Disclaimer: Me no owney the Powerpuff Girls!
Author's Note: Look who's got a new fic! :D
Tee hee, sorry it took so long to finally roll out, but I've been ridiculously busy between camp, my job and volunteering. I finally decided on a plot I like and was able to lay out a rough outline, so that explains the wait. I'll try to update as regularly as I can, but since I've only got a few hours at a time, I can't make too many promises.
Anyways, this is kinda an AU where the girls aren't public superheroes. If you've ever seen Smallville or even the animated Superman, Spiderman or Batman shows, they all have secret identities and live double lives for various reasons. I always wondered what would happen if the Powerpuff Girls did that, and I got this! It might get kinda dark, but I'm a happy-fluffy kinda gal, so no worries.
Reds being my absolute fave, this will be predominantly Brick/Blossom. But expect Blues and Greens too!
I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to leave me some kind words at the end! C:
...
It was past midnight and in the darkest alleys of the city Townsville, hordes of criminals lurked awaiting their next prey. See, Townsville wasn't exactly famous for its brilliant law enforcement system and crime ran rampant throughout the town. The innocent citizens of the quaint metropolis had lived in fear for the longest time, until a glimmer of hope shone down on the grimy depths of the town. Now, this city had something few others had- a guardian. Three, in fact. And while they couldn't be everywhere at all times, these three girls had undoubtedly made the town a safer place.
In the south part of town, a frail woman, no younger than sixty-five, tottered down the deserted road, taking a sharp turn into a dank alley. She clutched onto her faded leather purse, looking down, afraid to see what hid in the shadows. She knew she shouldn't have been out this late. Bad things happened to old ladies who weren't tucked inside locked areas after 11. She quickened her pace, deciding that there was nothing more she wanted to see than the smiling faces of her grandchildren the next morning.
But maybe fate had something else in mind.
"Hey, lady, where ya going?" a raspy voice called out, stepping in front of her. The voice belonged to a lanky, seedy-looking man with a sharp knife in his hand. "How about you hand over the purse and nobody gets hurt?"
"I-I can't!" she stuttered. "It's where my savings are! And little Johnny's birthday is less than a week!" she pleaded.
He narrowed his eyes, "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" he growled, taking a step forward and pushing the elderly woman to the ground.
"H-H-HELP!" the woman cried, desperately hoping a savior was in her midst.
Her prays were answered as a streak of pink came into view, followed by a 'whoosh'. The dimly illuminated alley betrayed the true ferocity of the newly appeared figure, so it stepped into the light to give the mugger a better view. She was tall, curvy and under her black eye mask, her fuchsia eyes glared with an unprecedented intensity. She was clad in a full-body leather outfit that fit her figure well; a black leather jacket, zipped up to only give a peek of a cleavage, sleek leather tights tucked into black leather boots and a coral pink belt hanging loosely at her wide hips.
"You heard the woman," she stated firmly, flipping her auburn bangs out of her eyes and back towards her long, luminescent ponytail. "Let her go," she whispered dangerously.
The criminal gave her a sour look, "You aren't the boss of-"
Before he could finish his rudimentary reply, a simply jerk of the leather-clad woman's arm sent him flying into the wall. He moaned, drifting into a state of unconsciousness. The pink-highlighted figure zoomed over to the prostate grandmother and gingerly handing her her purse, cautioning her against the dangers of strolling around Townsville at this time of night.
"Thank you so much, young lady," the gray-haired woman clutched her hands together, "I don't know what would've happened to me!"
"Don't thank me," she smiled gently, "It's my job."
"What's your name?" she asked curiously, peering into the other's pink eyes.
"Rose," the savior answered. "Have a safe night!" she wished and with that, disappeared into a pink beam in the sky.
Two streets over, Rose touched down from her aerial stint to approach two figures bearing a resemblance to her. The first wore an identical jacket, but black booty shorts and combat boots with a lime belt at her hips. Behind her black eye mask were two piercing emerald eyes and a head full of lustrous ebony locks. The second wore a sleeveless leather top whose neckline dipped down far enough for a tasteful amount of cleavage. She also wore black leather tights and boots and like her counterparts, a belt of her color, turquoise. Her cerulean orbs hid behind a similar face mask and her golden curls hung loosely in two pigtails.
"How are we doing?" Rose asked the two women.
"Great!" the blonde answered animatedly, "I stopped two muggings and a murder," she explained.
"Two murders and a rape," the brunette replied casually, examining her nails as if stopping those heinous crimes were a routine task. ...Wait, it was.
"Good work, Skye," Rose nodded at the blonde. "And Jade," she did the same to the brunette. She let her lips curl into a smile, but then soon unfolded when her super-hearing picked up on a cry for help across town. "Did you hear that?"
The other two nodded gravely and narrowing her eyes, Rose crouched her knees and preparing to take off, she sent an eye-beam to the nearest brick wall, engraving a pink P. Skye followed in suit, imprinting a blue P and Jade finished it off with a green G.
Within milliseconds, their mark had adorned that spot and the only thing left of them there were the dissipating streaks of their respective colors.
...
"Morning, Buttercup," Blossom, the beautiful redhead, pulled her head of the that day's newspaper to greet her brunette sister. Buttercup just cursed to herself as she stepped into the impeccably clean kitchen.
"I hate mornings," the green-eyed girl grumbled as she rubbed her eyes to grab a warm cup of coffee, courtesy of their youngest sister, Bubbles. Unlike the redhead already clad in a crisp black pencil skirt, pink ruffle blouse and pink pumps ready to face the day, Buttercup was still in her crumpled green pajama pants and black night shirt. She was thankful her shift at the police station didn't start until ten.
"We know," Blossom rolled her eyes playfully. Putting the newspaper down and walking to the sink to wash her dishes from her breakfast, Blossom pat her sister reassuringly on the back.
Buttercup, now semi-conscious thanks to magic of caffeine, finally noticed what her older sister was absorbed in earlier. With a piece of toast in her mouth, she exclaimed, "Hey, look, we're on the front page!"
"No way!" a squeal emanated from the next room, followed by the happy skips of their youngest and most ebullient sister, Bubbles. "We are?" she exclaimed excitedly, joining Buttercup's side.
"Yup," Blossom beamed as her two sisters fought to read the article adorning the front page, Powerpuff Girls to the Rescue! by Robin Snyder. No matter how self-assured she was, Blossom always loved it when others could appreciate her hard work. Robin's fine journalistic skill combined with her exciting retelling of the girls' heroics the night before was bound to strike a chord in hearts of the citizens of Townsville. Blossom made a mental note to thank her friend, Robin, later.
"Wow, Robin's the best, huh?" Bubbles grinned as she finished the article. Her smile faltered, "Things like that make me wonder why we have to live doubles lives," she said softly.
Blossom was about to answer, but the radio playing in the background beat her to the punch.
"...those infernal girls don't belong in Townsville! They're monsters and they belong in a government lab. Those kinds of powers are unnatural and who knows why kind of havoc they'll wreak next? After all-"
Sighing, Blossom turned the volume to mute and gave Bubbles a defeated look, "Remember now?" Bubbles nodded meekly while Buttercup crossed her arms.
"Those guys are idiots. We've never done anything to hurt an innocent person ever!" Buttercup cried.
"We have powers beyond their wildest dreams," Blossom reasoned, "We've never given them reason to fear us, but it's only expected if some of them do," she explained. Blossom didn't like leading two lives any more than her sisters did, but she knew it was vital to the safety of her, her sisters and those people close to her.
Eager to break the tension suffocating the room, Bubbles piped up. "So, Blossom," she turned towards her neatly-dressed sister. "Since your semester's over, what are you doing today?" she asked curiously.
Blossom, though only 21, was enrolled in one of the most prestigious law schools in the country. It was summer break for her as of yesterday, but unlike so many of her peers, she wouldn't be tanning at the beach or sightseeing in Europe.
She and her sisters didn't get paid for their night job and money was a scarce commodity in the Utonium household. Buttercup was barely making enough to support herself as a law enforcement officer for the corrupt Townsville Police Department while Bubbles was putting herself through getting an art degree by working two shifts at the Townsville Diner. Blossom attended law school from scholarships and worked an internship to help cover the costs of rent and utilities, leaving little left for savings.
Her internship had finished with the school year and Blossom needed a way to make money this summer, so when she was offered a lucrative job as a paralegal for one of the biggest firms in the city, she was elated. Yesterday, however, she received a disheartening phone call telling her to take herself elsewhere because they had already filled the position.
Blossom frowned, "Jobhunting," she replied.
Buttercup looked at her quizzically, "What about that paralegal thing you wouldn't shut up about?"
"They found a 'more suitable candidate'," Blossom answered bitterly.
"Bullshit," Buttercup called. Folding her arms, she said, "They know you're the best candidate out there for whatever it is they're looking for."
"It's their loss," Bubbles added, giving a sympathetic smile.
Blossom couldn't help but smile at her sisters' unrelenting belief in her, "You girls are sweet, but facts are facts. I've got to go find a job. And soon."
...
After Blossom left for her interviews, Bubbles strapped on her white apron and tennis shoes, grabbed her purse and with a quick goodbye to Buttercup, she walked over to the diner. The diner was only a mile away from their apartment and the area they lived in was safe enough. Plus, if anyone was stupid enough to attack Bubbles, they'd regret it for sure.
A 'ding' sounded as Bubbles entered the familiar restaurant and she flashed a warm smile to the manager and owner, Sandy. Sandra Keane, a kind woman well into her forties, ran the diner and was one of the sweetest bosses a person could ask her. For some reason, Bubbles always thought she would make a perfect kindergarten teacher.
"Good morning, Sandy!" Bubbles chirped as she grabbed her notepad and pencil out of her apron pocket. Walking to the back to put her things in her locker, Bubbles smoothed out her baby blue top and white skirt. Opening her locker and seeing a painting she had created of her and her sisters laughing jovially, Bubbles couldn't help but long for her big break. Art was her passion and even though it might seem silly, she hung onto the hope that one day she would be able to pursue it full-time.
Bubbles slapped on a smile and stepped into the diner, with no other choice than to conquer the day ahead of her.
...
On the other side of town, Buttercup stepped into the Townsville Police Department.
"'Sup, Buttercup?" a chubby man in his fifties greeted Buttercup as she entered the precinct, a jelly donut making its way to his mouth.
Buttercup groaned, "Lay off the donuts, Brickowski. You're just fueling the stereotype," she said as she dumped her stuff onto her desk and slouched into her chair.
"Well, good morning to you too," he said snootily before turning away to consume another.
"Late night?" the officer beside her chuckled.
Buttercup turned to face the brunet man and gave him a wry smile, "You don't know the half of it, Mitch."
"Hey, that's Officer Mitchelson to you," he teased, pointing at her.
Buttercup shook her head and rolling her eyes playfully, returned her attention to her work. She enjoyed working at the TPD; when she could ignore the rampant corruption, it was a rewarding career and it helped her night job as well. Buttercup always kept an eye out for suspicious people during the day so she could watch them at night.
"So, you going for that open position?" Mitch asked her.
Buttercup couldn't help but grin. An old officer had retired the week before, freeing a higher up position. Interviews were going to happen soon and they would have to pick a replacement. A promotion meant not only power, but a raise too. And she needed that.
"I might," she let her pouty lips curl into a smile. "I just might."
...
Blossom had spent the entire day running around Townsville, meeting with executives and lawyers who had a position that needed to be filled. She had rolled out the charm in every single meeting, but she knew she hadn't secured a position anywhere yet. Perhaps it was sour attitudes of her interviewers, or maybe the destitute state of the Townsville economy, but Blossom wasn't making much progress and she hated that.
She had one last interview and she could not blow it. She needed this job. The CEO of J&M Industries, Brick Johnson, had recently fired his personal assistant and was in the market for a new one. She had done her research on him; he was notorious for his short temper and quick wit and until recently, his eligibility as a bachelor. He had a strong business sense and J&M was topping the charts of local, state and even national markets and a position with him couldn't be anything except fruitful. She had heard rumors about his past PAs, but decided there was no sense in dwelling on the uncertain. Plus, Blossom Utonium was always up for a challenge.
I mean, how hard can it be? she thought. That would come back to bite her.
She rubbed her eyes, mentally cursing her itchy hazel contacts. Blossom's natural eye color was pink, which quite frankly, was unnatural. She couldn't be giving away hints to her secret identity, so it only made sense for her to hide the most distinguishing characteristic she shared with Rose.
From the other side of the lobby, the receptionist gave Blossom a little nod and with that, she took in a deep breath, mustered up all the confidence she had and walked straight into the lavish office of Brick Johnson.
"Good afternoon," Blossom said warmly, stepping towards his desk. His chair was turned away from her, so she wasn't sure what to expect from the corporate mogul. Clearing her throat, she repeated herself, "Good afternoon," she said, this time a little louder.
"I heard you," a sharp, baritone voice replied to her. Blossom gulped. This guy sounded intimidating.
But manners were manners. He should at least say some sort of formality back to her. "Well?"
"Well, what?" Brick spun around to face her and Blossom felt her breath hitch in her throat. He had a head full of copper hair that was tied back in a neat pony tail, a face littered with sharp features and a strong jawline. He wore a crisp red Armani shirt, black slacks and a black tie that hung loosely from his neck. His chocolate eyes gazed at her intensely and his stoic mouth soon curled into a smirk. "Miss Utonium?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Mister Johnson?" Blossom replied, her confident voice betraying the nervousness she couldn't help but feel inside.
"What are we waiting for? Let's get started," he declared. He eyed the plush leather chair facing his desk, letting Blossom know that she should sit. She complied and looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to start. At her silence, "Okay, then," he muttered, flipping through the file in his hand carelessly, stopping every now and then.
"I think this is part where you ask me questions," Blossom piped up, her sharp tongue getting the better of her. Blossom mentally berated herself; she knew she had to be on her best behavior.
"That seems fair," Brick shrugged. "So, tell me, why do you want this job?"
Blossom bit her lip. She didn't want it. But she needed it. "It seems like a wonderful opportunity and I think I could learn a lot," she answered, not being completely truthful.
Brick snorted, "You're a law student. Why would you care about business?"
Blossom wondered how he had gathered that from a few haphazard glances to what she assumed was her file, but continued, "Well, since I'm not familiar with it, I think it'll be a challenge. And I like challenges."
Brick smirked, "Then you'll be in for a hell of a time. If I hire you, that is," he clarified.
"I've got a lot of experience in a lot of different areas and I've got all kinds of skills. I can multitask, organize, plan, collaborate- anything, you name it," Blossom said, her words getting stronger and stronger as she continued, "I've got everything you could ever want in a personal assistant."
"A sense of humor?" Brick asked dryly.
"That too," Blossom said wryly. "When there's something to laugh about, that is," she narrowed her eyes, but slipped him a smile so he wouldn't think she was being too pretentious.
"Well, I'm still not convinced," Brick rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "A lot of people are after this job, you know."
"Is that why your last five PAs quit within the first week?" Blossom asked pointedly. Blinking lights were going on inside her mind, but she ignored them. To hell with this job; she could find another. Blossom was just tired with catering to the stupid little needs of puerile and prurient executives. She was going to give him a piece of her mind.
"They didn't have what it takes," Brick narrowed his eyes at her. She didn't feel a thing under his hard stare, which could normally get the strongest of people on their knees. "Do you?"
"I do. And more," Blossom replied sharply. "And if you can't see that, then I'm sorry," she shook her head and began to stand up to leave.
"I see that," Brick said thoughtfully, eyeing her. After a beat, "Alright, you've got the job."
Blossom was prepared to hear a lot of things from him after her outburst, but that was not one of them. She wasn't sure how to respond. "I-I-"
"Yeah, yeah, we can work out the details like salary and stuff later," Brick said offhandedly. "I've just got one rule."
"And that's...?" Blossom was finally able to form a coherent sentence. Flattening out her crisp pencil skirt, she sent him a nervous smile as she awaited his reply.
"Your dresses have got to come higher up than that," he smirked. Before she could reply, "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Blossy."
...
What'd you think? Sound interesting so far? Don't worry, the other two ruffs will appear in the next chapter. I changed the boys last name to Johnson because it sounds less... Evil-monkey-ish.
Lots of nice reviews will equal a speedy update! Tee hee, thanks for reading C:
