I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter Twenty: If There's a Will, A Way

A chorus of gasps filled the late-night air. The princes gasped loudly and scrambled on their backs. The weight of falling back into physical forms was akin to falling to earth. It was painful and left them disorientated.

When Boomer was able to catch his breath he turned to Bubbles, his blue eyes stormy with fear and anger at what just happened. He reached for her and tightly gripped the tops of her arms as he glared into her still slightly clouded eyes.

"What happened? You said there would be no risk!" He shook her slightly, backing off when a blue whip of magic cut across his chest. He fell against the stone floor, holding a hand to his chest where the pain radiated.

Bubbles pressed her fingers into her temples. She glared at Boomer through the pain and proceeded to stand up, wobbling unbalanced for a moment. "We never said there wasn't any risk. All magic has risk."

"But what in the hell happened? How did Sedusa break in like she did?" Boomer continued to yell, looking for answers.

Brick helped Blossom to stand before turning to his brother with a tired and irritated stare. "Boomer, calm yourself."

Stormy blue met simmering red in a small battle of wills. The yellow-haired prince's fear won out as he stood in challenge to his brother. The elder gently eased Blossom behind him as he exhaled a thin trail of smoke in disapproval. "Calm? Calm! How do you expect me to stay calm when there was a breach in our defenses?"

"Sedusa is older and isn't relying on a grimoire for spells." Blossom cut in, moving from around Brick to face off with his brother. "There are things that she can do, that we aren't able to fathom because of her experienced knowledge."

Boomer's chest swelled with indignation. "What about your sister? This isn't the first time that we've seen her overcome by that witch! How do you expect to keep her out?"

Another blue whip of magic struck Boomer, this time at the back of his head. He spun around to face a red-faced Bubbles, her eyes glowing with magic and righteous anger. "This is a battle my sisters and I have been fighting for over five years now! You will hold your damned tongue and not speak to us that way!"

Blue magic whipped around her clenched fists. Boomer was prepared to take a step in her direction when Bubbles rose her hands to fight.

"Enough!" A chilling wind blew around them, killing the rising ire between the witches and the princes. Blossom waved her hand to send a wind to douse the still smoldering embers in the bowl. "This isn't going to help Buttercup or Butch."

"I directed Butch to Townsend, where he can regroup with Mac. They should return in four days' time." Brick informed them.

"Four days?" Bubbles gasped, before looking to Blossom in worry.

Blossom sighed, her own worry palpable. "I don't like it anymore than you do, but that's the best we can hope for. At least then, they won't be alone."

Bubbles bit her lip before moving past them to leave the open space of the roof. Blossom was quick to follow her, but not without an icy glare at Boomer.

Brick turned to his brother and shook his head. "You truly are an idiot, brother."

"Me?"

"We're all worried. It's even all right to be scared. However, do not take your anger out on them." Brick warned.

Boomer looked to start a protest but stopped when Brick laid a hard look on him. He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "Can you honestly tell me that you were not the littlest bit frightened by what just happened?"

"Of course, I was frightened. I thought we'd lose Buttercup and Blossom in one fell swoop." Brick put out. "But we can't afford to show fear in moments when we need to hold together." He then thought back to how Butch held his own composure while he and Boomer reacted. Butch had held his own and proven himself very capable.

"Then what are you supposing we do?"

Brick looked out over the lands that he would rule, but not without his brothers at his sides. "We'll regroup when Butch returns. We need to know what else he knows about the Gang Green Gang."

Boomer nodded his head and began to leave the roof. Brick caught his arm, stopping his retreat. "What?"

"Apologize to Bubbles and Blossom."

"What?"

"Do as I ask." Brick told him gently, but firmly before releasing him.

The elder prince left his younger brother on the roof a bit dumbfounded. It was short lived as he knew that he had been in the wrong. Even as a mind reader he forgot to be considerate of those around him. Bubbles was the last one that he wanted to offend, but he'd gone and done just that. He felt the largest ass in the world now.

Running his hand through his hair, he left the roof with the hopes of seeking out Bubbles. He knew he had to apologize to both girls, but he wanted to find Bubbles on her own. She was one that needed his apology the most. They were growing closer, but today has a setback of he ever felt one. He had to make things right with her.

Taking his time to find her, Boomer put together his thoughts and what he wanted to say to Bubbles. He'd built up his nerve, only for it to be blown away when he found her with tears in her eyes in their self-claimed spell room. The feelings of regret and remorse flooded him and alerted Bubbles to his presence and she'd opened the door before he had a chance to knock.

"What do you want?" she demanded, overwhelmed by today's events and the storm of emotions that the present prince brewed in her.

Boomer clenched his fists at his sides, before dropping his head. "I—I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? About what, because there are a number of things I believe you should be sorry for." Bubbles spoke in a voice that quivered. She dragged the back of her hand across her face to wipe the tears away.

Boomer couldn't deny that was the truth. "A number of things. First being how I recently just spoke to you and Blossom. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. It's just that—."

"You're scared. I know. Still, it's no excuse for how you spoke to me." She wanted to say more but didn't. She threw a wall up around her mind to protect her thoughts from the probing mind of Boomer.

"Bubbles." Boomer sighed when he felt the wall block him out.

"No!" she yelled out pointing a finger in his face. "After how you've acted like an utter ass to me, you don't get a right to be in my mind."

Something within Boomer broke at the idea of not being able to read Bubbles mind. In the previous days to now, he'd enjoyed looking through her mind. Being entwined with her mind. Being blocked now left him cold and hollow. Boomer placed a hand over his chest at the pain of his bleeding heart.

A lump formed in Bubbles' throat, in which she had difficulty swallowing. More tears welled in her eyes and she tried her hardest not to make them fall. The heartache she felt from Boomer forced her to cut herself off from him. The moment she did, she was drowned in her own sorrow.

The worst of it was that when she looked at Boomer she didn't need her empathetic abilities to read the pain she saw there. She then closed the door and braced her forehead against the wood of the door. The tears ran hot down her face in salty trails of anguish. She'd come to care about Boomer, and it cut her deeply in the heart that they'd let fear wedge itself between them.

On the other side of the door, Boomer felt his heart clench. Turning on his heel, he went up to his room. His mind and heart were heavy with remorse for the failing relationship with Bubbles and worry for his brother and her sister. Too much had happened in so little time, and he was struggling to keep up.

Brick and Blossom heard the slam of one of the doors from their place in Brick's bed. The two had retreated to his room, where they'd indulged in lying beside one another. Brick had abandoned his clothes as did Blossom and the two simply enjoyed the feel of one another's skin against the others. They shared in whispered conversation before having their small peace broken.

With their hands clasped in the air between them, Brick tickled her palm with his thumb. "I don't believe the apology went well." Brick murmured to Blossom.

"Don't fault him too much. In that moment Sedusa broke through, I myself was afraid." Blossom whispered.

Brick's arm underneath Blossom's naked form pulled her closer. "I felt the same. When you were struck down…" he shuddered as the memory washed over him. "…I feared for you."

Twisting their entwined hands so she could kiss his large one, Blossom held tight to him. "I'm going to figure out how to save my sister. I'll look through the grimoire in the morning for anything I might've missed."

"You've gone through that book more times than I can count. I believe you would've found something by now, wouldn't you?" Brick wondered.

"I just have to be sure that no stone is left unturned." She yawned against his hand and snuggled into his warm chest.

Brick pulled her cool body to his and welcomed the soothing chill. "It's late. As much as I'd rather lose myself in you, we should sleep."

A drowsy chuckle brushed against his chest. "Hmmm." She fell asleep not long after, breathing soft breaths against his skin, raising gooseflesh. It put him as ease and he fell asleep soon after.

The morning sun warmed Buttercup's back, waking her up. Groaning softly, she nuzzled her face into what she believed was the rough blanket below her. Her nose was filled with the scent of male musk and dog. Slowly opening her eyes, she was met with flesh and a smattering of dark hair across the chest. It rose and fell in deep even breaths. Tilting her head upwards, she caught the underside on Butch's bearded chin and his relaxed sleeping face.

She tried to sit up but was prevented by Butch's arms wrapped securely around her. With his moment, she came to realize that they both were naked. Slight panic began to set in before the events of the previous night flashed through her mind. The visit with her sisters and the other princes. Sedusa breaking through their spell. Waking up to Butch breathing just as heavily as she was. The kiss that ignited everything between them.

She could still taste Butch's lips on her own. Feel the tight grip of his hands over her body. The slide of his swollen flesh against and within her. Just the thought of it had Buttercup clenching her legs together against Butch's. Against his touch, he shifted and she gasped at the twitching movement of his cock. She tried to moving again, stirring a low rumbling from the wolf prince beneath her.

Freezing in placing, the ravenette witch watched and felt as Butch awoke. His body rippled beneath hers as he shook out his muscles and coaxed them awake. When his eyes opened, he turned to look at the shining jade green eyes of Buttercup. Raising a hand to her face, he gently ran his fingers over her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed as she fell into his hand.

"Open your eyes." He whispered in the serene morning. When she did, Butch released the breath he'd been holding. "I always want to see these eyes."

Hearing him say that, caused a rush of tears to swell in her eyes and spill over. "By the moon, I need to stop crying."

Butch chuckled softly as he sat up, revealing more of his chest and naked body to her. He took small pleasure in seeing her face flare like a virgin's would at the sight of his body. Without a hint of modesty, he stood up and stretched again, feeling stronger. Better than he did the night before falling asleep. Risking a chance, he dropped to all fours and shifted. Rather than the large wolf came the transformation he underwent when defending Townsend. He was the human wolf hybrid with his fur shining beautifully in the morning light. When he released his transformation, he turned fully to face Buttercup.

"How? I thought—."

Buttercup wrapped her arms around herself, holding the blanket close to her form. The final thing she remembered from the night before was the spell she whispered to Butch and the flow of power between them. "Last night. When we…mated…magic passed between us."

Worry crossed Butch's face. She'd said that transferring magic would weaken one of them, but as far as he could tell nothing was wrong. He was distracted when Buttercup reached for her clothes. More of her skin was revealed and a carnal hunger struck him. Restraint was not his strong suit, so when a growl of need rumbled in the air, Buttercup's eyes flickered to his and she inhaled sharply.

With her senses back to what they were, she was able to smell the rising desire in Butch. It sparked her own, but she couldn't allow them to indulge like they did last night. "Don't we need to hurry back to the castle?"

Her saying that broke through the fog of desire swirling around Butch. They weren't safe exposed as they were. Last night was further proof of that as Sedusa invaded…whatever the hell that was last night. It felt too real to be a dream, but too otherworldly at the same time. Brick's rushed instructions to him were to get to Townsend.

"Yes, but first we stop in Townsend."

Pausing in her dressing she looked to Butch with a furrowed brow. "Townsend? Why there?"

"Brick informed me that Mac was there. I remember him leaving with a group of soldiers." Butch told her as he dressed. "It would be to our advantage to travel back to the castle with them. The Gang Green Gang most definitely will be keeping an eye out for couples on the road."

"Sedusa isn't going to allow us traveling with a group to dissuade her." Buttercup answered back as she dressed.

Gathering up their blankets, Butch tried to discreetly to inhale the lingering scent of their mating. If was concentrated on one singular spot, a mixture of his seed and her arousal. It was a heady scent that was a natural aphrodisiac. That would have to sustain him until he could have her again—hopefully within the sanctuary of his bedroom.

The morning was long as the two traveled under the cover of the forest to reach Townsend. They remained silent letting only the crunching of the occasional apple pass between them.

"Will you take Noir back when we arrive in Townsend?" Butch asked, simply for a reason to not suffer in silence.

Buttercup frowned as she thought about what Noir would think when they say another again. He was very jealous and didn't care much for Butch. However, she had to think about what was best. John needed protection, and she trusted only Noir to fulfil the task. Still, in the few days she'd been parted from him, she'd missed him greatly.

"No. John needs him more than I do." It was a neutral answer, but her voice belayed her sorrow about her out of reach companion.

Butch stretched out his hand to place a comforting hand on her shoulder when Buttercup quickly evaded. His hand clenched around empty air and he sighed. "I can protect you."

"I know. It's just…Noir has always been with me." Buttercup said as she broke though the brush ahead of Butch.

Her sadness burned his nose, but he silently followed after her. Maybe he could allow her a brief visit with the cat familiar before returning to the castle.

The soldiers were standing in the hard unsure of how to proceed. Mac had gone inside the house of the odd inventor, but their entrance was halted by a black cat with glaring green eyes. Whenever any one of them attempted to move past him, the air shimmered around him and a growl sounded. What worried them was that the growl was much to deep and loud for a creature of his size.

"What should we do?" one soldier asked.

"Wasn't that the cat the princes' wards had with them?" another questioned.

A shrug rose on that, but none of them could be for certain. "I don't know, but he is a strange one. He isn't allowing us to pass."

One soldier who was braver than the others stepped forward and unsheathed his sword. He wasn't afraid of a cat and thought it foolish that the others would be so unnerved by it. Noir narrowed his eyes at the arrogant man before him. His hackles rose in challenge. When the sword was thrust into his face, he didn't flinch. His ears flattened against his head and his body tensed for his attack.

The soldier chuckled to hide his discomfort at the stony appearance of the cat. "He's not so—ahh!"

The moment he'd turned his head to face his men, Noir pounced on him. In movements too quick to follow, Noir ran his claws against the cheek of the soldier, before running down his body and clawing him along the way. When he was on the ground again, he turned and seemed to smirk as the others laughed at the fallen soldier. He returned to his place in the doorway. He'd just barely began to sit when the soldier began to chase after him. Noir ran between the other soldiers, leading the other soldier in circles.

Riotous laughter could be heard from outside, drawing the attention of Mac and John. "Sounds like Noir is having fun."

Mac turned back to the inventor and held his cup in between his hands. "I must apologize to you for the inconvenience we've been."

"It's no inconvenience. Seems I'm very popular as of late." John commented. "First a strange woman saying she's looking for her daughter. Then the girl I was told was the woman's daughter arrives and leaves her cat behind. Then you." The inventor stood up and went to the window where he could see Noir playing with the other soldiers outside.

Mac watched him compassionately. He'd heard from the princes that he'd had to have his memories wiped. In fact, the entire village lost their memories of the girls. When he went to visit Gabrielle, he was greatly surprised that she remembered him and the princes. He'd felt guilty for being remembered when the girls could not.

Suddenly a rather loud yowl broke out and had the inventor running outside. Mac ran outside to see what the trouble was, and honestly feared for his life. Before him, Noir's hackles were risen high and the fur on the back of his neck stood on end. Looking him over, Mac could see his tall bent at an odd angle. It was easy to guess what happened.

"Noir!" Mac called out, hoping beyond hope that the cat wouldn't transform and attack.

The swirls of green magic unseen by the men around him had just begun his change when the wind blew and with it a scent that aggravated and soothed him. Sprinting into a leap onto his shoulder and then past him, Noir ran into the tree line.

"Noir!" his lady gasped as he leapt into her arms and rubbed himself into her skin. She smelled intimately of dog and he didn't like it. When he glanced at the mutt in question, he couldn't help the hiss that escaped his mouth.

Butch knowing exactly why Noir was acting this way scoffed a smug laugh.

Buttercup looked between her former companion and the one set to protect her now. "Don't tease him."

"I didn't say anything." Butch innocently answered as he turned his mischievous eyes to Buttercup.

"You didn't have to." Buttercup retorted as she broke the tree line and went to step into the clearing leading to her old home.

Everyone was surprised to see a young woman walking from the trees. The soldiers were even more so when they recognized their second prince emerging from behind her.

"My prince."

Butch raised a hand to set them at ease, before walking up to Mac. "It's good to see you."

"Should I ask how you came here from the south?" Mac spoke lowly to him.

Butch shared a significant look with him. It spoke of a sensitive conversation that was best held within closed walls. Mac nodded just the slightest bit in acknowledgement. "How long have you all rested?"

"We only just arrived here this afternoon." Mac answered.

Butch looked at the soldiers giving them a quick once over. Aside from one soldier that obviously had an encounter with Noir, the lot before him appeared ready for travel. When he looked to Buttercup, she found her nuzzling Noir. The sight of that shouldn't have made him jealous, but his possessive animal side made it near impossible not to. Noir was getting his cat scent all over Buttercup to cover his. No matter, the moment he got back to the castle he'd get his scent all over her.

"After Buttercup sits with John for a while, we're leaving. I don't care it's day or night. We're getting back to the castle as soon as we can."

"What happened?"

The wolf prince growled lowly in his throat, causing Mac to step back in self-preservation. He noticed the commoner's clothes that his prince was wearing and the dress that he would never have imagined seeing Buttercup wear. He'd get the full details later he was sure, but for now he'd make sure his men rested and ready for anything that came their way.

"I'll stay near if you need me." Mac told him preparing to bow as they were around others.

Butch prevented him with a raised hand. "Out here, you're my friend. Not my knight."

Mac smiled wanly. "Right."

"Why don't you go to that inn we were in last time we came? Visit that pretty curly haired girl." Butch smirked at him.

A blush crossed Mac's face as he looked away from the prince. "I have. I did. She's…she's…well…" he fell over his words before falling silent. "She's their friend, yet she doesn't remember them. But she remembers me."

Frowning, Butch glanced at Buttercup as she stood apart from everyone. John noticed Buttercup standing on her own and made his way to her. Placing a hand on her back, she startled but didn't retreat from him.

"I thought John didn't remember her either." Butch watched as John smiled and spoke with her.

Mac shrugged in answer, as he couldn't explain it either. He figured it had something to do with how close they used to be. "He seems happy."

"She does too." Butch took in how she smiled a real smile. He'd make her smile at him like that one day.

Buttercup took her time in speaking with John, leaving Mac and Butch to go into Townsend for provisions for their journey back. Leo was speaking with Gabrielle when the two of them noticed Butch and Mac make their way to the fruit stand. Leo greeted them, all the while unable to keep his eyes off Butch. Having been in the company of Henry, Butch was able to recognize the signs of his flirting.

Mac chuckled before coming face to face to Gabrielle. "I almost feel sorry for your friend. Leo won't release him so quickly."

"Uh-uh-uh…he'll…he will…be fine." Mac stammered over his words.

"You're just as sigh as the last I met you." Gabrielle giggled. "I thought knights were supposed to be brave."

Mac couldn't stop the blush if he wanted too. "We—we—we are. I am. I am brave."

Gabrielle giggled at his stutter, making Mac smile. Butch and Leo watched with mild interest. He turned back only to freeze slightly when he caught the scent of someone familiar. Without turning his head, he looked from the corner of his eye to a man with his hair pulled back into a tail at his nape, well-worn traveler's clothes and a face aged from constant exposure to the elements. It was a time like this that made being a wolf worth it.

The face was unfamiliar, as was the body, but somethings couldn't be concealed. Such as scent, and body language. The arrogance of which the man held himself was a detail that Butch wouldn't forget. He'd seen it once before, as he held Buttercup against his body while Butch stood impotently on the other side of a magical barrier.

What are you up to? He thought as he narrowed his eyes. In that moment he made a rash decision that he'd later evaluate for its disadvantages or advantages. Turning to Mac and Gabrielle, he clapped a hand over the young knight's shoulder. "Mac, did you tell her about the ball that's coming up at the castle in a month's time?"

Startled as he was, Mac couldn't comprehend what he was being asked. Also, he was under the impression that discretion was key. Therefore, why was he risking exposure?

"A ball at a castle? For a common girl like me?" Gabrielle chuckled to herself before folding her arms in disbelief. "Who are you trying to fool?"

Hopefully the idiot in disguise standing not too far behind us at the stand pretending to peddle for a young maiden's attention. "The ball is a most wondrous event. Mac would be honored to have you as his companion for the night."

Mac looked between Butch and Gabrielle trying to see what his ploy was. "U-u-uh…wait. What?"

Butch turned his charming smile onto Gabrielle. "Would you join him? He'd as himself, but Mac is much to shy to ask the most beautiful girl he's ever seen himself."

"Butch!" Mac hissed, a furious blush crossing his cheeks. He spared a quick glance at Gabrielle before dropping his gaze.

Gabrielle looked at Mac's companion intently before sudden realization spread over her face. Looking at Butch her eyes widened as her jaw dropped. "You…you're—." She began to bow when Butch stopped her with a single finger to his lips.

"Say you'll come to the ball." Butch coaxed gently.

Unable to speak, Gabrielle could do nothing but nod her head. She looked at Mac who gave her a sheepish smile and chuckled incredulously in return.

"We'll send a carriage for you in three weeks." Butch spoke just loud enough to be heard if one were to listen carefully.

Butch patted Mac on the back, before returning to entertain Leo. With a quick glance too quick for anyone to notice, the wolf prince saw the man leave from his place. He tried to keep his pace to that of a stroll, but he moved just a bit too quick. With a sly smile, he watched as his unknowing messenger go.

"You seem plenty pleased with yourself." Leo noticed as he finished packaging the fresh produce into a nice bundle.

The smile on Butch's face grew while his eyes danced mischievously.

Shaking off the glamour as he walked, Ace couldn't believe his luck. When he'd pleaded with Sedusa to allow him a chance to gather provisions from Townsend, he could believe his luck stumbling across the prince as he did. Over hearing that there would be a ball at the castle was quite the news. The castle and its gates would be open to all; no better time to plan an attack. His only concern now was whether or not Sedusa could wait three weeks. He could only hope that she'd be willing once he explained his plan to her.

The once great leader of the Gang Green Gang stopped in his trek back to his group. He rubbed his hand over his neck, that he was convinced Sedusa would bite into if he infuriated her enough. After seeing how she'd ripped the eye she replaced in Arturo's face was more than enough to convince him. Snake had been right in calling her a viper. Of course, one snake would recognize another.

Convincing Sedusa that attacking the night of the ball would be a challenge. He could feel the crackle of her magic putting his hair on end already.

In the next hour it took him to reach the camp that his group had made, he found Sedusa hidden in the shade. From where he stood at the edge, he could see her breathing heavily with the heavy rise and fall of her chest. Snake had been watching her intently, looking—or rather hoping—for a sign of things turning for the worst. It was no question to how Snake felt about Sedusa. He believed she would lead them to ruin, if they weren't there already. Granted the gift of venom was welcome, but it wasn't worth her wrath over failure.

When he heard an approach from behind, Snake turned to see Ace. "What's the matter with her?"

"Nothing too ssseriousss." Snake answered turning back to sneer at Sedusa.

Opening her eyes, she sent a venomous glare at Snake. "Don't sound so concerned, Snake. I'm just preserving my power. Your latest failure cost me."

A hiss bubbled on Snake's tongue before he could stop it. "Maybe you're not asss ssstrong asss you think you are."

Sedusa's eyes narrowed as she stood up. Her patience was running out with Snake. This battle of wills has long been decided. It just hasn't been said aloud. Until now. Using her magic to wrap in Snake in an unbreakable grip, she tightened her hold until he was red in the face from being unable to breathe. She pulled the arrogant man down to her level.

"I've put up with your whining and insults for far enough Snake. I was generous in giving you a chance to prove yourself and you failed. Now you dare to think I am weak?"

Despite not being able to breath, the challenge shown in Snake's eyes. He refused to be cowed by someone on limited time. She'd die soon enough, and he'd be damned if she were to cause his death.

Sedusa saw the glare in his eye and tightened the hold she had on him.

"So fearless in the face of death. Maybe I should grant it you now." She drew he hand back, with her nails growing long and sharp. Her yellow green eyes turned reptilian and scales spread across the edges of her face. A tingle of fear creeped into the pit of his stomach at the small glimpse of the true monster behind the false beauty.

"Sedusa, wait!" Ace shouted as he stepped unwisely between her and his subordinate.

A vicious hiss escaped her mouth as she turned her eyes to Ace. Her forked tongue slipped past her lips ad brushed against the leader's face, tasting his fear. The hard shudder that rocked through him couldn't be suppressed even if he wanted to.

"I found out something you should know." He spoke quickly when disbelief ran across her contorted face. "In almost a month's time there will be a ball at the castle. It will be perfect opportunity to strike."

"A month?"

Ace swallowed then sucked in a breath as he felt magic tighten around his own throat. "S-s-s-sedusa. P-p-p-please."

"Why should I subject myself to a month, when you know the way which is less than a week away?" She spat at him.

With Snake wheezing, Ace thought quickly and spoke twice as swift. "They'll be expecting us to come…if we were to arrive so quickly. If we wait…they won't expect us. Fall into…a false sense of…security. When we attack…the night of the ball…the castle will be open to the outside. It would be easy…to slip in and…take Buttercup."

Sedusa narrowed her eyes as she tightened the grip she had on Ace. "Then what? Her sisters will notice her missing and those princes have shown themselves capable of besting you. So, do explain how you plain to acquire Buttercup for me."

"The princes will be distracted."

"How can you be so sure?" Sedusa whispered to him.

The edges of his sight began to darken as air struggled to reach his lungs. "Everyone will be watching them. They won't be able to get away."

Sedusa wanted to strike the lot of useless idiots away, but she gasped and involuntarily released her hold on both Ace and Snakes. She fell to her knees and struggled to breath as her form shifted. Her legs hidden under her dress shifted and tried to merge into a long tail. Her human skin turned to hard scales, before she shed them as quickly as they appeared on her skin. A scream more animal than human erupted from her lips as she raised her head to the skies above.

The Gang Green Gang shrank back in fear as they watched the witch regain control of her wavering form. When it returned to the human women they knew her for, they waited with held breath for what would happen next. Arturo, Billy, and Grubber was in shocked silence as they looked to their leader to make some sense of what they'd just witnessed. Snakes simply glared at Ace.

"Your fucking greed hasss damned usss all." Snake hissed lowly, terror plain on his face.

Ace, who'd believed that Sedusa would grant him all that he wished for, sat frozen on the ground. His mind now registering how much danger he'd put himself in. Not only did he fear for his life, but that of his soul. All the lessons he'd endured as a child about heaven and hell only now seemed real.

The prospect of going to hell felt so real to him, that he could swear he could feel the licks of its fire against his skin.

"What language is this even written in?" the fiery haired prince called out after looking through a number of pages in the grimoire, with no hope of understanding their contents. Instead of letters or characters for the many languages he knew, there were symbols. He couldn't decipher them no matter how much he tried. There wasn't a language that Brick knew that came close to what he saw before him.

Blossom turned from her own notes to glance at Brick. He was staring intently at the pages of the grimoire. The struggle to comprehend was clear on his face. "It's the Cragonish."

A red brow rose in skepticism. "Cragonish?"

"You've heard me and my sisters speak it." Blossom reminded him.

"Is that the language that you and your sisters use to insult Henry with?" Brick asked with an amused smile on his face.

Blossom huffed and tried to refrain from rolling her eyes. "The man insulted us first, if you recall. The language and our magic are all that we have left of our home."

The way that Blossom said home, placed a heavy weight in Brick's stomach. There was a reverence and a longing there that couldn't be matched. He couldn't blame her for being homesick. This Cragon place was her birth home; a place full of memories that she and her sisters could never revisit while in their place of Earth. Brick wanted to ask her what her world was like, but didn't want to sadden her by bringing up memories best held close to the heart.

Still, it made his heart heavy when he thought about her leaving when their task was over. The previous night, when they made love Brick desperately wanting to spill his seed in her, make her with child. He almost did, but at the last moment pulled out and spilled onto the sheets. The king to be had promised himself to not trap her by doing such a thing, and he was determined to keep his word.

"I'm sorry to hear that my kingdom has failed in making you feel welcome." He said in what he hoped was a light tone. Brick voiced his opinion of their leaving once before and it only served to drive a wedge between him and Blossom. As of now, he believed he held her heart. No need to give her reason to take it back.

The lack of warmth in the room alerted Blossom to the sudden shift in Brick's mood. Looking at him, she could see the tenseness in his body. Shoulders were hunched. Hands clenched into fists. Jaw ticking rapidly. "Brick?"

His focus was forced onto the pages before him.

Setting her graphite down, Blossom reached over and took Brick's hand in her own. The heat had receded a bit, but returned in reaction to her cold skin. "Brick."

Knowing that she wasn't going to relent, no matter how gentle her prodding was, Brick sighed and ran his free hand through his rarely loose hair. "I don't want you to leave Tartonia."

"It's not practical for us to remain here." Blossom said, drawing her hand back.

Aggravation was personified within Brick by the groan and wave of heat that he released. Rubbing his tired eyes, he turned to look at Blossom. "Why can't you make a home here? Stay here." His voice withheld the command he desperately wanted to be released.

"We can't." Blossom was adamant about returning to Cragon.

It pained Brick that she left no room for argument. He focused his attention back onto the pages, flipping through them with no real purpose other than to channel his anger.

"Brick, we can't remain here. There are things back in our world that will need to be taken care of once Sedusa is defeated. Who knows what she might've done to our world. Not to mention the counsel will have questions about everything. And then there's this." She gestured to the grimoire. "There is so much my people could learn from this grimoire. A part of our—."

"Blossom? Can you tell me if I'm seeing this correctly?" Brick interrupted her, noticing something strange regarding the pages of the grimoire. He couldn't be sure, but he believed he saw pages numbers or what he thought were page numbers. He turned the grimoire over to Blossom. He pointed out what he saw was odd and watched quietly as she slowly flipped through the pages herself.

As she did so, her brow became more and more furrowed as she noticed what Brick had. In the lower center of the pages were page numbers. Numbers that were ridiculously out of order. When she examined them closely, she gently pulled on them to take them out and read their contents.

"Stars above." She grumbled. "How could I have missed this?"

"You've been working yourself over. It's easy to make a mistake when you're over worked." Brick supplied.

Blossom shook her head as she began to rearrange the pages within. "Not this kind of mistake. Spells that are not completed or read incorrectly can be dangerous. Praise the mages above we didn't damn ourselves when performing that spell last night." She set about putting the pages in their proper spot when she noticed something that made her blood run colder than the ice she created. "There's a page missing."

"What?"

Looking at the previous page, Blossom's worry grew as she read the components of magic concerning souls. It showed how one could push one soul out of a body and replace it with another. Blossom closed her hand over her mouth as this spell was very familiar. What she thought was Sedusa grooming Buttercup were parts of the spell to transfer her soul. From the braiding of the hair to the foods she ate and the clothes she wore. She knew now that it was all charmed to acclimate Buttercup's body to the coming change. It would make it so much easier for Sedusa to eradicate any existence of her sister. However, that wasn't the part that worried her the most. The part leading up to the breaking of such a spell was the missing page. It was gone. Blossom now fully aware of a short sight slowly, yet thoroughly went through the grimoire looking for any more misplaced pages. When she found none, her stress made itself known in the form of ice. The icy substance radiated from her, momentarily chilling Brick until he placed his hot hands onto her shoulders.

"Blossom, what is it?"

"Just when I think we might have the upper hand…" she started only to throw her hand towards the wall, releasing a small storm that left the stone wall covered in ice. Her hand clenched in a blistering blizzard of fury. "Damn her. Damn that Sedusa to the deepest pits of hell."

Before Blossom could inflict any more icy damage to the room, Brick took her hand in his. "What is it?"

"That snake is going to stop at nothing to get to Buttercup. Even if she didn't know it, she made doubly sure that no one could counter her spell should she perform it."

"How are you so sure that Sedusa—."

A cold glare made of pink diamonds pierced through Brick. "Who else could it have been?"

Brick knew a challenge when he heard it, no matter how silent. Taking a deep breath, he took a moment to think praying to God that he didn't say something illogical—at least by Blossom's standards. The icy golden red-haired witch scoffed in depressed victory at his prolonged silence. As she was turning away with her arms folded across her chest, she froze when Brick finally answered her.

"Maybe…it was Buttercup." The incredulous look Blossom gave him almost made him think twice about his answer. While he didn't know Blossom's sisters as well as she did, he knew his brothers; and there was something about the night that Buttercup ran off that bothered him. "Hear me out. Just how reckless would you deem Buttercup to be?"

Clenching her hands against her arms, Blossom shrugged tightly. "Not enough to do something outrageously dangerous."

"Should I wager that running off in the dead of night to fight the very witch she has been hiding from is not 'outrageously dangerous?'" Brick pressed.

"That is the epitome of recklessness." Blossom grumbled. Her brow then furrowed in growing frustration with Brick. "You've yet to make your point."

"If that is something she would never do, then why in this instance would she do this?" Brick asked.

His questioning only proved to confuse Blossom more. "What are you saying Brick?"

"What would make Buttercup do something like this? You seem to know as someone who is of sound mind. Her running full on to confront this by herself is madness." Brick hedged.

Blossom considered that for a moment. Brick was right. Something wasn't right in more than one way. Brick suggested that the missing page was probably taken by Buttercup. If she did take it, then that meant she knew something that she really didn't want either her or Bubbles to know. The worst possibility that Blossom could fathom was that the counter spell was dangerous. Very dangerous.

"Buttercup wouldn't." Even as Blossom whispered the words, she couldn't be sure that they were the truth. She'd speak with Bubbles about how Buttercup has felt. They were so apart from one another and they needed to stand strong. There was no one to blame, but Blossom felt solely responsible.

Seeing the walls go back around Blossom as her face fell, Brick was quick to gather her in his warm arms. Holding her close he sighed a warm breath over her, hoping to soothe her. "I didn't mean to distress you, or make you doubt your sister."

"It's not my sister I doubt." Blossom answered after wrapping her arms around Brick, glad for his comfort. "It's myself and my ability to keep my sisters safe. It was my fault that Bunny was killed. I can't allow for another one of my sisters to die."

Brick understood the feeling of helplessness. He had similar sentiments when Bear was killed. That chance encounter with Blossom and her sisters, as well as their friends kept him grounded and able to focus. Brick promised that he'd bring them all together to face Sedusa when the time came. He'd ensure that Blossom never felt such despair again.

Happy New Year, my lovelies. I hope everyone has had a great holiday season, and that you enjoyed this chapter. Things are heating up. The climax had been set in motion. The ball. Oh, the ball. What is going to happen at the ball? I don't know, or do I? We shall see the closer we get.

I love you all. Until next time.