So, it's been a long time since I last found myself deep enough in a fandom to even consider writing a fic (talking like middle school here...I'm a master's student now) but here I am! This is a fandom I never even really thought about but for some reason can't find my way out of now that I'm here. Like, this fandom is more addicting than any other fandom I've come across (and I say that while also being a Miraculous Ladybug fan). There's so much that you can do and so many good stories. Hopefully I'm adding to that!
That said, I know I have a lot too learn and I'm in no way, shape, or form a talented writer! I'm always open to constructive criticism but if you only have nasty things to say, just don't bother reading the story. I don't have the energy or patience for meanness for meanness's sake. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story though!
Only going to say this once, I do not own the Powerpuff Girls. If I did, I probably wouldn't be writing this fic and would just, you know, make it a show. Hope you all enjoy!
There was a moment of silence as the four people around the table regarded each other. The elderly man at the head of the table heaved a sigh, the wrinkles on his face seeming to sink further into his face. This seemed to trigger the man to his left to begin. Again.
"Mayor Bellum, surely you see what my concerns are, why we're even here to begin with," the man trailed off, at once seeming both confrontational with his tone and reasonable with his words. The beautiful, and voluptuous, woman in red across the table from him glared.
"And surely you see how ridiculous you're being? They're children!" While staying as composed as possible, the mayor of Townsville was beginning to seriously consider what the consequences of attacking the man across from her would be. She was pretty sure she could get away with it if she wanted to at this point.
"Children? They're about as far from that as possible! They were created to destroy! Quite literally, they're weapons. We can't continue to let them do as they like!"
The remaining man in the room rubbed his head before speaking. "The mayor isn't suggesting that," he said.
"I understand full well how dangerous they are but they are still children, and young ones at that! While they may look to be about ten, they've only been alive for about five years now. We can't judge them by adult standards!" Mayor Bellum said. The man across from her gave her an almost scolding like look.
"Age has little to do with this. One of them alone is capable of destroying the entire city. We've all seen what they're capable of over and over again. I stand firm on my original position. They should be placed in jail, right alongside their creator. For good." The first man said.
The man at the head of the table looked towards the heavens for a second before sending a knowing look to the women at his right. Her hands were tightly clenched in fists in her lap, the only outward sign of tension she allowed to be shown. Her face was set in a stern glare and yet her lips weren't pursed or pulled into a tight line. She showed a rigid and regal strength and the man at the head of the table knew she would not budge, not even an inch, on this matter.
He next looked to the man on his left. Connor Jones was an up and coming hot shot lawyer that was really looking to make a name for himself quickly. He was doing a decent job of it too...whether that was a good thing or not was still to be determined though. The only reason he was here arguing, supposedly, the people's side of this was to get his name out there. All said and done, if there was one thing that could really be said about the man it would be that he was stubborn. He'd not budged the entire time on his position, even to the point of repeating himself occasionally, and it was starting to really wear on everyone else in the room.
The last man in the room was chosen by the mayor herself to support her legally in this case. He hadn't had much of a chance to really do or say anything yet though. The man and women to his immediate left and right had quickly started a verbal war that neither seemed willing to loose.
"Their creator is the reason why they shouldn't be put there. You can't judge a person based solely on where they start in life. Our births, or in this case creation, doesn't and shouldn't define us. People should be given a chance to prove themselves before judgement is passed and they're too young for anyone to say they've been given any sort of a chance! Even more so when you consider who has mostly, although poorly, been raising them these past 5 years. I'm not saying we should forget everything that they've done but they deserve the chance to make up for it!" Mayor Bellum's voice gained in strength as she all but lectured the man in front of her. He simply scoffed at her.
"We are, quite literally, what we're born. Genetics determines everything from our habits to our disposition. Those three aren't normal. They never will be! As such, we shouldn't give them a chance to do anything worse than what they've already done."
The mayor, who had already been sitting rather straight, seemed to straighten further as the man spoke. The other two people in the room could almost see the iron rod that now seemed to be the red head's spine. This had obviously been the wrong thing to say.
"By that logic I should be in cell alongside them too. Is that what you mean?" The man across from her pale slightly at her words. "When I was just 16 my mother kicked me to the street, not that she'd been there much to begin with anyways what with the constant stream of men and drugs. And my father? Your guess would be as good as mine there. I did a lot of stupid things after that and found myself sitting in a police station. As luck would have it though, the previous mayor, Mayor Mayor, was there reporting a theft and he happened to see me there. His wife had recently found she was sterile and one thing led to another. Next thing I knew I was in the nicest car I'd ever seen on my way to the place I would then call home for the next 5 years. I have done everything I could to repay the kindness shown to me that day. It's what has led me to where I stand now. If no one had given me that chance, if I had been just brushed off because my mother was a druggie and a hooker, I wouldn't be here right now. Everything that I have done in my life wouldn't have happened. Now, not to seem to confident but I think I've done a rather good job of it so far. The people elected me for a second term and the city's overall state has continued to improve. So tell me, do you really believe that people shouldn't been given a chance? Can you look me in the eye and truly say that?"
The man across from her had paled considerably through her speech and for a few seconds after seemed unable to move. In the span of a second though that changed as the man's face quickly went from paper white to a bright angry red. He opened his mouth and the man at the head of the table couldn't help but heave another sigh. Then the shouting began.
While all this was occurring, just outside the door of this tiny room sat three boys, each one strikingly different from the next. The one with raven black hair reached out and tugged on the sleeve of the red head, a red hat turned backwards with bangs peeking through the front and a ponytail at the back, who had been staring intently at the door, listening to every word.
"Hey, bro. Let's split. I'm so boooored," the ravenette whined. The red head's eyes took on a slight glowing intensity to them as he turned to the other boy. Before he could say or do anything though, the third boy spoke.
"Yeah. I'm hungry. Why're we even here anyways?" The red head turned to find the blond staring at him. The red head heaved a sigh, a puff of smoke escaping as he did so.
"Shut the hell up, both of you!" He all but growled at them. "You nimrods might not have enough brain cells between the two of you to get what's happening but this is fucking important so we stay till they say otherwise."
Both the other boys shrunk back slightly at the tone but didn't say anything back. As the red head turned back to face the door. All three boys heard a bang come from behind it.
Back in the room, Judge Harrows had had enough. He banged his fist against the table to get the attention of the rather enraged, and loud, members of the room. They fell silent, facing him.
"I've had about enough of this back and forth. I agreed to oversee this discussion and make the final decision because I love this city and I only want what's best for it. Now both of you sit down. I've made up my mind."
Both the mayor and the lawyer sat at this. The last party of the room, who had remained sitting, slouched, trying to avoid getting caught in the cross hairs, sat up straight again.
"Both of you make valid points. I can't really ignore any of them and they don't negate each other, not entirely at least," the judge paused at this, rubbing his forehead. "I agree that we can't just throw the boys into a cell next to Mojo. We also can't leave them to their own device. Unlike previous times, Him is apparently on a sabbatical, to maybe only god knows where, and Mojo isn't predicted to break out of this jail anytime in the next five years. The boys need someone to look after them, true, but it also can't be just anyone. I would ask the professor but he's been busy working on projects and the relationship between the girls and the boys is too strenuous for them to be spending potential hours together, without any real supervision. Just the thought of Butch and Buttercup being left alone in a room together for an hour terrifies me. The damage they would cause...but that's beside the point. We also can't just throw them into the system and hope that a good Samaritan will step up to the task. Most people aren't capable of raising a super either, let alone three supers who have been, so far in life, raised incorrectly."
The judge leaned forward, elbows on the table and fingers laced together covering his mouth. He paused here for a moment, looking back and forth between both the mayor and the lawyer in front of her.
"Now I'm done with all this arguing. The boys will not be put up for adoption. For all intents and purposes, they will be the property of the city until they turn 18. At the age of 18 the boys will be put under review again and a final decision regarding their future will be made at that point. In the meantime, the city will have to search for a suitable and capable guardian for the boys. They will also be watched by the only three people in this city truly capable of stopping them should they get out of hand. I'll meet with the Powerpuff Girls later today to discuss this with them as well. They will be allowed to stop by and observe the boys whenever they feel necessary. For the first five years, it'll be mandatory for them to stop by at least once a month. If the boys show promise, then we can talk about either extending out that time or leaving it to their discretion. If the girls feel, at any time, that the boys are becoming a serious threat that can only be handled by either locking them up or worse, then they will present their case to me and a panel of two other judges who we will decide upon later. If we judge, with a unanimous vote, that the girls are correct then the boys will be dealt with accordingly. Does this sound far to all?"
Mayor Bellum's hands finally relaxed in her lap, the first time since they had done so since she first sat down in this room. Connor Jones however, was grinding his teeth so hard that the judge could hear the strain he was putting on his teeth from where he sat.
"Who..." Mr. Jones stopped for a second after hearing the obvious anger in his voice. He cleared his throat before trying again. "Who, in this city, is really capable of handling these boys if not the professor? Is there anyone else?"
The judge's eyes furrowed together a bit at this. It was his main concern with the whole thing. Mayor Bellum however, was not about to let this stop her.
"I'll do it," she said. All heads in the room swung to her direction so quickly it wouldn't surprise her if at least one of them had whiplash.
"What makes you the best candidate?" Mr. Jones asked. She sent him a near victorious smile.
"I've known the girls their whole life. With the exception of professor Utonium and the girls' teacher Ms. Keane, there isn't a single person in this city that knows them better than I do. I've seen what it takes to raise supers first hand and I think my own personal experience will speak to my ability of being able to handle the boys' troubled start in life. No one will understand better than I will. I also have the girls' number on speed dial in case anything should happen, not that I expect anything will. I can quickly contact them with ease." The judge nodded at what Mayor Bellum said.
"I doubt we'll find anyone else willing, let alone anyone willing and up to the task. This plan works for me." The judge was about to call things a wrap when Mr. Jones once again, to everyone else's great displeasure, spoke.
"What makes you qualified as a mother though? Your past experiences don't automatically make you capable of teaching a child right from wrong? You've never had children! You don't know anything about raising them, let alone super powered ones!" Mr. Jones stated. Mayor Bellum opened her mouth to rebuttal this point but before she got a chance the door slammed open.
"She don't got to either. We'll listen, hell, we'll even agree to letting those sissies keep an eye on us. We'll even go to that shit show they call school or whatever. It don't matter if she ain't never had kids before. I'll make sure these two nimrods listen or my name ain't Brick the Bludgeoner of the Rowdyruff Boys," the red haired cap wearing boy from outside the room stood there, arms crossed, fierce glare on his face. The other two boys stood slightly behind and to the sides of him. The blond looked sort of blankly at the four adults, those his eyes would quickly twitch to the cap wearing boy every now and then, so quickly that it was almost impossible to be seen. The ravenette had his hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulder's bunch up around his ears as he glared at everyone, the other boys included. The judge, while originally stunned by the appearance of the boys, jumped at the opportunity to close everything up while Mr. Jones was still stunned.
"You boys have a deal. From the sounds of it, you heard most of the discussion. I suppose we probably shouldn't have sat you right outside the door for this. We'll still have the little details to work out and the girls to talk to but we should have something formally written to be presented to all parties by the end of the week. On that note, I do believe I have a phone call to make." The judge stated as he quickly hightailed it out of the room. This snapped Mr. Jones out of it.
"Your honor-wait! I wasn't finished!" The man said as he quickly moved to follow the judge. On his way out of the room the ravenette stuck his foot out so quickly it no one saw it. Mr. Jones went flying. The three boys turned and laughed at him as he quickly, face as red as the hat on the red head's head, picked himself up and excused himself to continue his pursuit of the judge. The last man in the room sighed.
"If you'll excuse me Mayor Bellum, I believe it's finally my turn to make myself useful. I'll fend Mr. Jones off from our poor judge as best I can until the girls arrive. I'd like to see him continue to waste everyone's time then," he said, moving to leave the room.
The mayor nodded at the man and thanked him as he followed Mr. Jones and the judge. She turned back to the boys and for the first time that day, nerves showed on her face.
"So...we gotta listen to the toots now? Man, I ain't listening to no sissy, even if she is smokin'," the ravenette said as his lip curled in disgust.
"Shut up Butch. Last I checked, I still called the shots so unless you'd like your face rearranged I'd say that fuck yes you'll listen to what the toots says," Brick all but barked at him, the full weight of his glare landing on the ravenette who shrunk back slightly at the intensity of it.
"We really gunna call he toots? Shouldn't we, I dunno, call her somethin' else? She's takin Mojo's place right?" The blond spoke, head tilting to the side as he did so. Brick rolled his eyes.
"How the fuck should I know what the hell to call her? And no Boomer, she ain't no Mojo. It'll be...different," Brick said, hesitating almost imperceptibly at the end. The blond, Boomer, furrowed his brow.
"I don't get it. If she ain't no Mojo, then why we still here?" The mayor, who had been slightly amused and was taking the time to collect her nerves, took this chance to speak up.
"Brick's right, I'm not going to be like Mojo and things will be...different," she had the same hesitation Brick did to that word but continued regardless. "I'm hoping that they'll be different in a good way though. Just maybe you'll even come to enjoy it. As for what to call me, my name is Sara Bellum. You can call me Sara, or Ms. Bellum or whatever you're most comfortable with."
At this the mayor stepped forward and crouched down slightly, he heels making her a good deal taller than the boys, to look them all in the eye. They watched her carefully and the woman, despite how often she was around power hunger greed filled men not used to a woman telling them what to do, felt intimidated at the weight of the three eyes on her. She felt, for once, what most woman probably felt like around the men she was used to dealing with. She felt small, weak, and maybe just a little terrified. She did not, however, regret.
"Bellum then? I'm really really hungry. You said you ain't no Mojo cause you're different and all. Does that mean we can't go get pizza? Cause I'm reeeaaally hungry," Boomer whined, his hands grabbing at his stomach as it let out a couple loud gurgles in agreement. The mayor smiled gently at him.
"I think pizza would be a great idea. We can talk a little more about the 'different than Mojo' part over food. Sound good?" She said mostly to Boomer. Her eyes did, however, slide to Brick who she knew would be the one to make the final decision.
"Pizza sounds good to me Bellum," was Brick's response. With a nod, the mayor grabbed her bag and the four of them left to have this life changing discussion over pizza.