Disclaimer: I don't own anybody.  If I did, the TV show would have been taken off the TV channels a long time ago.

Hairy Gregory: Buttercup does not find TMA-whatever on Jupiter.  She will not find it either on Europa (if she ever goes there.)

Boomer's right hand hurt.  Pain coursed all over it, and he slightly opened his eyes.  He was lying on his stomach on a low projection of rock sticking out of a stream of lava.  His hand dangled in the lava.  He quickly drew it out and surveyed the damages.  Nothing, except for a few parts where his skin was burned.  Boomer hacked and coughed out something red.  Blood—no, it didn't taste like blood.  More like… lava.  He coughed harder.  His lungs burned, and his throat felt as if it had been scorched.  Suddenly, a whole mass of the caustic liquid came up toward his throat, and he threw up.

            Mayor Mayor sat in a sofa next to the large window.  He could see that the streets were packed with cars. 

            The sound of shattering glass.

He wondered about that for a while.  Then he forgot all about it and went to find some jars of pickles.  He could not find any.  "Miss Bellum!"

            No answer.

            "Miss Bellum!  Do you know where the pickles jars are?"

            Silence.

            Blossom fumed as she watched the green streak of light vanish.  "That irresponsible brat!  Doesn't she know better?"

            Bubbles shrugged.  "She's always like that.  It wouldn't surprise me if she gave up the mission.  I'm glad she's not here to scoff at me, anyway."  

            Blossom looked in surprise at her.  She had never known Bubbles to make such an aggressive statement.  Bubbles noticed her and quickly smiled sweetly.  "I didn't mean it."

            Blossom believed her.

            Professor Utonium banged the horn with his fist again and again.  Why didn't the car in front of him move?  The traffic light was already green.  Then he hit the steering wheel in frustration.  Road construction?  Were they crazy?  He looked at the backseat again.  Ms. Keane's face was unnaturally white.

            Brick managed to land on an asteroid that was flying toward the moon.  "Hey, Butch!  This is fun!"

            Butch looked at him as if he was an idiot.  "You're going to crash."

            "I have enough agility, you dope."  He watched, amused as Butch attacked a tall pillar of rock towering over the surface of the moon. 

            Butch fired his eyebeams at the pillar.  The tip slowly went crumbling down.  "This is so boring."

            "I've heard you say that a million times." Brick sneered.  "Maybe you should go back to Earth."

            Butch hurled a fragment of an asteroid at him.  He missed.

            Brick laughed and tossed it back to him.  "Stupid oaf."

            Butch floated silently for a while.  Then he turned toward Brick. His green eyes were aflame with rage.  "That's it!  You've bossed me around for a long time.  Not from now, you rotten piece of scum!" He leapt at him.  Brick dodged, but Butch turned quickly and smashed him onto the gray ground.

            Brick got up, trembling with fury.  "I can destroy you if I want.  You'll be begging on your knees in a few minutes!" His red eyes grew brighter and brighter, and red laser beams burst from them.  Butch screamed as they tore through his foot.

            Buttercup flew on grimly toward Jupiter.  The swirling colors were now much closer and more real.  She felt Jupiter pull on her hard and a faint trace of terror passed through her mind, but she set her jaws and kept going.  She had to save Townsville, and she knew just how.

            One of the nurses sat down exhaustedly on a sofa in the lobby.  She had finally found someone to replace her temporarily.  She groped for the remote control on the nearby table and turned the TV on.  She flipped through the channels until she came to the news channel.  Then she squinted to see better.  The screen was fuzzy, but she could make out something pink on it.  Soon, the screen began to clear.  A strange man was speaking.  No, not a man.  A creature.

            Boomer got up slowly with a groan.  His whole body hurt as if it was being pricked with sharp needles.  His legs were scarred and blood was seeping out of the scars.  His arms were red all over.  He gingerly brushed his left arm with his hand.  It hurt badly.  Whenever the cloth of his sweater touched the skin, a burning sensation ripped though his arm.  He carefully rolled up his sleeves. 

            Boomer looked at his surroundings.  He was on an extremely small isle in a large river of lava.  The other side could be seen at a distance.  He decided to fly toward it.  Maybe he could stay alive.  Just maybe.

            Two streaks of color flew furiously around each other.  The lines of light were getting entwined in each other.

            Butch and Brick exchanged furious blows.  Neither of them had the upper hand.  They were just getting exhausted.  Brick took a deep breath and charged at Butch again.  He kicked, but Butch flew over him and gave him a punch on the head.  Brick staggered back and bumped against a rock formation.  He breathed deeply again and ducked just in time to avoid Butch's lasers.

They did not see a cluster of asteroids heading right toward them.

In the backseat, Ms. Keane's face was now a deathly purple.  Professor Utonium knew he had to do something quickly.  He wished that the Powerpuffs were with him.  If only one of them had stayed, Ms. Keane would have been at the hospital an hour ago.  Of course, it was doubtful if the hospital would be able to cure her…

Bubbles looked up again at Jupiter.  She knew how dangerous it was for Buttercup to go there, but for some reason, she did not feel any sympathy for her.  It had never happened to her before.  It was strange. 

Blossom did not notice anything strange about Bubbles.  She just kept looking for the chemical diligently.

TO BE CONTINUED

R&R!