-x-
Yes, I will see you
Through the smoke and flames
On the front lines of war
And I will stand my
Ground until the end
'Til we conquer them all
Cass wandered up the steps of the hotel the next morning and immediately sensed something was wrong. Police flooded the lobby, and an ambulance was parked outside. Her heart leapt into her throat as her thoughts immediately went to her friend and her baby, and she raced up the stairs before anybody could stop her.
"Buttercup!" She yelled out hopefully before she'd even reached the correct floor. She threw open the door and sprinted down the hall- her long brown hair whipping behind her as she dodged all of the police and paramedics. Her heart sank and she felt suddenly sickly faint as she reached her friend's hotel room- where just when she'd left twelve hours before police tape barred her entry.
"NO!" She screamed, tearing through it. She ran into the room and halted as she saw the blood that was splattered around the walls, the carpet, and the stained red that surrounded her friend's body, that now law pale and still on a plastic bag, waiting to be zipped up. "NO!"
"Miss." A stern voice snarled behind her, and a hand reached out and pulled her back. Cass wrestled against his grip. "You are no authorised to be in here-"
"THAT'S MY FRIEND!" She screamed in protest, wrenching herself away before the officer had a firm grip. He snarled as the brunette charged forward, throwing herself on top of the young girl's body and breaking down into guilty sobs. Cass never felt so horrible. She should have been there- she should have protected her. "BC..." She cried, tears warming her face as she looked down at Buttercup's pale, still expression- her eyes closed. "I'm so sorry..."
She put a hand to the girl's cold cheek, unable to tear her gaze away from her face. It couldn't be true- she felt like she was in a horrible dream. It wasn't right- it couldn't-
Cass stopped, her breath catching in her throat.
"BC?" She questioned, frowning. Her hand, which rested beside the young mother's neck, had just felt a small, insignificant throb. Her breath hitched, and she placed a firmer hold against her friend's throat- hoping... wishing...
"Young lady this is a murder scene, and unless you want to be arrested for messing with evidence you can-"
"She's alive." Cass spun around- her eyes wide and bright as she gave the stern officer above her a relieved sigh. "She's alive!"
He snarled at her, reaching down and yanking her to her feet. "Madam, I'm sorry but your friend has been killed. And if you don't get out of here-"
Cass kicked out hatefully, landing a swift blow right to his gut. "SHE'S ALIVE!" She screamed at him, whirling around to the officers around her. "Check her pulse! She's alive! I swear!"
He grabbed her again and made to pull her out of the room, but Cass put up one hell of a fight-lashing out as they tried to take her from her friend. "CHECK HER!"
A paramedic brushed passed, and Cass clung to the doorframe in protest as she struggled to watch her friend- watch as a man knelt down and attempt the same thing she had done- check her pulse. She watched with hope- wide eyed and breathless.
Please. Please...
"Someone bring in a stretcher!" She heard them call out. "She's breathing!"
"Impossible!" The officer scoffed angrily. "She had a blade run through her!"
"Most of the wound's been...sealed up!" The paramedic shouted out, amazed. He ran a hand through his greying hair, his eyes wide with complete bewilderment. "How-?"
Cass broke away from the iron grip and sprinted back to her friend, skidding down to land beside her.
"BC..." She broke down, a smile breaking out on her face as she gripped her hand. "You'll be okay...You're gonna be okay..."
...
.
...
.
...
.
...
I looked out at the city before me, leaning against the frame of my window. As I stared at the devastation, heard the screams, watched the flickering fires and wail of police sirens, I knew our plan was in action. This was only our first step in our total takeover. Townsville was just the first. Soon everything will be under our control- evil must take over, run the place. No longer will demons have to hide...We'd been working on this for months now.
So why do I still feel so empty?
"Daddy..."
I jumped, looking over and my face breaking into a smile. Familiar warm apple green eyes gazed at me from across the room, and my little one year old boy whimpered at me from my doorway- a cute teddy bear dangling from his hand and his bottom lip trembling.
"Blayzer..." I cooed at him, warmth filling me as I stood, closing the curtain behind me. "What's up, dude? Why aren't you in bed?" I'd put him in his own bed hours ago, but somehow he always found his way into mine.
He batted those eyes at me, and they were already filling with tears. He knew I was a sucker for those eyes.
"I h-had a bad d-dweam..." He whimpered at me, sniffling. I scooped him up into my arms, cuddling him close and running a few fingers through his hair. "I wanna stay wif' you..." he pouted, his bear dangling as he wrapped his arms around my neck.
"Again, kiddo?" I cooed back, leaning him back so I cradled him in my arms. He was growing up fast, but he could still fit there perfectly. "I'm not doing a good job keeping those monsters away, huh?"
He sniffled, rubbing his face against my shirt and yawning. I sat down on my bed, laying down and taking him with me. He made himself comfortable straight away, cuddling up to me and closing his eyes.
"Go to sleep, bub." I mumbled, pulling up the blankets so they covered him. "I'm here, it's okay..."
"Daddy..." He mumbled into my chest, his wet eyes gazing up at me through half-lidded eyes. "You'll stay wif' me?"
"Course, Blayzer..." I murmured back softly. "I'll never leave you...you know that..."
It felt like an eternity of blissful slumber, and when I finally opened my eyes all I saw was a cracked, white ceiling. I frowned, shifting where I lay. I was stiff, and heavy. And feeling super drowsy. It felt like a whole world rested on my head and my eyelids were heavy, weighing down as if begging me for more sleep. I groaned, trying hard to shift myself on the unfamiliar soft surface.
"She's awake!"
I frowned, shifting my head. A woman dressed in white was beside me- her eyes as wide as saucers as she looked down in complete horror. I snarled, wondering what in the world she was staring at that was so shocking.
Wait.
I looked around in total alarm, my mind ticking away. Hospital.
I'm in a hospital!
"Blayze!" I gasped, sitting up. Well, I tried. The lady beside me pushed me back down, her face worried.
"Young lady, please. You are in a delicate condition. You've been in a coma for six months now!"
"Si-" My breath hitched in my throat, and I felt my own eyes widen. "Bu..." My mind ticked away again, trying to rewind to what I last remember. Butch...he...BLAYZE! "But my baby!" I yelled at her, fighting against her restraint. "Where's my baby?"
"My dear, calm yourself!" The nurse snapped at me. "Your baby is right here, and amazingly- she's fine!"
I looked around wildly, frowning in immediate anger at the mention of 'she'. But before I oculd open my mouth to retort, she had lifted me into a sitting position- and I was looking down in horror at my own stomach- which had swollen to the size of a quite large beach ball. My pregnant stomach. And, if waiting this entire time, the baby within me gave a firm kick- just like Blayze used to. My brain became fuzzy, and I suddenly felt faint.
"BC! Bu-Bella!"
I looked over in alarm which immediately turned into relief as Cass ran into the room, and I hoped she could let me in on what the HELL was going on.
"Cass!" I whispered to her, my breath still escaping me. "Wh- Wha-"
"You've...been in a coma...Bella..." She told me slowly, her knowing eyes giving me a steady look. "We've all been really worried...but you're okay! And your baby is going to be fine!"
"Yes, amazingly." The nurse sneered dryly. "But you need rest, and a doctor needs to look you over-"
"Can you get one? Please and thank you." Cass talked over her, flashing her an innocent smile. The nurse gave her one last snarl before walking out crossly, and as soon as the door had closed Cass threw her arms around me, all dignity gone. I gasped, trying to breathe in her iron-grip hug
"Cass!"
"Oh, Buttercup! You scared the living CRAP out of me! You were DEAD!"
"I...What?" I froze, trying to think back. My mind processed this furiously.
"You were impaled on a bed! They pronounced you dead! I ran in and then your heart started beating!" She let me go, her eyes travelling down to my now bulging belly. "I...I think-"
"R-repeat offender..." I gasped breathlessly, my eyes widening. I died. Butch...
The last thing I remember- he threw me across the room, after throwing Blayze. He killed me... if it hadn't been for my baby...
I rustled up my sheets and pulled up my gown, gazing down at my stomach. Sure enough, it had expanded- and telltale stretchmarks decorated my pale skin. A tiny, pale scar crossed my chest and upper stomach- showing where exactly I'd been pierced. I gave a shiver, suddenly feeling numb.
"Bu..." I glanced over at her, my eyes wide. "But where's Blayze?"
Cass looked down sorrowfully, looking miserable. "He's with Butch." She mumbled quietly. "He...he must have taken him, BC. I'm so sorry."
My heart felt heavy in my chest, and suddenly I felt empty. Blayze. I tried to think of him- not as though he was a faraway memory but like I was just holding him yesterday, cuddled up in bed...
"And Buttercup, your name is Bella." Cass whispered to me, rushed. "The Rowdyruffs have taken over!"
"What?" I snarled, my eyes darkening. "But how-"
"After you were almost killed, the three of them went on a rampage! Everyone thinks you're dead, everyone thinks all of the Powerpuff girls are! So I had to protect your identity...if I didn't I knew Butch would come after you...and I couldn't give you up to the person who just tried to kill you, BC..."
There were real tears in her eyes now, and she crossed over to the window and pulled up the shade. My eyes widened, if possible, even further, at the dark, cloudy sky. Even from where I was sitting the world looked different- a darker, danker place. And as I looked around the hospital I felt as though I was in another world, one run by evil...
"BC, we have to get you out of here..." Cass whispered to me. "I know you want Blayze back, but we aren't safe here. We have to get you safe- so you can deliver your baby okay..." She broke out into a kind smile. "It's a girl, did they tell you?"
At that, I had to smile, but grief consumed me. The thought that my baby boy- the one I fought so hard to protect- had been taken from me, and was now being used in this world like a puppet- the fact the Rowdyruffs had won and evil had taken over... that killed me more than anything, and when I thought of my sisters caught up in the mess... it only hurt me more. In my heart there was a huge burden of sorrow, and all I could think to do was give myself up to the boys- at least then I'd have my baby and my sisters...
But then I looked down at my little bump, and I cupped it lovingly.
Butch tried to bring me down. He tried to cut me out forever. But my little girl brought me back- she healed me for a reason. A tiny, insignificant week old foetus was enough to bring me back. She's a fighter- just like me. And I'll fight for her, and I'll fight for Blayze, and my sisters...
I swung my legs over to the floor, the limbs shaking as I attempted to stand.
"Buttercup!" Cass hissed at me, a lecturing look on her face. "You're still recovering! You just woke up from a freakin' coma-"
"There's no time for weakness, Cass." I snarled at her, wincing as numbness shot through my skin. "I've spent too long being locked up and being a victim- it's about time I learned how to use my own powers."
I shakily attempted to stand, my knees almost giving out. A surge of familiar strength shot through me, and I stumbled over to the window, my hands cupping my stomach. I noticed my hair had grown- it now waved down to my elbows. In my reflection in the window- I hardly recognised myself. I bet nobody would even believe me if I told them I was once a Powerpuff Girl- the fiery eyed green rough. The tomboy. The fighter.
I growled, staring down at the scenery below me.
It looked like slums. Barely anybody dared walk out onto the street. Instead of sun a dark, cloudy black sky hung above us hauntingly. By just the feel of the air outside I could tell demons walked among us- the world was filled with terror and fear. It looked as though my once happy, proud society had been reduced to nothing. The Rowdyruffs had taken over, whittled everything down to the bare minimum- and only rebuilt them back on their evil terms.
I swallowed hard, fear welling within my chest, but I pushed it back down. I frowned down at the people before me, and then looked up into the sky. I knew only a few hundred miles away, Butch was out there- and so was my baby. My sisters- my blushing blonde sister Bubbles and my fierce leader Blossom- I knew they were waiting for me. They couldn't have given up on me, just like I'd never give up on them. Only this time I would fight- this time this was my battle.
This war is ours.
I wrapped my hands around my stomach as I felt my baby kick, nudging against my hand just like Blayze used to do. I felt Cass beside me, ready to catch me if I fell. My eyes stared out at the scene before me, and my hand curled into a fist.
And it wasn't the end.
This is only the beginning.
Yes- of course Buttercup didn't die! I would never let that happen! :P Not when she's capable of demonic healing... and her powers were never taken, and now she has some demon blood in her. So prepare to see some kickass happ'nin!
And oh yes- Buttercup had to be having a girl... need some girl power ;P The sequel will be set in a few years time, so we'll finally get to see the babies all grown up and the rest of the PPG! *Sniff!*
Look out for my sequel- I hope you all tune in ;) I'll upload the prologue as soon as I can! xxx