Chapter Twenty-Two: The Heroes Join The Media Frenzy
The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog were well into their search for the culprits of the jewelry theft. As Blossom eloquently stated, the heroes figuratively put on their Scooby-Doo hats and searched for any clues as to whoever had the Forbidden Necklace and the Bracelets of Despair. The girls and Underdog were just coming up as empty as can be, the frustration very evident on their faces. They were seen flying over Capitol City with Underdog of course leading the way since it was his city, trying desperately to find any sort of breakthrough.
"FUCK! This is beginning to piss me off!" Buttercup said in frustration.
"You aren't the only one, Buttercup." Blossom said in agreement. "Whoever has the damn jewelry could be using it right now, so we're running out of fucking time."
"Keep the faith, girls, we'll find the crooks. And when we do, their goose is cooked." Underdog assured.
A moment or two later, Underdog suddenly stopped in the air, the girls putting on the brakes as well in reaction to Underdog's sudden stop. Underdog put a hand to his right ear, taking a listen to a voice from afar.
"What's wrong, Underdog?" Bubbles asked with a concerned look on her face.
"With my supersonic hearing I can hear a cry for help that's very clear." Underdog responded, listening to Polly Purebred's usual cry for him.
The girls put their hands to their ears as well to listen in, nodding to Underdog's statement.
"Yeah, I hear it as well!" Blossom confirmed.
"Sounds like it's coming from the Temple of Reckoning!" Bubbles suspected.
"When Polly's in trouble, we are not slow, it's hip hip hip and…." Underdog got out.
"Let's fucking go!" Buttercup shouted, interrupting Underdog but coincidentally finishing Underdog's rhyming speech pattern.
The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog began their lengthy, high speed flight back to the Temple of Reckoning. On the way, they of course had to speed through Citiesville. They had to ensure that they didn't crash through any of the police helicopters still flying through the city. This time, Bubbles showed no fear and was determined just like her sisters and Underdog as the heroes flew over the city. They also flew right past Major Man, who was flying towards a small robbery in progress.
Next, the girls and Underdog flew over the friendlier skies of Townsville. The girls spotted a carjacking in progress with a muscular African-American man being robbed by another heavyset African-American man with a ski mask on at gunpoint. The heroes all looked at each other, wondering how they should handle it.
"All right, who wants to kick a little ass before we get to the temple?" Blossom asked.
"Underdog? You wanna show this fucking badguy that crime doesn't pay?" Buttercup offered.
"It will be my pleasure to clean his clock. He will learn to fuck with us not." Underdog said as he flew down towards the carjacker.
It only took two blows to get the carjacker down, Townsville Police arriving very shortly thereafter. The police were dumbfounded and confused to see that it was Underdog that stopped the carjacker, but The Powerpuff Girls of course waved at law enforcement to show that they were there. Underdog shook the officers' and the victim's hands before the officers took the carjacker into custody, Underdog flying up to rejoin the girls with the four heroes resuming their flight.
While it was not a race or anything, The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog were neck and neck with each other as far as flying speed, all four heroes making their turns through the air as flawlessly as they always have. After a very long two hour flight, the girls and Underdog made their arrival at Temple Island, having to find a safe place to land due to the chaotic media scene happening out on the island.
The Temple Island police force came out almost immediately upon the heroes landing, drawing and pointing their guns at the heroes, thinking they were either villains or trespassers. The sounds of pistols and assault rifles cocking caused huge collective gasps and murmurs of the media and residents, the armed forces on site also joining in and aiming their guns at the heroes.
"Hands in the air!" One officer shouted, the girls and Underdog complying.
"There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!" Underdog shouted out to the officers.
"And we're The Powerpuff Girls!" Blossom shouted out as well.
"Damnit, you better not fucking shoot!" Bubbles angrily suggested.
As soon as the officers heard the heroes' identities, they started to slowly lower their guns but of course kept their positions to raise them back up if need be. Much of the media on Temple Island as well as some of the residents came over to the scene of the commotion, of course not wanting to get too close.
"So are you the ones who all of these reporters were talking about all fucking day?" Another officer asked.
"Yeah, we're superheroes, you fucking prick!" Buttercup confirmed. "Don't fucking shoot or we're all gonna be in some deep shit!"
"Withdraw, men! They are friendlies!" Chris Redfield ordered from afar as he and Leon Kennedy came to the scene of the commotion.
"Yeah, they are indeed the heroes talked about all over the island." Leon Kennedy added.
The officers and armed forces all let out a collective nod as they withdrew their guns, a collective sigh of relief being heard from the media and residents around the island. Stanley Whitfield and Polly Purebred, the two ace reporters from Townsville and Capitol City, respectively, upon seeing their respective cities' heroes, had to weave their way through all of the media traffic so that they could get to them, managing to meet up with them after a little while.
"Powerpuff Girls! Wow, you just don't know how glad I am to see you!" Stanley said.
"Oh, Underdog! I am so, so glad you came!" Polly said as she hugged and kissed her hero.
The media members from all over the world, including Townsville and Capitol City, frantically got their cameras out to try and set up shop, of course vying to be the first to break the news that The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog had arrived at Temple Island, though the heroes were only focused on the reporters from their respective cities. It was unknown who broke the breaking news first, though representatives from Townsville, Capitol City, ABC, CNN, Reuters, France 24, and CBS were nearest to the commotion with many others trying to get into the action.
"Ms. Purebred, I would like to take this time to introduce you to The Powerpuff Girls, Townsville's valiant defenders." Stanley introduced.
"It is so great to meet you three!" Polly said with a genuine smile on her face. "Stanley here has told me all about you. Any friend of Underdog is a friend of mine. By the way, call me Polly."
"Awesome to meet you, Polly!" Bubbles said cheerfully.
"Oh, and Stanley, while we're at it, I would like to introduce you to Underdog, Capitol City's Champion of Champions." Polly introduced.
"Yes, Underdog. I have been told nothing but great things about you." Stanley said. "And as Ms. Purebred mentioned, any friend of The Powerpuff Girls is a friend of mine."
"It is great to meet you also. We will make great allies, this I know." Underdog said as he shook Stanley's hand.
"Now that the introductions have been made, there is one last piece of business, Stanley." Polly got out. "I would like to…."
"Save your breath, Ms. Purebred." Stanley said, interrupting Polly. "I am not one to hold grudges, and you are far from the first person to give me a butt chewing and you certainly will not be the last. Let's not even talk about it. We are in the midst of a worldwide catastrophe in the making, and we need to focus our energy and efforts on that."
"Agreed. I could not have said that any better." Polly said in agreement. "But please, call me Polly, okay?"
"As you wish, Polly." Stanley said as he and Polly got in a long hug, putting their differences to bed.
"So what do you say, Stanley, a jointcast?" Polly offered.
"A jointcast it is, Polly." Stanley accepted.
The crews from both cities came over to join Stanley, Polly, The Powerpuff Girls, and Underdog to do a joint newscast since the heroes had collaborated, and also to save some time and resources. But Townsville and Capitol City of course weren't the only ones involved. Other major news stations and agencies around the world wanted a piece of the pie, so the crews from those jockeyed for position to get their cameras, microphones, smartphones, and handheld recorders on the scene so they too could get some news worthy content.
Townsville and Capitol City's crews coordinated very well and got their cameras all set up, both Stanley and Polly waiting on their cue to go live on the air. When they got their cue, they began speaking.
"This is Stanley Whitfield live from Temple Island, home of the Temple of Reckoning, with a major breaking news update. This is an exclusive joint production with Capitol City News, where we have with us Ms. Polly Purebred." Stanley said.
"Yes, thank you, Stanley. And we have with us the women, or should I say the girls, and the man of the hour, Townsville's Powerpuff Girls and Capitol City's Underdog. Girls, could you state your names?" Polly stated.
"Blossom!" Blossom introduced.
"I'm Bubbles!" Bubbles introduced.
"And the name's Buttercup." Buttercup introduced.
"Great, girls. Now can you give the world a detailed breakdown on what happened here?" Polly asked.
"Yeah, we were watching TV, and suddenly Stanley here interrupted the show we were watching and told us all about this place." Blossom answered.
"Yeah, and we suspected Mojo Jojo was behind it all, so we flew out here with the quickness. And sure enough, Mojo was here. We have no clue how he broke through." Bubbles added.
"But we weren't gonna let him get away, so we broke through too. But he found a way inside the temple and locked us out." Buttercup further added.
"Now on my side of the spectrum, I was, um, um…." Underdog got out before he thought up something really quickly. "….in the gym pumping iron when the gym's many TVs came on with you, Polly." Underdog said, speaking in a rare form outside of his usual rhyming speaking pattern. "You relayed the information to the world, and I immediately sprang into action because I knew it had to be Simon Bar Sinister and Cad Lackey behind it all. I arrived, and of course it was those two evildoers. I don't know how they got in, but I too used my powers to break through and they locked me out of the temple before I could get to them."
"Yes. Now that we have 100% confirmation that Mojo Jojo, Simon Bar Sinister, and Cad Lackey were indeed here, can you all tell us the events that transpired inside of the temple?" Stanley asked.
"Yeah, we all found the way in too and chased after Mojo. We eventually caught up with him as he was trying to get the jewelry, but he fought back." Blossom responded.
"It was the same on my end as well, to stop Simon and Cad and ring their bells." Underdog added.
"But unfortunately, one thing led to another and there was mass confusion, and they all got away with the jewelry. We don't even know who has it." Bubbles said, doing an excellent job of covering up the big fight between the four heroes.
"But rest assured, world, we are on top of it. Before you know it, we'll have the jewelry back. We promise!" Buttercup declared.
"Yeah, we know you will. The world's in good hands with you four together." Polly said confidently.
"Thank you so much, Powerpuff Girls and Underdog, for your detailed information. This is Stanley Whitfield, in conjunction with Polly Purebred, signing off." Stanley said as he and Polly both gave their cutthroat signals.
The news crews on the island, not only from Townsville and Capitol City, but from all over the world, gave a long cheer and a round of applause as the newscast finished, Stanley and Polly giving each other a high five, the universal gesture in the industry between fellow reporters.
"Holy cow, Polly, you are a consummate professional on the screen! Your form is nothing short of outstanding!" Stanley complimented.
"Right back atcha, Stanley! It was great working with you! Hope we can do it again sometime!" Polly complimented right back.
"Oh, I am very sure we will, Polly, when our heroes save the world." Stanley assured, he and Polly giving each other fistbumps.
"Powerpuff Girls, there is more work to do. Let's all spread out and search for clues." Underdog said.
"Right. Come on!" Blossom agreed.
For the next two or so hours, The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog searched near the Temple of Reckoning itself as well as in and around Temple Island, of course having to keep their ground search slower than they would like because of the mass media chaos all around Temple Island. During the search, other news stations and agencies from around the world managed to secure their own exclusive interviews with the heroes, whether live or taped to show later. The girls and Underdog talked with residents of Temple Island and the police force, doing their best to squeeze out any info on where the jewelry thieves went. But they couldn't get too much more info other than what they already knew.
"Shit! Still a fucking dead end!" Buttercup said in frustration.
"We've gotta do a deep dive into Townsville. We're bound to find something before long." Blossom suggested.
"For the bad guys, the walls are closing in. It's not a matter of if but when." Underdog mentioned.
"And damnit, when we find them, we will go fucking haaaaaaaaaardcoooooooore!" Bubbles added.
"Mother fucking right. Let's fucking go!" Buttercup said as the heroes all flew away from Temple Island.
Upon the heroes' flight away from Temple Island, the media members and the residents all waved goodbye to the heroes. The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog resumed their search for the jewelry thieves, en route to Townsville.
END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Music Credits
Song Artist/Source: Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I
Song Title/Source: Mad Gear Zone Act 1
Year Song Released: 2010
When Played: As The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog are flying back to the Temple of Reckoning.
Song Artist/Source: Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I
Song Title/Source: Lost Labyrinth Zone Act 2
Year Song Released: 2010
When Played: As The Powerpuff Girls and Underdog are searching around Temple Island and the Temple of Reckoning.