Disclaimer: PPG? Not mine.

Chapter 1 – Gone

The City of Townsville!

It's been ten years since the defeat of the notorious villains and it's been as long when the last monster showed up. There's still crime abound, petty crimes that the Townsville Police Force can handle.

The city is also enjoying the progress and development! With the threat of destruction in fights gone, high rise buildings are popping up here and there and everywhere!

Citizens are enjoying the peaceful and safe community, thanks to the Powerpuff Girls! After the elimination of the town villains, the girls lay low. Without the need to constantly on call to fight crimes, they had a normal teenage life. We had covered their graduation. Buttercup was last seen catching a bus to Cityville. Bubbles stayed in Townsville, and was last heard studying to be a teacher. Blossom graduated top of her class. We were told she was attending college outside the city but no one knew where exactly she'd gone.

But where are they now?

"Ha, wouldn't you like to know?" she put down the newspaper and took a sip of coffee from her cup, "Powerpuff Girls living a pretty ordinary life, sitting in a café, stalking boys."

"We're not stalking!" hissed her sister, "It's called, uh –"

"Following a guy, because you're so infatuated with him."

"I am not! I saw a threat and it might be prudent to be cautious!"

"And you're so hung up on him," Buttercup said, taking another sip, "Just stop pretending you're not when ever since that night you've become so, what word would you use? Choleric? Diabetic? Heh, something that ends with 'ic'. Oh! Gin Tonic!"

"That's a drink!"

"And I could use one," she muttered and then said louder, "Maybe she was just someone who resembles Brat? Ever think of that?"

"I have, but she's looked eerily similar to – "

"You?"

"Why do you always interrupt me at the very last word?"

"I'm bored," said Buttercup, grinning, "Cheer up, Bubs, there's no way it could be her. That's just your jealous bone acting up."

"For the last time, BC, I am not jealous," Bubbles insisted, "I wouldn't call you for something trivial."

Buttercup sighed. She was right. They all had an understanding, they needed to do things apart. Be normal. She opted to go on a crazy trip to Cityville that lasted for three years and counting. She did odd jobs here and there, lived in a decent enough apartment, paid her bills in time and overall, it's all good. She phoned home every now and then, she's also in constant communication with her sisters through that new fangled mobile phone. Okay, it wasn't new but it was new for them. The first time they've got one was on the day of their high school graduation. She remembered clearly stating that she was not to be bothered about coming home unless it's Christmas, the one holiday they were all home for. Or an emergency.

Bubbles deemed it an emergency and here she was. In a fancy café, looking out of place in her faded jeans and shirt, drinking coffee/ spying on her sister's object of affection. Fine, spying on a suspicious subject, that happened to be on a date with Bubbles' future boyfriend. She can't really deny it, it's all she's ever talked about. Her inbox was flooded with messages gushing about how awesome he was.

"Don't you have exams coming up, though?" Buttercup said, her sister bit her lower lip and fiddled with the invisible lint on her dress. She was on her last year in college, attending Townsville University. Buttercup was proud of her, she personally never seen herself going so she skipped out of town the first she got the chance. She didn't really know what she wanted to do, well she did but that was already gone.

"I have but I've already started and this is important," Bubbles explained, "Brit just showed up and my instinct told me to be very careful, be alert."

"Brit? Really?" she was incredulous, "Now, that's settled! She's definitely Brat! Talked about lazy dumb bitch!"

"BC, your cursing got worse!"

"What do you expect? Miss Proper wasn't around," they both paused and sighed, Blossom was even more distant. At least Bubbles was enjoying herself even with her sometimes depressing aura, her red head sister sound depressing and her occasional messages casts gloomy feeling in her precious inbox. And people wondered why she needed space.

A loud giggle snapped BC out of her thoughts and saw Bubbles glaring at the direction of the annoying sound. Brit, aka Brat (really? One letter?), was laughing at something the blond guy said.

"Oh, you're so funny and smart," Brit told her date, which probably the last thing BC would describe him.

In her universe, 'smart' would never be directed at Boomer.

She regarded Bubbles and said, "Narrowing eyes, growling lips, flaring nostrils, yup, you're definitely jealous."

"I am not!" said the queen of denial, then she suddenly looked sad, that made BC feel guilty, and said, "It's just that he was sweet and really a nice guy. I'll hate it if Brat pulls him into whatever evil villainy things she's up to."

"What if she's like him? You know," she gave her a pointed look.

"Well, I wouldn't know but she still have an evil vibe to me," Bubbles said, then looked at the blond couple again, with a wistful smile, "But with Boomer, there's none."

Buttercup nodded, "Yeah, that's sucks huh?"

"It's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time," she said, smiling weakly, "We're never really become close before, but we're okay. He's rough around the edges and a bit slow but he's charming. Now, it seemed Boomer had a personality do over. Still charming, definitely not slow, and a bit rough around the edges."

"Too bad he doesn't remember you."

"But then he'll remember anything," Bubbles said, "And it only brings dread whenever I think of it."

"We were ten then, Bubbles, we didn't know better," Buttercup said, "Yes, they almost died but they recovered and got adopted by a really good person. It worked out."

"It did, but wouldn't it be nice if all these changes from him were because of his own accord?" Bubbles said, quietly.

It's hard to play the 'What if' game, Buttercup would prefer not to play at all. What happened, happened. That's it. However, looking at her sister's sad eyes, she had to look into her perspective and she kinda understood.

But could the memories created for ten years be disregarded for what happened before that? Her mind was telling her, 'Of course not'.

Then again, she wasn't the one who suddenly find their memories gone.

AN: If you miss Blossom, the next Chapter POV is hers. I didn't expect it to come out like a mystery but it kinda did (?). Intrigued? Let me know what you think of the chapter!

Thanks for reading! :)

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