SAMURAI POWERPUFFS

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE – Days of Future Passed

"Do not move and you will not be harmed!"

Their eyes opened slowly and widened suddenly at the sight of four figures surrounding them where they lay in the grass. Blossom tried to turn her head and only caught a glimpse of some tall buildings. She wasn't able to make out any details before a heavy metal boot came down on her chest. The pressure was intense but not crushing; she could still breathe.

"I said, do not move!"

The voice was loud and metallic, breathed through a mask of some kind. The face was totally obscured by it, the visor mirrored. The figure, and two of the other three, were tall and outfitted in black metal suits that gave no clue as to who or what was inside. The fourth figure was shorter, but not by a great deal, and bulkier; and was dressed like the others. All of them looked very powerful but appeared to be weaponless, which only added to that impression. The fourth figure held something in its metal hands but Blossom couldn't turn her head far enough to tell what it was.

"Robots." Blossom thought. "Some kind of police. We are still in the future. Looks like Jack's struggle didn't go so good."

Bubbles only saw what looked like a shiny slab of marble right behind her head that looked to her like a grave. She immediately thought, "Cemetery!" and lurched, and another foot came down on her. This happened at the same time as with Blossom, and the second command to hold still was directed at both of them. Buttercup, however, got a bit farther. She flew off the ground, trying to get between the figures.

"Don't move, nothin! I'm outta he-"

One of the figures actually lifted off the ground and strong hands choked off her shout. One of the arms closed over her eyes. There wasn't time for her to see much.

"Helmets and cuffs!" shouted one of the metallic voices. The shortest one produced the requested objects and they were quickly placed on the captives, helmets first. They were made of steel and completely obscured their vision. The cuffs were actually belts with steel wristlets that held the girls' arms motionless at their sides, and leg irons that clipped to one each of the captors' chests.

"What do you want with us?" Blossom snapped. She was fed up with this, no matter where this future was or who was behind it.

The same one who gave the order answered. "You will know what we want you to know when we want you to know it. For now, all you need to understand is that you will not be harmed. As long as you cooperate."

The voices were indistinguishable in tone, but Blossom knew it was someone different speaking this time; it came from slightly to her left.

"This one is not cooperating!" It gave Buttercup a dope-slap to the back of her head. "Hold still!"

"Hey! I'm gonna kick your tin can!" Buttercup threatened, but stilled herself. Blossom could hear her sister's captor muttering under its metallic breath.

"You work for Aku, don't you?" Bubbles said. "Big stupid meanies!"

What sounded like laughter came from all of their captors, in a metallic rumble.

Blossom heard another, slightly different voice say, "Someday, little one, you will remember what you have just said and laugh, as we are. But now, you will shut up!"

The four voices laughed again. The girls could feel themselves being carried into the air but with the helmets on, could not see their surroundings. If they could, they would have seen themselves leaving a grassy park with a polished marble marker. In the marble, on the opposite side of where they had lain, were engraved likenesses of themselves, with the words:

"This spot marks the birthplace of the Powerpuff Girls, November 18, 1993."

* * * * * * *

The seven figures approached the grounds of a large, stately residence on the outskirts of a modern city. They entered through a force-field set into the roof of the rear of the mansion. There they found waiting a fifth figure, dressed in similar fashion to the others. The girls were unhooked from their captors and re-hooked to steel loops anchored in the floor. They were going nowhere.

"They look harmless enough." the new figure said.

"Who are you?" Blossom asked, somewhat forcefully. She detected a slight difference in this new voice and was sure her sisters could, too.

"This will go easier if you remain silent and let me do the talking." she was told. "Agreed?"

"Why should we?" Buttercup spat, and received another slap. "Whoever you are, you're gonna get it!"

"Buttercup, we're not exactly in a position to argue with them." Blossom pointed out. "Let's just see what they want."

"It is not what we want." said the voice. "It is what must be done. You are going home. Remove the helmets." This voice was obviously in charge.

"Home?" Bubbles squeaked. "You mean, home, for real?"

"Indeed." said the voice while the girls felt hands removing the helmets. When they could see again, they saw the five standing around them. Blossom made the assumption that the tallest one was the leader. They were in a white room, spotless and totally devoid of furnishings, empty except for the eight plus a tall, cylindrical object that resembled a small rocketship and stood to one side.

"We're going home in that?" Buttercup snorted.

"Well, it's definitely not the time portal." Blossom quipped.

"Time portal?" the tallest one said scornfully, confirming Blossom's assumption. "What fool uses one of those?"

All five erupted into metallic laughter. The leader spoke again, seriously now. "You three are in the future. You obviously know that things changed from what you last remember. But make no mistake, you must return to your own time. For your own good we have prevented you from seeing things the way they are now. Your lives must not be shaped by anything you see here. All you may take with you are your memories, which will have little meaning to you since the events you lived through will not have ever taken place. Except for one thing. Remember the words of the samurai."

"Well, you don't sound like you're enemies." Blossom said.

"And it's not like we have any choice." Buttercup added disgustedly.

Bubbles looked at the strange contraption. "Is that thing bumpy like the professor's thingie?"

"Yes." one of the others lied. The trip would not be bumpy at all, but something else important had to happen. "The trip across the fifth dimension is rough no matter how you make it."

"So we're giving you a little something to put you to sleep." another said. "Don't worry, it won't hurt, and you won't have any after effects when you wake up."

The girls got very nervous about that. Superheroes or not, they didn't like needles, and because of their tough skin, the professor needed big, special ones to give them injections. But they saw no needles.

One of the figures stepped forward and as softly as was possible in the artificial voice, said, "Relax." It gently pressed one steel-jacketed glove against Blossom's neck. Blossom felt a tiny prick and nothing more as she sagged into the arms of the shorter figure. Buttercup squirmed and tried to get away but her legs were firmly planted. Seconds later she was out, caught by one of the others, and Bubbles looked fearfully up at the metal creature towering above her.

"I guess we're gonna have to trust you."

Surprisingly, the creature bent to one knee and touched her lightly on the head. "Trust each other and the ones you love. Trust yourself."

It caught Bubbles itself as it put her out. The leader touched two buttons on its suit. A hatch on the rocket popped open, and the locks holding the girls released them. The shorter figure carried Blossom to the rocket and the leader stopped it. While the other two girls were loaded and strapped into their seats, it lifted the hem of Blossom's dress, looking for something. It tugged and pulled out the thin tube that she had put there. Blossom was then put inside and the hatch sealed. Another button was pushed and a small compartment opened on the side of the capsule. A finger-like projectile came out and the little tube was fitted into it before sliding back into the rocket.

Everyone stepped back. The leader pressed buttons in a programmed sequence, lights inside the rocket flashed accordingly, and then the small ship shimmered, like something on a very hot day, and disappeared.

NEXT: The Samurai's Legacy