"…terribly, terribly, awfully, horribly, immensely, incredibly SORRY!" Blossom finished her insatiably long string of descriptions for her apology. Buttercup drummed her mitt on the dresser looking into the mirror at her black eye. The car ride home was silent and awkward. Her mother was quiet and driving a little badly while trying to think. Buttercup had headed straight to her room while her mother flopped onto the couch and Bubbles had to call somebody real quick. Blossom had followed after apologizing. That was five minutes ago. Buttercup blew a strand of her straight-cut bangs upward wondering how she put up with a girl that knew way too much vocabulary.
"Listen, Blossom, I'm okay. Really. Stop with the apologizing already." She forced a smile and began to busy herself with something quickly. She took down her long hair that was tied back into her ponytail. Her hair fell gently and quite beautifully to where her shoulders would've been. Buttercup began brushing her long hair slowly for no other reason than to busy herself for a little bit.
Blossom looked over the collection of hair items on the dresser in front of Buttercup's vanity. The hair bands ranged in all sorts of colors and shades and designs. She had tiny clips, big bows, head bands, barrettes with cats and animals on them, and many many scrunchies ranging in colors and sizes. Blossom touched a big red bow with a yellow center. She noticed it was the same bow that Buttercup was wearing in a picture on her dresser. Buttercup looked at Blossom.
"Do you like that?" She questioned running the brush through her black hair another time.
"Yes…" Blossom trailed off feeling it's satiny texture. She couldn't explain it, but the bow spoke to her, it called for her. It was cheap, but beautiful in it's own way. Seeming very special and enigmatic for being just a bow. Buttercup turned toward the mirror looking at her own hair and looked back to the bow. She sighed and got up.
"Here." Buttercup took Blossom by the arm and sat her in front of the vanity.
"What are you doing?" Blossom asked looking at Buttercup. She gave a warm smile back.
"I'm going to do your hair." Buttercup smiled. Something inside her twinged like she'd just been shot. Like she had just said something she would've never said before in her life. Or in a previous one. Buttercup shook it off and began brushing Blossom's hair. It felt familiar. It's texture; it's color, just brushing Blossom's hair seemed familiar.
Her mitts worked quickly brushing through the orange locks like they'd found inspiration. Blossom saw Buttercup began to intensely comb through her hair, a determined look on the brunette's face. The little Lukan thought it odd, but said nothing. She watched Buttercup reach down for a scrunchie but then throwing it away finding something better. A little pink clip with a red heart attached to it.
Meanwhile, Bubbles was waiting patiently on the phone. A steady ring being heard as she tried to reach the Fisher residence. Bubbles shifted uncomfortably. Soon her daddy would pick up the phone, and he'd be mad, and he'd want to teach her that what she did was wrong. Bubbles sniffled sadly. She didn't want Daddy to be mad! She should've never run off that morning! Her daddy would be so very VERY upset.
Soon the phone clicked as someone picked it up. Bubbles's throat tightened.
"H…hello?" A slow voice said in an almost tired manner. Bubbles sighed; it was only her mother, Nancy. She gulped deeply.
"H…hi Mommy." Bubbles whispered.
"Bubbles?!" Nancy cried, and Bubbles heard a loud thunk from the other side of the line. Nancy had fallen off of the couch again. Bubbles waited for her mother to get the phone she had most likely dropped. "Bubbles, sweetheart is that you?"
"Yes Mommy." The blue-eyed-girl whispered quietly. Red was only a few feet away with her head resting on the back of the couch. Bubbles turned her back to Red; she didn't want the nice lady to hear her if her daddy came on the phone.
"Oh Bubbles, Honey, you have to come home right away. Your, um, father and I have been so worried." Mrs. Fisher rubbed her tired face with her hand trying to rub the spots from her eyes.
"Oh but Mommy, I made new friends and they're so nice and they look like me and we think we might be sisters!" Bubbles smiled at the thought. She heard her mother sigh.
"Bubbles, your father is…very worried and he…he um needs you home, you know. He's angry too." Nancy almost whispered. She slowly rubbed a bruise on her arm. Bubbles paused and whispered so quietly, Mrs. Fisher barely heard her.
"Mommy I don't wanna go home….I'm scared. I was scared this morning." Bubbles tried to choke back the tears, "What if Daddy is REALLY mad? I'm REALLY sorry Mommy!" She put a hand over her mouth as if that would somehow stop herself from crying.
Nancy thought for a moment. How could she do this to this little girl? How could she drag a child to a home to her raving mad husband? She glanced over at a picture on the mantle. Bubbles was in a sweet pink skirt and white top with lacey fringe around the edge. She was only about 3-years-old, smiling…with a large black and blue mark on her arm. Nancy's eyes watered. She couldn't do this to her daughter anymore. The least she could do was calm Jack down.
"Where are you?" Mrs. Fisher asked seriously. Bubbles sighed.
"I'm in this apartment building with Red. And Buttercup…Buttercup." The blonde struggled to remember the name, "Oh yeah! Buttercup Robins." Nancy nodded slowly; sure she'd heard that name before.
"Okay…I'll try to calm your father down and you can stay for dinner, but right after you um, you gotta call me. Okay?"
Bubbles's heart filled with joy. Her mother was sparing her. Her mother was saving her! She jumped up and down excitedly so Red looked up from her resting position.
"THANK YOU, MOMMY!" Bubbles squealed with delight into the phone. Mrs. Fisher grinned a bit when she heard the front door open and a lot of swearing coming from the man who had just entered.
"I gotta go, be good. Call me after dinner. I'll calm him down." Nancy insisted. She was about to slam the phone down when she heard a little voice say:
"I love you, Mommy." Then the phone hung up and Nancy smiled.
Bubbles leapt up and down her light blue shirt flying up (she was still in the play clothes). Ms. Robins rose quickly to the bouncing girl.
"What's going on, Bubbles?" Red beamed. She'd been exhaustingly trying to figure out what had happened in the park. How was it physically possible for two little girls to do that? It seemed like the Matrix or something. She had been frightened but something itched at her. Like this was how it should have been. Like her daughter could do that and more. Red shook her head, that was silly she had raised Buttercup since she was a baby and although the child seemed to be mentally superior to most kids her age, she had never BEFORE shone any signs of physical superiority. Bubbles was giggling and smiling happily.
"Oh, Red! Mommy says I can stay! I'm gonna have dinner with you!" She beamed brightly and hugged Red's leg. Her enthusiasm was contagious and Red couldn't help but grin. Bubbles was such a ray of sunshine…Red would certainly not mind cooking for another person.
"That's wonderful!" Red gave Bubbles a hug and smiled. "Well, why don't you go and see if Blossom can stay and then you three can decide what you want for dinner."
"Pizza!" Bubbles yelled and ran towards Buttercup's room. Red laughed playfully.
"No pizza!"
Bubbles reached up and opened the door. She smiled happily but saw that her friends were just standing there, staring into the mirror. Well actually, she could only see Buttercup. Bubbles walked over carefully with a puzzled expression.
"What's wrong? What are you guys looking…at…?" Bubbles asked and then looked into the mirror. She saw Blossom's reflection and instantly stopped questioning.
Blossom sat with perfect posture staring into her reflection. Her beautiful orange hair was tied back into a simple ponytail with the aid of a small pink clip with a little plastic red heart attached to it. On top of her head was a big crimson bow that stood almost like rabbit ears. She looked so familiar. She couldn't place it but everything seemed right. Her hair was…perfect! There was no other way to describe it. It was as if her whole life she'd been a different person. Everything was getting clearer it seemed. Blossom knew that she wasn't a Lukan at all and somehow she, Buttercup, Bubbles, and this…this bow were a part of her.
"Wow…that seems…" Buttercup started.
"…right." Bubbles finished. Blossom nodded, the ponytail shifted with her. Buttercup shook her head.
"Ha, not so bad with the brush am I?" Buttercup grinned looking away from the familiar sight. Blossom nodded again slowly…then more forcefully.
"Um…yes well…it is rather nice." Blossom looked at Buttercup and then grabbed her quick.
"What the-" Buttercup shouted when Blossom sat her quickly upon the seat in front of the vanity. The lights shone upon her long black hair causing it to shine beautifully. Blossom smiled.
"Allow me to return the favor." Blossom grabbed the brush and began to stroke. Bubbles giggled.
"I wanna help!" Bubbles snatched a pair of scissors. Buttercup instantly felt a little frightened.
"Uh…scissors?! I don't really think that-"
SNIP! Bubbles had all ready begun with a sharp slice of Buttercup's hair. A long lock of ebony hair fell to the carpet. Buttercup frowned. She had wanted to cut her hair; it was always so hard to take care of when it was long. But she didn't think Bubbles should be the one to cut it!
"BUBBLES! STOP!" Buttercup yelled trying to tear her hair away from Bubbles, and unfortunately succeeding.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIP! Buttercup stared agape at a diagonal cut that tore a huge bunch out of her hair.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!" She cried grabbing the ripped ends. Bubbles put a mitt over her mouth.
"Whoops…" Bubbles whispered hiding the scissors.
"Ha! Pay back time for-" Blossom started then stopped herself. Wh…why would she say that? She just met her. Pay back for what? Something with her hair…Blossom began to ponder.
"I'm sorry, Buttercup!" Bubbles pleaded. Buttercup's face got red with anger. Don't fight don't fight don't fight don't fight…was the thought that raged through her mind as she clenched her mitts.
"Just…FIX…it!" Buttercup growled through grit teeth. Bubbles shakily held the scissors and began to snip slowly and carefully, trying to make the ends even, but failing miserably.
"Oops…oops….oops." Bubbles repeated over and over. Buttercup nearly screamed.
"STOP IT YOU BUBBLE-BRAIN!" Buttercup snatched the scissors roughly. Bubbles nearly cried. "You're BUTCHERING my hair!" Buttercup shouted throwing the scissors down. Bubbles began to cry and Blossom snapped from her thoughts. She was at the verge of a discovery, especially when she heard the line about "butchering hair".
"Stop it you two!" Blossom sighed. "There, there, Bubbles. It's okay, you didn't mean to." Blossom comforted. Bubbles sniffed.
"I'm sorry." She looked down sadly.
"Don't worry about it." Blossom smiled.
"Don't worry about it? DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT?!" Buttercup leapt up. "Just look at what she did to my hair!" Buttercup howled. Blossom remained calm and rational.
"Here, I am an excellent hair dresser amongst many things. I was taught a few tricks of the trade." Blossom picked up the scissors and seated the frustrated Buttercup down. She took the scissors and began to cut carefully and gently. Bubbles watched and got happier with every snip. Buttercup's hair was beginning to look a little more manageable.
"It's looking better already!" Bubbles shouted, smiling. Buttercup shut her eyes tight hoping that Blossom wasn't as bad as Bubbles was. After a little bit, the cutting stopped and there was an awkward silence.
"What? What is it?!" Buttercup questioned, her eyes still shut tight. "You guys didn't…aw no!" Buttercup opened her eyes, expecting to find herself near bald with tufts of hair sticking out everywhere, but it was…it was…
Buttercup was looking at herself with her hair cut a lot shorter. Her hair rested above her shoulders now and the ends were slightly turned up in an adorable…flip. Her raven locks shimmered in the light as it lied on the carpeted ground in piles. Her hair though, her hair was now so…so right. It was the perfect length, just like she'd wanted it. However Blossom knew how to cut it was beyond her. Blossom let the scissors drop to the floor.
The girls suddenly noticed all three of them staring back in the mirror. A blonde in pigtails, a short-haired brunette, and a red-head in a ponytail. They all began to dream. One dream they appeared to be sharing.
It was dark and Bubbles could see from her point of view through her own watery eyes, the ceiling. And there was a hand holding hers. She looked over to see Blossom staring at the ceiling, saying something. Something about being bad and a new law. Bubbles had tucked the light blue portion of a bed spread up to her "chin" during the night. The redhead next to her seemed sad, but at the same time was a comfort to her. Bubbles felt her cheeks stinging from many warm tears as she cuddled up close to this person…her…sister?
Blossom was seeing the ceiling with a few tears in her eyes, holding Bubbles's hand. She gripped it tight making sure to give a little comfort although she felt insecure. There was carpeted ground below her and only a thin layer of covers with streaks of pink, blue, and green across it vertically. She closed her eyes for a minute, letting the seriousness of the situation they were in sink in…whatever situation that was Blossom couldn't remember. She just held onto the hand when her sister spoke up…Buttercup?
There was a glossy veil of tears in the brunette's eyes. She choked them back best she could. Finally, Buttercup cried something about good guys and bad guys. She finally let a tear roll down her cheek and clasped onto Blossom's hand closing her eyes tightly. Trying her damnedest not to shed another tear. She felt a quick squeeze from the hand she held. Blossom's way of comforting her. Buttercup heard a voice squeak from the other side of the tri-colored blanket. Her sister, Bubbles. Bubbles?
Red Robins waited patiently in the living room. She'd been hoping Bubbles would come out with what everyone wanted for dinner. But, she had heard some giggling and yelling, now…there was silence. She became a little frightened. Red ran a hand through her thick red hair and sighed. They were little girls; they could be quiet, couldn't they? Ms. Robins just put on a smile and rapped on her daughter's door.
"Girls?" Red asked opening the door and entering. "Girls, what are you-" Red began but didn't finish. The three girls were in the middle of the room with their eyes closed. There was a strange glow coming from the locket around Buttercup's neck and the locket around Blossom's. That would've been the only odd thing if it hadn't been for the fact the three girls were floating in the center of the room, all holding hands facing towards one another. All these thoughts and visions of the three girls fighting evil, destroying monsters, beating up villains, flooded Red's mind. The realization that everything she had known was not as it had seemed. Everything spun and crumbled as Red felt herself losing consciousness, the images overwhelming her. Before she fell into the inky blackness, one word entered her mind.
Utonium.
