A Buttercup Story
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story and said characters are the sole property of their owners. If any of them appear out of character to your perception of them, well I'm sorry, but this is the way I perceive them and, as this is my original story, this is the way I have chosen to depict them.
Prelude:
Much has changed in mine and my sisters' lives since that time we took back the Key to the World from Mojo Jojo.
When we graduated from Elementary School, the Professor and Ms. Keane had finally managed to put aside their differences in regards to cats and got married. This was, of course, thought to be a wonderful thing, but soon came the constant nagging from Mom to present myself as a role-model to my sisters in almost everything I said and did; and here I was thinking that I was already doing just that.
Junior High would also prove itself an interesting time for us as this was when nature seems to develop a sense of humor and morphs children into adolescents through puberty. This was also when we were to learn what other secrets Chemical-X would display.
One day we were called to take out a group of bank thieves. Normally this kind of a mission would be a piece of cake, but when the people began to fire their guns at us, we were mildly injured by the bullets. We still managed to beat them down, but were ourselves wounded.
The Professor performed some tests on us and came back with the unfortunate news: as we grew up, the Chemical-X within us was getting thinner. It seems that the reason we were so powerful when we were toddlers was because the intensity of Chemical-X was much higher and as we grew bigger, the Chemical-X was left to run thinner because our levels didn't grow with us.
To make matters worse, another chemical was released into our systems, a chemical that is simply referred to as hormones. It turns out that estrogen weakens Chemical-X while testosterone strengthens it. I had asked if there was a way to increase our Chemical-X levels, but was turned down due to the nasty side effects that such a thing could have on us. I mean, we're talking mutation, radiation poisoning symptoms, and this is just to name a few. Oh sure we still possess the super-human strength and abilities such as flying, but our powers were gradually getting weaker over time.
And then there were our old enemies, the Rowdyruff Boys, who were getting stronger as they grew up. Our last battle with them landed us in the hospital for about a week!
But then for our second year of Junior High, they decided to turn over a new leaf and, instead of fighting us, coexisted with us.
They had gotten tired of fighting us and wanted to join us, Butch had said, but I knew there was something more to this than was to be expected.
But life wasn't all about battles for us anymore, now we, that is Bubbles and I, had begun to become interested in members of the opposite sex; Blossom still thought boys were for beating up and humiliating.
Oh sure, I've had a few boyfriends over the years, I mean, what girl hasn't. Back in Elementary School there was Mitch, and then came Junior High School where I met up with Butch. Come high school, Butch and I had become quite an item, though it was never a really close relationship, what with his odd after school jobs. However, one day, around the middle of our freshman year, I finally learned just what it was Butch was doing after school: selling drugs.
One afternoon, I met Butch at his locker to inquire as to whether or not he would be able to go out on a date, "So, Butch, you want to meet up at Dairy Queen after school?"
"Sorry, Buttercup, but I've got some business to attend to after school" he replied sincerely since seeing the disappointed look on my face.
"Well, maybe I can help you so you'll be able to finish faster" I offered while trying not to sound too desperate.
"No, no, no, sorry Buttercup, but the least you have to do with my line of work, the better off you are" he said with a chuckle, though, something told me that he was trying to hide something from me, but I decided not to press the issue and just walked away.
Later, after school, I had decided to go looking for Butch anyways, thinking I would surprise him, when I stumbled upon the truth. I was walking by an alley when I heard his voice; he seemed to be threatening someone. Resisting the urge to just barge right in, I peeked around the corner and watched as Butch and two of his strongest henchmen were pressuring this one fellow who was sitting on an old milk crate.
'Why was Butch using henchmen as opposed to his brothers?' you ask.
Back during our final year of Junior High, Butch and his brothers had a major falling out. Brick was the first to leave with Boomer following soon after. We never heard from them after that day and, as far as I know, each of them went their own separate ways to live out their own individual lives.
"So Steve the Shark has become Steve the Stool Pigeon" I heard Butch say, the snide attitude and anger prevalent in his voice despite the cigarette, or cancer stick as I like to call them, hanging out of his mouth.
It was because of his smoking that he and I have never kissed during the time we were dating.
"Hey, the cops are getting closer all the time, and just the other day, my kid brother was beaten up by some of your clients just for drug money. I can't take it anymore, Butch" replied the guy sitting down, his voice filled with anxiety as Butch tossed aside the remaining nub of his cigarette.
"Yeah, well business is business, and drugs mean big business, especially when it comes to teenagers like us. Now, as you know I don't tolerate those who go squealing to the authorities to remain in my posse, Steve, so prepare to sleep with your relatives" Butch said as began to approach my hiding place, stopped, turned and vaporized the guy with his optic lasers!
I was shocked, horrified, and downright scared for my own life, especially knowing that my sisters and I were now quite vulnerable against Butch; three weakened Powerpuffs were barely a match for the Rowdyruff powerhouse.
I ran to the police and told them everything that I had heard and seen, for what little good it would do. They had asked me if I would help them in bringing Butch to justice and I, like an idiot, agreed to do so.
The next day, Butch and I met at the park for a date, but he was unusually quiet, as though he expected something. When the police showed up and arrested him, Butch slowly turned and gave me a snarling mean look and simply replied, "When I get out, I'm making you my next target, Buttercup dear."
"But…why me, what did I do?" I pleaded in confusion.
"Don't play innocent with me, Buttercup! I knew you were there when I wasted Steve and I knew you went to the police. You always think you can outsmart me, but the jokes on you; I'm three steps ahead of you! And if you think these assholes are actually able to take me away on their own, you're dumber than Brick; I'm letting them take me this time so that I can exact my revenge against you when I feel the time is right" Butch screamed at me, except for the last part, this he growled just loud enough for me to hear once he was within earshot.
My being their informant was supposed to be anonymous, but the stupid officer in charge of the arrest said, as he was leading Butch to his squad car, "Good job, Buttercup, we never would have found this guy if not for your information."
I tried to apologize and explain my actions but Butch cut me off by shouting, "Explain it to your mortician for once I get out, no one and nothing will stop me from destroying you!"
Two weeks later, and I had to appear in court as a witness to Butch's crimes, which wasn't easy. Butch repeated his threat as they led him out of the courthouse to the prison van and all I could do was stand there and cry like a baby. Sure, my sisters were there with me to put up a strong front to help me, but I knew Butch was more than a match for all three of us. Butch was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison, which I knew he wouldn't carry out, and since that dreadful day, every so often at night, I experience the same recurring nightmare.
It starts out with me as a little girl running for my life with a venerable goliath in the form of Butch chasing after me with a syringe of Antidote-X and a hand gun. Without fail, he would catch me, strip me of all my clothing, inject me with the Antidote-X and after much derisive name calling; he would shoot me with the gun. Only, this is where the nightmares would usually change and he would either shoot me in the head, mouth, chest, or, as in one case, in the one most intimate orifice of my body.
After I would hear the gun go off, I would sit straight up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat, if I was lucky. Once in a while I would accidentally wet myself with terror prior to waking, which was really embarrassing since this was more something that my sister, Bubbles, would do.
I tried telling friends, doctors, teachers, even my family in hopes of making the nightmare go away, but to no avail, it just kept returning, especially if I had a really bad day just before.
Now this isn't to say I'm scared of guns, especially since I knew the arsenal Butch had at his disposal, but the human psyche will usually take our fears and turn it into everyday concerns. In other words, my mind put a gun into his hand even though I knew that there was far worse that he could do to me.
Then, as if by magic, the nightmares stopped. It was here that I would get back together with Mitch and, after graduation, apply for college.
A better start if you ask me. Please be polite in your reviews. Flamers, if you can't politely explain what it is you find objectionable about the story, then kindly abide by the old addage: If you can't say anything nice, then shut up! Anonymous reviews welcomed, but no spamming!