Disclaimer: I don't own them, not making any money.
A/N: This is an alternate look ep 36. There is a light lesbian tone at the end, just to warn anyone.
"Don't..." Bubbles whispered, entrenched in Octi's tentacles. She stared at Buttercup, eyes red with tears, pleading the green member to set her weapon down. Contrary to Bubbles' plea, Buttercup's hammer only rose higher as she gathered her strength, watching the overgrown toy critically, ready to strike. Blossom stood aside, more than willing to stay away from cotton tentacles.
"Swing.." Buttercup's hammer began to descend. Her voice rang loudly as the impact of her attack was about to fall. "...Sonic!"
"Octi!" Bubbles cried, closing her eyes against the flash of light. The wind whistled in her ears and wove through her hair. Somehow her curls stayed intact, unlike Octi, who was torn in large tatters scattered across the city.
Buttercup caught Bubbles, forgetting the girl could fly also. "Are you all right?"
Bubbles's eyes welled up. Her gaze was on the ground, where a strip of lavender cloth lay on the highway. She squirmed out of Buttercup's arms and quickly descended. She daintily picked up the scrap of Octi's remains and sniffled, holding the shredded cloth to her chest.
Buttercup and Blossom flew down to comfort her, only to look at the other, as if questioning what to do.
Buttercup turned back to the distraught girl and raised a hand, inches from Bubbles' shoulder. She wasn't good with girly girls, especially crying girly girls.
Still, she swallowed and tried. "Bubbles it's just a stuffed animal."
Bubbles fiercely turned around, annoyed but still tearful.
"I.. I didn't want you to get hurt." Buttercup defended herself truthfully.
"Octi would never have hurt me," Bubbles bit out.
Blossom and Buttercup's eyes widened. They didn't know the girl's voice could sound like that.
"Bubbles..." Buttercup sighed. "Octi was under Him's power-- he wasn't himself. He could have k--"
Bubbles wildly shook her head,her chin trembling as she was now holding back tears. Without another word, she rocketed up into the sky, the night fogging the blue trail she left behind.
"Smooth, Buttercup." Blossom crossed her arms.
"I didn't see you trying to comfort her," Buttercup retorted.
"Maybe she just needed time alone to think before talking," Blossom replied. "You did destroy her first toy."
"It's that old?!" Buttercup exclaimed. "I don't even know what my first toy was."
"It wasn't just any toy," Blossom said. "She once told me it was the first gift her parents gave her."
Buttercup held her forehead, sighing. She knew Bubbles was attached to Octi, but the thought that it was from her parents never crossed her mind. It made sense; the girl's parents were always abroad and Octi, a simple connection to her parents, was there to comfort her while they were away.
"What should I do?" Buttercup stared at her hands, answering her own question.
oOo
A week later Kaoru was still unsure how to apologize. Miyako had talked to her the next day after the 'accident' and gradually appeared to be content without Octi hanging on her arms. Kaoru, guilt-ridden with hands covered in bandages, felt unsettled at the thought of bringing Octi's demolition back up, but it was rude not to apologize.
Ringing the doorbell to Miyako's house, her mind stammered for words. "Hey Miyako, remember how I destroyed Octi? I'm sorry. Forgive me?" She shook away those lines, too awkward.
The door creaked halfway open and Kaoru stood still, not daring to swallow as big blue eyes peered through the crack before fully opening the door.
"Hello, Ka--"
She stopped, catching sight of the object in Kaoru's hands. Kaoru looked also then stiffly presented it to Miyako. It was a bad recreation of Octi. He was eggplant purple instead of lavender, his hat was straight, not crooked, and Kaoru had miscalculated the limbs: five tentacles.
Despite its flaws, Miyako picked the stuffed companion up and smiled, charmed
"Thank you. And... I'm sorry. It's just like you said... Octi was just a toy. My life was more important." She frowned. "I'm sorry that I got too emotional. I'm grateful that you saved me, Kaoru."
"You're welcome and I'm sorry for not understanding. Octi was full of the love between you and your parents."
Miyako hugged the stuffed octopus that was in her arms now. "Well now this one will be filled with our love."
Kaoru was speechless again. She never was good with words.