Oh my gosh you guys, I am SO SO SO SO sorry for the late update! I was going to write last night, but my parents managed to get me to watch the first Austin Powers movie. We are going to watch the next two in the next couple of nights, so I have decided to get out the next chapter while I still can. I am still really sorry, I know you guys have probably been waiting forever! I guess in a way that's a good thing, but I'm still really sorry! I've completely butchered my reputation for fast updates. -_- ANYWAY, please please review! Reviews encourage me to keep writing, because they are just so awesome. :) Thanks for the people that DO review! Oh and, the longer the review…the better. ^_^

ENJOY MY LOVELY LITTLE LEMON DROPS (Yes, you are a lemon drop. Deal with it…ha ha).

OOO

(BUTCH POV)

My flower was so amazing in every way. And yet, she was also so aggravating. Maybe that is why I love her so much… I never planned on loving her, I swear… It just kind of happened.

We were sitting together; I was holding her against me tightly. Buttercup had her arms wrapped around my torso, and her eyes were closed. We just sat there, just soaking in each other's presence when…

"OH MY GOSH! BOOMER!"

Buttercup was at her feet in a split second after hearing her blond sister's scream. I stood up quickly, frowning. I took one look at Buttercup; our eyes meeting each other's. Then at the same time, we both ran off towards camp.

We were almost at Boomer's tent, when we saw Brick and Blossom also running towards it.

"What happened?" Blossom asked wide eyed.

I shook my head, "I shan't know, we should hurry and find out."

We all nodded, and ran to Boomer's tent.

When we got there, it was a mess. His few items were scattered across the tent, and a few of them were broken. What we all noticed first, however, was Bubbles and Boomer.

Boomer was sitting down on the ground, and from his position it was obvious he either fell, or he was pushed. Bubbles was in his arms, clutching him to her. She was sobbing very heavily, grabbing his shirt tightly.

"What happened?" Brick asked in his 'I'm-leader-so-I-have-to-say-something' voice.

Boomer looked us Brick, then at me. His face was pale, and yet his cheeks were flushed. He looked like how someone would look after three hours of vigorous training, on their first day. Sick. Except I knew he wasn't sick…no…I've seen sick. It was slightly different. His blue eyes were dark, and they were wide open. He was holding Bubbles in a tight, protective way. Almost like she had almost been killed, and it was his fault.

I knew that look.

I took one glance at Buttercup, and saw her staring at me. I quickly turned back to Boomer, but that short glance was more than enough to know what she was thinking. She was thinking the exact same thing I was. I had recognized the look on Boomer's face, and so had she…

It was the look I would get when someone had made me so unbearably angry, that I actually wanted to kill that person. I knew Buttercup recognized it too, because I knew she would get that feeling too. We rarely ever got it, but when we did…we were probably the most deadly thing alive.

"Boomer," I said in a low monotone. "What happened?"

Boomer held Bubbles tighter, "Why don't you ask him?"

We all turned to what Boomer was glancing at, and saw a shadow.

I managed to outline a man's figure, and automatically pulled out my scythe. I noticed Brick's hands catching on fire out of the corner of my eye, making me smirk. If Brick got angry, then that guy would be toast. Literally. Blossom's hands froze over, which normally would have been pretty creepy. I mean, how would someone react when they saw someone else's hands turn blue and freeze over? Probably badly. Buttercup pulled out an arrow, and had it aimed at the shadow in a flash. Good Lord I loved her…

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Brick asked angrily.

"I am your worst enemy," the shadow said. "I shall slay you all, lest the war be over so soon due to love…"

"You wish for the war to continue?" Blossom asked angrily. "That is barbaric!"

"Maybe…or maybe it's just my job to keep things how they should be."

I frowned at that… What did he mean by 'keeping things how they should be'?

Bubbles cried harder, and Boomer held her tightly.

"What did you inflict upon them?" I yelled at the shadow furiously.

What? I was protective over my brother alright?

The figure stepped forward slightly, "Hardly anything, in comparison to what shall be inflicted on you."

I raise my scythe, "You just attempt that, and then realize what should happen if you do."

Then the shadow threw something towards me. I hardly had time to react, when a sharp pain hit the right side of my neck. I dropped my scythe, and placed my hand over my neck in surprise. I felt unusual warmth there, and pulled my hand away to see that it was covered in blood. My blood.

I started to feel a little light headed, and fell to the ground.

I only heard one word before I blacked out:

"BUTCH!"

OOO

(Buttercup POV)

I was at Butch's side in an instant. I felt for a pulse, and thanked the Lord that there was one. I looked at his neck, and saw a deep gash there. It was bleeding, but that wasn't what bothered me. Around the scar, his neck was turning purple; a deep, dark…unnatural purple. I looked at something shiny a few feet away from us, and I felt my heart stop.

A shurikan.

I was up in a second, and in another I had the figure pinned against the ground. I held a dagger against the figure's neck, while I straddle him to where he couldn't escape. When I saw his face I gasped.

His hair was jet black, and combed back neatly into a short ponytail. His eyes were a dark brown, and his eyelashes were long. He was wearing a dark black HellionHero suit, along with a black headband going around his forehead. I might not have recognized him if it weren't for his unusually green skin, and pointed teeth.

His eyes were wide with surprise when he saw me, but he slowly smirked, "Well well well…shan't I ever recognize you from afar, Buttercup?"

I swallowed away the lump in my throat, "Ace…"

He laughed softly, and caressed my cheek in an almost loving way, "Ah Buttercup, whilst you please remove yourself from I? I realize you wish to be with me, but it is far from the proper time…"

I growled at him and put the dagger back in its proper place; on his neck.

"Where is the antidote?" I growled at him.

"Buttercup…who is this?" I heard Blossom asked behind me. "Just…just bring him forward, so we shall capture him and such-"

"QUIET!" I yelled behind me angrily, making everyone flinch. "WHERE IS THE ANTIDOTE?"

"For what?" Ace asked innocently.

"For your stupid poisoned SHURIKAN!" I screamed angrily. "And do not say you shan't have it, lest I kill you…"

"You would not kill me," Ace said calmly. "We have far to much history together…"

"Exactly, and history it shall stay," I said angrily. "Now bring forth the antidote, or I SHALL kill you!"

"You have attempted at killing me before, Buttercup," Ace said smoothly. "And each time you have failed, because you could not do it."

I swallowed angrily, "Just give me the antidote, and I shall not kill you."

He smirked, "I carry not an antidote. I do not wish for myself to die, then a victim be cured by another who discovered an antidote in my pocket."

I could tell when Ace was lying, because I had known him for so long. He had not changed since I last saw him. He looked the same, he acted the same…etc. I still knew when he was lying…

…and he wasn't.

I pulled away, feeling my throat choke up in despair for the second time that day. Tears started to fog my vision, but I blinked them away. I could not…I WOULD not cry in front of that git.

"Buttercup…Butch's neck is almost completely purple! What is wrong with him?" Blossom asked in surprise, worry, and complete and utter confusion.

"That Shurikan was poisoned," I said slowly. "He will probably be dead in an hour…"

"WHAT?" Brick screamed in anger.

I turned to see Boomer still holding Bubbles. Bubbles was started towards me in shock, and Boomer was looking at Butch in complete anguish.

"You. Bastard!" Brick screamed before lunging at Ace.

"NO STOP!" I screamed trying to pry Brick off of Ace.

"WHY? ARE YOU IN CAHOOTS WITH THIS GIT?" Brick screamed angrily.

"Not anymore," I whispered in shame. "But he may know where the cure is."

"I assure you, I have no earthly idea," Ace said. "I did not even realize there was a cure."

Then a bright idea popped in my head.

"Ace, when I was poisoned…what did you do to save me?" I asked.

"You were poisoned?" Bubbles asked in shock.

I waved it off, still staring at Ace.

"Why should I enlighten you?" Ace asked me raising an eyebrow.

"ANSWER ME YOU GIT, OR I SHALL SLAY YOU, AND EVERY MEMBER OF YOUR LITTLE GROUP!" I screamed.

"They were once your group too," I heard Ace say quietly, but flinched in fear nonetheless. "Alright…you were not poisoned as long as that guy is. The poison barely had time to run under your skin before I acted."

"Ace…What. Did. You. DO?" I asked angrily again.

"I sucked it out," he said simply. "And it tasted vile, I can assure you."

I rushed over to Butch, and looked at his neck. It was extremely purple; the color almost reached his ears. The wound had already scabbed over, which worried me for a moment. I pulled out my dagger, and managed to force myself to cut it off. Then I leaned down and started to suck out the poison from his neck.

After about a minute, I pulled away and saw that the purple was completely gone. All that was left was a gash in his neck.

"Blossom…can you put a bandage there?" I asked.

She nodded, and ran out to get a bandage.

Butch stirred, his eyebrows knitting together, "W-what happened?"

Then he jumped up into a sitting position, breathing hard, "WHERE IS THAT BASTARD? I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL-"

"Butch, relax," I said grabbing his shoulders. "It's been somewhat taken care of."

I turned to Ace, who was standing there. His hands were behind his back, and Brick held them there.

"We shan't let him go Brick," I said frowning. "He will just return. If he is the 'anonymous' person, then we should take him prisoner."

Brick nodded, "Come on you git."

He and Boomer pulled Ace out of the tent to be tied up somewhere.

I turned to Butch, who was obviously confused.

"Buttercup, I DEMAND an explanation!" Butch said angrily.

I grabbed his face and kissed him, "Something tells me I shall have to explain much later, so let's leave it at that."

Then I walked out of the tent.

Butch followed and I heard Bubbles confused and angry voice in the tent, "Wait…YOU WERE POISONED?"

OOO

TELL ME WHAT YA THINK! :) Thank you guys for reading this, and please please PLEASE review! And I swear that I will include Lilly, 'Bloating Pumpkins', and a rabid squirrel eventually! So anyway...um…yeah…