Dodgeball class had had an abnormally abrupt conclusion. Mitch had wound up in the nurse's office with a black eye and Buttercup had been given a severe scolding by Miss Keane. Being the nosy-parkers that they were, Bubbles and Blossom sneaked over to their disciplined sibling, who simply sat on a stool in the corner.

"We can't have a single, simple day with you here, can we, Buttercup?" sighed the leader.

"Shut up" snapped the tomboy, her head bowed, not making any effort to turn and face them.

"It's one thing using your superpowers in class when being told on multiple occasions not to, but you didn't have to throw Mitch into the wall like that"

"He had it coming"

"He didn't do anything bad. He just struck Robin out" explained the blonde softly. "You, me and everybody else on our team got out. She was bound to eventually"

"He hurt her" the tough, raven haired gal bit. "You let your friends get hurt and just forget about it?"

The conversation was making Blossom's head hurt. The tomboy couldn't be this dense. "It's just a game, not a life and death situation. Who decided you had to be her sworn bodyguard or something?"

Finally, the pine green hued puff turned her head to see them "WHAT?"

"You were eyeing her throughout the game; anticipating each projectile, like some missile and smacked them away from Robin. She can play well, you know. She doesn't need you doing that for her"

"I don't care" Buttercup retorted. "Mitch can't just get used to feeling like he can treat people like that, like dirt. It's not right"

The other siblings looked to each other, raising their brows in wonder.

Sighing, somewhat in the manner of a growl, Buttercup turned back to the corner. "Just leave me alone"


Hearing the bell ring was an utter relief and the kids proceeded to pour out from the school, like water from a broken dam. Buttercup had urged her sisters to go on ahead. Her head was buzzing full of questions aimed at herself. She knew Robin could play well and probably do fine without her, so why the impulse? Was she just used to it now? A habit hard to break for a superhero...

"Buttercup!" perked a familiar voice.

There was a tightening sensation in the tomboy's chest and she spotted dear Robin standing by the flag pole waving. "Hey, Robin. Look, sorry about being a nuisance earlier during the game"

"Don't mention it. Mitch was being kind of a jerk. I'm sorta glad you gave him his just deserts"

Nodding, smiling, Buttercup started to remember why she'd even taken a liking to this girl. She was sweet, innocent, but not totally naive. There was a side to her that seemed to match well with and intrigue each of the personalities of the Powerpuffs. Struggling to find a response, Buttercup scratched the back of her head, glancing down at the ground, cursing herself when she felt her face heat up. Robin was kinda pretty and it made that strange feeling in her stomach come back.

"Speaking of deserts, I was gonna go into town today and play at the park. Did you wanna tag along and get ice-cream?" she offered.

"Err... Thanks, but I'd better not. I'm already gonna get my butt handed to me after what I did earlier in Dodgeball when I get home. Better not drag out the time any longer"

With that, the puff zipped up through the impending nightfall sky with a stroke of light green. All the while, she sadly looked back at her friend, who returned the same, dim expression, before turning her eyes to the ground.


As of late, there had been a curious decrease in crime reports and statistics, leading the Powerpuff's to independently police over Townsville late in the night. For many nights recently, things were relatively quiet. Buttercup was the last to do her combing over the city for the most insignificant of criminals. Yawning and grumbling, she still couldn't shake the guilt she had earlier when Robin asked her out for ice-cream. She figured it was her way of saying thanks, even though there was little to thank her for.

The sweet voice, the one that took her heart into a firm grip in a vice, punctured the silent air in a scream. Instantly a strip of green zig-zagged through the structure of Townsville and she swept up high and observant in the sky, overlooking the Gang Green Gang. Robin had been out late at the last second to pick up minor groceries before the stores closed for tonight's supper. Backed up against the wall, Robin's legs trembled, as the lime-skinned terrors taunted her.

"L-leave me alone" quivered the girl weakly, tears building in her large eyes.

"Pppftgh!" Spluttered Grubber.

Ace slanted over to the filthy teen, patting his back. "My thoughts exactly, Grubber"

Billy groaned loudly, like a bellow "Uh-oh! Powerpuff!"

At that announcement, a spark of hope lightened the innocent girl's features and she wiped her tears away. The silhouettes of the delinquent teenagers flew and bounced on the wall in which Robin retreated into, eventually piling up in a mountain of conquer on which Buttercup proudly stood.

Although feeling delighted by her handiwork, she was taken aback to hear her friend sobbing. Flying down to her level, she wondered over to try to console her.

"I was..." Robin hiccuped and squeaked amidst her tears "so scared... "

It was a simple task. To go to the store and pick up herbs and spices for the meal. Then out of nowhere, a pack of psychotic troublemakers went to disrupt her chore. Teasing her, picking on her, threatening her. Why didn't she just run away? Why did she have to be some problem to everyone?

Ripped from her depressed delusions, she found herself flying high in the air. Before she could cry out in sheer panic, she found herself in the tomboy's arms. Her pitch black hair wavered and flickered like a dark fire in the breeze, whereas Robin's wavered like a chocolate cape through the air. It was amazing to see everything from so high up, like in an airplane. They rose to a height where the clouds brushed past their forms and dissipated at contact. Like a stretching ocean of white, illuminated by the full moon, the two flew over the city and on towards the shores. All the while, Buttercup struggled to maintain her bold composure, a light blush teasing her cheeks, as she could feel the adoring gaze of her friend shooting at her from the side.


Swooping down, the girls landed on the sand of the shore. On Townsville's beach. Robin wasn't entirely sure why she'd been escorted here, but it was beautiful to look at at night. They sat together, overlooking the gentle waters that reflected the sky like some colossal mirror.

"I figured I'd take you here, 'cus this is where I come to calm down" admitted the tomboy, still staring out over the infinite seeming waters, that lapped and licked at the beach.

"Calm down?"

"I don't wanna take you home when you're feeling so distressed after that. I dunno if you've even ever see me and my sisters fight bad guys, but it can get pretty ugly"

It was absurdly quiet. Being in the city, one may suspect at least some form of livelihood this late at night, but right now, it was just the rippling and gentle splash of waves.

"We have to take care of a lot of people and... yeah, I'm not gonna feed you the same line Blossom gave you, 'cus I'm pretty sure you've memorized it by now. We've responsibilities. Taking care of Townsville and it's people is our job... but, really caring for them is a whole other thing"

Intrigue picked up on the innocent girl and she hugged her knees.

"We don't have time, sometimes even patience, to assure everyone is alright. We can assure people are SAFE, but not okay. You know what I'm saying?" Buttercup pondered, finally turning to meet Robin's gaze.

She nodded slowly.

"A person can be safe, but torn. I mean emotionally, psychologically. It's a big deal, these monsters and criminals and... well, I wanna make sure you're okay"

Robin gave a small smile, feeling the Powerpuff's hand on her shoulder, rather puzzled by the blush colouring Buttercup's cheeks.

"Y-yeah... I'm okay" she whispered, brushing from her eyes strands of hair.

As Buttercup went to stand up, Robin's arms wrapped around her friend suddenly and she dragged her back into the sand for a hug. The content, affectionate hums from the girl made a violent frenzy of butterflies unleash in the tomboy's tummy. Nuzzling at the 'toughest-fighter's hair, Robin reached down to hold the tomboy's hands in hers. They stayed with each other like that for a while, resting their foreheads together slightly, each other's hair tickling the other's cheek. After what may have been a good 10 minutes, Robin pulled away, blushing lightly herself.

"T-thanks, Buttercup... I feel much better now" she assured softly.

She couldn't help but giggle at the other girl's expression, which was dumbfounded. Since Buttercup had a reputation for being so boisterous and rough, she probably didn't know how to react to people being so affectionate. Although usually, without a second thought, she'd most definitely push them away and act repulsed.

"Buttercup?" called Robin, hoping she hadn't broken her savior.

A squeak in the air, followed by a strip of green, as Buttercup left Robin on the beach. At first, the sweet girl reckoned she'd gone to far and scared her off, but the tomboy came back, looking rather frustrated.

"Are you okay?"

The tomboy held her hands behind her back, her face like a tomato and produced a flower she'd swept up from Mojo's garden. Robin blinked at the gesture.

"It's for you" the tomboy managed, her voice trying to crawl back down her throat through shyness.

"Me?" Robin asked dumbly.

"I dunno. I just... I just felt like giving you this. Just take it"

Obediently, the chocolate locked girl took the flower, stroking it's petals. She wasn't sure what to make of it. She knew sometimes boys would do something similar to express their affections. Was this the same? Did Buttercup like her?

Rather quickly, Robin found herself high in the sky again, as Buttercup scooped her into her arms and made her way back to their residence. All day, it seemed Buttercup was dedicated to protecting her. After all, she said to her she didn't often make time with the other girls to make sure someone was okay. So she couldn't be just some burden or problem. If she were some other citizen, Buttercup would've sped off without a further concern. She purposely took her there to comfort her. She cared about her. That fact left a light, warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside that made her spontaneously smile widely. Having a special friend like her, almost like a bodyguard.

"Hey, Buttercup?"

"Yeah?"

She stuttered, blushing lightly as she struggled for words. "Do you... I mean... am I... 'Special' to you?"

Buttercup nearly dropped her having heard that, most certainly being a proper arrow in the heart from cupid. Composing herself, no doubt having frightened her with that minor turbulence, she nodded firmly and whispered softly to her.

"Yeah. You're real special to me"

The tomboy gulped, feeling the arms of the other girl wrap snugly around her, nuzzling, as they flew, her face cooking.

"Heh, I can hear your heartbeat" stated Robin gleefully.

"W-whatever"

End

(Okay, yeah. So this was just something light and stupid. There's a bunch of stories I need to finish on here and I'm just starting to get writing again after a lot of stressful stuff happening in life. Hope you enjoyed it. Drop a review for criticism and ciao for now!)