Chapter 22 - And Finally...

The Rowdyruff Boys stood in front of the Utonium residence. The Girls and Professor Utonium came out to see them off.

"What did the doctor say?" Professor asked Brick, pointing to his side.

Brick pulled his jersey up to show them where he had been taped up. "A few broken ribs, no big deal."

"Where will you go now?" Bubbles asked.

Butch shrugged. "There's a boys' ranch just outside of town. They say we can stay there."

Brick rubbed his hands together in front of himself and grinned. "Yummy, all the gruel we can eat!"

Buttercup made a face. "Ew, gross!"

"Better than starving," Boomer stated, "Or feasting out of dumpsters, that's for sure."

"What will happen to you guys?" Blossom asked Brick.

Brick shrugged. "Don't know. Hopefully, we'll be adopted. They say they'll try to put us together someplace, but no guarantees."

"You mean, you might be split up?" Bubbles asked.

"That's possible, I guess." Boomer replied. "If they can't find somebody who wants all three of us. Either that, or we can go on our own when we're old enough."

Blossom looked at Professor Utonium. "This isn't fair, Professor!"

"I know, Girls, but it's all we can do for now." he answered.

Butch spoke up. "Hey, they're gonna teach us how to write , too."

Professor Utonium studied the Boys, rubbing his chin in thought. "Hmmm, so you can read, now, is what you're telling me?" he asked.

"A little bit." Brick replied. "Blossom taught us some."

"Aw, no fair!" Boomer complained

Professor produced a scrap of paper and a pen from his lab coat pocket. He scribbled on the paper for several minutes and handed the paper to Brick. "OK, show me what you've learned. I'd like to see for myself."

Brick took the paper and Butch peeked over his shoulder to see what Professor had written.

"OK, let's see..." Brick began slowly, "Brick, Butch and Boomer..."

"Hey, lemme see!" Boomer yelped as he tried to look over Brick's other shoulder. Brick shoved him back in annoyance. "Get away, mole!" he grumbled.

"C'mon, I wanna see what my name looks like!" Boomer complained. Brick rolled his eyes as Boomer edged forward to peek over his shoulder again.

"We will keep our room clean,...do what...we're told,...study...our lessons..." Brick scratched his head and furrowed his brow. "We will eat our vege...veg..."

"Vegetables..." Butch finished.

"Oh, yeah, that's right." Brick answered. "We will do our...chores...pick up after ourselves..." Brick continued, "We will keep out of truub...trubb.."

"Trouble..." Butch said.

"I know, I know!" Brick told him. "OK, that's the first part. Profff...Pruf..." Brick paused and held the paper out in an attempt to figure out the next word. Butch was helpless as well.

"Oh, let me see." Blossom said. Professor Utonium stepped forward. "Here, I'll help." He leaned over the Boys as Brick pointed to the troubling word. "OK, who am I?" Professor asked.

"Professor." the three answered.

"No, my whole name." Professor encouraged them.

"Oh, Professor Utonium." Brick answered.

Professor pointed to the confusing phrase. "OK, that's my name there."

Brick grinned. "Oh, OK, I get it! OK, Professor Utonium. I will...in return... give...the Boys a...room...of their own,...good food,..."

"Hey, that's always good!" Butch stated.

"Shut up, man, I'm readin'!" Brick grumbled at him.

"...clean clothes,...an edu...ca...tion, and support. In short,...I will...pro...vide for and...take the...Rowdyruff Boys into...my...house...as my...own."

"You mean it, Professor?!" Blossom asked excitedly.

"Well, it IS up to them." Professor replied. "But I think they've proven themselves." He turned to the Boys. "Those are the rules and the rewards, Boys. What do you think?"

The Boys stood with wide eyes and jaws hanging open. Brick looked up and grinned. "Yeah, that'd be great!"

Boomer jumped up and down with glee and shouted, "WHOO-HOO!"

"Awesome!" Butch answered.

"Aw, man, now we have little brothers?!" Buttercup groaned.

"Little?" Butch asked.
"Well, we WERE here first, you know!" Buttercup answered.

They headed into the house still arguing over sibling hierarchy. Professor held the door open for the six of them as they went in. He paused on the front step, looked to the sky, and said, "Six! Wow, I've got a full house now!" He chuckled and closed the door behind himself.