Hey, guys!
So there's going to be a pattern with most of these chapters. Each one will focus on one pair of counterparts- this pattern usually being blonde, brunette, and redhead. Sometimes there will be variations but for the first Act that's how I plan to do it.
Buttercup/Butch are honestly my favorite pairing of the three XD They're that kind of couple that would argue literally all the time but for them it's basically foreplay. However, neither is willing to back down usually and hence the title of this particular chapter.
Thanks to all who have followed and reviewed so far!
Act 1 Part 6- Chaos
"Come on, what's the hold up! Give me more! Give me more!"
"Okay, okay kid. I'm coming."
"You're not going fast enough, fatso."
"It takes at least twenty minutes to make a pizza, kid!"
Butch aimed a blast of green energy at the portly proprietor, which barely missed the edge of his feet.
"I didn't have to miss," he said with a smirk.
That was enough incentive as he huffed and puffed back to the kitchen shouting for when the next pie would be ready.
That's right porky, on the double
Brick had asked (more like ordered) him to go pick up a pizza, or rather steal one and get the hell out. No issue there.
He took the last slice of pepperoni on his current meal and gobbled it up in one bite. Of course, having one of his own...or five...was also quite delicious. Chemical X gave a person the most amazing metabolism in the world. Besides, what Brick didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He'd gobble down one more, steal another, and take off.
But while he was at Sam's Pizza and had everyone at his mercy, why not live it up a little? The rest of the customers fled upon his arrival. Good! Let them rightly fear his superior strength and power. It was appropriate. Don't mess with Butch or he'll knock your teeth out!
The last of the soda went down in a gulp and an enormous belch. Twitching and full of pent up energy, he could barely sit still. He wanted more. After all, what a Rowdyruff Boy wanted, a Rowdyruff Boy always got in the end. Leaning over, he grabbed the spray nozzle, switched the knob to root beer (his favorite) and began guzzling it with gusto.
"Hey! Stop that!"
Butch ignored him, but when old Sam tried to foolishly take the nozzle back he turned it on the man's shirt, causing him to sputter and slip. He floated up in the air and grabbed the collar of his nonexistent neck.
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do," he said viciously. "I could raze this place to the ground in a second if I wanted. You really want to risk that?"
Green energy flickered ominously in the palm of his hand and Sam began sweating nervously.
Butch smiled menacingly and began twitching as the sugar rush overcame him once more.
"Hahaha! That's what I thought. Now, turn on the tube, chubby. It's football season! Whadya waitin for?"
He couldn't wait to watch the 49ers play in their season opener against the Bears. Brian Urlacher vs Terrell Owens! It was going to be great! It almost made him want to hit something as well. Maybe after eating this last pizza he'd try it out on one of the Powerpuffs! Yeah! That would be fun!
The TV turned on and the magic of football instantly glued his eyes to screen. It didn't matter who was playing really as long as there was action, big hits, and more big hits! And what was better, the next pizza came out fresh from the oven.
"Excellent, bring it right over here."
Sam came out with a steaming hot pizza at long last but surprisingly didn't lay it on the counter in front of him.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing? My mouth is over here!"
"This pizza ain't for you kid," came the brave but shaky response.
Butch cracked his knuckles and then his neck in a show of intimidation. Guess he would have to show this tub of lard who was boss once more.
"And who is it for exactly?"
"Me."
Standing in the doorway was none other than his longtime enemy and favorite Powerpuff Girl, Buttercup Utonium.
"Guess we weren't the only ones in the mood for pizza," she said quietly, but the tone betrayed the bubbling rage underneath which Butch could spot right away. "How long has he been bothering you, Sam?"
"He's eaten five pizzas already and drank me straight outta root beer!"
Good Lord this guy was such a whiner.
"Shaddap!"
A blast of heat vision sent the fat man diving into a quivering heap below the counter.
"Enough, Butch!" Buttercup seethed. "Quit torturing these people and get out."
"Well I'd like to but see the problem is, I don't really feel like it yet."
"It wasn't a request."
"And I'm not taking any, Butters."
She cracked her own knuckles before issuing one final warning.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood. So I'm going to tell you one more time: leave now or I kick the shit out of you."
But Butch didn't take the hint. In fact, the threats only spurred him on. What was better than an afternoon of pizza, soda, and watching gratuitous violence? Committing gratuitous violence. And he knew just how to get this particular Puff's blood boiling.
"What's this? A Powerpuff girl using a foul word? I didn't know you had it in ya, Butterboo."
Experience taught him that she hated being called that. And sure enough, her face turned an ugly shade of red and the clenched knuckles turned white.
"What did you call me?"
"You heard me," he said with a feral grin.
"Do you really want me to knock your teeth out?"
"Bring it on, then. Or are you afraid I'm going to knock the skirt off ya...Butterboo."
That did it. Buttercup bull rushed him and he was sent flying back into a vintage jukebox.
"Oh, yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"
He repaid the favor in kind, grabbing her by the collar of the dress and slamming her down hard onto the tile flooring. He began kicking her as hard as he could in the ribs before she caught his foot, twisted it around and sent him crashing into a wall. But far from being discouraged, it only spurred Butch on.
"Come on, I barely felt that," he grinned evilly.
"Feel this!"
She aimed an enormous punch but like a boxer he ducked underneath it and aimed three powerful shots to the ribs, each one harder than the last.
She's wincing! Yeah I got her right where I want her
He used his left elbow to hit the side of her right cheekbone and finished her off with a devastating right hook and she crashed against the TV before falling back to the floor.
But she wasn't down for long. Butch knew that and relished the opportunity to inflict more damage. Buttercup, if nothing else, always gave him a good fight.
She was back on her feet and came after him so quickly, he wasn't able to avoid it this time. The green Puff slammed him again into the wall and started wailing on him as hard as she could, punctuating every punch with an ultimatum.
"Don't-"
WHAM
"Call-"
SMASH
"Me-"
POW
"Butterboo!"
Her last strike uppercut him in the jaw sending his head through the ceiling and the drywall before plopping back down in a heap. By now, both fighters sported bruises and tears in their clothing. And they were only just getting warmed up.
"That's what I'm talking about," Butch said through raspy breaths but the feral, impish grin never left his face. "Come on, Butters. What else ya got?"
"Don't push me, dumbass. I'm the Toughest Fighter for a reason. Stay down."
"Is Townsville aware that their 'Toughest Fighter' hits like a girl?"
That was enough to bait her into attacking again and this time he was ready for her. The kick she tried to land, bounced off his green force field, causing her to painfully slam into the counter. Pressing the advantage, Butch took a lone coke bottle and smashed it over her head and blasted her back into a table.
"Please! Please, stop! You're ruining my restaurant!" Sam practically pleaded.
"Zip it, tubby!" Butch snarled. "Buttercup and I are having a good ole fashioned rumble. Feel honored it should be taking place in this joint."
His opponent steadily rose from the table, her dress torn in many places, now sporting a nasty gash underneath her left eye.
Come on, Butters. Give me more. We're not done just yet
He envisioned this moment to be like Mike Tyson versus Buster Douglas back in 1990. The most dominant force the boxing world had ever seen against the toughest of the tough, the underdog who'd never back down. Those other people didn't matter...didn't understand the kind of power...the attitude you had to have. The thrill of bone against bone, fist against fist, crushing your opponent beneath your feet…
Twitching with anticipation, he put his fists up once more and gave a feral chuckle.
But to his surprise, Buttercup zipped out of Sam's Pizzeria in a lime green streak.
"Hey! Get back here!"
He followed suit and began following her up as they both went higher and higher into the sky.
"Heh! What's this? Buttercup Utonium running scared? A coward?" he taunted.
CRUNCH
She wheeled around and delivered a roundhouse kick, sending him head first into the gravel parking lot.
"Ow."
Down but not out, he felt a slight cut on his bleeding lip. By now, they were both in less than ideal fighting condition. No matter. Chemical X would heal that in around half an hour. He still had a throwdown to finish.
"I wasn't running, Butch," Buttercup told him, crossing her arms. The fire in her eyes was still there but it was dulled somehow, tempered.
"Oh, yeah? What do you call what you just did?"
"Kicking your ass. But unlike you, I know when to pump the brakes."
Butch let out a bark like laugh.
"Pump the brakes? We were just getting started!"
"We were essentially destroying his restaurant," she countered. "Sam's built his entire livelihood in that place."
Butch's laughter only became more doglike and more incredulous.
"Are you kidding me? You mean you actually care about those meager little humans in there? They're nothing compared to us!"
But Buttercup's expression only became calmer and steadily more disappointed. She released a deep breath and dropped her hands to the side.
"That's your problem, Butch. I do enjoy fighting but I also do it to protect those who can't protect themselves. You're wild, dangerous, and bloodthirsty. Creating chaos for the sake of chaos. No control."
Her words hurt more than any punch or kick ever could. It left him speechless and sputtering.
"I..we...you…"
"You might be stronger than me. But you'll never be a better fighter. Trust me on that one."
Butch seethed with rage but found himself unable to act on it. How dare she! How dare she mock him! He loved fighting! He was the best around! A bare knuckle brawler street urchin against the Toughest Fighter! This wasn't how it was supposed to go!
"Fight me!" he frothed. "Come on! We're not done!"
"Buttercup!"
"Butch!"
Their respective siblings had arrived now with Blossom and Bubbles on one side, Brick and Boomer on the other. Immediately, the reds began scolding the greens.
"What on earth are you doing? The Professor's getting worried!"
"Dude! It's been hours! How long does it take to steal a pizza?"
"We send you to grab dinner and you end up in another fight with Butch? Look at your clothes! You're bleeding!"
"Can you go thirty seconds with spotting someone on the street you want to punch?! Especially her!"
The reds looked at each other and narrowed their eyes, preparing for an all out war.
"Hooligan."
"Know it all."
"What are you doing provoking my sister?"
"What's your sister doing picking a fight my brother?"
Both took battle stances. Steam began issuing from Brick's hands while Blossom's eyes were as cold as ice. The blues looked nervous but ready to jump in if needed.
"I'm taking you in, Ruff."
"Yeah, not gonna happen."
The flabbergasted sounds were priceless when Buttercup of all people played peacemaker.
"Stop."
Everyone looked at her in shock.
"It was partially my fault. Butch baited me and I lost my cool. He did, however, steal from Sam and consume about ten thousand calories in the process."
Blossom didn't look like she wanted to let the issue go and became increasingly cross with her younger sister.
"Buttercup are you kidding me? Agh...look at this damage!"
"I know. I'm sorry. I'll help pay it off."
"You're not old enough to work! This is coming out of the city's pocket."
Butch smirked and muttered the word 'sucker'. Most unfortunately, Brick heard him.
"You," he spat, crimson eyes white hot with anger. "I gave you one order. Steal a pizza and get the hell out. And you cause this mess!"
"But, bro-"
WHAP
"Shut your mouth, idiot. If I hear one word from you on our way back, you'll need a new haircut by the time you wake from the coma I will personally put you in."
He signaled to Boomer they were leaving. But the reds were unable to resist parting shots.
"This isn't over, Ruff," Blossom warned. "I'm letting you off the hook this time."
"I'm quaking in my boots, pinky."
Buttercup watched the boys take off in the air and her lime green eyes trailed after Butch. He was a goon and nothing more.
But then, the 'everything nice' part of her personality, however small, injected a twinge of sympathy in her veins. It made no sense. Her counterpart was a straight up psycho: vicious and incurable of the bloodlust that defined his entire personality.
So why did he look hurt when she dismissed him outright? Did he even realize the ramifications of his actions? That he could seriously hurt people without restraining his powers?
No, apparently not. And unlike Buttercup, who'd come a long way since her inception on that fateful day, Butch had no one to tell him otherwise.
Well, whatever. It wasn't her problem.
The boys would never be anything more than enemies to fight.
Next chapter is going to be a big one! And it will follow the aforementioned pattern ;)
~The Wasp