Inner Turmoil- Chapter 19
"Why hello Blossom. such a pleasure to see you!"
Him stood before Blossom, a smug grin spread across his face. He was just as she remembered; the long elfish ears, the narrow glowing eyes, and he was even wearing the same clothing she'd always remembered from before. On normal occasions, Blossom may have found it hard to keep herself from laughing, but there was certain haunting energy in the air that told her something was very different about this particular standoff. He definitely didn't seem quite as sweetly mischievous as he had when they were kids. His leering grin was certainly the same, and at that moment his face was bright with devilish delight.
But there was something else in his gaze. Some other emotion that seemed condescending to say the least. It was like he was looking down on her, treating her as an inferior that deserved no sort of credit. Was it confidence that made him stare at her that way? Did he think he could best her this time?
"What are you doing here?" she snarled. He took a step backwards as if caught by mock-surprise, laying a red, crustacean claw against his chest, pursing his thin black lips.
"Oh my, such a temper. I've never seen you so. angry," he said sweetly, licking his dark lips as if seeing her angry excited him. "What's the matter? Haven't been. sleeping well?"
It took Blossom a second to fully comprehend what exactly he meant. As soon as she realized it, she felt a burst of hot anger swell up inside her.
"That was you?!" she sneered, pointing her finger in his direction. Him's expression didn't change, but he just stared at her, amused. "You gave me those nightmares, didn't you?"
"Very good, Blossom. You just may be as smart as I'd hoped," Him said, his eyes glittering maliciously. "But can you even begin to comprehend. why?" he said wistfully, taking a step forward, keeping his gaze even and still.
"You. you just wanted to torture me. torture us." Blossom stammered, now fully confused. She hated the way he was looking at her, and she found it very hard to hold his gaze and stifle a scream at the same time. When she'd been a child, he'd looked down upon them as if they had been nothing more than little pests. But now. now that she was older. he was looking at her much differently, and she didn't like it in the least. His expression also told her that she was wrong.
"Blossom, do you want to know why I did it?" Him said, taking another step in Blossom's direction. He halved the distance between them in a split second. but Blossom was too busy trying to ignore his eyes traveling over her body. She rubbed her hands together uncomfortably, trying very hard to break his gaze, but she found it strangely hard to look away from his piercing eyes.
"Do tell."
"I'd be delighted." He paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as if carefully choosing his words, running a thick claw through his spindly black goatee. "Let's see." and he turned his attention back to Blossom, who was standing uncomfortably a short distance away. He watched her for a second, his eyes narrowed in concentration, and then his impish face erupted into a smile as he slowly crept towards her. Blossom's skin was crawling as she very carefully mimicked his steps while moving in the opposite direction, away from Him.
She'd always hated Him, but had never actually been scared of him like she was at that moment. She could now feel the terror growing inside her, and it was so strong she could almost taste it on her breath, as if every bit of her body was consumed by fear. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body like sick waves, beads of sweat collecting on her face, her whole body becoming flushed and warm as she felt the heat on her skin as he grew ever closer. For a split second she wondered if he was toying with her, using some sort of dark magic to mess with her functions. but it didn't appear that way. She was just afraid, and at this point, couldn't explain to herself why.
"When your precious professor tried to smuggle you all outside of Townsville, naturally I followed, and I began planning. for the future."
Blossom realized something with a new wave of horror that she hadn't thought of before. They'd left Townsville completely vulnerable to Him. Mojo was safely in an institution, Princess was, well, in boot camp. and the Gangreen Gang. they weren't a big concern. But Him. he was different. He was a demon, and had powers far deadlier than they could ever imagine. but whenever he'd appeared they'd always beaten him.
"What happened to Townsville?!" Blossom blurted suddenly.
"Oh, my dear, nothing has happened to Townsville. yet," Him said gleefully, his voice jumping. "You see, that has been the least of my priorities. You see, for the last several years my new target. has been you," Him said, smiling, picking his pace towards her just slightly. Sooner or later, Blossom was would run out of space behind her, and then she'd be pinned against the wall. That had the potential to be disastrous.
"What are you saying?" she stuttered aimlessly, feeling behind her to make sure there was still some open space. She was getting hotter, her heart palpitations more persistent and noticeable. The terror was gathering in her stomach, her nerves squirming with anxiety as she stumbled backwards, Him drawing steadily closer.
"Tsk, tsk. did we forget already? Do you remember what happened the last time you left Townsville?" Him said brightly, taking a light jump in her direction. She gasped heavily and nearly fell backwards onto her back, but she regained her balance in time. He smiled playfully as he watched her stumble, and Blossom could feel the evil around him like an aura, and it grew stronger as he casually moved closer, his deadly claws swaying at his sides.
Blossom tried to think hard, but she kept getting distracted by Him. The only thing she could really remember was.
When they'd been younger there had been one weekend where the Professor had planned to take the girls to the Bahamas. They'd been so anxious for school to be out that day, and they'd been in such a hurry to get home that they'd forgotten how fast they could really be. As they'd raced home, something had happened that Blossom had never really been able to explain. It was like they'd gone through some sort of time warp, and had ended up disappearing for 50 years, their incredible speed moving time forward at such a rate that they were never aware of any change.
When they'd arrived home something had been different, the whole town had been different. It was as if a bomb had been dropped. There was fire everywhere, buildings crumbling and smashed, cars overturned on the streets and trash everywhere. She couldn't forget the bodies; the dead bodies were everywhere, along with living people, their flesh pale and clammy, their eyes very dead and hollow. Something had happened, and they hadn't been there to save them.
It had been Him. He'd done it all. In their freak absence he'd taken over, and he'd turned the world into Hell, leaving the blame on the three of them. The world had never stood a chance. Townville had become so dependent on them for their safety. that it had forgotten how to take care of itself.
"Get to the point, Him," Blossom said impatiently. She glared forcefully at him, but he looked positively delighted. He took one more step closer, and was now barely an arm's length away. Him reached out very quickly, as if trying to grasp some of her hair in his claw, but missed by inches as Blossom leapt backwards, her arms up in a defensive pose.
Run, damnit! Why don't you try to get away?!
No! He can teleport! He can easily outmaneuver me. Now that you can't fly. you're screwed.
She was thinking wildly to herself, partially distracting herself from Him's own movement. It would only take a split second for him to pounce on her, and she had the feeling that he could easily overpower her. This wasn't some run-of-the-mill hoodlum and this certainly wasn't your everyday bank robber that could be easily apprehended by just one of the girls alone. This was the devil himself, and he possessed supernatural powers that far rivaled Blossom's meager abilities in comparison. Perhaps, if she had her sisters to back her, maybe she could have held out. but on her own, she didn't stand any sort of chance against what he could do.
"I suppose you're wondering what this all means, Blossom. Well, let me tell you. I've known all along. where you came from. who made you. so you know what I did?" he said, taking another step towards her, and this time, he was nearly on top of her, towering over her with what must have been at least a foot advantage in height.
"I took over this pathetic company ages ago. waiting patiently. for the day when I could meet you, face to face." And he lifted one of his misshapen claws, running its smooth edge against Blossom's cheek as she cringed with disgust. She squirmed out of his reach, and he watched her, glowing eyes glittering.
"So you assumed, in other words. What would you have done, if say, we didn't care where we came from?" She said briskly, eyeing the knife-like edges of the claws at his sides. She wondered dimly if those claws could be a threat to her life.
It was common knowledge among the girls that their outer layer of skin was impermeable to just about any sort of cutting device, except a few exceptions, mostly things that only the professor could get a hold of. Whether or not Him's dark magic and mere strength could grant him those sorts of abilities was only guesswork; he'd never physically attacked them before, and in the past, he'd always relied on psychological terror to do his bidding. This time however, he seemed as if he was more than willing to get into a brawl with her, and Blossom could only imagine what sort of things he was physically capable of.
"You may have special abilities. but your imagination is limited to that of a common mortal, my dear," Him said mockingly, his hips cocked to the side.
"You see, I took steps to make sure. You're dream, it all began with that. I wanted to make sure you were nice and haunted by something, screw with your sanity, make you start to believe you were losing control-"
"So?" Blossom interrupted, her voice harsh. "Why would that make you think we'd assume he was lying?"
"Oh please," he said smartly. "Being the noble creatures you are, you'd want to know what you were really capable of, what really made you tick, in case something terrible happened. What better place to find all that out, than from the beginning," and he spread his claws, gesturing to the entire room. "Besides Blossom, you may not always think I'm around, but let me assure you, I know more about what you're thinking than you could ever imagine."
A sly grin slid across his lips as Blossom fully understood what he meant. A chill ran through her. Just how much about her personal thoughts did he actually know?
"I made sure to make things get worse. even. attack your own father? You had to know the truth, and I knew, that as smart as you were, someday you would figure out that he was. lying to you," Him's voice dropped at least two octaves, becoming a deep masculing purr. "And what do you know. it worked!" he barked, the sound echoing in the empty room. Blossom flinched, trying once more to back away, but for some reason she couldn't get herself to move. She wasn't quite sure where all this was going.
"You came right into my arms. just as I'd wanted. I never knew you three were such obedient little pawns. in fact." he smiled, eyes glittering maliciously. "That just makes things easier."
"What do you mean? Why did you even want us here? Think you can get in one last rematch before I kick your ass?!" Blossom growled, her hands bunched into fists at her sides. She thought that perhaps shed angered Him, because whenever they'd insulted him in the past, he'd taken it personally, but this time.
"Ha!" he barked. "I should think not." He seemed completely unabashed, and looked more amused than anything else.
"Well. then WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" she bellowed, her patience running dry.
"I knew I had to lure you here somehow. What better place to confront you for the final time. then where it all began," he said as Blossom glared at Him ferociously, grinding her teeth in anger so hard they could crack.
"Foolishly, I miscalculated the strength that has grown within you all over the years. I thought I could take your sister hostage. to lure you into my trap. but she got away. most unfortunate." he trailed off and began to gaze longingly in Blossom's direction, a very delicate smile gracing his features. "Then I thought. who is it that you would go to the ends of the earth for. and who would be unable to properly fight back."
"No."
"The professor. yes. so I took him, knowing that you would all come after him. and bless you, you did. I was overjoyed when I saw you come through those doors, I knew my plan was nearing completion."
"And what is your plan exactly? And what, may I ask, does this have to do with Townsville?"
Here it was, the single thing that could very well explain all of Blossom's pain and suffering the past month, in fact, for all of her sisters and the professor as well.
"You see, Blossom, the only reason why I ever paid any attention to your worthless world, was because of you three," Him said, and he started walking towards her again, but she couldn't find the strength to move away. "I wondered. why was it that three mortals with so much power at their disposal, would choose to use their powers to help people? Why would they, when they could achieve so much for their own gains?"
"Because it's the right thing to do," Blossom whispered, staring up into his face once again. His eyes seemed soft as he looked down at her, and his eyebrows were narrowed in the most studious of gestures.
"But do you not. regret ever helping them?"
"Why would I?"
"Because you gave up any sort of freedom. and any sort of real life you three could have. only to save a worthless city time and time again. and did you get nothing for it?"
"Pride," Blossom gulped. "I-I'm content that I did all I could-"
"Liar," he snarled. "You wish you would have gotten more and you know it."
"I'm not lying," she breathed, feeling her throat tighten as she began to notice his breath brushing against her face. He was so close, he could easily grab her at any moment, but instead, he continued to stare down at her, watching her eagerly. Their eyes locked, and Blossom found it hard to tear herself away from the surreal look of his eyes. They were so inhuman. What was he trying to do?
"You see, you've made their defenses so weak. that they will easily submit to anything. You've drained them of their own initiative, you've babied them, you've held their hands, and for what? Only to watch them die. at the hands of your own strength."
"I would never think of such a thing!" Blossom cried out in disgust, moving away from Him quickly. "You think I would take advantage of them like that? I will NOT use my powers for my own gains. I made that decision long ago that-"
"You wouldn't." Him trailed off, his voice barely above a deep whisper. "But I know someone who probably. would."
"They would NEVER-"
"How do you know? All they've ever done is listen to you. Perhaps if you weren't there to influence them, their psych and instability could be easily toyed with."
"You have no proof that they would help you."
"No. but they don't really have a choice in the matter. You see Blossom, in order to control a mortal their mind has to be weak. I can't very well force my will onto a mortal if they are fighting me could I? I need an unstable mind, one that could easily snap at the hands of emotion-"
-Buttercup, with her flaring temper and ego-
-Bubbles, with her overreactive tear ducts and oversized empathy, but-
Fearing the worst, Blossom finally willed her body to turn and flee. But, just as she did she was swept off her feet by some unseen force, crying out as her body hit the ground roughly. Her breathing ragged, her heart thundering, she tried to stand, but for some reason all she could manage was to turn around. Him was standing over her, a very peculiar look in his glowing emerald eyes.
"Are you beginning to see why I needed you here? I counted on you trying to save your father, and I counted on you-" he crouched down low and once again ran his claw against her face, but this time she jerked her head away -"giving yourself up. You tried to play the noble hero Blossom, sacrificing yourself in order to ensure the lives of your family. That was exactly what I wanted, because the three of you are unstoppable, but one of you alone. my, that's a different story."
Blossom tried to back away, but found that she couldn't. She was actually frozen, all of Him's words beginning to sink in. He'd captured the professor, lured the three of them into a trap, put them in the position where Blossom would, true to her nature, give herself up in place of her family, only to find herself right in Him's clutches. He was right about everything, it was really the combined force of all three of them that had always dealt with problems in Townsville, and they were weaker when they went solo. He wanted her alone, knowing that he would never be able to sway her into letting him enter her mind, and with just her by herself, she didn't stand a chance against him. He intended to kill her, and to manipulate Buttercup and Bubbles. to destroy the mortal world. because there was no known force that could best their power.
"You see Blossom. you and I are not so different. in fact. it was always you who were the only one able to outsmart me. just as I have outsmarted you."
"I'm not like you." she mumbled. "You're nothing but a cold, cruel being. and I have no pity for someone like you."
"Blossom, I don't need your pity." Him said, his voice becoming emotionless, his eyes becoming cold and angered. "I need your blood in order for everything to be complete. As soon as you're dead, your sisters will wake, and I will show them where they have gone wrong. I will show them all the injustice they have succumbed too. and they will help me."
Him stood and lifted his right claw into the air. Blossom scrambled off the floor and moved away, trying hard to hold back the tears that were burning her eyes. She was completely crestfallen, shamed, and beaten. She'd been so stupid, walking right into his trap, thinking she had been doing the right thing. but apparently she'd done just as Him had wanted, and that seriously damaged her ego.
There was no other choice now. she had to either fight or run. She looked around the room quickly, not noticing Him, thousands of possible plans of escape running through her head, each one feebler than the last. It would be very difficult without some sort of distraction, and she was the only person in the room, save for Him. He'd never let her get away.
Blossom looked back at Him, and nearly screamed. His right claw was changing. Slivered mists of black and red swirled around his forearm, changing it, mutating it into the sickest looking hand Blossom had ever seen. It was clearly too big to be normal, but what made it worse, were the gnarled, thick claws that had to at least been a foot long each, spiraling out from the new fingers like some sort of sick growths.
Him looked up at Blossom, a leering grin on his face.
"Let's see how impermeable your skin really is."
And Him moved forward to attack.
"Why hello Blossom. such a pleasure to see you!"
Him stood before Blossom, a smug grin spread across his face. He was just as she remembered; the long elfish ears, the narrow glowing eyes, and he was even wearing the same clothing she'd always remembered from before. On normal occasions, Blossom may have found it hard to keep herself from laughing, but there was certain haunting energy in the air that told her something was very different about this particular standoff. He definitely didn't seem quite as sweetly mischievous as he had when they were kids. His leering grin was certainly the same, and at that moment his face was bright with devilish delight.
But there was something else in his gaze. Some other emotion that seemed condescending to say the least. It was like he was looking down on her, treating her as an inferior that deserved no sort of credit. Was it confidence that made him stare at her that way? Did he think he could best her this time?
"What are you doing here?" she snarled. He took a step backwards as if caught by mock-surprise, laying a red, crustacean claw against his chest, pursing his thin black lips.
"Oh my, such a temper. I've never seen you so. angry," he said sweetly, licking his dark lips as if seeing her angry excited him. "What's the matter? Haven't been. sleeping well?"
It took Blossom a second to fully comprehend what exactly he meant. As soon as she realized it, she felt a burst of hot anger swell up inside her.
"That was you?!" she sneered, pointing her finger in his direction. Him's expression didn't change, but he just stared at her, amused. "You gave me those nightmares, didn't you?"
"Very good, Blossom. You just may be as smart as I'd hoped," Him said, his eyes glittering maliciously. "But can you even begin to comprehend. why?" he said wistfully, taking a step forward, keeping his gaze even and still.
"You. you just wanted to torture me. torture us." Blossom stammered, now fully confused. She hated the way he was looking at her, and she found it very hard to hold his gaze and stifle a scream at the same time. When she'd been a child, he'd looked down upon them as if they had been nothing more than little pests. But now. now that she was older. he was looking at her much differently, and she didn't like it in the least. His expression also told her that she was wrong.
"Blossom, do you want to know why I did it?" Him said, taking another step in Blossom's direction. He halved the distance between them in a split second. but Blossom was too busy trying to ignore his eyes traveling over her body. She rubbed her hands together uncomfortably, trying very hard to break his gaze, but she found it strangely hard to look away from his piercing eyes.
"Do tell."
"I'd be delighted." He paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as if carefully choosing his words, running a thick claw through his spindly black goatee. "Let's see." and he turned his attention back to Blossom, who was standing uncomfortably a short distance away. He watched her for a second, his eyes narrowed in concentration, and then his impish face erupted into a smile as he slowly crept towards her. Blossom's skin was crawling as she very carefully mimicked his steps while moving in the opposite direction, away from Him.
She'd always hated Him, but had never actually been scared of him like she was at that moment. She could now feel the terror growing inside her, and it was so strong she could almost taste it on her breath, as if every bit of her body was consumed by fear. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body like sick waves, beads of sweat collecting on her face, her whole body becoming flushed and warm as she felt the heat on her skin as he grew ever closer. For a split second she wondered if he was toying with her, using some sort of dark magic to mess with her functions. but it didn't appear that way. She was just afraid, and at this point, couldn't explain to herself why.
"When your precious professor tried to smuggle you all outside of Townsville, naturally I followed, and I began planning. for the future."
Blossom realized something with a new wave of horror that she hadn't thought of before. They'd left Townsville completely vulnerable to Him. Mojo was safely in an institution, Princess was, well, in boot camp. and the Gangreen Gang. they weren't a big concern. But Him. he was different. He was a demon, and had powers far deadlier than they could ever imagine. but whenever he'd appeared they'd always beaten him.
"What happened to Townsville?!" Blossom blurted suddenly.
"Oh, my dear, nothing has happened to Townsville. yet," Him said gleefully, his voice jumping. "You see, that has been the least of my priorities. You see, for the last several years my new target. has been you," Him said, smiling, picking his pace towards her just slightly. Sooner or later, Blossom was would run out of space behind her, and then she'd be pinned against the wall. That had the potential to be disastrous.
"What are you saying?" she stuttered aimlessly, feeling behind her to make sure there was still some open space. She was getting hotter, her heart palpitations more persistent and noticeable. The terror was gathering in her stomach, her nerves squirming with anxiety as she stumbled backwards, Him drawing steadily closer.
"Tsk, tsk. did we forget already? Do you remember what happened the last time you left Townsville?" Him said brightly, taking a light jump in her direction. She gasped heavily and nearly fell backwards onto her back, but she regained her balance in time. He smiled playfully as he watched her stumble, and Blossom could feel the evil around him like an aura, and it grew stronger as he casually moved closer, his deadly claws swaying at his sides.
Blossom tried to think hard, but she kept getting distracted by Him. The only thing she could really remember was.
When they'd been younger there had been one weekend where the Professor had planned to take the girls to the Bahamas. They'd been so anxious for school to be out that day, and they'd been in such a hurry to get home that they'd forgotten how fast they could really be. As they'd raced home, something had happened that Blossom had never really been able to explain. It was like they'd gone through some sort of time warp, and had ended up disappearing for 50 years, their incredible speed moving time forward at such a rate that they were never aware of any change.
When they'd arrived home something had been different, the whole town had been different. It was as if a bomb had been dropped. There was fire everywhere, buildings crumbling and smashed, cars overturned on the streets and trash everywhere. She couldn't forget the bodies; the dead bodies were everywhere, along with living people, their flesh pale and clammy, their eyes very dead and hollow. Something had happened, and they hadn't been there to save them.
It had been Him. He'd done it all. In their freak absence he'd taken over, and he'd turned the world into Hell, leaving the blame on the three of them. The world had never stood a chance. Townville had become so dependent on them for their safety. that it had forgotten how to take care of itself.
"Get to the point, Him," Blossom said impatiently. She glared forcefully at him, but he looked positively delighted. He took one more step closer, and was now barely an arm's length away. Him reached out very quickly, as if trying to grasp some of her hair in his claw, but missed by inches as Blossom leapt backwards, her arms up in a defensive pose.
Run, damnit! Why don't you try to get away?!
No! He can teleport! He can easily outmaneuver me. Now that you can't fly. you're screwed.
She was thinking wildly to herself, partially distracting herself from Him's own movement. It would only take a split second for him to pounce on her, and she had the feeling that he could easily overpower her. This wasn't some run-of-the-mill hoodlum and this certainly wasn't your everyday bank robber that could be easily apprehended by just one of the girls alone. This was the devil himself, and he possessed supernatural powers that far rivaled Blossom's meager abilities in comparison. Perhaps, if she had her sisters to back her, maybe she could have held out. but on her own, she didn't stand any sort of chance against what he could do.
"I suppose you're wondering what this all means, Blossom. Well, let me tell you. I've known all along. where you came from. who made you. so you know what I did?" he said, taking another step towards her, and this time, he was nearly on top of her, towering over her with what must have been at least a foot advantage in height.
"I took over this pathetic company ages ago. waiting patiently. for the day when I could meet you, face to face." And he lifted one of his misshapen claws, running its smooth edge against Blossom's cheek as she cringed with disgust. She squirmed out of his reach, and he watched her, glowing eyes glittering.
"So you assumed, in other words. What would you have done, if say, we didn't care where we came from?" She said briskly, eyeing the knife-like edges of the claws at his sides. She wondered dimly if those claws could be a threat to her life.
It was common knowledge among the girls that their outer layer of skin was impermeable to just about any sort of cutting device, except a few exceptions, mostly things that only the professor could get a hold of. Whether or not Him's dark magic and mere strength could grant him those sorts of abilities was only guesswork; he'd never physically attacked them before, and in the past, he'd always relied on psychological terror to do his bidding. This time however, he seemed as if he was more than willing to get into a brawl with her, and Blossom could only imagine what sort of things he was physically capable of.
"You may have special abilities. but your imagination is limited to that of a common mortal, my dear," Him said mockingly, his hips cocked to the side.
"You see, I took steps to make sure. You're dream, it all began with that. I wanted to make sure you were nice and haunted by something, screw with your sanity, make you start to believe you were losing control-"
"So?" Blossom interrupted, her voice harsh. "Why would that make you think we'd assume he was lying?"
"Oh please," he said smartly. "Being the noble creatures you are, you'd want to know what you were really capable of, what really made you tick, in case something terrible happened. What better place to find all that out, than from the beginning," and he spread his claws, gesturing to the entire room. "Besides Blossom, you may not always think I'm around, but let me assure you, I know more about what you're thinking than you could ever imagine."
A sly grin slid across his lips as Blossom fully understood what he meant. A chill ran through her. Just how much about her personal thoughts did he actually know?
"I made sure to make things get worse. even. attack your own father? You had to know the truth, and I knew, that as smart as you were, someday you would figure out that he was. lying to you," Him's voice dropped at least two octaves, becoming a deep masculing purr. "And what do you know. it worked!" he barked, the sound echoing in the empty room. Blossom flinched, trying once more to back away, but for some reason she couldn't get herself to move. She wasn't quite sure where all this was going.
"You came right into my arms. just as I'd wanted. I never knew you three were such obedient little pawns. in fact." he smiled, eyes glittering maliciously. "That just makes things easier."
"What do you mean? Why did you even want us here? Think you can get in one last rematch before I kick your ass?!" Blossom growled, her hands bunched into fists at her sides. She thought that perhaps shed angered Him, because whenever they'd insulted him in the past, he'd taken it personally, but this time.
"Ha!" he barked. "I should think not." He seemed completely unabashed, and looked more amused than anything else.
"Well. then WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" she bellowed, her patience running dry.
"I knew I had to lure you here somehow. What better place to confront you for the final time. then where it all began," he said as Blossom glared at Him ferociously, grinding her teeth in anger so hard they could crack.
"Foolishly, I miscalculated the strength that has grown within you all over the years. I thought I could take your sister hostage. to lure you into my trap. but she got away. most unfortunate." he trailed off and began to gaze longingly in Blossom's direction, a very delicate smile gracing his features. "Then I thought. who is it that you would go to the ends of the earth for. and who would be unable to properly fight back."
"No."
"The professor. yes. so I took him, knowing that you would all come after him. and bless you, you did. I was overjoyed when I saw you come through those doors, I knew my plan was nearing completion."
"And what is your plan exactly? And what, may I ask, does this have to do with Townsville?"
Here it was, the single thing that could very well explain all of Blossom's pain and suffering the past month, in fact, for all of her sisters and the professor as well.
"You see, Blossom, the only reason why I ever paid any attention to your worthless world, was because of you three," Him said, and he started walking towards her again, but she couldn't find the strength to move away. "I wondered. why was it that three mortals with so much power at their disposal, would choose to use their powers to help people? Why would they, when they could achieve so much for their own gains?"
"Because it's the right thing to do," Blossom whispered, staring up into his face once again. His eyes seemed soft as he looked down at her, and his eyebrows were narrowed in the most studious of gestures.
"But do you not. regret ever helping them?"
"Why would I?"
"Because you gave up any sort of freedom. and any sort of real life you three could have. only to save a worthless city time and time again. and did you get nothing for it?"
"Pride," Blossom gulped. "I-I'm content that I did all I could-"
"Liar," he snarled. "You wish you would have gotten more and you know it."
"I'm not lying," she breathed, feeling her throat tighten as she began to notice his breath brushing against her face. He was so close, he could easily grab her at any moment, but instead, he continued to stare down at her, watching her eagerly. Their eyes locked, and Blossom found it hard to tear herself away from the surreal look of his eyes. They were so inhuman. What was he trying to do?
"You see, you've made their defenses so weak. that they will easily submit to anything. You've drained them of their own initiative, you've babied them, you've held their hands, and for what? Only to watch them die. at the hands of your own strength."
"I would never think of such a thing!" Blossom cried out in disgust, moving away from Him quickly. "You think I would take advantage of them like that? I will NOT use my powers for my own gains. I made that decision long ago that-"
"You wouldn't." Him trailed off, his voice barely above a deep whisper. "But I know someone who probably. would."
"They would NEVER-"
"How do you know? All they've ever done is listen to you. Perhaps if you weren't there to influence them, their psych and instability could be easily toyed with."
"You have no proof that they would help you."
"No. but they don't really have a choice in the matter. You see Blossom, in order to control a mortal their mind has to be weak. I can't very well force my will onto a mortal if they are fighting me could I? I need an unstable mind, one that could easily snap at the hands of emotion-"
-Buttercup, with her flaring temper and ego-
-Bubbles, with her overreactive tear ducts and oversized empathy, but-
Fearing the worst, Blossom finally willed her body to turn and flee. But, just as she did she was swept off her feet by some unseen force, crying out as her body hit the ground roughly. Her breathing ragged, her heart thundering, she tried to stand, but for some reason all she could manage was to turn around. Him was standing over her, a very peculiar look in his glowing emerald eyes.
"Are you beginning to see why I needed you here? I counted on you trying to save your father, and I counted on you-" he crouched down low and once again ran his claw against her face, but this time she jerked her head away -"giving yourself up. You tried to play the noble hero Blossom, sacrificing yourself in order to ensure the lives of your family. That was exactly what I wanted, because the three of you are unstoppable, but one of you alone. my, that's a different story."
Blossom tried to back away, but found that she couldn't. She was actually frozen, all of Him's words beginning to sink in. He'd captured the professor, lured the three of them into a trap, put them in the position where Blossom would, true to her nature, give herself up in place of her family, only to find herself right in Him's clutches. He was right about everything, it was really the combined force of all three of them that had always dealt with problems in Townsville, and they were weaker when they went solo. He wanted her alone, knowing that he would never be able to sway her into letting him enter her mind, and with just her by herself, she didn't stand a chance against him. He intended to kill her, and to manipulate Buttercup and Bubbles. to destroy the mortal world. because there was no known force that could best their power.
"You see Blossom. you and I are not so different. in fact. it was always you who were the only one able to outsmart me. just as I have outsmarted you."
"I'm not like you." she mumbled. "You're nothing but a cold, cruel being. and I have no pity for someone like you."
"Blossom, I don't need your pity." Him said, his voice becoming emotionless, his eyes becoming cold and angered. "I need your blood in order for everything to be complete. As soon as you're dead, your sisters will wake, and I will show them where they have gone wrong. I will show them all the injustice they have succumbed too. and they will help me."
Him stood and lifted his right claw into the air. Blossom scrambled off the floor and moved away, trying hard to hold back the tears that were burning her eyes. She was completely crestfallen, shamed, and beaten. She'd been so stupid, walking right into his trap, thinking she had been doing the right thing. but apparently she'd done just as Him had wanted, and that seriously damaged her ego.
There was no other choice now. she had to either fight or run. She looked around the room quickly, not noticing Him, thousands of possible plans of escape running through her head, each one feebler than the last. It would be very difficult without some sort of distraction, and she was the only person in the room, save for Him. He'd never let her get away.
Blossom looked back at Him, and nearly screamed. His right claw was changing. Slivered mists of black and red swirled around his forearm, changing it, mutating it into the sickest looking hand Blossom had ever seen. It was clearly too big to be normal, but what made it worse, were the gnarled, thick claws that had to at least been a foot long each, spiraling out from the new fingers like some sort of sick growths.
Him looked up at Blossom, a leering grin on his face.
"Let's see how impermeable your skin really is."
And Him moved forward to attack.