Ch. 2
The boys flew back to the old shack that was on the far side of Townsville where they had been living since HIM recreated them. Boomer was sitting on one of the three worn out mattresses they found along with the shack, examining his already healing injuries thanks to the Chemical X in their system while looking between his brothers nervously. Though the one he was most worried about was Butch who was sulking in the corner grumbling under his breath while scowling at Brick who was pacing back and forth, making a trench on the floor with a hard, thoughtful look on his face with his hands behind his back.
The blonde glanced at his raven-haired brother and sighed, knowing what was about to happen. He started counting backwards in his head. 3...2...1... "THAT'S IT! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Here we go again. Boomer thought tiredly and sighed again. Without a moment later the green ruff zipped over to the redhead, stopping his pacing and pointing an accusatory (nonexistent) finger at him with a look of frustration and anger. "Why did you make us leave the fight? We were this close to finishing those stinking sissies!" Brick just crossed his arms and gave him a blank look, not the least bit surprised at his brother's outburst.
The red ruff answered him calmly. "Because Butch, we wouldn't have been able to fight in the condition we were in."
"We could have."
"No, we wouldn't. We wouldn't have lasted an hour against those Puffs."
"From what I see, I think we ran away because you're just scared to lose...or is it just that you have a crush on that Blossom chick?" Boomer face-palmed at this. Oh Butch, why'd you have to go there.
Now Brick was getting angry and glared at the green ruff. "Now that is not true and you know it."
"Do I?" he countered back.
"Yes you do. You know I'm not afraid of nothing and you know very well I hate those Powderpuffs, especially Blossom, as much as you and Boomer do."
Butch scoffed. "Yeah right."
"I know I'm right!" Brick yelled. The boys argued and soon enough they were yelling at each other at the top of their lungs while Boomer looked from one brother to another nervously. Soon enough it became a shouting match and Boomer covered his ears and closed his eyes as he tried to shut them out, his whole body shaking like a leaf. Like his counterpart, he never liked it when people fought each other, especially if it were his brothers. In fact he hated them and truth to be told, he didn't share the same concept of hating the Powerpuff Girls like his brothers; he always thought that his counterpart was cute and had the biggest crush on her since the very first time they met but always kept it a secret because of his brothers. Sure he hated that the girls killed them, he hated when they humiliated them, and he was annoyed when they kidnapped him and when Bubbles impersonated him. But he never actually hated them and he didn't know why they had to fight them and why they couldn't just get along.
The blonde suddenly heard a crash and he opened his eyes to see Butch across the room rubbing his cheek and Brick with his fist raised. Soon enough they started fighting and tussling around the shack, throwing punches, kicks, and insults at each other. Boomer just sat there for the next five minutes, watching them go at each other. Finally, he had enough and just snapped. "SHUT UP!" he shouted. The two froze in mid-air, looking at him in shock. He frowned at them in disappointment but not surprised at their actions and got off the bed, stomping towards them.
"What you guys are doing is pointless and stupid!" he looked over to the green ruff, "Butch, I get that you wanted to fight and beat the Powerpuffs but Brick is right; we wouldn't have last an hour against them in the state we were in. I know you hate losing but there is no reason to pass the blame onto him when all he was doing was agree to the draw. He only agreed because he didn't want us to get hurt more then we already were!" then he turned towards the red ruff. "Brick, I understand why you called off the fight, I'm glad you did and I get why you would hit Butch about being afraid and the concept of liking a Puff, but what's stupid is you throwing the punch first. You're the oldest and supposed to be the mature one who's supposed to set an example; not start a fight about something that was stupid in the first place. You're the leader of this group so consider how we think about the draw and how we feel about it instead of taking charge and making the decision for us. We're a team and we need to act as a team while you, Butch, should've just walked away instead of encouraging it! I am ashamed of calling you my brothers."
By now he was breathing heavily and his face was red in anger while the two gaped and just stared at him in shock and bewilderment. Never before have they seen their little brother this mad and not once had they seen him yell at them like that. Not only was he smarter than they gave him credit for, what he said to them was true. Their blonde brother was actually right for once. They didn't know what to say, but Boomer wasn't finished yet. "And you know what I don't get...is why we hate the girls and why we have to keep on fighting with them when we know how pointless it is!"
Butch frowned at this. "Hang on; are you saying we're weaker than those sissies?"
Boomer crossed his arms. "No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that we equal in strength and power with them; they're our counterparts. We may be different from them in many ways and we may be boys, but if you just look hard enough you can see that we're just the same to them in lots of ways as they are to us. We're the same. Just like you and your counterpart."
"I'm nothing like that Butterbitch!"
"Yes you are! You may not want to admit it but you are."
"No we aren't!"
"And why's that?" he countered.
"'Cause she's a girl and I'm better and way stronger than her." The green ruff said stubbornly, as if it were a fact more than just an opinion.
Boomer made a sound of frustration at how conceded he was. "Arrgh! You are not listening to me! Are you so stubborn to not get what I'm trying to say or are you just that dumb to understand a word of it!?" Butch was about to launch himself at the blue ruff when Brick put out his arm to intercept him, who had yet to say a word since Boomer spoke.
As he held his hotheaded brother back from attacking their younger sibling, he looked at the blonde and calmly said, "I understand what you're saying, I really do. What you're saying to us is true in every way, especially the Girls."
"What!?" Butch protested, outraged at this but Brick glared at him and he begrudgingly stayed silent. He turned back to Boomer who was still fuming but looked at his oldest brother, hoping that he did understand him like he said he did. The red head looked into his deep-sea blue eyes with his ruby-red ones and approached him carefully and calmly as if he were a wild animal.
In the same calm tone, he continued. "Boom, you're right. We may be different in some ways from them, but we're still the same on the inside. And we can't beat them, not because we're weaker or stronger than they are. It's true, we really do equal in strength and power so it is pointless to fight them. And you know how I really hate admitting that, but for you I will. So I'm sorry for not acting like a big brother or a real leader. I'll try and do better next time and try not to take charge of everything. I'm glad you spoke out the way you did, so thanks for telling us what we really needed to hear. You really are smarter than you look little bro." by that time, Boomer had finally calmed down and smiled at in relief at his words.
"Thanks Brick. That means a lot coming from you." The red head ruffled his blonde hair affectionately.
"Yeah, yeah, but answer me this. Why don't you hate the Powerpuff Girls? "
"Yeah, why don't you?" Butch asked curiously.
Boomer's smile faded. "Why do you?" he inquired them sadly.
Brick opened his mouth to answer but closed it in revelation. He actually didn't know or didn't remember why he hated them so much. Luckily, or unluckily, the raven-haired ruff answered for him.
"I'll tell you the reason why, it's because they killed us the first time and humiliated us!"
"But if you thought about it, all they were doing was just protecting Townsville and the Townies. They were just doing their jobs and protecting the people that they love. And let me tell you something, we were a danger to the citizens because we were so hell bent on destroying the girls that we didn't care who got in our way so long as they were destroyed. Plus we weren't fighting fair anyway and we still aren't. We've put the Townies in harm's way and wrecked most of the city in the process." said Boomer, trying to reason with his older brother.
"So what!? It was their fault for getting in our way in the first place and I don't care if we wreck the city; those Powderfluffs do it every day, but they get away with it because they save those stupid Townies and I don't care if we don't fight fair. We're evil and they're good, it's what we do and it's as simple as that. It's another reason why I hate them, because they're such goody-two-shoes!"
Boomer gave him a blank look while Brick wasn't sure what to say at this point, except thinking how ridiculous that sounded. "That. Has got to be. The. Most STUPIDEST and lamest reason I have ever heard!" said Boomer, shouting out his thoughts for him.
"What'd you say!?"
"I have never heard such a lame and overused excuse in my life; though I shouldn't be surprised, coming from you!"
Butch glared. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Means that you can't think of a single reason as to why you hate the Girls." He said indignantly.
"He's right Butch." said Brick.
"Brick, you can't actually say you agree to what he's saying do you?" he looked to the red ruff to help back him up on this.
Brick shrugged. "It was a pretty weak excuse."
Butch felt betrayed at this and his eyes widened in shock. "I can't believe what I'm hearing right now! Have you guys lost sight of what it means to be a Rowdyruff Boy?"
"By this point, I don't even know what being a Rowdyruff means anymore if it means doing stuff I hate to do." The blue ruff answered back.
"We were created and recreated for the one purpose and one purpose only. To destroy the Powerpuff Girls and all the things they believe in. That is what we were born to do and that is what we are made to do."
"But don't you think that there's another reason why we were put here with them other than to destroy them? Don't we have a choice in the matter of what we think and want instead of what we were told to do by our creators, do evil, and become criminals of the law?"
"No! We were created and put here to destroy them and do evil. That's what being a Rowdyruff is and if you don't like it, then why don't you just leave!?" Boomer gaped at him with a look of hurt and Brick stared at him in shock. When he realized what he just said, he paled and clamped his hands over his mouth. All the anger and frustration left him, replaced with guilt and regret. "Boomer...I-I didn't mean to...I-I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking-"
"It's okay." He interrupted, taking pity on him. "I know you didn't mean it and I understand that you're sorry for it. You were just angry, I get that." With that, Boomer walked around him, giving him a pat the shoulder to let him know that he did forgive him, towards the entrance.
"Boomer, where are you going?" the red head asked worriedly as the blonde ruff opened the door.
Boomer paused at the doorway. "I'm going for a walk to clear my head. If you need me, I'll be at the park." He gave a glance at his raven-haired brother's guilt-ridden face. "Think about what I said Butch, before you do something you regret and you lose everything."
"Boomer wait-"but he already closed the door and in a streak of sapphire blue he was gone. "Boomer..." Suddenly, Brick felt his blood boil as he turned glaring daggers at the green ruff who flinched back in fear at the intense look he was given. If looks could kill he would be dead by now, but it looks like he's going to be dead anyway because never has he seen Brick this mad at him before in his life and he's seen him angry at him plenty of times, but never this much. Usually his temper was just scary, now it was terrifying. His ruby red eyes were blazing like fire that looked like it could burn right through your very soul by just one glance. I'm so gonna get it now. He thought fearfully. Meanwhile Brick wanted to punch Butch's lights out and throttle him to the ground at that very moment for his stupidity, but remembering Boomer's words he held back. He knew it wouldn't do any good, so he just gripped his fist tightly to control himself. But that didn't stop him from yelling at him.
"You IDIOT!" Butch cowered back in fear, but that didn't stop him either. "What you said has got to be the SHITTIEST thing that's ever spewed from your mouth! What you said was uncalled for, especially towards him. He's our little brother god dammit! All he wanted for you was to understand and what do you do!? You don't turn away family; we stick together no matter what. Boomer might have forgiven you but I won't. You've done a lot of stupid things, but this, this I am most ashamed of. I've let you off the hook with that temper of yours plenty of times, but not this time. I know he can be stupid at times but usually I'm the one that gripes him about it and pick on him. Even though you pick on him too, you're usually the one that always backs him up. What happened to that huh?!" Butch looked down in shame knowing that he was right; he was usually the one that always supports Boomer's opinion while Brick makes fun of him for thinking them and lowers his self of steam. He couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes anymore. "You know, I'm surprised that he didn't pound you for that and the only reason I'm not was because, unlike you, I actually listened and understood what he said. You were way out of line Butch."
"I know and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly when I said that."
Brick huffed out a breath. "Humph. Clearly." He turned as he headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" he asked, afraid that he would leave him.
He faced him again and pointed an accusatory (nonexistent) finger at him. "To fix the mess that you caused!" he turned his head back around as he opened the door but paused before leaving. "And you know what? I don't even know what being a Rowdyruff means anymore." Brick turned his head back around to give him one last glare. "You better get your act together when I get back here with Boomer for your punishment." Butch felt some relief knowing that he wasn't really leaving him. "And he was right. You better think about what he said and understand every damn word of it before you do something stupid again and lose everything. Got it?" he nodded and with that said, Brick closed the door with a slam, causing the whole shack to shake. He flew off in a streak of red towards where Boomer said he would be and was gone, leaving Butch alone with his guilt-ridden thoughts.
