Author

Author's Note: Contact me at theak472@aol.com. Thanks to proofreader of previous episodes Kim-Mei, idea-providers Shimona, DragonShadow, Private Public, and ThatGirl, and to people who reviewed my stories. It's why I update, you know. Look. It's an unknown friend of Him's! That you shall not know the name of! Unless I decide to disclose it, of course. Exams still ever-pressing, sigh.

Maybe I'm Twisted
by Rey

Chapter 7 - Temptations, Betrayals

"So good of you to have me, dah-lin'," Him giggled to the second figure, whose face was concealed by a car. This second figure lay underneath the car, apparently fiddling at it with some tools.

"Good t'see you agen, deah," The voice underneath the car drawled. "Pass th' wrench, would ye?"

"Why, certainly," Him preened, unceremoniously kicking a red toolbox under the car. The voice chuckled.

"Y' nevir change, d'ya?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"Well, Brick, this is the life, eh?" Boomer snickered, holding up a half-full Pepsi can towards their coppertopped leader, who stared out of their 'espionage' window blankly. Butch simply snorted.

The girls had done a good enough job of making the boys' small living quarters comfortable. There were three mattresses (no spare beds around Townsville), a couch and a few chairs, a lot of donated lamps, and a cupboard or two. The ever willing-to-forgive citizens of the town had even donated food and drinks, although they weren't quite sure where their donations were heading to.

After a lengthy pause in which Boomer glared at Brick, waiting for a response, he tried again. "Thinking about your girlfriend, huh? Not surprising, he's always off in his own world."

A muscle in Brick's cheek twitched. "Shut up, blondie," he growled, tilting his cap and glowering back towards Boomer.

Butch rolled his eyes and scoffed, "And just yesterday he was telling us not to fight. You guys f_ck each other up, I don't give a rat's ass. Just don't wake me up." He beat his pillow, as if trying to force it into submission, and collapsed, soon disappearing into sleep.

Buuuutch... A voice called coyly in his head. He appeared to be floating amongst some misty, cloud-like substance, which reminded him greatly of herds of sheep surrounding and pressing in on him. He lifted his head slowly, to glare out at the great .. great presence which struck some slight fear into even himself.

"The hell do you want?" He growled, but his voice sounded small and insignificant. The presence chuckled nastily, those waves of smoke enveloping him deeper.

You don't really like those girls, do you, Butch? The voice chose not to answer his question. You're just putting up with them... don't you secretly wish you could... could, maybe... destroy them?

"What? What the f_ck are you talking about?" Butch, in his dream, was getting slightly unnerved. And, as most would know, when Butch was unnerved, he was mad.

Oh, you can't lie to me, Butch... The Rowdyruffs hate dumb girlie-girls, the voice gave a high-pitched giggle. Butch balled his hands into fists.

"Shut up. You don't know me," He snarled rebelliously, anger flashing in green eyes. "You can't, you won't."

You can always join me, Butch. Join me in my fight one day, soon. Help me destroy them. You know you want to, it laughed maliciously. But I'll leave you alone, now. I hope you have a pleasant day.

And it was gone, leaving Butch to drift back into a dreamless, but disturbed, sleep.

I don't believe in fate.

The sun shone down on Townsville, a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. The three Rowdyruffs flew across the Townsville sky, Butch and Boomer muttering mutinously behind Brick, although they knew perfectly well he could overhear.

"Don't know why he's forcing us to hang with the girlies," Boomer mumbled. Brick managed to push him, the navy-blue streak of light wavering off course for a moment.

"'cause his girlfriend asked him," Butch muttered back.

"Shut up, you two. It's free food."

"Yeah. Free ass, t -" Butch attempted.

"Don't make me go back there and kick your ass, sissy boy." Brick retorted.

"Nancy." Boomer scowled.

Those dreams disturb me. It's the second night already, it's come and asked me to join. Will it keep coming, I wonder?

The three girls had set up a picnic at the park. When the boys arrived, they were greeted quite cheerfully, Brick practically bowled over by Buttercup. The six of them were soon engaged in a game of football, where Butch was patiently trying to teach Bubbles to throw properly, though it seemed he was getting very frustrated at times. After a while of playing, Buttercup sat down to rest with a sandwich.

Not before long, she noticed Boomer coming in her direction, blonde hair distinctly ruffled. She waited for his inevitable arrival.

Boomer sat down across from her at the picnic table, slurring, "Hey, ssshButtercup." As she stared harder, she noticed his eyes were strangely unfocused.

"What's up with you? You look stoned," She frowned, tilting her head to one side. "Been drinking a lot lately?"

"Shhh, shhh... Puttercup, Butterpup... Putterbup... Well, yanno who you are... Butch... hates... you," he pronounced, staring straight at her. Drunk as he sounded, his voice had a certain serious tone to it, which persuaded her to take him seriously.

"W-..what?" She frowned deeper. "I.. don't get you. What..?"

"Butch... issh planning. To keel.. kill you."

Boomer soon rejoined the game of football with the other four, while Buttercup's attention was focused on Butch. Would.. would he really? I don't really trust Boomer. The frown remained on her face as she munched that sandwich. But just then, Butch, after tossing the football to Bubbles playfully, began a sudden descent down towards Buttercup.

"What the -" Boomer was right! She opened her eye lasers on him, his body twitching and spasming under the intense heat and electric current. When Buttercup let up her assault, Butch fell like a rock and hit the ground. There was silence all around.

"Bee-Cee?" Brick had a strange expression on his face. "W.. wha..."

By then, Blossom, Boomer, and Bubbles were already by Butch's side. "What? Why did you... Buttercup!" Blossom shrieked. Bubbles looked close to tears, worriedly shaking the charred Butch.

"I... thought he was going... to attack me," Buttercup whispered, streaking closer towards the figure of Butch on the ground. Boomer, who stopped long enough to send a glare up to Buttercup, helped Bubbles shake him.

"Bro! Wake up, bro!" Brick landed beside him, as Butch began to stir.

"..what? OW, F_CK! I feel like I've been thrown off a cliff..." Butch paused, squinting his eyes. Her. Up there. She'd done this.

Butch shook off Bubbles's tearful hug, and streaked into the sky. He wouldn't be leaving his brothers, but he'd like to have a chat with the dream dude. Now he was making sense.

Now I know why.

Blossom looked visibly shaken, and almost immediately she began screaming at Buttercup. "Why?! What is WRONG WITH YOU?!" Boomer, however, had the sense to shush her.

"Shut up, girly. Brick'll put her right. Get home with Bubbles, now." He looked very, very serious at that moment, and Blossom, for once, was inclined to agree.

"..Alright. Bubbles, let's go. ...Bubbles?"

But it was too late, young Bubbles had streaked off into the sky after Butch, much against her sister's orders, and perhaps much against her own will.

"Bubbles!" Just before Blossom blasted off to follow her, Boomer, again, stopped her.

"Let 'er go. She can take care of herself. You get home, and I'll stay around to make sure Brick and yo' damn sis don't get into a spat. Now get outta here. I don't want you in my way."

Blossom, sputtering indignantly, nevertheless disappeared off in the direction of home. Boomer smartly beat a retreat to a short distance off, so as not to interfere with what was coming to Buttercup.

"...Bee-Cee. So short a while. Maybe it's my fault for trusting you," Brick said quietly. Buttercup trembled, opening her mouth several times, but was unable to find words.

"I don't know why you did it. Maybe you have a reason, maybe not."

"But... But Boomer! He came to me, he told me Butch was planning to kill me!"

"Buttercup. Do you really expect me to believe that?" Brick shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Bee-Cee. It's too fast, and I know I've made a mistake now. I'm sorry." He reached out slowly, touched her cheek, his face expressionless. "Goodbye."

Buttercup just gaped at him, open-mouthed, as he streaked into the sky, a navy-blue streak following his lead almost immediately from a distance.

I've made my mind, there's no turning back now.

So, Butch. You're back. Have you decided yet or do I have to tell you again? The voice was.. more business-like today. No tormenting, no torturing. Just plain and simple.

"Yeah," Butch growled, eyes blazing. "I want to get them. I want to get them all. They can't do this to me."

Good, good, good! The voice seemed absolutely delighted at what he said, almost clapping his, or her, or its hands in joy. If it had hands. Then... are you with me? Give me your word, and don't go back on it now.

"I'm with you."

It is done.

"And, see, dear, that's what my plan is," Him giggled, dropping to skinny knees to stare underneath the car.

"Awful cocky y'are, doan suppose you 'xpect me to be able to fight back?" She attempted to sit up under the car, bumping into the roof. "Ow, goddan it," she snarled, a strange accent invading her speech. As she pulls herself out from under the car, the figure is revealed to be none other than ...

Her. Sister of Him.

"Well, it's already done, isn't it?" Him clapped his hands once elatedly. "I already have one of them in my hands."

Her wiped grease off her face with the back of a hand. Contrasting slightly with her brother's red, her skin is fair, but she sports a leather jacket and tight jeans. "Ye look doawn on love, doan ya?"

"Now don't go on like that," Him pouted in response. "That angel you sent down to see me, he was awfully mean, you know..."

Suddenly, a small beam of light penetrated the darkness inside the Rowdyruff's room. "Butch?" Bubbles' head poked through the trapdoor, her voice quavering and frightened, but trying desperately to be brave. She peered around, squinting slightly, trying to discern any figures that could possibly be Butch. "Are you in here? I'm.. I'm sorry for what Buttercup did, she didn't mean to, really!..."

How very conveeeeeeenient. There was definitely some thrilled clapping at this new turn of events. As your first test... since you are under my command, the voice emphasized, I believe you shall have just one simple test.

Destroy. Her.

Rey: Thanks for reading, comments welcome, address listed above. Argh, tomorrow's a definite study day. Enjoy the series. When I continue writing more energetically...