The Powerpuff Boy

Side Story: Old Friends

Townsyouth Park. It's a place that fell into ruins so long ago. But today... Today it endured the test of ruins. This doomed place has once again been given life and Mr. Morbucks won't allow that life to be taken as easily as it was.

Ah but enough of that. Mayor is here. And for the first time in decades, Mr. Morbucks can speak again. Plus, Mayor is in his clarity state. Those are getting more rare every year.

"Come old friend. It's been too long." Mayor pulls Morbucks to a nearby bench. "Come, let's rest here for a while."

The two sit down and admire the restored beauty of the park. Oh how many memories are here. Times of better days. Times when the city was not plagued with the constant threats of crime. Times when multiple city blocks didn't get re-hauled every. Single. Day.

It's been so long since he truly had a good rest.

"This is the first time in years that I have been of sound mind for so long..." Mayor reminisces. "The moment I saw this precious place back to the way it was, I felt like that impenetrable fog in my head finally lifted."

Morbucks relates. "I know what you mean. How many years has it been since I heard the sound of my own voice? And yet... Here it is."

Mayor nods. "I know I haven't been the most reliable mayor of Townsville. Pickle has been doing a number on the financial resources as well as annoying the citizens."

Morbucks shakes his head. "I don't think you've been a particularly horrible mayor." Morbucks declares.

"Why thank you! I don't know why, but this moment of clarity is lasting much longer than the rest. These days, I can only get a few minutes of precious real me. I managed to get ten years of work done and another three years for the future. Hopefully Pickle doesn't do anything stupid before I actually reach that point."

Morbucks laughs. "I think it's the park. I was near suicidal when I found out about what happened to it." Morbucks gives it a little more thought. "Hmm... Maybe Pickle is some sort of coping mechanism? An alter ego that comes out when you can't deal with the problems plaguing the city. A respite if you will."

Mayor sighs. "That would make things so much easier. All I'd need is some alternative and I would be rid of that obsessive idiot for good."

Morbucks gives a hearty laugh. "You'll need more than an alternative, my friend. You're gonna need therapy!"

"Oh dang it, I hate therapy!" Mayor wines.

"And that's why we have Pickle."

The two laugh out their hearts. It's a precious moment between two friends. Hard to come by nowadays.

"So... What's your daughter up to?" Morbucks asks.

"Ugh, she's my secretary now." Mayor complains.

"Why are you sad about that?" Morbucks asks.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have her by my side." Mayor explains. "But I'm worried. I don't think Pickle knows she's my daughter. He might even try to make a move on her and I won't be able to stop it!" Mayor slumps. "The Mayor family has always been a bleeding heart."

Behind a tree, Ms. Bellum hears everything. Tears leak down her face.

Okay I'll explain. I felt that Mr Morbucks needed some more character development. I also wanted to answer what that one moment of genius was with the Mayor. There's an episode where Him gives the girls riddles and on the last riddle, the mayor solved it instantly. He even went through a highly scientific explanation for why the answer is correct, only to go back to being dumb again. So I made a split personality of sorts where the real mayor is a genius and the usual mayor is a type of coping mechanism , named moment of clarity and Pickle respectively. As for Bellum being the mayor's daughter, I also wanted to explain why she didn't leave him throughout the series (permanently) when she clearly doesn't have romantic interest in him. So, I came up with the idea that she's been trying to get her father to remember her and himself. Also, I wanted to make you cry. Did it work?