Author's Commentary: With the Covid-19 lockdown happening all around the globe (including my own country), we are going to be here for the long haul. Will see how much writing can be done and hope for the best.
Stay tuned.
Chapter 118: The Tigress' Offer
[Townsville High, Townsville, 10.13pm]
Buttercup found herself in a particularly odd situation.
Here she is, facing off against a demon of immense powers beside other monstrous beings of immense powers. Somehow, Buttercup felt severely outclassed. Yet better five against one that favors the Powerpuff Girls than a four against two against the Powerpuff Girls' favor. Immediately the two men burst forward to face the demon head on. The demon screeched with its countless heads and the deafening sound is enough for Buttercup to nearly black out for a moment.
Buttercup clicked her tongue as she swung both her hands forward, discharging a crescent-shaped energy projectile towards the demon. Fearing that it will not be enough, the Powerpuff Girl proceeded to launch several more projectiles from each of her arms towards the demon hoping that it will either damage the hydra-demon or distract it enough for the others to make their move. The two Lunatics are just a blur as they assaulted the monster, and Buttercup wondered how will her sisters and herself be able to go against such primal forces.
"DIE." The thousand voices roared, and a rain of lightning immediately rained down upon the entire school grounds, bursting the ground whenever the lightning hits. Buttercup was forced to dodge and evade every lightning that came her way, less she be charred by the lightning strikes. That took Buttercup's mind off her sister's disappearance, and she was forced to focus on the issue at hand.
Son of a bitch, Buttercup cursed in her mind.
"Sis, need some help here!" Buttercup yelled out only to realize that her sister is not responding to her. The sable-haired Powerpuff Girl turned around to chew out her sister, only to notice that her sister is nowhere in sight.
Buttercup felt a jolt of fear coursing through her body, and her citrus green eyes looked around in abject panic. Such was the jolt that she forgotten that her heart was beating, and Buttercup felt a tightness in her chest that knew no bounds. Buttercup's throat constricts itself, preventing her from crying out for her sister. All she could think about is her sister despite the dire situation that she had found herself. At that moment, she noticed that one person is looking at her.
The Lunatic known as Tigress continued on to phase in and out from existence, and Buttercup felt that she had done something to her sister. But what did she do?
[Townsville High,Townsville, 10.13pm]
Blossom stood silently in front of the school, shocked by what she had experienced moments before. Or to be exact what she had not experienced moments before. Blossom questioned her sanity and memory, for it is impossible for a moment to disappear from her mind just like that when she had an eidetic memory. To make matters worse, there is no signs of any damages on the school ground, nor the bodies of those individuals that had given their lives to stop the demon.
Or for that matter, Boomer and Buttercup.
"How is it possible?" Blossom asked herself, for she had no idea what happened. No, something happened, but nothing was remembered.
The rose-eyed Powerpuff Girl turned around to see that the dark clouds with a sinister red glow over the heart of Townsville had just turned into an unnaturally white cloud with a pristine blue glow within, and that in itself is even more sinister for it stood out like an abomination in the night sky. Blossom knew that if she stayed here, things will become worse, but what else can she do?
"Surprised?" Blossom turned her head towards the source of the soft monotone voice to see a blonde, slender Asian dressed in a black jacket over a traditional Chinese dress with five finely braided strands of hair. The woman stood before Blossom with a white tiger with pristine pale golden eyes beside the Lunatic, causing Blossom to be on her guard.
"Where's everyone, Tigress?" Blossom asked with great unease.
"The fight is still on, if that is what you are asking." The Tigress answered, her unnerving monotone voice disturbing the Powerpuff Girl.
"Still on?" Blossom tilted her head, not being able to understand the woman's explanation.
"If it helps..." The woman snapped her finger and Blossom is shocked that she is able to see a ferocious battle happening with her left eye between the hydra-like demon and the rest of the Lunatics and Buttercup, while at the same time her right eye is seeing a tranquil and undisturbed Townsville High. Blossom noticed that her sister's fear-struck face, and her eyes are darting around as if trying to find something. The rain of lightning upon the school ground only served to hit the point home to Blossom that she is nowhere near the school at all.
Blossom watched as the white tiger circled around the woman's legs and whenever the tiger moved towards Blossom's left vision, it disappeared and it will appear once more when it entered into Blossom's right view. Blossom turned her head left and right once more, and the same vision plagued her. Her right eye only saw the tranquil schoolground untouched by battle, while her left eye is witnessing hell on earth being created by the hydra-demon. Blossom widened her eyes at this spatial paradox, not believing that she is seeing two things at the same time.
"What is this?" Blossom wanted to understand what she is witnessing with her own eyes. With a snap of a finger from the Lunatic, the vision of the brutal battle blinked itself away, and Blossom's vision is whole once more.
"Magic. Or sorcery. Whichever one you like." The woman closed her eyes, and her mannerism gave Blossom the impression that the Asian Lunatic is smiling at her despite her monotone intonation.
"And the white tiger is responsible for this?" Blossom asked as her eyes turned its attention to the majestic predator staring at her with its golden eyes.
"Yes, you can say that." The woman winked at the Powerpuff Girl, and Blossom felt even more unease especially when there is no emotion in the woman's voice. The last time these two met, Tigress had almost killed her and had broken her mental fortitude.
Blossom can feel a part of her being very terrified of facing the one they called Lou Fu, and she is indeed one of the most terrifying Lunatic warlords that had taken over the city. The leader of the White Tigers Triad, she had carved a name for herself as the one that had taken down the entire law enforcement arm of Townsville with her audacious offensive. Blossom had to admit to herself that she had an obsession with this particular Lunatic for she had hurt her pride and dignity as a superhero, but she had made it clear to keep it hidden from her sisters. And now, the one that caused her so much grief is now standing before her, with intentions unknown.
"What do you want?" Blossom asked and she felt a cold sweat running down the side of her temple.
"Can we talk?" Tigress' request took Blossom off-guard, and Blossom is unable to hide her surprise.
"Talk?" Blossom said with suspicion.
"I wanted to do anything bad I would have done so without warning you." Tigress informed her in a nonchalant manner, and Blossom is forced to admit that what she said is indeed true. Blossom nodded her head, knowing well that it is best to not trigger the Lunatic.
"Good, good. Let's have a seat over at that bench over there." Tigress pointed her finger towards the closest bench. Blossom did not refuse the woman, and both of them walked towards the bench, accompanied by the white tiger. Both individuals soon took a seat on the bench, and it is Blossom that decided to speak first.
"I'm not expecting this." Blossom is surprised by her own admission, for she did not expect herself to converse with her adversary in such a manner.
"Of course not. No one would expect their enemies to come to their rescue, and then one of them decided to steal them away to have a one-on-one conversation." Tigress shrugged before she leaned back on the bench.
"But...surely those two partners of yours would notice that we're missing." Blossom turned her head to face Tigress with a frown forming on her face. Tigress place her index finger on the collar that covered half her face, her eyes looking up towards the dark night skies before she answered Blossom.
"Guess you are right. They would notice that you are missing." Tigress laughed. It took Blossom a second later to notice that Tigress did not include herself as being missing at the same time.
"Huh?" Blossom wanted to say something far more sophisticated and educated, but her confusion came out as an honest surprise.
"I'm still there with them, and your sister too." Tigress turned her attention towards Blossom while spinning her index finger in a circle to emphasize her point. Tigress chuckled shortly after, and it only made Blossom more terrified by what Tigress can do. Blossom's mind instinctively started thinking about the bizarre situation that they found themselves in.
"You're here, yet you're not. You're there, yet you're not." Blossom spoke out what is in her mind.
"I chose to be here with you." Tigress answered while pointing towards Blossom's chest. The woman started chuckling, but Blossom is not taken in by the laughter. In fact, Blossom became tenser from the interaction.
"Why me?" Blossom asked, causing the initially candid Tigress to stop chuckling.
"You're a smart girl for one." Tigress pointed out.
"I am not interested in this game you're playing." Blossom is not taken in by the woman's remark.
"Or would you rather I leave you and your sister to the demon's mercy? Or worse, I will leave your sister to those two boneheads? Those two may be worse than the demon itself." The woman's soft voice is at odds with the harsh threat uttered from her lips.
"Spoken like a true villain, Tigress." Blossom gave her approval at how simple and refined the threat given by the female Lunatic.
"That is because I am a villain, dear little girl." Tigress winked, at odds with her monotone voice. Blossom stare back with a frown on her eyebrow.
"So what do you want to talk about, Tigress?" Blossom frowned even more, deepening the crease between her eyes.
"I need you to help me with something, Powerpuff Girl."
"Help?"
"You see, I have a problem. Like the rest of them, I sold my soul to Him...," Tigress paused for a few seconds before continuing, "And like every caged bird we all want to be free."
Blossom held her tongue from asking what Tigress really want from her, for Blossom's own mind answered the question for her. What Blossom do not understand is why is she asking for something she is already putting in effort to do. What makes Tigress' request any different than her present course of action, she wondered. Yet, despite her misgivings of the villain, Blossom's curiosity got the better of her.
"So...how's your request any different than what I'm already doing?" Blossom asked.
"What if I told you how to make Him...mortal."
[Townsville High,Townsville, 10.14pm]
"Hey asshole, what have you done to my sister?"
The immaterial woman turned to face a very angry sable-haired girl with neon green highlights walking up towards her. Buttercup reached out to grab on the Lunatic, only to realize that something is happening to her arm. Her arm started to warp and a sensation unlike any other soon coursed through her nerves, causing Buttercup to immediately pull her arm away. Buttercup looked back at her arm, and she felt as if her arm had just came back to her in one piece.
"Be careful Buttercup. You almost lost your arm right there." Tigress warned.
"Will not change the fact that you have something to do with my sister's disappearance."
"You're not wrong Buttercup. Though she is still here with us." Buttercup scowled at Tigress, but the Lunatic is not intimidated by Buttercup's expression.
"You're full of shit."
"Say what you want, but what she decides will determine what happens next." The Lunatic pointed, its limb and finger phasing in and out of existence.
Buttercup's attention is drawn towards the direction where the woman is pointing at only to witness a maelstrom of lightning forming itself into a tempest. Each strike of lightning is accompanied by a bell-like thunder, and each toiling sound became louder and deeper as the lightning struck with greater intensity. The Powerpuff Girl is unable to comprehend the scale of the sound, for the bell-like sound had moaning sound resembling moaning tortured souls. Each moan became louder than before, and Buttercup's green eyes watched in horror as each lightning strike lightning took on a ghastly ethereal appearance. The lightning formed itself like a protective net around the demon, and a dark cloud formed itself over the school, clouding the light of the dome made of of flame caging the school.
"What...the...hell is that?" Buttercup is clearly shocked by what she is seeing.
"Those lightning...they are poor unfortunate souls taken in by the demon. And look at that." Buttercup turned towards the source of Tigress' surprise, and she noticed several dozen bolts of lightning striking her allies all at the same time.
"Shit! Aren't you going to do something!" Buttercup turned her attention towards Tigress.
"Very well wish is my command." A snapping sound is head, and it was at that moment that reality shattered.
[Townsville High,Townsville, 10.14pm]
That comment alone caused Blossom to stand up from the bench, and Blossom's rose-pink eyes took on a much darker hue. Surely she must be pulling her leg, Blossom thought to herself. Yet, the disfigured woman's eyes did not show any signs of deceit, and the truth appeared to be as clear as her aquamarine eyes.
"Mortal? Why are you telling me this?" Blossom's suspicion got the better of her, causing Tigress to breathe in deeply before exhaling it all in one go.
The woman raised her hand to the zipper of the collar covering the bottom part of her face and pulled it down, revealing what the collar and jacket is bottom half of the woman's face is at contrast with the refined looks of the top half of her face, for heavy scarring covers her face from just above her upper lip and extending down to her left clavicle. The flesh has been almost completely stripped from her lower face, exposing her broken teeth and leaving very little to cover the bone structure. The cheek muscle is missing, leaving a large hole in his left cheek. The damage continues down her throat, with a vocal prosthesis surgically implanted into her neck and several areas where the skin has been torn away. Across her left clavicle, there is exposed muscle tissue and evidence of the skin being stripped said nothing, silently observing the Chinese woman. Blossom covered her mouth in shock, and Tigress tapped the throat prosthesis with the tip of her finger, making Blossom particularly uncomfortable. Tigress zipped up her jacket once more, covering up the bottom half of her face once more.
"I'm sorry." Blossom had no other response than to apologize, causing a vein to pop on Tigress' temple.
"You don't even know what you are apologizing for." The woman glared angrily at Blossom, causing the Powerpuff Girl to bite on her lips. Blossom is speechless, and Tigress closed her eyes and shook her head as she sighed.
"I did not get this from Him, if that is what you are thinking." The woman clarified as she patted the head of the white tiger.
"Then-" Blossom was interrupted by Tigress before she could finish her sentence.
"Him gave me another chance to exact my vengeance, and the chance now appeared before itself. For that to happen...I will need a free hand. So what will it be, commander of the Powerpuff Girls?"
Blossom immediately sensed what Tigress is asking her to do. No, Blossom understood, Tigress is asking her to not do. Blossom's heart and mind struggled with Tigress' request, for allowing Tigress to do what she want in return for taking one of Him's strongest lieutenant away and knowing how to make Him mortal will break every moral compass and principle that she hold dear. A pair of aquamarine eyes that borders on pleading stared back at Blossom, and Blossom is torn by the situation. To make matters worse, Blossom knew that her sister is still out there with them and they can turn on her in an instant. Blossom stood in silence as Tigress awaits her answer, and Blossom closed her eye and bit harder on her lips while clenching her fists.
"Let us out. Then we talk." Blossom said in a soft voice, an unwilling tone coming out from her voice.
"Your wish is my command." Tigress snapped her fingers.
[Townsville High,Townsville, 10.15pm]
"Blossom!"
The copper-haired Powerpuff Girl found herself standing in the school courtyard sitting on the bench, staring at an undamaged school. Her rose eyes saw nothing of the bodies nor blood that was shed moments ago in the battle with the demon. In fact, the school appear to be untouched by the blemishes of battle, and that is even more unnerving than gazing upon a ruined school. Blossom turned over to her sister to see that her sister is just as confused as she is, and Blossom also spotted the unconscious Rowdyruff Boy still lying down on the ground.
"Buttercup...What happened?" Blossom asked about the jarring situation.
"The Asian bitch did something and everyone else is gone." Buttercup informed.
"Something? " Blossom questioned her sister, her eyes flashed with something resembling disbelief and distrust over her sister's vague explanation.
"I don't know...I don't know okay?!" Buttercup snapped only to realize that her reaction to her sister is uncalled for. Blossom shook her head, forgiving her sister immediately for her reaction.
"Sorry about that Buttercup, I-" Before Blossom could finish her apology, she was interrupted by the blaring tone of the Powerpuff Hotline. The two Powerpuff Girls' checked their phone to see the message that was sent out to them. The color escaped both Powerpuff Girls' faces and they looked at each other.
"Seriously...these things really know how to make things worse than it already is." Buttercup clicked her tongue.
The sable-haired girl looked down towards the unconscious blonde teenage boy, and she clenched her fist so tightly that Blossom can pick up on the sound of her knuckles cracking from the clenching. Blossom is observant enough to know that Buttercup is being overwhelmed by her emotions. Buttercup is the type of person that dislike an abrupt resolution to a battle and also dislike leaving a person behind.
"Buttercup, bring Boomer back home. Let J.E.E.V.E.S check up on him." Blossom advised her sister.
"Blossom-"
"I will be fine. Go." Blossom assured her sister with a nod. Buttercup hesitated, but she closed her eyes and nodded back. Buttercup immediately picked up the Rowdyruff Boy and flew away towards the suburbs.
"And now..." Blossom turned her attention towards the sight of the gathering clouds over Townsville.
Blossom bolted towards the night sky in a flash of pink light. Blossom thought once more, remembering what the Lunatic had requested her to do, and what she had done to save both her sisters. Blossom hoped that whatever it is, Bubbles will be in a better situation than Buttercup and herself. It took Blossom a few minutes to arrive at the heart of the city where the ominous clouds gather, and Blossom is greeted by a myriad of smells and sight. The scene of Townsville Park, and in particular Townsville Volcano as a shattered battlefield is beyond Blossom's understanding for the park served as the base for TOCTSeF. If she is unable to accept that TOCTSeF had just let a battlefield erupt behind their base, neither will the citizenry of Townsville. Blossom took her time to absorb the scale of what happened and soon came to something she struggled to absorb.
Blossom spotted the sight that initially was a cause of relief, only to be overtaken by a dark sinking sensation in her stomach. A young woman clad in battle armor is holding a dark-haired teenage boy in her arms, while another teenage boy is lying below the young woman's feet. Blossom made haste and as she landed before the young woman, Blossom's mind went numb.
"Blossom!" The young woman called out to Blossom, only for the young woman to realize that her hands are occupied with the person in her arms.
Blossom struggled to say anything as she reached out towards the young man with dark charcoal hair. Blossom's rose-colored eyes spotted the two vicious vertical slashes running parallel to each other on the young man's body, and the coagulating blood stained the skin of the injured teenager. Blossom was about to touch the teenager when her hand reflexively pulled back.
"Bubbles...take Butch back to J.E.E.V.E.S. See what he can do."
"Blossom-"
"I'll take Brick. Move." Blossom commanded her sister.
Bubbles appeared hesitant, but she understood that Blossom is right. Butch needs the help that he can get now, and the sooner he gets it the better. Bubbles soon burst towards the night sky, leaving Blossom alone with the other Rowdyruff Boy. Blossom knelt down to scoop Brick in her arms and her eyes is now gazing upon the bloodied face of her rival. Upon closer examination, Blossom can see that half of Brick's face is just exposed muscle and sinew.
"What the hell..." Blossom wondered what happened to make this place into a hell-forged battlefield.
[Utonium Residence, Suburban Townsville, 2.30am]
Each one of the Powerpuff Girls are fatigued from the night's events, but they are too restless at the same time to fall asleep. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are all sitting at the living room in silence, each showing their foul mood in their own ways. Blossom is sitting on one of the couches with folded arms, and she is tapping her index fingers on her biceps rapidly. Buttercup is sitting down on the floor cross-legged, stuffing herself with a handful of chips from a large bag of Lay's barbecue chips. Bubbles is lying down on the sofa, staring up to the ceiling with her vacant sky-blue eyes.
"So...look like the boys will be alright." Bubbles finally broke the silence with a soft-spoken voice, but her relief appear to be rather superficial. Blossom and Buttercup sensed her turbulent emotions seeping out from her.
"Yes...yes they will." Blossom replied as she closed her eyes and tapping her fingers on her biceps.
J.E.E.V.E.S had informed the girls that the Rowdyruff Boys' conditions are stable, and they should be out within a day or two. Among the three Rowdyruff Boys, Butch suffered the most severe injuries but the two other boys did not came out from the night's events unscathed. It will take further observation to know the effects Brick and Boomer had suffered for the night.
"And It is gone. Brick stabbed its head...I think." Bubbles spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"But Her's out there." Buttercup pointed out before grabbing a handful of chips and munched on the chips.
"Yes, that is true." Blossom admitted bitterly.
"Terrifying to know that the school fixed itself by some stupid means. And no bodies to boot." Buttercup commented as she chewed on the junk food.
"But do you think they will return for a second round?" Bubbles asked her sisters. Blossom stopped tapping her fingers and opened her eyes, while Buttercup stopped munching.
Blossom bit her lips as she leaned back towards the couch and breathed a understood that this is just the beginning to something far worse, and all the parties will return back to Townsville High and also the Townsville Volcano. Blossom hoped that somehow, somehow, they will be able to reduce their headaches when the time comes.
"It will be stupid to think otherwise, Bubbles. It will be stupid to think otherwise..." Blossom answered her sister as she looked up to the ceiling with her rose-colored eyes.
[Alder Residence Apartments, Uptown Townsville, 2.30 am]
A man with olive skin and sable hair looked out stoically from his balcony towards the direction of Downtown Townsville, holding a glass of whiskey in one hand. The man smiled, and he turned around to see a figure clad in a black skin-tight bodysuit with bandoliers hanging by his chest and hips. The person walked towards the balcony, his face covered by a balaclava. The pair of dark green eyes observed the person dressed in the body suit before the person in the bodysuit turned to face the man and saluted.
"No one survived." The man smirked as if he knew what the person in the bodysuit was about to say.
"Unfortunately, Team Bermont is wiped out." The man in the bodysuit affirmed the man's suspicions.
"Her is a particularly vicious saying, it's not everyday that you see demons being brought down to their knees." The man chuckled.
"Team Durand had reported that It was slain by Brick with the assistance of Fennec, Butch and Bubbles. Though it appeared that once again, it is also at the cost of TOCTSeF and some of It's minions." The man continued on reporting without losing a beat.
"Send the exorcists to make sure that It is dead. Anything else of note Solitaire?" The man asked.
"Team Durand had reported that Brick, the Rowdyruff Boy had materialized a kind of weapon of sorts that managed to slay the demon." The person known as Solitaire passed some pictures to the man, and the man raised an eyebrow.
Pictures showing Brick wielding a weapon made out of black, fossilized bones made out of animal-like spines and claws with an intense blood ruby-colored blade piques the interest of the man. The man knew the significance of such a weapon, and what it means for the battles ahead. With a wave of an arm, the man excuses his subordinate, and the subordinate climbed out from the balcony and disappeared.
"It's not everyday that you see a mortal materializing a weapon anathema to demonkin. Isn't that right Hal Reisz?" The man spoke to himself as he glanced through the pictures. The man sighed before turning around to face outward to his balcony to what he was originally gazing upon. The man took another sip from his glass of whiskey, a smile forming on his face.
"And now...what will you do, girls?" Hal asked.
