Chapter 2: Ashes

Bubbles collapsed to her knees onto the scorched ground beneath her, overcome by the overpowering combination of nausea and grief that threatened to crush her insides. Her vision blurred as she scooped fistfulls of ashes from what was once her beautiful home. It was gone. Everything she loved so dear had been utterly devastated. How could this have happened? What could have possibly wiped out an entire city, her city? It seemed like a nightmare. This couldn't possibly be real.

But it was all real. Everything before her was dust, the wretched bodies of her loved ones spread out amidst the ashes like dried cadavers. Bubbles began to sob, tears falling from her face to mingle with the ash beneath her. There were so many things she needed to say that she would never be able to. She had felt so much hatred for them all when she fled the house that morning. Why did they have to say those things to her? Why did they have to treat her that way? It didn't matter any more. They were all dead now and there was no way to make amends.

She was alone, and now there was noone to hate but herself.

It didn't take long for two dark sisters to set their sights set on another city. This one was much larger than the first and much less attractive by far. As they made their way into the city they passed over a large billboard that read "Welcome to Citiesville".

The sisters lustfully eyed the thick crowds of people beneath them.

"So much life to take," said the elder sister as her mind filled with tantelizing visions of bloody, shrieking death. "We could cause so much lovely torment here."

"Let me have the honor my sister," said the younger sibling. "You had last one."

"As you wish," the elder obliged.

The younger girl placed her hands before her with her palms facing outwards towards the ground and at once the entire city began to shake violently and cracks began to form in the city streets. The city was thrown into complete pandemonium as buildings collapsed and the people fled for their lives. Many were trampled by their own while others fell victim to falling debris while yet others fell to their deaths into the chasms that opened up in the ground beneath them.

Childish laughter filled the air as the little girl continued to make the tremors stronger and stronger. The city was violently torn to pieces as the ground itself was thrown upwards in huge chunks. Finally she threw her hands towards the sky and the entire city was uprooted in a giant explosion of fire and magma. When all had settled there was nothing left but a crater filled molten lava.

"Beautiful my dear sister," the elder girl praised. "Such a glorious spectacle of utter devastation."

"I've had a good teacher," Replied the younger girl. "Shall we continue on our way?"

"Yes, lets."

Bubbles came to her senses when she caught sight of the massive pillar of fire rising high into the sky several miles away. She coudn't quite remember how she came to be lying on the ground, arms and knees tucked firmly against her body in a fetal position, her cheeks stained with still fresh tears. She rose unsteadily to her feet, turning fully towards the expanding cloud of smoke in the distance. It struck her then that whatever it was it had to be the same force that had devastated Townsville. She knew then that she had to find it. There was nothing left for her here in Townsville. Her old life was over. All she could do now was get revenge on whoever was responsible.

She took flight over the ruins of Townsville, moving as fast as she could in the direction of the explosion. She knew well where her path was taking her. There had to be at least hald a million people living in that city. Bubbles could not bear to think of so many people dying for nothing. She could feel a deep hatred brewing within her, a hatred which she promised she'd never allow herself to feel again. How could she feel this way? What was wrong with her? She had faced so many hardships in the past and had always been able to keep her negative feelings under control, but now they were spilling out of her uncontrollably. She never thought she could hate. No, not kind gentle Bubbles, but she could hate. She could hate better than anyone else she knew.

A sharp chill hit Bubbles so hard she had to stop to catch her breath. She could feel a force like an invisible thread was connecting her to some distant source of power. It felt terrible at first, but she quickly adjusted and it became almost mesmerizing. All at once dark thoughts flooded into her mind. She clasped her hands against her temples and shook her head about madly as she tried desperately to chase away the forbidden thoughts. What was happening to her? Was she going crazy? She couldn't make sense of anything anymore. It all seemed so much like a bad dream. She wanted it to all end right then and there, but something inside her would not allow it. There was only one thing to do. She had to find that force, whatever it was.