We Don't Need No Education

The aptitude tests were simpler than Brick had anticipated, but Butch and Boomer lamented their difficulty. They stood in a long line snaking out of the library, catching bits of conversation between peers about which classes they hoped to have been placed in. After receiving their schedules they were supposed to go on a tour of the campus. Five stories tall with a glittering glass and steel exterior, Townsville High School managed to put some colleges to shame thanks to its cutting edge facilities and outstanding faculty. Notable scientists often guest-taught classes and students could expect to go on at least one academic field trip per quarter. Brick learned all this by eavesdropping on cliques while they tossed the Rowdyruffs intrigued glances. Evidently they were some of the only new students that year.

"Names?" asked an elderly librarian with rows of folders behind her.

"Boomer, Brick, Butch."

"I need your last names, young man."

Brick sighed. "Lucian." They had enough renown that anyone who wished to acquire their services addressed them as 'Rowdyruffs' or sometimes just 'the Boys'. They certainly weren't going to take any part of Mojo Jojo's silly moniker as their own despite him being their creator. After their defeat at the hands of the Powerpuff Girls it had been a mysterious figure called Him who nursed them back to health and properly infused them with Chemical X, removing their unstable components. They never found out his real identity before they were allowed back into the world, and some of the trials they underwent in his laboratory made the Ruffs regard Him as the Devil incarnate. They chose the surname Lucian since it contained the same Latin root as Lucifer, 'lux' meaning 'light'.

"Lucian, Lucian… ah, here you are."

Brick grunted his thanks and ushered his brothers off to the side to compare their schedules. At a glance he saw they'd been sorted into lower core classes than him, and he reread Boomer's paper a couple times. "You have three electives? No history?"

He was smug about it. "The history test was easy."

"Lucky fuck," Butch griped. "I have U.S. history, but I got into intermediate French."

Brick gave him a surprised look as well. "Since when do you speak French?"

"Since I banged that actress in Paris mais seulement les weekends." He beamed at Brick's impressed expression and pocketed his schedule. There was some time to kill before the junior orientation so they wandered out to the quad were rows of club and team tables were arranged.

"Hey you, you're really tall! Wanna join the basketball team?" someone called.

"You guys are in great shape! Ever try soccer?" another shouted.

"I could use players like you on the football team!"

There was also tennis, swimming, and track & field. Butch spun around to cling to Brick. "Which one do I pick?!"

"Like I care." But if Butch joined a team that meant he wouldn't get all twitchy and obnoxious. "I don't see lacrosse."

The nearby football player piped up again. "Hey you, big guy! I bet you could help us win the Homecoming game. You'd be a hero to the school!" His pitch successfully reeled Butch in. "Hi there, name's Joey. I'm the captain this year. Have you played football before?"

"No, but… I was on a rugby team once," Butch answered, suddenly shy.

"That's just as good! Not gonna lie, you might end up on second string since I didn't see you at summer tryouts. There's only about a month till Homecoming but if you can learn the plays in that time… well, we'll see how it goes. I got a good feeling about you." Joey flashed a winning smile and proffered a clipboard with a small form to fill out. "You need to maintain a three-point-oh GPA to stay on the team. That gonna be an issue for you?"

"Doubt it," Butch shrugged, "I have English with my bro so I'll just copy off him."

Joey laughed. "I'm not supposed to advocate cheating, but brothers help each other out. If you're a good player and the rest of the team likes you, we'll have your back as well." He scanned the completed form, humming in approval. "Physicals are tomorrow after school. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors but don't smoke anything beforehand."

"Got it, I'll be there." Wearing a self-satisfied smirk, Butch trailed Brick and Boomer to where a bunch of other juniors gathered, making small talk.

A feminine cry abruptly rang out, then Boomer pitched forward as someone ran into him from behind and he glanced down to find slender arms wrapped around his waist. His brothers looked alarmed while he rotated to discover that the attack-hugger was the girl who had helped him at Heavenly Body. "It's you! It's you, it's you!" she cheered, jumping up and down. "I can't believe we go to the same school and you're a junior, too! Omigosh, what classes are you in? Can I see your schedule?!"

"Um" was all Boomer could vocalize. She looked even prettier than before.

"Calm down, Bubbles. You probably scared him." That name instantly clicked for the Boys, their attention shifting to the other girl rocking an undercut. Her eyes flicked over them until settling on Butch, then she scowled. "Don't tell me you go here, too."

"You know it, babe." She groaned. "By the way, your hair's awesome."

"Thanks, but that's not gonna get you in my pants."

Brick edged away from the two Powerpuffs his brothers had apparently encountered during their first day in Townsville. If Bubbles and Buttercup were here, that had to mean…

"Girls, there you are! Didn't I ask you not to run off?"

Like a magnet his eyes were drawn to the final member of the superhuman trio as she approached, his stomach flip-flopping. There was still youthful innocence to Bubbles and Buttercup possessed the same brusque attitude, but Blossom appeared completely calm and collected, opposite her younger self that would have leapt into action upon seeing them. Brick could not stop tracing the curves her outfit highlighted: pencil skirt clinging to her wide hips, purple blouse fitted snugly over her ample bust, corset belt defining her narrow waist. No wonder he hadn't recognized her at the café. She looked so… grown up.

Butch's jaw dropped. "Blossom, is that you?!"

She regarded him warily. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."

"Oh c'mon, I figured you of all people would remember us." He slung his arms around Brick's and Boomer's shoulders. "Take a good look, Red."

Buttercup and Bubbles moved to stand beside her, all three of their brows knitting. The three boys seemed to be more like brothers than friends even though they didn't look at all alike, although the exact same could be said for the Powerpuff Girls. Blossom's was the first to unfurrow as her expression shifted to horror. "Oh no, it can't be…"

Bubbles caught on a second later. "Rowdyruff Boys! Wow, you guys really grew up!"

"Where the fuck have you been all this time?" Buttercup crossed her arms and scowled, a stance that Brick mirrored. "Why'd you come back after ten years?"

"None of your business," he said.

"Actually it is our business to stop you from fucking shit up," she countered.

Blossom nudged her. "Don't curse so much. But really, what are you doing in Townsville?"

"Getting an education, obviously," Brick answered.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe whatever you want, it won't change the truth." They frowned at one another until Brick spun around to face Principal Keane who had arrived to take her junior students on their tour. They meandered the grounds first, the Ruffs hanging at the rear of the group. Bubbles found some other friends to chat with but Blossom and Buttercup stuck to them like glue, heated stares burning holes in their backs. "Quit glaring at us," Brick snapped. "It's pissing me off."

Blossom tossed her long hair. "I have questions."

"None of which we're obligated to answer."

Buttercup scoffed. "So you've just been dicking around for the last decade, huh?"

"Pretty much," Butch said.

"Bullshit."

Brick rounded on them. "What the hell do you want to hear, then? Tell me and I'll say it if it makes you leave us alone!"

"Where were you?" Blossom asked.

"Places."

"Places?"

"We moved around a lot," Boomer supplied. "We traveled all over the world."

"Doing what?" Buttercup pressed.

"Stuff," Butch answered.

"Stuff?"

"And things."

She raised an eyebrow. "Like what? We need specifics."

"No, you don't!" Brick kept his voice low so as not to draw attention to their inane conversation. "It's none of your goddamn business what we did or didn't do! If I'd known you three would be here and you had become so insufferably nosy, we would've enrolled in private school!" Thanks a lot, Max.

Blossom lifted her chin and that minor action irked him to no end. How dare she look down her nose at him. "Well, you're at a public school full of innocent students so forgive me for being concerned about your actions potentially causing them harm."

"What do you think we're going to do, blow up the building? I'll actually do it if you don't get off our backs."

Buttercup tutted. "Threatening people doesn't make us feel inclined to trust you guys." Brick covered his face to smother his sound of exasperation. Several minutes of blessed silence passed as Principal Keane led them around the eleventh grade floor which was divided into two main halls. While stopping to check out the computer lab upstairs Buttercup spied the paper sticking out of Butch's back pocket and snagged it. "You gotta be shitting me." Blossom scolded her again. "Sorry, but you'd be upset too if you had two classes with this jackass."

Butch grinned, pleased as punch. "Which ones?"

"Chemistry and P.E., and you're in the French class right next to mine. Where'd you learn to speak it, huh?"

"When we lived in Paris."

Blossom quirked an eyebrow. "Where else did you live?"

Boomer counted the locales on his fingers. "Seville, Venice, London, Dublin, Rio, Dubai, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Sydney, Jakarta…"

"Oaxaca, Nairobi, and Busan," Brick finished, since he ran out of digits.

"Wow, that's a lot of cultures to experience!" Blossom was impressed. "Which city was your favorite?"

"I liked Dubai. There were tons of nice cars," Butch answered.

"Mine was Venice. All that Renaissance art was amazing," Boomer replied.

Blossom eyed Brick expectantly but he kept his mouth shut, then she turned bashful. "Um, you know, the three of us spent sophomore year studying abroad. I went to Mexico City, Buttercup visited Paris, and Bubbles was in Tokyo."

"Really? That's awesome." Brick shot Butch a glare telling him to stop being friendly with the Puffs but he ignored it. "You have to wear uniforms? Little skirts and little bow ties?"

"Bubbles and I did, but—"

Buttercup clapped a hand over her sister's mouth. "Blossom, no! You're just fueling his perverted imagination!" Butch leered. "I'm onto you, buddy."

"I'd love to have you on any part of me. Wanna get outta here?"

She shoved him and he laughed. "What is wrong with you?"

"He does all his thinking with his second brain," Boomer quipped, glad that Buttercup cracked a smile even though she rolled her eyes.

A giggle alerted them to Bubbles' return; she draped an arm over Boomer's shoulder like she'd been leaning on him her whole life. "So, what classes do you guys have?" She skimmed his schedule first. "You have culinary arts fourth period? So does Blossom! And you're in choir with me, yay! You and Buttercup have the same algebra class."

"Woohoo," she said joylessly.

"Looks like me and Butch have geometry and U.S. history together. How 'bout you, Brick?" He gave her the cold shoulder. "You're supposed to be the smart one, right? I bet you got into a bunch of advanced classes." The flattery didn't work on him so Bubbles switched subjects. "I heard you guys have Nervos. Can I see?" Boomer hastily proffered his for inspection. "So cool! Y'know, if you use the projector while facetiming someone it's almost like they're there in person."

"How do you know so much about our phones?" Butch queried.

"Blossom dated a guy who worked on the prototype," Buttercup explained.

Brick rotated to find the redhead staring at her toes, cheeks flushed. "I'm going to, umm, see if Miss Keane needs help with anything." She scurried away, leaving profound silence in her wake.

Bubbles then elbowed Buttercup. "Good job, dummy. You know she hates talking about him."

"He goes to our school, too. She might even have him in one of her classes since they're such nerds. She needs to get over it."

"Who's 'him'?" Brick asked. Not that he particularly cared, it just surprised him that Blossom had deigned to date someone since she used to act so holier-than-thou.

"Dexter Jones," the girls replied in unison. "He's only the smartest guy at Townsville High," Bubbles added.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is." Buttercup scrutinized him. "Let's see your placements." Brick acquiesced by slapping his schedule into her palm. "You have physics and Spanish with Blossom, lit-comp with Bubbles, and European history with me." And he was on par with Blossom in the nerd department by choosing Computer Networking and Introductory CAD as electives.

"Okay?" Brick shrugged. "I'm not going to study with you or anything."

"Of course not." Buttercup noted they'd reached the end of their tour. "C'mon, Bubbles. I gotta sign up for volleyball and you wanted to do cheerleading, right?" Her sister nodded happily, tossing the Boys a wave before they wandered off. It suddenly felt very still and quiet.

Butch stuck his hands in his pockets, blowing out a breath. "So, can we talk about Blossom for a sec? 'Cause damn, that girl is thick. Totally wasn't expectin' that."

Boomer was still wrapping his head around how touchy-feely Bubbles had been with him. "I thought she was nice," he said, daring a glance at Brick, "and they're right to be suspicious of us. We didn't really leave on the best terms."

"That was ten whole years ago, though. We're over it so they should be, too. I can't believe I have classes with all three of them…"

"You're both lucky fucks that get to be around Blossom." Butch made a sound of want. "I'd gladly practice my French between those thighs."

Brick's jaw clenched. "I'm putting a moratorium on that shit right now. If I hear you mention the Powerpuff Girls and something sexual in the same sentence one more time, I will punt you into the goddamn sun. Got it?"

Butch seemed like he was about to challenge his authority before he thought better of it, shoulders slumping. "Yeah, fine… but what if they come on to me?" His brothers busted up laughing. "Hey, it could happen!"

"First day of school! First day of school!" Bubbles pranced into the nearest sister's room and tore her blanket off. "Wake up, Buttercup! We need to get ready!"

She grouched and grumbled, checking the time on her phone. "Bubbles, come on. It's only six."

"Right! We'll get dressed by six-ten, have our hair and makeup done by six-thirty, and get to school at six-forty. That leaves us twenty minutes to hang out with people!"

"Who the hell're you so excited to see?" Sky blue eyes angled toward the ceiling. "Don't tell me you're trying to be friends with Boomer." She went "tee hee" and Buttercup sighed. "He's a Rowdyruff, Bubbles."

"So what? He's super cute! And he joined choir so that must mean he can sing! Oh, I wonder what he sounds like…"

"A dying whale, I hope." Bubbles appeared stricken by that thought. Buttercup sat on the edge of her bed for a moment, very much not a morning person.

"Jeez, your hair's a mess."

"You're the one who insisted on cutting it."

Bubbles pouted. "Do you not like it?"

"Of course I do…" She scowled at the wall. "It just sucks that Butch likes it, too."

"Not gonna lie, he's pretty hot." Buttercup cringed. "Seriously! He's like a Latin lover from one of those trashy romance novel covers. A tall, dark, and handsome bad boy."

"More like fuckboy." She inspected her closet for a suitable first-day outfit, shooing Bubbles away. A few minutes later they regrouped in their combined bathroom which was so overrun with cosmetics and beauty supplies there wouldn't have been space for Blossom's things if they still shared it. As they got older it became apparent there simply wasn't enough surface area for three teenage girls to keep all their stuff together, so Bubbles had their old room, Buttercup had a converted office, and Blossom had the guest bedroom downstairs. She was already awake and perfectly polished by the time her sisters joined her for breakfast.

"Ooh, love that top," Bubbles remarked. "Where'd you get it?" It was an aqua chiffon piece she had paired with white linen pants, very breezy. Bubbles would never admit it to Blossom's face but she adored that her sister now contrasted her hair with appropriately-colored garments instead of washing it out with excessive amounts of pink.

"Mexico," Blossom replied, "I just haven't worn it until now."

"Well you look awesome, but, hmm… no lippie? A gloss would really make your outfit pop."

"Yeah, like a bright pink," Buttercup suggested.

The way she said this so offhandedly also thrilled Bubbles to no end. She had been the resident girly-girl since she was born whereas Buttercup vehemently opposed highlighting any aspect of her femininity during their youth. Then she went to Paris where she fell in love with haute couture and alternative indie fashion. When she came back to Townsville in June she had already made a decision no one saw coming, not even her own family, but it put her on a pretty promising career path.

They said goodbye to the Professor despite him being dead to the world until his first cup of coffee, flying to school where they touched down just as the effects of their antidote kicked in. Students milled about in close-knit groups, exchanging hugs and how-are-yous while sharing details of their summer break adventures. Blossom and Buttercup scanned the courtyard for any sign of the Rowdyruffs but didn't see them; whether that was a good or bad thing they didn't yet know. They had not told the Professor about the Boys' return and most of their peers just thought they were new faces in town.

Along the way to their lockers the Girls were joined by Robin Snyder, Julie Bean, and Susie Jenkins, chatting until the bell for first period. Blossom experienced a mild case of anxiety when she saw Dexter in her Coding class but she managed to remain cordial. Second period was worse, her heart missing a beat upon noticing Brick seated in the middle of the room. Had he really tested into Physics? It combined the science and math requirements but was notoriously challenging as evidenced by the abundance of seniors filing in. She stood there staring at him for so long that the teacher told her to get situated. Unfortunately the only desk left was to Brick's immediate right.

He didn't say anything when she sat down, not that she expected a greeting. Blossom stayed hyper-aware of him the whole time, taking note of his handwriting, his posture, and his little noises of intrigue or dismissal as they went through the course syllabus. She couldn't believe she'd be sitting beside him for the entire year. At least he smelled nice, lacking the boy funk afflicting a few others nearby. Toward the end of the hour Brick idly flipped through the textbook their teacher handed out. "Quit watching me," he uttered. "I might snap if I have to suffer that look any longer, then someone will get hurt." He viewed her sidelong. "Is that what you want?"

Blossom blinked a few times and averted her gaze. The way she simply complied instead of retaliating struck him as odd. After the bell Brick headed to Literature & Composition with Bubbles, tension leaving his body since he no longer felt Blossom's oppressive presence. He paused at the threshold to watch her enter Contemporary Literature, another advanced placement class. How many did she have? Oh wait, he didn't care.

Butch swaggered into the third-period Chemistry lab and grinned when he spotted Buttercup at the rear of the room. "Don't even think about sitting here," she warned, moving her bag onto the stool. "I'm saving this seat for someone."

"Sucks to be them. Should've got here first." She glared daggers as Butch pushed it off and sat down beside her, folding his hands atop the table. "So this is the class we get to blow shit up in, right?"

"…Yeah."

"Cool." They both twiddled their thumbs for a minute, and then an auburn-haired boy in a band T-shirt stopped by to give them a dismayed look.

"Aww, Butters, what gives? I thought you wanted to be lab partners."

"I do, but…" She gestured to Butch's smug form. "This happened. Sorry, Mitch." He went and sat with someone else, both boys whispering. Thanks to his enhanced hearing Butch caught every word.

"That dude your boyfriend?" he asked.

"No way, just a friend. We've known each other since kindergarten," Buttercup answered.

"Just friends, huh?" He smirked. "He thinks you look hot in that outfit. So does the other guy. And so do I."

"Your opinion means jack shit to me." Her cheeks grew warm as she snuck a glance at her friends across the aisle. Mitch Mitchelson was that guy who exclusively listened to classic rock and played guitar because he idolized Jimi Hendrix. Floyd Floyjoydson was one half of a twin set with a Viking aesthetic due to his tall stature, shaggy blond hair and groomed beard, and he was probably too into anime. Buttercup didn't know how to handle the revelation that they found her attractive because they were just supposed to be friends; no one in their group had so much as flirted with her before. "Are they saying anything else?" she inquired of Butch.

"Somethin' 'bout perfume." Her blush darkened. "What's that mean?"

"Nothing." He arched a brow yet didn't press the issue, which she appreciated. She should've known someone had found out about that already. Of course her friends would be talking about it, but most of them were boys.

Buttercup didn't notice Butch following her to the cafeteria since they had the same lunch, but she did notice the way a bunch of people stopped talking and stared at her when she walked through the doors. She was too flustered to act casual and couldn't think of a witty declaration, so she just ducked her head and got in line for one of the many gourmet offerings. Butch had stuffed his backpack full of snacks since his metabolism demanded he eat constantly throughout the day. He found a vacant table and dumped everything out, tearing open a bag of chips. About a minute later Brick sat down opposite him with Chinese takeout. "You got orange chicken? Share!"

He blocked the box with his arm. "Go get your own."

"Nah, I'm good." Brick eyed the junk food disdainfully. "How're your classes?" Butch asked.

Not easy, but not difficult. "Stimulating."

"What's Blossom wearin'?" Brick ignored the query. "Another skirt? Please tell me it's another skirt." A tray clacked to Butch's right and the Boys turned to watch Bubbles make herself comfortable. They were even more stunned when Buttercup slid in beside Brick. "Hi?"

"Hello!" Bubbles said sweetly. "Just thought I'd come over here to keep you company since you're new and all. FYI, Blossom and Boomer have the next lunch 'cause they're in culinary right now." She pointed across the room. "If you go to that counter you can buy food the students make."

Butch sat up straighter to get a good look at it. "Don't see 'em."

"It's a rotational thing, they'll definitely be there at some point. And Blossom's wearing palazzo pants today." Butch tried and failed not to look disappointed. "Have you guys signed up for clubs or anything?" Brick shook his head while Butch mumbled "football". "Really, that's it? There's a gaming club, y'know. And chess, and debate, student council, elementary and junior high mentoring, athletic medicine…"

One of those piqued Brick's interest, barely. "What does the student council do?"

"Each grade has their own four-person council and they're in charge of organizing events like pep rallies and field trips. They mostly do fundraising for that. And sometimes there're contests with the other grades."

"What kinds of contests?" he wondered.

"Nothing fun or cool," Buttercup put in. "Last year there was a huge prank war so Miss Keane put a limit on what we can and can't do now. We weren't here but our friends told us about it."

Bubbles nodded. "Yeah, that kinda ruined it for everyone, but one year the councils organized a huge fashion show. And there's been a go-kart race on campus, a skate competition, and a battle of the bands."

"That all sounds pretty cool to me," Butch said. "Whatcha think, Bro? You should join 'cause you like bossin' people around."

He frowned at that. He didn't boss his brothers around, he made decisions on their behalf to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. "I don't know."

"I bet you'd be good at it, Brick. You kinda have…" Bubbles waved a hand. "The right attitude."

"What attitude?" he demanded.

"You don't take shit from anyone," Buttercup supplied.

She wasn't wrong, but being in a position of power went against his desire to stay under the radar. Although… he'd only have influence over the school, right? It wasn't like he'd be in the public eye or anything. He had already come up with a scheme to oust one of Max's targets so it was important to keep his professional life separated from the façade. "I'll think about it," he finally said.

"Better start campaigning tomorrow if you do decide 'cause elections are next week," Bubbles advised. "You can run for president, vice-president, treasurer, or secretary. But Princess Morbucks is pretty much guaranteed to be treasurer." And Brick didn't want to upset his employer by butting heads with his spoiled brat of a daughter.

When the bell chimed the four superhumans walked to the same hall since their history classes were next door to each other. Buttercup sat in the last row and Brick followed suit since she was the one person he knew. Some tall buff guy with a long blond fohawk plunked down at the desk in front of her. "Heya, Butters," he greeted.

"Hey, Lloyd," she despondently replied. He was the other half of the twins.

"What's the matter? I heard you have chem with Mitch and Floyd. It's bound to be exciting with those two around."

"I'd use 'awkward' instead of 'exciting'. Apparently they think I'm hot."

"Oh." Lloyd's smile contained a hint of guilt. "Well, can you blame them? Or any of us? We all saw your ad."

Buttercup gave him a narrow look. "Who's 'we'?"

"You know, us guys. Me, Floyd, Mitch, Mike… I think Pablo and Joey saw it, too." Brick's brow furrowed minutely. What the hell were they talking about? He hated feeling uninformed.

"Great, so everyone knows." Buttercup sighed. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

"What, like it's embarrassing? You look really good in that ad, Butters. None of us had any idea you could be so sexy."

Ugh. The boys she'd been friends with since kindergarten shouldn't be attracted to her! That's why they were friends! "So you all wanna fuck me now, is that it?" Lloyd flushed while his mouth opened and closed a few times. The fact that he didn't instantly refute it filled Buttercup with anger. "You'd better go sit somewhere else," she spat.

Lloyd fled to the front of the room as Buttercup withdrew a notebook and pencil from her bag, setting them on the desk more forcefully than necessary. Brick couldn't help but affirm that instances like this were among the reasons he didn't befriend people. Why willingly surround himself with others who might disappoint or betray him?

As fifth period let out, Bubbles caught sight of Boomer exiting the classroom kitty-corner from hers and waved exuberantly. He waited while she maneuvered through the crowd. "Wanna walk to the music building together?" she offered.

"Uh, sure." Boomer chided himself for getting hopelessly tongue-tied around her. "So, you sing?" Well, duh. What a stupid question.

"Yep! I did sooo much karaoke in Tokyo. I went out every weekend with my friends." Bubbles noticed the camera strap dangling from his backpack. "What made you wanna take photography?"

"Oh, uhh… I started making scrapbooks of all the places we've gone. But I don't have a nice camera like this, so I took pictures with my phone and used editing software to make them look better."

"That's so cool! I'd love to see them sometime. What kinda singing experience do you have?"

She just had to ask. "I, umm… I entered an idol competition while we were in Busan. I didn't win but I got third place."

Bubbles spun toward him with stars in her eyes. "No way! Was it aired on TV and everything?!" Boomer nodded once. "You must be famous over there!"

"Actually… kinda." He laughed shyly. "I sorta have a fan club. Some girls came all the way from Beijing for my autograph." Bubbles squee'd and latched onto his arm, babbling about all the idol groups and rock bands that were her current obsession.

Boomer held the door to the choir room for her, earning a beatific smile as thanks. Their teacher wasted no time having everyone sing 'Amazing Grace' so she could arrange them by vocal type; Bubbles joined the small section of mezzos as Boomer stood with other baritones. They went through scales and a couple more songs, getting comfortable with one another and having enough fun that the period seemed to end before it really began. Boomer was definitely looking forward to tomorrow, the day after, and the whole month. He had nothing in common with his brothers so it felt good to finally fit in somewhere. And Bubbles was so cute, just an energetic ray of sunshine who charmed everyone with her happy-go-lucky attitude. He really wanted to be friends with her.

"Well, I have a physical for cheerleading," she said when they meandered outside. "See you tomorrow?" Boomer ducked his chin and they shared the same silly little smile, then he drifted into the air. Bubbles gasped so he came back down. "You fly around here?!"

"Of course. Don't you?" She shook her head, ponytail flinging about. "Why not?"

Bubbles directed her attention at the ground, closing herself off. "Umm, it's kind of a long story. I don't know if I can tell you?" She looked like she wanted to. "Me and my sisters can't use our powers at school."

"Why not?" Boomer repeated. She only shook her head again and ran off toward the main gym. While he stood there in complete confusion Brick walked up, eyebrow raised. "The Puffs can't use their powers at school," Boomer relayed to him. "Why would that be?"

Brick had no clue. But if that was the case it made perfect sense why Blossom had meekly obeyed him in Physics and why Buttercup actually cared what people thought of her instead of just punching anyone who got on her bad side. He glanced around, spotting Blossom as she stepped into a station wagon with her creator at the wheel. He doubted Professor Utonium would curb his daughters' special abilities in any way, so maybe someone else was responsible for limiting them.

And that bothered Brick because it meant the same thing might happen to him.