Rhyme and Reason

PART 1
(Scene: The Heaslip’s front yard. Violet, Becky, and Bob are there. Violet is setting up cameras on tripods.).

Narrator: It’s another beautiful and craft-filled morning at Violet’s house!

Becky: So...WHY did we set up those cameras in your garden?

Violet: Only for the best photography art project ever! These cameras are set up to take pictures every few seconds, from different angles.

Becky: Oh, wow! (pause) Why?

Violet: (walking into the house) To capture animals in their truest form. In  harmony  with nature! (One of the camera’s shutters is heard being triggered. A few seconds later, the printer spits out pictures of a squirrel doing karaoke with a hairbrush on top of the bird fountain.) See?  Harmony .

Becky: Huh!

Violet: (yelling to squirrel through the window) You look so natural! (The squirrel gives a thumbs up, as the camera takes more pictures.)

(Scene: the National National Bank.)

Narrator: Meanwhile at the bank, there’s a new villain team in town! Exciting!

(Two costumed figures approach the bank teller.)

Reason: I’m Reason.

Rhyme: I’m Rhyme! And we lead lives of crime!

Teller: (filing her nails) So what’s your whole schtick?

Reason: Ugh, here we go.

Rhyme: (slides onto the counter, startling the teller) Tada! We steal expensive stuff, for our first crime. And for our second, we take something that rhymes!

Reason: (obviously not happy with this whole arrangement) Ugh!

Teller: Okay! So what are we taking today? Standard bag of cash?

Rhyme: You keep the cash, we want gold bars! Then after this, we’ll steal old c---

Reason: Stop, stop! Just-- stop. Can I just talk to you for a second? Please? (Rhyme drops the gold bars.) Listen, Rhyme, you and I have been friends for how long?

Rhyme: Fifteen years, and still going strong!

Reason: Right. And in the past year, we’ve had to move how many times?

Rhyme: Twenty-eight cities! Because of our crimes!

Reason: Look--

Rhyme: Took… Book… Crook… Rook…

Reason: Focus! Okay? We never get caught stealing the first thing…. the valuable thing, like these gold bars…

Rhyme: Next up, old c---

Reason: STOP! That, right there… that’s the problem! The second thing we try to steal, the rhyming crime, that’s the crime that always gets us in trouble!

Rhyme: This time it’ll be different! We’ll escape on the double!

Reason: You know I wouldn’t mind, but the rhyming thing we steal is never valuable, it’s always something ridiculous that no one would ever want to steal!

Rhyme: But that’s our calling card! Our stamp! Our seal!

Reason: Listen-- can we please just stick to stealing valuable stuff this time? Hmm?

(The bank alarm goes off.)

Reason: Oh, great. Here come the police.

Teller: Police? Nah. You must be new in town!

(Scene cuts back to Violet’s house. Becky hears the alarm going off, and gasps.)

Violet: Guys, this is so exciting. (Pictures of bees square-dancing are printing.)

Becky: (smiling) I know! Uh, so… Violet, uh, Bob and I have to, uh, run out for a minute, and, uh… (Bob makes a suggestion to her) yeah, plant some corn! (pause) What?! Plant some corn?

Violet: Well. it is the best day we’ve had for corn-planting in quite a while!

Becky: Ye--ah! (goes out the door with Bob)

Violet: Okay, guys! See you later then!

(Becky runs through the yard, and cries “Word Up!”, changing into WordGirl. Little does she realize that she is in front of one of the cameras at the time. The printer starts printing the images it captured.)

(Scene changes back to the bank.)

Narrator: Meanwhile, at the bank…

(Rhyme smashes the alarm, silencing it. Right after that, WordGirl and Huggy arrive.)

WordGirl: Hold it right -- wait! Who are you guys? (to Huggy) Who are these guys?

Reason: I’m Reason.

Rhyme: I’m Rhyme! And we lead lives of crime!

WordGirl: (still a little flustered) Huh! Well I’m WordGirl, nice to meet you, and I hope you still feel like rhyming when I send you to JAIL!

Rhyme: Well don’t feel too sad when it turns out you FAIL!

WordGirl: (surprised at her quick response) Touché!

Reason: I don’t think she wears a WIG--

WordGirl: (confused) Uh… What?

Rhyme: (tears the bank counter from the floor) I think I’ll throw something BIG! (Throws it at WordGirl and Huggy, knocking them to the ground.)

Reason: The day is bright, and slightly BREEZY--

Rhyme: So I’ll attack with breath so FREEZY! (Takes a large breath, and blows freezing breath at her. WordGirl and Huggy are trapped in ice, with only their faces exposed.)

WordGirl: Super-strength AND freeze breath? These powers have nothing to do with rhyming!

Reason: I know. Personally, I wanted to call us super-strong woman with freeze breath and normal guy. I would be normal guy.

WordGirl: Okay, so at least we’re in  harmony  about that.

Reason: What do you mean, we’re in--  harmony ?

WordGirl: Oh! Well, when you are in  harmony  with someone or something, then you have the same thoughts or feelings. You’re in agreement!

Reason: Hmm… WordGirl defines words. Reasonable! I like it!

WordGirl: So wait… you don’t have any powers?

Reason: Nope, we just happen to be best friends since we were kids. But if it weren’t for me, she’d just steal a bunch of useless stuff that’s easy to rhyme.

Rhyme: (picking up the gold bars) Woo-hoo!

Reason: (sighs) Well, we should get going since you’ll probably break free soon. (to Rhyme) Come on, let’s get out of here.

Rhyme: One more crime before we disappear!

Reason: No-- see, this is what I’ve been talking about. We should quit while we’re ahead! We’re done!

Rhyme: Oh, no! Our crime spree has just begun!

Reason: But there’s nothing else we need!

Rhyme: Let’s escape with super SPEED! (She flies through the bank at super speed, breaking WordGirl and Huggy free from the ice. Then she quickly grabs Reason and leaves the bank.)

WordGirl: She has super speed, too?! AAH! Seriously? Okay, we have to figure out where they’re going to strike next!

Teller: You know, they stole a bunch of gold bars, and I heard that rhyme lady say she’d steal old--

(On the street outside the bank, Rhyme and Reason are driving an old-time jalopy with gold bars loaded in the back. But the engine starts smoking, and it sputters to a stop.)

WordGirl: Wow. You two are seriously about to go to jail for THIS?

Reason: (to Rhyme) See? Even she thinks it’s a bad idea! You got us into this, now you can get us out! (after a short pause) I am not about to go to JAIL--

Rhyme: Here comes a delivery! (throws the car at WordGirl) Express AIR MAIL!

(WordGirl catches the car and throws it to the ground.)

WordGirl: Hey, I know I don’t know you guys really well, but is there any way we could  resolve  this without fighting?

Reason: Sounds like you’re trying to be reasonable. I like that!

Rhyme: I like chili with lots of BEANS!

WordGirl: Uhh--- o--kay!

Rhyme: Can you please tell me what  resolve  MEANS?

WordGirl: Oh, beans means--- got it. Sure!  Resolve  means to come to an agreeable solution. For example, if you give back the gold bars and agree to go to jail for a short time, we can totally  resolve  this whole problem!

Reason: So,  resolving  this without fighting is what you DESIRE?

WordGirl: Uh, well, yeah!

Rhyme: But instead, I think I’ll throw this TIRE! (She throws a tire from the car at WordGirl. It bounces off her, hitting Huggy in the helmet in the process. WordGirl zips over and bends the body of the wrecked auto around Rhyme and Reason, trapping both of them.)

WordGirl: Well, with you two captured, crime should DECREASE… so you should just sit tight and wait for the…

Rhyme: POLICE! Woo-hoo!

WordGirl: (flying away) C’mon, Huggy! Now that this is  resolved , we can head back to Violet’s house!

(It starts raining. The scene cuts away from Rhyme and Reason, and back to Violet’s house. Inside, Violet is frowning while she looks at the printer. Becky and Bob come through the door.)

Violet: Oh, hello Bob. (in a whisper, with a frown on her face) Becky.

Becky: Hey Violet! Uh-- is everything okay?

Violet: Becky… are we friends?

Becky: Wh-- Yeah! Of course! We’re BEST friends!

Violet: Hmm… (looking at pictures from the printer) Best… friends.

Becky: Violet, what--

Violet: Becky! Are you keeping a secret from me?

Becky: What? N-no, of course not!

Violet: I mean, you don’t keep secrets from your best friend, do you?

Becky: Uh-- no!

Violet: Not-- one?

Becky: N- Nope!

Violet: And that’s the truth? The absolute truth? (Turns and stares at her)

Becky: (after a pause) Yes?

Violet: (sighs) So, Becky… do you want to see some of the pictures from my garden cameras?

Becky: Wha-- oh, um, yeah! Let’s do that!

(Violet starts pinning pictures to a cork board, with somber music playing in the background.)

Becky: Oh! Look at the frog! (giggles)

Violet: Yep.

Becky: Oh wow, bumblebees…

Violet: Uh-huh.

Becky: Oh cute, that’s a good one.

Violet: Go to the next one.

Becky: Oh, that’s great--I think that’s my favorite!

Violet: They get better.

Becky: Aw…

(Then Becky looks up at a sequence of pictures that Violet just put up-- the first shows Becky running by the fountain carrying Bob... the second shows a bright flash… and the third shows WordGirl and Huggy flying off together. Becky lets out an audible gasp, and has a look of horror on her face.)

Becky: Uh… uh… guh…

(The scene shifts back to a police car in the city, carrying Rhyme and Reason off to jail.)

Rhyme: You know, I wish I was wrapped in FLEECE… not sitting here captured by the PO---

Reason: STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP, STOP, STOP IT!

Rhyme: POP IT, POP IT, POP POP POP IT!

Reason: THAT’S IT! I’ve had it! You and I-- we’re DONE! I can’t do this any more!

Rhyme: What? Because we’re captured? I’ll just bust through the floor! (Pounds her feet and busts through the floor of the police car, then digs her heels into the pavement, bring the car to a stop. Then she uses her super speed to break free and ties up the officer.)

Officer Jim: Hey, no fair!

(Rhyme opens the door and gets out.)

Rhyme: All right, buddy, we’re back in SEASON! Look out world, for Rhyme and --- hey, where you going?

Reason: I’m leaving.

Rhyme: But I  resolve  our problem! I broke us FREE! Now we can go back to our big crime SPREE!

Reason: No! (takes his friendship necklace from his pocket, and discards it.) I quit! This is the end!

Rhyme: But-- but-- you’re my best friend! (She catches the discarded necklace and looks at it. Reason keeps walking away.)

(The scene changes back to Violet’s house.)

Violet: All this time you were lying to me!

Becky; Violet-- these pictures…

Violet: Of COURSE you’re WordGirl. I should have figured it out. I mean, all the sudden takeoffs-- all the bad excuses--

Becky: Aw, come on, Violet, you’re being ridiculous!

Violet: (sitting down) Becky… you’re the best friend I ever had. Ever. And best friends don’t ever lie to each other, because they don’t have to.

Becky; Uh, right. So…

Violet: I’m only going to ask you once. And whatever answer you give me, I’ll believe it.

Becky: Come on, Violet.

Violet: Becky-- are you WordGirl?

Becky: I-- uh-- (finally decides it is useless to keep up the charade) Yes… I’m WordGirl.

(Violet tears up and whimpers.)

Becky: Violet-- you don’t understand, I didn’t want to lie to you-- I had to! It-- it’s complicated!   (Violet stands up and walks back toward the board and takes down the pictures of Becky changing into WordGirl.)

Violet: No. I know. And I want YOU to know that-- I’m not mad at you.

Becky: (feeling relieved) Oh! Violet, I’ve got to tell you, that is-- that is a huge relief!

Violet: You and I just aren’t friends anymore.

Becky: (stunned) Wh- wait. What?

Violet: In fact, I don’t think you and I were ever really friends.

Becky: Okay, wait-- wait-- wait!

Violet: You’re this whole other person. A person I don’t really know.

Becky; What? Yes you do! I-I’m Becky Botsford!

Violet: And WordGirl!

Becky: But--

Violet: I’m sorry, Becky… WordGirl… I wish I could believe you… but how could I? All you’ve ever done is lie to me.

Becky: (on the verge of tears) Violet…

Violet: Goodbye Becky… WordGirl… (she hands Becky the pictures)

Becky: Violet… (puts her hand on Violet’s shoulder, but she pulls away. Quietly crying, Becky and Bob walk away, During the Narrator’s closing remarks, they both walk outside, and Becky’s hair is soaked as she walks by Violet’s front window. Violet watches her, then looks away. Becky looks at the pictures briefly, then throws them onto the ground, They are shown being drenched in a puddle of water.)

Narrator: Well, uh, this is, uh-- I don’t, um… I don’t really know what to say, um… so um...stick around? Maybe? Because maybe we can  resolve  all this… get back to a little  harmony ? Hopefully? On the next episode of… WordGirl? Oh, goodness.

PART 2
Narrator: In the last episode of WordGirl, Rhyme and Reason burst onto the scene, then spent a lot of time committing crimes full of rhymes. Then WordGirl  resolved  the problem and captured them. But then they escaped. But when Rhyme and Reason escaped, they also ended their partnership and friendship! And speaking of a friendship in trouble… Violet found out that Becky is actually WordGirl, which seems to have ended their friendship too, and left Becky feel  forlorn . Which is where we’ll pick up part 2.

(A split screen shows Becky, Rhyme, Reason, and Violet all feeling  forlorn .)

Narrator: Uh, picking up part 2! Guys? Guys? … Okay, so now that we know that everyone is still  forlorn … we might as well skip ahead to…

(Scene changes to school playground.)

Narrator: The next day at the playground…

(Becky and Bob are on the swings. TJ and Johnson run by. Becky sadly looks up at Violet, who is sitting alone on the see-saw.)

Becky: (to Bob) You know what? This is ridiculous. Sure, I’m WordGirl… but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m still me! And Violet is still my friend! (stands up) My BEST friend! If I just talk to her, I’m positive we can  resolve --

(Suddenly Exposition Guy shows up, and sits on the other end of the see-saw.)

Exposition Guy: He-e-elp! There’s a girl I don’t recognize, and she’s wrecking stuff! Wait-- is this the police station?

Violet: (with a frown) No! This is a playground… (looks over at Becky) … of deception and betrayal! (Becky slumps over.) The police station is over there.

Exposition Guy: Oh. Okay!

(He jumps off the see-saw, sending Violet to the ground. Violet looks over at the swings and sees that Becky and Bob are gone.)

(Scene shifts to the city. Rhyme is on a rampage. She freezes some of the pavement, and then stomps on it, knocking out a section of the pavement. WordGirl and Huggy show up.)

WordGirl: Rhyme? Wait… how did you escape? And… what’s with all this  chaos ? And where’s Reason?

Rhyme: (who has been digging a deeper hole with her super-speed and strength) I don’t know, okay? I don’t… know!

WordGirl: Whoa! You’re not rhyming!

Rhyme: I know I’m not! It’s too hard to rhyme all the time, I need Reason! And Reason isn’t coming back!

WordGirl: So… you’re just causing  chaos  instead?

Rhyme: No! Yes! I don’t know! What’s  chaos ?

WordGirl: Oh, well  chaos  is complete disorder and confusion.  Chaos  is a total cluttered mess… like this! This is  chaos .

Rhyme: Yeah! I decided to make it easy on myself. See? SMASH! (Stomps her foot, and large chunks of ice fly toward WordGirl and cover her and Huggy.)

WordGirl: (flying out of the ice) Okay, okay! Stop the  chaos ! (Rhyme flies into WordGirl and knocks her and Huggy down the street into an obelisk-like statue. Rhyme kicks it over, and WordGirl stops it with her foot.)

Rhyme: Nope! I’m not gonna stop ‘til I pound this town right to the ground!

WordGirl: Actually more of a city than a town, but--

(Rhyme kicks a hydrant, causing water to spray over the toppled obelisk, forming a launch ramp of sorts.)

Rhyme: Now if you’ll excuse me… (builds up speed and slides up the ramp, flying off)

WordGirl: (knocks the ice ramp and stone out of the way) Okay, Huggy, here’s the plan-- we find Reason and get him to talk some sense into Rhyme. So where would Reason be without Rhyme? (Huggy points at a broken-down car stumbling down the road.  WordGirl flies over to it.) Hold it right there, Reason!

Reason: Would you just let me go, WordGirl? Please!

WordGirl: Nu-uh! You have to come with me. Rhyme is really  forlorn , so she’s causing  chaos  and destroying the city! And you’re the only one who can reason with her.

Reason: Not my problem any more. Sure, Rhyme and I have been best friends since we were kids, but I’ve had enough!

WordGirl: But Reason…

Reason: Forget it! There’s nothing you can say that will make me go back with you. Nothing!

WordGirl: Actually, there’s nothing I have to say. You’re a wanted criminal in a stolen car, and I have super-strength and can fly! (Flies under the car and picks it up)

Reason: Oh. That.

(Scene changes to another part of the city. Rhyme lands hard on the pavement, surrounded by ice that has frozen in different formations from another busted hydrant.)

Rhyme: Wham! Crash! --

WordGirl: (flying in and landing on an ice sculpture) Cut it out! I have someone who wants to talk to you!

(Rhyme looks over at the old car, and sees Huggy. He waves at her. Rhyme looks confused.)

WordGirl: No, not him. (Reason pops up and waves. Rhyme looks happy for a second, then backs off.)

Rhyme: Oh, it’s you! What do you want?

Reason: Me? I’d like to start up this CAR and drive away really-- (pauses)

(Rhyme turns around excitedly, wanting to complete the rhyme, but then stops herself and turns back around.)

Reason: Drive away really-- (pauses again) really-- You’re not gonna say “FAR”?

Rhyme: Why should I?

Reason: Because it rhymes with “car.”

Rhyme: I thought you didn’t like my rhymes anymore. I thought they annoyed you!

Reason: Well… yeah, kind of. Actually, it’s not really the rhyming that gets to me.

Rhyme: It isn’t?

Reason: No. It’s just… (sighs) when our crimes are rhymes, we end up having to steal some really ridiculous stuff.

WordGirl: He does have a point.

Reason: (walking toward Rhyme) Plus, it makes us way easier to catch.

WordGirl: Also a good point!

(Rhyme develops super-speed, then zips over and breaks the ice structure that WordGirl is standing on, dropping her and Huggy to the ground. Then she goes back to Reason.)

Rhyme: So, what are you saying? It’s ok to rhyme, just not in our crimes?

Reason: Yeah, I mean, I just want to avoid another “jewels, mules” crime pairing. Feeding and caring for all those mules-- we actually LOST money on that crime!

Rhyme: If I say yes, then we can be friends? again?

Reason: Aw buddy. We never stopped being friends! It’d take more than a little quarrel to break up best friends! Come in for a HUG!

Rhyme: Come here, ya big LUG! (They embrace.)

WordGirl: (both she and Huggy are touched by their display of affection. Rhyme also gives Reason his friendship necklace back.)  Oh, you guys are such good friends!

Reason: Uh… you okay? You seem kind of  forlorn .

(WordGirl nods in agreement, with a sad face. Huggy squeaks, evidently asking what that means.)

WordGirl: It means really sad and lonely.

Reason: Well, hey, Rhyme? Let’s stop the  chaos  and have a SNACK! Or maybe you can do--

Rhyme: An ice ATTACK!

(She blows a blast of cold air toward WordGirl and Huggy. WordGirl avoids it, but it freezes Huggy. When WordGirl returns to rescue Huggy from the ice, Rhyme grabs both of them and throws them high into the air. Then she zips toward them and hits them with another blast of freeze breath, encasing them in a ball of ice. They drop to the ground, creating a large crater in the pavement. Rhyme uses her freeze breath to create another ramp for herself to land. The police and the warden are keeping a large crowd of people away from the scene. In front of the crowd is Violet, looking on with concern.)

Narrator: Is this the end of WordGirl and Captain Huggy Face? Did Rhyme and Reason meet them, beat them, then totally defeat them? (Rhyme gives them another blast of freeze breath, capturing them in a layer of ice.)

Reason: Well WordGirl, we really have enjoyed our STAY… but now is time to get a--

Violet: (from the edge of the hole they are in) HEY!

WordGirl: Violet!

Violet: Stop freezing her! Or she may turn… PURPLE!

Rhyme: Oh yeah? Well, too bad! She’ll just have to, uh… (trying to think of a rhyme) ...Nurple? Um… Burple?

Reason: Twurple! Twurple?

Rhyme: Canurple?

(WordGirl starts breaking through the ice)

Reason: There’s got to be a word that rhymes with purple!

(By now, WordGirl has freed herself.)

Reason: Slurple?

WordGirl: Nope, not a word.

Rhyme: Burple!

WordGirl: Not a word.

Reason: Wurp-- wait, are you free?

WordGirl: Yup!

Reason: Uh-oh.

WordGirl: Huggy! Action plan number 57, subset B!

Rhyme: Wait! I can’t fight back until I rhyme with purple! Nurple! Scurple...

WordGirl: No! (carries her and Rhyme out of the hole, and into the police car.)

Reason: Well, looks like we’re going to jail. But hey, silver lining-- we can spend our jail time trying to find a word that rhymes with purple!

Rhyme: That sounds absolutely, uh-- wurple? No. Banurple? No. Abanaba--

(Reason pulls out his friendship necklace and holds onto it, as the police car drives off.)

(WordGirl looks over and sees Violet still standing by the crater. She flies over to Violet.)

WordGirl: So, uh… thanks, Violet, for… the help.

Violet: It’s ok, Word-- Beck-- girl I know by two different names.

(WordGirl picks up Violet and flies off with her. She lands on the roof of a building.)

WordGirl: So… why’d you come?

Violet: I don’t know. I guess because now that I know it’s you, I couldn’t just sit back and watch you get hurt.

WordGirl: Violet… (takes off her helmet) ...see? Under this costume, it’s just me! I’m still the same girl who can sit and talk and laugh with you for hours. I’m still just Becky Botsford!

Violet: But you’re also much more. You’re WordGirl! (She walks off, toward the stairway door.)

WordGirl/Becky: No, I know. Just-- can we please just go back to being friends again? Please?

Violet: I-- I don’t know. I have to think about it. (Walks down the stairs.)

(Becky starts crying, and drops to her knees.)

(Scene changes back to school playground, the next day. Becky and Huggy sit sadly on the swings, TJ and Johnson run by again. Suddenly, Violet walks up.)

Violet: Oh, hello, girl I don’t know! My name is Violet! Is this swing taken?

(Becky looks stunned. Bob invites Violet to sit.)

Violet: Thank you kind monkey, sir! (Sits next to Becky on the empty swing.)

Becky: Uh, Violet? What are you doing?

Violet: Well… I just thought maybe it would be nice if you and I started over. So… I’m Violet. What is your name?

Becky: I’m Becky! (Violet gives her a look, expecting more.) But… sometimes, I fight crime as WordGirl!

Violet: Wow! That’s some pretty amazing info to give someone you just met!

Becky: (jumping up from the swing) What can I say? I have a feeling you and I are going to be best friends!

(Violet gets up from the swing, and gives Becky a big hug.)

Becky: Ahh… Are we really going to start our friendship over from the beginning?

Violet: Nah… but people always say that in the movies, and I just wanted to see how it sounded!

Narrator: And so… once again,  chaos  is averted, and our hero is no longer  forlorn .

(Bob joins the two of them.)

Narrator: (clears throat) Anyway… gather up your best friends, and join us next time for another amazing, colossal adventure of… WordGirl!

(A five-headed robot shows up. On top of it are Chuck, Granny May, Tobey, Dr. Two-Brains, and The Butcher. Becky looks over at Violet, and she gives her a nod. Becky changes into WordGirl and goes after the robot. Violet puts her hand onto Bob’s shoulder.)

Violet: Since we’re coming clean, I always knew you were a monkey.