Part 8: A Hero's Heart
"What is all this supposed to do again?" Alice asked curiously as she picked up a strange looking weapon from the desk in front of her. After toiling for several days, Professor Utonium was starting to see some progress in his weapons development. He looked up from his next weapon with a knowing gaze, staring up at her.
"The Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys are superhuman in all respects, including their senses. Their eyesight and hearing are both far more acute than any of us... to a fault really." The Professor told her. "We can not overpower their strength, but with enough simultaneous sensory input, we may overwhelm their senses."
"So we blast boom boxes and shine flashlights in their eyes?" Alice asked skeptically. "Even if that stunned them, wouldn't they just recover in time?"
"It might hold them long enough for us to trap them with the energy Cells we used on Blossom at WOOHP headquarters."
"But how do you know it'll work?" Alice asked.
"When the Rowdyruff Boys first took my girls, Jerry drove them off with an intense beam of light. It seemed to burn Brick's retinas to a fine point, actually causing pain to him. If we can use more intense light and sound, we might disable them all. After that, we can figure out how to revert them to their original forms, and my girls will take care of Him."
"This all seems too iffy. We don't know where they are at any given time, we don't even know where or IF they sleep." Alice's shoulders slumped. "Even with these weapons, it seems like the chances of beating them are next to nil."
"I won't lie, they are." The Professor replied softly. "The other three girls were armed with Antidote-X weaponry, and still lost." He shook his head, staring down at the equipment in front of him. "But I'm not going to give up. If there's a chance to bring my girls back... make them good again... I'll keep striving to make it happen."
Alice nodded in appreciation and sat down in a nearby chair, holding her bulging stomach in both hands. He looked over at her with a worried gaze. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Oh, no, don't mind me. Just need to rest my feet." Alice panted slightly, smiling. She'd been getting more tired lately, and the morning sickness was starting to rear its ugly head. She hadn't slept well the last few nights. She hoped they could end this soon, she wouldn't be much good to them for much longer.
The Professor looked down at his weapon, then put it down and stood up. He walked up to her and picked her up in his arms. She blinked in surprise, but didn't fight as he carried her toward the door to the barracks. "You're stronger than you look..." Alice said appreciatively.
"Thank you. I try to keep myself in shape." The Professor carried her into one of the barracks, setting her on one of the bottom bunks. She stared up at him appreciatively.
"It's a shame you never found a wife..." She said softly. "You really deserve one."
"I get by with what I do have." The Professor smiled back and stood up to his full height, turning to leave. Alice watched him go, resting her hands behind her head. He was a good guy... if she didn't have a fiancé she would have considered going for him. With a sigh she rolled over in bed, staring at the wall. As if her fiancé could possibly be alive after all this time...
The longer Blossom stayed here, the more these people sickened her. Cowards, all of them. Wallowing in their own stinking filth waiting for their dreaded 'shadows' to return and wreak havoc on them all. And worst of all, waiting with bated breath for Blossom to save them and free them from the fear they now lived under. Not a day passed that she didn't have someone approach her, thanking her for returning like she was sent specifically to save their pathetic lives.
Blossom floated out of the small settlement in the middle of the street, floating to the top of the hill between the city and the open plains beyond. The landscape was littered with graves and bodies. There were far more dead out there than alive in the small mid-road settlement. She could see a few figures toiling in the distance to properly bury the dead.
She heard a pair of footsteps approaching behind her. She didn't even have to look. Robin had been following her around relentlessly for the last few days, trying to get her to talk or something. She couldn't even begin to look for a way of taking Him out with Robin stalking her.
"Blossom..." Robin walked up beside her, stopping when she saw the sea of bodies laid out in front of them. "C... can we go back? I'm not supposed to be out here..." She muttered softly.
"You don't need me to go with you to go home." Blossom retorted venomously.
"Blossom, please." Robin put one hand on her shoulder, moving to stare into her eyes. "I'm your friend, talk to me. Where are Bubbles and Buttercup?"
"Why do you care about them? Isn't one hero enough to save you?" Blossom scowled, whirling on her. "Or do you need three to make sure your collective asses stay safe?"
Robin stepped back away from her, her eyes going wide with fear. "No... I'm worried about them... and... and you..." She whispered fearfully. Blossom narrowed her eyes, marching up to her.
"You little lying leech." Blossom growled. "You're just like the rest of them, admit it!" She grabbed her arm, squeezing it tightly. Robin grunted in pain as Blossom's grip threatened to tear right through her forearm.
"No... Blossom... I've always cared about you and your sisters..." Robin groaned, tears of pain sliding down her cheeks. "Don't you remember? All that time we spent together... all the fun we had?" Blossom glared at her. She remembered it fine... but she'd been blind then. Everyone was a friendly face, a kind smile. Masking the manipulation she'd lived with from the day she was created.
"I'm getting tired of this." Blossom pushed her back roughly. Her strength easily sent the little girl hurtling to the ground with a solid thud, kicking up a cloud of dust. "When those shadows come, I hope they finish you all off."
"Y... you don't mean that..." Robin's voice shook as she stared up at her former hero. Those eyes begged Blossom to end the joke, but the Whoopass Girl simply smirked and shook her head.
"Why won't you get it through that thick skull of yours?" Blossom smirked. "Get away from me kid. Go hide behind someone like all the rest of these miserable wastes of oxygen." She whirled and floated away from Robin, folding her arms across her chest.
"Blossom... just tell me. What did they do to you?" Robin pleaded one last time, climbing to her feet behind the Whoopass Girl. Blossom stopped moving, but didn't look back at her.
"They opened my mind." Blossom replied simply.
"No... Blossom... they didn't. They closed your heart." Robin told her friend in a hushed voice. Blossom turned to head to the side, giving Robin a sidelong glance. They both stood in silence for several long minutes before Blossom continued her trek back toward the small mid-road settlement. She didn't need to listen to any more of these lies. Her siblings would arrive any day now, and when they finally did, she would watch the remains of this wretched city burn. But... why didn't she just destroy it herself?
Alex's eyes opened slowly. The dreamy haze that had dominated her senses seemed to have been lifted somewhat, giving her the ability to think again. When she lifted her arm it was still shaking, and looked bony well beyond anorexia, but at least she wasn't trapped out on that boat anymore. In fact, it was even better. She was lying in a soft bed in what looked like a log cabin of some sort.
Clover stood over her bed, smiling down at her with her hand lying on top of Alex's. "Good morning."
"Clover..." Alex muttered in a voice only slightly above a whisper. "Are you the real one... or the fake one?"
"I'm as real as you need me to be girl." Clover grinned wickedly, obviously enjoying torturing Alex's starved mind. Alex sighed and closed her eyes again, wishing she knew what was going on, or even where she was. Was Clover really here, or was she still alone?
Whether Clover was there or not, it seemed she wasn't alone anyway. "You're awake, that's a good sign." The woman with the thick Irish accent approached the side of the bed, smiling down at her. Now that she was no longer engulfed in her dream haze, Alex could begin to really study her features.
She had fiery red hair that was held up on top of her head in a bun, with shining green eyes and a full figured body. Her body was well chiseled with muscle, her hands looked strong and capable. Her strength seemed to be amplified by a strong jaw line ending in a slightly protruding chin that, combined with the inner conviction that shone in her eyes, made her the strongest woman Alex had ever seen.
"Wh... where am I?" Alex croaked softly.
"Don't speak yet lassie, ye need ta regain yer strength." The woman picked up a bottle from the nightstand beside the bed, tilting a small stream of water into her mouth. "There ye go. This is me cottage on the west coast." The woman told her gently.
"So... I'm in... California?" Alex asked wondrously. Had she floated halfway across the world?
The woman above her laughed jovially, shaking her head. "No lassie, this is Ireland, not America." Oh... that would explain the accent, Alex thought sheepishly to herself. "Ye need some food in ye, I'll get ye somethin'." The woman stood up to walk over to a small icebox on one side of the room. Alex looked up at Clover, who was still watching her from the bedside. Her rescuer hadn't even noticed her.
"You're not the real Clover..." Alex muttered disappointedly.
"That's no way to think." Clover replied. "I am Clover, no matter what anyone or anything else says." Alex nodded. It would certainly be less lonely to have her best friend by her side through all of this.
"Here ye go." The woman returned with a bowl of soup, setting it on the nightstand beside her. "I thought this would be the easiest thing fer ye ta eat." She said.
"Thank you." Alex reached out with one trembling hand and grabbed the spoon, pouring a bit of it down her throat. It tasted terrible, but after having something edible enter it, her stomach wasn't about to let her stop eating. So she continued shoveling it into her mouth.
"My, ye have quite an appetite for a wee lass." The woman smiled.
"It's been forever since I've eaten anything..." Alex explained between gulps. "I'm sorry... my name's Alex."
"Helen." The woman smiled down at her. "Eat up, and ye'll be fine soon enough."
Alex stopped eating and pushed herself to a sitting position with much difficulty. "I can't stay here long... my friends are probably waiting for me in America... I have to get back to them. It's important..."
"Ye won't be goin' anywhere in the state yer in." Helen smirked, pushing Alex easily back onto the bed with one arm without even having to flex those huge muscles. "Rest a few days, then ye can go wherever ye wish. I'm not about ta let a wee lass travel in these dangerous times in yer condition." Alex sighed and resumed eating. "If ye need me, I'll be right over there." Helen pointed to a comfortable looking chair on the other side of the room in front of a fireplace.
As she walked away Alex glanced up at Clover, who was smiling back down at her. "She's right, you rest up for a few days. You won't help anyone if you die on the way back." Clover told her. Alex sighed, knowing her imaginary friend was right. A few more days, and she could go find her friends again...
Blossom floated into the tent that had been designated as the city mess-hall, where survivors came to eat their fill and talk quietly among themselves. The voices all died down as Blossom entered. They tried not to stare at her, but she knew their attention had shifted to her. She was used to it. It happened every time she came in here... or went anywhere, for that matter.
She floated up to the front of the mess hall and looked up at the cook. "Give me whatever you got."
"Here you go Blossom." The cook dumped a large portion on her plate before handing it over to her. Blossom smirked and took it, turning to float toward one of the lightweight plastic park tables that served as dinner tables. She sat down in the folding lawn chair and started eating until a familiar, annoying, nasally voice came up behind her.
"Blossom, Blossom, Blossom." Blossom growled and looked back at Princess Morebucks, the redheaded pig-snouted brat of Pokey Oaks. The last few weeks hadn't done much for her looks or demeanor. Her normally perfectly curled hair hung about her head in craggy sections, and her face was as smudge-covered as everyone else's. In a way, it was nice to see that all of her money hadn't saved her from the end of the world.
"What do you want? Want to pat me on the back for coming to save your fat ass?" Blossom grunted and rolled her eyes.
Princess laughed and shook her head, taking the seat beside her. "Hardly, just come to see the fallen hero of the world." She smirked. Blossom looked over at her curiously. "I knew you girls would fail one day without me, and look what happened. You should have let me be a Powerpuff Girl when you had the chance. Now you've blown it and screwed us all."
Blossom howled lurched up from her seat. Her hand locked around Princesses flabby throat, lifting her from her seat. The entire tent went quiet, as everyone turned to stare at her in shock. Even Princess' eyes went wide with stunned fear. "You shut up you fat little fuck." Blossom growled loudly, her grip tightening.
Princess gasped for breath, clutching at Blossom's arm desperately. The rest of the Townsville citizens in the tent watched in horror, muttering among themselves. Several shook their heads, talking amongst themselves. They were turning on her... it was no surprise. If she wouldn't protect them, they had no need of her.
Blossom howled in a rage and hurled Princess across the table. She slammed into the chair on the far side, tilting it back and slamming into the floor. Several people from the table beside their rushed to her aid, but the rest simply stared at Blossom with those wide, stunned eyes.
"You all keep your mouths shut!" Blossom screamed at them, her clenched fists turning white. "If even one of you tells Him or his lackeys where I am, you'll go down before I do I swear it! Have you all got me!?" Everyone else in the tent nodded slowly, still in shock. Blossom turned and floated out of the tent calmly, leaving them to take care of Princess. She didn't care anymore, screw them all. She was getting tired of listening to their crap. They would listen to her just as well through fear as they would through kindness.
Looking to the side, she saw Robin standing just outside the tent, watching Blossom with a mask of shock. Finally, she understood what Blossom had been saying. She was through catering to them and their petty insignificant wants. Robin finally understood... it was about time.
Sam and Mandy paced leisurely down the beach, looking out across the ocean beside them as the sun retreated behind the liquid horizon. The crimson sunset was amplified by the deepening red of the sky overhead, bathing the ocean in a blood-red hue. They were both wearing dresses that Mandy had left here during the last summer vacation. So far the supplies they'd brought with them in the van had kept them alive, but soon they would have to start braving trips into the city in search of food.
"So many things I'll probably never get to do..." Sam commented, swinging her good arm with every stride she took. Her wounded arm was still held close to her body. "Senior Prom..."
"Yeah..." Mandy agreed softly.
"Being a mother..."
"Yeah..."
"Being with a loved one on the beach..." Sam sighed, waiting for Mandy's agreement. When it didn't come she quirked one eyebrow and shot Mandy a curious glance.
"What? I've been coming here every summer since before I can remember, do you think I wasted all that time?" Mandy replied.
"Wow. Who was it? What happened?" Sam asked curiously.
"Well..." Mandy blushed, looking down at the sand. "I was twelve... he was thirteen..." A smile spread across her face. "We'd been talking over the last few summers, and on the phone during the rest of the year. This time we decided to get together... seriously, get together." Sam smiled, urging her to continue with a hand gesture.
"We came out to the beach after midnight. After all, what could be more romantic than being out on a beach under the stars and moon with your significant other?" She sighed and shook her head, lost in her memories. "But we chickened out after a bit of caressing... so we spent the rest of the night staring up at the stars in each others' arms..."
"That's so romantic." Sam sighed wistfully.
"Yeah... if only my mom thought so." Mandy smirked. "We fell asleep, and she found us the next morning. She rushed me inside, frantically asking me questions. What we did... what we didn't do..."
"They took him away..." Sam said softly.
"Bingo." Mandy sighed. "I never saw him or heard of him again after that. Whenever I asked my mom about him, she just said 'he'll be taken care of Mandy. Just try to forget what he did to you.' They even put me in therapy..."
Sam stared at her blankly. Therapy? She'd always thought Mandy needed mental help in school, but she didn't think she was actually getting it. Sam blinked as something clicked. "So... that's why you were so pissed off... why you wanted to be better than everyone, to control everything. Because you lost control with him."
"I guess... I never really thought about it." Mandy shrugged. "After this all started happening though, the world went to shit... it was weird. It felt like the fear lifted... I could finally take control of my life in a chaotic world. Nobody else was going to control it, nobody else was going to tell me what I should feel about what happens, so I finally could." She chuckled slightly. "I really am crazy... being happier in this Hell than I was back home with all my money and popularity."
"No... you're not crazy." Sam smiled slightly and nodded. "To be honest, the last few days here with you have felt... liberating." Mandy looked over at her curiously. "Living how we want, doing nothing, lounging. You're right... we control ourselves. No worries, no responsibilities." Sam looked over at her with a tender smile. "If this is Hell, then I'm fine with it."
Mandy smiled back and slid over to walk closer to her. Sam lifted her good arm and slid it around Mandy's shoulders, squeezing them comfortingly. Mandy lay her head on Sam's shoulder, closing her eyes. This world was just fine. As long as this peace continued, they could stay here forever.
Blossom sat in the small tent they'd given her upon her arrival in Townsville. She could hear the people outside buzzing about the incident in the mess hall. They were freaked out. Their hero had gone psycho. She even heard a few wishing they could kick her out of the small settlement. As she'd thought, the instant she showed any inclination not to protect them, they would turn on her.
She looked up from the book she'd salvaged from the Townsville library to see Robin enter, closing the flap behind her. "Will you quit stalking me? Haven't you figured it out yet? I don't care about any of you." Blossom growled. She was getting sick of being followed around by this girl. She just refused to take the hint.
"But I care about you." Robin replied softly. She moved into the center of the tent, watching Blossom nervously. "And I want you to stop being so mean..."
Blossom laughed wickedly, pushing herself up from the bed and stalking up to Robin confidently. Robin shook slightly, but didn't back away. "What, are you going to stop me?"
"No... just ask..." Robin muttered softly.
"Get out of here you spineless little nuisance. Go tell them where I am if you want, I don't care." Blossom smirked. "As long as I don't have to look at you pathetic little wretches anymore, I'll be happy."
"I'm your friend Blossom." Robin replied softly. "Even if you're not mine anymore..." She stopped and whirled when they heard the sound of a whistle outside. Another followed suit, until an entire symphony lit up the evening sky. Robin's face went pale, staring at the flap in the front of the tent.
"What's with that racket?" Blossom grumbled. The noise was giving her a headache.
"It's the shadows... they're back..." Robin looked at Blossom fearfully. Blossom just stared at her, crossing her arms over her chest. Robin gulped and turned back to the exit. "Stay here Blossom... I won't let them get to you, I promise." Robin marched to the door and pushed it open, walking outside. Blossom used her X-Ray vision to look through the cloth and keep track of events.
One black shadow landed in the middle of the gathering of Townsville survivors. It was impossible to tell which girl or boy it was. They seemed to have long since become nothing more than black shadows with glowing pools of crimson for eyes. The voice that echoed from the figure was a dark hiss that didn't seem to hold any trace of Blossom's sisters or nemesis'.
"We're back to ask again." The shadow hissed. "Where is Powerpuff Girl Blossom? Has she returned?" The figure looked around as the citizens began to shake their heads. A few of them hesitated however, drawing the shadow's attention over to them. "Have you seen her?"
"N... no..." The man stuttered fearfully. One swift blow from the shadow was all it took to snap his neck back at an unnatural angle, sending him sprawling to the ground in a twisted heap.
"I know she's here. I can see your fear... and I can smell her Chemical-X stink." The shadow, floated through the crowd, its crimson pools studying each and every citizen. They backed away from the shadow as it floated through them, until it suddenly stopped, its eyes settling on Robin. The crowd parted, forming a circle around the little. "The stink is strongest on you."
"I... I'm not saying anything!" Robin shouted, though her arms were shaking with fear. Blossom frowned. She would spill... she would give away Blossom and save herself.
The shadow floating up to Robin, gripping the front of her overalls and pulling her close. Robin shivered in fear, trying to look away from the large pools that were the creature's eyes. "Tell me where she is." The hiss demanded. Blossom tensed herself to get ready to bolt. Maybe she could outrun them before they realized just where she was. Robin was visibly sweating, but she closed her eyes and shook her head.
"I... I... won't... I won't tell!" Robin squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her teeth in anticipation of the impending death she knew would come.
"Useless little brat." The shadow's fist rose behind it, aiming straight for the middle of Robin's head. Suddenly a pink burst of light streaked through the crowd, slamming into the shadow and sending it hurtling into one of the rubble heaps that lined the street. Four more shadows instantly streaked to that spot, circling Blossom high in the air until their fifth member joined them.
"B... Blossom..." Robin muttered shakily, staring up at her. Blossom didn't know what she was doing. She WAS a brat, a useless little brat... but something wouldn't let her watch Robin die.
"You've been looking for me? Well you finally found me!" Blossom shouted up at them. "Now earn the right to take me back to Him!" Blossom's power built in her small body until she flung herself upward. The ground she'd been standing on burst outward in a small crater as the pink flash lit up the sky. The shadows streaked down toward her, each one lifting its fist.
Blossom slammed into one of the shadows with a feral scream, sending it hurtling back as the other four converged on her. She whirled and smacked one across the face, but the other three pounded into her vigorously until she managed to grab one fist and fling it into the other two shadows. By then, the two she'd taken out earlier came back and slammed into her, sending her hurtling toward the debris of Townvsille.
She slammed into what had once been City Hall, sending huge chunks of debris flying into the air. No sooner had she climbed to her feet than all five shadows slammed into her, plunging her deep into the rubble like a hammer coming down on a loose nail. She burst back up through another spot in the rubble, slamming her fist into one of the shadows. It hurtled into another debris pile as Blossom started hurling pieces of debris at the other four shadows.
The shadows broke through the debris easily and slammed into Blossom as one, sending her sailing into the paved street. She plunged deep into it, finally coming to a stop at the bottom of a large hole. The shadows plunged into the hole after her, but Blossom took a deep breath and blew forth a cloud of sub-zero ice. The ice coated the area above her in a six-foot thick sheet.
Blossom whirled and slammed herself into the soft Earth, tunneling as fast as she could. Already she could hear the shadows pounding their way through her blockade, it would only be a moment before they resumed their pursuit. She could be long gone by then... but that would leave the Townvsille citizens to take the brunt of their rage.
"God... why can't I just abandon those low-lifes!?" Blossom demanded of herself. She whirled as the ice shattered and a wave of darkness flooded through the tunnels toward her. Blossom threw herself into the ceiling, tunneling with all her might as the darkness came right up underneath her. Finally she exploded into the night sky, shooting into the air with the black shapes hot on her heels.
She gasped when one of the shadows caught her foot. Instantly they were all on her, pummeling her from every direction at once. She slammed her fist into one, flailing wildly, but two of the shadows caught her arms, holding them out to the sides. Two others caught her legs, pulling them out to their full extension. Blossom struggled against her captivity, but she had no leverage.
She growled as the fifth shadow floated up to her slowly, its crimson eyes narrowing. "So... which little traitor are you?" Blossom demanded angrily. "Buttercup? Bubbles? Or are you one of the really evil ones? You all look alike to me." Blossom sneered. Suddenly a fist slammed into the side of her face, snapping her head back.
The shadow's fists plunged into her body in a furious barrage, digging into every piece of flesh they could find exposed on her body. Tears of pain ran down Blossom's cheeks as the shadow dug into her stomach. Suddenly it shifted to her face, pounding it well beyond recognition, and not even stopping then.
Finally the shadow stopped and floated back. Blood rained from Blossom's body to the city miles below, while she hung limp in the arms of her captors. Still she raised her head weakly, panting and crying in pain. "I won't... serve Him..." She gulped in pain. "I don't care... what he does... I won't give in like you..."
The shadow turned away from her and floated away, followed by the other four. They dragged Blossom with them through the air. Blossom let her head hang down to her chest, staring down at the city. She could see the people gathered near Pokey Oaks Elementary, staring up at her in shock and horror. Had she been fighting to protect them? Why? They were useless whiny little worms...
She blinked when her gaze settled on Robin. The little girl had her hands clasped in front of her against her chest, watching her with tears running down her face. They closed your heart. That was what Robin had told her. Had her heart opened somehow? Was what she felt compelled to do... what she really wanted? Or had the girl gotten to her somehow? It was so confusing... was her heart that of a survivor... or a hero?
TO BE CONTINUED