Becky's Birthday

Narrator: Just an ordinary day at the city’s power plant…

Employee 1: Man… (yawns) this job is boring!

Employee 2: Yep. Well, at least we have that small glowing ball to keep us warm.

Employee 1: (looking at the ball of energy above them) What? That doesn’t seem right!

Employee 2: Hey, it’s getting bigger!

Employee 1: We’ve got to do something before it destroys the whole power plant!

Employee 2: The super secret experimental serum!

Employee 1: That’ll work! (Throws bottles of serum at the energy ball.)

Employee 2: Oh man! It didn’t do anything! It’s still--  expand ing!

Employee 1: How about we hit it-- with the gamma radiation ray?! (Zaps it, but it keeps growing.) That shoulda worked!

Employee 2: It’s still--  expand ing! What now?

Employee 1: (grabbing a half-eaten sandwich) Throw some deli slices at it!

Employee 2: Are you kidding? Electricity and deli meat never mix! (Points to a safety sign) You know that!

Employee 1: Then WHAT?

Employee 2: Pour your soda on it!

Employee 1: C’mon soda, do your magic! (They both shake bottles of soda, and unleash them on the ball. It rises up and goes through the ceiling.)

Employee 2: Oh, no!

(From the top of the building rises a new threat to the city, the Energy Monster! It roars, then zips away.)

(Scene: The Botsford house.)

Narrator: Meanwhile, at the Botsford residence, looks like there’s a party in the works! Hoo-hoo, I hope there’s cake!

Mrs. Botsford: This is gonna be one doozie of a surprise party! I can’t wait to see the expression on Becky’s face!

TJ: Do I have to do this? I’m missing my WordGirl super-fans meeting!

Mrs. Botsford: Yes you do, it’s your sister’s big day!

Mr. Botsford: I can’t my little girl is growing up so fast!

Mrs. Botsford: Do we really need that much food, dear?

Mr. Botsford: Of course we do, hun! You know how Bob gets at parties! He has such an  appetite !

Mrs. Botsford:  Appetite ! Good word, hun!

Mr. Botsford: Thanks! Becky used it the other day, and I kind of took a shine to it.

Mrs. Botsford: She’s so good with words!

Mr. Botsford: Yep, just like that superhero! What’s her name?

Mrs. Botsford: WordGirl, dear! She saved your life three times.

Mr. Botsford: WordGirl, that’s right! You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Becky and WordGirl in the same room together!

Mrs. Botsford: Hmm! Neither have I! In fact, Becky and WordGirl seem to have quite a few things in common!

(Bob gets nervous listening to this conversation, and runs off camera.)

Mr. Botsford: That’s right! They’re about the same age, they have the same hair color…

Mrs. Botsford: I wonder if it’s possible that Becky is really--

(They both look over to see that Bob is dangling from the paper streamers.)

Mrs. Botsford: Ooh, Bob!

Mr. Botsford: Ha, don’t worry champ, I’ll get you out of there lickity-split! Now, what were we talking about?

Mrs. Botsford: I forgot! (Bob looks relieved.)

Mr. Botsford: Me too! So… when is Becky due to arrive?

Mrs. Botsford: About an hour, I have her running errands!

Mr. Botsford: Good one! (They both start laughing.)

(Scene: a sidewalk somewhere in the city.)

Narrator: Meanwhile, Becky Botsford, aka WordGirl, has used her super-speed to get her errands one super-quickly. (She is shown zipping from the dry cleaners to the National National Bank to the library.)

Becky: That wasn’t so bad. Guess I’ll head home!

Narrator: Unbeknownst to Becky, her decision to go home early could very well set off a chain of events that will lead to the ruin of her surprise birthday party! (Becky stops in front of the arcade, and looks up in shock.) Oops.

Becky: There’s a surprise party? For my birthday?

Narrator: No, I mean--

Becky: This is awesome! (pause) But wait! I’m not gonna be surprised by the surprise any more! Aww man, I’m gonna have to fake it!

Narrator: Sorry about that!

Becky: Let’s see if I can pull it off. How does this look? (Makes a horrible face)

Narrator: Kind of looks like you drank some bad milk.

Becky: No it doesn’t!

(Scoops walks by carrying a large present, and accidentally runs into Becky.)

Scoops: Hey, Becky! You drink some bad milk or something?

Becky: Hey Scoops. No, I, uh--

(Suddenly, the electricity goes off inside the arcade.)

Becky: That’s weird.

Scoops: What? The present? Oh, I always carry this around. It’s not for you!

Becky: No, I mean, uh-- (looks up) What IS that?

Scoops: Oh, you’re talking about the Energy Monster!

Becky: Energy Monster?

Scoops: Yeah, that thing’s been destroying downtown for the past twenty minutes of so. But don’t worry! WordGirl will take it out!

Becky: But-- what if she has a party to go to?!

Scoops: Well, I gotta go or I’ll be late for your surprise birthday party! (realizing what he said)  I mean-- I gotta go! (walks off)

Becky: The real surprise is that you guys kept this thing a secret for so long!

Narrator: I said I was sorry!

(A crowd of people runs by, screaming.)

Green-jacketed man: Oh no, it’s headed for the energy district! Look out!

Becky: Uh-oh, Word UP! (transforms into WordGirl)

(The Energy Monster continuing rampaging through town.)

Green-jacketed man: It won’t stop!

Woman: Downtown is being destroyed!

Green-jacketed man: Every power source it eats just makes it-- what’s the word? Hugeify?

Woman: Imbiggen?

Green-jacketed man: Growulate?

WordGirl:  Expand !

Green-jacketed man: WordGirl! You scared me.

WordGirl: Oh, sorry about that. But  expand  means to increase in size.

(There is a collective “Oh!” from the crowd.)

Green-jacketed man: What are you going to do?

WordGirl: I’m going to stop that thing, then open up my presents!

Green-jacketed man: Sounds like a good pl-- what?

(WordGirl flies in front of the Energy Monster.)

WordGirl: Hey! Hey you! Listen, it’s my birthday today, so I was wondering if maybe you could come back and destroy the town tomorrow? That would really work better for me! What do you say? (It keeps moving past her.) Fine. I’ll just have to take you down!

(She flies out and grabs a fishing net from a nearby ship, grumbling unintelligibly all the while. Soon she manages to get the Energy Monster into the net, and flies away with it.)

WordGirl: Hm! That was easy! Hey, this thing is pretty light! I’ll be back at my party in no-- (She looks back and stops) --time. (The other end of the net is burned out, and the Energy Monster is gone.) Argh! Okay. No more Mr. Nice Girl! (She flies into him, but bounces off and falls onto the ground with her hair frazzled. Someone is seen handing her a comb.)

Dr. Two-Brains: Here! You look like you could use this.

WordGirl: Dr. Two-Brains? Did you create this electrical monstrosity?

Dr. Two-Brains: That thing? No, no, no. I’m just out shopping for some crackers.

WordGirl: You’re shopping? I thought you just stole everything!

Dr. Two-Brains: Oh, I steal the cheese. I buy the crackers!

WordGirl: Huh!

Dr. Two-Brains: Wow! Look at that thing go! It’s  expand ing, you know!

WordGirl: I know! (Sees a large electrical socket on top of Trevor’s Outlet Store.) A-ha!

Dr. Two-Brains: What?

(She flies away and grabs some live downed power lines, and attaches them to the back of the outlet.)

WordGirl: Now if I only had a cord with a giant plug at one end…

Narrator: Like that one? (There is a nearby store called Doug’s Plugs. She zips in and comes out with a giant plug, and pushes it into the large outlet.)

WordGirl: I’ll just plug this monster right into the city’s power lines! He’ll be used up by everyone watching TV. That’ll work-- right?

Dr. Two-Brains: Uh, I don’t know. The mouse brain says no, and he’s usually right!

WordGirl: I guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we? (She flies off with the other end of the plug, and shoves it into the Energy Monster. Nothing happens.) Uh-- (The Energy Monster swats her away, and she lands back on the pavement next to Two-Brains, hair frazzled once again.)

WordGirl: Oh no! (She looks up and sees that the other end of the plug has come loose from the outlet.) The cord’s too short! I have to lure the monster back in range! And when I do, I need someone to keep it plugged in! (She looks at Two-Brains.)

Dr. Two-Brains: Don’t look at me! In fact, I should get going. These crackers aren’t gonna top themselves with cheese and eat themselves! Hey, but good luck! (walks off)

WordGirl: Thanks.

Green-jacketed man: Oh no, the energy creature is heading toward the city’s main power grid!

WordGirl: The main power grid? If it reaches that, the monster will become unstoppable!

Narrator: Will the Energy Monster reach the main power grid and become unstoppable? Will WordGirl get back in time to open a collection of Pretty Princess encyclopedias her friend Violet got her?

WordGirl: She did?

Narrator: I’m sorry, I did it again, didn’t I?

WordGirl: Yeah, you did.

Narrator: Will WordGirl be able to stop this monster all on her own?

WordGirl: No! I’m gonna need another set of hands! Hands I can trust! And Captain Huggy Face has those hands! Well, paws. Word UP! (she flies off to get Huggy)

(Scene: back at the Botsford house. Becky’s family, Scoops, Violet, Tessa, and a clown are waiting for Becky to return. The doorbell rings.)

Mrs. Botsford: (whispers) I think she’s here! TJ, where are you going?

TJ: To the bathroom. I don’t care about my sister’s surprise party.

Mrs. Botsford: Everyone ready? (The lights dim, and the door opens.)

Everyone: Surprise! (The lights come up, and they see it is WordGirl.)

Mr. Botsford: WordGirl?

Mrs. Botsford: What are you doing here?

WordGirl: I need the assistance of a monkey! My friend, Captain Huggy Face, is fighting crime in another town! A, uh, far away town! And um-- (looking around) Wow! You guys really did a good job decorating this place!

Mrs. Botsford: It’s our daughter’s birthday!

WordGirl: Wow! That’s a lot of presents!

Mr. Botsford: Uh, please don’t touch those!

WordGirl: Oh, yes, my secret WordGirl supercomputer says that there is another monkey here. And I--

Mr. Botsford: You want to borrow Bob? I don’t know-- he might not be very good in a fight! He’s not a fighting monkey.

WordGirl: I don’t need him to fight, I just need him to assist me.

Mr. Botsford: That’s okay, then! Where is he? He was just here… Bob?

Mrs. Botsford: Bob?

(Bob jumps out of a birthday cake.)

Mr. Botsford: Hey Bob, how would you like to help out WordGirl? Excellent! Listen, WordGirl, we don’t want him to miss Becky’s party--

(She looks out the back window.)

WordGirl: Are those-- ponies?? For pony rides???

Mr. Botsford: Yes, I thought my daughter would enjoy that. The act of riding on a pony. In a circle.

WordGirl: Yes! She would! Ponies!

Mr. Botsford: Um, WordGirl? Hello, earth to WordGirl?

WordGirl: Oh-- thank you, Botsford family, we must be off. We have to fight the pony monster-- uh, I mean the electricity pony-- I-- (grabs Bob’s hand) Word UP! (takes off)

TJ: (returning from the bathroom) What’s going on?

Mr. Botsford: Oh, you just missed it! WordGirl was here, and--

TJ: WordGirl?! Here?? NO!

(Back in the city, WordGirl lands next to the electrical plug with Huggy.)

WordGirl: Wow, look at him eat those cables! His  appetite  is almost as large as yours!  Appetite ! You know, having a hunger for something! In your case, that something is food! That thing has an  appetite  for energy! Okay, Huggy! We’ve got to take this thing out before it reaches the power grid and becomes too powerful for us to stop! Here’s the plan… see that giant plug on the top of that building? Here-- (she hands him the plug) you need to go-- (suddenly, the Energy Monster grabs her) Ahh!

WordGirl: (yelling to Huggy as the Energy Monster carries her off) Huggy! Plug it in!

(Huggy jumps to the top of the outlet store, and plugs in the giant plug. Then he grabs the other end of the plug, jumps up onto some power lines, and uses it as a slingshot to propel him toward the Energy Monster. Huggy jams the plug into the Energy Monster, causing it to be sucked through the cord. She catches Huggy and they land on the ground, both with frazzled hair.)

WordGirl: Nice work, Huggy! (He laughs at her hair) Oh yeah? You should look at yourself!

Green-jacketed man: Thanks WordGirl, you saved the city!

Woman: How did you do it?

WordGirl: It was easy. We just plugged the Energy Monster into the power lines.

Woman: Those aren’t power lines, those are telephone lines!

WordGirl: Oh. Really?

(Scene: Back at Two-Brains’ lair, where he is piling cheese on top of crackers.)

Dr. Two-Brains: Oh, my name is Mr. Cheese! And I’ve been walking and walking Ooh, this looks like a comfortable bed!

(The phone rings.)

Dr. Two-Brains: Argh! Who dares call Dr. Two Brains on his day off? (picks up the phone) Hello, Two-Brains-- (the Energy Monster comes out of the receiver) AAAAH! (The lights flicker inside of the warehouse)

(Scene: Back in the city, where WordGirl and Huggy are standing.)

WordGirl: Telephone lines, power lines-- I’m sure it’s fine!

Woman: Uh, no! They’re actually quite different!

WordGirl: Come on, Huggy, we have a surprise party to go to! (takes off)

(Scene: The Botsford house. The front door opens. Everyone yells “surprise”, then they see that it is Bob.)

Mr. Botsford: Bob, you’re back! (Bob points outside frantically.) I have no idea what you’re doing, Bob, but it sure is fun to watch! Look at this, everyone! This is why you buy a monkey! Ha-ha-ha!

(Meanwhile, Becky is standing just outside the door, listening in. She starts making sounds to let everyone know she is coming.)

Becky: Dum, dee dum… Boy, it took a long time to do the errands! I wonder if anyone remembered my birthday today?

Mrs. Botsford: Ooh, that sounds like Becky! Everyone hide!

(The door opens.)

Everyone: Surprise!

Becky: Wow! Am I surprised! There is no way I could possibly know about this, and I’m therefore taken completely off-guard!

Mrs. Botsford: Happy Birthday, Becky!

Mr. Botsford: We’re proud of you honey!

Becky: Thanks, Mom and Dad! Now enough of this chit-chat, it’s time for a pony ride! Pony-pony-pony-pony…

Narrator: So WordGirl saves the city from almost certain doom, and earns herself a well-deserved pony ride! While Bob feeds his  appetite , and fills his rapidly- expand ing belly! Join us again next time for another super-colossal episode of… WordGirl!