« I told you to keep him on a leash. Why is he in jail ? » the distorted voice wasn't waiting for a real answer. When Boomer opened his mouth, Him raised his clamp.
« No Boomer, I wasn't waiting for a real answer, I know what he did. I send you here for something. Do you remember ? »
« I know, but I can't control Butch, you know him. » said Brick nonchalantly.
« You're the leader, you know what you have to do. » Brick rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. He knows is in charge of his brothers, but sometimes, he wished he could have peace.
« Let me take care of this... Butch... » he sighed, his third son was a real piece of work.
« And the monkey ? »
« He needs to rest. But the fridge is empty if you could do something. » said Boomer the head in the fridge.
Him rolled his eyes and with a snap of clamps, he did appear a fridge full of food. Boomer, with a smile, took everything he could eat.
« Those kids are killing me... » said Him in a whisper, « I'll try to do something. Call me if something happens and you better don't call me. » he raised again his clamps and in a purple whirlwind he disappeared.
The boys looked at the empty place where Him was few seconds ago.
« So, you cook and I heal Mojo or...»
« Take care of him if you want. I gotta go. »
'Just for once, everybody, leave me alone'.
***
« And you understand why you should get my son out of the jail, right ? » Him was laying in the air, drinking a glass of wine. He was facing mister Morbucks, who was sitting in a chair.
« But the elections started. I can't help him now, he still a criminal and this... accident can ruin my image. »
Him laughed. Not a laugh you do after a funny joke, but a laugh you should be scared of.
« I think you misunderstood, it wasn't a question or a proposition but an order. Do you want your dirty little secret to be known by everyone ? »
They were staring, a drop of sweat rolling from the temple of mister Morbucks.
« Fine... I'll do it. »
« Excellent ! If you need me, you know my number. » soon as he finished he disappeared in a whirlwind.
Mister Morbucks let out a sigh and look through the window.
'What have I done ?'
***
« Girls, you don't have to help me, you know. You both have to work on your projects. I can handle it alone.» said Buttercup while she was gathering all the broken things she could find.
« We know, but we don't let you down. » said Blossom, she was taking all the pieces of stone of the floor, destroyed by the last battle. « Harry can handle it alone. We are not late on my schedule. »
« Blossom is right after all it's not your fault. And we haven't started the repetitions yet. » Bubbles was gathering the pieces of the giant robot.
After the fight of Buttercup and Butch almost all the park was destroyed and they decided to help the City Hall to rebuild the park or at least helping to clean.
On the other side of the park, miss Bellum was with the construction managers, she was giving them new instructions to renew the park.
« It was the fault of Butch, he should be the one cleaning. Don't feel guilty. »
« But I do feel guilty. I mean... I should have control my self but he... » she was remembering his attitude, his laugh, his face... the anger started to rise up again.
« He said we were the same... » she didn't want to say more about their interaction. Butch said she liked this fight, she never fought any villains like this before. Having her powers to her full potential, having an adversary almost strong as her, looking for his flaws when he was fighting... she liked this, she liked all of this. Butch was right, and this drove her crazy. She will never admit to him she liked it.
« And you're not like him, you know when you're wrong and when to apologize. » said Bubbles, « He wasn't in his normal state or maybe he was hiding this state. »
« That's why we should stay away from them. We need to find why they are back in town and my sure it's have something to do with our return. » added Blossom.
Our return ? Right, their return.
« Girls, thanks you for helping us. » said miss Bellum while she was approaching.
« It's my fault... » said Buttercup.
« It's not. You did what a superhero is supposed to do. Helping us and that's exactly what your sisters and you are doing. And during the elections we wanted to renew the park, so don't worry. »
The girls smiled, that's their job after all.
« And Butch was arrested yesterday night, no more trouble for now. »
***
The familiar clicking of her heels echoed down in the hallway. Her steps were fast, we could feel her anger in her steps as she pounded the ground.
Butch was in his jail, doing push ups, shirtless. No injuries from his fight can be seen, he seemed completely healed. He was full of sweat and her eyes were following his tattoos on his back.
Princess stopped in front of his jail.
« You... »
He kept doing his push ups, but now he was looking at her and he smiled.
« I can't do any date right now. But if you want we can spend time alone in this jail. »
Her nose frowned in disgust. She glanced at the guardian struggling with the keys.
« Give me those keys !» she snatched the keys from the hand of the guardian and opened the door jail.
« How lucky I am... a free ticket. And why are you that magnanimous ? I'm sure it's not for my pretty eyes or for a date.»
« Put your clothes. » she gave a quick glance to the guardian next to her with Butch's clothes in his hands.
« What are you waiting for ?! Give him his clothes ! » she turned back while Butch was changing his clothes.
« You are free but you and your brothers have to come at my mansion soon as possible. And when I say soon it's immediately. And dress correctly. »
« As you wish... Princess. » he let the last word floated and she hated the way he pronounced it.
***
« Daddy, are you really sure of you? »
Princess was in the office her dad sitting on his knees as she had the habits to do. Her father was very tall, always in his white clothes, his hand caressing the hair of his daughter. His hands were full of ring, but the most precious one was his wedding ring. He never removed it or throw it away after what happened. He was barely listening to what his daughter was saying.
« Have you seen the way they act ?! Talk ?! Or even walk ?! Nobody is going to believe that. »
« Do you doubt of my choices ? »
She shook her head.
« I know it may seem strange but it can work. Everybody loves stories about villains who change side. I did it with you and it worked. »
« I'm not like them. I wasn't a villain...» she said with disgust.
She remembered the moment when they rejected her when she was younger only because she was a girl. But things have changed and she grew up just like them. She wasn't evil, she just wanted to be special.
« I know but look what I did with you, an almost happy ending. »
« Sir, the Rowdyruff boys arrived, waiting for you, in the living room. »
« Fine, thank you. »
Mister Morbucks initiated a movement to stand up and Princess got off his knees. He took the long corridor, the large stairs, Princess still behind on his heels still complaining about how the Rowdyruff boys will be a problem and they couldn't trust them. He suddenly stopped and faced her.
« Look, our new guests arrived and I don't want them to hear every single complaints you're making. I have plans for us, do as I say and don't forget to smile. »
« But daddy... »
His eyes were sufficient for her to stop talking and she followed him to the living room where the boys were waiting for them. Butch was sitting on the couch, scrolling on his phone, Boomer was taking a look at the precious objects and Brick was leaning against the wall. When mister Morbucks entered in the room, he took his smile of circumstances.
« The Rowdyruff boys. We meet again, we haven't spoken a lot during the gala and I'm sorry for this but... »
« Spare us your speech, we're not like those idiots of this city. What do you want ? » said Brick abruptly.
The smile of mister Morbucks froze, his face took a dangerous shape.
« That's what I like with you boys. Always straight to the point... » he laughed a bit and sit on his fancy chair. His fingers played with his rings while he was analyzing the boys.
« Thanks to me, Butch is free, but I don't do anything for free. » he waited a moment to make understand to the boys the importance of what he will say.
« You are going to be good boys. »
The boys didn't say anything before they laughed.
« And he looks so serious when he says that. I almost destroyed the whole park and you're talking about being nice. » said Butch between two laughs.
« Who do you think you are to laugh like this ?! » said Princess with her fists on her hips. « We are serious about... » Princess was interrupted by her father who raised a hand.
« Or at least pretending to be. See, this city loves happy ending and I want to win the elections. You are going to help me. »
« I thought you had the Powerpuff girls. Isn't it enough ? They can play the puppets but not us. » said Brick finding back his serious.
« Let's be serious, I know they don't like me and will never support me. Especially because of their past with my daughter. I need to have solid allies on my side and with superpowers. »
« We don't like to be manipulated. » said Butch, his hands behind his head. He looked at the situation with a smirk as if he finds it amusing.
« A deal is a deal. » mister Morbucks said.
The boys looked at each others, they knew what he was talking about.
« So, we have no words to say in this ? » said Boomer, he was bored about everybody using them.
No one answered to him.
The teeth of Brick gritted, he was right, a deal is a deal. The eyes of Princess were moving between her father, and the boys. She hated this, this conversation and being thrown away. Everybody was ignoring her, and she ignored what they were talking about. What was this deal exactly ? She wanted to know, but she couldn't make a tantrum, not in front of them, not in front of her father and embarrassed him.
After a battle of glance with mister Morbucks, Brick finally said
« Fine... »
« Good. »
During this meeting, her father dismissed her. He threw her away... for those boys ?
Princess was fulminating in her room, biting her long nails, she should be there, she should be leading this. But she doesn't want to disappoint her father. She looked at herself in the mirror. She always had the same nose, the same freckles, the same little black eyes, but she grew and changed from before. She is better, better than before and than them.
She took a look at a picture, a picture of her mother and her, she has on her nightstand. During a moment she was lost in her contemplation before throwing the picture in her bed. She shook her head, this period is over.
She decided to do shopping after all her dad gave her his credit card when he dismissed her.
***
When the girls go back home, Blossom and Buttercup immediately fought for the shower. Bubbles decided to let them arguing about it. She went downstairs to talk to the professor. He was working in his laboratory.
She floated just behind him, he seemed to be really concentrated.
« Professor... » she said softly.
The professor startled and almost dropped test tubes.
« Sorry... »
« Bubbles ! Don't worry, anything is broken. How was your day ?»
« Good, we cleaned up the park. It was good...» she wanted to add something.
« But... »
« But ? »
« I feel like... » she floated to a chair next to him and played with an empty test tube.
« I feel like I'm an imposter. I mean... after all those years, we suddenly come back and everybody is supporting us like nothing happened and... we let down some people behind us. » she was referring to her grandmother.
« Bubbles... your sisters and you have nothing to do with this. Nobody could have predicted this to happen. But no matter what, you are at home here with us. »
« That's true but... What if we're not good enough ? If we can't protect the city ? Or if we go again ?» she was thinking about what will happen if they succeed to go home. The city will not survive... the Professor neither.
« Life is like an experience, you have to try and going through a lot of things before finding the answer to your questions and even if you are not satisfied. We can't be sure of anything but the most important thing is believing in yourself. »
She nodded... he was right after she can't do anything against what is happening but at least she can try to find the answers to her questions.
He put a hand on her head.
« No matter what is happening, remember that I love you and I'll be here no matter what. »
She smiled a bit, her heart feeling better. He had this light, this way to talk that always made her feel comfortable and safe. She was safe and happy...
After a while, enough for her sisters to take their showers, when Bubbles felt better, she went upstairs and found Blossom and Buttercup talking, but this time not about the bathroom but about the Rowdyruff boys.
« And have you seen his face ? He was... he was... as if... » was mumbling Blossom.
« He was a king or something ! And with his face... » answered Buttercup.
« This stupid face... »
« Don't talk about it ! I know ! He is... he is...»
« Insufferable ! »
« You're right ! »
« Who are you talking about ? » asked Bubbles, interrupting this strange conversation.
« Brick/Butch ! »
They said at the same time, and they looked at each other with a stare of surprise.
« Wait, you're not talking about Brick/Butch ?!»
They said at the same time, again.
« What's going on ? » asked Bubbles with her hands on her hips, she looked frantically at her sisters.
« Check this out. » said Buttercup.
Buttercup gave to her sister her telephone, a viral video was posted by Princess about a donation for the hospital of Townsville given by mister Morbucks but also the Rowdyruff boys. It was supposed to cover the recent accident.
« This is so... » Bubbles laughed nervously, « Hypocrite... » she ended.
Blossom sat on her bed while she was bringing her hair.
« Don't you find it weird that the Rowdyruff boys are helping mister Morbucks ? I haven't thought of it but why they were at the gala ? And I'm sure mister Morbucks released Butch.»
« So do you think they have a deal or something ? » Bubbles sat on her bed and played with octi, her octi was made by her grandmother but not this one.
« A sort of contract, yes. »
« But we can't accuse them without anything. »
« I maybe found something. During the gala, Sedusa and mister Morbucks seemed to know each others and I think she knows something. »
« Why haven't you said anything about it ? » asked Buttercup, she was staring at the sunset , leaning against the wall and staring at her sisters.
« Because I wasn't sure of anything. I wanted to be sure there was something. »
« We have to know when it concerns the security of the city. You can't hide something big like this. »
« I just wanted to be sure... » she brushed her hair more frenetically.
« Jeez, if you keep brushing your hair like this you're going to lose your head. Let me help you. They look so soft ! » said Bubbles, she took the brush but Blossom stopped her.
« Wait ! I don't like when we touch my hair... »
« Why that ? »
Blossom was thinking about the day when
Brinda cut her hair.
« My sister... Brinda she once cut my hair and I had an awful haircut for months. » she said with embarrassment.
« Isn't it the period when you were wearing a hat everyday ? Haha, I still remember. » said Buttercup.
« Me too ! » Bubbles and Buttercup laughed at the memory, it was an iconic haircut.
« Hahaha, very funny... » said sarcastically Blossom.
« How was your little sister ? » said Bubbles, this time Blossom lets her take the hairbrush.
« Be careful with my hair, okay ? Brinda was... » she had a soft smile and played with her bow.
« She was greedy, very greedy. Every time she tried to copy me, I was supposed to be her role model. Sometimes it was insupportable, but now I think it was cute. She was energetic too. »
She looked in her memories, she was focus trying to erase the fog of her blurry memories but it was like those memories started to get erased from her head. The moments, they had, they shared. She tried to visualize her face, but it was very blurry in her head.
« And... and... »
« Blossom ? »
« Sorry, I have a headache... » she took her head in her hands.
As she stopped visualizing the face of Brinda, the headache left.
'Strange...' She was thinking to herself.
« Does it happen to you ? »
« What do you mean ? » asked Bubbles.
« Thinking about your past and you can't remember anything or forgetting little things. »
« That happened to you ?! » said the Bubbles and Buttercup in echoes.
« I have met my grandmother... » said in a whisper Bubbles.
« You what ?! Why haven't' you told us ?! » said Buttercup.
« At the gala, I send you a message but none of you answered and I wasn't sure anymore if I wanted to talk about it. » she crossed her arms as she was still sitting behind Blossom.
Blossom and Buttercup were staring at her in disbelief.
« And... I met her in her mansion... »
« Bubbles... » said Blossom.
« I know I shouldn't have to. But I had to. I just wanted to see her, to see if she was happy, if she doesn't feel lonely even if it's not my grandmother but... » her eyes started to fill up with tears.
« Bubbles I understand you. » said Blossom while she was putting her arm around her shoulders « But they can't know the truth, we must not tell to anyone the truth. »
Buttercup sighed and added.
« I have met my brother, Brandon. Don't worry we haven't really spoke, and I didn't plan to see him. » she sat on her bed.
Blossom sighed.
« I'm not even surprised but we have to... »
« I don't wanna forget my life ! » said Buttercup as she started to pace nervously.
« I don't wanna lose my family or my friends, my life or myself and I'm sure that the same for you.»
« I don't know what can I say... » Blossom tightened harder the bow in her hands.
« Girls, listen to me. We will find a way to go back home. As the Professor said we have to try.
If there is an enter, there is obviously an exit. In the meantime, we will look for elements to understand why are we here. »
Blossom nodded.
« Bubbles is right, we will start with Sedusa. She might knows something. »
« Fine, we will start there. But now it's too late and we have school tomorrow.»
The two others teenagers nodded.
« Alright, alright... » said Blossom « You know what I think... I like the fact you are my sisters. »
« Blossom... » Bubbles hugged Blossom in her arms. « Come here too, Buttercup... » she made a move to tell buttercup to come into their embrace.
« You know... physical contacts are not for me... »
« Don't force me to make you do it. » Bubbles answered.
Buttercup grumbled for form and let herself be taken in by the embrace.
« Ok... now enough contact. Mitch recommended me a movie, do you wanna see it ? Just to clear our mind.»
« Mitch... » Bubbles raised her eyebrows multiple times as Buttercup mentioned Mitch.
She rolled her eyes and throw her another pillow.
« Go take your shower... » said Buttercup.
« One day, you should really talk about this crush. »
« Bubbles ! »