Wow this chapter's long it took me forever to write and type up. over eight thousand words and 53 pages it's one of the longest chapters I've ever written hopefully that'll make up for how long it took me to upload this.
So a little BillyxMandy though probably not as much as you were hoping, sorry but it will come I assure you.
Dragon's Fury
Chapter 11: True Colours
Mandy's head pounded and the back of her neck throbbed. She felt like she was floating in water but she didn't feel wet and all she saw around her was an inky blackness.
She had lost all track of time. She didn't know when she got here or even how long she had been there. Occasionally she would be bumped up or to the side by an invisible and rather frustrating force.
Then Mandy noticed a small twinkle of light like a distant star. Having nothing else to go on she started towards it in a kind of half swimming half running motion.
As she got closer it grew in size until it was about the size of a soft ball. Now this close she could hear a faint beating coming from it, and she knew immediately what it was.
"My baby!"
She tenderly clasped the glowing white translucent orb and pulled it close to her chest.
She could feel it. It's warmth, it's innocence, it's fear.
"Are you scared?", she asked the glowing ball in her arms.
It made no visible response but she could sense it's feelings.
"Don't be afraid", she said softly. "Mommy's here.", She began rubbing the ball with extreme tenderness.
"As long as Mommy's here she won't let anything bad happen to you."
The ball seemed uncertain, as if doubting her. Mandy was hurt by this but her memory of trying to slit her own throat came back to her. When she first found out she was pregnant she nearly killed herself and her baby. If Billy hadn't made her realize her mistake..."
Mandy's entire being was suddenly filled with dread and self loathing as she lamented over her past transgressions.
"Mommy's so sorry", she sobbed. "I just can't tell you how sorry I am."
Her tears were flowing in torrents as she cried. Her heart ached as she begged for forgiveness from her child.
"From now on I- Mommy's going to do her best to look after you. She'll protect you because she loves you." She grabbed the ball tightly. "Because I love you more than anything."
The ball started to reradiate a pleasant warmth as it absorbed Mandy's words and feeling of love and devotion to her baby.
She nuzzled the ball happily and almost as soon as she did so she received an epiphany.
"You're a girl."
Mandy couldn't believe it. It was as though her child had been keeping the secret until now and she had suddenly become aware of it.
"My baby girl, I love you so much!"
Suddenly the ball bolted away from her and burst into a bright shining light.
"Come back!", Mandy yelled as the swam towards the blinding light. "I love you!" The instant she reached the light a wave of exhaustion and stiffness overcame her. The sensation of floating was replaced with a rumbling.
Mandy didn't make a sound as she slowly opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was but it felt like she was in a moving car, and she could hear voices.
She suddenly remembered what had happened. She had been knocked out and she had just regained consciousness. Her mother Clair had betrayed her. Anger and fury filled her being like never before. No, not now, revenge would come later.
Experience told her that she had been abducted and was probably tied up but she didn't know by whom or where she was going.
She cracked open her eyes just enough to see but without making it obvious to her captors that she was awake.
There were two men inside with her both wearing armor and helmets that covered their eyes. They were prattling on about something trivial.
She looked over herself and saw that she was strapped to a bed-no a gurney. She was in an ambulance. A cover no doubt because paramedics don't wear armor. She had to escape and she knew just what to do.
As quietly and with as little lip movement as possible she uttered a series of words and once she finished the straps that were holding her to the gurney began to undue themselves.
It was a spell intended for unlocking things but Mandy was able to make it work here with the reasoning that she was locked to the gurney.
As the straps came off the guards took notice. She had to move now!
In a single move she swung herself off the gurney and onto her feet grabbing the hair band still on her head.
The hair band transformed into a shiny black sword in her hands just in time for her to block the strike of the guards metal wands.
In a single motion Mandy slid off to the left spun around and brought her sword up and through the left guards right arm severing it just past the elbow.
The guard screamed in agony and the other guard lunged at her.
Suddenly the Ambulance screeched and lurched as the driver applied the brakes sending both Mandy and the guard against the forward wall.
As Mandy regained her stance she noticed the guards helmet was now fully enclosed and a small hissing noise was coming from the floor. She realized they were filling up the compartment with gas.
She took a deep breath and held it, she would only get one chance.
The ambulance stopped and the guard lunged for her again.
She dodged to the right and headed right for the double doors at the back. She brought up the sword and then swung it down with as much strength as she could muster bringing the blade right down between the doors cutting the locking bolts.
She continued her forward momentum smashing through the doors and onto the ground.
She spun around knowing the guard was right behind her ready to swipe his legs.
However the guard anticipated this move and jumped over the swinging blade and flipped over Mandy's head.
Mandy though had foreseen this possibility and continued her swing to face back the way she originally had. She pulled in the sword to quicken her spin and to prime herself for a lunge.
She finished her spin as the guard landed then she performed a lunge.
The guard turned to face her but it was too late. The sword caught him in his side it's supernatural sharpness slicing through the thin armor and deep into the guards body. The momentum of his own spin causing the stab to widen into a deep gash.
The guard collapsed to the ground screaming with blood drops bursting from his mouth.
Mandy turned around and saw the ambulance driver and shotgun passenger broth running at her with a metal wand in one hand and worryingly a tazer in the other.
She would most likely survive a hit by the tazer but it would mean the end of her and she feared for her baby's chances of surviving the electric shock. That left her only one choice: to run.
"Get back here!", they yelled as she bolted past the cars that had stacked up behind the stopped ambulance. She reverted her sword back to a hair band for safety and kept running.
Suddenly she heard terrified shouts from her pursuers and she looked behind her to see what had happened. What she saw prompted her to stop.
Ferratus had tackled both the guards to the ground and now both lay on their backs with their necks between the giant scorpion's pincers.
Will walked over and looked down on them with a cruel smile.
"So what exactly is going on here?"
Mandy walked over short of breath but well.
"Why did you take me?", she demanded.
Suddenly both guard guards began shacking violently as a buzzing sound burned into Mandy's ears and she could smell the familiar scent of cooking bran matter. Soon afterwards the guards stopped moving.
"So much for answers", she muttered bitterly.
Will stood next to the corpses.
"It's to be expected. It's a failsafe built into their armor that prevents them from getting captured and revealing any secrets."
Will suddenly looked alarmed and he looked back at the ambulance then back at her.
"Move!"
Mandy on reflex started to run but Will scooped her up and carried her behind a car with Ferratus right behind them.
Mandy saw the ambulance in a storefront window and witnessed it vanish in a burst of fire and flying metal with a deafening bang.
Will grabbed the back of her head and pulled her close to cover her even wrapping his wings around her in a protective embrace as windows shattered and burning debris fell around them.
"Are you okay?", he asked as the shower of debris ceased.
"I'm fine", Mandy said calmly. "I just need to get out of here."
"Good idea."
Will whistled and his car: Dragon rolled up beside them.
"Get in", he told her.
Mandy needed no prompting and she climbed into the passenger seat while Ferratus slid into the back.
"You have any idea who those guys were?" Will asked looking at the remains of the ambulance that was now just a blackened twisted frame with the rest of it scattered in a hundred meter radius.
Mandy replaced her hair band and thought.
"I'm positive my- that Claire sent for them to kidnap me." That woman didn't deserve to be called her mother any more.
"I'll bet their related to those A.P.P.A guys."
Will's eyes widened in horrific realization.
"Buttercup!"
Will stamped on the accelerator and roared off towards home hoping to get there in time to save Buttercup.
As they drove Mandy couldn't help but feel-no she knew that Buttercup was already gone. Her own abduction may have just been a diversion. True there was no doubt Clair wanted her gone but her kidnappers may have just used that as a distraction. So they could more easily kidnap Buttercup.
Dragon screeched to a stop in the alley beside the door to Will's apartment.
"Let's go Ferratus."
Ferratus slid out of the back seat eager like a hunting dog.
Although Mandy wanted to avoid unnecessary danger for her baby's sake she considered this very necessary so she followed them into the apartment.
Will reached for the door handle and opened it. It was unlocked, it should not have been. Will had told Buttercup to keep the door locked.
Ferratus seemed to catch a scent and hurried upstairs with Will and Mandy close behind.
They got up the stairs into the living room where they found Bunny and Blossom searching the apartment.
They stared at each other a silent message that was abundantly clear: Buttercup was gone.
"Blossom told me she wanted to check on Buttercup and to see if Bubbles was here", Bunny explained.
"Bubbles is missing too?", Will asked.
Mandy took note of how calm Will was acting despite Buttercup and his unborn child were missing.
"She never came to school", Blossom explained with a worried look. "I thought she might have some here or something happened to her on the way."
Will looked thoughtful. It was likely what whoever had taken Buttercup might have taken Bubbles as well.
"Do you have any clue at all what might have happened to either of them?"
Blossom frowned and looked away. She was fumbling her cell phone between her fingers. Mandy was annoyed.
"The ones who kidnapped them were probably the same group that kidnapped me, and if it is then their lives are in danger."
The other two girls looked at her in surprise.
"You were kidnapped?"
"Yeah and it looks like I'm not the only one."
Blossom looked down at her cell phone a whirlwind of thoughts running through her mind.
Mandy decided to push harder.
"I'd also like to remind you that your nephew's life is in danger."
That seemed to strike a heavy chord with Blossom and she was forced to make her decision.
"The Professor called for me at school and when I called him back he said he was going to bring Buttercup back and that I shouldn't get involved. I got worried so I called Bunny and asked her to take me here."
Will's fists were clenched and his muscles were tight. Mandy could feel the room starting to heat up. His calm demeanor was fracturing.
"Seems like a day for parental betrayals", Mandy said bitterly. "I bet my- that Claire and Phil probably know something too."
Bunny nodded.
"Right then. I'll go with Blossom to the Utoniums and you guys go to Mandy's."
Will looked appalled.
"What? I should be the one to-"
"As you are right now do you trust yourself to get information without killing him first?"
Will growled but conceded her point.
"Take Ferratus with you", he said. "He should help deal with any persuasion."
The giant scorpion clacked his claws eagerly.
"What about you?" Bunny asked.
Mandy grinned sadistically.
"I can be very persuasive on my own."
Bubbles groggily woke up, he head aching and her brain itself was sore. What happened?
She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a well lit room with polished stainless steel surfaces including the floor. The walls and ceiling were covered in a white plastic and the cupboards and counters were a mix of the two. She suddenly realized she was in the Professor's lab.
She was lying on an examination table with a blanket to keep her catching a chill from the table frigid surface.
"What's going on?"
She got up and walked around trying to comprehend her situation. Was it a dream?
Ahead of her the thick armored doors that guarded the entrance to the lab were closed. She was locked in!
She walked up to the doors and started banging on them.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
There was a moment of silence before she received a response.
"So you're up."
Bubbles whirled around and saw the Professor looking at her through a monitor on his desk.
"Professor? What's going on? Why am I in here? Where's Buttercup?"
"You're there because you're grounded", he said in an authoritative tone. "I can't believe you skipped school. I never expected that from you."
Bubbles felt a torrent of guilt wash over her but she had her reasons for doing what she did.
"I had to. I was worried about Buttercup."
"That's a poor excuse! I said we would take care of Buttercup, and we have."
Bubbles looked up with alarm.
"What did you do with her!"
"None of your concern-"
"The hell it isn't my concern!", Bubbles shouted. "She's my sister!"
"You watch your tone young lady!", the Professor shouted back. "you are going to stay in there until you learn to behave."
"But what about Buttercup? What about the babies?"
"By the time your grounding is over we'll have Buttercup back and that won't be an issue."
Bubbles was horrified.
"No you can't! Don't kill them! Not the babies!"
The professor looked away.
"How could you?", Bubbles screamed! "They're your grandchildren!"
"I have no choice!", the professor shouted back. "I'm doing what's best for her."
Bubbles bared her teeth and glared back at him with eyes of burning blue fury.
"Liar!", she growled. "You're doing this for your own sake, for what you want for her. You never gave a damn what Buttercup wanted!"
"A parent is supposed to love their child unconditionally. Not only if they're of the same species!"
"It's not that!", the Professor shouted back. "Do you have any idea of the atrocities that Will and Bunny have committed? Killing thousands of refugees from an island that sank into the ocean, actually they are the ones who destroyed the island in the first place!
"Who told you that?", Bubbled countered. "Why do you believe them instead of Will and Bunny? Buttercup knows more about them than we do and she trusts them!"
"Buttercup's judgment of someone's true nature has always been very poor", The Professor retorted.
That cut deep into Bubbles argument but not through it.
"I still trust them", she said in a low voice. "Because if they wanted to do something so evil they would have done it already! You just hate them because you want to hate them. Those people are just telling you what you want to hear and that's why you believe them."
Bubbles took a deep breath and she put every micron of her hate, anger, disappointment, resentment, and sadness into her next words.
"Well I hate you!"
All of the childish innocence for which Bubbles was known, her airheaded nature, the light in her eyes that seemed to dance when she smiled was gone.
"I'll get out of here", she vowed. Her voice was low, as though another person was speaking through her. "And I'm going to save them even if I have to go through you to do it." She meant through in the literal sense.
Having nothing else to say she smashed the screen leaving it's pieces to scatter across the desk and the metal floor.
With her new eyes filled with divine purpose she analyzed the room around her.
"Now I just have to find a way out."
Buttercup groaned as her eyes slowly opened to the dark but not black world around her. She was lying on a cold stone floor leaving her back frigid. She groaned as she sat up and tried to shake off the tiredness that was plaguing her.
"You wake now?", a feminine voice asked.
Buttercup turned her head to the source of the voice.
"Who are you?"
"Someone in the same fix as you", the voice replied simply.
Buttercup draconic eyes adjusted to the darkness and she was able to see the other person.
She was facing Buttercup's direction but her face was just barely visible beyond her large belly. She had curly fire engine red hair and freckles on her face.
"You're pregnant?", Buttercup asked.
"Yep, and if you're here you must be too."
Buttercup scowled.
"So they actually got me."
She began sorting through her memories, searching for the last one she had before losing consciousness. She then realized the painful truth of her incarceration.
"He betrayed me", she cried softly. "How could he."
The other girl sighed.
"Now now cheer up Buttercup. We'll get out of here soon you'll see."
Buttercup's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know my name?"
While the Powerpuff girls were famous in Townsville they weren't very well known elsewhere. Well except for maybe Citiesville.
The other girl laughed.
"Well I suppose I am a bit different than the last time we saw each other. I guess with this belly it's even harder to figure it out. No pun intended."
Buttercup narrowed her eyes, they gave her shocking clarity despite the darkness. She tried to imagine the girl without the massive pregnant belly then tried to match the curly red hair. Then it hit her.
"Princess! Is that you?"
She laughed.
"So you were able to figure it out."
Buttercup was flabbergasted. How could this be the same spoiled bratty rich girl that she had come to know and despise over the years. She seemed so different now so considerate and pleasant clashing harshly with Buttercup's memory of the bitter creature she had known from before.
"What happened to you?", was all she could say.
Princess laughed.
"A lot. Lots of things happened. I could also ask the same of you. I expected you to strangle me the second you figured out who I was.
Buttercup's chest tightened. With the way she was before she couldn't deny that distinct possibility, but she was different now.
"Things have happened yeah. Probably something similar to you."
Princess nodded.
"I thought as much. I could smell it."
Buttercup looked at her.
"Smell?"
Princess smiled and a pair of large black all-too-familiar dragon like wings came out of her back shocking Buttercup to her core.
"You're-You're a dragon too?"
"Yep. That's what happens when you marry one; at least it does eventually. I'm surprised it took Laura so long."
Buttercup's breath caught in her throat. Could it be the same one?
"You know Laura?"
Now it was Princess's turn to be shocked.
"Don't tell me that you married Dray!"
Stunned like a deer in headlights Buttercup was blindsided.
"Um, well yeah I mean, he's my husband. I married him yeah."
Princess shook her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe he found a girl he liked. He seemed so picky I didn't think there was ever going to be a girl he settle for."
"He didn't settle for me", Buttercup set angrily. "I was the best."
"An you", Princess continued seemingly ignoring Buttercup's retort. "I can't believe you let yourself get married."
Buttercup blushed.
"Things change. People change."
The redheaded girl nodded.
"I can testify to that."
There was a brief silence between the two as they mulled over what to say.
"How many?" Princess asked.
Buttercup hesitated for a moment but quickly figured out what she was asking.
"Twins you?"
Princess grinned.
"Hextuplets."
Buttercup was astounded.
"Six!"
"Yeah I guess it's a little much for the first time. We just got caught up in the married life."
'Married', Buttercup's mind echoed. She looked down at her ring finger only to find it naked.
"My ring! Where's my ring!"
She started to search frantically but Princess shook her head.
"Don't bother. They take our rings when they grab us. I don't know where they are I haven't seen much other than this cell."
Buttercup clenched her fists. How could she loose something so precious. She vowed that whoever took her ring was going to pay.
"What do they want?", Buttercup asked shakily. "Our children?"
Princess sighed.
"I don't know."
Buttercup quivered. She remembered all the things that Mitch had said before she ended his existence and it made her sick.
She wrapped her arms around her stomach and started to sniffle.
"William, please save us."
Will crept the car into the driveway of Billy's house not wanting to attract any more attention than a bright red one-thousand plus horsepower muscle car could.
Although Mandy wanted to march strait into her house and wring Claire's neck she wanted to check and make sure Billy was alright.
"I hope he's okay." Mandy said worriedly.
"We're about to find out", Will said as they exited the car.
Without knocking or ringing the bell they entered the house and went to the living room where Grim and Billy were watching TV.
Grim noticed them first.
"Mandy? You escaped from the house again?"
Before Mandy could answer Billy launched himself off the couch and trapped Mandy in a powerful embrace.
"Mandy you're okay! I'm sorry Mandy, I didn't know what to do."
Mandy returned the embrace.
"It's okay Billy. There wasn't anything you could do."
Grim got off the couch and joined them sensing something amiss.
"What's goin on girl?"
The soft understanding expression Mandy had given Billy stepped aside and it's polar opposite took its place.
"Claire tried to have me kidnapped! I managed to escape and I intend to get some answers out of her."
Billy and Grim were shocked.
"Kidnapped? Claire did? Why?"
"That's what I intend to find out, and the same people who kidnapped me probably kidnapped Buttercup too."
"Buttercup's been kidnapped?"
"Speaking of which", Will said. "I think it's about time we paid Claire her visit."
Billy and Mandy released each other and the blonde composed herself.
"Right, let's go."
The party of four left Billy's house and marched across the street to Mandy's. They walked up to the door and found it locked.
"Grim, door."
Grim aimed his scythe at the lock and fired a burst of green energy. A second later they heard a click and the door opened.
Mandy impatiently burst through the door.
"Claire! Where are you, you bitch!"
No sound was heard as they all entered the house.
"Maybe no one's home", Billy suggested.
"They must be" Grim countered. "I remember the car backing into the garage an hour ago. I'm sure that was Phil coming home from work."
Billy peeled off from the group to look in the garage while the others spread out to cover the main floor.
"Don't be frightened Claire", Grim called. "We're most likely only here to torture you."
Billy returned from the garage with his report.
"The car's still in the garage."
"Grim check the basement", Mandy ordered. "We'll check upstairs."
Grim obeyed and went downstairs while the others went up.
"The longer you hide the more pissed off I'm going to be when I find you", Mandy called out.
They spread out and each checked a room before meeting back in the hallway coming up empty.
"Where are they?", Mandy shouted in frustration!
"Maybe Grim found them in the basement", Billy said.
"'Fraid not mon." Grim said as he came up from the basement. "That basement's deader dan me."
Will suddenly perked as he heard the sound coming from below them.
"What is it?" Mandy asked.
"The garage door!"
They all dashed down the stairs Mandy leading the way. She rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs and burst into the garage just as the car was leaving.
Something in the corner of her vision came at her and she was suddenly shoved forward then she heard a dull whump as someone behind her got hit.
She turned around and saw Billy sprawled on the ground blood dripping from the side of his head. A can of paint swung on a string from the ceiling had been triggered to swing by the opening of the door. That had been meant for her.
There was a roar as Dragon drove up the driveway and skid to a stop in front of the garage.
As much as she felt guilty for Billy getting hit she couldn't let Claire get away.
Grim take care of Billy!"
She followed Will to the car and she dove into the passenger seat just as Will started to pull away.
Will drove across the lawn and onto the street.
Mandy seated herself properly and put on her seatbelt. Not an easy task as Will swerved and weaved through traffic.
"There they are", he said as they locked onto the red station wagon.
Suddenly a large black SUV cut in front of them forcing Will to break heard.
"Jackass!", Mandy shouted.
"He's worse than that", Will said.
Mandy was confused until she saw a hatch open on the roof and a Gatling gun appeared.
"Oh that's what you mean."
Will swerved as the gun opened up spewing hundreds of hot lead bullets. The lethal ammunition chewed up the road where they had been scant seconds before.
People around them braked and swerved and crashed into each other in their panic. The gunner was leaving a trail of destruction without actually hitting anything.
Will meanwhile was so busy avoiding swerving cars to focus on the gun and if Dragon had any weapons itself he couldn't use them for the same reason.
Will finally was able to work his way closer to the SUV under the guns ability to train low.
"Our turn", Will grinned.
Two large guns popped out of Dragon's hood and spat flame as armor piercing slugs burst out into the back of the SUV.
Unfortunately most of the bullets flattened against the thick armored hide of the vehicle and bounced off while others were simply deflected.
Mandy was caught off guard as Will swerved to the left. With her face pressed against the window she saw a black disc with the diameter of a pizza pan skidding along the ground to her right where they had previously been.
Suddenly a large explosion tore through the air as the disc exacted it's function as a proximity mine. The force of the explosion lifted Dragon's rear end off the ground and causing Will to lose control.
They went sailing over the boulevard across the lanes of opposing traffic and into a park before finally stopping in a hedge.
The was silence in the car. Only the sound of Mandy's heavy breathing and Dragon's idling engine was heard.
Mandy looked out the window to see the red station wagon now flanked by two more black SUVs in addition to the one they just fought now taking position directly behind it.
"We're gona' loose them!"
Will gripped the steering wheel and cast dark gaze through the windshield.
"No we're not. Cause we're through playing around."
Dragon shook as it growled and roared like a feral beast. Flames shot out of its exhaust pipes setting the hedge they were in ablaze.
Will shifted into gear and slammed the accelerator the rear wheels shooting dirt high into the air as they tore out of the park across the oncoming lanes and strait after the station wagon.
If Will cared anything about the rules of the road before he cared even less now as he knocked aside any car that didn't get out of his way and barging his way through the slow moving traffic as they caught up to the pitifully slow station wagon.
Their black armored nemesis slowed down to act as a buffer between them and the wagon and the them.
The Gatling gun turret reappeared and trained on them but Will didn't seem to care.
Mandy heard a whirring noise as panels on Dragon's sides opened and a pair of missiles streaked ahead.
The first missile crashed into the back of the SUV filling the inside with lethal fire and metal and burst out the rear side windows. The second slammed into the front right fender taking out the entire front right quarter of the vehicle and sending a burning tire rolling ahead as its parent vehicle rolled and flipped down the highway.
Dragon blasted past the burnt out hulk as it continued to roll over disintegrating as it went.
The other two SUVs abandoned their positions on the flanks of the wagon and took up the rear positions together. They weaved back and forth across the road laying down a pattern of proximity mines.
Dragon's guns popped up and started firing on the mines ahead exploding them before they neared.
Seeing that their now exhausted mines hadn't worked they brought out their own turrets.
Will only sneered.
"No surprises from these guys."
Mandy heard more whirrs and two flights of three missiles streaked for their targets like angry hornets.
The SUV on the left panicked and swerved to the left presenting its massive side to the incoming missiles.
The first missile hit the SUV dead centre blasting a hole in the side and incinerating everything inside. With the driver's hard swerve the impact of the first missile was all that was needed to send the vehicle into a tumble.
The second missile hit the underside as it began its tumble making the trajectory more chaotic.
The third missile went directly into the driver's side headlight before exploding inside the engine bay and blowing the hood off.
The second SUV kept going strait it's gunner desperately trying to shoot down the incoming missiles but to no avail.
All three missiles slammed into the back blowing the SUV up from the inside out sending bits of flaming metal and flesh flying through the air.
As Will drove past the tumbling wreck of the first SUV he locked onto the ever neared station wagon.
"We need them alive", Mandy reminded him.
The station wagon suddenly braked hard and swerved onto a side street.
Dragon's wheels locked and Will drifted the car into a turn onto the side street in hot pursuit.
"Do you have anything to stop them?" Mandy asked.
"Brute force", Will answered simply.
Dragon accelerated towards the wagon like an angry bull.
"What are you-"
Mandy was cut off as Dragon smashed into the back of the wagon crumpling its rear quarters then attacked again. The wagon kept going unabated but its fate was sealed.
Will turned to come up alongside the wagon and then jerked the steering wheel to the left slamming the wagon's back corner sending the vehicle into a flat spin.
The PIT maneuver worked to slow the wagon down but it hit the curb sending the car onto its roof and skid to a stop in front of an alleyway.
"That's convenient" Will said.
He lined up dragon and then shoved the station wagon into the alleyway away from prying eyes.
"This should be private enough", he said as he stepped out. "Now comes the fun part."
"Claire's mine", Mandy declared.
The wagon had skidded to stop a few meters in front of them. The car was a complete write off and all the windows but the windshield was destroyed.
Phil dragged himself out painfully through the driver's side window trying not to hurt himself on the glass.
Mandy ignored him and looked through the mosaic pattern of the windshield to find her quarry.
"Where's Claire", she growled.
Phil groaned and rolled onto his back. He was bleeding from his head.
Mandy stomped over to him.
"Where's Claire", she repeated angrily.
Phil coughed.
"I don't know. I was on my way to meet her at Endsville Imperial Lodge but I don't know where she is right now. I have no idea what's going on, I'm just doing what I'm told.
"Worm", Will muttered.
"Why did Claire have me kidnapped?", Mandy demanded.
"So Krystal could never get to you. Claire didn't want her to get you back."
Phil suddenly covered his mouth as though he said something he shouldn't have.
"What do you mean?"
Phil remained silent.
Will walked over and stood over him menacingly.
"I think it's time you told her the truth. Don't you?"
Phil relented and sighed.
"Mandy we aren't your real parents."
Mandy froze her mind completely blown by what she just heard.
"What?"
Bunny Blossom and Ferratus walked along the sidewalk, the Utonium home was already is sight.
Blossom's mind was a maelstrom of conflicting loyalties. While she believe she was doing the right thing her parents were supposed to know what was best for them. So how did she know they were wrong about what they wanted for Buttercup?
She shook her head. No after what Mandy told them she knew Buttercup was in Danger and it was most likely that her parents had been tricked somehow. She would just explain it properly and everything as far as the family went would be solved peacefully.
"You nervous?", Bunny asked her.
Blossom met her sister's gaze. Bunny's deep violet eyes were looking at her with concern. They were also very calm, not a hint of excitement showed in the undisturbed violet pools that stared at her.
Blossom swallowed.
"Yeah, a lot of conflicting emotions."
Bunny chuckled.
"Yeah that's expected. Rookie jitters we call em. Or at least it amounts to the same thing."
Blossom fiddled with her fingers as her home drew nearer. She couldn't help herself. It felt like she was being taken to court for a hearing that would determine which way her life went from here on out. In a way she supposed that's what it was.
As she turned onto the path up to the front door Ferratus went ahead of them clicking and chattering excitedly knowing they had reached their destination.
"Behave yourself Ferratus", Bunny said in a mother like tone."
Ferratus made a low chattering sound and simply knocked on the door.
"They're probably still at work", Blossom said.
Bunny shook her head.
"Oh no they'd be much to full of nerves to work. They'll be hiding here."
They waited for a while but there was no answer.
"I guess they're not here after all." Blossom said.
Bunny frowned and examined the walls on either side of the door.
"Tell me Blossom. Is there supposed to be armored plate covering the windows?"
Blossom looked at the windows and saw that behind the glass were armored panels she remembered helping install when the house was being built.
"They put the house in lockdown", she groaned. "We'll never get in now."
"We'll see", Bunny said calmly. "Have a look around Ferratus."
Ferratus obeyed and moved off around the perimeter of the house while Bunny and Blossom remained at the door.
Then a screen popped out of a hidden panel above the door and faced them. The screen activated and the Professor appeared.
"Blossom, what are you doing out of school?"
Blossom froze for a moment like a cornered animal. She quickly calmed herself and told the truth.
"I told them that there was a family emergency and I had to go. I think that's a reasonable assessment when your sister's been kidnapped."
The Professor shook his head.
"She had not been kidnapped I sent her to-"
"She is an independent", Bunny interrupted. "You are no longer her guardian so you did not have the legal authority to send her anywhere she didn't want to go. That makes you an accomplice or maybe even the mastermind behind the abduction. A criminal."
The last word struck deep. After raising three crime fighting daughters teaching them right from wrong was he going to be made a criminal?
"It's not too late", Bunny told him. "You still have a chance to correct this."
The Professor paused. He seemed to be considering what she was saying.
"But how do I know that you're not deceiving me? They told me a lot of things about you: like killing thousands of defenseless refugees."
"They were not refugees!", Bunny argued. "They were murderers! They attacked us first, we did what we had to do!"
"Bunny calm down."
Now it was Blossom being the calm one. Bunny's eye had gone from calm pools to raging storms of violet fire. Her fists were white knuckled and her gaze was so full of hate and anger it made Blossom shiver. Yet despite it all she still seemed to be restraining herself.
Suddenly the whole house began to shake and vibrate causing tremors in the ground as well.
"Ferratus!", Bunny called.
The giant scorpion came running from behind the house to where they stood as the violence of the shaking reached its height.
The distinct noise of breaking metal was heard beyond the door and then there was a loud clang.
Bunny looked thoughtful.
"Blossom can you unlock the door?"
Blossom was puzzled by the request since there was an armored door just behind it but she went up to the door and used her key to unlock then open it.
There they found the armored door lying on the floor having been shaken off its metal mountings.
"What's causing the shaking?", Blossom asked.
"Not sure but it's dying down now." No sooner did Bunny say that then the shaking stopped completely.
"Hunt Ferratus." Bunny commanded.
Ferratus clicked and began moving into the house swiveling left and right as he went. Seconds later he bolted for the basement with the two girls right behind him.
Once they reached the bottom they headed for the lab and saw the Professor and Margaret helping each other off the floor near a computer console adjacent the vault like door to the lab.
Blossom couldn't put her finger on it but something about the door looked off.
Suddenly there was a loud screeching noise as the door slowly opened but from the opposite side it was supposed to. Blossom realized that the door was no longer attached to its hinges, that's why it was dragging on the floor but that also meant someone was moving it.
Bubbles appeared from behind the door as she struggled to squeeze through the small gap she had managed to make between the still locked door and the frame.
"What was Bubbles doing locked up in the lab?" Blossom cried!
Bubbles finally managed to squeeze out and she fell on the cold metal floor exhausted.
"Bubbles!"
Blossom floor over to her sisters side and knelt next to her.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
Bubbles struggled to her feet and glared up at her parents with burning sapphire eyes. She leapt up and flew strait at the Professor grabbing him by the neck and hoisting him off the ground.
"Where is she?", she growled through gritted teeth. Her voice was hoarse and gravelly.
The blonde's eyes were filled with hatred fueled fury. She looked like another person, Blossom had never seen her so furious.
"I'm not going to let you kill them. Family isn't supposed to kill each other."
Tears started to flow down her cheeks but her eyes held not a glint of sadness. Only anger and disdain.
"I want to be an aunt", Bubbles continued. "If you don't want to be a grandfather than just stay away from them! Stay away from all of us!"
Bubbles words were dripping with venom as the searing hatred she felt impregnated every syllable.
"Bubble put him down!", Margaret cried.
"Shut up", Bubbles hissed. "Unless you know where she is."
The Professor was not impressed and despite the constriction of his throat managed to scold her.
"Young lady don't you dare-gurk."
Bubbles tightened her grip on his throat cutting him off.
"I'm not in the mood. Besides that you don't have a right to act like my father when you've taken the word of complete strangers over your own daughters!"
The Professor could only gag in response his windpipe severely restricted.
"John she's right!" Margaret said desperately. "How could we force our will on our own daughter? We're supposed to be supportive, not controlling!"
Margaret's epiphany seemed to calm Bubbles down enough that she let go of the Professor.
The Professor collapsed to the floor gasping for air his face purple from the lack of oxygen.
"But-gasp-Margaret after what they told us how could we do nothing?"
"You could have talked to Buttercup about it", Bunny interjected. "Communication is everything."
The Professor looked up at her angrily.
"I'm not going to be lectured by someone who keeps so many secrets."
Bunny shrugged.
"Keeping secrets is part of my job, and anyway we're getting off topic."
She walked closer and stood over him.
"Where is Buttercup?"
The Professor looked at the floor refusing to meet her piercing gaze.
Bunny snapped her fingers and Ferratus came up and put the Professors neck in his pincers.
Bunny leaned closer.
"I'm going to ask you one more time and only one more time before I start to get rough. "Where is Buttercup?"
The Professor glared back at her defiantly despite his neck being held by pincers that could snip it like a straw.
"Just one thing. Is it true that you plan to take her away? That we'll never see her again?"
Bunny paused for a moment and shrugged.
"Well Will has to go back home eventually and Buttercup's going with him if that's what you mean. As for whether or not you'll see her again that's up to her, but you haven't exactly scored a lot of brownie points with her as of late. I can't imagine her looking to favorably on those who try to kill her pups."
The Professor grimaced and seemed to concede Bunny's point.
"She's at the Endsville Imperial Lodge. I put a tracking device on her it's showing she's still there but it's very weak."
"Not surprising", Bunny said. "They're the kind who would have plans to deal with tracking devices." She nodded at Ferratus who let the Professor go.
"Well we've wasted enough time here let's get going. I'll send the info to everyone else."
"Wait!"
Bunny turned back to the Professor.
He stood up shakily and stared at her almost demandingly.
"I'm coming with you. I want to see the truth for myself."
Bunny shrugged.
"Suit yourself. We'll take your car then."
The Professor grimaced.
"Just one thing. Why did you kill those refugees or whatever they were. There were women and children! What made you kill all those people?"
Bunny paused for a moment to consider her answer or whether she would at all.
"Because they killed Mandy's father."
Mandy stood frozen in complete and utter shock at Phil's startling confession.
"I was adopted?"
Phil looked away guiltily.
"Well not exactly."
Mandy's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean not exactly?"
"We-well you see Clair's barren so us she couldn't give birth-"
"I know what barren means", Mandy growled. "Get to the point."
Phil swallowed.
"Well Krystal was pregnant and Claire knew that if she pushed her on the legal grounds that she was an improper mother- I mean at the time she was still a stripper-"
"Burlesque dancer!", Will snapped. "There's a difference."
For Mandy there was a far more significant reality, one that shook her to the core of her being.
"Aunt Krystal is m-my mother?"
Mandy's legs turned to jelly and Will had to hold her up. Her view on everything had changed. Her entire world was now dramatically different.
"Why? How?"
"Well bribing the Judge didn't hurt", Phil muttered bitterly. "Krystal didn't have any money for a lawyer so she agreed to a settlement."
"She would give up Mandy in return for visitation rights as Mandy's aunt", Will read out. His words were thick with disgust.
"Claire has a superiority complex", Phil said defensively.
"I noticed", Will said.
Mandy turned away and started walking back to the car.
"Let's get out of here", she croaked. She was struggling to hold back tears and she couldn't stop a few sniffles escaping.
Will joined her but she didn't even glance in his direction.
Will looked back at Phil who continued to drag himself further from the upturned car. He didn't bother asking for help, he knew he wouldn't get it.
They go into the car and Will backed them out of the alley and down the street.
Just seconds after they left the alley an explosion ripped through the air with flames and debris bursting out of the alleyway.
"That took longer than I thought", Will said.
Mandy narrowed her eyes at him.
"You knew that car was going to blow up!"
"Of course, aren't you familiar with that car?"
"It was the family car that took us from A to B. What difference does it make what car it is?"
Will shook his head.
"Typical female automotive ignorance."
He looked at her directly.
"That car was a Ford Pinto sport wagon. They have a tendency to catch fire and in the right conditions explode."
Mandy rolled her eyes.
"Whatever take me to Billy's I want to check on him before we go after Claire then we'll be able to find Buttercup."
The screen on the centre console lit up and a message appeared.
Will grinned.
"Looks like Buttercup might be in the same place. That makes things simpler.
"Then they're as good as dead."
"Only if we're quick", Will told her. "This won't be a long stop."
Soon they reached the house and pulled into the driveway.
Not wasting any time Mandy ran inside with Will following her.
"Billy?"
"In here Mandy", Grim called from the living room.
Mandy burst into the room and found Grim in a chair reading and Billy lying on the couch with his head bandaged.
Worried Mandy knelt beside him. She had no idea is injuries were so severe.
"He's got a mild concussion", Grim said. "Don't worry Mandy you know he'll bounce back."
"That was meant for me", she said quietly.
"He did his duty to protect you", Will assured her. "His duty to protect his offspring."
Mandy started to sniffle.
"I didn't even get a chance to tell him about the baby!"
"Billy will be fine, he isn't dying or anything", Will assured her. "But we have to go now or Claire might get away."
Mandy found herself torn between going after Claire and staying to care for Billy.
He did his duty to protect her and their children. Will's words echoed in her mind and she realized that her duty was also to protect her children and she firmly believed that the only way to fulfill that obligation was to find Claire. She knew that her daughter would never be safe as long as that woman lived.
"Grim stay here and look after Billy while we take care of things."
Grim waved his hand.
"Don't worry I'd rather be here than wherever it is you're goin."
Satisfied Mandy turned around and left with Will right behind her. They got back into the car and raced off to the lodge.
"We'll be fine without Grim", she said "I know you're plenty competent and-"
"You don't have to explain it", Will interrupted. "I understand perfectly."
Mandy looked down at her stomach.
"Did you know my father?"
Will sighed and nodded.
"Yes. You can be proud to be his daughter. His name was Maverick."
Mandy nodded remembering her cousins-no siblings. She had siblings.
"That makes sense. Did you know all along?"
"I suspected it after your mother came here. Then after considering Claire's behavior and your mothers I figured it had to be true. I could sense the way she felt about you. She loved you like a mother even when she was supposed to be pretending to be your aunt."
Mandy sighed.
"What do you think I should ask her."
Will shook his head.
"You can't be thinking about that now keep your mind focused on what's directly ahead."
Mandy inhaled deeply and relented calming herself.
"You're right all I need to worry about now it Claire and how I'm going to kill her."
Will smiled.
"That's the spirit."