Hello again to you all.
So up next on our schedule are the Reds. I know many of you are looking forward to it :) but I have a quick thing to address.
To my guest reviewer I am incredibly flattered and you gave me a good laugh with some of the things you said haha. But I'd actually like to address some of your points
1) I actually agree with the sentiment that the girls don't 'need' the boys. It's funny you touched upon that because that's actually my aim for this story. To imply that while the girls and boys are 'soulmates' the boys change of their own volition not because the girls go out of their way to redeem them. Believe me, I'd never force the 'every woman needs a big strong man' trope on the Powerpuff Girls.
2) Even if I do say that the boys are 'stronger' physically that's a bit relative. If on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 representing the average human, the girls would be a 9 and the boys would be a 10. Not much difference. But enough to accurately represent the canon. The girls never technically out muscle the boys and use their wits to defeat them. So that's what I predicate it on.
But anyway, I'm glad you liked what you read thus far. For all the Blossick fans out there, I hope this lives up to expectations.
This chapter was 'CarrieDreamer' long lol XD
Act 1 Part 7- Stolen Identity
There was almost no describing the full depth of hatred Brick felt for Blossom Utonium. Seeing her stupid face plastered eveywhere on posters, watching her play the part of a noble crime fighter during interviews, all the stupid toys, merchandise, and constant praise they received! And for what? Because she threw a couple of retarded bank robbers in jail and beat up some minor league villains? That merited everyone worshipping the very ground they walked on?
His brothers weren't with him. Brick decided to go on a solitary walk around the bustling downtown area while his brothers had a root beer chugging contest. Sometimes their respective idiocy was too much for him to handle.
Coming This Saturday: The Grand Street Renaming! Powerpuff Girls to be honored by the Mayor with three respective roads adorning their proud names! Open to the public at City Hall. Ceremony Begins at 9 am
Brick snarled as he ripped the flier from the lamppost and incinerated it in his hand. There were times he couldn't stop thinking about her: Blossom represented everything he stood against. He was a rebel, she was a goody two shoes. He took orders from no one while she subjected herself to laws and a curfew. She represented every rule, ordinance, and straight laced uptight high society snob in existence. He was a street kid born in a prison toilet. It painted quite a picture.
Cap and bow. Eternally destined to oppose one another in every conceivable manner. He could tell she thought herself superior to him because of her status as a hero. Beloved by the people, recognizable everywhere with that mane of red hair and sparkling pink eyes. It made him almost physically ill.
"Street renaming ceremony," he sneered. If he had his way, he'd burn it to the ground along with the rest of City Hall and that cornball mayor.
"Excuse me."
There was a tap on the shoulder. He turned around and saw a nervous, smiling woman in her mid to late thirties. Short, brown hair, in a bob cut dressed in casual lawyer's attire, hands clasped together, Brick felt increasingly weirded out by the look she was giving him.
"What the hell do you want?"
"Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry," the woman gasped. I just moved to Townsville and I thought you were the one of the Powerpuff Girls...what's the leader's name?"
"Blossom," Brick said through clenched teeth.
"Yes, that's it! Oh you know her too?"
The resulting explosion wasn't pretty as he raised himself slightly off the ground to match her height.
"I'm a BOY you IMBECILE!"
So frightened she was of the boy's rage, the woman shrank a few inches.
"I'm..I'm sorry...it was from the back...the hair…"
"Am I wearing a pink dress?!" he raged as he continued to move forward, eyes blazing with the power of ten suns. "Do I have a stupid, red bow in my hair?!"
"N-No…"
"Exactly! Newsflash for you newbie. I'm Brick. I am the leader of the Rowdyruff Boys! And you will learn to respect the name. GOT IT?!"
"Y-Yes…"
Unable to withstand any more berating, the woman began sobbing and pranced away in her heels. Breathing heavily in an effort to contain his anger, Brick spat on the ground before lasering a mailbox out of frustration. No one bothered to challenge him. They knew the drill by now.
"Screw this town. Screw everyone," he muttered. He'd had enough humiliation for one day.
Sure enough, when he found his brothers laying on the grass of Pokey Oaks Elementary School, both were clutching their stomachs groaning like a bunch of bloated elephant seals.
"Ughhhh."
"Owwwww."
"Let me guess. Too much root beer?" he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Butch said he could drink more than I could," Boomer groaned but added a weak smile. "Heh, he was wrong."
"Shut up before I punch you in the stomach...ughhhh."
"Yeah something tells me you're in no position to be punching anything for once in your life," Brick said, stepping over him authoritatively. "If you puke, it's not my problem."
"What's the matter big bro?" Butch asked.
Brick laid himself on the grass and began picking at it absentmindedly.
"Nothing."
"Someone mistake you for Blossom again?"
Boomer's naive yet inquisitive ability to read him was uncanny sometimes.
"No, shut up."
"Yep. Someone did, didn't they?"
Brick picked up an acorn and chucked it against Boomer's forehead who belched loudly.
"Ahhh, much better. It kinda makes sense," Boomer said with a shrug, ignoring the projectile which he barely felt anyway.
"Are you nuts, Boom?" Butch said with a derisive snort. "How could anyone mistake them for us? We're not a bunch of foo-foo, prissy, girly girls."
"True, but we're counterparts after all. We look similar, act similar, and have the same face...kinda."
"I am not anything like that goody two shoes princess!" Brick lashed out. Surprisingly, his younger brother merely blinked instead of cowering in fear.
"Whatever you say."
Something else hit him in the head. Looking down, Boomer saw a crumpled up poster and unraveled it.
"A..adoor-ning?" he pronounced slowly. "Er what's that mean?"
"It means they're going to replace the letters with the names of the Powerpuff Girls, moron," Brick snapped. "Hence the term, renaming."
"Oh, yeah. I heard about that. It's tomorrow, isn't it?"
"It's on the flier…"
"Jesus, Boomer can't you read?" Butch snickered.
"Better than you can!"
"Shut up both of you," Brick silenced them. "I'm trying to think here."
His two brothers looked at each other. Both knew the hallmarks of a plan in motion and there was no question that he was currently coming up with something.
"Bro?"
"We're going to rain on their little parade," he answered in clear disgust.
"Brick, everyone's going to be there. Including the Puffs," Boomer told him. "If we try to ruin it, we'll just end up fighting them again."
"And why's that a bad thing?" Butch asked, sitting up and sporting his usual wild grin.
"I don't wanna go to jail!" Boomer yelled.
"We'd just bust out. Besides, they've never actually caught us. Quite being a wimp, you dumb baby."
"I am not dumb!"
"QUIET!" Brick thundered, turning on them both. "It's not about fighting or jail. We get no respect in this town! And I for one am tired of it!"
That blazing crimson gaze was more than enough to keep them both quiet.
"The Powerpuffs think they're so great," he continued. "But we'll show them. We'll show everyone who the better trio is. They'll be begging at our feet by the time we're done with them. Especially her."
There it was again. Brick's personal vendetta against Blossom. That trend wasn't lost on Boomer but he knew better than to say anything about it or voice an objection.
"It's time we stopped acting like a bunch of sissies and take matters out of our own hands!" he declared. "The rest of the world treats us like we're trash! I say...let's make them regret it."
"Okay, bro," Boomer said in a voice that came out a lot smaller than intended. "So...what do we do?"
"We destroy their little ceremony!" Butch said excitedly. It didn't take much convincing to get him on board if it involved destruction.
"No shit, Butch," Brick said rolling his eyes. "Which is why I'm trying to think on how to do it."
Just then the bell rang and within a matter of seconds, a rush of children barged through the doors, yelling with excitement and joy now that the school day was over and the weekend had begun. Parents awaited by their cars, while some enveloped them in hugs and kisses. A buzz of anticipation was heavy in the air. But Brick noticed something else. Scoping around, the crowd had a distinct lack of pink, green, and blue.
"They're not here," he said aloud.
"What? Who isn't here?" Boomer asked stupidly.
"The girls. I'd recognize this place anywhere. It's their school."
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Butterboo in about a week. Or any of the Puffs," Butch said, racking his brain. "Kinda weird. It's like they aren't in town or something."
"It's because they aren't," Brick surmised, giving a wide, unsettling smile.
"So where are they?"
"South Africa, the Grand Canyon, Singapore...who cares? The point is they aren't around and that gives us the perfect chance."
"To do what?"
"To ruin their reputation," Brick answered, his smile widening. "Come on, ladies. Let's go."
Butch and Boomer looked at each other, both a bit nervous at what might be in store for them. Brick rarely smiled so this plan of his had to be special.
"Did he just call us ladies?"
Oh, yes it was going to be very special.
In no time at all, the boys landed in front of their archrival's house, looking as picturesque, normal, and serent as ever. The white two story retro style home shone like a beacon in one of Townsville's nice neighborhoods. Brick would know. He'd lived in enough hovels and abandoned buildings to discern that anyone who lived around here, clearly had money.
"Bro, are you sure this is a good idea?" Boomer asked nervously. "What if-"
"They're not home, dimwit," Brick dismissed as they approached the door.
"But how can you tell?"
"HEY BUTTERBOO! YOU LOOK LIKE A CHICKEN AND SMELL LIKE ONE TOO!" Butch screamed up towards the second floor.
Ruptured eardrums aside, the fact that Buttercup didn't come crashing out in a blaze of fury proved his theory. The Puffs were on a vacation of some sort.
"Yeah...thanks, Butch," Brick said sourly, rubbing the side of his head. "Enough fooling around. Inside."
He gestured towards the door and the middle child rubbed his hands together evilly.
"With pleasure."
Butch raised a fist and prepared to strike through the door but Brick's hand caught him.
"What? You said inside."
"We don't want them to know we broke into their house," he reminded them.
"Oh, yeah," Boomer said brightly. "Good point."
"So how do we get in then, bro?"
Brick gave a frustrated sigh. Must he do everything?
"I swear you two wouldn't last a day without me."
Pulling out a paper clip from his pocket, he slowly unraveled it and began picking the lock. In about ten seconds, a small click could be heard and the door creaked open.
"Wow! Neat trick, bro!" Boomer gushed.
"Yeah, yeah come on."
The minute he stepped in the door Brick looked up to the left and saw the security alarm was on. But there was no need to disable or destroy it. After all, that defeated the purpose of the Puffs not knowing they'd been here.
"Man, their dad must be rich," Boomer observed as they flipped the lights on. Having only been inside once before, the boys were able to get a better look around. It was an open concept for the most part, though a separate wall divided the kitchen and dining area from the living room. It was filled with all the necessary amenities one would find in a loving household: family pictures, a TV, numerous bookshelves laden with volumes that no doubt were a part of the Professor's vast collection. The kitchen was spotless and chalk white with light yellow walls and ceiling.
"He's a Professor who literally invented superheroes. Of course he's rich," Brick said with a shrug. He couldn't help but grab one of the editions on Napoleon and began flipping through it.
"Some of this is probably worth a few bucks," Butch remarked, eyeing some of the more expensive items with greedy intentions.
"Don't even think about it," he warned. "We're not here to steal anything...at least nothing valuable."
"Whadya mean?"
"Our true prize lies upstairs."
Together they floated to the second floor and turned right down the hallway. It wasn't difficult to find the room of their most bitter rivals: the Powerpuff Girls.
"Wow, it's even girlier than I imagined," Butch said with a note of heavy disgust.
Looking around, they saw an enlarged room with three distinct areas that were meant for each of the girls respectively. There was a vanity with a mirror complete with a desk and numerous brushes, hair clips, nail polish, and other feminine items. In the center was a bed which was vertically striped with each of their respective colors: pink, blue and green. At the headrest was engraved 'PPG'. Numerous toys were scattered about the room on a fuzzy carpet which contrasted the hot pink walls. Stuffed animals were neatly stacked in a huge pile, including a distinct purple Octopus with a top hat.
"This place burns my eyes," Butch again remarked as though he were looking at something so heinous it might make him vomit.
"I didn't realize they shared a room," Boomer said, picking up one of the scattered toys, a bright, red race car which he picked up and examined. "Bro, why are we here?"
Brick ignored all the pink and glitter and immediately spotted what he was looking for: the closet.
"It's relatively simple. Actually, you gave me the idea, Boomer."
The blond blinked twice as though he didn't know what he was hearing.
"Huh? You Serious?"
"Yep."
Rummaging through their hangars, drawers, and various other trinkets, he came across the necessary items. In fairness, they weren't hard to find.
Perfect
He chucked various pieces of clothing at his brothers. Holding them out, horror dawned on Butch and Boomer as they realized what their older brother was suggesting.
"Uh boss...are you joking?"
"Do I look like a comedian?" Brick retorted with a flash of those terrifying crimson eyes.
"Uh-huh. No way! No way in hell am I putting on a freaking dress!" Butch complained, throwing the green monstrosity on the ground.
Boomer went so red he could have been mistaken for a strawberry with a blonde wig.
"I'm sort of with Butch, bro. What's the point of this?"
Brick growled in frustration at the inability of his younger brothers to see the brilliance of his plan.
"Don't you guys get it? Disguised as the Powerpuff Girls, we can do anything we want...including destroying their reputation."
"Won't people know something's up?" Boomer pointed out.
"Not when we're dressed exactly like they are," Brick said with a smirk. "You said it yourself, Boomer. We're counterparts and therefore we look alike. It's the perfect ruse. Those idiots will never know the difference."
He pulled out one of Blossom's red bows, took off his cap, and clipped it in place to his shoulder length hair.
"Alright, ladies. Who wants a makeover?" he asked in a mock impression of Blossom's tone making a girlish gesture.
Both of his brother's jaws dropped.
"Okay...that was way too good. Please don't do it again."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Buttercup," Brick said again in falsetto, a nasty smile crossing over his lips.
"But-"
"Get dressed," he ordered, this time in his normal tyrannical bark. "Now."
"Oh God, you mean it don't you?" Butch said, eyes alight with fear and revulsion. "No, absolutely not. I refuse! This is crazy! This is not right!"
"Aw come on, Buttercup," Boomer said, now playing along as well and giving a false giggle that sounded disturbingly like Bubbles. "You're always being such a tomboy."
"Great idea, Bubbles!"
He grabbed a brush off the vanity table while Brick advanced forward to pin him down. Trapped and with nowhere to go, Butch began to panic.
"No...no! NO! NOOO!"
Becoming a passable version of the Powerpuff Girls took more effort than Brick originally thought. Of course, none of them had ever worn girls' clothes before. In any other circumstance it would be horrifying. But to commit foul deeds in the name of sullying their good standing with Townsville?
Totally worth it in Brick's opinion.
"This sucks!"
Of course, not everyone shared that view. Butch was still diametrically opposed to wearing or doing anything feminine. Even in disguise.
"I don't get it. How do the girls wear this crap?"
The green Ruff was tugging at his ensemble everywhere, including the hem of the dress.
"I dunno," Boomer said happily, flying in the air. "I think it's kinda comfy. You get this nice breeze under your skirt."
"I will murder you-"
"Give it a rest, Butch," Brick ordered. He buckled the last strap on the Mary Janes he was now sporting. Surprisingly, everything fit like a glove. The tights were the hardest to figure out- it took Boomer about ten minutes to align the feet properly- but in the end, after a few adjustments they managed to get everything on.
The hair proved to be the hardest to copy. Boomer's straw-like strands were barely long enough to put into pigtails. It took forever to brush out Butch's spikes into something resembling Buttercup's short bob. He himself didn't have the neatly cut bangs or naturally straight hair that Blossom did (his was a bit more wavy and curled in some places) but the pink bow did enough to hide the natural scruffiness.
Overall, they were almost a spitting image of their rivals.
"Well ladies, I'd say we look the part. Now we need to go out and act the part."
"I swear if I have to talk like Buttercup…"
"Relax. We're not going to have to do anything like that," he assured both of his brothers. "Here's the plan. We head downtown, do a bunch of bad stuff- graffiti, shoplifting, blow up a few monuments- we ditch the outfits and hide out. Everyone will blame the Powerpuff girls, they lose their reputation, and we boys will come out on top. Totally foolproof."
"Sounds good to me," Boomer agreed. He began zooming around the room again, laughing like an idiot. Brick swore he was enjoying this little game of pretend a bit too much.
"Whatever. Just as long as we get out of this girly stuff as soon as possible," Butch complained, pointing at himself. "I don't do girly!"
"You've made that abundantly clear," Brick said, his patience running thin already. "Now, come on. We're outta here. And be quiet."
Surprisingly, they managed to obey that command, flying down the stairs and without any ruckus.
"Hey wait, where's Butch?" Boomer asked as they approached the door.
Brick gave a growl of frustration as he turned around. Would he really have to drag his younger brother kicking and screaming out the door? So what if they looked like girls, that was the point.
"Butch, I swear to God if you're not down in here in three seconds I'm giving you a black eye."
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
The middle child zoomed down the stairs in a second.
"Alright, I'm ready."
Brick narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Butch was twitching- always a sign he was excited about something- when just a second ago he was moaning about posing as Buttercup.
"What's up with you?"
"Nothin. Just excited for our revenge. Hehe!"
Brick remained skeptical.
"What did you do?"
"What do you mean? I just had to adjust my pantyhose. This crap is constantly sliding down."
"If you stole anything…"
"I swear, bro. I didn't."
Boomer gave a casual shrug and Brick decided to believe him...for now. They had bigger fish to fry. He shut and locked the door behind them, careful to leave no trace
"Whatever. Come on. Let's go!"
And so, the "Powerpuff Girls" sped off into the sky...looking for their next dastardly deed to commit.
"Sooo what are we gonna do first?" Boomer asked as they zoomed towards the city.
"Shut up, I'm thinking."
Brick pondered a brief moment. The skyline of downtown Townsville came into view. He licked his lips at the prospect of lighting it all on fire. Yeah, that would be a start. Maybe they'd steal some burgers afterwards at one of the burger joints they didn't end up frying. Burgers were amazing.
"Let's start by-"
An almighty roar pierced the air. It was so high pitched that the boys were forced to cover their ears.
"What was that?" Butch asked.
"I dunno? Godzilla?" Boomer suggested.
"Zip it, Boomer."
Brick peered ahead and saw nothing as of yet. But the ground began to tremble. The sound of scattered pebbles and rocks cracked and crumbled below. The sound of speeding cars going as fast as they possibly could be heard up ahead. Horns honked, glass broke, and high pitched screaming began to echo about.
"Ummm, bro...that sounds like a monster."
"Godzilla!" Boomer shouted again which earned him another smack in the head.
"It's not Godzilla, idiot. It's more than likely one of those lizard king things the Powerpuffs deal with all the time. From Monster Island."
"Sooo what do we do?" Boomer inquired again.
"Yeah! That thing can't destroy the city! That's what we were gonna do! Copycat!"
Brick sighed. The point was well made despite his brothers being utter morons. They couldn't damn well ruin anything if Townsville was left in shambles. And there were no Powerpuff Girls to call to save the day...the real ones anyway.
Suddenly, the monster peaked from the corner of a skyscraper. From a distance they could make out a basic outline: it was over ten stories high, huge, glistening green with razor sharp teeth and a white horn sticking out from the snout. Spikey frills crowned the top of the head while enormous claws swiped and stabbed at everything in sight. It roared once again in a show of power and intimidation.
"Huh, kinda does look like Godzilla," Butch observed with a snicker. A manic gleam entered his forest green eyes and he clenched his hands in anticipation.
Looks like Butch wants to fight. Shocker
"Let's kill it," he said with the enthusiasm of a person out for blood.
"What? But we don't kill no monsters," Boomer countered. "That's the girls' job."
"Newsflash, we practically are the girls, dummy. No thanks to Brick's plan."
Butch turned towards his older brother, twitching with anticipation, desiring nothing more than to engage in battle. A chained dog begging to be released.
"What do we do, boss?"
Brick knew he had to make a decision then and there. Saving Townsville would be akin to pretending to be heroes. Even if they were just faking the entire process. He wanted a chance to ruin Blossom's name, not add to her list of awards and accomplishments.
No. There was no other way. He was bad but not suicidal. After all, he could save the town and then do a bunch of horrible stuff later, right?
"Butch...I think it's time we play a little game. I like to call it 'Smash the Monster'."
"YEAH! Smash the monster! Smash the monster!"
"Are you sure?" Boomer asked, looking highly uncertain.
"I'm always sure. We're taking this thing down now. Bring your A game."
Adjusting his bow, he signaled for them to go in at full speed, no quarter.
"Rowdyruff Boys...attack!"
The city of Townsville...is UNDER DURESS! A gigantic monster threatens to destroy everything in its path. But the Powerpuff Girls are nowhere to be found and!...girls? Nice uh...hairdos you got there
To be fair, Brick and his boys had never fought a monster before so his knowledge on how to defeat them was pretty minimal.
He didn't need to, really. The Bludgeoner, Baron of Berserk, and Dumber than the Dumbest were more than capable of making mincemeat out of this thing. How hard could it be? After all, the girls made it look easy. And they were better than those stupid, wimpy, lame-o girls. Tougher, faster, and stronger.
The people down below were in a state of mass panic. Brick wondered why the city didn't have some kind of contingency plan by now. How many monsters had attacked the city in the past five years? And all the helpless citizens still ran around like headless chickens. Pathetic.
"Alright, boys. Let em have it!"
Of course, Butch was the most eager to get involved in a fight. He got a punch square in the monster's nose first. Boomer followed with one in the gut and Brick finished it off with a kisser right in the back of the head. Soon, the beast was toppling over in a mighty heap on one of the many (damaged) roads in Townsville.
All too easy.
"Bro! Look out!"
A swipe of a massive claw barely missed his chest. Those pointy digits were like extra long swords. Metal couldn't pierce their skin...theoretically but he didn't want to test that theory right now. Soon enough, the monster was back on its feet...pissed off and with new targets in its sights.
"Whoa. That thing is tough!" Boomer exclaimed.
"Like hell it is!" Butch growled. "We just need to hit it harder!"
But something was off about this monster. Something in its toxic yellow eyes seemed almost...predatory as opposed to randomly violent. When punching the foul beast, it was like connecting a fist with concrete.
Whatever was going on with this thing, he didn't like it.
"Butch, wait!"
Too late. The Baron of Berserk zipped towards the monster yet again. Except this time, the monster was prepared for a blatant front assault.
*WHAM!
The monster's mighty claw smashed sent him into the gravel road below. Brick could see his younger brother was merely dazed as opposed to seriously hurt but this Godzilla type thing was already aiming to crush him with its foot.
"Butch!"
A green force field went up just in time. It held. Barely. Cracks were already forming and the monster aimed yet again. Amazingly, it again stood the test of the monster's brute strength. It would not a third time.
Brick zoomed in within a millisecond of the shield breaking, swooping in and carrying Butch out of danger.
"Lemme go! Quit carrying me like some girl!"
"Shut up, you stupid moron. I told you to wait and you almost got crushed!"
"Might want to tell that to Boom."
He released him and both brothers looked up and saw the blond summoning one of his most powerful lightning blasts and sent it into the scaly chest.
It clearly hurt the vicious beast, but not enough, as it reached out and ensnared Boomer in a powerful grip, squeezing like a hand compressing an orange.
"Boomer!"
Thankfully, their little brother was not one you could hold in the palm of your hand without getting stung. A jolt of electricity loosened the giant lizard's grip just enough for him to escape. Boomer struck the monster twice with furious punches but again, their Chemical X laden fists just weren't enough to deliver a knockout blow.
*POW!
The sound of the crash echoed across the city streets. Concrete, drywall, and rubble all mixed together as Boomer ended up lodged on the first floor of a hotel.
"Goddamn it!" Brick roared as the monster moved in to finish the job. "Butch, get him out of there! I'll distract it!"
For once, Butch obeyed orders. The fiery redhead zipped through the monster's legs and lit an abnormally large amount of fire straight underneath its posterior. An awful cry could be heard as well as the rancid smell of charred scaly flesh.
The monster turned around and set its eyes on him...those sickly, yellow eyes which were starting to glow.
"Wha…"
Lasers soon began issuing forth, incinerating everything they touched, barely missing the sleeve of the pink dress he now sported.
Of course this thing would have heat vision! I did not sign up for this!
Brick was forced to take evasive action. Weaving and dodging through buildings, the monster's footsteps shook the ground as it did everything in its power to make mincemeat out of its enemy. Thinking quickly on his feet, the red Ruff swooped down low, grabbed a trashcan and tossed it in the air at the same time as the next heat blast.
The ugly monstrosity peered around and saw that the girl in pink dress and bow was nowhere to be found, gave the equivalent of a shrug and proceeded to resume its rampage.
Meanwhile, Brick, his escape having been made, found both of his brothers hiding behind an alleyway, both relatively unscathed but a bit shaken.
"Big bro! You made it!"
"Of course I did, stupid. But we're gonna have to think fast if we want to get rid of this thing."
"We can take it!" Butch declared with gusto and pounding his fist into his other hand. "Monsters don't scare me!"
"For once in your life, quit thinking like you can punch your way out of everything," Brick admonished him seriously. "We need an actual plan."
"Sooo...what are we gonna do?" Boomer asked.
Yes, it was up to him, wasn't it? The leader of the Rowdyruff Boys….the only one with a modicum of the word 'intelligence' and the wherewithal to put actual thought before using his fists.
He wasn't really scared. But this Godzilla type thing definitely didn't mess around. Those run of the mill monsters those puffs took care of in seconds evidently sent something from the island much tougher and harder to break.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Come on, Brick. Think!
"The eyes," he suddenly said aloud.
"What?"
"The eyes," he repeated. "If we blind it, that thing is effectively crippled."
"I still say we should punch it harder," Butch grumbled, tugging at his tights again. "Damn! How does Butters fight in this crap?"
"Focus!" Brick snapped. "I'm going to lead us through this battle. No more fooling around. Butch, Boomer, take out the eyes. I'll distract it and go in for the kill. Go!"
No one argued with a direct command and soon they were off to the races. Of course, it didn't take long for the monster to notice their presence again.
"That's right! Remember me?" Butch roared, his fists glowing green. "Well take this!"
He and Boomer diverged as the green Ruff veered off slightly before turning on the jets.
"Eat laser!"
A ball of green energy collided with something soft, wet, and sticky as the monster gave a roar of pain. Red, gushed out, but far from being disgusted, Butch seemed delighed at being covered in eye goop.
"Aw yeah! Cool! You're up Boomer!"
But the blond couldn't get a clear shot. The monster's left eye was still working properly and it focused its ire solely on him.
"I'm tryin! I can't get a good shot!"
He swooped under the outstretched claw and aimed a lightning strike at the eye, which missed and hit the nose instead.
"Geez, your aim sucks!"
"You try hitting a monster in the eye that wants to kill you!"
Boomer tried again but again the shot went wide as the right claw narrowly missed the top of his head.
"Dude you suck!"
"How about help me?!"
Just then a fireball hit the monster perpendicular from the two boys' position. Brick hovered in the air, flames covering his fists, a confident, bold smirk playing around his lips. This thing was just a big stupid, ugly, walking, roaring sack of guts. He would see to it they were spilled.
"Now, Boomer!"
The distraction proved long enough for the blond to deliver the necessary strike. Smoke began pouring from the monster's face as it staggered back, unable to see or attain a general sense of where it was going. It's massive feet began crushing cars, stores, parking lots, anything that was unfortunate to be in the path of destruction.
"Uh, Brick?"
"I got this," was all the Rowdyruff leader said.
Zooming towards the monster, his confidence grew with each passing second. This wannabe Godzilla was wild and frightened due to the loss of its greatest weapon. Despite the ramage, it remained wide open for a direct assault.
And Brick was about to send it packing. Permanently.
He imagined the monster to be everything and everyone hated: those sneering, snobbish, do gooders who doubted his ability and superiority. Recycled insults and barbs constantly sent their way.
Toilet trash...
Monkey spawn…
Dirty, rotten boys…
They could all go to hell. And this thing would be there waiting for them in two seconds.
Snapping off a lamppost, Brick engulfed it in flames before aiming it directly at the monster's heart.
"Eat shit and die," he snarled.
The lampost became a speeding javelin and within seconds a sickening squelch could be heard, as metal pierced hardened scale and soft flesh.
For a split second in time, the monster knew what had happened as the lamppost dripped dark, red blood. Shock turned to death as it toppled forward in an almighty heap to the ground.
It was over. They'd done it. He'd done it.
The adrenaline began to wear off and Brick realized he was panting slightly and that his brothers had their mouths open in sheer awe. Well yeah, duh. After all, he'd just speared Godzilla.
"Okay, you can stop being a buncha slack jawed dopes," he said, rolling his eyes. "I mean it was cool. But not that cool."
Boomer said nothing, instead pointing to the ground where the citizens had slowly regathered like tiny ants. Except ants didn't cheer and give ample praise. The dull roar steadily grew fanatical as scores of men, women, and children regardless of age, ethnicity, or creed offered praises as though they were gods.
"It's the Powerpuff Girls!"
"We're saved! We're saved! Hooray! Hooray!"
"You have delivered us!"
"Godspeed, Powerpuff Girls! True heroes!"
Brick blinked a few times and flicked away some earwax to ensure he was hearing them correctly. They were thanking him? And his brothers? It was so incredibly vexing he almost forgot that they were in disguise.
Butch, of course, almost ruined the moment.
"Hey! We're not the Powerpuff Girls! Prepare to meet your worst night-mph!"
Brick slapped a hand over his incredibly loud mouth.
"Shut up!"
"But bro, I thought we was-"
"You too, dingbat!" he said to Boomer. "Just listen. Take it all in."
They hovered for a second, gazing down at all the people who practically worshipped the ground they walked on. Brick could have sworn he saw a woman hold up her baby like Rafiki in the Lion King.
This...this is what it felt like to be admired...to be seen as a winner...to be loved.
"Yeah, great. They're all crying and thanking us like dweebs. So what?" Butch griped.
"Because they think we're those stupid, goody two shoes girls," Brick answered. "And guess what? That means we can do whatever we want."
Boomer again looked confused.
"But I thought we was gonna destroy their ceremony."
"We will, but first, we're going to get some mileage out of it. Think of all the stuff we can get people to do for us!"
Brick lowered himself, struck the girliest pose he could think of and spoke in his best Blossom imitation.
"Yes, thank you, good citizens. The day is saved because of us, the Powerpuff Girls. Tell me, what is the best burger joint in town?"
The approving roar and rush to assist them only affirmed he was making the right call.
As Brick, leader of the Rowdyruff Boys, he was despised.
As Blossom Utonium, he was the beloved commander of the Powerpuff Girls, for whom people would bend over backwards to appease.
Yes, he had some bright ideas on how to take advantage of this newfound status.
Later that night
"I must say, I'm incredibly proud of you girls."
The hum of the road could be heard within the space of the white, Toyota sedan the Professor had favored for many years. Rows of grasses, trees, mountains and other northern California terrain passed them by as the sun settled behind the beautiful scene, as pink and orange steadily faded into the darker vestiges of purple and blue.
"What do you mean, Professor?" Bubbles asked. Bored and eager to do something after many hours in the car, she carefully braided Blossom's long locks.
"Well I've been your father for five years now. Imagine my surprise that my daughters had super powers. Imagine my pride when the Mayor announced you were to have streets named after you."
Blossom, very much enjoying her pampering (she loved having her hair played with and brushed) looked a bit bashful.
"We're just doing what we can to keep the city safe, Professor," she said humbly. "It's not as big a deal as people make it out to be."
"Not quite, dear," their father said with a chuckle. "Sometimes I don't think you realize just how rare your abilities are."
"Dad, Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl are super heroines too."
"Not like my girls," he responded with affection and genuine fatherly care.
"Aw daddy, you're embarrassing us."
"I'm your father, Bubbles. It's technically my job to embarrass you."
Blossom rolled her eyes, though she gave a small smile all the same. They really were incredibly lucky to have a caregiver like the Professor. When one thought about it logically, the odds of someone 'inventing' little girls with superpowers was extremely low. The odds of said person having integrity and moral scruples also defied that logic. They could have just as easily been given life by someone like Dick Hardly.
A shudder coursed through the very depths of her soul at the memory of that greedy, sociopathic fiend. How the Professor ever became friends with him, she'd never know.
Buttercup was already asleep, drooling without care on the side window which caused a light giggle from Bubbles. She truly loved them with every fiber of her being. Sure, they all had flaws, but what person didn't? She'd do anything to protect them and the town that needed them...that they all loved. They were human just as much as the next guy. Right?
"Professor?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Do the people of Townsville see us as...human?"
"What? Of course. Why wouldn't they?"
"All done, Blossy! Your hair is always so pretty. Now the other side."
Blossom noticed one half of her red mane was now in a braided pigtail. Better than a race car track, of course. They floated casually and switched seats so Bubbles could start on the other side.
"Girls, no powers in the car, remember?" the Professor admonished.
"But…"
"No 'but's. You may be invulnerable to normal injury due to Chemical X but we must obey the law and set a good example like everyone else."
Both girls nodded that they understood. Then their father gave a slight smile.
"Do you know how I know you're human? Little girls rarely obey their parents all the time."
Blossom laughed. She couldn't argue with that. But the feeling in the pit of her stomach went beyond normal assurances.
"It's just that...well we have something no one else has, right? We're still...different."
"Different doesn't mean bad, dear. Especially in this case. You three are single handedly responsible for cleaning up our city and keeping it that way. It's why you're being honored. It's why people love you. It's why they sent us on an all expenses paid vacation," he added with a chuckle
Yes, that was true. Blossom and her sisters saved the day constantly, battling the constant stream of weirdness that seemed to plague Townsville like no other city or municipality. But truth be told, she didn't care that much about accolades or streets being named after them. It was about the people she protected and her family.
Bubbles yawned and began snuggling against her big sister, oblivious to the second braid she'd yet to complete. Blossom smiled as a surge of sibling affection spread throughout her chest.
No one else really understood, except them. What it meant to be among humanity but feel that same degree of separation.
Fighting crime
Trying to save the world
Here they come
Just in time
The Powerpuff Girls
She hummed the melody as eyelids softly fluttered down on pink irises. It was made for them when they turned six by some random Scottish indie pop band…
Who knew people cared that much...but did they know what it was like?
Any of it?
The Professor looked in the rearview mirror and smiled as the natural hum and roll of the car put his girls to sleep. Naturally, of course. Superpowers or not, young children ran out of energy eventually. And why not? Travel days after a week in the Pacific Northwest, the forests of Oregon, the Space Needle in Seattle...it was a great joy…
Tires slowly rolled to a halt as his white Toyota pulled into the driveway.
..but it was good to be home.
Carefully and deftly, he scooped his little angels in his arms. Yes, he could still do that though the time was fast approaching when it would prove impossible.
They were growing up. Too fast in his opinion. It was one of the things creating three perfect little girls could never prepare you before. No one stays little forever.
So focused he was on getting the girls to bed, he didn't notice that his key twisted a little too easily in the lock. Or that one of his volumes was out of place. Or that the door to his daughter's room was left slightly ajar.
Tucking them in and placing Octi under Bubble's arms, he gave them each a traditional kiss on the forehead as he bade them goodnight.
"Sleep well...my little commander...my joy and laughter...my toughest fighter."
Closing the door behind him (Bubbles had pretty much outgrown her fear of the dark) Robert Utonium began feeling a little fatigue himself. Heading down the stairs, he could see the flashing light of the Powerpuff hotline, indicating multiple messages.
Eh, it could wait. The grand renaming ceremony was tomorrow and the Mayor surely didn't need a pickle jar opened right now.
There were far more important things in life.
When Blossom woke up the next morning she immediately sensed something was out of place. Looking down at her body, she saw that her clothes from the previous day were still there.
We must have fallen asleep in the car. It was pretty late
But that wasn't the only thing that gave her pause. She couldn't quite place a finger on it yet. She checked the clock.
7:49
Okay, they had time. The ceremony wasn't until 9 and their super speed ensured they could get ready in a flash if needed. But first…
Taking a glance at her sisters, Blossom was careful not to wake them (Buttercup especially was not a morning person). She floated quietly from the bed and touched down on the soft carpet, feeling it in between her toes.
Three things occurred to her as she glanced around the room. Some of the toys, though usually in disarray, seemed to be in different areas. Admittedly it was difficult to recall exactly but that red race car hadn't been upside down, had it?
Checking their vanity table, Blossom saw her favorite brush laying where it always did on the...right? No, it should have been on the left. And why did it look recently used?
Examining the bristles, she saw it contained red strands which at least was normal but there was something else...black strands as well. Her first inclination was to blame Buttercup, but then again her sister used a different kind of brush...and rarely ever brushed her hair to begin with. And besides, they'd only gotten back last night and immediately went to bed.
Which led her to the third item of suspicion. Their closet was open. It was never easy to fit three female wardrobes into one but upon closer inspection, the Commander and Leader found it slightly in disarray. Their sock drawer was open and looked as though someone rummaged through it. Hangars that usually sported their trademark dresses were barren.
And my favorite pair of Mary Janes are missing too
There was no doubt in Blossom's mind. Someone had been in here. A thief.
But it didn't appear that they had been robbed, not really. No valuables, machines, or furniture had been taken. The house seemed perfectly sound. Only Blossom, who's attention to detail was impeccable, could have discerned what she noticed thus far. So what had this intruder been after?
"Girls!" their father suddenly called.
That was quite strange. He never woke them before eight unless it was something quite serious.
"Come down, quickly."
Oh, yes this was quite serious then.
Buttercup and Bubbles were always slow to get up, the former groaned and mumbled.
"Wuzgoingon?"
"Blossom?"
"The Professor wants us downstairs. Come on, girls. Get up."
"Don't wanna get up."
She sighed. If one wanted something done right sometimes you needed to do it yourself. Taking off down the stairs in a pink blur, she found the Professor in the living room watching the TV instead of preparing breakfast. Again, quite unusual.
"Where are your sisters?" he asked in a grave tone.
"Still waking up. What's going on?"
"Tell them to hurry. The three of you need to see this."
Blossom turned her attention towards the TV, which was on Channel 3 News. What she saw nearly made her jaw drop.
"We're here live with the Powerpuff Girls at Tom's Tavern. I'm Sheryl Gold and it's just another amazing day for these Powerpuff Girls, who are currently chowing down after another hard fought day fighting crime."
Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. A duplicate version of herself, except scruffier and a bit unkempt, munching endlessly on burgers waved and gave a salute.
"Tell us, Blossom. How did you think to go after the monster's eyes?"
"Well, Sheryl. It wasn't difficult to be honest. Just had to figure out a weak point and rest took care of itself. Any real hero could have taken care of it."
"Are you concerned that the tactics used today might be considered a bit extreme?"
"I dunno, ask those people if they wanted to be crushed to death by a giant lizard."
"A fair point. Boy you girls sure do seem to work up an appetite."
The camera switched over to the crude versions of 'Buttercup' and 'Bubbles' also chowing away at burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
"Fighting crime will do that to you, Sheryl."
"We want more!"
"And I want a chocolate shake next time! OW!"
"Ahaha, of course you do. Aren't they precious? Well, that does it here from Tom's Tavern. Back to you, Bill."
"Thank you, Sheryl. Yes, Townsville couldn't be more fortunate to have these heroines around keeping our city safe. Especially in lieu of the street renaming ceremony which is to occur tomorrow at 9 am by our Mayor-"
The TV shut off and the Professor's look was stern. But before either could say anything, the hotline began beeping. This time, her father motioned for her to stay back.
"Hello? Mayor? Yes I...well yes that's exactly it. My girls and I are at the house nowhere near City Hall. But….I understand that but do you not remember sending us on vacation? There's been a...I get that the giant monster was defeated but whoever it was…those are not my girls on that screen!"
It was rare for him to be so upset, but if anything could draw out the Professor's ire it was something or someone messing with his girls. Blossom was becoming more concerned by the second. Clearly whoever these false Powerpuff Girls were, their intentions were nothing good. But who? Who were they?
This had happened once before with those three thugs impersonating them to get out of jail and commit numerous robberies. But that had been easy to figure out. They weren't exactly subtle or imaginative with their costumes.
She ruled out the Powerpunk Girls, their evil counterparts from the alternate dimension. Whoever they were, these doppelgangers took pains to duplicate their look as much as possible. Berserk, Brat, and Brute made no bones about who they were: bad to the core and gothic in their appearance. Besides, who would wear that disgusting, crazy ribbon anyway? Yech.
Jolting her memory, she tried to recall any sort of clue that would indicate the true identity of the thieves. They were certainly a bit sloppy. Thuggish even. Bubbles' pigtails weren't that short. Buttercup, despite her tomboyish nature, at least put a modicum of effort in her appearance. She'd never allow her tights to bunch like that. And her own counterpart...what was with the jagged bangs and edges? If it was one thing Blossom Utonium took pride in, it was her beautiful, long locks that never appeared out of place.
Wait a minute...rude, disgusting, disheveled…
Who were the only other people who had similar powers? The ones made as their counterparts?
Her realization was interrupted as there was a scream and a loud four letter word that came from upstairs.
Blossom quickly zipped back up the stairs and found Buttercup standing in the bathroom, clenching her fists.
"Buttercup you shouldn't use that language what-"
"They're dead. I don't care what you say, Leader Girl. Those boys are dead."
She saw right away what the Toughest Fighter meant. Bubbles was silently crying, holding her beloved Octi very close to the chest. But graffitied on their bathroom mirror was a clear message and a dead give away to their enemy's identity.
THE PPG SUCKZ EGGS…
There was no need for any further deliberation.
"That's Butch's handwriting," Blossom said with a sigh. "Poor grammar and bad spelling...I'd recognize it anywhere."
"He's got an asskicking headed his way...they all do," Buttercup seethed.
For once, Blossom couldn't argue. Bubbles looked hurt, but also equally as determined to strike back. Their very reputation was at stake.
"Come on, ladies. Get dressed. We have a little counterpart trouble to attend to."
Brick couldn't help but bask in the glow of the crowd. To hear their approval as they stood on the platform of city hall itself. What a life. What a way to be introduced into the winner's circle. It was a bright, sunny day in Townsville and he'd fooled them all. Everyone one of those suckers looking up at them believed they were the Powerpuff Girls.
What a nasty surprise they were in for.
"Pssst..bro. Bro!"
Butch elbowed him fervently. He was twitching but not in an excited way.
"What?!" Brick hissed back.
"The hell are we doing? I thought we were going to rain fire on this little ceremony. Not be a part of it!"
He stood in the middle of his brothers, marked as the clear commander and leader. Beside them were numerous state and local officials, including the Mayor and his personal secretary with giant boobs or whatever. Along with the chiefs of police and several of his staff.
"Relax, dude. As soon as we accept the award and the street renaming goes down we crash this party."
"You sure about that?"
Anger surged through him. Was Butch really going to question his decisions now of all times?
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you've been going around taking in all the glory, Blossom. But I'm waiting for the destruction to start!"
"It will. Just be patient."
"Or maybe you don't want to do it."
Brick shot his brother the famed crimson glare. In fact, he felt half tempted to deck him right then and there. How dare he question his plan! They weren't heroes. It was just part of the ruse.
Right?
Boomer saved things from getting physical.
"Big bro," he said, tugging the sleeve of his dress. "I don't like the way that lady is looking at us."
Brick noticed straight away who he was talking about. The big bosomed woman in the red skirt suit and blazer kept giving them odd looks. He couldn't remember her name. Miss Belle or whatever? Either way, it was a bit unsettling. The Mayor also had a cell phone pressed against his ear, talking animatedly about something."
"It's fine. What can she prove? Far as anyone knows, we're the Powerpuff Girls."
"The Mayor's on the phone," Boomer pointed out. "He sounds pretty upset."
"And the cops are literally right beside us!" Butch said anxiously.
"Maybe we should leave while we can."
The only reason Brick didn't hit either one of them was to keep appearances. It was his plan and his idea. They would stick with it for better or worse.
"Quit freakin out, dummies. Let's just get this award ceremony over with and trash the place."
"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen."
Crap
The real Powerpuff girls floated down in front of them on the stage, causing a collective gasp to be heard among the thousands of people witnessing the event. Hushed whispers started soon afterwards.
"There's two of them now?"
"Wait, I thought there were three?"
"Two sets, you idiot!"
"But does that mean these new guys are evil twins?"
Buttercup's face was already scrunched in fury and an ominous shade of pink. The fuse soon exploded.
"ENOUGH! Come on!" she yelled at the crowd. "You mean to tell me you can't tell the difference between us and them?"
The people of Townsville gave a collective shrug.
"Idiots," she muttered.
"Look, we're not letting you ruin our name or take advantage of these people any longer, Brick," Blossom said, her stern gaze quickly turning icy. "So give yourselves up. Admit what you are."
The leader of the Rowdyruff Boys realized the jig was up but that didn't have to mean the end of their fun or their original purpose: making the Puffs look bad and spoil any meaningful ceremony that might come after.
"I don't know what you mean," he said in a falsely sweet falsetto. "Me and my girls are just here to accept an award for our services to the city. Isn't that right?"
He elbowed both Butch and Boomer who played along.
"We don't know what you're talking about."
"Yeah, you guys are totally fake."
Brick cursed his brothers' lack of acting skills but it hardly mattered. Making Blossom squirm was the only thing he cared about. Fooling the rest of these idiots would be a simple task.
"The Rowdyruff Boys are lying to everyone. They're pretending to be us!" the real Blossom declared to the crowd and everyone at large. "Don't listen to them!"
"Plus you're totally wearing our outfits wrong!" Bubbles added, crossing her arms. "You don't wear a dress that way."
Brick began smirking as he played his trump card. Just a little bit longer and he could frame them once and for all.
"Oh well there's a simple way to find out. You all remember us destroying that monster yesterday, don't you?"
"Yes," the crowd answered uniformly.
"Perhaps our doppelgangers could describe what it looked like."
He had them. They'd only just returned from vacation and probably only just found out about what had happened. The look on Blossom's face said it all.
"I...um…"
"Because you can't. We defeated that monster, tall as ten stories, green scaled, one horn attached to its snout. Oh, yes, I remember it well. Don't you, citizens?"
The crowd cheered and Brick took great delight in seeing his counterpart's face grow steadily as pink as the dress she wore. It was simply beautiful.
"I think the answer is quite clear as to who the real Powerpuff Girls are."
"NOOO!"
The outburst was surprising as Blossom rarely exclaimed that kind of anger.
"I will not allow you to soil everything I've- we've- worked for! He and his brothers are just trying to turn you against us!"
"You've gotta believe us!" Buttercup almost pleaded.
"Mayor, can't you tell the difference?" Bubbles tried in a desperate attempt to win over a familiar face.
"Arrest them! Arrest them! They're trying to impersonate our girls!"
The trouble was, no one knew which group to whom he was referring. The Mayor was always a bit off kilter and carried a tendency to overreact or become excitable. On top of that the chief of police and his officers looked at each other, equally befuddled. It seemed the crowd carried same mindset.
Who were the real Powerpuff Girls?
Blossom continued to lose her composure, much to Brick's delight.
"Listen, Ruff," she snapped. "I don't know what your game is, but it ends now."
"As if I'd let some poser replace me."
"Poser?!"
"That's right. Now run along before we make you."
"How dare you!"
The confusion and tension seemed to reach a boiling point. But luckily for everyone, Miss Sara Bellum was watching the entire scene unfold. Tapping a high heeled shoe in disapproval, she sought to settle this once and for all.
The arguing among the seemingly indistinguishable groups of girls continued until she stepped forward and gave a loud whistle.
"Oh, girls."
"Yes, Miss Bellum?"
The real Powerpuff Girls dutifully ceased their jabbering and gazed up respectfully. But the true power behind City Hall walked straight past them and headed towards the fakes.
"Miss Bellum!"
"Not you too!"
She ignored the tears welling up in Bubbles' eyes and stopped in front of the boys. Staring down at them imperiously, each gave a visibly nervous reaction at this incredibly attractive, intimidating woman. As a result, they temporarily forgot themselves...and who they were supposed to be imitating.
"Wha.."
"Girls, I'd just like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done for us. Come here."
She knelt down and began enveloping them in a big bosomed hug which horrified the boys.
"Ack!"
"Get off lady! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Let go, sweetcheeks!"
Using their powers, they finally broke free. Boomer's reaction was the worst as he screamed of 'cooties' while Butch looked absolutely livid and let out a stream of curse words. Brick was the only one who realized their predicament when Miss Bellum pointed directly at them.
"That's them," she declared. "They're the fakes."
"Arrest them! Arrest them!" the Mayor began shouting again. The crowd began whispering to each other once more as they realized their mistake.
"But...how did you know?" Blossom asked, mystified as to how she was able to discern which was which when no one else in Townsville could (save for their father).
"I knew from the beginning they weren't you," she said with a nonchalant shrug. "But always remember girls, there's nothing boys fear more than a strong, confident woman."
The three girls gave a smile of thanks as their sights returned to their now full exposed counterparts.
Brick bit his lip as he knew what was about to happen.
"Goddamn it."
*WHAM!
Ruined.
Everything had been ruined. His plan, the opportunity to trash their annoying, worthless, second rate counterparts.
But worst of all was his pride. It had been injured in a way like never before. And no one could be blamed but himself. A once brilliant idea torn to shreds. And now he was fighting for his freedom against the very same girls he sought to destroy.
"How'd you find out?" he yelled out, dodging one strike from the Puff and blocking another.
"You almost got away with it. Or at least you would have for a lot longer if Butch hadn't graffitied our bathroom mirror."
That. Motherless. Bastard.
Brick was beside himself with rage. Butch had compromised the entire operation. He should have checked that the idiot didn't do anything stupid before leaving the house. But it was too late.
"I don't take kindly to my reputation being put on the line like that, Ruff," she told him imperiously.
"Good thing I don't do kindness!"
He aimed a punch, but she blocked and delivered a solid uppercut to the jaw, followed by another and then a roundhouse kick which crash landed him back at the foot of the stage. By now, the crowd had cleared out in the face of yet another face off between the Puffs and Ruffs which nearly always resulted in some form of property damage. The Mayor had retreated inside City Hall alongside the rest of his entourage; the police set up a perimeter but everyone knew by now when the two rivals fought, it was best to get out of the way.
"That's too bad. You actually made a believable impression. I'll give you that."
"Eat shit!"
His punch missed and he was once again kicked back into the stage wall. She had turned the tables on him. Despite being slightly physically weaker than Brick, Blossom kept a cool head and knew when her counterpart became too angry, he was vulnerable.
"But the Powerpuff way isn't something you can imitate or copy, Brick. It comes with hard work and sincerity. You have to want to help people. To be better."
"I was better!" he snarled. In a red flash he punched her in the face as hard as he could and repeated the process several more times. But the swings became wild, and Blossom ducked underneath, used her leg to propel him backwards over head and slammed down hard onto the black gravel of the road.
"You weren't."
"My boys and I took down a monster that would have wiped the floor with you!"
Blossom picked him up by the scruff of the dress he still sported and chucked him straight into a mailbox, causing letters and postage to fly everywhere.
"I'm not questioning your ability to fight giant monsters, Brick. I'm questioning where your heart truly lies."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He could see green and blue streaks in the sky. No doubt his brothers were engaged in fierce battles of their own.
"Meaning you could have done anything you wanted while posing as us. Instead you chose to pretend to be heroes."
"What's it to you?!"
His heat vision missed and Blossom issued forth a giant ice blast which encased Brick's entire body from the neck down. She'd flipped the tables on him. He was wild and out of control while she remained calm and collected. In his current state, he didn't stand a chance.
"Maybe you're just another punk villain who underestimated us as usual…"
Those crimson eyes practically burned as she stepped closer, the pink eyes becoming an icy chill to match the fire within him.
"...or maybe you're just jealous."
Brick craned his neck to ensure he heard that correctly.
"What?"
"You heard me."
He didn't want to listen. His body practically shook with rage but the ice would not crack or bend.
"I know you decided to steal our identities so you could trash our street renaming ceremony. But during the whole time people thought you were us, you didn't commit a single crime or felony...with the exception of fraud of course."
"What's your point?!" Brick spat furiously.
"That for all your desperate lengths to be better than me, what you wanted was the glory and fame. But that isn't why I do what I do. It's for my friends, family, my sisters...I care about them more than anything. Tell me, do you take pleasure in hitting Butch and Boomer all the time? Is that what you call 'affection'?"
Disgust washed over the pink Puff as she continued dressing him down.
"Then again, you wouldn't understand. You can't. Instead, all I see is a confused boy looking quite pretty in his dress and Mary Janes. How sad."
That last little taunt did the trick. Steam issued forth from the Ruff's nostrils and his hands glowed orange. With a mighty explosion, the ice sheet broke, sending Blossom flying back to the pavement.
"I understand more than you think," he said in a quietly dangerous voice that barely contained the hot, bubbling cauldron of volcanic rage currently simmering beneath the surface. But he didn't attack, instead choosing to beat a hasty retreat.
He rocketed into the air and called to his brothers.
"Let's go, boys!"
And just like that, the Rowdyruff Boys had slipped through their fingers yet again. But this time there was a noticeable difference. As Buttercup and Bubbles returned to the ground the brilliant mind of Blossom Utonium began turning over what just occurred.
"Leader girl, should we go after them?"
"Yeah! Those big meanies completely ruined everything!"
She didn't respond immediately, instead taking the time to breath and lose adrenaline before making a decision.
"No," she answered finally. "Somehow, I think we humiliated them more than they did so to us."
"Pfff, yeah. We exposed them as boys dressed as girls. Of course they tucked their tails and ran," Buttercup said with a snicker.
"That's not what I meant."
Without saying another word, the Powerpuff Girls raised themselves in the air and sped off to assist in the clean up.
It had been quite an experience for everyone.
So then. Brick's grand experiment failed. But perhaps this says more about him than it does about Blossom.
What will come as a result of this? Find out next time!
~The Wasp