No Pain, No Gain

It's been ten long years since the merciless Townsville Slaughter. The carnage was the work of former powerpuff girls Blossom and Buttercup. Now only one of the group was left in the city; the traumatized Bubbles. Ever since the day she confessed everything, she hadn't spoken a word. Thoughts of guilt and despair had consumed her mind. All that was left was an empty shell. No trace of the innocent young girl she had once been remained. She was now frail and weak. Her entire existence had deteriorated into a ghost-like state. All she had now was a daily education with nobody to turn to for comfort. Even though the last two members of the gangreen gang and the rowdyruff boys were still there, they had become more solitary than ever as well. They never left their homes unless it was absolutely necessary. With that being the case, no one ever visited Bubbles at the school where she "lived".

However, after all this time, there was someone she forgot; someone that had driven Blossom and Buttercup off the deep end. He had visited her as well, but she resisted, and she had won. Now, for some reason, she couldn't remember his name or face. It wasn't until a mysterious stranger paid a visit that she would begin to recall this…person.

There was a knock on Bubbles' door. Being that she couldn't speak, she had to veer through the peephole to see who it was. Standing in the hall was a young man with long, blonde hair. He appeared eerily calm.

"You're Bubbles right? I need to speak with you."

The blue-eyed teen opened the door. She began to write on her whiteboard.

"Who are you?"

"I prefer to conceal my identity. Let's just say I'm someone with an interest in strength."

"Strength?"

"Yes; more specifically, your strength."

Bubbles hesitated, and then began to write again.

"Why should I trust you?"

"I have information pertaining to the events that unfolded ten years ago; the infamous Townsville Slaughter."

"I spoke to the authorities already. They let me go."

"I figured that, but I know something they don't."

This immediately caught Bubbles' attention.

"But I told them everything!"

"Everything you knew."

Bubbles was dumbfounded.

"What do you mean!?"

"There was someone else involved, wasn't there? Someone your sisters couldn't kill."

Bubbles immediately went stiff.

"That's right. You felt it, didn't you? There was something left unfinished. The one opponent you three faced, but never truly defeated."

"I can't…Remember."

"I'm not surprised. He probably caused your memories to fade. It's the way he does things."

"How do you know any of this?"

"Easy. He's an idiot and didn't think to wipe everyone's memory. Everyone except you knows of his existence now."

"Who is he?"

"Him."

"Him?"

"That's what you and your sisters called him. He never revealed his true name."

"What's his real name?"

"Lucifer."

"That can't be! You mean we fought the very essence of evil!?"

"That's exactly what I mean. He was the true cause of the unholy massacre all those years ago."

"Why did he never tell us his real name?"

"It would've left him vulnerable."

"But how did he cause it? It was Buttercup and Blossom that killed everyone."

"He manipulated all three of you. You were the lucky one who resisted until the very end. That's why you never killed anyone."

Bubbles reflected on the words that were spoken.

"It doesn't matter anymore. He caused me to lose everything important to me. There's nothing left but this for me now."

"Not quite."

"What?"

"He won the first war, but you can wage a second on your own."

"How? I gave up my powers."

"I know. There are powers you can obtain through training. Now that you're on your own, you're basically a phantom."

"You mean…I'm a ghost?"

"In a sense, yes. You live among people, but you're not one of them. The antidote x removed your lethal abilities, but there were deeper powers sleeping within you that didn't come from chemical x."

"Where do they come from?"

"A place of loneliness and pain."

"It's becoming clear now."

"Do you know what I want then?"

"I think so. You want to train me, right?"

"You catch on quick."

"…If I do this, do you promise I can defeat Lucifer?"

"Yes, but only if you dedicate yourself day in and day out to getting stronger, faster, and more resilient in mind and spirit."

"What if I lose?"

"…You die."

"Maybe that wouldn't be so bad…"

"The choice is up to you, but remember this; you don't know where you'll go after you die. You may as well learn to fight him now in case you meet him again in the distant future."

"You're right."

"Meet me outside after school tomorrow. I'll train you in the martial art of Judo. You will learn about self-discipline and personal growth. It is important you master these concepts before physical training."

"I understand."

"Remember, this isn't about vengeance; it's about justice. He deserves everything that's coming to him"

"Okay."

"…Don't lose yourself in despair. Buttercup is still alive. One day, you two may be reunited again."

"I miss her."

"You might not have to much longer."

"All I can do is hope."

"Exactly. Goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

And so, the clock began to tick. After all these years; all the pain; a chance at redemption was finally within reach.