The Price of Vengeance:
"It is the opinion of this court that you Lucas Clayhorn, who goes by the alias of 'The Dicer,' are found guilty of fifty three counts of murder, twelve acts of terrorism, and thirteen counts of kidnapping. You are subjected to three life sentences starting immediately with no chance of parole. Bailiff."
The clack of the gavel rang through the courtroom loud and clear. Buttercup sat stoically as she watched the two uniformed officers grab hold of the psychopath sitting a few rows in front of her. The translator to her left continued to whisper the judge's parting words in her ear but she paid it little mind.
Her sole focus was on the wiry man being lead through the courtroom's back door. The look on his face was blank. There was no outrage, no crazed grin, no nothing. There was no emotion and Buttercup was fine with that.
That despicable wreck of a human being had a hell of a run but now that was over. He was never going to hurt anyone again and that was more than enough satisfaction for her. A small piece of her soul could finally rest in peace now that her sister's last foe was put away behind bars for good.
The brunette sighed as her late sister came to mind. She wondered if Blossom would have been proud of her. This was the last open case the Pink Puff had left behind due to her untimely demise. Buttercup had worked tirelessly to close it and the day had finally come. It was bitter sweet.
Nothing could bring her sister back but maybe now her memory could rest in peace. Her work was finally done.
Buttercup stood as the rest of the courtroom filed out through the double doors. She turned and thanked the translator for his assistance. The man gave her a nod and a firm handshake before trailing out with the rest of the audience.
That left her alone in the vast room. She lingered for a moment, savoring the glimmer of satisfaction that came with putting a well deserving criminal away for life.
It was something she was going to miss.
Yep, this was her last case, her last criminal.
She was officially done being a crime fighter.
It had come as a shock to the world's leaders when she announced her retirement last week. Many of them were angry but a few understood. Crime fighting had been her entire life but truth be told, she was tired.
So freaking tired.
The last year and half had been the most hectic of her life, like ever. As the only functional Powerpuff left, it had fallen onto her shoulders to keep the world safe and she was finally sick of it.
Bubbles had tried to help…but the Blue Puff just wasn't the same as she used to be. The 'incident' had left her irrevocably scarred. Buttercup had tried to help ween her back into crime fighting but there was always an underlying fear in her. There was a hesitancy that coated Bubbles' every move when they were fighting villainy and in their line of work, hesitancy could equate to injury or death.
That was not something either of them were willing to risk. Sure, to the public it seemed like Bubbles was all well and fine. They had pushed a whole media campaign to make it that way. What the general populous didn't know was that Bubbles hadn't fully recovered from the vicious attack that left her face half paralyzed.
The sad thing was she probably never would. It had been a tough day when Buttercup sat her down and told her to hang up her cape. She could still see the look on Bubbles' face. The Blue Puff had been devastated.
Who wouldn't be when they were told their entire life's purpose was something they could no longer pursue? Oh it had been hard. Her baby sister had felt so useless and guilty.
She had asked her what she was supposed to do now? If she couldn't fight crime, what good was she?
Unfortunately, the brunette hadn't known how to answer her question. She tried to reassure Bubbles that she was still useful and that her positive attitude was crucial to keeping all of them in good spirits but the Blue Puff hadn't taken too well to that.
It took the solid week to coax the blonde out of her room and double that to get her to eat something. Buttercup had hated every second of those dark days but it was better than risking Bubbles' life in the fight against crime.
She had already lost one sister, she wasn't about to lose another.
That was her vow.
And to make sure that vow was kept, she was giving up all she had ever known. No more crime fighting for her. No more busting bad guys and battling against super villains. It was the quiet life from now on. One close to her father and sister where she could look after them and make sure they were alright.
There was regret that came with her decision but that was to be expected. Change was never easy and there would always be some part of her that longed for a good fight. It would cry out for a challenge, a chance to push herself to the limit and test her abilities.
Thankfully perhaps, that part of her was growing smaller and smaller each day. She was a much different person from who she was a year and half ago. Some would say she mellowed out, by like a lot.
Was it all that surprising though?
After all she and her family had been through it seemed inevitable. Maybe the changes taking place within her were more drastic due to her rather…forceful personality.
It wasn't like she didn't enjoy punching evil doer's teeth in. It was just exhausting when that's all she ever did. Every day she'd stop one crime only to be called immediately to another. Earthquake in Japan, terrorist in Great Britain, plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean.
The list went on and on and on. It never stopped! And that was the problem.
Between saving the day on an hourly basis and helping Bubbles and the Professor at home, there was no down time. It was wearing her thin and she didn't know much more she could take.
A break was what she needed, an indefinite break.
She could always come out of retirement if it proved too boring right? Pro athletes did it all the time. Why not superheroes?
…Although, she didn't think that would be the case here because if she were being honest, this whole retirement decision wasn't made solely on the fact that she was tired. She was also afraid.
Yes she, Buttercup Utonium, was afraid. Shocking right?
It wasn't one thing that curdled her insides into a tight ball of fear. It was multiple factors. There was the stress and worry for her family, the ever piling list of duties that she had been required to fulfill, and the most terrifying one perhaps, fear of herself.
She had never admitted it out loud, but Buttercup was afraid of herself. Most people would scoff. Psh, how could someone be afraid of who they are? Well most people hadn't ever killed in cold blood before had they?
Buttercup had and that was frightening.
To have the capacity to take someone's life no matter the reason was very worrying to her. It wasn't long before one excused death became multiple deaths and then grew exponentially worse. The line between superheroes and super villains was surprisingly blurry.
She wasn't anywhere near that point, thank goodness. The Green Puff had paid extra special attention to how she handled criminals after her dealings with the Rowdyruff Boys. She never went full out on anyone anymore.
As much as she hated to admit it, Butch's last words had never left her. They were always there, whispering in the back of her mind whenever she fought. She was just like him. She had the capacity to hurt, to maim, to take someone's life.
The sad thing was, after a year and half, she still didn't know if he was right or not.
Was she like him? Sure, she could easily hurt any normal human. Super strength tended to do that. But could she out right kill them? Intentionally? Could a villain ever make her furious enough to where her own moral boundaries dissolved?
It had happened once hadn't it? What was to stop it from happening again?
…
Ugh, it was something she hadn't shared with anyone and hopefully would never have to. She was retired now. The question was moot. There would be no more situations that made her question her morality or lack thereof.
She was done and it was time to go home.
Sighing, the ex-fighter ran a hand through her hair and left the empty courtroom behind. Heavy steps took her out of the building and into the cool, crisp air. It was a lot chillier in Seoul than she had anticipated.
Thankfully, she wouldn't have to stay here. Blossom's things had long been collected and transferred back home to Townsville. This trial was really the only thing her sister had left behind and now that too was closed.
There was really nothing left for Buttercup here.
The brunette took one last look around before ascending into the air. She ignored the surprised chatter that broke out amongst the crowds beneath her. Let them gawk. This would be the last time they'd see a Powerpuff Girl in action after all.
Getting her bearings, she set her sights on New York and blasted off. Home was six hours away if she took it easy during her flight and she saw no reason to rush. If she was lucky and she timed it just right, she'd get home as Bubbles was making her morning pancakes.
It was that thought that drew a slow smile on the Puff's careworn face. It felt odd and out of place but maybe she'd get used to it again. Pancakes would definitely be a good start.
"I'm home!" Buttercup called as she eased open the door.
The clock read eight o'clock sharp and there was already a delicious smell emanating from the kitchen. Her timing was spot on.
The brunette deposited her leather coat in the hall closet and made her way through the house. Not much had changed in all the years the Professor had lived here. Things were still kept spotless and well ordered.
There were touches of Bubbles' influence however; a vase of flowers here, a landscape painting there, some bright colored pillows laid across the white couch to brighten up the monochromatic room. It was just decorated enough to break up the bachelor minimalistic vibe the Professor had going.
Waltzing into the kitchen, Buttercup paused in the doorway. A radio that rested on one of the counters was turned on and a happy little diddy was dancing from its speakers. Bubbles hummed along brightly with it as she attended to the skillet on the stovetop.
To the blonde's left was a tower of something that lay covered by a towel. If the smell coming from it was any indication, her much anticipated stack of pancakes lay underneath.
Ho ho! They were just sitting there, waiting for a hungry traveler to gobble them up. She fit that bill perfectly.
"Mmm, these look good." Buttercup said as she lifted the towel away and gazed at the plate of golden brown perfection.
Bubbles startled and turned to look at the brunette, her humming coming to an abrupt halt. "Oh Buttercup, I didn't hear you come in."
"It's all good. I'll take these pancakes as recompense. Thanks sis." She replied, gifting the Blue Puff with a quick kiss on the cheek.
Displays of affection weren't as big of a deal as they used to be with the brunette. The aversion to emotional frilly junk had disappeared around the same time Blossom had. When you lost someone, you realized just how silly it was to be embarrassed to show them that you cared.
Buttercup always regretted never showing her older sister how much she loved her. She'd never get a chance to fix that much to her sorrow. There was still Bubbles however and where she had failed one sister, she wouldn't fail the other.
"You're welcome. They haven't been there more than five minutes so they should still be warm. Syrup's on the table." Bubbles replied, turning back to the stove.
"Is the Professor up?"
"Up and already gone. He had some important things to take care of at work so he had to be there early."
"When is it not important?" Buttercup muttered to herself as she sat down and dumped a healthy splash of sugary goodness on her stack of flapjacks.
"Buttercup." Her sister scolded.
"What? It's true isn't it? He's always got some important thing going on now a days. All day, every day."
"Well that's how it is when you work for the government. It's important. Besides, it makes good money and that's not something to be taken lightly now." The blonde turned off the stove and came to sit at the table.
The single pancake on her plate looked pitiful compared to the five Buttercup was digging into but the brunette was used to that by now. Bubbles ate like a bird. She never used to but the 'incident' changed a lot of things remember? As long as she was still eating, Buttercup was happy.
When she stopped all together, then it'd become a problem.
"Yeah, yeah. I suppose that's one thing I'm going to miss about saving the world on a daily basis. The pay was choice." Biting into her pancakes was as delicious as the smell implied.
Buttercup took a moment to savor the bite before she proceeded to demolish the rest of the stack. Bubbles shook her head at the enthusiastic display and ate her meal at a polite pace. A brief silence hung between them before the Blue Puff broke it softly.
"…How'd-…how'd the trial go?"
Her question brought Buttercup's frenzied eating pace to a stop. Swallowing a particularly large bite, the former fighter looked up to see Bubbles absent mindedly playing with her fork. The blonde didn't seem like she really wanted to know but duty drove her to ask.
Bubbles never liked talking shop due to her forced retirement, especially when it involved Blossom. Their older sister's death had hit her hard, very hard. The battle with guilt and depression was still something she fought with every day.
Buttercup could relate. She felt the exact same way. That's why she had needed to give up on crime fighting. She had to be here for Bubbles. She had to be strong for the both of them. Blossom wasn't here to rely on anymore and that meant Buttercup needed to step up.
Taking a sip of water to clear her throat, Buttercup waved a hand. "Guilty on all charges. Three life sentences with no chance of parole. Bastard's gonna be stuck in prison for the rest of his days. Hopefully he'll rot in there."
"…yeah…" The blonde agreed. "…I guess, that's it then? We've uh, we've taken care of everything…right?"
Buttercup gave her a measured nod. "Yeah Bubs, that's it. All of Blossom's unfinished work has been taken care of. There's nothing else."
"Right." Bubbles muttered as she looked down at her half empty plate.
Though she tried to hide it, Buttercup still spotted the glassy look that filled the blonde's eyes. Her heart clenched at the sight. She hated it when Bubbles cried. It reminded her of those first few months when the Blue Puff had been trying to pick up the pieces of her former life.
There had been no smiles and definitely no pancakes. It had simply been weeks of tears and nothing Buttercup had done had stopped them. Time was the only healer for her baby sister and it seemed there was still healing left to do.
Or maybe it'd never heal completely…
Buttercup reached out a hand and set it gently over her sister's.
"Don't worry Bubbles. Now that everything's done, Blossom can finally rest in peace. I'm sure wherever she is, she's smiling. You know how she loved checking things off a list."
A watery chuckle answered her. Bubbles brought a hand to her mouth and shook her head lightly. "I guess I just-…I don't know why I'm crying."
"You miss her Bubs. There's nothing wrong with that."
"It's been a year and a half Buttercup. I should, I don't know. Shouldn't I be over the crying stage? What's wrong with me? Why won't this pain ever stop hurting?"
A heavy sigh blew through Buttercup's lips and she scooted her chair over. Placing her free hand around the blonde's shoulders, she tried to offer as much comfort as she could. She still wasn't the best at being empathetic or emotional, but this was one pain she knew all too well.
"…I don't think the pain will ever stop." Buttercup spoke quietly. "I think we just get used to it. We learn how to cope and put on a smile even when it's fake. There will always be regret and guilt and that ache in your heart that just won't go away…"
She placed a gentle kiss on her sister's hair. "But I want you to know that you're not the only one feeling like that. I'm here too, and if that pain ever becomes too much you come to me alright? If you need to talk, I'm here. If you need to cry, my shoulder's pretty comfy. Whatever you need, I'm here for you and I ain't leaving."
Bubbles pulled away and considered her with tear stained cheeks. A tremulous smile crossed her lips. "Thank you Buttercup. I know you're always there for me but sometimes it nice to hear it out loud."
Buttercup returned the smile and pulled the blonde in to plant another kiss on her forehead. "Good. I'm glad. Now dry up your tears and finish those pancakes. They are way too amazing not to finish."
Her baby sister chuckled again, stronger than the last time, and nodded in agreement. The two finished up their breakfast in what was a peaceful silence. It wasn't necessarily happy or content. It was more…she'd didn't know, it was just more peaceful, like a heavy weight had been lifted from the room.
That was good enough for her at the moment. Happiness took time. For now, she'd stick with peaceful and contemplative. It was better than pain and a cry fest.
"Hey, want to help me get some groceries?" Bubbles asked as she got up out of her chair to clean.
Buttercup smirked and rose as well, setting her plate in the sink. "Sure, why not? I've got all the time in the world now."
She offered a smile at her baby sister and received a bright, glowing one in return. Together, the two of them cleaned up breakfast and fetched their coat.
Buttercup drew in a lungful of the crisp air as they walked outside. It was nice out. Everyone was off to work or at school. For this one moment, it was just her and Bubbles and quiet suburbia. She might still regret her choice about giving up the fight, but a scene like this made her regret it way less.
"Hey Bubbles? You just wanna walk to the store? We're not in any hurry right?" Buttercup asked as she buttoned up her coat.
The blonde finished locking the door and turned to face her. "Actually, that sounds really nice. Why not?"
The two of them shared a smile as they set off down the street. A year and a half ago, Buttercup would have never imagined something as simple as walking with her sister could bring her so much joy. But here they were and she was the happiest person in world.
There was no danger, no looking over her shoulder for some crime to stop. Today was the first day of Buttercup's life as an ordinary citizen. She was enjoying it more than she thought she would.
AN: Yo! What's up? Sandstorm's back with a One Shot! Oh snap! Hehe, how're all you lovely readers doing today? I know it's been a while since you've guys have heard from me so I decided to drop this little story out here and say hi! I'm still alive and well!
Oh, before I say anything else, I'd like to thank Shadow X7 for giving me the idea for the story. It was a fun exercise to get back into the swing of writing. Sure, there are some issues and I'm a little rusty but practice will get me back into the swing of things.
It's amazing how taking a two or three month break dulls your skills. Ugh. Anyways, quick update on things and stuff happening in my life for those that are interested.
I've started making some notes and laying out some preliminary plot points for Convictions. I haven't done much writing on the rough draft unfortunately but I'm going on vacation next week so that might give me some good time to do so. Also! I had an interview for a new job. I haven't heard back but who knows. There's a good chance I'll get it and that means I'll finally be able to stop my two job lifestyle and get some regular hours back into my life. That will definitely help with Convictions. So yeah. That's what's going on. Just thought I'd give you all this little update.
I hope you enjoyed the story. It's not my best but hey, gotta get back on the horse and it was a good to do so. Thanks so much! Have a great week! Oh and expect more One Shots from me in the future. Loves and hugs!