Ch.10 Boomer's Inner Monster

They arrived at the Mayor's home, they saw that everybody was all fancied up for the ceremony. When they got out, they were greeted by the Mayor. "Well hello, Girls! Oh! And Boys! I'm so glad that you came!"

"Thank you Mayor!" Said Blossom.

"Well, come on in! Come, come! I insist!" Said the Mayor as he lead them inside.

When they all got in, everybody saw the RowdyRuff Boys and started to whisper conversations while looking at them with happy looks. Brick heard a conversation between two men talk about them.

"Look! It's the RowdyRuff Boys! The PowerPuff Girls former arch rivals!" Said one of them.

"They're becoming ex-super villains, aren't they?" asked another.

"Yes! They will soon be renowned as heroes!"

"I heard that the blue one and the green one have done something good for once, but... what about the red one?"

"I don't know... we'll have to wait and see, I guess." Brick was an overwhelming nervous feeling. He never felt so scared in his life and in front of so many people.

The Mayor lead them to a table that was reserved for them. Bubbles gasped in joy saying "Oh boy! We get our own table!"

"I'll go and get us some refreshments." Said the Professor.

The Professor was about to go and get the glasses, until Brick said "No wait! Uh... I'll go get it."

"Are you sure you want to do it?" The Professor asked.

"Uh... Yeah! I'll be right back!" Brick left, leaving Blossom the only one feeling worried about what is about to happen. So she decided to follow him.

Brick poured eight glasses and then took the potion out and was about to put one drop in one of the glasses, until Blossom's voice said "Brick," Brick yelped and quickly hid the potion. "Somethings troubling you! I can tell. When you first came in, you looked nervous, but then when we were getting ready, you seem happy. And when we were down in the living room, you looked even more nervous."

Brick then looked at Blossom in an angry and annoyed face saying "It's non of your business!"

"Brick, I know that something is wrong with you, and I want to help."

"You help me?! Don't make me laugh!

"Are you really that cocky to think that you can help yourself?" Brick didn't bother to respond. Blossom sighed and said "Brick... I know what your going through... Your jealous of me because Boomer likes me and not you."

Brick, in denial of that, said "So what if I am?"

"Look, I understand how you felt when Boomer said all those things to you. It made you felt lonely."

"Shut up! What do you care if I do feel alone? I'm suppose to be your enemy! And your supposed to be gloating over taking what I had away from me! What is wrong with you?"

Blossom then said in a disgusted tone "Is this what you think this whole thing is about?! Me being better than you?! This isn't a competition, Brick! This is life! And you need to fix it!"

"And who said you can lecture me?!" Brick asked in irritation. "As if you are anything better than me!"

"You know what Brick? Your right. I'm not." Said Blossom, of which made Brick surprised. Blossom just acknowledged what he said, and it made him confused. "You boys were nothing but trouble, but that's because you have no friends that understand you, and your father didn't create you out of love. And it made you all bitter inside and let it out on your brothers, mostly Boomer. But even after all of the abuse, Boomer came back. Why do you think he came back?"

"I... I don't know..."

"Because I asked him to, and because he's your brother, no matter what."

Brick didn't think that he would hear that from a so called enemy of his. Brick then turned to her and said "Alright... I'll tell you..." He then took the potion out. "You see this stupid thing?"

Blossom looked at the potion in confusion saying "Yeah... what about it?"

"This is a huge problem that seems impossible to escape! Even if someone like you did help me... There is no alternate way. Even for my brothers."

Brick was about to resume in pouring in the potion, but then Blossom held him back saying "Brick, wait! Before you do this, just think. Wouldn't it mean so much that you would do anything to keep the ones you care about safe even if it means facing your fears?" Brick didn't say anything In response. "Just think about it.

When Blossom left, Brick thought to himself "Is she for real?" He looked at the potion. He couldn't believe that she didn't even demand or threaten him like she would do whenever they met. "Does she really care about me? Does she... does she really feel bad for me and Boomer?" He shook off his thoughts and put one drop in one of the glasses with a grimly sad expression. He then took all eight of them to the table.

He placed the glass that had the potion in front of Boomer. He then sat next to Boomer with a guilt face. Boomer noticed Brick looking let down. Feeling guilty for Brick looking like that, he said "Brick?"

"Huh? Y-yeah?"

Boomer then decided to change the subject and said "I never got the chance to tell you that the Professor wants us to be a part of his family. He wants us to be his sons."

Brick made a surprised expression. "What? He... he wants to... adopt us...?" Brick asked. Boomer nodded yes.

"That's right Brick. I would like you and your brothers to be a new addition to my family." Said the Professor.

Brick then looked down and said "Well... I don't know... I mean... We've been fighting your girls ever since we we're first created... and..."

The Professor then gently patted him on the back, something that Brick never felt before. And it felt good. All he felt were things like bruises from punches and kicks. Being given a friendly physical feeling was new to him. "Oh, I know. But, seeing how Boomer showed that he has sadness and regret, it shows that you boys have many different feelings, besides anger and hatred. And I believe that you boys need a father that is strict, but respects you, and would never abandoned you, that will always be there for you. What do you say?"

Brick never heard anyone talk about him like that before. He started to feel a fuzzy feeling inside. A feeling that felt like drifting in soft clouds. Brick scratched the back of his head in thought and said "Well... uh..."

Before he could say anything, the Mayor adjusted the microphone and said "Everyone! Everyone! I have a brief announcement to make! I'd like to thank you all for coming to the anniversary party! It has been eighty years since the day Townsville was found, and so we give our respects to the founder! With that said, I propose a toast!"

Everybody raised their glasses to cheer. Boomer was about to lift his glass, when Brick stopped him and said "Wow! Boomer! That's actually mine. It's grape."

"Oh! Uh... Okay." Brick then took the glass as Boomer drank up. Brick tossed the fruit juice that was in the glass away. Blossom saw what he did, and smiled in relief. Brick smiled back at Blossom.

Brick then said in his thoughts "Go ahead and try to get him... uh... HIM! Because I'm ready for you to do your worst!" Then, to Brick's confusion, Boomer was looking a little dizzy. "Boomer? You okay?"

"Uh oh! Do you think he's getting sick?" Bubbles asked in concern.

And before they knew it, Boomer screamed in pain and started to grow fur, his nose started to stretch out, his nails turned into claws, his ears became pointy, his hands and feet became huge, and his teeth grew sharp. In other words... he turned into a werewolf like monster! Everyone including Brick, were shocked and scared at what they saw happened. "Wha... Boomer...! Why are you...?"

Boomer looked at Brick and snarled as he reached an arm back and swung it at him, hitting him across the floor. The girls and Butch moved away from Boomer and everyone else ran up stairs to the second floor and watched as Boomer started to thrash the place like the wild animal he was turned into.

Then, HIM slowly descended from above, laughing evilly. "My, my...! What a magnificent performance, Brick, my boy! simply amazing."

Brick angrily got up and cried "HIM! What did you do to Boomer?"

"I didn't do anything, my dear boy...!" Said HIM. "But you did!" He floated to Brick holding him by the shoulder. "All you wanted was to let Boomer become strong enough to defeat the Powerpuff Girls! And the only way you could do that, was if something inside of him... of which he refused to unleash from deep within... were to come out and take control!"

"This isn't what I wanted!"

"Oh yes, it is!" HIM then disappeared and reappeared beside Boomer with claws on his hairy shoulders. "It is what you wanted for him after all, to be like you, to be as tough as you, to be as ruthless as you, and so... he is! He has become what will never go away in your hearts, if you had hearts...! You see? He is as evil as you wanted him to be!"

Hearing that mad the citizens except the Professor, Ms. Kean, the Mayor and Ms. Bellum, look disapproving of Brick.

"Is this true?"

"That ungrateful punk!"

"Does he have no regrets?"

Brick looked around and heard what they were saying and it was overwhelming him. he then looked at Boomer in his monster form, and saw what he had done.

"No...! Th... this can't be real...!" Brick said in his thoughts. "I thought that I was toughening Boomer up... Now I see that what I was really doing... was turning him into a mindless... bloodthirsty monster that would kill anyone... including me... all because of the way I treated him... and because of the way I am..." Brick then fell to his knees and closed his eyes in full guilt and sorrow. "I... I'm... not the best of the best... I'm... I'm a monster..."

Then, after a long moment of silence, Blossom's voice broke the silence saying "Don't think that you can fool us that easily... HIM...!" Everyone, including Brick looked at Blossom in surprised confusion. "I know this was your doing and not Brick's!"

HIM, without turning to face her and without frowning, said "Oh, is that so? How could I be responsible for this? Do enlighten us all, if you will!"

Blossom began to explain her claim. "You saw Boomer save Townsville from a monster! You were so confused of why he did that, so you decided to look into what could drive him to do that, and when you did... you saw it!"

"Saw what?" Said HIM, still looking as if he doesn't know what she is talking about.

"You saw me hug Boomer, and Boomer being happy afterwards. And at that moment, you knew that you were losing control of the Rowdyruff Boys and that they would learn to fight for justice! So you decided to invoke Brick's jealousy over the relationship me and Boomer have and gave him a potion that Brick showed me!"

HIM chuckled and clapped at the story and said "My, such an interesting story, Blossom. Who do you think you are? His lawyer? Well then, I'm Judge Judy! And I say he is guilty!"

Blossom then stated "Wrong, HIM! Boomer went to tell Brick the truth about what he's been doing. Unfortunately though, as it turned out, Brick had already found out about it!"

"And so he plotted to use Boomer against you!"

"That is a lie!" Blossom retorted. "Brick was angry with Boomer for keeping secrets from him and they got into an argument! Boomer was so angry that he said things that made Brick snap with fury."

"Yes...! But that doesn't change the fact that it was he is responsible for this!"

Blossom shook her head as she said "This morning, Boomer came back and apologized for keeping our relationship a secret, which confused Brick. Then Boomer brought him to our house and then Buttercup had a heart to heart talk with Brick, telling him that Boomer wants friends more than power."

"As if he would care what Boomer desires!" HIM said in response. "What he wants is Boomer to be back on his side!"

"He does care! He may not show it, but he cares." Blossom said with a hand to her heart. "He even threw the potion you gave him out the window."

HIM shrugged his claws and said "He clearly had second thoughts then, thinking that you girls are trying to trick him!"

"You threatened him when he refused to do what you say! But I convinced Brick that he has to face his fears if he wants to keep what he lost."

"He must have ignored you , because he made one drop of that potion in the one Boomer drank from."

"He might' have, but the Professor said that he wishes to adopt him. You were there the whole time and you knew right then that Brick would no longer fear you! So you switched the fruit juice in the glasses!"

"Don't be absurd! Why would I do that?"

"Because you were afraid."

Hearing that made HIM taken aback. "WHAT...?! What did you just say...?!"

"You thought you could rely on Brick because of his anger and jealousy, but you greatly underestimate human emotions! Like loneliness and regret!"

HIM glared daggers at Blossom. "You have some nerve saying that to me, Blossom!"

"You told Brick that it would make Boomer powerful, you didn't tell him that it would turn him into a monster! You are such a cruel father to the RowdyRuff Boys! You've treated them in such terrible ways that no parent should treat his or her child, ever! And not even the boys deserve such misery being under your shadow!"

A moment of silence took place. Brick was astonished by how Blossom tried to defend him, even if he was her enemy. He felt guilt for all the fights he had with her for the first time, feeling sorry for being jealous of her and distrusting her in the first place.

Then HIM slowly walked up to her saying "Blossom... my dear child... you know very well that you should learn to... SEAL YOUR LIPS TIGHT!" He then reached his claw back and hit Blossom across on the face, making her roll across the floor.

In anger of what he saw, the Professor cried out "HIM! HOW DARE YOU ASSAULT MY DAUGHTER! You stop this madness and change Boomer back, now!"

HIM laughed at the Professor and said "Oh, Professor, your anger and hatred is soothing to me. And as for changing Boomer back, I'm afraid I can't do that. As of now he is slowly losing his humanity and will become only obedient to me. And now, Boomer, destroy this building!"

Boomer did as he was told and started to thrash the place. Bubbles went up to him and said "Boomer! Wait! Please! Stop doing this! This isn't like you!" Boomer's humanity wasn't strong enough for him to listen to Bubbles, so he pushed her away with great force.

Then Buttercup punched Boomer and said "That was not cool, Boomer! Don't make me want to beat you up!" Boomer roared at her, making it like wind was blowing hard. "Okay! I warned ya!" Buttercup then started to beat Boomer up, however, it didn't have any affect. Boomer then slashed at Buttercup, making her fly right into a table.

Butch then went up to him and said "Look, little bro! As awesome as you look right now, I don't think you should be acting like complete phyco-path! You don't want me to be fighting you, Boomer!" Boomer knocked Butch away, making him crash against the wall and fall to the floor. "Okay, maybe you do...!" He was about to attack, but he could still feel the pain in his bones that are still healing.

Blossom then approached him slowly and said "Boomer!" Boomer gave Blossom his attention and seeing her made Boomer calm down and look innocent. "Boomer, please stop! I know that your in there still! You have to fight it, Boomer! Fight it! You can't let this monster that has been inside you take control of you! You need to show it that you don't need it to be powerful! You need friends to show how strong you've become! HIM is trying to make a puppet out of you like he would do to everybody else. But you're not his puppet anymore. You are a free spirited boy. Fight this monster that is trying to gain control of you. Please..."

Seeing and hearing Blossom say those words made Brick finally believed that Blossom does care for Boomer. And the part about friends show him being strong made him remember Buttercup telling him about Boomer fighting for friendship.

Boomer seemed to be able to mutter Blossom's name, however, HIM clutched a claw of which made Boomer shake his head and become angry again. He grabbed Blossom and slammed her against the wall. Buttercup and Bubbles would have gone to save her, but the blow they received from Boomer had made them badly injured. So all they could do was sit and watch helplessly.

"Yes! YES! Do it Boomer!" HIM encouraged. "Destroy her! Make her suffer!"

Boomer was about to do so, but then he was zapped by a laser, which made him let go of Blossom. He turned and saw Brick looking back at him in anger. "You stop picking on that little girl, Boomer!" He cried angrily "If you want to beat somebody up, then beat up me! Unless you're to much of a loser to do it!" Everyone gasped at what Brick requested as Boomer angrily charged right at Brick.

Boomer slashed every claw right at Brick and Brick didn't even bother to try to fight back. Blossom, worried about this, said "Brick, what are you doing? Why aren't you fighting back? He's gonna kill you!"

Bubbles, seeing what was happening cried in tears "Boomer...! Please... don't do this to your brother...!"

Butch, still feeling pain, said "Brick...! Hang on, bro! I'm... I'm comin for ya!"

Buttercup then said "No, wait! I think he knows what he's doing."

After being beaten up so badly, Brick collapsed to the floor on his back. Boomer grabbed Brick by the neck and was about to lung for the kill. "Ah! How delightful! A brother killing a brother for all the pain he has caused him! How lovely!" HIM applaud.

Before Boomer could strike, Brick, feeling weak enough to struggle to talk, looked at Boomer in the eye with sadness and guilt saying "Boomer... be... before... before you... kill me... I... I just want you to know that... you were right... You were right about me... about what I am... about how bad I've been to you... and you have the right to... to hate me... I always looked at... myself as the... toughest guy in town... and made you think that... I wouldn't be lonely at all... But... the truth is... I felt alone..." Boomer's anger expression melted into a surprised and calm one. "When I was about to finish you off... I... I didn't know... what I was doing... I was letting my anger get the best of me... I... I was about to kill you... I didn't know why I didn't do it until... I've realized that... even though I never thought it that way... you were... you and Butch were like a friends to me..." Boomer, hearing that, started to make a face of sadness. Brick then had tears quickly roll down his cheeks from how emotional he was feeling in this moment. "So... I just wanted you to know that... I'm sorry... I'm everything ring a bad brother... and taking you for granted..."

Boomer then shed a tear from his monster eye after hearing Brick's words. He then said softly "Brick..." Then, he let Brick go and started to roar as he held his head in a way as if he was having an aching headache.

"What? NO! THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE!" HIM cried in anger.

"Oh, but it is, HIM! It is!" Said Buttercup.

Then, in a blue flash, everyone covered their eyes. Then, when the light faded, it revealed Boomer back to his human form with his tuxedo all ripped and messed up.

(R&R)