Heightened Tensions- Chapter 11

It had almost seemed as if Buttercup had disappeared off the face of the earth. Bubbles had been running through the streets for what seemed like twenty-minutes, and just couldn't find her black-haired sister. Wherever she was, she wanted to be hidden.

Bubbles skidded to a stop next to an empty construction site, leaning her body over in an effort to catch her breath. This street was strangely deserted, and for some reason everything had gone deathly quiet. She could barely even hear the sounds of traffic coming from the busy street that lay in front of her.

She jerked her head up towards the sky, trying to catch some sort of glimpse of Mojo's robot, the one that had been chasing her for weeks. She'd seen it while she had been standing with Blossom, its scarce form barely hidden among the tops of the skyscrapers, but she could see it none the less. Blossom hadn't seen it, but then again, she hadn't known what she would have been looking for.

Bubbles had suspected that was the reason why Mojo had even been in the bank. He wanted to get them out of school, away from the crowded nature of a school building, so that they'd be more out in the open… so that it would be easier for the robot to find her. Mojo did know it was after her, and he was doing anything he could to make sure it met its ultimate objective. He wanted this thing to stay elusive, he wanted it to stay a secret, so he had taken steps to make sure the general public didn't become aware of this monstrosity.

Before, it had only seemed to happen at night, the beast lurching out at her from the shadows only when she'd happened to be alone. What was strange, is that it always seemed to pop up out of nowhere, and always seemed to know exactly where she was… almost like it was tracking her.

The robot, which she'd given a name in order to bring some sort of sense to the situation, was called X in reference to the possibility that it was powered by the same chemical that ran through her own veins. Bubbles didn't really know exactly what made it tick, but found that she didn't really care. She'd given up fighting it, having only found herself wounded all the times she'd tried the first few instances it had showed its hollow face.

At first she hadn't known what to feel. The first nights she'd run into it, always in the most awkward of places on quiet streets, she'd been too confused to really feel any sort of emotion. Afterwards, once she was finished with her panicked flight in the opposite direction, she'd be too full of adrenaline to even be scared.

But then things had started to get worse, and had gotten more violent. This machine, whatever it was, was starting to get more daring when it attacked her. Bubbles was also starting to find out that it was much faster, and a lot more agile than it looked. That was when she'd started getting scared, really scared, mixed with an overwhelming fear of anger an annoyance.

It was the fact that she didn't know what it was, and didn't know what it was really capable of. She did however, know that it could kill her, bearing witness to several deep battle wounds and scratches that she'd had to hide from her family.

Her family still didn't know what was going on, but she knew that they suspected something wrong. Bubbles was fully aware that she was acting very out of the ordinary. She'd gotten snappy, and jumpy, and it was starting to seem as if she'd taken over Buttercup's role in the family as the grouchy bitch. Bubbles just couldn't control herself, but this whole business with her friend X was putting her on edge, and in a constant sense of panic that she couldn't express to anyone on the outside. She was angry, angry because she'd been reduced to a coward, and angry at the machine that was putting her life through hell. Not to mention the fact that she really wanted to strangle Mojo.

It was tracking her. It always seemed to know where she was as if it was following her scent. She didn't know how, but it was a bloodhound, searching out its master's prize; her.

Bubbles scanned the bony shells of the half-completed buildings that loomed over her. She sensed it, she knew it was up there. Just show yourself…

And her prayers were answered, and there was a defined shriek as Bubbles felt something massive slam into the ground behind her. She spun, throwing her arms up in preparation for some sort of attack, and nearly screamed as X took shape in front of her. Its body lifted from a crouch, its metallic form unfolding like a beast rising to a stand. She hadn't seen it… Where had it come from?

Bubbles backed off, shaking her head in disbelief, her reaction to every encounter. She felt the tears gathering in her eyes, and the sickening fear gathering in the pit of her stomach. The shame and anger boiling away inside of her, alerting her mind to the fact that once again she had to run… she had to get away and stay alive…

In its characteristic, wordless demeanor, it lifted one massive arm, its strange, claw-like hand reaching towards her as if she would walk right into its grasp. But Bubbled wouldn't, she knew what she had to do, but felt all the worse for doing it.

She turned and fled, taking off in the opposite direction, hoping to god that it wouldn't follow her. But at that point she didn't care… she would worry about the potential danger to innocents when the time came… this monster didn't seemed too interested in hurting other people, only her, and that was the only reason why she felt okay to run towards the street in front of her. Mojo wants this to stay hidden…

And sure enough, X didn't run after her. She merely sensed it leap from its spot on the ground, latch onto a ledge of one of the buildings, and disappear into the jungle of rooftops of the city. It was going to follow her, but it was going to follow her from above, and was going to attack when it felt the timing was right.

Bubbles veered onto the busy street, scattering clumps of startled people as she ran through them, not really seeing where she was going. At this point, she didn't know where she intended to go, and was just hoping that maybe she could lose it somewhere along the way… but something told her that was doubtful.

She wasn't watching where she was going. Her eyes were scanning the sky, and only darted around things the corners of her vision could catch. Then-

SLAM!

"WAAAH!"

"OOF!"

Bubbles crashed to the pavement, twisted around the body of some person she'd crashed into, some person who she hadn't seen. As she hit the ground, jarring her scrapped up elbow on the concrete, she felt her anger burst.

"WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!?" she bellowed, trying to pull herself up, but found her legs tangled up in the legs of some other person, some other girl.

"You ran into me, Bubble-brain," the voice was harsh and angry, and Bubbles finally realized that she knew that voice all too well.

"Buttercup!"

"What?!" she sounded completely harassed and irritated.

"I found you!"

"I can see that, you moron… why don't you watch where you're going. When you don't look where you're running, you're bound to hit something…"

"I…" Bubbles started, feeling slightly ashamed that she'd gotten angry, without realizing that it had been her who'd caused the collision in the first place.

"Get off me… people are staring…" Buttercup said harshly, pushing Bubbles's body away from her. Indeed, many people were standing, staring at the two of them on the ground like they were animals in the zoo.

"You can't honestly tell me you were in that big of a hurry just to find me…"

"Well, I was…"

"But you were looking up. Surely you didn't think I'd be flying?"

Bubbles looked at her sister hesitantly, who was now standing and dusting her nobly knees from the crash. Bubbles remained on the ground, her better judgment to tell someone battling with her own pride to keep her cowardice hidden.

"I… thought maybe you'd be up there…"

"You're lying."

"I am not!" Bubbles responded tartly, leaping up from the pavement. Buttercup started walking in the opposite direction, not even giving Bubbles a second glance.

"Where are you going?!" Bubbles wailed. "We have to go back to school!"

"Screw school. We've already been excused for the day-"

"STOP!" and Bubbles suddenly lashed out and snatched Buttercup's arm, halting her sister in her tracks. Buttercup froze, and looked at Bubbles, her green eyes flaring over with an offended fire. Bubbles let go of her arm and moved to stand next to her, keeping her eyes locked with her sister.

"We need to talk."

And Buttercup rolled her eyes, turning away from Bubbles in an attempt to maneuver out of the situation.

"There's nothing to talk about-"

"Why are you shoving this under the rug like it's no big deal?! You're sick, Buttercup! You need help!"

"I am NOT sick… and I don't NEED anybody's help. Just leave me alone-"

"But if we leave you alone you're only going to get worse! We're worried about you, and we're scared that you're letting yourself waste away. You don't talk, you don't eat, you don't-"

"Fine! I get the picture!"

"Buttercup… I'm serious… That's why I followed you… without Blossom."

Buttercup snorted in distaste, and turned her eyes forward. A scowl spread across her face that was unmistakable.

"See! You have some serious issues with her that you guys really need to sort out-"

"Oh, and I suppose you're gonna' be my shrink?"

"No. I'm trying to be someone you can talk to. I don't like it when you two fight."

"She doesn't seem to care-"

"That isn't true and you know it!"

They kept walking, and Bubbles momentarily forgot about X, her only real concern being her sister. Bubbles did feel safer when surrounded by people, and found that her mind had drifted off to more important matters now that she was with her sister. They were moving closer to the Downtown area of Townsville, and in a block or so would be in the Megalon Shopping District.

It was a large portion of Townsville, about7 blocks in length, lined with shops that carried all the latest trends in both clothing and merchandising. You could buy almost anything, you could do almost anything, and it was a frequent tourist spot for many people who came into Townsville on vacation. It was surrounded by some of the tallest skyscrapers, lined with blinking, flashy billboards advertising the latest in commercial products, and the streets were always bustling with shoppers and the mascots that stood outside their stores to bring the buyers in. It was the busiest place in Townsville, and was also the biggest target for villains.

Buttercup and Bubbles walked towards it, moving smoothly through the crowd, blending in with the normal citizens of Townsville. Hardly anyone was giving them a second glance as they went about their business, and Bubbles felt that was just as well, seeing as they were having a fairly private conversation.

"She's been doing everything to make sure you don't become a ghost. She's tried to keep you involved in the family…"

Buttercup didn't say anything, and she was looking at the ground, dragging her feet with her fists shoved into the front pocket of her hoodie.

"I'm just tired of feeling alone…" Buttercup said, her tone much softer than before. Beneath her words Bubbles could read an emotion that was much more intense and painful than what Buttercup was letting on.

"But- why would you think that? You're not alone…"

"You don't see it… but I do… I'm an outcast…"

"You're not an outcast…"

"I am! And nobody sees it but me!"

"But you're the only one who sees it, because you're the only one who thinks it's true!"

"I'm not important to you guys… I never was-"

"You're being ridiculous. Of course you're important."

They both stopped and Bubbles looked at her with her eyes full of empathy and concern. If this was really the root of Buttercup's problem, then something had to be done. She had to tell Blossom, and she had to tell the professor, but she knew that Buttercup would not give this information freely if she knew that Bubbles was going to blab.

"Look. You're just as important as we are… I mean… so what if you don't have anything unique… that doesn't make any of us better than you…"

But perhaps Bubbles had chosen the wrong words, because Buttercup's face snapped in her direction, and Bubbles was surprised to see that her eyes were red and glistening over with tears.

"Did I say something wrong?" Bubbles asked mournfully, hurt, unsure if she should apologize. Unsure if she'd even said anything hurtful at all. Buttercup just shook her head angrily and closed her eyes.

"You just don't understand how it feels… I'm losing my mind, My powers are going crazy… I'm falling apart… and then I see you guys so happy… and composed…"

"What?!" Bubbles said incredulously. "Composed?! Hardly! I can't even keep my temper with the professor anymore… ever since that-"

Buttercup's eyes suddenly widened in alarm, and Bubbles realized that she'd said too much.

"What?!"

"Nothing."

"No, you were going to say something."

"It's nothing."

"No. You said yourself you have problems too. Now, what is it?"

"Really, it's-"

"You do realize that you're starting to act like me."

And Bubbles pursed her lips, scrunching her brows while she tried to think, trying to sort out exactly what she'd tell Buttercup without sounding too stupid. She definitely didn't want to be compared to her green-eyed sister.

"Well… okay…"

"I told you my problem… now you tell me yours…"

"But Buttercup, I know you're hiding something else-"

"That isn't important anymore. I'm more worried about you."

Bubbles started walking again, casting her eyes downward awkwardly.

"You're actually worried about me?"

"Of course I am," Buttercup said shortly, moving to join Bubbles in their stroll down the sidewalk. Bubbles was momentarily distracted by a shop window full of flashing electronics, but then she finally turned back to Buttercup, biting her lip nervously.

"Do you remember when we were in that department store… er- the professor was buying a new microwave?"

Buttercup snorted, "How could I forget? Red was really pissed off that day."

Bubbles sighed reproachfully and raised her eyes, shrugging it off.

"Yes, but that isn't the point of what I'm saying… I'm talking about Mojo's robot."

"That tin can? What about it?"

Bubbles crewed up her face in anger, partially offended by the off-handed way Buttercup regarded the being that was now trying to kill her.

"Well, that tin can is back… and its been following me!"

"Come again?"

"The reason I come home late every night! The reason why I can't even talk to the professor anymore without screaming at him! It has me on edge, because its following me-"

"So?"

"ARE YOU THAT DENSE?! IT'S TRYING TO KILL ME!" she raised her voice a little too loud, startling a few scattered shoppers who were passing by. They hurried on, shaking their heads, but Bubbles ignored them entirely.

"Just fight it-"

"I can't!" Bubbles wailed. "It's made out of X3Ti6!! It's too strong for us to deal with, and it can kill us… that's why Blossom's hand was bleeding…"

Buttercup blinked a few times as if the information was just starting to process through her brain. She shook her head warily, and raised her eyebrows.

"You're crazy, Bubs. Nothing is following you-"

"Oh yeah?!" she cried, simultaneously bringing her right forearm up to Buttercup's face and tearing away a thick bandage, only to reveal the scabbing of a deep cut in her flesh.

"Tell me, am I imagining this?!" and she nearly shoved the foul wound into Buttercup's face, hovering it at her eye-level challengingly. Buttercup's gaze locked onto it, and her eyes widened with sickening surprise.

"Holy shit, Bubbles."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I said… and that's also exactly what I'm in. I have no idea how to deal with this. We can't fight it… I'll just have to keep running…"

"No you don't. We can deal with this…"

"No! That's just it! This thing is too strong! I've already tried fighting it! Mojo's done it this time, Buttercup… he's figured out how to win…"

"Bah, nonsense. He won't win-"

"It was following me today… that was why I was running… but it doesn't attack me when I'm in a crowd. It only attacks while I'm alone… so if I stay around people… I'm fine…"

Buttercup stared at her sister firmly, her darkened eyes showing a disregard for her own problems. She sighed heavily,

"I don't know, Bubbles… Have you told Blossom… or the professor?"

"No! I wasn't even going to tell you…"

"Well, you probably should- Hey! Why not?!" Buttercup cried, affronted that her sister was so adamant to keep a secret like this from her. Bubbles looked really pained, and like there was something she really needed to express, but just couldn't in the way she really wanted to.

"Because… you're mean to me… you've always been mean to me…"

Buttercup narrowed her eyes at Bubbles, and put her hands on slender hips. Her expression was one of disbelieved disgust. Bubbles halted in her words, noticing Buttercup's change in expression, and pointed her finger at her sister's face.

"And you're doing it now! You've always had this condescending way about you that makes me never want to confide in you!"

"Condescending?! You think I treat you like a baby?!"

"YES!"

There was a moment of silence between them, and Buttercup looked down at the ground, her hands still planted firmly at her waist. She almost looked like she was going to apologize, but Bubbles decided to open her mouth first.

"You treat me like a baby… when its YOU who's acting like YOU'RE THREE!"

Buttercup's jaw dropped in denial, her brow slanted in a snarl.

"The only person who's a baby is you! You still dress like a baby, you still act like a baby-"

"FUCK OFF BUTTERCUP! I'M SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU!" Bubbles let her temper and anger burst, and she did something she never though she would ever do. She narrowed her eyes, and marched right up to her sister, and with all her strength she shoved Buttercup hard back onto the pavement.

Buttercup fell, landing on her backside roughly, her eyes wide in disbelief that Bubbles had just exerted some form of violence on her. That was also when she realized that they were still in public, and people were watching. In fact, they'd all stopped in their tracks, and their staring faces were open with shock. Wasn't this sort of thing illegal?

"You think you're the only person with problems in the world! Oh look at me, I'm Buttercup… and I HATE EVERYTHING. POOR, POOR ME-"

"And you fight like a baby too-" Buttercup said, a muttered breath that nobody could hear except Bubbles, who was standing over her with her shoulders heaving with rage.

"If you hate your life so much…" Bubbles started, her teeth bared, tears in her eyes. Perfect timing. The one time Buttercup was accusing her of still acting like a child, she had to start crying. But she was also hesitating, for fear of the power of the words she really wanted to let go.

Buttercup was still sitting on the ground, her head bowed, her hands supporting her body on either side of her. Her image was so sickening to Bubbles, the way her body looked so frail and weak, and the way her reaction seemed so pathetic. It just made her even angrier, that Buttercup could treat her like this, when it was clearly her who had some serious problems.

Buttercup lifted her eyes to Bubbles, who was surprised to find no emotion whatsoever in her sister's gaze.

"You don't have to say it… I know what you're thinking…"

"Buttercup… I didn't mean it… Please don't take me seriously…"

Buttercup did know what she had been about to say… and that just made Bubbles feel even more ashamed. It was something so terrible, and so horrible, that the guilt for even thinking of it was driving her crazy. Bubbles wanted to desperately say something to Buttercup, but she had already stood, and had turned her back to her sister.

"Buttercup, wait! Don't go! I didn't mean it!" Bubbles managed to choke, this time, not caring if the entire shopping district was seeing her cry.

"Don't worry about it… and I'm sorry… I hope everything turns out okay for you…" and Buttercup started walking in the other direction. Bubbles was left standing alone, wondering what Buttercup's words really meant, and hoping that the people around her would just stop staring and disappear.