Stuff Happens

It was well into the afternoon when Blossom and Brick had finished watching a few of her movies. Both of them watched the small marathon in his room, and his brothers took immediate notice of the smell of popcorn and the sound of voices coming from the room. It had taken every ounce of will not to tease or interrupt them, but they both decided they had better company to make that day.

When they decided to leave, Brick texted his brothers to meet him at the station. He expected they would bring their counterparts, but Blossom had made sure to text her sisters to meet them there as well. The two walked out of the apartment towards the station talking about the movies she showed him.

"So what did you think of the movies?" Blossom asked as they made their way to the station.

"I liked the sets of the Caligari, it felt like it was designed by a madman." He said smiling down, "I didn't expect a hundred year movie to have such intricate designs."

"What about Metropolis?" She asked, "The set designs there were practically ludicrous with detail." She said looking up at the sky.

"I was more impressed with the robot suite and effects. Shockingly it still holds up." He said looking at her, "But I think my favorite was Nosferatu."

"Figures you would like the vampire story the most." She said playfully pushing him. "You already look like one with those circles around your crimson eyes."

"Hey, I gotta represent the better kind of vampires. The kinds that actually act like monsters." He said pushing back slightly.

The conversation went back and forth like that all the way to the station where they waited for their siblings. Sitting in the room Blossom looked at the map, "So do you think we'll catch them tonight?"

"I hope so, it would suck if they decided they got enough and ran to a new city." Brick said, "The touring diamond is only a theory after all. Any point they could decide they've got enough and scram."

"Wouldn't a diamond like that be hard to fence? I mean it's got a huge profile and reputation." She asked looking closer at the remaining stores and deciding where to put the pairs.

"The Black market will see to re-cutting the rock to make it look different, and for it's buyers it's because of that reputation they'd want it. They know what the jewel is and that's all they need." He explained. "I just can't shake the feeling they'd be after something big. If Sedusa would risk coming back here it would have to be for a real big prize."

She looked at her partners brow knitted in concentration looking at the map they had. "Well you've been right about them so far. We'll have to wait to see if our ruse worked."

The sound of approaching teenage voices got their attention and they turned around to see the rest of the stakeout crew floating into the room. They were all dressed in black, but Boomer and Bubbles had hats covering up their blond hair. Butch and Buttercup were snickering about something while the Blues were floating in front of them arms locked with each other.

Brick was about to ask why the greens were laughing before he saw Boomer turn around with a piece of paper taped to his back. Brick squinted and read "Caution, we give diabetes to whoever gets too close."

Brick bit his bottom lip to fight back his own chuckle and moved behind his brother to quickly get rid of the paper. "So, we've got a good shot at catching these crooks today," Brick began the meeting while tossing the paper away. "We've got six eyes and three stores to watch, so we'll be breaking off into pairs and staking out like last time."

Blossom spoke up there and continued, "So Butch and Buttercup, I want you both at the center store, Boomer and Bubbles will take the south store, and That leaves the north eastern store for me and Brick." She said pointing to each store as she assigned them.

"If you see anything suspicious one of you calls me the other calls the other Rowdyruff." Brick said. "You have an hour to get snacks, or anything else you may need. A pack of cards or something to pass the time, but nothing too distracting." Brick finished as authoritative as he could.

Buttercup was sitting in her chair arms behind her head and gave cold glares to Brick whenever he spoke, but held her tongue. She wanted to tell him off for thinking he had a say over her, but this was Bricks job just as much as it was her sisters. "Anything else?" She asked with a voice colder than she intended. Everyone took notice oh her glare as they all looked at her.

Brick in turn glowered back at her, "Just text Blossom when you four get into position." He crossed his arms never breaking contact with her, "That'll be all."

A tense atmosphere grew as lime green eyes refused to break line with crimson ones. Butch clenched his jaw in frustration and broke the silence. "Come on BC we need to get some snacks. I need something spicy if I'm going to stay awake all night." When it looked like she wasn't listening to him he sighed, "Unless your lazy ass can't even get moving for food."

It worked just as well as he hoped, "I'm not lazy I actually worked today. I didn't sneak into the pool to annoy the lifeguards." She shot back getting up from her seat.

"I only bugged one lifeguard. As I recall, and I thought she would have appreciated my smiling face." He said getting ready to leave.

Blossom spoke up before her sisters left the room, "Here, it wouldn't be good of us to make you buy your own snacks for helping us out." She said as she pulled out her wallet and handed her sisters some money.

"Oh bro come on, ain't we getting some cash too?" Boomer said with a teasing tone.

Brick rolled his eyes and fished out a few bills he had in his wallet, "Just don't get anything that'll upset your gut." He said handing the money over.

With the six paired up and the sun starting it's descent into twilight they took to the sky. An hour later all six were at their stakeout locations with snacks and anything else they'd need.

"Looks like Bubbles and Boomer just checked in." Blossom said as she put her phone away. "I have a good feeling about tonight." She said approaching the ledge looking over the store.

"Yeah me too, it seems like the cops will be distracted with lingering celebrations, fireworks, and drunk drivers. Only now there wont be a checkpoints through the city. It'd be when I would rob something." He said before looking at her.

Blossom and Brick continued watching the store and making small talk. She was happy we was so open to the conversations this time. She never felt like he was trying to keep her out of his head, and while he still responded with short answers occasionally they weren't as often as they had been on their other nights out so far.

Across the city Bubbles and Boomer were putting away their phones and watching the familiar store. "You would think they'd give us a different store to watch tonight." He said placing his cheek into his hand.

"I think this will be our store anytime we help out." Bubbles said leaning against her boyfriend. "Blossom probably thinks putting us here will help us notice something off if it happens."

"Makes sense." He said, before turning his attention back to her. "By the way did you know Blossom was over almost all day today?"

"I figured she was with Brick, but I didn't know where. What were they doing?" She asked.

"I think they were watching a movie or something. They were in Bricks room with the smell of popcorn just pouring from the bottom of his door." He said with a chuckle.

"Oh the professor is not going to hear about that." she said with a giggle, "He fell out of his chair when he saw the morning paper showing a picture of Brick kissing Blossom." She shook her head and pulled out her phone. "I took a picture of it." She said showing off a picture of the Professor laying on the floor with a broken mug of coffee spilling my his arm. She then swiped the photo to show the actual picture that put him into shock.

Boomer smiled seeing Brick show affection like he was, "I hope my brother didn't put your dad in the hospital."

"Oh no, nothing like that. Me and Keane were telling him to stop overreacting, Still though. I didn't think they would act this way to each other, well not yet anyways." She said smiling down at her phone. She enjoyed the way her sister looked with her eyes closed and a grin ear to ear as Brick was pressing his sticky face into her cheek.

"What is all over his face though?" Boomer asked looking down over her shoulder.

"I think it was pie glaze. Blossom and Brick were participating in a pie eating contest. She was up really late learning how to do it without Keanes help. Then she was up way too early, but she insisted yesterday had to be perfect."

"How come?" He asked.

"Well," Bubbles said with a pause as she tried to figure out how much to say. She wasn't go to tell Boomer she knew Brick had a plan, and certainly wasn't going to make it seem like she was holding it against him. "Blossom just wants to make sure Brick stays her friend after this investigation is over. She really likes your brother, and wants to make him like her back." She said.

"Well it worked. Brick never eats in his room, or act like a normal teenager." He said chuckling. "Yet he hasn't been the same since yesterday, in a good way." Boomer said hiding the plan away from Bubbles. Brick wouldn't be able to get over his plan if someone found out and maybe shoved it in his face. Brick needs a clean slate and he can't do that being reminded of his past, no matter how recent it is.

She took notice of his words and felt relief. All they needed now was these criminals put behind bars, and everything could go to a new normal. One where they all got along. "Well enough about our siblings," She said putting her phone away. " We have to talk about us now." She said looking at him with a slight pout, "We're the only ones dating and we haven't even had our first date yet, so when is that happening?" She said admiring the tinge of pink grow across his face.

He was surprised by that statement, he hadn't had a girlfriend before but thought they had dates. They spent all of these last two days together, but he guessed that didn't count. Looking over he saw the pleasure she took from making him blush and with a devious smile of his own he decided to pay her back. "Well your also the only one who got into my pants."

Her eyes grew wide and turned away trying to hide her blush, but the black cap upon her head kept her hair away from her face and gave him a full view of her reddening cheeks. "You already made that joke, get some new ammo." She said shyly keeping her eyes from his.

"Alright, well how about next Wednesday I take you out to the movies?" He asked turning her face back to him.

"That's a good start, but why are you making me wait so long." She said returning to her pout. Boomer laughed softly and the pair continued planning their date next week.

In the center of town Buttercup was trying to talk to Butch but he seemed moody. "What's up with you today?" she asked tired of the third grunt of a response she had gotten in ten minutes.

"Why do you keep trying to piss my brother off?" He finally asked. She was just happy to get a full sentence this time, but crossed her arms in anger.

"He pisses me off. Doing a few good things isn't going to make up for the crap he's done." She said with disgust in her voice. "My sister has done nothing but try to be his friend but he acts like an ass."

"How?" He said turning to her, "All I've seen these last two days is them getting along."

"Is it really getting along when he goes around two-faced? He claims he's her friend but has this plan to hurt her. Who even does that, and isn't a complete jack ass." She said stomping her foot exasperated at Butch defending him.

Butch in turn looked down with his hair covering his eyes in a dark look. "What plan?" he asked. Buttercup tightened her mouth realizing she let it slip she knew. Butch looked up and his green eyes looked less vibrant and angry, "What plan?"

Buttercup hadn't seen that look on his face in a while and was shocked to see it after so long. She dropped her arms and looked to the side. "A few nights ago I overheard you and Brick talking. I specifically heard you ask to get out of some plan he had to hurt us, or at least Blossom."

"How did you hear us? Nobody was in the store when I talked to him about that." He asked.

With no real place to turn to she decided to just tell the truth, "It turns out I have a special power after all. I can astral project. I was in that store with you for a while. I was the thing playing with the lights, and knocking chips off the shelf." She said looking away from his eyes.

He wanted to believe she was lying, but if she knew about the lights and merchandise falling over like they did, he couldn't deny she had to be telling the truth.

"My sister deserves a real friend, okay?" She said not sure how to take his silence. "I don't trust Brick, and I do not have to like him. So why should I pretend, unlike him I'm not a two-faced liar."

"I might say you're just as petty." He said barely over a whisper. "But when I say leave him alone, trust me, leave him alone." He said much harsher this time. "I get why you don't trust him, but he's not going to do anything. Not anymore."

"How can I trust him? Can I even trust you?" She shot back, but regretted it as soon as she saw hurt in his eyes. "You won't even tell me what that plan was. If he's dropped it, I should be allowed to know."

"No, if I tell you, you'll start something with Brick and that'll be far worse." Butch said dragging his hand across his face, "Bricks plan, was motivated by how you girls looked at us. He never said it out loud but he hated feeling inferior to you three. So far you're proving his point."

"What are you talking about?" She asked with a scowl.

"You refuse to see him as nothing more than a Rowdyruff. We haven't really been the Rowdyruffs in years. Not since lock up. The name is all that's left. His past isn't your business, and when I can see him dropping it and moving forward you want to sit there and judge him."

"Why not?" She almost yelled, "He is trying to hurt my sister. I thought you, as my friend, would take my side."

"I am taking your side, but my point stands. That plan was in the past. He wouldn't hang around Blossom outside of work the way he has been if he thought of hurting her. His plan, however dumb, was as of a few days ago dead in the dirt." He shook his head and pointed, "But you want to tie him to something even he doesn't want anymore."

"So you say, but what if it's not?" She said pointing back, "What then."

"Then I help you and your sisters. But as much as we've been friends, Brick is my brother. He took care of me and Boomer when we got sick, he kept us in line, got schoolin' to make us look good and get out of lockup, and holds all the guilt of how we ended up after to himself. I'm not your enemy or his, I want him to finally let go of this stupid bar he holds himself to, and for once be relaxed and happy again." He dropped his shoulders, not even knowing when he started tensing them up, and took a breath. "Just because I didn't want to be apart of that plan, doesn't mean I'm going to forget what my brother is to me, and what he has done for me."

She looked at him and dropped her venomous mood as he relaxed in front of her, "Okay, I get it." She finally said. "I guess loyalty to our family is something we share. I just don't know what he's planning, and after monster island I get scared." She said looking away, "If I knew what he was planning and how to counter it, I would feel better."

Butch shook his head and spoke softly, "Here is what he's planning, Catching these thieves and moving on." She looked at him with annoyance, but he kept going. "I meant it when I said he dropped his plan. I'm only not telling you because I'm sure it's over." She still looked unsure so he added, "He looks at her differently, he acts differently. I think he is finally letting go of all the hate and anger and found Blossom to be something like you are to me. It's a good thing I promise."

"Butch, I expect you to keep your word if its not. I'll drop it then. Besides if he wanted to hurt her I'm sure he would have done so last night." She said.

"What do you mean?" He asked curious. So she told him how she stayed waiting for Blossom and found her in her bed, and she and her sisters decided Brick had to gotten her in her bed safe and sound.

They kept talking like that for a few hours with a far more casual feeling in the air than how it started. She listened to how his car was coming, how he found an auto hobby shop, and would have to carry his car across a few cities to get to it, but he found one. She talked about some of the children she had to teach, and how one refused to even try to swim. How her cheek had hurt by the end of the lesson from a forced smile.

The conversation had moved to shows and movies, and she was about to talk about one show she liked before something caught her eye. "Hush do you see that?" She asked Butch pointing to a man skulking in the alleyway. It just before midnight so it wasn't out of the ordinary for someone to be out in the city, but he seemed to be looking around before leaning against a wall. A few seconds passed by then his face glowed with a dim cellphone light. He stood still for a few seconds before his phone lit back up. The man nodded to his phone, pocketed it and pulled something out of his pocket. It had to be a pick as he started working on the lock to the roof ladder of the Morebucks Jewelry store.

It was only a few seconds before the hatch swung down and the man started climbing faster than his smallish frame should have allowed. "We got something, I'm calling Brick." He said as he walked away from the ledge.

North eastern from that Brick and Blossom were talking about more classic movies, Blossom was searching on her smart phone for more restored silent films when Brick felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out he saw Butch was calling and answered. "What's up?" He asked suppressing the smile he had watching Blossom get excited about ordering some more movies for them to watch.

"We got something here at the store. This guy is climbing a ladder to get onto the roof. He had to pick a lock to do it, but now he's on the roof." Butch reported.

"What's he doing can you see?" He asked in a hurried whisper. Blossom took notice of his shift in mood and stood up trying to hear the other end of the conversation. She could hear Butch ask BC to describe something, then heard his voice return to the phone.

"He's got a canister of something, BC says it was already on the roof under a tarp and he's doing something next to an air duct." Brick had seen Blossom trying to listen and put the phone on speaker.

"Didn't you say Morebucks hired armed security for that store?" He asked Blossom who nodded. "Knockout gas?"

"Sounds like it, safer than breaking in and risking security." Blossom said, "The museum often has armed guards, you think this is part of your training theory?"

"It crossed my mind yeah," Brick said before turning back to his phone. "Keep an eye out and stay in your position, if they rob the place they'll head back to a hideout where all the other stolen stuff may be. Keep us updated." Brick said hanging up.

Buttercup watched the man as he stared at his wrist where she guessed a watch was. He turned off whatever was in the canister and pulled out his phone again. A few blocks down a van came out of one alley and drove to the alley they saw the first man. They looked like exterminators in orange jumpsuits and masks, only these guys had another set of lock picks and were opening the side door to the business.

"Bosses said to keep watch, they think they'll head back to where they keep the rest of the stolen goods." Butch whispered to her.

She looked down and saw the van door open with a pocket built into the door. "Wait here." She said before jumping off the roof and floating down to the van. As quick as she float without leaving a light she rushed to the door and placed her cellphone in the door pocket. She wasted no time before rushing back to her vantage point where Butch waited with a curious light in his eyes.

"Text the redheads and tell them not to call my phone no matter what." She said as she cleared the ledge. Butch complied and pulled his out.

Brick had just finished calling Boomer telling them to fly high in the sky so their trails wont be seen when his phone went back off. "BC says do not call her phone, DO NOT CALL BUTTERBUTTS PHONE."

"Wonder why?" Blossom said, but shrugged and passed the message to Bubbles and Boomer.

Buttercup saw the message and scowled at Butch. "If we weren't seeing these crooks rob this place I'd smack you into the wall for the nickname." She said before turning back to the store. She watched with amazement through her X-ray vision as they were passing a set of keys one the guards had one them between them all to unlock the displays and clear the contents into bags. One guy seemed to be cracking the safe and another was opening the registers. They moved quick and efficiently. They had five people plus the roof guy who was now coming down and re-locking the ladder. The canister was still on the roof, and he was moving to the driver seat. The whole thing took just more than ten minutes, but they cleaned out the lobby, and safe and had climbed back into the van where they calmly drove down the street.

"They could at least peel out." Butch said. "you know, like people who just ran from a crime."

Buttercup rolled her eyes, "Then they'd leave clues and would stick out. These guys are good." She said watching them get away.

Butch had his phone in his hand as it vibrated, "Where are you?" A message from Brick read out on his screen. He typed out which roof they were on and four sets of bodies dropped from the sky before stopping their fall just shy of hitting the roof.

"They still here?" Brick asked.

"No they took off, heading west. They were in a van with no windows, like a work van or something." Butch said.

"So you lost them?" Blossom asked.

"No, I put my phone in the back of their van." Buttercup said.

"So in case they want to call us and confess they have our contact info?" Boomer asked.

"No Boomer," Buttercup said rolling her eyes. "Remember how I kept losing the hot-line when we first got the satellite phone Blossom?"

Blossom thought for a moment and with a smile pulled out her phone. "Buttercup you're a genius." She said excitedly. She pulled her phone out and typed a few things into it. A few seconds later she smiled, "Got it, they're five miles south west of here." She said showing a map displayed on her phone.

"Wait what?" Boomer asked, "How do you know where they are."

"Most phones have a GPS find my phone feature, since were all on the same plan I can find Buttercups phone signal with mine. Buttercup just put a tracking device in their van."

"Yeah as long as the phone isn't ringing." Brick said. "let's move before risking them finding it and tossing the phone." The six figures flew high into the sky and followed Blossoms directions until they were just above the signal.

"There's the van!" Butch yelled as they found it idling at a stoplight. The light turned green and Blossom turned off the GPS and they followed it.

The van didn't move for long until they came to a spot in the city filled with warehouses. It turned into a building and the 6 floated down to a window to see what was going on inside.

Inside looked like your average warehouse, only lining the shelves of this one had stolen jewelry stored in bins. "Buttercup I could hug you." Brick said as he looked at the men climb out of the van and walk to their boss. Sedusa was indeed the mastermind of this as she sat in a large luxury office chair like a throne.

"Any problems?" She asked as her men walked in with large bags in their arms.

"None, the gas Melvin lifted from his job worked like a charm." One guy said as he unzipped the bag. "Easier to steal when guards with keys fall asleep on the job."

"And that's why I always make sure to visit my dentist." She said with a cheeky sneer. "And no one saw you? Powerpuff or cop?"

"We watched the sky for miles, never saw a light in the sky." Another guy said. "But I'm more worried about those boys finding out. Didn't you hear what they did to the monkey?"

"If they aren't really distracted by the Powerpuffs they're still boys, and I know how to pull them to my side. Don't I?" She said talking to the man with a sultry tone as she held his chin with a finger close to her lips. He tried to stammer an answer before she chuckled and pushed him away. "Get back to work now, Mommy needs you in tip top form. We can start casing the museum next week." She said walking away as the man obeyed her orders.

All three boys gagged at the thought of her using her body to control them, "She's sick in the head if that old body would do anything for me." Boomer said.

"I know bodies change, but hers looks like it'll be spoiled milk before her next birthday." Brick said.

"Well we found them, now what?" Blossom said stopping the boys conversation.

"Tie them up and call the cops, standard crook procedure." Brick said shaking off any unsavory images lingering in his head. "Ready?" He said pulling a fist back, "Go." He ordered punching a hole in the wall for them to fly through.

The men in the building looked up in alarm and Sedusa growled as the dust cleared. The six super teens were floating above them, and she yelled at her men. "I thought you weren't followed!"

"We wasn't, Honest." The leading minion said.

"Then make it up to mommy and stop them!" She yelled before throwing something on the ground that burned bright white and she was gone.

"These are common crooks make quick work of them Butch and Buttercup. Blossom look east, Bubbles west, Boomer south." Brick ordered and they all took off into the sky looking for the target.

In the confusion one man had moved to a rope tied to something hanging from the ceiling. Buttercup saw him trying to cut the rope and saw a steel girder suspended over Butch's head. "Lookout numb-nuts!" She yelled pushing Butch out of the way just at the steel beam fell on her head knocking her out.

"Buttercup!" Butch yelled when he saw hey lying underneath the beam. Flying over and activating his shield just someone tried something else, he pulled her out. He held an ear to her mouth and could hear her steady breathing. "Alright idiots." He said standing up, a look of fury cemented on his face, "Since she's still breathing it's time to play a game, the goal? Keep your teeth after I'm through with y'all" He growled and with a roar started attacking the men with a brutal speed.

It was over nearly as instantly as it began, there was blood, teeth and a group of men laying on the floor around him. "Looks like nobody won that game." He said before pulling out his phone and calling the police to alert them of the location of the hideout. He then walked to Buttercup and cradled her into his arms, and floated outside to a nearby buildings rooftop. "Alright BC you should be safe here. I'm gonna go and try to get Sedusa and whack her good for ya." He said flying into the sky and seeing some lights converge over the park near the volcano.

As soon as Brick had taken to sky he started flying north. He figured she went this way since it was the direction of the wall she disappeared by was facing. He wanted to capture her personally, for reasons he wasn't entirely sure of, but something in him said he just had to be the one to catch her. It wasn't hard to find her, she had a bike and was riding away, the engine roaring through a nearby empty building as she cut north to try and lose them.

With a growl he took off towards the sound of the bike. He caught up to her quickly and snatched her off the bike, the bike itself crashing into a building after losing its driver. "Oh good it's the handsome one," She said realizing who captured her, "Come on sweetie, we're both villains trying to get by aren't we? How about you let me go and I'll give you a nice kiss?" She asked as she tried to steady herself in his grip.

"Not happening." He said as he flew towards the park. Something seemed to force his location in his mind. Maybe it was because he heard getting her hair wet stopped her powers temporarily, and there was big pond at the nearby park, but whatever the reason his body seemed to fly on its own towards the park.

"Come on, every guy wants something I got, it can be more than a kiss if you want." She said.

"If I wasn't literally killed by a kiss before I would still say no to a wretched skank like you." he said as the pond came into view.

"Too bad, we could have fun, guess it'll just be me having all the fun." She said as her hair snaked it's way up his arm and wrapped themselves around his neck. She let out a cackle as she watched his eyes strain to keep open despite the pressure on his throat. "I knew I would leave you breathless in the end."

Brick glared at her and managed to cough out a few words, "Filthy skank, take a bath." She looked ahead and saw they were nose diving into the pond.

As soon as they crashed into the water Brick felt the hair retreat from his throat and shot up to the surface to get much needed air. He coughed a few times as he tried to catch his breath and saw her swimming to the edge of the pond. "Not happening." He said to himself and grabbed her out of the water holding her arms behind her back and held her down to her knees.

"You've lost your touch, I'm not breathless." He said as she growled and cried out in pain as he twisted her arms behind her.

"Alright dumb dumb, you caught her. Now hand her over before you doing something stupid." He heard someone say. Looking over he saw Blossom floating behind him with a serious look on her face.