Villain: Redux

By: Yay Ninja Bob

Part III: Police and Thieves

A/N: Guys, so sorry this was a couple days later than promised! As I mentioned on tumblr, while on vacation my laptop remained unused for a period of time and I failed to notice it had freaking died on me until literally the night before I was supposed to get this up. It took a couple days to resolve, BUT CHAPTER SAVED.

And here we are. :)

Shout out to my amazing wife for remaining calm in a crisis and always stepping up with: "Don't worry. I know a guy." Indeed she did! :D

Anywho, I hope you enjoy this one! And YES, I ended it there so we can have some serious spooks in October with our next one, haha.

Chapter 23

Never Say Die

Blossom awoke cold and stiff. As her bedside morning alarm beeped loudly and repeatedly upon her nightstand, the pink Puff lay still underneath her bedsheets feeling herself growing gradually colder as reality slowly set in once more. It had been three nights since her sister and Robin disappeared, and going on four days now with no clues as to where either of them could be or what could have possibly happened. It was difficult to find any hope in the situation, and now another morning had come, harder than the last. Her numb icy limbs felt heavy- too heavy to want to rise from bed at all, but... the best way to keep from freezing over was, of course, to keep moving. So she forced herself up, shut off her alarm and stiffly rose from bed.

First step to warming up for the day would be a fresh warm cup of coffee. As she entered her home's kitchen, she could already smell a fresh pot brewed and waiting for her. Her pink coffee mug sat upon the white tiled countertop with a small handwritten note beside it. "Good luck on your exam."

It wasn't unlike the Professor to leave the small notes in place of his absence, but "good luck on your exam" was certainly a different message than what he had been trying to convince her the night before. He had wanted her to stay home. "You're not ready to go back to school," were the words he used and what she could clearly remember. "Give yourself more time." "You shouldn't push yourself too hard." "I know you want to, but I don't think you should." "Really, Blossom, I think you should consider taking the rest of the semester off and just stay here- just stay home."

Blossom picked up the small post-it, crumbled it in her grasp and tossed it into the garbage bin nearby as the icy sting she felt in her lungs then caused her to cough a little. She had already missed two days worth of classes to stay home, and just as she tried over and over again to explain to the Professor last night: She had a very important Biology exam to take. Of course she wanted to stay there in case Bubbles or Robin turned up somehow, which is why she did so for the last two days. However, both days her absence from school seemed to make no difference, and the hopelessness of the situation was something she needed to escape on some level somehow. Sure, going back to classes again wasn't going to bring Bubbles and Robin back, but... maybe at the least it could provide a temporary distraction from the unbearable powerlessness that continued to torment her there at home.

The pink Puff reached for the warm pot of coffee and poured herself a cup as she glanced over her right shoulder and towards the shut door that led down to the Professor's basement laboratory. Her bubblegum eyes glowed briefly as she peered beyond the other side with her x-ray vision. The lab was dark and empty; he wasn't there. As she retrieved the creamer and sugar for her coffee, Blossom checked the family garage next with her super sight- no car. The Professor must have gone out, probably aimlessly driving around and looking for Bubbles again, she imagined.

Blossom sipped from her mug, finding some relief as the warm brew gradually began to melt some of the ice within her. Stepping out for some sun was her next morning routine to "keep the ice at bay for the day" as she liked to say. So Blossom next retrieved her red university sweater from the coat rack beside their home's back door and stepped outside with her cup of coffee in hand. As Blossom stood upon the back porch, she realized it was another misty October day. As her bubblegum eyes fell upon the hazy dense fog that hung in the air she sighed deeply to herself as she set down her cup of coffee for a moment as pulled on her hooded sweater. "Well, I guess fifteen minutes of weak sun exposure is better than no sun at all..."

Blossom floated down to the final porch step and sat down with her cup of coffee. She took a few silent sips as she stared ahead at nothing in particular. With every sip, the coffee that passed through her lips dropped lower and lower in temperature. As she raised her pink mug to her lips a fifth time, the brew had been cooled to an icy slush. Blossom sighed deeply as she sat aside the now chilled beverage. On harder days, coffee just wasn't a match for her surging ice powers, and of course these last few days had been hard.

As the pink Puff reached into her hoodie's pouch pocket for something, she turned her head as her gaze fell beyond the wooden fencing of their backyard and to next door. She immediately perked up at the sight of the silhouette of someone standing on the Snyder home's back porch. Before she could stop herself, she was instinctively there with a flash of bright pink light.

"Robin, you're back-!" Blossom stopped herself the moment she realized her mistake, "Oh- Sorry, Mrs. Snyder-"

"Oh, Blossom," the short woman jumped back as she clutched her chest with her hand, "My goodness, you startled me-!"

"Sorry!" the tall pink Puff quickly apologized again. "I thought you were Rob-" she stopped herself again and frowned, noticing how heavy and tired Robin's mother's eyes were- the same teal as Robin's only reddened from all the crying she had no doubt been doing. "Sorry..." she repeated again as she watched the woman stuff away a used tissue in her cardigan sweater.

Robin's mother forced a weak smile as she gestured at what Blossom held in her hand, "I know you're a college girl now, Dear, but that's quite a nasty habit to pick up from your new peers. I made that same mistake as a Freshman, and it took me eleven years to quit."

"What?" Blossom blinked back before glancing down at the carton of cigarettes in her hand, her cheeks flushing slightly, "Oh these," she laughed nervously a little, "No, no... they're just decoys, you see..." Blossom opened the pack and pulled out a single cigarette, "I designed this to just look like a regular cigarette, but really it's just a device I invented for myself so that I have a way to covertly manage my ice powers on the go. It makes it easier at school to just say I need to step out for a smoke break rather than explain the whole super power thing."

"Really? You came up with that yourself?"

Blossom nodded.

Robin's mother's sweet smile widened, "Let's see a demonstration then."

Blossom returned a small smile as she placed the faux-cigarette between her lips. As she inhaled an electronically lit fake flame glowed on the other end. She turned to the side as she released a cloud of chilled vapor ice disguised as smoke, "See?"

Mrs. Snyder gave a small laugh, "Definitely would have fooled me if I didn't know any better," she continued to smile at the pink Puff, "But you're not at school now. You shouldn't feel the need to hide at home, do you?"

Blossom shrugged, "It's not really my intention to hide. I suppose I just got used to doing it that way after a while." She turned back to face Mrs. Snyder, "I kind of like how it helps me feel... well, normal, I guess."

As Blossom looked to Robin's mother again, she saw that she had retrieved her worn tissue from her pocket again and dabbed at the corner of her eyes.

Blossom frowned, "Mrs. Snyder, I'm... I'm so sorry about... everything... I'm the one who asked Robin to look after Bubbles for me while she was sick and... I'm just so sorry that I wasn't there. I-I never imagined that anything could happen like this- that they could both just disappear without a trace. I just don't understand what could have happened and I'm so sorry-"

"It's alright, Blossom," the short woman interrupted with a small, forced smile, "You and your sisters have always been so special to Robin. She and Bubbles especially are the best of friends and I know your sister would never intentionally hurt Robin- no matter what those news reports may be speculating," Robin's mother paused to let out a sigh before reaching for Blossom's hand. "I know that whatever happened is in no way your fault. None of this is. You and your sisters... I've seen you all grow up, and throughout all that time I could always see that the three of you were just like Robin- just kids. So no, I don't blame you or your sisters for any of this. None of you could help how you were born. If anything, as a mother, I watch you from next door and every day I just pray that... well, that you're okay, Dear."

Robin's mother then pulled Blossom into a hug and as the short woman's arms wrapped around her, Blossom felt immediately comforted by the embrace. She shared the same glowing warmth Robin had always had to share with her whenever she needed it most. Blossom returned the hug, feeling the ice melt within her at last.

Mrs. Snyder pulled away and took Blossom's hand again and gave it a firm squeeze, "I just want you to know that you always have a safe place here next door if you ever need it."

Blossom blinked back for a moment. "...Safe place?"

"Yes, if you ever need it."

"Why would I-" Blossom stopped herself. She forced a weak smile as she stepped away from Robin's mother, "Thanks, Mrs. Snyder," she said as she retreated back towards their home, "I better get going. I need to start getting ready for class."

"Take care, Dear."

"You too, Mrs. Snyder."

Robin's mother stayed on the back porch until the pink Puff had returned inside. As Blossom shut her home's backdoor behind her, she glanced about the silent, empty house. She lingered there for a moment before zipping across the kitchen floor to the door to the basement.

Entering the lab, Blossom hit the light switch first, causing the darkened windowless room to go from pitch black to a bright, fluorescent-lit glow. As she descended the steps of the basement laboratory she repeated what Robin's mother had said to herself in a quiet mutter, "Can't help how we were born... She meant we couldn't help being born here," Blossom stepped off the last step and came to the center of the lab. As she glanced about the quiet lab, she frowned, "What's wrong with being born here?"

As Blossom looked around, her eyes settled on her laptop and book bag she had left at her work desk in the lab. She retrieved her things and started for the basement stairs again, but stopped as she noticed the monitor to the Professor's computer.

"Weird... he doesn't usually leave this on and unlocked..." Blossom approached the computer, stopping in front of the monitor for just a moment, before switching it off and zipping away quickly up the laboratory steps with a flash of pink light.

Mojo's ongoing research had only been interrupted just seconds ago by the activity alert to the spyware linked to Utonium's laboratory. Of course, Mojo was very curious to check in on all activity taking place within the scientist's lab. Especially since the mysterious, alleged disappearance of the blue Puff just days ago. However from what he gathered from Utonium's accounts, there was no clue as to where the blue Puff could have gone; only that she had been behaving erratically due to her illness before her disappearance. Again as the simian watched the redheaded girl through the computer monitor's live feed then, it appeared that once again, nothing of significance was transpiring at the Utoniums. Blossom was merely retrieving her school work from the laboratory.

"Alright!" Junior's voice echoed from behind and from within the cockpit located within Robo Jojo's domed helmet. Mojo shut off his monitor and turned in his chair to glance up at the giant robot where he saw the green Puff peek his head from the top with a grin, "Everything's in place now!" he announced, "The control panel is officially up and runnin'!"

It took a few minutes for the older chimp to climb up the work ladder steps, but Joey knew better than to insult Mojo by offering him a hand so he waited patiently inside the robot's cockpit for the villain to join him inside.

"Ah yes," Mojo nodded in approval as he finally entered the cockpit that was now set aglow by the neon green lights that lined the now completed interior, "Now this looks like a proper battle robot should."

There were two stations inside. The top station was Mojo's command station where he could control all of Robo Jojo's movements and functions. The bottom station below was where Junior's seat was. He was to be in charge of Robo Jojo's firing system- a system which was activated only by the green Puff's uniquely powered touch.

As the simian looked over the Puff's latest installation work a little more closely, Joey plopped down on the swivel metal chair before his station and watched Mojo. As Mojo stopped before a padded dark box embedded within the wall, Joey spoke up, "Yeah I saw there was some extra space in here, so I went ahead and added a sound system for us! Can't conquer the world without some good music blastin', right?"

"Excellent work, Son," Mojo turned to face the Puff with a smirk, "That is to say: You have done a fine and superb job."

"Should we get started on that last panel piece to Robo Jojo's helmet now?" Joey pointed up at the open ceiling to Robo Jojo's head that had yet to be sealed.

"I think we have made substantial enough progress this morning and are, in fact, far ahead enough in our work schedule that we may conclude for a break a little earlier today. While I test that all our computer functions for Robo Jojo are indeed in proper, working order, why do you not utilize this extra time and meet with Morbucks early for your mission this afternoon?"

Joey rose from his chair and joined Mojo at his station, "You sure? She's not expecting me for another hour."

"Yes, yes. Then I am certain she will be very pleasantly surprised and excited to see you." Mojo waved the teenager away with a gloved hand, "As I said, you are now dismissed to take your break early. We shall reconvene here in two hours."

"Alright, cool," Joey answered with a nod, "See ya in a bit then, Mojo."

Mojo looked out through the clear crystal panel windows of Robo Jojo and watched Joey take his leave. After the green Puff had gone, the short simian sat at his command station and began to test what had just been installed. He soon discovered the radio switch to the sound system Joey had mentioned which had been done technically without Mojo's approval but not without his knowledge. He had seen the teenager altering the designs beforehand and was generally curious if the green Puff would manage to pull it off on his own without the simian's input. Mojo reached for the radio switch and flipped it. The speakers lined along the interior panels began to boom with a noisy, blaring and loud punk tune:

"I want to move the town to the clash city rockers!
You need a little jump of electrical shockers!
You better leave town if you only want to knock us!
Nothing stands the pressure of the clash city rockers!"

Mojo shut off the music, shaking his head a little, "We shall have to discuss a more reasonable and appropriate volume setting, but otherwise," Mojo paused to smirk to himself, "The boy has certainly come a long way with his engineering work and fairly quickly too. Again, the green Puff shows so much promise and yet..."

Mojo paused to retrieve a digital pad from behind his cape. "As I suspected, predicted and already have imagined so," Mojo grumbled as he switched on Junior's tracking locator and observed the map for himself, "Once again, when given free time, he goes straight to that accursed cabin in the forest. It is time to address this suspicion sneaking about once and for all..."

The villain next retrieved a black cellular phone with a deep sigh and dialed.

"Hello?" Princess answered on the other end.

"I released Junior to go and see you about ten minutes prior to now-"

"Well he isn't here-"

"Mojo knows this, for I am looking at Junior's tracking location and can see for myself that he is nowhere near Morbucks Manor, nor is he by the Hills, nor within the East side, not even anywhere near the city for that matter-"

"Ugh! OK-OK! Alright, I get it already! He's at that stupid coyote cabin again. So are we going to do something about it or what?"

"Yes, Morbucks, I think four days of this has been long enough and it is now time for us to intervene. We must certainly interrupt whatever it is he is doing out there, put an end to this secret forest activity and demand answers as to why he chooses to continue to repeatedly deceive us both."

"I'll be there to pick you up in five minutes."

On the night of Robin's death, the Snyders had apparently filed a police report after discovering the disappearance of their daughter, and on that report it stated that it was Bubbles who was last seen with Robin, and that Bubbles had gone missing too. Of course, this report was immediately intercepted by local media and by the next morning the story was there to be read upon Mojo's daily paper: Powerpuff Bubbles Reported Missing After Teenage Girl Mysteriously Disappears.

Joey had to swear up and down that he had no idea what the story could be about, that he knew nothing about Bubbles or why the media would try to connect the blue Puff to Robin's murder. It wasn't easy to convince the villain; Joey had already lied about leaving one of his masks behind at the crime scene to rile up Blossom good and had to also pretend to not know why his mask was seemingly never found.

If Bubbles had just done what he said, and if she had just gone back home and turned over his mask like he told her to do, the story would be different. It would be Jojo and the villains tied to the girl's disappearance. Blossom would have vowed vengeance. For Robin, she'd take on the hero role once more, start listening to the mayor again, and once again Jojo and her would face off and this time he'd win. It was supposed to be so easy. However, with no mask being found or at least reported as found, there was no apparent link to Jojo being made and now the villains would have to enact a different plan to lure Blossom back into service.

Of course, Bubbles had to mess things up again. When it became clear to Joey the next day that his sister had failed to do what he asked of her, first chance he got he returned to the cabin in the forest. He had known Bubbles was sick. She had told him herself that she was afraid of her condition getting worse. Bubbles had killed Robin somehow, but Joey could sense it himself that whatever happened had to have been an accident. Joey imagined that experience must have been the last straw for Bubbles.

She had always been a sensitive crybaby who could never handle the same pressures he had had to face, and this must have been it for her. The night he took Robin from her, he just hadn't noticed just how far she'd gone. However when he returned the next day to find her still there hiding away in the cabin, it didn't take long for him to recognize for himself that Bubbles' mind was far, far, far, far gone. So far gone, Joey's first instinct was to try and put the girl out of her misery. He did say he'd shut her up forever if she didn't do what he said, after all. However, try as he might to conjure his death ray... seeing her like that... he simply pitied her too much to feel angry anymore.

He couldn't do it, even when he tried.

He found her whimpering in the corner of the cabin right where he had left her the night before. All of her coyote friends were nestled beside her trying their best to comfort the girl. But when Joey started to lecture her about failing to listen and how bad she could fuck things up for him now, it was her sorrowful howling response that got him to stop. When one coyote stepped forward and offered the blue Puff a fresh bloody piece of deer carcass, Joey witnessed her tear into it without hesitation with her bare teeth, that's when it hit him:

Bubbles had gone cuckoo.

Since then, still not knowing what else could be done about the situation, Joey decided to at least keep his promise to Bubbles. So every day he made sure to find some short time to feed the coyotes... which now apparently included his mentally deranged sister who carried herself as one of them.

"Alright, alright," Joey grumbled as he fought against the tidal wave of scruffy wild dogs that tackled him with excitement the moment he entered the cabin, passing through the dusty, worn blue tarp. "Back up, you mutts! Let me through!"

Joey floated to the center wooden table inside the cabin home and set down his black backpack as he looked about, searching for the pigtailed Powerpuff. Not seeing Bubbles amongst the dogs inside the den, he whistled and called out for her as he started to refill the water bowls with the plastic gallons of fresh water he had brought with him.

"Bubbles! Bubbles, where are ya? Come on out, Bubs! Come on out, Girl!"

After a few more whistles, a group of eager young coyotes burst through the doorway flap, their coats soaked from the nearby river. Among them was Bubbles. The tall Puff's clothing was soaping wet and her long blonde, messy curls shielded most of her face from Joey as she shook off alongside the other dogs.

"Oh there ya are," Joey looked up from the last water dish he had just sat down for a group of thirsty pups at his feet. "Went for a swim in the river, huh? Good thing. I didn't wanna say anything, Bubs, but you were definitely startin' to stink."

As the blue Puff shook her long wet hair bangs from her eyes, her face lit up with immediate joy as she saw the green Puff there. With a flash of blue light she was on him, and before Joey had a chance to react, he was knocked to the wooden cabin floor with her.

"Oof-" Joey momentarily had the wind knocked from him as the six-foot blonde forced him into a tight embrace, nuzzling her face against his scarred cheek lovingly. The green Puff groaned for a moment, before he sat up and shooed her away, "Alright, alright! Get offa me!" he rose to his feet and brushed his uniform off with a scowl, "Ugh, somehow you still reek like you need a bath..."

Joey made his way back to the backpack he had packed for his visit, and Bubbles scampered after and followed him, knowing he always brought her something tasty to eat.

Joey removed a plastic tupperware container of some leftover steak and potatoes Mojo had made for dinner the night prior. "Here ya go-"

Just as soon as Joey removed the container's plastic lid, the blue Puff immediately snatched the dish from him and dug in face first.

Joey sat beside his ravenous sister at the table and watched her. "You know you used to be a vegetarian..." He smirked a little, but slowly it began to fade as the realization that Bubbles seemed incapable of understanding him dawned on him once more. He sighed to himself as he watched Bubbles lick the plastic container clean with her tongue. "Man... The Professor and Blossom must have really done a number on ya after I left, didn't they?" Joey shook his head as he reached for his backpack again and pulled out another container of food, "Here. I brought some peach cobbler for some dessert for ya."

As his sister devoured her next treat, Joey continued to watch her with a slight frown. As Bubbles ate, many of the coyotes had gathered for their own meal time inside the cabin, tearing away at the giant elk carcass Joey had brought for them last. His emerald eyes drifted up along the far away wall where Bubbles' old flower mural had been painted and he perked up at the sight of something new.

"What the-?" Joey rose from his seat and floated over to the faded mural that could hardly be seen behind the layers of freshly painted deep red. "Bubs... did you... start a new painting with, uh... blood here?"

For some reason, the sight of the collection of blood painted symbols painted along the wall sent a chill down the green Puff's spine as he studied them closely. The bloody carcass of the dead elk lay beneath it and Joey could see that it was the creature's blood that Bubbles had used to begin the finger-painted artwork.

"Uhhh..." Joey laughed a little nervously as he continued to stare ahead at the new blood mural of ancient-looking symbols, "This looks pretty freaky, Bubs. Nothin' like your old stuff-" as Joey turned his head to the right he was immediately startled by the sight of his sister standing right beside him. She had been hidden in his blind spot. "Oh shi-!" he exclaimed with a jolt as he noticed the creepily smiling girl.

Bubbles responded with a giggle as she grabbed her brother by the face with both hands and gave him a sloppy-wet lick across his scarred cheek with her tongue.

"Euughhhh!" Joey shoved her away as he wiped his cheek with his gloved hand, "Fucking gross, Bubbles!"

The blue Puff broke out into a fit of giggles as her brother continued to scowl at her.

His scowl suddenly dropped, "Hey wait-" he stepped towards his sister again as he tried to get a closer look of her face. "Yo... what's up with your eyes-?" he questioned as he realized her bright baby blue irises looked faded to an almost white.

Before he could get a better look, he was interrupted by his cell phone buzzing in his pocket. Seeing Princess's name on the Caller ID, he answered quickly, "Hey, Princess."

"Hey you. Where are you right now?"

"Uhh, just uh, finishing up work with Mojo-"

"Finishing up work with Mojo?" she repeated. "Hmph. Is that so?"

"Yeah, but we're almost done so I'll be by real soon to pick ya up for our mission-"

"Hmph. You know, on second thought, Joey, maybe I should just meet you where you're at instead."

"What-? Nah, let me come get you like I said I was-"

"No-no-no-no-no-no... I insist. I'll come to you. In fact..."

Joey held his cellphone to his ear, waiting as Princess paused on the other end. Suddenly he heard a screeching shout from outside the cabin, causing him to whip around quickly in response.

"I'M ALREADY HERE YOU FUCKING DEAD DIRTY LIAR!"

"Aw, shit..." Joey lowered his cellphone as he hung up and glanced at Bubbles who tilted her head back at him curiously. He held out his hand as he began for the cabin doorway, "Stay here, Bubs... That's a good girl... Stay..."

As Joey stepped out onto the cabin's front porch he found Princess and Mojo waiting a safe distance away with their arms folded across their chest and their eyes both narrowed on him. The green Puff let out a small gulp before he slowly floated over to them. "Since when did you two start hanging out together?"

"Morbucks and I have set aside our differences since we have each found common ground to share," Mojo began first. "By which I mean our previous disputes with one another no longer matter- this is true- for there are far more important and serious matters to be addressed concerning you and your deceitful, duplicitous behavior as of late. It is because of your sneaking and slinking about- that is why we have chosen to come together and Mojo and Morbucks have joined forces to see to it we set you back on the right path once more!"

"That's right! You're being super fucking weird lately!" Princess joined in, "You had an excuse the last time we caught you out here, but what is it this time, huh?! Monkey Man says he's been tracking you back to this cabin every day since we found you with that dead girl!"

"Uh, well..." Joey hesitated, "Look, I just like comin' out here, alright? I just like being alone sometimes. That's all. Is there somethin' wrong with that-"

"If it's so fucking innocent then why are you doing it behind both our backs, huh?!" Princess snapped back before Joey could finish, having none of his shit.

"Son," Mojo stepped forward again, "It is at this point that I must demand that you show us the inside of Fuzzy Lumpkin's abandoned cabin," Mojo spoke low and serious.

"But, Dad, you guys saw what happened last time. The coyotes don't want ya in there. It's not safe-"

"Uh duh," Princess rolled her eyes as she placed her hands on her hips and huffed, "Then make it safe!"

Joey blinked back at her, "What?"

"Just as she said, Junior," Mojo continued darkly, "It is time for you to utilize your death ray and clear this area for the better-"

"But Dad-"

"As far as we have progressed in your training, this should not be a difficult feat for you-"

"Bu-"

"Ugh!" Princess tugged on her braids with frustration before giving Joey a forceful shove on his left shoulder, turning him towards the cabin in the distance. "Enough excuses, Joey and just kill them already!"

Joey looked between Princess and Mojo and saw that they both were waiting. The green Puff removed his gloves from his hands and stored them in his back pants pocket as Princess and Mojo took two steps back. The pair watched as Joey balled up his fists and forced a scowl on his face as his emerald eyes narrowed on the cabin ahead.

However, after a full minute of intense concentration, Joey let his fists fall to his side as his scowl faded, "I... I can't..."

"What?!" Princess immediately snapped from behind. "What do you mean you can't?!"

Joey turned around, "Look, you both saw me try just now! I fucking can't, OK?!"

"Just what precisely is within that cabin, Junior?" Mojo spoke up next, raising an eyebrow. "What are you protecting?"

"No one- nothing! They're just... dogs. But, you see, I... I grew up with them, and I- Look, I'm trying OK?! I'm trying to do it, but I just can't! Let's just go home and we can come back and try again later or somethin'!"

"Hmph," Mojo stepped forward as he looked the green Puff up and down, "Now Mojo is certain of it."

Joey blinked back. "Certain of what-?"

"Certain that this is a test you must face!" Mojo spoke up as he began to slowly circle the Puff as he lectured, "For if you cannot conjure your death ray now, then how will you do so under the stress of the battlefield? Yes, it is much simpler to aim and point your power at forests and fields and trees, isn't it? Or the occasional stranger, yes? All of this is fine. It has become easy for you, even..."

Mojo stopped before Junior and looked him seriously in his eyes as he continued, "However to face a face you recognize- a face that may conjure certain feelings of the past- that is the very weakness you must overcome, Junior! I think it may be more than just coyotes that you are protecting here!"

Joey gulped nervously, but said nothing as the short simian stepped forward and continued.

"You return here in privacy, why? Does this place bring back happy memories perhaps? Yes? Hearing of your sister's illness and disappearance has made you sentimental! Morbucks and I agree we have both noticed a change in you since this news was released! It is no coincidence that this is the same place you once bonded with your former family- that accursed blue Bubbles! But that family betrayed you! She betrayed you! Do you not recall?! You hope that by preserving this place you will somehow preserve a happier piece of the past, but you are wrong. That time is over! Let it go, Son! Let her go!"

Joey lowered his head as he clenched his scarred fist and muttered, "I'm trying-"

"Then try harder! I do not think you realize to what extent you hold yourself back from attaining and achieving your true full potential!" Mojo began to circle the green Puff again, "This is precisely where your weakness lies! Your heart is a truly damaged one, and because it has been broken so many times and beat down time and time again, it is weak and in turn it makes you weak. But you hold the power to heal yourself, Son, if you can find the will to simply conjure it! You have the power to harness your pain into a mighty weapon! You must allow that very torment in your weak heart to fuel your fury! Now!" Mojo stopped behind Junior, turning him in the direction of the cabin once more. "Face your target and summon your power!"

Jojo clenched his teeth as he balled up his scarred fists once more. He forced himself to focus as Mojo said.

"Focus, Junior! Focus on your rage!" Mojo continued to egg on the young villain from behind. "These dogs are not your friends! They are monsters! Savage monsters that killed our fellow comrade! They are the beasts your sister chose to protect over you!"

As Princess stood beside Mojo she could see for herself that the simian's aggressive pep talk was working. The green glow around Joey's scarred fists began to build with electric fire. Before this, Joey had only ever described his power to her. This was her first time getting to witness it for herself firsthand. She held her breath as she watched the intensity of the glowing power radiate brighter around the green Puff's clenched fists.

"You took the blame for Fuzzy's death so that your sisters and these creatures could remain free, and for what?!" Mojo continued to shout. "Do you not see, Junior?! All these dogs are are an anchor to your past! Free yourself, Son! Kill them! Vanquish them all and be done with the pain in your heart that you have foolishly mistaken for love! Feel that pain flow, let it out and release it NOW-!"

As the glowing green death ray energy erupted from Joey's scarred palms, both Mojo and Princess had to shield their eyes from the sudden blinding flash of light that came with it.

The blast of electric green fiery light traveled fast, instantly turning the grassy field before them into a sandy desert. As the deadly light washed over the cabin, a pair of coyotes that had been waiting on the porch were struck first, dropping instantly to the ground dead. Jojo's death ray spread beyond the cabin, turning the meadowy hills to dust and sand next as the young villain kept his eyes shut as he held his power steady for a full minute.

Feeling his body now teaming with fresh energy, Joey closed his fists, putting an end to the deadly fiery light show. As he slowly opened his eyes, they fell on the desolate land before him and the now still, quiet cabin. He let his hands fall back to his side as he stared forward, silent and blinking. He felt a hard pat against his back as Mojo spoke up.

"I knew you could do it, Son," Mojo said as he walked past Joey and towards the cabin ahead. "Good job."

Joey's emerald eyes stayed fixed on the silenced coyote den. "...Thanks... Dad..."

"Finally!" Princess stepped up beside Joey and looked up at him. She could see the green Puff was staring at the cabin with a half stunned, half somber look on his face. He had done it, sure, but clearly Joey's worrisome expression showed that he was still somewhat conflicted about it. She rolled her eyes, "Trust us, Joey. Like Mojo said, you're better off without these mutts. Now you can stay better focused on what's really important: Destroying the Powerpuff Girls," Princess linked her arm around his and took him with her as she began walking towards the cabin next, "You know, it's a good thing you have the two of us by your side to help you when you need the extra push."

As Joey and Princess stepped through the tarp doorway of the cabin and inside their eyes fell on the piles of unmoving heaps of fur that covered almost every inch of floor space in the small wooden home. As Princess let go of Joey's arm to part from him and begin exploring the cabin as Mojo was doing, Joey turned from them both, his emerald eyes faintly aglow as he covertly scanned the room.

Where is she? Joey looked about everywhere, but he did not see Bubbles' body was among the dead there. Where the fuck is she?

"What do we have here, Junior?" Mojo spoke up from across the room.

Joey stopped, his heart dropping instantly in that moment as he believed Mojo had found his sister's body.

"Ew, gross! Is that blood?"

"Oh..." Joey realized then that Princess and Mojo had found the blood painting at the back of the cabin. He floated over to them and saw that they each stared at the strange markings with a mix of disgust and confusion. "Uhh..." Joey hesitated, "I was uh... feeling creative? You guys, uh... like it?"

Princess looked at Joey as she stepped away from the strange artwork, "Uhh, no. It's fucking creepy."

Mojo glanced at Joey and then back at the blood mural. "Tell me, Son: From where exactly did you learn these ancient hieroglyphics?"

"Huh-? Oh, uh..." Joey shrugged, "I dunno. I, um, copied them from some cool album cover I had seen."

"Hmm..." Mojo scratched his chin as he continued to observe the symbols closely. He felt a shiver run down his spine, causing his fur to stand stiff for a moment. "I must agree with Morbucks," Mojo stepped away from the art. "It is incredibly creepy." He looked up at Joey who returned a weak smile. "Well," Mojo began again as he started past Joey for the exit, "Now that we have put a rest to this place at last, let us get going now, yes? That is to say: I believe we are finished here. And now, Junior, with nothing left, you should have no reason to ever return to this place in the future again."

Joey looked about the cabin once more, still wondering to himself how Bubbles was not there. Did she manage to slip out before he blasted his death ray somehow? "...Yeah..."

"Yeah, let's get out of here already," Princess waited by the blue tarp, tapping her foot impatiently. She watched as the green Puff lingered behind, still gazing at the dead dogs that surrounded him, "Come on, Joey. They're not getting any deader and we got a Puff to torture today, don't you remember?"

"Right..." Still feeling confused, Joey reluctantly turned towards her and Mojo and answered with a nod. "Yeah, let's go..."

Blossom could hear the ongoing class on the other side of the shut door to the lecture hall as she waited in the hallway with the other students for their class to begin. They had an exam that day, so many of the students were leaned up against the bricked hallways with their noses buried in their textbooks and notes. Wearing her thick-framed eye-glasses with her red hair tucked tight inside her red baseball cap, Blossom blended in with the rest of her classmates as she flipped through her biology textbook.

Feeling someone's stare on her, Blossom glanced up from her studying, and met eyes with the girl who leaned up against the wall across from her. "Hey," the stranger greeted. "Don't you live in the Washington dorms on the East Green?"

Blossom showed the other student a smile, "Yeah, I do."

"I live next door at Lincoln."

"Oh cool."

"Yeah, I've definitely seen you a few times. You always got that red hat on."

"That's me, I guess," Blossom shrugged.

"Say were you, like, flying the other night?"

"Excuse me?"

"Last Friday. I was with my roommate, coming back from the dining hall and we saw you run out of Washington and blast off straight into the air."

Blossom shut her textbook, feeling her cheeks grow warm as her face turned red. "Uh," she adjusted her eyeglasses as she hesitated answering. Looking around she could see that the surrounding students nearby all had turned their attention to her.

Another student spoke up, snapping his fingers as he pointed, "Hey! Yeah, I know you!"

"Ohmigosh!" another student, "Yeah! She's the pink one!"

"Yeah, Super Blossom of the Powderpuff Girls!"

"Yeah, that's it!"

"Woah, a superhero goes to our school?"

"W-well," Blossom swallowed hard, feeling her mouth go dry as she faced all the sudden stares, "It's just Blossom, actually, and it's Powerpuff-"

"But you're like a superhero for real, right?" the first girl asked eagerly.

"Well, I-" Blossom could feel her heart beating in her chest rapidly as she looked about at all the eyes that had collected in the hallway. As one girl snapped a picture with her cellphone from afar, she felt her lip starting to quiver as her stomach churned with a brewing ice storm, "I-I-I used to be, but-" Blossom swallowed again, feeling herself growing suddenly dizzy, "S-sorry-" she stammered as she returned her book to her backpack and slung it quickly over her shoulder. "Sorry, I-I have to go-"

Blossom quickly walked past the other students and down the narrow hallway of the building. As she passed, she could feel the pressure of everyone's stares intensifying as her heart's pounding grew faster within her chest. Reaching the doors to the building at last, a stranger shouted after her as she left:

"I hope your sister gets better!"

As much as Blossom felt the urge to fly far, far away as soon as she was outdoors, she knew it would only draw more attention to herself which was the last thing she wanted. Walking in a fast sprint, however, she made her way quickly across campus and back to her dorm building on the East Green. All the while her heart was racing as she took one desperate puff after another on her ice-vape cigarette to try and settle her fast rising nerves.

At last, Blossom stepped inside her dorm room, immediately shutting the door behind herself.

"Everything OK, Sweetie?"

Blossom blinked at the Professor who was sitting casually at her computer desk with his work laptop opened. "Professor... What are you doing here? How did you get in here?"

"Your R.A. was kind enough to let me in so that I could wait for you-"

"Rosette?"

"I didn't catch her name, but she was certainly a very charming girl-"

"Professor," Blossom let her book bag fall to her feet as she shook her head, "You can't be here."

Professor Utonium frowned as he closed his laptop screen and turned in the swivel chair to face the pink Puff. "Blossom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you by visiting, I just-"

"This is why you left home so early this morning?" Blossom interrupted as she started to pace a bit, "I-I thought you were out looking for Bubbles- You should be out looking for Bubbles! I mean, what's the point in even coming here? I told you I was going to start coming home every night! I told you that-"

"Blossom, again, I'm sorry. But just as we discussed last night over dinner, I was worried you might be pushing yourself a little too hard by returning to school so quickly, all things considering-"

"So that's it? You drove six hours to be here just so you could be around to tell me 'told you so' when I failed?"

"Of course not! Blossom, I drove six hours to be here in case you needed a little extra support," the Professor sighed as he stood from the chair and stepped towards her with a frown, "I wasn't sure how you would do today, and of course I hoped for the best for your sake, but I also knew that today would be a serious challenge for you."

Blossom watched as her father reached into his lab coat and retrieved something. He reached and took her right hand, and placed two red pills in her palm.

"I know you say you have it on your own, but it's just a little extra boost," the Professor smiled weakly, "You know, it's OK to need a little extra help sometimes, Blossom. And I know it can be hard to admit it when we do. It's something I still struggle with myself, of course. But with everything going on, I know it has got to be a struggle right now. You need to try to be a little more forgiving with yourself during times like this."

Blossom could feel the icicles piercing her insides then and so she accepted the Professor's stabilizers, although reluctantly. "With everything going on..." she repeated in a low mutter before she popped both pills into her mouth at once. She swallowed, "You know, I wish you would just say what you mean."

"What?" the Professor blinked back.

"Just say it, Professor," Blossom threw up her hands, "Buttercup became unstable, lost her mind, ran away and then killed herself. And this 'everything going on' or the 'times like this' or whatever you try to call it, that's what this is. Bubbles is unstable, she's lost it and ran away- she took Robin with her!- and any day now she could-" Blossom stopped herself, turning away from the Professor before he could see the tears in her eyes, "Just say it. It's happening again. ...Isn't it?"

The Professor let out a long deep sigh as he looked down at Blossom's college work desk beside him and at the framed photograph of Bubbles and Buttercup that sat beneath her desk lamp. He turned back and faced Blossom, stepping towards her and resting a hand on her right shoulder as he finally answered, "I don't know."

Blossom glanced at the Professor and let out a small laugh. "Huh... Well," she shrugged, "That was a more honest answer than I thought you'd give..."

The Professor watched as Blossom walked over to her bed and sat down with a heavy sigh.

After a minute of silence from the pink Puff, the Professor spoke up, "How are you feeling now, Sweetie?"

Blossom looked at him again. "I guess the medication is helping a little." She paused. "Yeah... I'm actually feeling a little better already..."

The Professor gave a small smile, "Do you think you might still have time to make it back to your exam?"

Blossom glanced at the clock on her desk, "Yeah..." a small smile swept her face as she realized she still had three minutes before class, "Yeah, I think I still can..." Blossom rose to her feet, "Thanks, Professor."

Professor Utonium stepped forward and again placed his hand on her shoulder with a proud smile, "You got this, Blossom."

"I'll come back after class to help you fly the station wagon back home-" Blossom began as she picked up her book bag by the door.

"No, that's alright," the Professor interrupted as he packed his laptop back up in its case, "I'll drive back down to Townsville on my own. You just focus on getting through your classes for the day, and I'll see you back home tonight for dinner."

As the Professor walked towards Blossom, he reached into his computer bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. Blossom took the flyer in her hands and looked at the black and white photograph of Bubbles with the text "Missing Child" printed over it.

"It's not much," the Professor continued, "But I'd like to try and drop more of these off at as many stops as I can along the way."

Blossom handed the flyer back to the Professor, "You don't get 'So are you that mad scientist?' all the time while handing these out?"

"Oh, constantly so," the Professor forced a weak smile, "Along with other not-so-kind names, but... Well, I don't want to make the same mistake that was made with Buttercup and keep this quiet this time. Who knows? Maybe some good samaritan out there will come to our family's rescue for once."

Blossom returned a weak smile, "Just be safe getting back home, Professor, OK?"

"I will, Blossom," the Professor stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the tall Puff, "Good luck on your exam, Sweetie. I know you'll do great."

Blossom gave him a squeeze back, before opening the door to leave, "See you back home."

Joey and Princess stood side by side upon the snowy shore banks of Monster Isle, as they studied the scene they had just staged together.

"Hmm..." Princess tilted her head to one side as she pursed her lips in careful concentration, "I dunno... Does she look mauled by a monster to you?"

Joey glanced from Princess to Robin's corpse that laid face down and sprawled out across the island's silver sanded shores. "Sure," he answered with a shrug, "I guess so."

Princess placed her hands on her hips and shook her head, "I think you should tear her clothes a little more."

"Really?"

"Yeah, just rip her t-shirt sleeve off or something. Remember, we really need to sell this to Blossom."

Joey floated over to the brunette's body and knelt down beside it. "You really think this is gonna work and get Blossom to reseal the ice dome?" he asked as he tore off a bit of Robin's shirt.

"Well, it better," Princess folded her arms across her chest as she huffed, "Look at how fast this place is melting! Who knows how long we have till that red-clawed freak breaks out-"

"Shh!" Joey interrupted Princess quickly as he rose back to his feet and whipped around to face her. "Mojo always says: Do not speak of Him while you're on the island-"

"Uhh, you just did!"

Joey blinked back. He turned and faced the island, his emerald eyes set aglow as he scanned their surroundings for a brief moment. The icy landscape still appeared to be desolate. He faced Princess again. "Let's finish this up. How's she look?"

Princess studied the scene again, "Hmm... You know... I'm starting to think just ripped clothes isn't enough..." Princess scratched her chin for a moment before she snapped her fingers, "Oh! I know! Rip her arm off!"

"What?"

"What? You're strong enough, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah, but don't you think that's... I dunno... kinda overkill, ya think?"

"Well, it can't look like just some tiny little kitten monster killed her or something! We need her to believe that Townsville might be in serious danger if she doesn't rebuild the ice dome!"

Joey sighed deeply as he turned back around to face Robin's body. As he knelt down, Princess spoke up again.

"No wait!" she held out her hand as she shouted. "Better idea! Forget the arm! Let's go for the head!"

"What?!" Joey looked over his shoulder at Princess, "You want me to rip off her head?!"

"Yeah! Oh come on, you know that would really freak Blossom out good."

Joey blinked back at Princess, seeing the girl's brown eyes sparkle a little as she seemed to imagine something exciting in her mind then. The green Puff shook his head as he returned his attention to Robin. "I'm just gonna take the arm. She still needs to be able to recognize her as Robin when she finds her."

"Fine," Princess pouted, "I guess you have a point."

Princess watched as Joey stepped on Robin's right shoulder with his boot as he picked her arm up by the wrist and yanked hard. The green Puff ripped off the dead girl's arm as easy as velcro and tossed it aside. "There," he said as he stepped back and rejoined Princess' side.

"That's more like it," Princess wore a devious grin as she gazed upon the staged scene one final time. She turned to Joey next, "Come on, let's go. It's freezing out here."

Joey watched as Princess shivered a little as she faced the open ocean. "How about I warm you up with a kiss?" he flirted as he stepped behind her.

Princess turned and faced him. She smirked as she hovered from the ground to meet Joey face to face. "OK, but just a small one."

A grin swept Joey's face. He began to lean in, but before he could purse his lips came the slap.

"As if," Princess swatted the Puff against his scarred cheek. "One, there's a dead girl less than five feet away from us. Eughh. Gross. Two, don't think I'm not still mad at you for going behind my back to spend time with your dumb sister's coyotes instead of choosing to spend time with me!" Princess crossed her arms across her chest as she stubbornly turned away from Joey, "If you think that sort of behavior is the way to earn yourself a kiss, you're seriously on the wrong track, Mister!"

"Are you really still jealous over those dogs?" Joey groaned, "I mean they're dead now. Isn't that enough?"

"Hmph," Princess kept her back turned.

"Ugh," Joey sighed. "OK, I'm sorry, alright? What can I do to make it up to ya?"

"Hmph," Princess glanced at Joey over her shoulder as he stepped up behind her. She gave her red braids a toss as she began to hover off from the ground once more, "That's for you to figure out, Babe," she gave Joey a shrug with one shoulder as she simultaneously batted her lashes with a smirk. "See you later."

Joey stood upon the island shore as he watched the super suited girl take off in flight, soaring high into the misty October gray sky.

As the green Puff watched Princess from afar, he suddenly sensed something on his right side.

"Huh-?"

"Tag!" Bubbles interrupted her sibling by swatting him across his scarred cheek with Robin's severed arm. "You're it!"

As Joey's eyes fell on the giggling blue Puff, they grew wide as his jaw dropped.

Bubbles carried Robin's corpse draped over one shoulder as she waved at Joey with the girl's dead hand and retreated in a merry skipping fashion across the snow covered island.

For a while all the green Puff could do was stare and blink in too stunned a state to say or do anything. Eventually though, he snapped back to reality, his emerald eyes narrowing on his sister in the distance.

"Ffffuck!" Joey cursed through gritted teeth before starting his chase. "Bubbles, get back here!"

Once she had seen her brother coming for her, Bubbles took off fast with a flash of blue light, flying at top speed for the island's icy mountain range. Joey was fast though, and it didn't take long for him to catch up to her. The blue Puff had just reached the side of the mountain when the green Puff managed to tackle her to the ground.

As Bubbles fell against the snowy floor, she erupted into a fit of giggles as if it had all been just a game to her.

Joey grabbed Robin's corpse from his sister, along with the separate, severed arm. He narrowed his eyes as as he growled at her, "Stupid fucking lunatic, what the fuck's your problem?! After everything I've done for ya, ya still gotta find a way to try and fuck things up for me every chance you get, don't ya?!"

Bubbles sat up in the snow, wearing an extra wide grin, and completely unphased by Joey's anger. As she rose to her feet, Joey turned his back on her again with a huff intending to start for the far shore of the island, but did not get far.

"Now I gotta put Robin back how she's supposed to be before Blossom shows up-"

"Stop..."

As Joey tried to take his first step forward he felt his legs and feet lock suddenly in place.

"What the-?"

As he struggled in place with Robin still in his arms, the blue Puff slowly floated around him in a circle, landing just before him. As Joey looked up at her then, he saw that the bright baby blue pair of sapphires that were once her eyes had turned to ghostly white opals. She wore a wide, crooked smile as she stood before her brother.

"B-Bubbles-?"

The creepy blonde's lips curled back as she grinned even bigger. "Turn around..." Her voice echoed strangely as she spoke.

Joey felt his feet move again as he stumbled to turn around, somehow being controlled against his will. He squirmed about as he tried to resist the invisible force that moved him.

The blue Puff floated to the green Puff's left side. She leaned forward as she pointed towards the canyon that dug into the side of the mountain. She spoke directly into Joey's ear in a high-pitched sing-song echo: "Now... Go that way..."

As his sister's voice rang through his eardrums, he felt himself starting to march forward against his will on her command.

"W-what the fuck- B-Bubbles, h-how are y-you doing this?! J-just stop it, OK?! Stop it! Cut it out! Bubbles! Quit it! Bubbles! BUBBLES!"

"Shhh..." the pigtailed Puff held up a finger to her mouth as she floated alongside Joey as he walked and shouted, still carrying Robin's body in his arms as they traveled. "Quiet now..."

"BUB-mmmmppff-!"

"That's better..."

Throughout the day it had been difficult to stay focused from time to time whenever all her never-ending worries crept up repeatedly from the back of her mind. However Blossom was beginning to feel a little relief, having made it through her school day at last. She felt tired and definitely a little drained, but the Professor's extra medication had managed to keep her ice powers under control so that she could attend all her classes without an incident.

Blossom's last class of the day finished at three that afternoon. As her professor wrapped up her lecture and gave the instructions to that week's study assignment, Blossom felt a buzzing from her cellphone in her jeans pocket. However, when she checked the Caller ID and read "Princess" she let it go to voicemail.

Class was dismissed and Blossom exited the lecture hall with her classmates . The hallways were crowded and noisy while many other classes concluded then at the top of the hour, and so she walked into the nearest bathroom for some quiet as she pulled out her cell phone again to retrieve the voicemail.

"Hi, Blossom. It's me Princess." Princess' message began. "Listen, I know when last I saw you, you made it very clear to me and the mayor that you don't want to be a superhero anymore, but... it's about Monster Isle. Look, I'm at the mayor's office because she just got a call from Air Patrol. They spotted something on the island that they said looks like a girl's body on the shore. I was about to go retrieve the body, but with it being Monster Isle, I could use some back up if you're up to it-"

As Blossom held her cell to her ear, her bubblegum eyes widened at Princess' description of a girl's body on the shores of Monster Isle. Of course the pink Puff's mind instantly flashed back to her deceased sibling's accident on the island. She quickly ended the voicemail and dialed for Princess as she sprinted out the bathroom and back into the crowded hallway.

Princess answered on the first ring, "Blossom, did you get my message-?"

"Yes, Princess, I did!" Blossom spoke as she forced her way past the other students, heading towards the building's exit. "Did the report give any more description of the sighting they made-?"

"Just that it looked like a young female, about five foot three, wavy brown hair-"

As Blossom made her way out of the building she stopped suddenly with a gasp, "Robin-"

That was all it took. Much to the surprise of the college students around her, the tall redhead shot off suddenly into the sky with a bursting pink blast of light.

"Princess, I'm on my way! I'll meet you there!"

They were deep underneath the mountain of the island at this point, Joey knew this for sure. Still trapped under his sister's strange spell, he carried Robin's corpse with him as they traveled. His teeth chattered behind his forced shut lips from the extreme cold of the underground crystal cave they had entered. Even that deep within the mountain, the hidden crystal cavern had been affected by Blossom's ice breath. The river that ran through the snow covered grotto was frozen over, as was the waterfall in the distance that Bubbles seemed to be leading them towards.

This place?! Joey glanced at Bubbles from the corner of his left eye, unable to move or turn his head even in the slightest. Why the fuck would we be here?!

The green Puff could see that Bubbles' eyes were still a creepy blank-white. Unlike him, his sister did not seem affected by the extreme temperatures of the ice island. As he trembled and shivered uncontrollably, his breath visibly leaving him in fast rapid puffs through his flaring nostrils, Bubbles simply glided beside him with a never-changing smile.

As Joey shifted his gaze ahead once more, he saw that as they drew closer, the dark crystal rock behind the frozen clear waterfall began to glow a bright red. Again glancing out the corner of his left eye, he saw Bubbles' opal eyes simultaneously glow the same crimson color.

No way...

"Stop..."

Coming to a stop just before the red glowing gateway, there was a crunching beneath his boots as he stepped over piles of broken shards of ice and he could see that part of the icy waterfall had been previously shattered, leaving just enough space to access the other side.

Bubbles floated before him and took Robin's body in her own arms, still possessing a glowing red stare as she moved. Joey watched as she balanced the girl's corpse in one arm while she turned and reached for a frozen icicle that hung from the hellish entrance before them.

As the blue Puff grasped the sharply pointed icicle, her flesh sizzled and burned when it came in contact with the dangerously frozen ice. Appearing completely unbothered by the searing burning however, she snapped the icicle off with ease and turned back around the face Joey with her devilish grin.

Joey watched with wide eyes as Bubbles licked the icicle, its frozen surface slicing through her tongue as she slid it across the cold jagged ice. Her now forked tongue bled profusely as she giggled at her brother's horrified expression. Blood quickly filled her mouth and began to seep down her chin as she continued to giggle while she circled the green Puff with the sharp frozen pick still in hand and Robin draped over her shoulder.

Joey trembled in place, still unable to move or open his mouth. Staring ahead into the crimson red void before him, he knew exactly to whom this place belonged. As he sensed the evil presence standing close behind him, Joey shut his eyes tightly as he continued to shake, terrified as to what may come next.

Bubbles sniffed by his left ear before she sang next in a high-pitched song: "Ohhhh, how I've missed the especially sweet, cinnamon spiced aroma that your misery carries..."

With that, Joey felt a painful sharp stabbing on his right side as Bubbles pierced him through his rib cage.

"Go ahead..." Bubbles drove the pick deeper, "You can scream..."

His lips freed from the spell at last, Joey let out a blood-curdling scream, feeling the frozen dagger deep in his side then as his sister began to push him forward and force him through the glowing red gateway ahead.

"After you, my dear brother..."

Sedusa sat behind the mayor's desk, reclined in her leather cushioned chair as she flipped through a gossip magazine and waited for Princess to return with Blossom from Monster Isle. The cloaked villainess scratched beneath her curly auburn red wig and sighed as she checked the time. It certainly was taking longer than she thought it would. The pink Puff must have really fallen apart when finding her dead little friend.

As she heard footsteps approaching from outside her shut office doors, she quickly stashed her magazine back into the center drawer of her desk and tugged down on her wig, fixing it in place again.

"Girls, you've made it back from that dreadful island safely, thank good-"

Sedusa stopped as she saw the displeased scowl plastered on Princess' face as she entered the room with the pink Puff at her side.

"Did you have any trouble recovering the body-?"

"I'll say-" Princess muttered angrily beneath her breath.

"Mayor," Blossom stepped forward, "Princess and I searched all along the shore and scanned the entire island, but we didn't find anything." The tall girl shook her head, "Do you have a copy of the report Air Patrol made on the sighting that I could look at?"

Sedusa blinked back. "Are you two certain you checked all the right places?" her eyes glanced over at Princess as she asked.

"Believe me," Princess answered through gritted teeth, her freckled cheeks flushed red from her boiling frustration she was forced to hold back, "We looked exactly where we were supposed to, and not a body to be found."

"Is that so...?" Sedusa began slowly as she stalled for time, wondering what could have gone wrong, "How strange..."

"Very strange," Princess muttered again.

"Mayor," Blossom spoke up again, "I know I no longer work for the city, but, again if I could just read the report myself or if you could give me the name of the pilots involved, I'd really like to know more details about this if I can-"

Sedusa rose from her seat, jumping on the opportunity given, "You're precisely right, Blossom." She walked around her desk and towards the pink Puff, "You no longer are a hero of Townsville, and so, I'm afraid that information is now something I can no longer share with you-"

"Please, Mayor," Blossom pleaded sincerely, "Princess mentioned that the body allegedly seen matched the description of my missing friend, and all I want is to just find her and Bubbles and bring them both home. You understand, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Sedusa placed a hand on the tall teen's shoulder as she began to guide her from the office, "But again, I can't give you the report or the names you're looking for, Dear. You simply don't have the clearance for that anymore, if you understand? But why don't you run along home for now and sit tight, and Princess and I will be sure to give you another call if anything may turn up again, OK?"

"But Mayor, this has to mean something-"

"Good day, Blossom."

The moment she was successfully pushed from the room, the double wide doors to the mayor's office were quickly slammed shut behind her. Blossom stood for a moment outside the mayor's office, feeling a bit of regret over the way she had gone about resigning previously. Perhaps the mayor would still be willing to do her a favor if she hadn't gone a little overboard that day. As she turned to start down the corridor, her bubblegum eyes fell on a familiar sight walking further up ahead.

"Chief!" Blossom called out as she quickly jogged over to the veteran officer.

"Blossom, what a surprise!" the Chief smiled as he stopped and turned to greet her. "It's good to see you!"

"Chief, hi." Blossom stopped before him, "I was wondering if you could tell me which officers were on Air Patrol today?"

"Today?" the Chief scratched his chin for a moment, "None actually. They've been grounded the last two days because of the weather-"

"What?"

"Oh yeah," the Chief nodded firmly, "Fog's been too thick. It's not safe for the choppers- Say did I hear that you retired?"

Blossom blinked back, confused by the conflicting information the chief had to share. Her mind began to instantly race while she slowly and simultaneously tried to answer his question. "Yeah... Yeah, I did. I... have to put my school and family first right now, you see..."

As Blossom spoke, her bubblegum eyes drifted over the Chief's shoulder and settled on the shut doors to the mayor's office. Her supervision glowed briefly as she took a peek behind the wall to see Princess and "the mayor" still speaking to one another- Princess pulling on her braids as she seemed to rant and shout. Naturally, Blossom tuned in with her super hearing next:

"I'm tellin' you! I took her to the exact place that Joey and I left the girl! She wasn't fucking there!"

"Are you sure she was really dead then?"

"What?! Of course she was dead! Alfred and I had her body stored in the manor freezer for four days and she never moved then-!"

"We better call Mojo..."

As Blossom eavesdropped, her jaw fell open over what she heard. The Chief had been still chatting with her, unaware that she hadn't heard a word of what he was saying.

"Blossom?" the policeman spoke up when he finally noticed the girl's stunned, far-away gaze. "Blossom...? Hey, Kid, are you alright there?"

"Oh... my... God..." Blossom kept her glowing eyes on the door as she spoke low and slow.

"Blossom?"

"Chief..." again Blossom's gaze was fixed ahead, "Chief... I think... I think the villains might have taken over Townsville..."

"What-?"

"Right under our noses somehow..."

"Blossom, what are you talking about-?"

"They've all teamed up..."

"Kid, you don't look so hot-"

"They're all working together..."

"Maybe you should go home and take it easy-"

"Mojo... Jojo... Princess... and... Oh my God, of course... Sedusa!"

"Kid, Sedusa's locked up in the Villain's Ward. Princess caught her, remember-?" The Chief stopped as he watched the Puff suddenly take off with a flash of pink light. "Blossom!"

Blossom burst back through the mayor's office doors, pointing in loud declaration:

"NOT SO FAST, PRINCESS AND SEDUSA!"

Both Princess and Sedusa jumped back, startled by the unexpected interruption. They glanced at one another before blinking back at Blossom.

"What did you just say-?" Princess began but was immediately cut off by the Puff.

"You heard me!" Blossom narrowed her eyes on both villains, seeing right through their bullshit at last, "I demand that the two of you tell me right now where Robin and Bubbles are!"

Sedusa kept with the Bellum-shtick as best she could, "Now, Blossom, don't be ridiculous, Dear. Why we don't know anything about-"

"Don't you 'Dear' me, you villain!" Despite the tears building in her eyes, there was enough fury that kept them burning a noticeable red that truthfully intimidated both Princess and Sedusa. The pink Puff wore a serious scowl as she felt a growing pressure rising fast within her. "I can't believe it's taken me this long to see it, but I finally do! I know who you are! Both of you!" Blossom's eyes narrowed on Sedusa first, "You're not the mayor or Ms. Bellum!" She glared next at Princess, "And you! You're no hero! You never were!"

Princess snapped back, "How dare you-!"

"This ends today!" Blossom clenched her fists as she gritted her teeth. "Surrender or fight!"

Sedusa and Princess exchanged glances one more time before showing each other a firm nod.

Seeing them each square up, Blossom made her first charge, darting between the two as a fast flash of pink light, driving a wedge between them.

As Princess fell to the ground, she swiftly pulled a blaster gun from her utility belt and fired at Blossom.

Sedusa kept her balance just fine and as the pink Puff was distracted by Princess' attack, she leapt behind her and tried to subdue the hero with a fast chokehold.

Blossom ducked down just as Sedusa came behind her, causing one of Princess' laser attacks to strike the faux-Bellum in her chest. As the disguised villainess was stunned and stumbled backwards, Blossom popped right back up and gave her a hard helping push, causing her to collide against the mayor's desk behind her.

Princess charged forward as Blossom's back was turned, but as she tried to land a punch on the back of the Puff's head, Blossom was already turned back around and easily blocked the attack, knocking the girl's ray gun from her hand in the process.

Princess swung again and again, but the pink Puff was too fast and easily dodged each attempt.

Meanwhile, Sedusa sat up from the ground as she began to finally regain her senses. When she had been thrown across the mayor's desk, the landline telephone had fallen to the ground with her. The disguised villainess quickly picked up the receiver and began to dial.

As Princess tried yet another desperate swing at the Puff, Blossom grabbed Princess' wrist with one hand and kneed her in the gut. The girl's super-suit was tough however, and Princess felt no impact from the blow. Blossom's strength however was unmatched and try as she might to pull away from her grasp, she found that she couldn't.

"Tell me where my sister and Robin are NOW!" Blossom swung the girl forcefully by the arm and down to the ground.

As Princess landed on her belly, although still unscathed, the force was enough to knock the wind from her. She groaned as Blossom picked her back up and held her by the collar of her golden suit with one hand, suspended over the ground as she shook her.

"TELL ME!" Blossom held her fist cocked back in the air, clearly threatening to serve a punch to her unshielded head.

Princess squirmed in Blossom's hold. The soles to her hover boots began to glow purple as she tried to blast away then, but again, Blossom's grip was too strong. "LET ME GO, YOU SASQUATCH-!"

"NOT UNTIL I GET SOME ANSWERS!" Blossom screeched right back, her pink eyes red with fury, "Now, you fucking listen here: I know you're all working together! You! Sedusa! Mojo and his son! You replaced the mayor with a fake! You obviously have something to do with Robin's disappearance and I'm guessing Bubbles too! So fess up! What are the villains plotting?! How long has this been going on?! TELL ME!"

"Trust me, Sister!" Princess let out a laugh directly in the Puff's face, "You don't even know the half of it!"

The little patience Blossom had with Princess was gone in that moment. She pulled back her fist and socked Princess square in the face, knocking the girl out cold.

While Princess and Blossom's fight continued in the background, Sedusa spoke as Bellum into the phone's receiver, "Yes, this is the mayor! Alert all police immediately! Blossom has gone mad! I repeat: There is a rogue Powerpuff on the loose!"

As Blossom let Princess fall to the ground, she whipped back around, simultaneously perking up to Sedusa's call. She darted over fast with a flash of pink light and quickly knocked the phone from her hand as she tackled the disguised villainess back onto the floor.

The tall Puff straddled her target as she sat on top of her, both hands wrapped around her throat as she interrogated Sedusa next. "All it takes is for me to get the real Ms. Bellum back and it's all over for you, Sedusa! So if you want to be shown any semblance of mercy, if I were you I'd start talking and start talking now-!"

"FREEZE! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND STEP AWAY FROM THE MAYOR!"

Blossom whipped her head around and saw a team of officers had burst through the doors to the mayor's office with their rifles drawn. Among them was the Chief.

"Blossom," the Chief spoke up as he stepped forward, holding only a hand up as he tried to reason with the girl, "Just remain calm, put your hands up and step away..."

"Chief..."

"It's OK, Blossom... Just let the mayor go..."

"No!" Blossom shouted back, "This isn't the mayor! She's a fraud!"

"OK-OK... Just relax... You've been through a lot, Kid, we understand... Just relax now and let Ms. Bellum go..."

Blossom blinked back, recognizing the patronizing tone for what it was, "You... you don't believe me..."

"Of course I do-"

"No! None of you do!" Blossom shouted back in desperation, "She has you all fooled! All of you! You're all under her spell! Aren't you?!"

As Blossom shouted at the Chief and the rest of the surrounding officers, her bubblegum eyes fell on the window to the mayor's office. From there, she could see Townsville Prison. It was then that it hit her: If she was going to have a chance at being believed, she was going to have to get proof.

The pink Puff shot off at once, blasting through the ceiling above as the policemen rushed to the fallen faux-mayor and fallen faux-hero's side.

Mojo tapped at the screen to Junior's tracking locator which was fuzzy and glitching in a way he had never seen it behave before then. He had retrieved the device the moment he got the call from Princess, sharing with him that the mission had failed and Robin's body had gone missing. However with his invention seemingly on the fritz, he had no way of knowing where Joey could be. He tried the teenager on his cellphone, but received no answer. Knowing that the Puff's last known location was that accursed Monster Isle, Mojo naturally was starting to get a very bad feeling about the situation.

"Breaking News! This just in from the city capitol: Powerpuff Blossom has gone rogue!"

Mojo looked up from the tracking tablet as he heard the story break on the local news network that he had been watching on TV. His eyes widened from what he heard.

"We have just received word that there was a brutal assault on both Mayor Bellum and beloved superhero, Princess just moments ago right inside the mayor's office-!"

Mojo leapt onto his feet with this news. As he rushed for the tower's outdoor landing, he could hear the news story continue in the background as he retreated from it.

"The mayor has issued a lock-down for the city effective immediately in response to the attack as the rogue Powerpuff remains free and on the loose! Be advised that this former hero is incredibly dangerous to anyone who may cross her! Citizens are advised to stay away for their own protection-!"

Mojo stepped out onto the tower's raised back patio and looked out over the railing towards City Hall. He could see for himself that virtually all of Townsville PD had gathered around the capitol.

As Mojo returned to his lab space within the tower, he again looked down at the tracking tablet and shook it with frustration as he grumbled, "Junior, you sure pick a fine time to go off the grid! Out of all the incidents in which you can be absent, you choose now to be unavailable-!"

As Mojo fumbled with the device, attempting to reset it once more, the screen suddenly lit up with a bright, blinding red light as a grainy noise suddenly blasted loudly from it- a cacophony of what sounded like roars, screeching, howls and screams.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Mojo recognized immediately the loudest of those screams. "JUNIOR!"

Just as Mojo shouted, the strange audio feed quit and the red light faded. The tracking tablet's screen returned to normal. At first, Junior's location on the map was still absent, but after a couple seconds, suddenly there he was- a flashing dot in the midst of Townsville Forest.

"The cabin?"

It seemed as if his worst fears were coming true then. The villains' ultimate plan was falling apart just in their last hour, for one. Secondly, his suspicion of Him's return was now most definitely confirmed. He was back. Him had returned and clearly Junior had fallen victim to one of his sick, twisted demonic games. Him was obviously trying to bait the villain into a trap of some kind by showing Mojo Junior's location. Mojo knew this, but... this was his son, after all.

The short simian glanced over to Robo Jojo. The giant robot was only ninety-nine percent complete, but it would have to do.

"Hold on, Junior."

The crimson red gateway had proved to be a portal, transporting the green and blue Puff from the island to the cabin in the woods. As Joey fell out of the glowing red mural painting and onto the wooden floor, he gripped the bloody hole in his side with his gloved hands, trying to control the bleeding as best he could. While he writhed about on the ground in agonizing pain, Bubbles was next to come through, carrying Robin still in her arms.

Joey watched as Bubbles floated over him and laid the girl's corpse down on the ground within a blood painted circle that had been drawn on the floor. It was then that he realized that where he had landed was within another circle- this one created with dirt. As he looked about the red-tinted cabin, he saw that the bodies of the coyotes he had slain earlier were still there. The only difference now was that they had been gathered into one great big heap, and again contained within a strangely drawn circle. There were many, many other dead animals of the forest there, too- lizards, snakes, rats, birds, deer, possums, bats and spiders. Joey watched as Bubbles seemed to carefully set them all in specific circles made up of different elements. He counted seven circles total, including his own at the very center of the rest.

The green Puff weakly pulled himself onto his knees and tried to crawl forward, but before he could get anywhere, Bubbles turned around and snapped her fingers, causing the circle of dirt around him to ignite suddenly into tall walls of bright pink flames, sealing him inside for good.

Joey yelped as the fire burned the tips of his gloved fingers. He quickly retracted them from the flame and again fell back against the floor, grasping his aching side again, "What are you doing?! Let me go! LET ME OUTTA HERE!"

The blue Puff giggled at the sound of her brother's cries. She stood just on the other side of his flamed enclosure, watching him with a wicked smile as she slowly snapped her fingers six more times. With each snap, Joey watched another circle light up with pink fire- the last of these was Robin's.

As Joey lay on the ground he began to slowly remove his gloves from his hands. Doing so however opened the wound to his side up more, and more blood began to leak profusely from it. His green uniform had already been stained a deep crimson all along his right side from the amount of blood lost, and now as he bled more he could feel himself growing more and more woozy by the second.

With his gloves off, Joey gritted his teeth as he focused on his excruciating pain and summoned his death ray within his clenched fists. He aimed for Bubbles who stood still grinning at him on the other side of the pink flames, but as he opened his palm, the light that shot forth was instantly consumed by the pink flame and never reached Bubbles.

Joey cried out again as he shut off his death ray and grasped his bleeding side again, "FFFFFUCK!"

The world around him was starting to spin as his vision was beginning to blur. Bubbles threw her head back as she erupted into more high-pitched giggles.

As Joey lay on the ground, feeling himself start to grow cold, he could see that the pool of blood around him had grown so big, the floor of the circle he was trapped inside was nearly covered with it. As the blood ran along the ground and reached the flame, upon contact the fire changed from pink to green. Simultaneously, the six circles surrounding him also went up in emerald flames.

Laying flat on his back, Joey let his eyes drift up to the wooden ceiling above, far too weak then to do anything else. He could see the shadows of the beasts around him reflected on the ceiling and as he heard the animals collectively call out at once, he began to see their shadows move to life. He watched the shadows grow larger and larger as the roaring, howling, cawing and squawking grew deafening around him.

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed, and Joey felt a fast moving breeze extinguish the flames around him. It was no use though, he was on the verge of losing consciousness then and could not move even if he tried. His gaze was still fixed upward though from where he lay and now he saw the dark gray evening sky. His tired emerald eyes widened a little as he witnessed a large dark scaly tail sweep right over him as he felt the ground shake beneath him.

"Holy... shit... a... monster..."

As the green Puff's vision faded slowly, he could make out a flock of bat-winged fire-breathing coyotes soaring through the air as they flew towards the city, followed by a parade of giant spiders, three-headed snakes, enormous lizard beasts, big birds with ear-deafening screeches, and giant mutants of every sort. But the last thing he saw was his sister.

"That's a good boy..."

The blue Puff patted the top of the green Puff's head with a devious grin before she hopped onto the back of a winged coyote and soared away giggling into the sky.