Episode 537.a Bubble Guppies: Molly in Wonderland! (Part 1)

Plot
Nineteen-year-old Molly returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end Hypletta the Red Queen's reign of terror.

Cast

 * Molly as (Alice Kingsleigh)
 * Gil as (Mad Hatter)
 * Hypletta as (The Red Queen)
 * Oona as (The White Queen)
 * Chuckolaptor as (Stayne the Knave of Hearts)
 * Pablo as (Tweedledum)
 * Brett as (Tweedledee)
 * Mr. Grouper as (The White Rabbit)
 * Nonny as (The Cheshire Cat)
 * Mr. Grumpfish as (The Blue Caterpillar)
 * Deema as (The Dormouse)
 * Goby as (The March Hare)
 * Bubble Puppy as (Bayard)
 * Mr. Gentilella as (Charles Kingsleigh)
 * Mr. Gordon as (Lord Ascot)
 * Mrs. Gentilella as (Helen Kingsleigh)
 * Mrs. Gordon as (Lady Ascot)
 * Hauntsworth as (Hamish)
 * Mrs. Daniels as (Aunt Imogene)
 * Ashlie as (Margaret Kingsleigh)
 * Tobias as (Lowell)
 * Dolly as (Faith Chattaway)
 * Lolly as (Fiona Chattaway)
 * Fish, Lobsters, and Crabs as (Other Characters)

Information

 * Genres: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
 * Rating: PG. There is a bit of kissing and nudity, some violence, a bit of humor, a bit of smoking, and some scary scenes.
 * Type of film: Fantasy
 * Love Couples: Molly x Gil

Trivia

 * This is based on the 2010 film "Alice in Wonderland!" You can read about it on Wikipedia and IMDb.
 * There are both regular and fanon characters in the story.

Story
Start of Part 1.

(Scene: Bubbletucky)

(IWarm light shines from the study of the gracious Gentilella home in 1855. A man, silhouetted in the window, speaks with ardor.)

(Scene: Study)

(Mr. Gentilella has just described his new venture to his friends, including Mr. Gordon.)

Mr. Gordon: Charles, you have finally lost your senses.

Colleague Crab: This venture is impossible.

Mr. Gentilella: For some. Gentlemen, the only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.

Colleague Lobster: That kind of thinking could ruin you.

Mr. Gentilella: I’m willing to take that chance. Imagine trading posts in Rangoon, Bangkok, Jakarta...

(He stops. His 9 year old daughter with long pink hair and light brown skin stands at the door in her nightgown, clearly frightened. He goes to her.)

Mr. Gentilella: The nightmare again?

(She nods. He takes her hand and turns to his guests.)

Mr. Gentilella: I won't be long.

(Scene: Young Molly's Bedroom)

(He sits on her bed, listening with utmost seriousness.)

Little girl with pink hair: I'm falling down a dark hole, then I see strange creatures...

Mr. Gentilella: What kind of creatures?

Little girl with pink hair: Well, there's a dodo bird, a goldfish in a waistcoat, a smiling cat with bright orange hair and blue goggles...

Mr. Gentilella: I didn't know cats could smile.

Young girl with pink hair: Neither did I. Oh, and there's a grey fish.

Mr. Gentilella: Grey fish. Hmm.

Young girl with pink hair: Do you think I've gone round the bend?

(He feels her forehead as if for a fever.)

Mr. Gentilella: I'm afraid so. You're mad. Bonkers. Off your head. But I'll tell you a secret... all the best people are.

(She smiles and leans against him.)

Mr. Gentilella: It's only a dream, Molly. Nothing can harm you there. But if you get too frightened, you can always wake up. Like this.

(He pinches her. She screams and pinches him back.)

(Scene: Outskirts of Bubbletucky)

(In 10 years later, a horse-drawn carriage careens down the road at a full gallop.)

(Scene: Carriage)

(Molly is on the verge of womanhood, beautiful, but slightly off-kilter. She sees the world with different eyes than other people her age. Presently, she's tired and grumpy as her mother fusses with her wild mane of pink hair.)

Molly: Must we go? I doubt they'll notice if we never arrive.

Mrs. Gentilella: They will notice.

(She re-ties her waist sash, feeling for her corset.)

Mrs. Gentilella: Where's your corset?

(She pulls back her dress to see bare legs.)

Mrs. Gentilella: And no stockings!

Molly: I'm against them.

Mrs. Gentilella: But you're not properly dressed.

Molly: Who's to say what is proper? What if it was agreed that "proper" was wearing a codfish on your head? Would you wear it?

Mrs. Gentilella: Molly.

Molly: To me a corset is like a codfish.

Mrs. Gentilella: Please. Not today.

(Frustrated, Molly looks out the window and mutters.)

Molly: Father would have laughed.

(She sees the hurt on her mother's face and instantly regrets her words.)

Molly: I'm sorry. I'm tired. I didn't sleep well last night.

(Her mother pats her hand in a forgiving gesture.)

Mrs. Gentilella: Did you have bad dreams again?

Molly: Only one. It's always the same ever since I can remember. Do you think that's normal? Don't most people have different dreams?

(Molly's mother removes her own jewellery and puts it on her.)

Mrs. Gentilella: I don't know. There! You're beautiful. Now, can you manage a smile?

(Scene: Gardens)

(The garden party is in full swing. Everyone has turned out in their summer finery. Guests play croquet on the great lawn. Skiffs drift lazily on a meandering river. Molly approaches Mr and Mrs. Gordon with a fixed unnatural smile. Mr. Gordon is a stately, aristocratic man. Mrs. Gordon is red-faced with annoyance.)

Mrs. Gordon: At last! We thought you'd never arrive. Molly, Hauntsworth is waiting to dance with you. Go!

(She pushes Molly off and turns on Helen.)

Mrs. Gordon: You do realize it's well past 4! Now everything will have to be rushed through!

Mrs. Gentilella: I am sorry. We...

Mrs. Gordon: Never mind!

(She rushes off.)

Mr. Gordon: Forgive my wife. She's been planning this affair for the last 20 years.

Mrs. Gentilella: If only Charles were here...

Mr. Gordon: My condolences, madame. I think of your husband often. He was truly a man of vision.

Mrs. Gentilella: Thank you.

Mr. Gordon: I hope you don't think I have taken advantage of your misfortune.

Mrs. Gentilella: Of course not. I'm pleased that you've purchased the company.

Mr. Gordon: I was a fool for not investing in his mad venture when I had the chance.

(She smiles.)

Mrs. Gentilella: Charles thought so too.

(Scene: Quadrille)

(Molly does a line dance with Hauntsworth who takes after his mother, refined and immaculate with aristocratic arrogance.)

Molly: Hauntsworth, do you ever tire of the Quadrille?

Hauntsworth: On the contrary. I find it invigorating.

(He struts like a peacock. Molly laughs.)

Hauntsworth: Do I amuse you?

Molly: No. I had a sudden vision of all the ladies in top hats and the men wearing bonnets.

(He doesn't even crack a smile.)

Hauntsworth: It would be best to keep your visions to yourself. When in doubt, remain silent.

(Molly's smile fades. Without her father, she feels there's no one like her in the whole world. They dance on. Molly sees a flock of geese overhead. Distracted, she bumps into the dancers in front of them.)

Hauntsworth: Pardon us! Miss Gentilella is distracted today. (to Molly) Where is your head?

Molly: I was wondering what it would be like to fly.

Hauntsworth: Why would you waste your time thinking about such an impossible thing?

Molly: Why wouldn't I? My father said he sometimes believed in 6 impossible things before breakfast.

(She laughs at the memory. Hauntsworth looks pained. He sees his mother nearby. She waves him on impatiently.)

Hauntsworth: Meet me under the gazebo in precisely 10 minutes.

(He goes off. Suddenly 2 giggling girls appear in front of Molly. It's the Chattaways.)

Dolly: We have a secret to tell you.

Molly: If you're telling me, then it's not much of a secret.

Lolly: Perhaps we shouldn't.

Dolly: We decided we should!

Lolly: If we tell her, she won't be surprised.

Dolly: Will you be surprised?

Molly: Not if you tell me. But now you've brought it up, you have to.

Dolly: No we don't.

Lolly: In fact, we won't.

Molly: I wonder if your mother knows that you two swim naked in the Havershim's pond.

Dolly: You wouldn't!

Molly: Oh, but I would. There's your mother now.

(Molly starts to walk toward her. Lolly blurts out.)

Lolly: Hauntsworth is going to ask for your hand!

(Molly stops dead. Her sister suddenly pulls her away.)

Ashlie: You've ruined the surprise! (to Molly) I could strangle them! Everyone went to so much effort to keep the secret.

Molly: Does everyone know?

Ashlie: It's why they've all come. This is your engagement party. Hauntsworth will ask you under the gazebo. When you say "yes..."

Molly: But I don't know if I want to marry him.

Ashlie: Who then? You won't do better than a Lord.

(She looks at Hauntsworth who blows his nose, studies the contents of his kerchief, then folds it and puts it in his pocket.)

Ashlie: You'll soon be 20, Molly. That pretty face won't last forever. You don't want to end up like Aunt Daniels.

(They look at their middle-aged aunt Mrs. Daniels with over-rouged cheeks and a yellowing white dress that's too young for her.)

Ashlie: And you don't want to be a burden on mother, do you?

Molly: No.

Ashlie: So you will marry Hauntsworth. You will be as happy as I am with Tobias and your life will be perfect. It's already decided.

(Mrs. Gordon's face suddenly looms in hers.)

Mrs. Gordon: Molly dear, shall we take a leisurely stroll through the garden? Just you and me?

(She jerks her away quickly.)

(Scene: Rose Gardens)

(Mrs. Gordon steers her through the gardens at a fast clip.)

Mrs. Gordon: Do you know what I've always dreaded?

Molly: The decline of the aristocracy?

Mrs. Gordon: Ugly grandchildren. But you're so lovely. You're bound to produce little... (she gasps) Imbeciles! The gardeners planted white roses when I specifically asked for red!

Molly: You could always paint the roses red.

(Mrs. Gordon looks at her strangely.)

Mrs. Gordon: What an odd thing to say. Come along.

(She hurries her along the path. Molly hears a jingling sound.)

Mrs. Gordon: You should know that my son has extremely delicate digestion...

(Molly sees something large and orange dart past.)

Molly: Did you see that?

Mrs. Gordon: See what?

Molly: It was a goldfish, I think.

Mrs. Gordon: Nasty things. I do enjoy setting the cats on them. Don't dawdle.

(She rushes Molly toward the gazebo. Molly looks for the goldfish.)

Mrs. Gordon: If you serve Hauntsworth the wrong foods, he could get a blockage.

(And there it is, a large orange goldfish in a waistcoat, standing and staring directly at Molly. She blinks. The Orange Goldfish darts behind a tree.)

Molly: Did you see it that time?

Mrs. Gordon: See what?

Molly: The goldfish!

Mrs. Gordon: Don't shout! Pay attention. Hauntsworth said you were easily distracted. What was I saying?

Molly: Hauntsworth has a blockage. I couldn't be more interested, but you'll have to excuse me.

(Molly dives into the wooded area off the path and stands for a moment, mind reeling. A hand lands on her shoulder. She jumps.)

Molly: Aunt Daniels! I think I'm going mad. I keep seeing a goldfish in a waistcoat.

Mrs. Daniels: How very strange. What kind of waistcoat?

Molly: Brocade, I think. What does it matter? It's a goldfish in a waistcoat!

Mrs. Daniels: I can't be bothered with your fancy goldfish now. I'm waiting for my fiance.

Molly: You have a fiance?

(The Orange Goldfish darts by.)

Molly: There! Did you see it?

Mrs. Daniels: He's a prince. But, alas he cannot marry me unless he renounces his throne. Isn't it tragic?

Molly: Very.

(She backs away and runs into her sister's husband kissing a strange woman. The woman runs off.)

Molly: Tobias?

Tobias: Molly. We were... Hattie is an old friend.

Molly: I can see you're very close.

(Tobias is bright red and highly flustered.)

Tobias: You won't mention this to your sister, will you?

Molly: I don't know. I'm confused. I need time to think.

Tobias: Think of Ashlie. She would never trust me again. You don't want to ruin her marriage, do you?

Molly: Me? I'm not the one...

(Suddenly Hauntsworth is there, annoyed.)

Hauntsworth: There you are! I told you to meet me under the gazebo!

(Scene: Gazebo)

(He pulls her under the gazebo. The shadows of the pillars fall on her like prison bars. She glances at a string quartet discreetly positioned in the shadows... bows poised. Hauntsworth drops to his knee. Molly notices an artist immortalizing the moment.)

Hauntsworth: Molly Gentilella...

Molly: Hauntsworth.

Hauntsworth: What is it?

Molly: You have a caterpillar on your shoulder.

(He frantically brushes at his shoulder.)

Molly: Don't hurt it.

(Molly lets the caterpillar crawl onto her finger, then places it gently onto a tree branch.)

Hauntsworth: You'll want to wash that finger.

(He sees his mother motioning to him from below. Everyone is watching. He blurts out.)

Hauntsworth: Molly Gentilella, will you be my wife?

(The question hangs in the air. Unsure of herself, unsure of her future, unsure of her own sanity in that moment, Molly stammers.)

Molly: I... I... well, everyone expects me to... and you're a Lord... and my face won't last... and I don't want to end up like... but this is happening so quickly... I think... I... I...

(She sees the Orange Goldfish leaning against a pillar, glaring at her with undisguised impatience.)

Molly: ... need a moment.

(She turns and runs.)

(Scene: Meadow)

(She follows the Orange Goldfish across a meadow.)

Molly: Wait!

(She loses sight of him. She peeks over the hedgerow. No goldfish. Stumped, she looks around. An orange fin reaches up and grasps her by the ankle. With a quick jerk, it pulls her down into the rabbit hole.)

(Scene: Rabbit Hole)

(She screams and keeps screaming as she tumbles head over heels down the hole. She frantically grabs at the walls which are hung with paintings, ancient maps, cracked mirrors, demonic masks, etc. She pulls out books, jam jars, a crystal ball, a badger claw, a monkey's hand and a human skull in her frantic effort to stop herself. And down she falls. It begins to grow dark as the day passes into night. And still she falls.)

End of Part 1.