No Place Like Home
She was surrounded by moldy objects her species tried to pass off as books. Really, they were seaweed stuck between clam shells. None-the-less, the many knock off books were hers; gathered adventure after adventure with her sisters when they were younger. Who knew pirates collected books?
She digressed however, as she skimmed her hands across the worn clams. She would miss it all.
"Blossom, are you in here?" Blossom stiffened at the new voice and turned abruptly.
She let out a breath of relief when she saw her sister, "Bubbles, I didn't hear you come in."
Bubbles smiled apologetically.
"The Professor is looking for you. Today's the day."
Blossom nodded, 'Today was the day.'
"Then it would be rude to be late, correct?" With a flick of her tail she was off, with Bubbles trailing after her.
Destination: The Throne Room
Blossom slowed to a stop before the grand double doors and took a large breath.
'This was it.'
Bubbles grasped her hand and together they entered the embellished throne room.
The room opened before them, a lavish gold throne sat higher than the sea floor with a large meeting table before it. Blossom could see the figures already: The Mayor, Miss. Bellum, the Professor, Buttercup, and the three who started it all.
"Thank you for finding Blossom, Bubbles." Professor Utonium greeted
The Mayor cut in, "Now that we have all parts gentlemen, shall we continue?"
Of the three, only one sat, the "King" she presumed.
"Yes, do proceed."
Buttercup snorted as Bubbles and Blossom took their seat.
The Mayor cleared his throat, "Yes well, placed between us is the agreement in writing. To seal the deal, we must- "
"We understand: sign and we shall be on our merry way."
The "King" lightly smirked as he gestured to the three girls, "Shall we?"
Bubbles glanced nervously around to her family before slowly writing her name along one of the dotted lines. Blossom sighed heavily and took the pen to sign her own name.
One dotted line remained. Buttercup glared at Blossom's outstretched hand. To one so prideful, signing her name meant something worse than death.
"Buttercup," Bubbles pleaded.
"Tch," Buttercup's lime green tail flicked as she fought her pride. Not signing her name meant something worse than death to all of Townsville. She glanced at her father, the renowned inventor, as he held his tongue.
Buttercup's face scrunched, but she snatched the pen from Blossom and vigorously scratched her own name on the dotted line.
The contract slid seamlessly off the table and was rolled up like a scroll as the "King" stood. The Mayor moved for a handshake but retracted. This deal did not deserve the title of a proper business transaction much less a handshake.
"It was a pleasure doing business with Townville. The ladies have a day to collect their things." The three swam out.
All hell broke loose: Bubbles sobbed, the Mayor began knocking his head against the table, and Buttercup used the foundation as her punching bag.
The Professor floated towards Blossom to lay a hand on her shoulder, "My sweet girl, I am so sorry."
Blossom believed him. None of this was their fault, they were trapped. This was the only way to save Townsville or at least stall till Townsville found another solution.
Marrying the "King" and his advisors of a savage country that threatened their home was their only option at the time.
Blossom had seen what this other country, if it could be called that, could do. The land the "King" controlled were in the high mountains, undersea, dark and shrouded with creatures who only thought of self-preservation. The fire power and raw strength however, that could not be overlooked. Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles knew this.
Blossom's voice rang through the underwater throne room, "Buttercup, Bubbles. It's time we gathered our things." Buttercup left the dent she had made on the building and Bubbles ceased her crying, save for a few sniffles. They made their goodbyes and followed Blossom out of the embellished room.
'Today was the day'
Their carriage was packed with as much the girls could bring.
Their small time for goodbyes was strained and they were traveling out of Townsville before Bubble could choke out another bout of sobs. That however didn't mean she didn't sob on their way to their new "home."
Cries echoed through the red water as one after another, bombs hit Townsville.
Blossom swam as fast as she could, gathering and leading the politicians from their homes to safety. By her side her sisters were scrambling to find merfolk under fallen buildings.
"Blossom, Buttercup!" Yelled Bubbles, "There are kids underneath!"
The beasts guiding their carriage through the inky water, slowed to a stop. After trudging through the long beaten up path to the "King's" kingdom, they had arrived.
The three glided out of the carriage.
"What a dump," Buttercup remarked. Always with a smart tongue.
Guards were at their sides as they were escorted inside the mangled imposter of a castle. Through corridors and corridors, the girls found themselves once again in a throne room. Only this throne room wasn't embellished with gold, instead with bones, and they weren't the prized daughters of a genius, instead they were the consolation prize.
On top their perch sat the three in charge: Boomer, the adviser. Butch, the general. Then "The King", Brick.
No one spoke after the guards were dismissed.
Oh how Buttercup wished to wring their shitty necks.
Bubbles whimpered as thee six had their elaborate Mexican stand-off.
The girls flinched when "The King" chuckled and righted himself on his grand chair.
"What fine jewels we have here. But alas, if they wish not to speak we have no reason for this rendezvous," he gestured a guard, "Rest if you must, but dinner will be served as light falls."
The girls were escorted out and to their rooms like they hadn't just had a knock-off Mexican stand-off.
For Blossom and Buttercup, light fell too quickly. However, Bubbles found that even in the worst conditions the light was amazing.
A guard rapped on their door to escort them.
Buttercup grimaced at the thought of Mexican stand-off round two.
They glided through the castle until they arrived at a grand hall with windows that could see miles away.
Bubbles was enraptured with the view as it spread across the mountains and over the dark crevices.
The meal was beyond uncomfortable, but what could they say? Blossom knew they were only prizes labeled falsely as their betrothed.
The divisions were clear: on one side were the women, and the other were the men.
"Try the kelp, we recently traded for it so it's fresh," the advisor, Boomer, spoke. He sounded kind but the girls knew better to trust him. Their uneasiness stretched easily to the other side of the table.
Bubbles looked across the elaborate table at the fresh food. Her stomach growled and she knew she couldn't hold out. She had skipped out on breakfast and they were traveling through lunch, so she reached over to serve herself.
With a breath she ate.
'It's so good!' She reached over for more dishes. It was slightly awkward not having her sisters eat. Well not even slightly. Bubbles knew they both were starving if they followed her meal plan that day, so she dealt food on to their plates as well.
Buttercup turned to Bubbles, 'What are you- '
Bubbles no nonsense stare stopped that not so silent look with, 'You're hungry so eat.'
Bubbles twisted to Blossom intending to give her the same look, but instead she saw, for the first time since the arrangement, Blossom smile.
And like magic, Bubbles was laughing sheepishly while Buttercup snickered.
They had forgotten they had company and they had forgotten they were "consolation prizes," but they remembered they were sisters. They were together.
Their little burst of comradery was interrupted as the general, Butch, chortled.
"The King" smiled his pearly white, "Ladies- "
Under control of her laughter, Buttercup rose, "I'm going to stop you right there-"
Blossom sighed, "Buttercup- "
"We need answers Blossom so why not go to the bloody source?"
"The King" chuckled, "Of course. Ask away."
Buttercup slammed the table, hard. So hard, it rang through the room, "Who do you think you are? You burned down Townsville, captured us, and for what?"
Boomer began to answer, "Well you see- "
"We needed you three," Butch chimed as he chomped on his food.
Bubbles titled her head, "For what though?"
Boomer rubbed his forehead, "Perhaps a little more information is needed, General."
"The King" rested his chin on his hands, "Unlike your little Townsville, our home has enemies," he rose from his seat, "War is coming."
"Get to the point. What does that have to do with us," Buttercup grunted.
Boomer smiled cleverly, "Do you not know of your reputations?" He gestured to her siblings, "The brain, the brawns, and the conscience."
Buttercup smirked as Butch grimaced, "Hoh, so you needed our skills because yours weren't up to the job."
"The King" chuckled, "Even we have limits. Are there any more questions, ladies, or shall we continue our meal?"
Blossom's voice rang through the large hall, "Why?"
Boomer looked puzzled, "I believe we just ex- "
Blossom's chair screeched as she rose from her seat, "Why destroy our home? Why go so far to capture us?"
"Well we did ask," the General grumbled.
The girls took a double take.
"The King" sighed, frustrated at his comrade, "We, originally, asked for your hand in marriage. However, your protective guardian refused. Understand our situation, war is closing in our home and we had to act fast."
Blossom was silent, 'How should they respond? A whole country was in trouble but they were being kept hostage.'
Bubbles sighed and stood up, "We'll help."
"What!" Buttercup shouted.
Bubbles swam to her sister to placate her, "We can't abandon them, Buttercup. Please!"
Blossom took a resigned breath, "We should help,"
Buttercup gaped.
"It's what we do. But after, we go back home. No arguments." Blossom glared at the red merman.
"The King" didn't respond. Instead, he smiled and sat down to continue eating, "Our first meeting starts after breakfast."