Confused Emotions
by Buttercupsaiyinjin
Chapter Two
Buttercup sighed, almost shivering with anticipation as 8:30 rolled around. It was the weekend, and she had a very important appointment at midnight that she wouldn't miss for the world. Her mind started wandering across giddy little romantic happenings that might happen, or had happened between them, hanging on usually inconsequential moments ...
"Buttercup! Come take a bath with me and Blossom!" Bubbles cried, hopping up and down, and dragging her to her feet. Her wistful smile twisted into a frown. She hated baths; she only took them to look nice for him, or when everyone reminded her she started to stink.
Grudgingly, she followed Bubbles. She didn't want to raise questions, but she preferred to take baths by herself.
She shed that annoying green dress she always had to wear, and slid into the bathtub. The water, as expected, was too cold for her approval. Blossom was already happily washing her hair, and gave Buttercup a smirk. "I'm glad you changed your mind."
"Shut up," she snapped, and starting scrubbing at herself with soap rather hard in her irritation, making the skin red.
Buttercup washed her short hair quickly with shampoo, and got back out before Bubbles barely got a chance to get it. She looked at her sister sadly. Suddenly, a mass of bubbles struck the retreating girl on the head. She turned around, trying to figure out which one of them threw it.
The lavatory quickly erupted into an all-out water fight. Buttercup tossed a handful of bubbles as Blossom, who wiped it off her face. "Ha!"
Several clumps of foam came hurtling back at her, giving her the appearance of Santa Claus for a moment. Buttercup shook it off and laughed. "I'll get you for that!"
She took some more froth, and playfully mussed it into Bubble's hair then styled it. It looked like a crazy collection of spikes. Bubbles tilted her head back to look at what was done, and fell over laughing until she sunk underwater.
Blossom sent another mass to strike Buttercup. A drench of bathwater and bubbles came flying back at her as if she wasn't wet already. The battle had begun ...
The Professor walked into the bathroom in a state of shock an hour later. His gaze traveled over the foamed walls, and the soaked floor that let the wetness extend into the carpet. There was even some dripping off the ceiling. In short, it was a disaster area.
He sighed. He didn't have the heart to wake them out of their sleep, so he
would have to clean up the mess -- as usual. He would warn them tomorrow
not to do it again, or risk being grounded. He got out the mop, and started
cleaning up the mess wearily.
Buttercup waited anxiously for midnight to roll around. Just three more hours,
she told herself. She got up, and turned the nightlight on. She hovered over
the closet, and got out a jigsaw puzzle.
By the time the little clock showed 11:45, the 200-piece puzzle was finished in the shape of several smiling plants and animals. Much too cheery and childish for her taste, but it passed the time. Buttercup started getting dressed, this time choosing a casual green shirt and jeans.
She zipped out the window toward the park, remembering to close it and clean up before she left. Her sisters were soundly asleep when she checked.
A pair of eyes popped open, and groggily looked at the clock. Time. It was
time. A second figure opened the window again, and stealthily followed in
flight, staying low to the ground.
Buttercup touched down in the middle of the park, looking around a little
in frustration. He was nowhere in sight. She guessed that maybe he was on
the other side of the park or late, and began walking around in search. A
few minutes later, she came across him sitting on a bench, looking toward
the sky eagerly. Buttercup cleared her throat.
He turned around, jumping slightly and spotting her. He smiled and waved her over. She floated up to sit on the bench again. "Well?" he inquired, "How has the week been?"
"Okay," she answered, "I've been tryin' to get better grades."
He smiled at her appreciatively, and she smiled back. "It's always good to learn new things, right? If you need some help, I've already learned most of it."
"Um ... I think Ms. Keane presses us harder because we're so smart for our age. Especially me, 'cause it's just so boring sometimes. But I want to be my best for you," she said, looking up at him. He smiled pleasantly and nodded.
"You do seem very smart, and I've heard your sisters are too. I bet you can be cunning with an enemy when you want to be. But, really, you seem more intelligent sometimes than the kids in my school. You said you're, what, almost seven years old now?" he asked, looking rather puzzled.
"Yeah ... " she replied warily.
"I found an old newspaper clipping of you about two or three years ago, and you don't look any different. Are you ageless?" he said softly.
"I'm really not certain ... " Buttercup looked away at a tree on the other end of the park, not wanting to meet his troubled eyes.
"You said that the Professor was trying to create the perfect little girl, but I think that Chemical X seperated that little girl's personality into three little girls, with traces of the other in each. And gave you superpowers, of course. But that might mean that you never grow up, you just stay young forever. You're a lot harder to kill off than a normal girl, aren't you?" he continued.
Her lower lip trembled as she answered. She didn't like where this was going at all, but couldn't stop it. He was only saying what was obvious for anyone to see. "Yes ... the only time we ever came really, really close was when the RowdyRuff Boys were fighting us. But we destroyed them by being nice." She conveniently left out exactly how. He didn't need to know the details.
"Oh. So I guess you'll never age physically. Well, we can work around that ... " he said, taking her hands and trying to brighten her up. Buttercup still caught the unspoken 'somehow'. The boy smiled weakly. "What matters most is the mind and the heart."
Buttercup nodded. He looked away himself, his eyes sparkling a little as he looked toward the streetlamps. She was surprised to notice that it wasn't all from the glare of the light.
"You said you destroyed the RowdyRuff Boys by being nice ... so were they miscreated? And in that sense, were you?" Buttercup didn't answer for a long time. "No ... I know what miscreated is. When they are, they're unstable and the slightest little thing pushes them over the edge."
"How do you know that?" he asked. She dropped her gaze almost guiltily.
"Well, one time we tried to make a Powerpuff Girl ourselves, but it didn't quite work right. We were really busy, and gettin' tired of all the crimefighting, right? But when she came out, she was all messed up and exploded on the spot. Her name was Bunny."
"I'm very sorry," he said quietly, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I guess it doesn't always work sometimes, and all forms of creation aren't equally valid."
"Yeah ... it seems to be temporary excpet for me, and I guess I was miscreated too," she said bitterly, deeply disturbed.
"No!" he exclaimed suddenly, surprising her. "I like you just the way you are. I don't think you are miscreated at all. Your superpowers, your knowledge and everything, your attitude and toughness, they make you! If you were perfect it would so ... I don't know ... dull for anyone. Where would the challenge be?"
Buttercup smiled. "Exactly."
He smiled back at her, and patted her shoulder, comforting her slightly. A cough coming in the direction of a nearby bush attracted their attention though. Buttercup floated over, and her face twisted when she saw who it was with a look of betrayal.
"Blossom! How could you!" she cried out to the figure crouched behind the bush. Bright pink eyes met hers through the shadows. She looked surprised at being discovered.
"I had to find out what was wrong ... Buttercup, didn't you already learn your lesson the first time?" she chided. "Your grades are slipping."
"I can't believe you, you hypocrite!" Buttercup snapped. "I'm bringing my grades up, and you have the nerve to deny me this while you are spying on me!? You're worse than the Professor -- always want us to do what you want, never let us have lives of our own! All I wanted was a friend, and you can't trust me!"
Blossom recoiled at her sister's harsh words, hurt in her eyes. Then she drew herself up proudly, looking her sister in the eye. "I wanted to be that friend. Do you even know this boy? How could you trust being alone with him here, in the middle of the night?"
Buttercup got angry, really angry this time. Blossom was insulting him, after all he had done for her, and helped herh. "Did you see him do anything wrong? NO! He saved my life! He has been there for me when all everyone else ever does is smother me! He understands me! I ... I hate you!"
Buttercup was boiling with rage as she screamed the last words, but not loud enough to carry. They seemed very loud to Blossom's ears, and she covered up the pain. Buttercup didn't possibly mean it. "I'm only trying to protect you and help you too, Buttercup ..."
The boy stood up. Both of the girls turned to him, startled, having forgotten he was there in the midst of their disagreement. He turned away from Buttercup, and smiled at Blossom. She didn't like that smile at all; it was like he was smirking at a secret only he knew.
"I remember you, Blossom Utonium. You girls always fascinated me, and all I am trying to do is help Buttercup with her life now. You don't trust me, but I hope in time I can win that trust." He offered his hand toward her civilly.
Now she was put on the spot. Blossom couldn't back down, or decline his offer without being rude and tainting her honor. Against her better judgement, she shook his hand. She floated up until she was on eye level with him.
"I'll keep this in confidence on my conditions. First, I want to know about you. Everything. Second, if I find you doing anything funny, I reserve the right to punish you. Third, I'm to accompany you both," she said flatly.
"What!?" Buttercup protested, "I'm not going to have you looking over me everywhere I go! That's not fair!"
"Would the Professor approve, Buttercup?" Blossom shot back. "It's enough that you're making me keep the truth from him! It's not right."
"You've done it before. What about the time you stole those golf clubs, and framed Mojo? Was that right?" Buttercup came toward her aggressively, "This isn't even like that! And you say that it is hard for you!"
Blossom fell silent, growing angrier inside. It didn't help that she was right. She glared at her sister. "Fine. But I know where you are at what time with him at all times. Now you are coming back home with me."
Buttercup stubbornly held her ground in the air. Her eyes started to glow dangerously. The air was heating up around her. "No. I'm. Not."
The boy came between them, holding his hands up, and turned toward her pleadingly. "Please go. Don't make things worse." He leaned closer, whispering, "I'll make it up to you, tomorrow, ok? We'll go to the beach or something. About 7:00, I won't be busy."
"Yeah, ok. But only for you!" she added with a look of daggers at her sister. Blossom held her ground, waiting patiently. Buttercup hugged the boy tightly, shifting her attention. "Sweet dreams."
"You too, Buttercup. Don't let those bed monsters bite," he said with a half-smile.
The two Powerpuff Girls left into the night, leaving him standing there in
the park for a long time. He thought to himself, and shook his head. The
boy smiled to himself. He headed toward home on the other side of
town.
Bubbles was skipping home from school. It was early afternoon, and she was taking the long route home to enjoy the lovely weather. People happily waved to the bubbly Powerpuff Girl, and she waved back, lost in her own daydreams. She would get home, and draw all the beautiful things she was seeing today.
Suddenly, she saw a squirrel run into traffic. She rushed into the street as a blue blur, and swept it up before the little creature was hurt. A few drivers honked angrily at having to swerve. The squirrel chittered.
"Thank you! I'm Salem and I was trying to get to a new tree, but I couldn't dodge the Big Moving Things," it said to her as she held it in front of her.
"Why did you need a new tree?" she asked back.
"Too many squirrels, and not enough nuts. I have nowhere to stay or eat," the squirrel replied sadly.
Bubbles brightened with an idea. If the squirrel couldn't stay here, why couldn't it stay at their house? She smiled, pleased with herself. "You can stay with me!"
"Really!? Wow!"
The squirrel climbed up onto her shoulder, and perched there. Bubbles began skipping down the street again, her pigtails bobbing with her gait. She reached the house soon, and dropped her bookbag at the door. Professor nodded from the couch. "Hi, honey!"
"Hi!" she chirped back, and went to do up the stairs.
"What's that on your shoulder?" he asked. She stopped, smiling. "This is Salem! He's my new pet squirrel 'cause he doesn't have anywhere to live or eat ..." she sobered. "He can stay, right?"
"Sure, honey," the Professor agreed magnanimously, "Just as long as it doesn't make a mess. There are some nuts in the pantry."
Bubbles squealed in delight, and zipped to get the nuts. She promptly rushed back up to the room, and started feeding it until the little squirrel couldn't eat anymore. She made it a makeshift bed out of a towel, got a bowl for water and nuts, and put it in one corner of the room.
"You stay there. I can't wait to show you to my sisters!" she said.
"Me either." The squirrel's eyes glinted, and it curled up to go to sleep in the towel.
"Professor, Bubbles brought home another stupid pet," Buttercup complained, "Why do we have to keep it?"
"I know, dear, but it makes her happy," he said, his nose buried in a scientific book. She sighed, exasperated, and floated back up to the room. He didn't care. "Oh, and, remind your sisters not to mess up the bathroom again, or you will have to clean it up and I'll reinstate the curfew."
Buttercup muttered something that might be taken as assent, and shut the bedroom door a little harder than necessary. Why did Blossom always have to snoop around in everyone else's business? It drove her insane. Like they couldn't make their own decisions without her trying to act like their mother.
"Say 'hi' to Salem!" Bubbles stated, holding up her newfound pet proudly. "He says he likes you!"
Buttercup still thought her sister had a few screws loose there. Talking to squirrels, indeed. Everyone knew that animals couldn't talk. Well, except for the Talking Dog and Mojo Jojo, but they were hit by chemicals or something.
"Hi," she said to the squirrel levelly.
Its black eyes regarded her, and it chittered back. She rolled her eyes. "What did it 'say'?"
Bubbles smiled obliviously, the sarcasm missing her completely. "It asked how you were."
"Uh-huh. Fine," she said, and went over to her desk to complete a creative drawing as an assignment. She thought she might as well take it seriously. She started drawing herself punching one of the billion monsters that always seemed to attack Townsville, this one a giant ant.
Buttercup paid special attention to detail instead of just drawing lines and scribbling in some color like she usually did. She got too many proportions wrong though, crumpled the paper, and began again. Bubbles scooted closer after putting down Salem.
"Meet the lines together so they aren't broken up. And don't make the body so long," she suggested. Buttercup hunched over, and covered her drawing with her hand protectively. "I can do it myself."
"Ok," Bubbles said equably, and went to go start her own drawing. It will be so much better than mine, of course, and Ms. Keane will give it an A+, Buttercup thought bitterly. And Blossom's will be great because it's original. I can't do anything right ... I'll get a C for average. Pah.
Blossom came into the room, and sat on the bed to promptly start hers. Both girls finished long before Buttercup who spent almost an hour more until it was perfect. The buildings were lopsided and the ant looked bad, but everything else was decent. It was great, coming from her.
She folded it up, and swooped downstairs to put it in her bookbag. Then she went back upstairs, and started playing with her yo-yo, waiting for 7:00 to slowly roll around.
The tension was tight between Buttercup and Blossom, both shooting each other looks that held unspoken messages as the alarm clock showed 6:30. Buttercup's were black looks full of threat and indignation while Blossom's were silently haughty and confident.
The clock was at 6:50. Buttercup grabbed her bikini and sunglasses, flew down the stairs, slamming the bedroom door shut and the front door to the house on the way out. She waited for a few seconds. On cue, Blossom appeared out of the door to follow her. Buttercup grabbed her arm, spun her around to face her, and held her up against the wall of the house.
"I'm going to the beach. I'll be there for a while. You don't need to follow me like I'm some sort of little baby, got that? I can take care of myself!" Buttercup hissed, putting her face close to Blossom's,"So let alone!"
Blossom shoved her backwards roughly. She was fed up with being treated badly by her sister. "I'll come if I want to! But fine -- if you get into trouble, I just don't care anymore! Go!"
She went back inside the house, the door slamming shut again for the nth time, making the house shudder. Blossom huffed, rearranged her red hair, and went back up to her bedroom. She had more important things to do than tag along after her headstrong sister, anyway.
Buttercup nodded to herself. That's what I wanted, right? To be left alone?
She deserves it for always trying to be in my hair, and mess things up. She
flew off toward the beach, putting those thoughts out of her mind and focusing
on going to have a good time.
To be continued ...