The Twenty-first Day

Tension and anticipation grew steadily in Townsville as the final five days wound down. The church was a madhouse, as Hulk, Henry, and Manson cleaned, and prayed, and prayed again. Everyone was preparing for the glorious emergence of St. Eva! We join the girls just as they get home from school on the 21st day.

"Hello, girls, how was school?" Asked the flat-topped professor Utonium.

"It was good," they replied in unison.

"That's nice. Now quickly say your after-school prayers."

"Okay!" They zipped up to their bedroom and knelt by their beds, but they had barely finished the first verse when the phone rang.

"Utonium residence," said the professor, picking up the living-room phone.

"Professor, it's Max," said an anxious voice on the other end.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Hulk, what can I do for you?"

"I need to speak to the girls."

"All right. You sound stressed, though, father. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's FINE! Now put Blossom on."

"Oh, Blossom!" Utonium called. "Telephone! It's Ray's father!"

Blossom picked up. "Hi, Mr. Hulk!"

"How nice to speak to you, Blossom." Hulk whispered. Blossom detected a coldness to his voice that had never been there before. "Would you like to bring your sisters over to my house, so that we can have some lemonade and chat?"

"Hold on…" she said, and then called to her father. "Dad! Can we go to Ray's house?"

"Of course!" was the reply. "Just as long as you're back by supper!"

"We can come, Mr. Hulk," Blossom told Hulk. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Wonderful! I'm looking forward to it."

"He sounded strange," said Buttercup, who had heard everything with her ultrasonic hearing.

"Maybe he just has a cold," Bubbles suggested.

"I agree with Buttercup," Blossom mused. "There was something icy about his tone."

"Well, let's go. The quicker we get there, the quicker we can leave." Buttercup said, zipping out the window. The other two followed.

"Welcome, girls," said Hulk, opening the door. "Won't you come in?"

"Sure!"

"Where's Ray?" Blossom asked.

"He's up in his room," Hulk said, and as he noticed Blossom ready to fly up there, he said, "But I insist you have some of my lemonade first. It's almost as famous as my grilled cheese."

"Okay," they said, and he passed them each a glass of pink lemonade. They gulped it down eagerly.

"Mmm, Mr. Hulk this is really good," Bubbles exclaimed. "I love it!"

"Yeah, it's… it's…" Blossom faltered, and stumbled.

"What's wrong Blossom? Ohhhh……" Bubbles too found herself becoming dizzy, and collapsed to her knees.

"I feel weirrrd," Buttercup moaned.

The sleepiness and nausea overwhelmed them. The last thing they saw before going unconscious was Hulk smiling.

"Heh heh heh, perfect…" Hulk said to himself. "Everything according to plan." Just as he bent to retrieve the still figures, there was an exclamation from his left.

"DAD!!!" Ray stood in the living room doorway, aghast. "Dad, what happened? What have you done???"

Hulk set his face and remained silent for a moment, then said, "Ray, come with me."

"Wait! What happened to them?!"

"Ray, come with me NOW."

"But Dad…"

"RAY!!! NOW!!"

Ray looked up defiantly, and said something he'd never said to his father before. "No!"

"Arrogant little…" Hulk grabbed Ray and tucked him under his arm, and carried him away.

(A/N: And the cataclysm is starting! Stay tuned, folks! Lots of drama and action in store for y'all! This story is gonna be the shiznit!)