PpG3.7
Secrets and Surprises
Chapter Seven - Punishments
"What's wrong?" Buttercup
asked, concern beginning to crack her fierce facade.
"According to Blossom,
you said some pretty mean things back at school today. Something about
Blossom note having any friends and not wanting to be her sister anymore.
Care to offer an explanation?"
"She was following
me after school when I was hanging out with Andra, telling me that I shouldn't
keep secrets from her because we were sisters and teammates and junk. So
I got mad."
"I can understand that,
Buttercup, but you need to learn not to let your anger get the better of
you. How many times have we talked about that?"
"What? Why lecture
me?
She was the one who wasn't letting me alone, even after you told her twice!"
"I'll handle that,"
the Professor assured Buttercup. "You worry about yourself. I think you
should go to your room and think about what you said. I'll come get you
in a while."
Buttercup stared at
the Professor for a moment, not quite believing what was happening. Blossom
was the one who kept messing up, but just because she was acting like a
baby and crying, Buttercup was getting punished! The Professor's gaze didn't
waver, he was serious.
"Fine," Buttercup said
with an angry sigh. She stalked away from the couch and stomped up the
stairs, making sure everyone knew how unfair she thought this punishment
was. When she reached the bedroom the three Powerpuff Girls shared, she
made sure to slam the door hard behind her, making all the furniture in
the room, and hopefully the people down in the living room, jump.
She went to her closet
and grabbed her blanket from its hiding place on a shelf then flopped onto
her bed. "It's not fair," Buttercup muttered into the green fabric. "The
Professor is always treating Bubbles and Blossom better than me just because
they give him the innocent little girl and I give it to him straight."
She grabbed her pillow and threw it at the door. "I hate them!"
Bubbles opened the
door just as Buttercup threw the pillow and managed to duck before it hit
her still tender face. "Buttercup?"
Buttercup turned her
face down on her bed. "Go away. I'm being punished, remember?"
Bubbles ignored her
sister's order and sat down on the green bed by Buttercup. "Why are you
so mad at Blossom?"
"I'm not very happy
with you either," Buttercup reminded Bubbles.
"I know why you're
mad at me. And I'm really sorry about that. But I don't know why you...hate
Blossom."
"'Cause Ms. Know-It-All
is always sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, and then acting all
innocent so she doesn't get in trouble, and I do!"
"Well, after you left,
the Professor asked Blossom if what you said was true and she said it was,
so now she's grounded for another day."
Buttercup lifted her
head from her blanket. "Really?"
"Uh-huh."
Buttercup sat up and
rested her chin on her knees. "Why is she so obsessed with me, Bubbles?
Why won't she leave me alone?"
Bubbles shrugged. "she's
curious. And worried. And...scared?"
"Scared? Why do I doubt
that."
"I think she really
is. She says it's because that now that you aren't with us all the
time, we'll have to waste time finding you if a monster attacks during
the day -"
"All of our classes
are together!"
"But I think
she's scared of losing you."
"Losing me?"
"Yeah. Like you won't
hang out with us at all anymore and...stuff. I don't know, I don't understand
her much either."
"Do you think that?"
"What?"
Buttercup sighed. "That
I won't hang out with you two and stuff."
"No, I was just wondering
what you were hiding in your notebook."
"Well, you aren't going
to find out," Buttercup said defensively. "It's for my eyes only."
"Okay," Bubbles said
with a sigh. "I better go now, before the Professor comes."
The Professor entered
the room at that moment. Bubbles gave Buttercup a quick pat to reassure
her then quickly ducked out behind the Professor. Buttercup turned over
on her bed so she was facing away from the Professor.
"Can I sit down, Buttercup?"
the Professor asked. Buttercup didn't answer, so the Professor remained
standing, not wanting to antagonize his feisty daughter anymore than he
had to.
"I know you feel I'm
not being fair, Buttercup, but you need to learn to get all the facts before
making your decisions. I was waiting to hear both sides of the story before
punishing either of you. Once I heard what you said, I could make an informed
decision about what to do. Did Bubbles tell you about Blossom's punishment?"
Buttercup didn't answer, once again, but the Professor was sure his talkative
daughter had. "I want you to stay in here the rest of the afternoon. No
using Blossom's computer, no talking on the phone. Work on some homework
and think about what you said to Blossom. You really hurt her today, Buttercup."
The Professor sighed and sat down next to Buttercup, ignoring her when
she pulled away even further. "Sometimes you don't realize how much words
can hurt somebody else. You're so tough, you think the only way to hurt
somebody is to use your fists, but sometimes words can hurt worse." Still
no visible reaction from Buttercup, so the Professor sighed and stood up.
"You may have made a mistake this time, but I know you'll do the right
thing." He left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
And Buttercup let the
first tear finally slip down her cheek.