Chapter 119:What Is It Good For
The City of Townsville.
As they days went on, the entire city had not seen any rise in crime nor violence.
Indeed, if anything, crime had ground itself to a standstill.
This lull is not a comforting one to the citizens of Townsville. If the citizens of this battered city had observed over their time in this city, it is that this lull is a calm before the storm. Indeed, the calmer it is, the greater the storm will be. But how bad it will be is anyone's guess.
Nonetheless, everyone will do their best to live their lives amidst this uncertain times. None more so than the students of Townsville High as the students prepare themselves for the Winter Ball. It can be said that there is even more energy being channeled into this Winter Ball, as none will know if this event will be stopped at any time by the authorities.
With days left until the ball starts, let us see what is going on.
[Townsville High, Townsville, 8.45am]
Brick is used to the sight of people being uneasy around him, and this time is no different. What is different however is that Brick had a bandaged face and decided to not wear his contacts today, and his bandaged appearance and the pure black sclera and blood-red iris is terrifying enough for people to lose the color on their faces. Those eyes combined with his particularly foul mood is enough to silence the hallways of any chatter, let alone sound. Seeing such a intimidating sight, the other students immediately stayed away from him, allowing him the leisure of strolling down the hallway with ease.
Brick and Boomer were out of the Utonium laboratory ward within a few days, but Butch is still undergoing treatment due to his injuries. An injury inflicted by Brick's very hands. That made Brick's mood particularly foul, for he never thought that his mind was feeble enough for something to take over his body. He remembered nothing of the time of the demon's possession, and that made it even worse. Brick reached his locker and opened it, taking some textbooks for the first class of the day. Brick sighed before he closed the locker door, but was soon met with a pigtailed blonde teenage girl with bright blue eyes.
"Brick...you want to talk?" Bubbles asked the Rowdyruff Boy and it is apparent to Brick that she is truly concerned about her.
"What is there to talk about?" Brick answered, sounding a little more edgy than usual.
Bubbles disagreed with Brick, but she is able to read the situation and went against saying something about it. Bubbles reached out towards the Rowdyruff Boy, but Brick backed away from the Powerpuff Girl. Bubbles hung her hands out for a moment, a brief flash of sad surprise showing on her face. Brick felt a pain in his heart seeing Bubbles in such a state, yet he turned around and walked away.
"Brick..." Bubbles uttered softly as she pulled back her hand, resting it upon her chest. Bubbles soon felt a hand on her shoulders, and she turned her head to see a pair of pale citrus-green eyes looking at her.
"Give him some space to settle down." Buttercup smiled weakly as she patted her sister's shoulder. Yet, Buttercup's attempt to ease her sister's uneasiness only served to exacerbate her sister's worries.
"But for how long?" Bubbles asked her sister and a very complex expression that is both pained and perturbed formed on Bubbles' face. Buttercup's expression softened and she gave a small faint smile.
"Until he's about to do something stupid." Buttercup advised before lifting her hands off her sister's shoulders. Buttercup waved farewell before taking her leave to her own classes, leaving Bubbles in the hallway. Bubbles sighed before she decided that she will need to head off to her class.
[Townsville High, Townsville, 3.00pm]
The bell ringing signalled the end of the school day, snapping Bubbles out from her thoughts. Bubbles sighed, knowing well that she is utterly not paying attention to her classes today. Bubbles looked around to see her classmates leaving the room one by one, or by groups, but Brick is nowhere in sight. Despite knowing that today is the day where Bubbles and Brick do not share any classes, she felt a certain emptiness within her. Bubbles took her notebooks and her stationeries with her and got up from her chair, hoping to exit the classroom as fast as possible and go back home. She exited her classroom, only to stop herself as she was about to bump into someone else.
"Bubbles?" A pair of green eyes belonging to a man with defined features raised his eyebrow, his elegant and poised accent sounding a little surprised.
"Oh! Mr. Reisz, sorry about that, I-"
"Please, the apologies is all mine. I was myself a little preoccupied with my own thoughts. And please, call me Hal." The older man apologized.
"Oh...anyway, see you soon Hal." Bubbles said hastily before attempting to make her exit.
"Bubbles, is there something bothering you?" Mr. Reisz asked the Powerpuff Girl, stopping Bubbles in her tracks. Bubbles paused for a moment, choosing the words she wanted to say to her teacher.
"Um...no...nothing at...nothing at all." Bubbles decided that whatever in her mind is best kept to herself.
"I see. Anyway..." Mr. Reisz took out a pen and a piece of paper and started writing on the piece of paper before passing the paper to Bubbles. Bubbles paused for a moment and appear surprised by Mr. Reisz's action. The man gestured for Bubbles to take the paper, and Bubbles hesitated for a moment before she took the piece of paper from his hand. Bubbles looked at the piece of paper and her eyes widened up.
"This is..." Bubbles looked up to see a gentle smile forming on Mr. Reisz's face. Mr. Reisz winked before waving Bubbles farewell. Bubbles instinctively waved back, and the educator is soon walking away from her. Bubbles stood silently in the hallway as the distance between Mr. Reisz and herself became larger.
"That's very interesting, Bubbles." Bubbles jumped at the sound beside her ear, and she turned her head to see a young woman with long flowing brunette hair and sky-blue eyes smiling devilishly at her.
"ROBIN!" Bubbles did not appreciate that her friend scared her for a second.
"Relax, this is Townsville High. No villain is stupid enough to attack this school when you and your sisters are around." Robin chuckled. The irony is not lost on Bubbles as the school was targeted just two nights ago, but there is no proof of the attack happening.
"You'll never know Robin. Anything goes these days." Bubbles replied honestly.
"If that time comes, we students will have to rely on you three to get us out of trouble." Robin winked, and Bubbles felt a weight being placed on her shoulders.
"Right..." Bubbles said meekly, knowing well that the villains this time are not the run-off-the-mill villains that they used to face.
"Anyway, what did the hottie teacher gave you huh. Hm~?" Robin elbowed Bubbles and Bubbles recognized Robin's devilishly mischievous face. Robin's expression gave Bubbles the impression of a cat that found something it can play with. Bubbles will need to decide if she wanted to play Robin's game, and she decided that she will not.
"It's nothing, really. Just a phone number." Bubbles answered truthfully and showed Robin the piece of paper. Robin took a good look and that only made her smile even more feline-like.
"Teachers giving out phone numbers to students is normal aye?" Bubbles sensed that Robin is teasing her.
"In our case, it is. We always fight crime and such, and-"
"Sure thing Bubbs. Sure thing." Robin shook off Bubbles' explanation, and made a very obvious wink. Bubbles groaned and realized that once Robin latches on something that she want to tease, she will never let it rest.
"Anyway, I'm off to set up the Winter Ball!" Bubbles decided to stop Robin before it goes overboard. Before Robin can even say anything, Bubbles disappear in a streak of light blue light.
"It is so fun to tease Bubbles." Robin chuckled.
[Townsville High, Downtown Townsville, 6.30pm]
It appears that Bubbles had forgotten to take her lipstick, and Buttercup had came to the school to pass it to her. Buttercup had told herself that after passing her sister the lipstick, she will go to Townsville General Hospital to pay a visit to Professor Utonium. She heard some noises coming from the indoor basketball court, and she immediately knew that is where her sister will be.
There they are, those damn songbirds.
The students had been preparing for the Winter Ball for weeks now, and all the musically-inclined clubs are now doing their last run of their performances before their big day this Saturday. That and the Winter Ball committee are doing the final finishing touches to beautify the event. Buttercup slowly make her way towards the entrance of the indoor basketball,wondering if she will be lucky enough to see one of the performances before the big day itself. Buttercup slowly opened up the door, and she saw that the basketball court is a hive of activity.
It appears that the students within the hall are all engaged in various activities, and it appears that everyone is absorbed in whatever it is that they are doing. Some of the students are setting up the decorations to highlight the winter theme of the ball, while others are setting up the lighting of the hall. Buttercup's eyes were soon focused on the stage, where it appear that several of the students with musical instruments are gathered around in a discussion. Buttercup's lime-green eyes widened up as her eyes noticed a particular individual on the stage.
"Boomer?" Buttercup immediately hid behind the seats of the basketball court like a shy, bashful little child as she was a little caught by surprise.
The sand-blonde teenager with the dark blue eyes appear to be in a deep discussion with the pianist and the drummer, while the trumpeter, saxophonist, guitarist and bassist listened by the sideline. Buttercup had always seen the Rowdyruff Boy to be a particularly playful person, and she had never expected him to have such a serious expression on his face as he communicated with the other students.
"Interesting to see him like that isn't it?" A voice spoke to Buttercup, causing her to jump with surprise. Buttercup turned around to see a platinum blonde teenager with bright zircon-blue eyes staring back at her.
"Oh! Bubbles!"
"What are you doing here Buttercup?"
"Oh,um...ur...your...Yeah! Your lipstick!" Buttercup immediately dug into her pockets and took out the lipstick from her pocket before passing it to her sister.
"Right, forgot about that. Thanks sis." Bubbles took the lipstick from her sister's hands.
"Yeah, um...anyway, I will be off now. Gotta see the Prof and all." Buttercup tried to excuse herself, but Bubbles held on Buttercup's arm.
"Hold up. We both can go and visit the Professor together." Bubbles gave her sister a smile that Buttercup knew she will not be able to run away from.
"Um...right...Ur..."Buttercup tried to find something within her to say yes, but Bubbles understood her sister well that she chuckled.
"Alright, give me another few minutes alright? At the meantime you can wait right here and watch." Bubbles winked at her sister before letting go of her sister's arm.
"Oh shut up!" Buttercup is not pleased that her sister had just teased her.
As the joyful Powerpuff Girl walked away from Buttercup, Buttercup turned away from her sister and towards the individuals on the stage at this moment. Buttercup noticed that Boomer had just finished the conversation with the pianist and drummer, and moved towards the center of the stage. The other instrumentalists also moved to their positions and they started to play a few musical notes here and there, in preparation for their performance.
"Alright guys, ready?" Boomer's voice can be heard even from where Buttercup is standing, and the other people on the stage gave a thumbs up.
Boomer immediately opened up the performance with a deep but bright sound, with a smooth yet trembling smokey voice with an ethereal timbre. Buttercup remembered this particular voice from the time she is trapped in Boomer's dreamworld, and for her to hear it in real life warmed her heart. A playful Latin-like piano introduction soon accompanied Boomer's singing, before the drum beat came in to give it the song a more Jive-like tune. The trumpet, saxophone, guitar and bass soon entered into the song, providing the song with a burst of happiness that put a smile on Buttercup's face.
Buttercup leaned on the wall and watched Boomer continued on performing for all those in the hall and watch the performance. Buttercup felt the liveliness of the song coursing through her body, and she felt that she wanted to share the joy of the song with the foolish Rowdyruff Boy on stage. Buttercup started to hug her own body, and she felt her body warming up to the idea of staying just a little longer to watch the boy sing his heart out.
Seriously, if you really continue on singing like that I'll-, Buttercup's thoughts was immediately interrupted by a tap on her shoulders, and she turned towards the source of the tap on her shoulder.
"Alright Buttercup, I got my things already. Let's go." Bubbles winked at her sister.
Buttercup disguised her disappointment beneath the veneer of a smile, and tilted her head as if to lead her sister to move ahead of her. However, Bubbles knew that her sister is not fooling anyone. It is obvious to her that her sister wanted to see the performance, but at the same time Buttercup is far too prideful to admit it. Bubbles decided that she will not tease her sister, and put it under the rug.
"Let's go." Bubbles smiled back, and moved ahead of her sister.
Bubbles honestly wished that it was that easy with Brick.
[Unknown location, 7.30pm]
The eyes of the multi-limbed Lunatic appear to be glowing with unbridled glee, a glee of a person seeing that his plans are falling into place. The intricate web spun throughout several months had came down to this moment, and it is time for his plans to come to fruition. Standing beside the spider-like abomination is another abomination, a living corpse in a tuxedo with burning red eyes and a broken tophat.
"So, it will happen, Ananse?" The undead cadaver asked.
"Yes...yes it will. By the way, here's something you can use." Ananse snapped his finger and one of his henchmen placed a black serpentine object with a shattered skull on the table.
A flash of confusion appeared briefly on the undead's face, but soon turned into a frown of unease. Ananse started chuckling, before it evolved into a sinister laughter. Ananse pushed the limp serpentine corpse to Abracadaver. Abracadaver is apprehensive of the thing presented before him, for it reeked of a presence that should not exist just like himself. Yet, something within him drew him closer to the object, with his arms reaching out towards the limp black serpent-like object. With his dessicated pallid fingers, Abracadaver grabbed the object and brought it closer to his face. An indescribable sensation started coursing through Abracadaver's dried-up veins, and a presence within him whispered a dark temptation to him.
"Go on, I will not judge." Ananse beckoned the undead sorcerer.
Abracadaver's jaws opened up, and the undead lich bit into the object. The demon chewed and crunched on the item, marveling at its unnatural texture and taste. It tasted unimaginably pleasant and juicy, while its texture is smooth and complex. Every bite in ingrovates every part of the zombie, as if giving his body life once more. Most importantly, the flesh of the serpent-like thing nourished the dark energies within the undead's body. The undead noticed that his hands are slowly filling itself up and its vigor renewed, and he stopped eating. The demon immediately looked around and his eyes soon caught his own image on one of the mirrors placed in the room.
The undead slowly walked towards the mirror, and he marveled at the transformation upon his physical being. Abracadaver's dessicated and pallid appearance is no longer so, and instead a fully fleshed-out and more solidly-colored appearance had taken hold. The undead cadaver reached out to his own reflection, touching the surface of the mirror. The undead turned around to face Ananse once more, Abracadaver's eyes wide with surprise.
"What is this?" Abracadaver inquired.
"This is It, the demon that Brick had slain." Ananse informed the demon.
"Demon flesh...you are right...this is something I can use. It is coursing with eldritch energies." A wide and malicious grin stretched upon Abracadaver's face as he walked up towards the table once more. The undead lich picked the weird serpentine object in his arms, and eyed upon the corpse of the demon in its arm.
"But of course dear Abracadaver. And with this...' The multi-limbed Lunatic produced an item from its various limbs, 'We will bring them all in."
Abracadaver felt a very unusual sensation running through his body when the spider-like Lunatic revealed the vial. Before he noticed it, Abracadaver had taken a step back and the corpse-sorcerer scowled at his show of cowardice. Ananse smirked as he placed the object on the table, a vial housing a dark-red liquid. Abracadaver scowled at the object, sensing an unnatural presence within the vial. It can be argued that Abracadaver is more terrified of what is within the vial as compared to the corpse of the demon he is now devouring.
"That vial...it is wrong. It reeks of...something wrong."
"Of course, it requires one more ingredient. But with this, they will all be drawn in. And here's where the show will be held." Ananse placed a map on the table and pointed towards a particular location. Abracadaver's eyes lit up and he stared at Ananse's multiple eyes, a smile forced itself to creep up on his face. The spider-like Lunatic nodded, and passed him the vial.
"I'll provide the bait and the men, just have fun." Anansed assured the undead sorcerer. A dark maniacal laughter slipped out from Abracadaver, and a dark purple cloud enveloped the undead sorcerer. Ananse waved farewell to Abracadaver before the dark purple cloud dissipated along with the lich.
[Suburban Townsville, 7.30am]
Boomer is pretty confident with his performance now that he is dancing as he walked back home. Everything is fine, and he felt as if he can sing it without any problems. He had chosen this song for a reason, for he do not want anyone to worry about anything during the ball. Since Boomer is the opening act, it is his role to place the mood for the night. It is good for Boomer to be able to do this, and Boomer felt that this can be something he want to do with the rest of his life. This is a different feeling that he had as compared to all the wars and conflicts he had participated in over the years, for he never understood what war is good for.
He likes to be in fights, but war, war he despise. Boomer had seen the tears of thousands of parents as they sent their children to fight, only for them to lose their lives. The destruction of innocent lives, for war can't give live, only take it away. It breaks hearts and shatter dreams, making them bitter and mean. War has caused unrest, and the point of war blows Boomer's mind. Boomer wondered if life will give him a chance to go about his path of doing songs for a living, or if the fates will intentionally rob him of this hope and plunging him deeper into the despair of being on the battlefields once more.
War is only friends to the undertaker, Boomer's depressive thoughts colored his mind, and he felt a little more miserable as a result.
"Boomer?" A young husky feminine voice called out to Boomer.
Boomer turned around to see a sable-haired young woman with a short undercut hair with neon green highlights and a platinum blonde pig-tailed girl a few feet behind him. Boomer recognised the two women, and it is a pleasant surprise to see them.
"Girls?"
"Hello! " Bubbles waved sweetly at him, and her adorable nature combined with her white winter coat and blue turtleneck dress created a very cute and elegant appearance.
In contrast, Buttercup is dressed in a much more edgier look, with a black leather jacket, dark grey jeans and light green shirt and a white scarf wrapped around her neck.
"Hey." Buttercup answered curtly.
"Walking back?" Boomer asked the two Powerpuff Girls.
"Yeah. Just paid a visit to the Prof." Buttercup answered, and Boomer sensed a tinge of sadness in her voice.
Professor Utonium, the creator of the Powerpuff Girls and their father in every other way, had not woken up from his coma and is still in a dire condition. Boomer is unable to imagine how it felt like for the girls to have such grief, but he one day hope to care for Lilith the way the girls do with Professor Utonium. Boomer soon noticed that the Powerpuff Girls is missing their third member.
"Blossom not with you girls?"
"Oh no, she's at home." Bubbles informed the Rowdyruff Boy.
"Meh, might as well give a visit to that musclebrain." Boomer shrugged, remembering that his brother is still being treated in the Utonium Residence.
[Unknown Cinema, Downtown Townsville, 11.30pm]
Hal Reisz sat alone in a late-night theater with a box of popcorn in hand, appearing to be enjoying himself as he watched the movie. It is a movie that he had watched time and time again, to the point where Hal is uttering the lines of the movie under his breath. A scene of a man lying down on a wall with a dagger stuck in his stomach, struggling to get up with a rapier in arm
"Good heavens, are you still trying to win? You have an overdeveloped sense of vengeance. It is going to get yourself into trouble someday." Hal uttered the words at the same time the villain of the story uttered his lines.
Hal watched as the villain attempted to end the protagonist's life twice with a stab of his rapier, but the blows are parried and the rapier stabbed into the protagonist's shoulders and biceps respectively. As the protagonist struggled and stumbled towards the villain, the protagonist spoke with a cold and yet determined voice.
"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die." Hall uttered the lines under his breath once more, enraptured by the scene.
"Watched the movie religiously huh? Hal turned to his left and saw a graying gruff-looking Caucasian man dressed in a bright green polo shirt sitting beside him. The creases on his face showed the hardships he had experienced in his life and the hard decisions that he had to make, and the man's dark brown eyes appear almost black. Hall offered the man the box of popcorn, but the man refused.
"Mr. Collins, it is not the movies if one does not snack on popcorn." Hal joked.
"I am not here to watch a show." The special agent replied, his voice dry and curt.
"Then why are you here, Agent Collins ?" Hal asked knowing well that the man meant business.
"Your forces are given clearance to operate within our city."
"Your orange-skinned leader finally taking the hint?" Hal mocked.
"Yes." The man said reluctantly.
"As you wish." Hal nodded before getting off the seat of the cinema, taking his coat from the seat.
"What is it good for?" Special Agent Collins asked, his voice betrayed the doubts in his mind.
"Absolutely nothing of your concern." Hal answered before walking away, watched by the American agent.
As Hal exited the cinema hall, five men in black robes and white collars appeared before the olive-skinned man. Each one of them wore small round-rimmed black glasses and white gloved hands emblazoned with the art of a man being hung upside-down on a cross by one ankle, with thirteen coins falling out from the man's pockets. The men appear to want to ask Hall of what transpired in the cinema hall, so Hal answered with a wide devilish grin on his face as he placed his hands into his pockets.
"Reconquista." Hal uttered, and a smile erupted on the faces of the other five men.
