A/N
Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! It warms my heart when I get some that say you've taken like 2 days to read the whole thing! The support is the only thing keeping me going at this point, honestly.
Sorry the chapters have been so short! Unfortunately right now I only have inspiration in short bursts, so I can't grind 'em out as fast as I used to be able to... Too much homework, I swear.
Anyways, as for Butch's plan, you'll find out in this chapter.
Hope you enjoy~
Disclaimer: I don't own the Powerpuff Girls
Chapter 37
(Brick's POV)
In all honesty, when Butch exclaimed that he had an idea, my former self would have laughed and taunted him about it, saying it would probably blow up in his face or that it was really stupid. I know Boomer would have gone along with it, and backed me up.
Now, I had no idea what to think. I'd changed for the most part, along with my brothers. The same personality traits would always lie underneath the skin, but we were changed men. At one point or another, we'd had a reason to slow down and to mature. I could sense in Butch in that moment that while his idea could be stupid, he also had a good motive behind it- One that could possibly make it a good, or even great, idea. Butch was eager to prove himself, I could tell, but to us, Him, or Buttercup? I didn't want to answer that question for myself in case I got my hopes up, but I knew in my heart of hearts that it was the last option. I could see it in those not-so-crazy-anymore dark green eyes of his. I might not be as empathetic as Boomer, but I was still his brother. I'd still grown up with him.
As soon as Buttercup was away, Butch pleaded with Blossom to get us away from the door, so we went to the farthest place in the house that Buttercup wouldn't be able to get to- The laundry room.
Gathering around the appliances in the small space, Blossom and I leaned up against the wall together while Boomer and Bubbles sat together on the dryer. Butch, on the other hand, picked the washing machine for his place to preach to us.
"Okay," He started, raking his hand through his shaggy black hair. It had grown a lot, I realized, but he probably hadn't had any access to enough money in order to cut his hair. It looked alright on him, but by the way Butch kept irritably flicking and blowing it out of his eyes, I knew he'd probably want to get rid of it soon.
I realized how much I'd missed my brother then; I was over analyzing his hair for God's sake...
"So, what did Him enjoy when we were kids?" Butch asked, voice in a low whisper.
"Seeing the girls suffer?" I provided, although I knew that it was probably not a very helpful answer. Butch smirked at me and raised his eyebrow.
"Besides that," He snapped, though his voice was still low. "What distracted Him? More than anything?"
Blossom, playing with a strand of her red hair beside me, raised her hand suddenly.
Giving her an amused smile, Butch pointed at her, giving her permission to speak. I reached over and squeezed her petite shoulder in encouragement.
"He loved to watch us fight," She explained, and I saw Bubbles nod her head excitedly in agreement, bouncing up and down on the dryer as she cut in,
"Especially amongst each other!" She remembered, "He used to literally conjure up a chair and sit in it as he watched us bicker."
Looking satisfied, Butch crossed his meaty arms and leaned back. "Precisely," He murmured, nodding his head. "Now what do we know about Him?"
"He's a demon," Blossom provided.
"I always felt really uncomfortable around him when I got older," Boomer muttered, rubbing his shoulder and looking away.
"Yeah, 'cause he's a transvestite and he acted like our demonic mom," I laughed, shaking my head.
"Yes!" Butch roared, then realized he was being loud and took a deep breath, quieting himself down. "Yes."
"Demonic mom?" I asked, confused.
"Transvestite. That's close enough to what I was thinking. He was, and still is, incredibly vain. Do you remember he used to take hours in the mirror combing his hair and putting on his make up and stuff?" Butch tried to make us recall.
"Yeah!" Boomer gasped, "And by the time he was ready to take us to the park, it was already too late and all the little kids we could mess with had gone home."
Nodding, my brother gave us all a smile, "So from what I've had you figure out, do you think you know what my plan is?"
I needed to have a few little gaps filled in, but I could figure out the basics from what he'd said. I, along with everyone else, nodded.
"Okay, so as for the argument," He said, his tone still hushed, "We need one person to get legitimately angry, do you feel me? Then we all just act from there on out, and carry out the rest of the plan."
"And the person who will get angry will be...?" Bubbles asked for clarification.
"The person that's out of the room," Boomer explained, rubbing her arm tenderly, giving her a warm smile. It kind of made me happy since my brother was so content, but I could sense discomfort in the place. I pinpointed it to be emanating from Butch. He was a little tense, and looking away from the blondes uncomfortably.
I was never really one to exhibit empathy, but I couldn't help but feel a little sad for my brunette brother. He was the only one without a hand to hold, yet he'd come to the point where he seemed to value it, and deserve it, too.
Unaware that my face had fallen into a frown, I was woken from my state of deep thinking as Blossom put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Startled, I turned my head to face hers. She had a soft smile on her face, and leaned in to whisper to me.
"She'll come around. She may be stubborn, but he'll get to her. You got to me," She told me.
"How do we know this plan will work, though?" I wondered out loud, thinking the thought for both of our sakes.
She leaned away from me, cupping the side of my face with her slender hand. Smiling softly at me again, she pecked me on the cheek and stared at me with a certain knowing look in her warm pink eyes.
Although the intensity of that look made heat rise to the surface of my skin, I knew that if Blossom believed it would, then I had to, as well.
Clearing his throat as if to announce that the meeting was adjourned (And secretly that he couldn't stand the double third-wheel thing anymore), Butch jumped off of his washing machine and began to start for the door.
"Hey, wait!" I whispered urgently, and he stopped, staring at me wide-eyed as if I'd grown antlers.
"How do you plan to make Buttercup angry?"
His lips curled up slightly into a sad smile. "Do you really need to know?" He questioned me.
The room seemed to be sucked dry of comfortability.
"I guess not," I sighed, and he nodded at me, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then walked away.
"Hey, wait!" Bubbles stopped him again, although he didn't turn around. "When do we start this plan?"
"Right now, Barbie," Butch laughed, old self back in place, "I didn't feed you a giant breakfast for no reason!"