Chapter Two
'We sat there in the fields, blowing bubbles while watching the buttercups bloom to full blossom, my sisters and I.' It was the only words spoken, the only words written, the only words visible in that dream. Her secret dream. The one thing she kept hidden. The dream that came to her when she was scared, nervous, sad or stressed. It comforted her, relaxed her. She never understood it, but it was always welcomed. They were always there in the field of flowers. The blonde girl, always wearing a smile, the very incarnation of childhood innocence, unrestrained joy and unconditional love. The redhead, her rose colored eyes shining with an unfathomable intelligence, glowing with a radiant natural beauty. They beckoned to her, inviting her to play with them, to dance with them, to laugh with them. All within a field of yellow flowers while translucent spheres danced in the winds above, while a man in a white lab coat watched them, smiling approvingly.
The travel alarm clock shook B.C. from the arms of Morphius. After a quick shower and the standard morning routine of most young women, B.C. dressed her self in the clothes befitting a young female executive. She packed up what little she unpacked and threw her belongings back into the car and headed to the front office to pay her hosts. As she approached the front office, the trio of children from last night scampered out the door. One of them, a strawberry blonde girl turned towards B.C. and gazed at her.
"Are you gonna fix the city." The child asked staring at B.C. with light brown eyes.
"I might." B.C. answered.
"You mustn't do that. You'll wake the devil."
"Huh?"
"The City of Townsville is where the devil sleeps. The streets are his blankets and he has a pillow stuffed with lost souls. That's what the grown ups say."
"Felicity, get your butt to the bus stop or it's gonna get paddled!" Morebucks screeched from the office. The girl giggled and waved good bye to B.C. before trotting off to the curb where her siblings stood. B.C. stood in shock at the strange comment while watching the children board a decaying school bus. She shook her head nearly mussing her black hair.
"Hmph, weird kid." She muttered to herself, entering the building. B.C. handed Princess Morebucks the company credit card while grabbing a faded street map. Princess grunted something resembling thanks, after B.C. signed the credit slip.
B.C. hastily left the motel, eager to get away from the unpleasant owners. After stopping at a convenience store for an impromptu breakfast, B.C. drove into charred remains of what was once the subdivision of Pokey Oaks. B.C. tried her best to ignore the scorched husks of houses and their silent testimony of the horrors of twenty years ago. However one particular house grabbed her attention immediately. A white, geometrically square, house was decorated with spray painted accusations. 'TRAITORS, MURDERERS, FRAUDS, WHY DID YOU ABANDON US.' Though the seething art had faded from age, the message was grim indicator of who once lived in the wretched building. B.C. pulled over and grabbed a digital camera from the glove compartment. B.C. walked over to inspect the relatively unscathed mailbox. 'The Utoniums' was visible in raised letters. B.C. took a picture of the scorched yet legible box lettering. ' A little treat for James.' She thought while getting back in the car.
"Townsville City Limits; Proud home of the DAMNED. CITY OF THE DEAD.' The last words were scrawled in the usual manner befitting graffiti. As bad as Pokey Oaks was, it a cakewalk compared to the decimated streets of downtown Townsville. The streets were a labyrinth of bomb craters, collapsed building fronts, burnt out cars and other debris. B.C., frustrated by the urban maze finally coaxed a young state worker to take time out from cleaning up a pile of rubble to draw directions on B.C.'s street map to city hall.
"Don't waste your time with anyone older than twenty, ma'am." He told her, "Anyone older than that are so messed up from the riots, you can barely get a thing out of most of 'em." B.C. wasn't too surprised at what the worker told her. The city looked as if Hell itself had erupted and consumed the place. While streets that the workman drew out for her were relatively clear, it was still tricky to navigate them due to small chunks of concrete and potholes littering the city corridors.
After some difficult driving, B.C. eventually reached City Hall. The old building was scarred from the events of twenty years ago, but still in relatively good condition. A few state workers, were busy cleaning the grounds around the seat of city government. B.C. entered the building and signed in the registry. The nineteen-year-old security guard pointed out the direction to the Mayor's office and resumed drinking his coffee. B.C. was greeted by the Mayor's secretary, a young woman whom B.C. figured to be a recent high school graduate.
"Mayor Bellum will see you shortly, Miss Luceid."
"Thank you." B.C. noticed an old newspaper as she sat down on the worn but comfortable chair. 'CITY MOURNS FALLEN HERO' the paper declared. Curious B.C. took the newspaper and began reading. 'Buttercup Utonium was declared dead by city police, in a press conference yesterday. Professor Utonium confirmed that the bloody clothing found by searchers on May 19th belonged to the famous superhero. Buttercup is survived by her father and two sisters..'
"Miss Luceid, the Mayor will see you now." B.C. dropped the newspaper, startled by the mayor's secretary. The young woman gave apologetic glance towards B.C. The young executive chuckled nervously, picked up the paper and put it back on the table where she found it. Before entering the office, the secretary pulled B.C. aside. "Ms. Bellum lost someone very important to her during the riots, please keep that in mind."
"Of course." B.C. gave the girl a reassuring smile before entering the Mayor's office.
B.C. scanned the mayor's office. The walls were adorned with multiple paintings of a strange old man, his right eye in a permanent squint, a monocle gracing his left, wearing old-fashioned clothes and sash proudly declaring his position as mayor. Sitting at a wooden desk was a middle aged woman, her hair turning from red to silver, clothed in black, a dark veil hiding her face from the rest of the world.
"You-You're.." The woman had sounded as is if she were addressing a ghost.
"Err.. I'm Bethany Luceid." B.C. introduced herself nervously, her thoughts turning towards the sidearm she tucked away in her dress jacket.
"Yes. Yes, of course. My apologies, Miss Luceid." Mayor Bellum seemed to calm down after B.C.'s introduction. "I'd like to thank you for coming out here today. I really don't have much to say, the government has prepared an estimation of the cost of repairs." The mayor said handing B.C. a manila envelope. "If you'd like, I can arrange for a police officer to give you a tour of the city."
"That'd be fine. Miss Bellum, if you don't mind me asking, why has it taken so long for the government to try to rebuild your city?"
Miss Bellum sighed sadly before answering, "Politics, I suppose. After the riots had ended, too many politicians wanted to make an example of us. The former mayor of Citisville was recently elected to congress, and had decided to use the opportunity to further his own career by sending the country on an anti-super power rampage. Townsville was a result of 'super hero dependence' he said, and others followed. The nation turned its eyes towards preventing our tragedy from repeating itself and forgotten about the people it left behind."
"Th-That's terrible."
"Yes, perhaps." Ms. Bellum turned her gaze towards the largest painting of the old man. "His last words were 'it was because we betrayed her. It was the price all of Townsville had to pay.' It was probably the most meaningful thing he ever said." The mayor glanced out the window noticing a patrol car pulling into the parking lot and activated the intercom, "Miss Weiss, one of our police officers has arrived. Please escort Miss Luceid outside and ask the officer to give her a tour of the city."
'Yes Miss Bellum.' The secretary's voice crackled over the intercom. Miss Weiss entered the office ready to receive her charge.
"Thank you once again for coming Miss Luceid. I wish I could talk to you longer but I have some important business to attend to."
"I'm glad to have met you Miss Bellum. I'll make my report to the company board as soon as I return. They'll contact you as soon as they've made a decision." B.C. shook hands with the aging mayor and left with Miss Weiss. The young woman led B.C. outside and spoke to the policeman leaning on a patrol car.
"Hmm, seems they sent a real cutie this time, eh Ashley." The cop smiled in B.C.'s direction.
"Knock it off, jerk. Miss Lucied this is Lieutenant Mitchellson, one of our city's finest."
"You can call me Mitch. Nice to meetcha." The cop told B.C. still smiling.
"Likewise. You can call me B.C." B.C. took an instant liking to the brown haired officer. The two shook hands and Mitch escorted B.C. to his car.
Sara Bellum watched sadly as the young CEO to be left in the black and white patrol car. Deep down she knew that Townsville was dead and was never coming back. The young people were leaving at an alarming rate, and the old people, those who could remember the riots and the terrible events that led to them had either ran out or were in poor mental condition. The end was near and no one was going to stop it from happening. Miss Bellum's thought turned toward her young visitor. 'Strange, for a moment I thought it was her.' The mayor thought silently while staring at an old picture of her city's lost angel.
B.C. thought to herself while Mitch talked about what the many ruined buildings used to be and what the occasional still standing building is.
"Somethin' on your mind?" Mitch asked when he noticed his less than captive audience.
"Actually, I'm a little curious about the super hero who was killed. What happened to her?" Mitch frowned at B.C.'s question, "I'm sorry, was that something I shouldn't have ask."
"Nah, it's okay. Buttercup was her name. She was a real piece of work. Tough as they came, and she was a lot of fun to hang out with." Mitch gave a sad sigh before continuing, "One day she and the other Powerpuff Girls were fighting Mojo Jojo, some super criminal monkey or chimp or something. I don't know the details but somehow Buttercup blew him up, killing the bastard. Next thing you knew, people starting whispering about her, giving her dirty looks, all sorts of crap. One day she just left. Don't know why personally, she just did. Few days later, the girls got a call on their hotline and just took off from class."
"Class? You mean they were kids?"
"Yeah, you didn't know that." B.C. turned beet red, 'Duh, B.C., those freaks at the hotel were practically your age. If James knew I didn't know the Powerpuff Girls were kids, he'd never let me hear the end of it.'
"Heh, don't worry about it. Anyways, they announced on the news that they found her dress in the woods all tore up and soaked in blood. After the funeral, their old man grabbed 'em and took off. Never saw any of the again. I think you know what happened next."
"The riots." B.C. answered quietly.
"Yep, I was lucky, the trailer park where I lived wasn't touched. My wife on the other hand.. Poor kid used to live next door to 'em. She was their best friend, she never was the same after that day."
"I see." B.C. responded sympathetically. The police car pulled over next to a cemetery.
"That's where they buried what was left of her, if you wanna take a look."
"Aren't you coming?" B.C. asked as she got out of the car.
"Nah, too many bad memories for me in there."
B.C. shrugged and entered the rusty gates leading to the final resting place of many of Townsville's citizens.
'God, it's like out of a horror movie.' B.C. thought nervously as she walked up the cracked and torn path. The grass was yellow, a few sprinklers spat a weak stream of water. The landscape was marked by crumbling monuments diminishing from years of neglect, their inscriptions fading. B.C. made out a few names, 'Fuzzy Lumpkins, Sanford D. Engleberry, (illegible) Morebucks.' B.C. came to a complete halt when she noticed a fine marble statue situated beyond the point where the path split in different directions. Unlike the other gravesites, this one had been well taken care of. The grass around the monument was green and well groomed. Plastic flowers were carefully arranged around the statue. The girl the statue depicted folded her arms, looking out on the world with a mischievous smile on her eternal face. A bronze plaque at the base of the statue read, 'Buttercup Utonium – Our Lost Angel. Rest in eternal peace.' B.C. felt a chill run up her spine as she gazed upon the grand monument. A voice in the back of her head that she thought had been long silenced screamed that she was looking at a false grave.
"A real beaut, ain't she." B.C. swung around to find a strange man standing a few feet behind her.
"Who're you." B.C. growled reaching for her gun. The man definitely looked suspicious. His clothes were filthy and ragged. His green complexion gave him a reptilian appearance. Worst of all, it was clear he had been drinking, smelling heavily of potent liqueurs.
"Hey relax, I'm da caretaker here. Da name's Ace."
"Doing a bang up job here Ace." B.C. replied sarcastically.
"Meh, none of dese joiks are worth it. Ain't worth da dirt dey're buried under. Buttercup on the other hand.." Ace paused to take a swig from the flask he had at his side. "She was the only one who ever treated me nice and I spit it back in her face." Ace's voice was heavy with regret. "I was just going to put these pictures out." Ace lovingly propped the pictures if front of the marble tombstone and staggered off to wherever he came from. B.C. looked at the pictures. The first one was the girl standing in the same pose as the statue above, the second was that same girl beating the crap out of some thug. The final picture shocked B.C. to her core. There the girl was posing with her family, the same ones from B.C.'s dream. The blonde girl in blue, the redheaded girl in pink, the man in the white coat, all with the late black haired, green eyed girl.
"H-how.. they're.. it's them, but how? Th-that's impossible" B.C. gawked at the photographs for a few minutes before summoning the resolve to take a picture of them with her own digital camera. Confused and a little scared, B.C. walked backed to the spot where Mitch was waiting for her.
Mitch lazily puffed away at the cigarette he lit up while his guest was visiting the cemetery. He noticed the young woman walking through the gates, looking a bit pale and scared. "Hey, are you alright. Ace didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"Huh, oh umm, no , no he didn't do anything. I'm fine thanks."
"Hmm, okay then, want to see anything else?"
"No, not really." B.C. got back into the patrol car, which then headed back to city hall. B.C. asked about the people and how they felt about any future reconstruction.
"In all honesty, I don't think you should waste your money or time." Mitch told her. "The younger people are moving out, hell, I'm about to get transferred to the Villageburg City Police myself. All the old folks, they're gone in the head. Hell, even if you tried to fix up the place, they'd try to stop you, afraid you might wake HIM up."
"Him? You mean.."
"Yeah, you've heard the saying right?"
"Where the devil sleeps." B.C. nearly shuddered when she thought of the creepy girl.
"The streets are his blankets, he has a pillow stuffed with lost souls. The curse of the city of the dead."
"Creepy."
"No kidding. Yeah, the wife and me are getting out of here. Hate to leave my hometown but there's nothing left for us here."
"Hmm." B.C. nodded while listening to the Lieutenant.
Mitch dropped B.C. off at her car and bid her farewell. B.C. got into the sports car and promptly left the remains of Townsville. She stopped at a rest area thirty miles after her stomach angrily reminded her it was time for lunch. After using the thankfully empty bathroom to change from her dress clothes to her more comfortable jeans and sweatshirt, B.C. grabbed a packet of trail mix from the backseat and scarfed it. Using the LCD display to look at the eerie pictures she took at the cemetery, B.C. thought about the family of the slain Buttercup. Who were they, why did appear in that one dream she always had, why did Buttercup never appear. She wanted answers, and there was only one way to get them. B.C. pulled out her cell phone and called up James.
"Hello?"
"Hi, James, it's me."
"Hi, sweetie, how was Townsville?"
"Uhh, I'll talk about it later, I need you to do me a huge favor."
"Sure, what do you need."
"I need you to find out what happened to the Utonium family, where are they now."
"The Utonium family? You mean the Powerpuff Girls?"
"Yeah!"
"I don't know, B.C., I mean they vanished right before the Townsville riots. What do want with them anyways?"
"It's kinda personal right now. Please, sweetie, for me."
"Alright, I'll see what I can dig up."
"Thanks, I owe you one. Love ya, bye-bye." B.C. hung up her phone and slipped it back in her pocket. 'He'll find something. I mean this is the guy who broke into the high school computer and listed all teachers as dead.' B.C. took one last breath of fresh air before getting back into her car and driving to Citiesville.