Author

Author's Note: Here's a lesson I've learnt. Never be afraid to twist the characters, for, unlike real life, you can undo and restart. Thanks to Kim-Mei for proofreading.

Maybe I'm Twisted
by Rey

Prologue

Engulfed in flames, the figure laughed deeply, peering over the side of a low wall into a pit of molten lava, bubbling, scorching gases rising. Unaffected by the heat, it raised a pincered hand and clicked.

A form framed by golden light shimmered into sight nearby, hovering above the flames which licked hungrily at its bare feet, also unaffected. Silvery hair cascaded down its shoulders and back, but not much else could be seen other than a vague outline and a face.

"You remember the rules," it said simply, its voice ringing high over the sound of the fire's blaze.

"Yes," the other figure watching the lava growled. Then, its voice and demeanour changing dramatically as it pronounced prissily with a hint of sarcasm, "I am not allowed to interfere or influence directly." It tittered in a most feminine way, holding a pincer to its goateed face.

"Correct," The softer voice warbled, as if it were speaking from underwater. "And you are sure you may do this?"

A roll of parchment was flipped out over the flames, unharmed by the inferno. "M'dear..." Him chuckled, high heels clacking obnoxiously on the glowing stone floor, a deep voice pervading, "It is .. already done."

Chapter 1 - White Nightmares
"For all I know, they're hiding my true purpose..."

Buttercup knotted up the covers, deeply asleep. Twisting and turning restlessly, her eyelids squeezed shut, but the eyes flittered above underneath.

"No, wait, stay a little while... Just a little longer..." A voice. Faded. It sounded... sounded familiar. A little like hers, in fact. Was that her speaking? Now she could see in her dream. Just two figures, surrounded by the swirling mist her eyes couldn't seem to penetrate. She couldn't quite make out the figures, though. Who...?

"I... I can't... Bee-Cee..." Bee-Cee? Who...? But... wasn't that kind of close to her name? Intrigued by this mystery, the dream Buttercup willed herself to float closer.

"But... No! NO!..." No, the voices were fading away. No, don't leave me like this! I have to know who you are... Buttercup pleaded mentally. But it was no use. Prominent though they had been, the figures eventually faded like the morning mist.

"Wake up, Buttercup!" Something was shaking her. Buttercup groaned, sleep-crusted eyes cracking open.

"Is it m.. morning?" She mumbled sleepily, slowly bringing a hand up to shield the sunlight which shone through one of the circular windows on the far wall.

"Morning!" Bubbles cheerily sounded, her head appearing in Buttercup's view. "It's a Saturday, Buttercup! Rise and shine!" Bubbles hopped onto the bed, jumped a few times, and leaped off to dance downstairs.

Blossom sat by her dressing table combing her hair, which shone auburn when rays of sunlight chanced to glance off it. She took her eyes off herself in the mirror long enough to eye Buttercup, who still lay in bed.

"It's almost ten-thirty, Buttercup. How much longer are you going to laze around in bed? What if the hotline rings?"

Yeah, whatever... Buttercup snorted in reply, and sat up, bunching the covers. She stared down at the green blanket for a few moments, blinking and reorienting herself. What was that dream...?

But at that moment, Bubbles zipped back into the room, a beaming smile on her face. "The Professor's taking us to the park today! Yay!" And she cartwheeled around the room joyfully, giggling all around.

Buttercup couldn't help but smile at Bubbles' infectious laughter. Blossom, reacting the same way as Buttercup, slid the brush back into the drawer and hovered up. "Buttercup, you'd better hurry. Bubbles and I going downstairs to eat breakfast now, and we can't wait forever."

As both Bubbles and Blossom hovered down the stairs, chatting excitedly, Buttercup slid out of bed. "Hold that thought," she said to herself, quickly washing up and changing into her usual attire to head downstairs.

"Mmm, this breakfast is really good, Professor!" Bubbles beamed, munching waffles smothered in maple syrup.

"Yeah, it's great you had time to make breakfast for us, let alone take us out today!" Blossom glowed at him brightly, eating her own breakfast of toast and jam.

The Professor smiled at both accounts of praise, replying politely, "Thank you, girls, I'm so glad you're enjoying your breakfasts."

Buttercup hovered to the last empty seat and sat down. Her breakfast, arranged neatly on the plate, was bacon and eggs - two eggs for eyes and a strip of bacon for a smile. She held back a grimace at the cuteness and smiled at the Professor. "It looks good."

Well, there's nothing else to eat, and I can't cook, she thought, picking up her fork and knife and setting into the breakfast.

As it turned out, the breakfast wasn't all that bad, although the smiley face was a little harder to handle. Once breakfast was eaten, the family went outside and piled into the car, with the three girls in the backseat, and Professor in the driver's side.

"Seatbelts on?" He asked, glancing backwards. Bubbles giggled and clapped her hands, Blossom nodded, and Buttercup stared out the window moodily.

"Buttercup? Is your seatbelt on?"

"..mhm." Buttercup shrugged and yanked the seatbelt on. The Professor beamed, and started the car. "Good!"

The car backed out of the driveway, and disappeared down the street.

At the park, the girls amused themselves by climbing trees, running around, and playing with the other kids around there. The Professor pulled out some paperwork, glad to be breathing some fresh air now. Bubbles and Blossom had brought a beach ball and they were quite happily tossing it to one another.

Buttercup, too, was glad to be in fresh air. She sat up on a high branch of an oak tree, watching her sisters play. Her legs dangled, and she hummed aimlessly, lost in her thoughts.

"Who could it be," she mused. If I assume 'Bee-Cee' is me, I still don't have any clues. It'd sounded like a boy's voice, though. Mitch? Nah, he was too weird. Mike? He's too gentle. Hm... it sounds so familiar, too. Like.. like someone I've fought before.

"Bee-Cee..." ...hm. "We're the Rowdyruff Boys!" What a joke those three were. Hardly worth a ... "Brick!" Oh my God, that's it. That's the voice. It was Brick.

Wait. Why am I dreaming about Brick? He's a boy! Boys are icky... Hmm... cute... Oh God. I have a crush on a dead enemy. This is not good.

But how? If anyone, I.. should have a crush on Butch. I should, anyway. But... Brick. I like Brick... But he exploded. We had to g ~

Wait. Mojo-Jojo created them to be mean. Couldn't I... couldn't I bring them back? Bring him back? And... and find out what's going on? It's too real, that dream, too real... I can't let it go. I have to know. I.. have to talk to Brick.

What about the others? ...

Doesn't matter. I just have to keep this a secret. Blossom can't know, she'd tell me it was wrong and go tell the Professor. I can't tell Bubbles. She's too much of a blabbermouth.

Tonight. No more dreams, no more nightmares. I have.. have to know.

The Professor smiled as he packed his paperwork. "Girls!" At his call, Blossom, holding the beachball tight, streaked towards the Professor, stopping to hover in front of him, Bubbles following. Buttercup leaped from the tree branch, hovering slowly towards him.

"It's been almost two hours. Time to go home now, before the sun gets too hot."

"Aww," Bubbles whined, "Do we have to?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we don't want any of you get sunburn, do we?" The Professor chuckled. "Come along, now."

As Buttercup followed the Professor and her two sisters back towards the car, she closed off her thoughts with a simple statement. Tonight I'll find out.