trick, Sirius." Bubbles was saying. "What was that sparkly stuff you put him to sleep with."
"I'll show you."said Sirius. "But first, there's some special nit time friends we need to pay a visit."
They flew on through the depths of the dark forest, and then up into the high branches of a tall maple tree, through which the distant starlight glittered and winked. They lighted on a branch, and Bubbles could see a small, circular nest on the branch. And within the nest were curled four small baby robins, all fast asleep.
Bubbles jumped off Sirius's back. She leaned over the nest, and smiled at them. "Awwww," she sighed. "Aren't they cute."
"They certainly are, Bubbles." Sirius said. "Remember that animals need their sleep too."
"But not all of us sleep at night." Said a vast voice, that seemed to fill the night with its soft ness."
Bubbles gazed up and gasped. On the branch just above the, perched an enormous, brown horned owl, the largest ooze she had ever seen. He was twice the size of Sirius.
"Hello, there, Bubbles." Said the owl.
"Hello, Mr. Owl." Said Bubbles. "How did you know my name."
"Are you kidding?" laughed the owl in a hearty voice. "Everyone knows about you Powerpuff Girls. Even us night folk."
"Night folk?"
"That's right." Answered the owl. "Lots of us animals sleep during the day, and come out at night—like me, for example."
"Can I feel your feathers, Mr. Owl, sir?" asked Bubbles.
"Sure, go right ahead." Laughed the owl.
Bubbles reached out and stroked the owls, soft, brown feathers. They felt smoother than silk, and softer than the finest down.
Bubbles and Sirius visited many other night animals—raccoons, opossums, skunks, and others, who were only up and about during the night. And they vested the homes of many of the day animals who were asleep snug in their burrows and hollow trees. Bubbles even visited the tree home of Bullet, the Powerpuff squirrel, who was curled up snugly, replenishing her own super powers.
And once again they were off, soaring wondrously through the night sky. "Come," said Sirius. "We must be off to the ultimate edge of the world. I have fresh wonders to shoe you there."
Bubbles clung on tightly, as they soared high above the clouds, zooming through the star-dappled night. She snuggled deeply into Sirius's wonderful, spicy-scented fur as the air around them grew frigid.
They flew north, over and beyond the North Pole itself, then swooped down to a land that looked bare and desolate—a region at the very end of the earth, where no human explorer had gone.
At the edge of a vast, gleaming desert, they landed within a forest of tree-sized sunflowers. They were huge, golden, and very beautiful flowers. And Bubbles noticed that they had faces, and that the nearest to them were smiling at them in welcome.
"Sirius!" the largest of the flowers exclaimed when she saw them. "So nice to see you! And who's this? A guest you've brought?"
"Hello, Miss Sunflower." Bubbles said. "I'm Bubbles, a Powerpuff Girl."
"How nice to meet you Bubbles." Miss Sunflower said. "You must be thirsty after your long flight. Have some dew."
Bubbles noticed that in the cups of the huge leaves were gleaming pools of dew. Bubbles lapped some on her face, and drank from it. Sirius did too, lapping the crystal dew with his pink doggy tongue.
"Hmmmm!" said Bubes. "Thank you, Miss Sunflower! It's the best dew I've ever tasted."
The dew was wonderfully cold and refreshing, terribly delicious.
Sirius then flew her to the very edge of the great desert. There, at the base of tall palm tree, there grew a flower with a single blossom. The petals were tightly closed.
But when Sirius landed, and Bubbles slid off his back, the petals of the huge flower miraculously unfurled. They were silky as gossamer, and the purest of white, and they revealed, in their exact center, a perfect yellow star of amazing brilliance.
"Oh, Sirius!" Bubbles cried. ""It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
"It's a special night blooming flower." Said Sirius.
She then climbed back onto him, and they were off over the desert. It was the most unusual desert Bubbles had ever seen or heard of. The undulating dunes sparkled like piles of tiny crystals in the light of the moon and stars. The entire undulating landscape reflected the light form the stars, gleaming like some heavenly treasure."
"This is where that dust from my fur came from." Said Sirius to Bubbles. "It is magic sand. The same sand that a certain acquaintance of mine uses to put the people of the world to sleep each night."
"Who is he?" Bubbles asked.
"I'm taking you to his palace right now." Said Sirius. "but I believe you might have already met him."
And they saw an enormous palace rise on the horizon, a vast place whose shimmering alabaster walls glowed moonshine above the rolling crystal dunes. As they neared this incredible edifice, Bubbles saw that all the myriad towers and battlements were covered with clock faces of all sizes and shapes.
They flew in through one of the huge, arched windows. The interior of the vast palace was filled with clocks of every size and sort imaginable. The music of chimes, cuckoo birds, and incessant ticking was everywhere. There were swishing pendulums of all sizes, and Bubbles and Sirius dipped and curved around these with fluid ease, narrowly avoiding being severed. And they entered a vast chamber in which stood a churning whirring machine. Bubbles saw that it was manufacturing and churning out volume upon volume of the magic sand, sending it cascading out a vent and into the desert below.
Then they zoomed upward, into a chamber located just above. Bubbles found this was a bedroom. And asleep in his bed was none other than the sandman himself.
The alarm clock at his bedside rang, and the sandman sprang out of bed, off to deliver more magic sand to put asleep the people of some distant corner of the world. Then he noticed Sirius and Bubbles, who had landed in the center of the room.
"Sirius, my man!" he exclaimed. "Fancy seeing you here! Wha—oh no! No way! Is that a Powerpuff Girl with you? Geez, no! Get her outa here!"
"Hello, Mr. Sandman." Bubbles said. "Sorry about getting into your dreams and all last time."
"Well, that's fine as long as you stay away from me! I've got a whole lot of work to do, thanks to you Girls! I just got back from Townsville U.S. A. where you ougta be right now! And now I've gotta put the people in Shanghai to sleep! And then Bagdad, and so on! I don't have time to chat with you!"
Then Bubbles got an idea. "Mr. Sandman." She said. "I've been thinking. Remember that machine you invented to put all the people in the world to sleep at one time?"
The sandman scowled at her. "You mean right before you pests got into my dream and messed everything up? Course I do! Ain't gonna forget it neither!"
"Well, I'm wondering. Why don't you recalibrate your machine so that it puts a few people to sleep at one time!"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if you can invent a machine that does that, why don't you fix it so it puts people to sleep with that sand in one part of the world, and then stops and then starts again, putting people to sleep somewhere else. That way, it could work all the time, and you wouldn't have to get out of bed at all!"
"Geez! I never thought of that!"
"Let me see you machine." Bubbles said. "maybe I can reprogram it to work on a schedule."
The Sandman showed Bubles the great room where his invention lay dormant and gathering dust. Bubbles reprogrammed the machine's computer to work round the clock.
When she was finished, the Sandman thanked her. "That's great, Bubbles." He said. "Now I can finally catch up on that extra sleep."
"The professor told us how important sleep is." Said Bubbles. "You need it to rebuild you energy. But you will have to get up to make sure its working."
"I will, Bubbles, I will! I'm so glad you're computer literate. If it's not working, I'll just email you, and you can fly out and help. Can I have your address?"
Bubbles gave the sandman her email address. And then she and Sirius were off once more, on a wild ride through the glittering night sky. The dog's nose flashed like a beacon as they headed for home.
The next morning at breakfast, the Professor smiled fondly at his Girls. They all looked so ready
For the day—especially Bubbles who looked happier than ever.
"Well, you certainly seem cheerful today Bubbles." He noticed.
"I am, Professor." Bubbles told him. "I learned all about the night, and how important it is."
"And what about Sirius? Did you learn what makes that star so special?"
"Yes." Bubbles said. "I did."
And so, once again the day –I mean the night—is ……er….appreciated, by Bubbles!