1Parents of Circumstance

Chapter 12: The truth is scary

The morning sun coming through the window caused Mandy to wake up. She slowly opened her eyes using her hand to shield them from the intense light.

She sat up and then spotted her shirt and shorts on the floor. She suddenly realized that she was wearing only her pink silk underwear and that she'd been sleeping on the couch.

She looked again at her clothes sprawled on the floor as she tried to recall the events of last night. 'It must've been pretty intense to get those tight things off me', she thought with a smirk.

She came to a sudden realization, where was Billy?

Her question was answered by an enticing smell from the kitchen. She was suddenly hungry, so she got up and walked to the kitchen ignoring her scantily appearance.

Billy was in the kitchen making pancakes.

"Ahem."

Billy turned and saw a scantily clad Mandy leaning with one hand against the doorway and the other hand on her hip, looking very sexy.

"Since when could you properly cook?"

Billy smiled, feeling much more confident after last night, "I always knew how, I was just to stupid to put it into practice."

Mandy giggled.

Billy walked over to her, wrapped one arm around her and placed a hand on her abdomen, "Is baby hungry for pancakes?"

Mandy smiled, "baby's hungry period."

Billy laughed and pulled out a chair for her to sit and they both enjoyed an amazing breakfast.

Bubbles groaned and opened her eyes. She yawned and sat up, then-"yaaaaah."

Ferratus hissed and clicked his mandibles.

"It's not funny",she pouted.

Ferratus clicked again then hopped off the bed.

Bubbles rubbed the sleep from her eyes then snapped to as she realized she wasn't in her room, she was in Buttercup's.

Sighing she got up and went to the closet. The cocoon was still there, though excreting larger amounts of the milky liquid.

Something brushed her leg. She looked and saw Ferratus beside her, she smiled, "want breakfast?"

He clicked his claws twice.

Bubbles giggles and lead him downstairs.

Bubbles poured Ferratus the food Will had left yesterday. It smelled awful, but then most pet foods did.

As Ferratus began munching Blossom entered the kitchen in her pink full length pajamas.

"Morning Bloss", Bubbles greeted cheerfully.

"Morning", Blossom groaned.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Blossom shook her head, "I just have to much energy when I go to bed."

Bubbles shrugged, "have you tried exercising?"

Blossom sighed, "yeah, that only makes it worse, I get all wound up."

Bubbles tapped her chin thoughtfully, "have you thought about eating right before bed?"

Blossom gave her a strange look, "how's that gonna help?"

Bubbles grinned, "simple: digestion takes a lot of energy, haven't you noticed that right after you eat, you feel tired?"

Blossom looked thoughtful, "yeah."

Bubbles continued, "so if you eat right before you brush your teeth, and go to bed right after that then your body will be using so much energy to digest that you'll be tired."

Blossom was stunned, "that might work", she crossed her arms and smirked, "since when were you the smart one?"

Bubbles Shrugged, "I know things."

Blossom smirked then turned serious, "Buttercup?"

Bubbles saddened, "No change, except that it's leaking more of that milky stuff."

Blossom nodded, "I'll collect some samples and call dad later.

The both sighed and sat down to have a quiet breakfast.

Mandy put down her fork and sighed, "I'm full."

Billy looked at her, "about time."

Mandy shrugged, "It takes a lot of energy to grow a baby.

"Grim came into the room, "mhmmmmm, what smells so good-," Grim shielded his eyes, "Mandy I'm sorry, I didn't see anything I swear."

Mandy laughed, relax Grim, It's my fault", she got up, "I'm going to go change." She went over to Billy and kissed him on the cheek, "thanks for breakfast dear."

Billy gave a happy sigh as Mandy left the room.

Sensing it was safe, Grim unshielded his eyes, "ummm, those eggs for everybody?"

Billy nodded, "help yourself."

Upstairs Mandy was changing into a pink t-shirt and matching skirt. She was looking at herself in the mirror when she thought she heard the doorbell ring.

Billy looked up, "oh no, I forgot about Irwin!"

Grim also looked alarmed, having spent his life watching soap operas he had a good Idea of what might happen.

Billy ran to the door just in time for Irwin to open it.

"Oh, hey Billy," Irwin said, not judging Billy's presence as strange since he often spent the night or got there early, and he was jealous of him for it.

Mandy was coming down the stairs, "honey, who's at the door?"

Billy blushed, but Irwin hadn't heard what Mandy said, he was to mesmerized by her beauty.

Mandy stopped a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. She clutched her stomach and leaned against the wall, "oh no."

Irwin ran to the bottom of the stairs, "Mandy I am here to kiss you and make you better yo."

Mandy clutched her stomach tighter and grunted, "Irwin, leave."

Irwin crossed his arms, "not till your better yo."

Grim was watching from the kitchen as Billy came up behind Irwin.

Irwin felt someone behind him grab his shirt, lift him off the ground and carry him to the door.

"Billy, what are you doing yo?"

Billy stopped in front of the open door, "she said leave, so your leaving." Then Billy tossed him out of the house and closed the door.

Irwin quickly got up and ran to the door ringing the doorbell repeatedly, "I'm not leaving till Mandy confesses her love for me."

The door opened to reveal Billy.

"Uh", was all Irwin managed to say before Billy's fist collided with Irwin's face, causing him to fall flat on his back.

"Love hurts Irwin", Billy said as Irwin slipped into unconsciousness.

Billy went back inside and ran to Mandy's side, "you okay."

She nodded sleepily.

Billy picked her up, "Grim take Irwin home", and he carried her up the stairs to her room.

Grim went outside and zapped Irwin with his scythe, causing him to levitate off the ground. He chuckled to himself and walked to Irwin's house, Irwin floating behind him all the way.

Billy gently placed Mandy in her bed an pulled her covers over her shoulders. He kissed her forehead and left her to rest.

Mandy sighed happily, if he treated their child the same way he treated her then he would be a wonderful father. She closed her eyes and began to dream.

Bubbles and Blossom were sitting on the couch trying to think of what to do.

Blossom wanted to know why this was happening to Buttercup. If Will was responsible, then how and why. She grunted in frustration, if only she could talk to someone, an expert on things like this, things that were not supposed to be humanly possible.

Suddenly a lightbulb in her head turned on, "Bubbles", she exclaimed excitedly!

Bubbles jumped, "uh, what?

"You know Mandy and Billy's friend Grim right? Well if figure since he's the Grim Reaper and he's been around for thousands of years then he might know what's going on with Buttercup!"

Bubbles' face lit up, "yeah, you're right!

"Okay, I'm going to find them, you stay here, I'll be right back."

Will waited inside an old tool shed, he wasn't in Endsville anymore, he was in the black hills of South Dakota awaiting a message.

He looked at the display on his left arm, "right place and 3...2...1", the screen winked and a shadowed figure appeared on the screen.

"Hello Dray", the figure greeted, "it's been a while, you've had people worried."

Will grunted, "it's not like I left by choice."

The figure's antennae curved backward, "no but I still don't know why or who their trying to protect you from."

Will sighed, "so my parents are still alive.

"Yeah, I also got the "official" report stating they are dead, but it's a ruse to lure out whoever's after you." He sighed, "are you sure about this, you'll be going against orders?"

Will nodded, "they're the only ones that can help her.

"Okay, I'll call the others together, we'll move after dark", the screen winked out.

Will sighed, step one completed, 'now for a little recon. He left the shed, checking to make sure no one was around, then left.

Mandy woke up a few hours later, she stretched, got out of bed and walked downstairs.

Grim was watching his soap operas, "hello Mandy."

Mandy nodded, "where's Billy?"

Before he could answer Billy came in from the front door, "uh Mandy, your up?"

Mandy put her hands on her hips, "of corse. You didn't think I was going to sleep all day did you.", she asked with a raised eyebrow?

Billy tugged on his collar, "noooo.

"Good."

The doorbell rang. Bully turned around and opened the door, "Blossom?"

Grim turned off the t.v. and went to the door sensing something amiss, "child what's wrong?"

Blossom looked up at him, "something's happened to Buttercup."

Mandy came up behind Billy, "what?"

Blossom inhaled deeply, "she's in a cocoon."

Their eyes widened in shock, "a cocoon", they all said at once!

She nodded, "and I though you might be able to tell us more Grim."

Grim thought for a second, and nodded, "all right, I'll come."

Mandy ran to the closet and slipped on her shoes, "we're coming too."

"Blossom sighed, "okay come on", they left the house and walked to the Utonium home.

"So", Grim asked, "when did this happen?"

Blossom thought for a moment, "after I got home from school, I hadn't actually seen her since this morning."

Mandy spoke up, "I was visiting her and Bubbles this afternoon, she was in the middle of a feeding frenzy."

Grim nodded, " yeah that's typical prior to a metamorphosis."

Blossom grunted, "Bubbles said Will came before I got there."

Grim raised an eyebrow, "Will."

Blossom nodded.

"Before or after de cocoon."

Blossom sighed, "just before, and he knew about it too, he even said so to Bubbles", she said as they approached the front door.

Grim sighed, "then it's very likely that Will isn't human."

Billy groaned, "I knew it. Nobody we hand around with is normal."

Mandy giggled and followed the others into the house.

Blossom led them upstairs to Buttercup's room where bubbles was waiting for them.

Grim greeted her with a nod and moved closer to the closet, which was the only place in the room it could be.

Blossom sniffed the air, "it hardly smells anymore."

Billy tugged on his collar, "sure is hot though."

Grim grabbed the door handle and slowly opened it.

Billy and Mandy gasped, Grim was stunned, there it was, the cocoon.

Grim nervously approached it while Mandy latched onto Billy's arm, not out of fear, but of concern for her friend.

Grim put his hand near enough to feel the heat radiating from the cocoon.

Suddenly he was tackled and he his the floor hard.

Shacking off his momentary disorientation, he locked eyes with his attacker, a gigantic scorpion.

"Ferratus", Bubbles scolded, "get off of him, he's trying to help Buttercup!"

Slowly and reluctantly, Ferratus backed off, and Grim backed away.

"It's okay child", he said as he got to his feet, "dat's all I need to see."

Mandy scrutinized him, his voice was shaky, he was nervous about something.

Blossom approached him, "so what's going on."

Grim looked at her, his expression full of sorrow and sympathetic, "your sister is going through a transformation that I haven't seen in over three-hundred years."

They were all shocked, "what!"

Grim sighed, "this happened because she is pregnant with Will's child. She has to go through this change in order for the child to develop."

They gasped, "so then what is Will", Blossom asked?

Grim's face was dour, " he is known as the Red Dragon."

Mandy raised an eyebrow, "what?"

"He's one of the most dangerous beings on earth. He's killed hundreds, thousands of people, even children!" He glared at Ferratus, "I know it's Will cause that thing followed him around. I didn't recognize Will before cause I'm so used to seeing him drenched in the blood of his victims!"

Everyone's faces were white.

Grim looked down, "but there's the hope that he's changed, otherwise you'd probably be dead already. After all, Mandy changed and he can't be any worse than she was."

Mandy's shoulders sagged. Billy wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close than glared at Grim.

Grim sighed sadly, "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. The Buttercup you knew is dead. When she comes out of dat ting, she won't be the same." Having nothing else to say, he left.

Billy and Mandy gave the Puff's sympathetic looks then left after him.

Blossom and Bubbles simultaneously fell to their knees, saying nothing for several long minutes. Finally, Bubbles said, "I still trust him."

Blossom's gut told her that Will was okay, but her mind, her logical self was telling her to stop weeping and do something about the situation. But for now, all she could do was sit there and hope that Bubbles was right.

It was after dark, a full moon shone in the night sky full of stars, perfectly illuminating the complex Will was observing in the valley below. It had been made late in the cold war and was built to resist bomb and missile attacks. He could see the small flickers of fires in the distance behind it, the distraction.

He slumped against the rock he was hiding behind trying to calm himself. He heard a noise and Immediately turned to it's source.

"Hello Dray", a voice said.

He relaxed as the voices owner appeared, "Nice to see you again Phi(rhymes with high).

Phi was his cousin, William Mackenzie, for obvious reasons they had been nicknamed Dray and Phi respectively.

"I gotta say", Phi began, "I was pretty surprised when you told us why we had to do this.

"I didn't force you to help me, you could've gone with the others.

"And separate the Fire Twins, never." He sighed, you realize what your parents are going to say if we do this."

Dray sighed, " I have to do this, it's my duty."

Phi nodded, "I know, and because of who it involves I had to bring along a friend."

Dray looked past Phi and saw someone else step into the moonlight.

To say she was good looking was an understatement, she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her perfectly proportioned body was outlined by her purple body armor. Over her right breast was an emblem: a cartoon like bunny but with red angry eyes, vampire fangs, sickles for arms and it's feet had long claws and it's ears were blades. Her neat brown hair was in a ponytail. Her beautiful purple eyes reflected the moonlight and were filled with amusement.

She spoke, "well Dray it seems you've become to courageous for your own good."

Dray rolled his eyes and smiled, "nice to see you again too Bunny."


So finally got chapter 12 up. So now more is revealed about Will. And yes, that is Bunny, the sister the other puff's created in the show, but died. Her story will be explained later on. Quite a physical change though eh. Technically what Will is hasn't been revealed yet, but it will be soon. Next chapter you will se just how dangerous and deadly Will truly is.