The Door

"Well look who finally came home!" Buttercup jeered as Blossom walked in the door. "Where have you been?"

"I was at Ray's house," she said, stars in her eyes.

"Did you have a good time?" Professor Utonium asked.

Blossom sighed. "Awesome."

Bubbles scratched her head, then whispered something to Buttercup, who nodded.

"What are you two whispering about?" Blossom asked apprehensively.

"Nothing!" Buttercup said, putting her hands behind her back. "Nothing at all."

"Come on, girls, time for bed." Said the professor. "You've got school tomorrow."

"Okay."

At length, the three sisters were nestled comfortably in their bed. Blossom put her hands behind her head and sighed contentedly, remembering the fantastic day she had. Suddenly, a voice whispered in the darkness.

"Blossom's in loooove… Blossom's in loooove…"

"And what if I am?" Blossom said back, not moving at all nor raising her voice. "You're just jealous."

Buttercup snorted. "Yeah, okay. There are much cuter boys than him."

"Okay, next time we're at church, point one out to me. Knowing you, you'd probably go out with Mojo Jojo."

Blossom felt a kick to her leg. "That's sick," Buttercup growled. "Now go to sleep."

"Gladly. At least I'll have pleasant dreams. I hope you don't worry about spiders tonight. I think I saw a couple of webs downstairs."

Buttercup got very little sleep that night.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The iron robot made its way through the narrow streets of Townsville at 6:30 the next morning. The Mayor stuck his head out the window.

"Mojo Jojo! Do you have to ride that thing everywhere? It's so loud!"

"It is faster than walking, tiny man!" a hoarse voice shot back. "Now leave me alone, I'm going grocery shopping!"

"Oy vei," the Mayor sighed, and prepared to plop himself down in his chair, when the robot stomped down and a small quake shook the office. Several small chunks of the south wall fell to the floor.

"Oh great!" the Mayor declared. "Now the walls are coming down! Miss Bellum!"

"Yes, Mayor?" asked his tall, red, and mysterious secretary.

"Part of that wall fell!"

"Hmm…" She walked over and peered in the cracks. "Isn't this supposed to be the back wall of the building?"

"Yes!"

"Well, it's not."

"Huh?"

Miss Bellum stuck her fingers inside the crack and pulled away several more chunks of the wall. With the mayor's help, they found that the fragile wall was false, and they discovered the REAL south wall, upon which stood a massive steel door.

"Well I'll be! A wall behind a wall!" said the Mayor. "But where's this door lead to?" he yanked on it. "Uggh… It's stuck! We have to get someone to open it!"

"Yes, Mayor."

"Alright, boy, ready for your first day of school?" Hulk asked Ray as the two walked towards Pokey Oaks Kindergarten.

"Yes, Pa."

"I assume that your little girlfriend will be there, so at least you'll know someone there."

Ray blushed at hearing Blossom called his girlfriend. "Y-yes, pa."

"Humm, I wonder what this is all about?" Hulk mused, noticing a large crowd of people outside the mayor's office. "Let's go see."

Several people and one or two villains were standing outside, all talking at once.

"What's this commotion?" Hulk asked Mojo Jojo.

"It's absurd," Mojo answered. "Apparently, they have found some kind of large door in the mayor's office that nobody can open. They are all fools. I could surely open it with one of my machines."

Hulk raised his eyebrows. "You don't say…" He searched his mind furiously. Could this be the gate? He remembered part of the legend: Our God stares upon the place where He will emerge. His eyes quickly jumped to the church next door.

"Ah!" he cried in astonishment, for one of the small, stained-glass windows that portrayed St. Eva had the deity staring right at the back of the mayor's office.

"Stay here," he said to Ray.

"Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter. Stay right here."

"But pa…"

"RAY STAY HERE!!!"

The child backed away, never having heard his father yell before. Hulk left him in Mojo's care and swept into the office. He pushed through the crowd of musclemen and construction people trying to wrench the door open.. all unsuccessful.

"Mayor," said Hulk, "Please have everyone back away. Immediately!"

"Uhh, okay, people, give the preacher some space!" the Mayor shouted. A silence fell, and Hulk approached the door. He placed his ear upon it and listened intently.

"Humm… very interesting." He placed his hands upon it, and after several moments, sparks left from the door, and Hulk backed off for a moment. Then he stepped up again and placed his hands on it once again, and began speaking in a low tone. It wasn't clear what he said, but then the door turned red hot, and Hulk quickly jumped back.

"Stand aside, everyone!" he cried, and everyone did so only just in time, for a large, scaly reptilian monster sprang forth from it, seemingly passing right through the metal door, which remained. It turned, snarling on all gathered in the office. The aforementioned people in the office immediately fled, leaving Hulk and the Mayor alone with the snarling beast.

"Don't make any sudden moves," Hulk cautioned. "These things are quickly angered."

"Are you familiar with many monsters?" the Mayor asked, shaking.

"Oh yes."

"Well, hold it off, I'll call the PowerPuff Girls."

"You had better let me handle it," Hulk said, placing a hand on the Mayor's shoulder. Then he turned on the monster, walking towards it slowly.

The monster leapt at Hulk. The Mayor screamed and stumbled back, knocking the hotline phone off the hook without knowing it. Hulk leapt aside with surprising agility, then as if by magic, shot a white blast forth from his palm, which struck the creature, disorienting it.

"How did you do that?" The Mayor asked. But Hulk didn't answer. The beast regained its senses and charged again. The preacher grabbed it by the neck, and held his palm a few inches from his face. White-hot magic spewed forth from his hand in a thick beam, and the monster writhed in pain. But Hulk was relentless, and soon the creature collapsed and exploded.

"Whew…" Hulk said, struggling to catch his breath, "That was close."

"Umm… Mister Hulk?"

Hulk turned to see the Powerpuff girls hovering by the window.

Bubbles spoke. "I'm just wondering if you could pretty please tell me with sugar lumps on top how you learned magic, please."

Hulk seemed to be considering carefully what to say. Finally, he said, "I am a master of many things." And smiled.

Blossom's ears picked up the sound of a bell. "Come on guys, we're late for school!"

And thus, they made off for Pokey Oaks Kindergarten.