FlameX

Chapter 2:

The City of Townsville. Where the smoldering remains of the Utonium household now burn.

Professor Utonium stepped up, sparks flying on the ash coated ground. His boots crunched against broken glass and burnt furniture. He had to find his daughters.

"Girls?"

No answer.

"Girls?"

"P-professor?"

Buttercup was sitting down, next to a blazing table, shaking.

"Where are the others?" asked Professor Utonium, slightly shocked.

"I-I don't know, and there was this explosion and I flew, but not fast enough and-and- I don't know where they are!"

"It's okay, darling. Calm down."

Buttercup sighed. Blossom and Bubbles were probably okay, but she was still very worried. What if Blossom…no…she'd be fine, she convinced herself.

Buttercup suddenly eyed someone among the blaze: It looked like one of her sisters! The shilloute drew closer.

"Bubbles? Blossom?" Professor Utonium asked.

It didn't answer.

A thought occurred to him, Wait, this could be a RowdyRuff—

There was no time. A huge bolt of flame flew from the figure, hitting Utonium straight in the chest. It picked up a screaming Buttercup and flew off…

That's weird. He wasn't in Townsville before…Where was Buttercup? Fire everywhere…Townsville gone, made of nothing but ashes…a burning brick. He picked it up carefully, and it disappeared.

"Professor?"

The sky was turning black—no—everything was going black.

"Are you alive?"

He tried to scream, but all he heard was the crackling of fire.

"Professor, please live…"

"My…girls…"

"Dad?" Blossom said. Would he wake up? Blossom and Bubbles were standing next to a hospital bed, with their father lying in the hospital bed, badly burnt.

"Bubbles…Blossom…?" said Utonium's quiet voice.

"You're alive!" yelled both girls, filled with jubilation.

"What happened? And where's Buttercup?" asked Blossom.

The Professor took a deep breath. "I was experimenting with fire's effects on Chemical X…to try and make you immune to Brick's fire breath…but the beaker heated and exploded. When I woke up, I found Buttercup, but then, Brick, I think, blasted me with his fire breath and took off with Buttercup."

"Well, where's Buttercup?" asked Bubbles.

"I don't know…"

The Volcano Observatory

Brick smashed the table.

"For the billionth time! I own Park Place and Baltic avenue! It's a Monopoly! Give me the cash! I know Mojo knows the rules, but he's out buying breakfast!"

Butch reluctantly handed it over, about to roll the dice, when suddenly a beam of fire went through the roof.

"What the-"

The table was blasted into ashes.

A puff-like figure hovered down.

"Blossom? Geez, we're just playing Monopoly! We're innocent of-"

Another inferno flew into the observatory.

"I want all of your weapons. You serve me now." A deep, dark voice filled the room.

"What're you talking about? C'mon! Let's-"

Brick suddenly felt hot. Very hot. Around him was searing flame. Dark laughter filled the observatory as well as a scream.

"You will serve me. Bring this city to ashes. Or you will end up as your friend has. Deep fried." More dark laughter filled the observatory, chilling the RowdyRuffs to the bone.

"You…killed Brick." Butch whispered.

"So? All things will die. It was only a matter of time before he turned to ash. Now, you will bring this city to its knees. Or die."

"No! You killed Brick! We'll never join you!"

"So be it."

The figure moved his hands over the area.

"All will burn."

An inferno off fire expanded from the observatory, decimating the entire top to smoldering ashes.

"The world will turn to Blaze," murmured the figure.