Chapter 2: A New Enemy and a New Ally

Drake glared at the city streets below him as he stood on top of a building. Surrounding the building were a few police cars, two armored military vehicles, and about 25 military guard robots. "Oh, this is so pathetic!" he sneered, surveying the scene below him. As he watched the flashing lights and heard the sirens, his mouth once again opened into a wicked grin. "These stupid humans don't know whom they're screwing with!" he snickered.

He stretched out his hand and began building up energy in it. "Let's see how they like THIS!" he said, firing off an energy sphere the size of a globe. When it hit the ground below, despite its small size, it produced and enormous explosion that covered two whole city blocks…in four directions!

Now floating in the air, Drake surveyed the chaos and destruction he had caused. It seemed as if the expression on his face had suddenly become darker and more evil. He threw his head back and let out an insane laugh that seemed to echo throughout the whole city.

"That's right, you human trash! Know that the hour of your judgment is at hand! Soon, all of you will tremble in fear at the mere mention of my name! I am Drake, the Ultimate Weapon, and your Angel of Death!" he boomed as people lucky enough to survive the blast ran about below him, crying and screaming.

Drake suddenly noticed what appeared to be three people flying through the air towards him, leaving colored trails behind them. "Oh, Christ, those dimwits just didn't get the message, did they," he growled, charging towards them. Needless to say, he was surprised when he met them.

"Hey, you're not the Rowdyruff Boys," he said, his face showing a mild form of surprise, and a hint of curiosity. "Are you their sisters, or their girlfriends?"

"We're not their sisters, bucko, so you figure out the rest!" said Buttercup, assuming a fighting pose.

"Yeah, we're their partners, the Powerpuff Girls!" said Bubbles, also assuming a fighting pose.

Blossom, on the other hand, could only stare at Drake in shock and steadily mounting anger. "You mean that you're the one who did those horrible things to Brick and his brothers?" she demanded, fury evident in her voice.

Drake smiled in a way that was reminiscent of a poisonous serpent gloating over its hopeless intended prey. "Damn right I did, and I'm just sorry I didn't kill that pony-tailed puke," he said in an equally serpentine voice. "Butch was my favorite, I have to say. I'd intended to break his neck, but he went down a bit too soon. And Boomer…oh, he went down fastest of all, so I practically tortured him." He paused when he noticed the frightened look on Bubble's face. "Oh, believe me, that little pussy screamed real well every time I broke another bone!" he continued in the same tone.

Suddenly, Buttercup lunged at Drake, fire blazing in her eyes, roaring in fury. "SHUT UP, YOU HEARTLESS SON OF A BITCH!" she shrieked, throwing a punch aimed right at Drake's face.

"You ignorant fool," he said, catching her fist and stopping her dead in place. The girls all gasped in shock. Buttercup's punch could derail a bullet train traveling at maximum speed and send it flying for a mile, but this guy just stopped it like it was a spitball moving in slow motion! "I guess I'll just have to educate you, too," he sneered, tightening his grip on Buttercup's fist, which was accompanied by the sound of cracking bones.

Buttercup may have been the tough girl of the group, but she was not immune to pain, especially not the pain of her hand being crushed like an empty soda can. She managed to avoid crying out completely, and she grabbed Drake's hand in an attempt to break his grip. Drake responded by twisting her arm, snapping her wrist and forearm bones all in one move. This was too much for even Buttercup to endure, and she let out a terrible shriek of pain.

"Oh, no, Buttercup!" cried Blossom and Bubbles together. Unfortunately, Drake wasn't finished. He suddenly delivered a powerful kick to Buttercup's stomach, causing her to double over, gasping for air. He followed by bringing his joined fists down on her back, sending her crashing face-first into the ground.

"There, I think I've done enough," he said, seeing the terrified looks on the faces of the other girls. "By the way, my name is Drake. I am the world's ultimate weapon, created by Dr. Michelle Lavender."

"The ultimate weapon?" squeaked Bubbles, who was now trembling. Blossom wanted more than anything to rip Drake apart for what he'd done, but her fear held her back, as well as the fact that she had promised Brick that she wouldn't fight a hopeless battle.

"That's correct, but alas, I have no time to play around with you," said Drake. "Farewell until next time, Powerpuff Girls!" he laughed, zooming off and leaving a trail of light.

After recovering from the shock, Blossom and Bubbles went down and helped get Buttercup back home. "Buttercup, are you going to be okay?" asked Bubbles as they traveled. She looked and sounded close to tears.

"Don't worry, Bubbles. It hurts like a bitch, but I'll survive," said Buttercup in a strained voice, managing a smile for her concerned sister. Turning to Blossom, she continued, "Still, who or what in the hell was that kid?"

"He was bad news, sis," replied Blossom, looking directly ahead. "Really bad news."

When the Professor saw what had happened to Buttercup, he nearly had a heart attack. "Mother of mercy, what happened to you, Buttercup!" he cried, relieving the others of their task of supporting their wounded sister.

"It seems we ran into the same guy who tore up the Rowdyruffs," said Buttercup, wincing in pain. "He was some kid named Drake, and he was calling himself the 'ultimate weapon' or something."

"Well, we need to tend to your injuries somehow," said the Professor. "Damn, if only I had more than three healing tables that were in working order!"

"Well, you just got a spare, Professor."

Everyone looked and saw Butch coming as if he had left the lab. Most of his wounds had healed completely except for the gash on his side, which was bandaged. He was in the process of putting on a green T-shirt.

"Butch, what are you doing up?" demanded the Professor. "That gash hasn't fully healed yet and moving might start it bleeding again."

"So, I'll deal with it," said Butch. "Right now, Buttercup needs that table more than I do, and my injuries don't require that healing table anymore."

Buttercup tried to ignore the mild burning in her cheeks. "Butch, you're giving up the healing table for me, even though you're not fully healed?" she asked.

Butch looked away, slightly blushing. "Well, of course! I mean, I can't be selfish or anything," he said, scratching the back of his head.

The Professor smiled and nodded. "Okay, Butch, you take Buttercup to the healing table," he said, sliding his daughter into a supported position on Butch.

As Butch helped her into the lab, Buttercup, still blushing, said, "Thank you, Butch. I'm very…grateful."

"Hey, it's no trouble," said Butch. "I mean, I'm one of the good guys now. I can't just stand by while people are being hurt or hurting." He suddenly gave her a teasing grin. "By the way, damn you for turning me into a semi-decent hero," he said jokingly.

Buttercup, despite still being in pain, laughed at Butch's teasing. "Thanks again, Butch. You've really made me feel a lot better."

When they got to the healing table, Butch picked Buttercup up and set her on it. He even managed to position her broken arm so that it was lying right at her side without making it hurt. It never ceased to amaze Buttercup how Butch could be so tough-as-nails and stone-faced when fighting evil, and yet be so kind and softhearted in those normal situations that called for it. She knew that she had a hell of a time doing that, while it for some reason came naturally to Butch. She would almost swear he was a walking Rubik Cube.

As Butch was leaned over the table, making sure she was comfortable, Buttercup suddenly sat up just enough to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Wha…what was that for?" he asked, his face red and his eyes wide.

"That was another 'thank you' for helping me, and a 'good night' just for you, big guy," she said, lying back down and closing her eyes as the healing table activated and began the healing process.

Butch smiled and gently ran his fingers through her hair. "Good night, Buttercup," he whispered before leaving the lab.

Meanwhile, the Professor had gone through a door he had told the kids to never go through until he told them to. This time, however, he had brought Blossom with him. They were walking down a long dark hallway lit only by fluorescent lights, towards a silver metal door with a large golden X on it.

"So, you're sure this Drake said he was created by Dr. Michelle Lavender?" asked the Professor as they walked. He kept his gaze fixed straight ahead, his face stony and serious.

"Yes, that's what he said," replied Blossom. "Why, do you know her?" she asked.

"Yes, I knew her in college, and I conversed with her every now and then several years ago," said the Professor. "She was a genius, specializing in biotechnology, genetic engineering, quantum physics, and biochemistry." He paused to enter a numeric code into the keypad by the door, which opened. "The fact that one of her creations, her strongest, is loose and insanely angry at the world means I'll have to accelerate my plans," he continued, leading Blossom into what appeared to be another lab.

"What plans, Dad, and what is this place?" asked Blossom, looking around. Her attention was suddenly grabbed by what was in the middle of the lab. "What in the heck?" she gasped in amazement.

It looked like a large silver crystal set in a conical metal stand. Inside the crystal was what appeared to be the black shadow of a figure, but his features could not be determined. About seven feet out from the crystal was a keypad set on a five-foot high pedestal. The Professor went up to this and entered another numeric code, and motioned for Blossom to stand beside him. "Blossom, prepare to meet your new brother," he said as she came beside him.

Before Blossom could respond, the crystal shimmered and began fading away. As soon as it was gone, the figure floated through the air and landed in front of them. "Oh, my God," said Blossom in a barely audible voice.

He was a boy about her age, although he was about four inches taller than she was. He had steel-gray hair, tied back into a ponytail. He wore a black uniform with a gold X on the right shoulder and on his belt buckle. He had metal strips on his shoes, and he wore black gloves with the finger and thumb covers missing. His eyes, like his hair, were steel-gray, and sharp as a hawk's. On each of his sleeves, a little ways below the shoulders was a gray band.

The boy looked at the Professor and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Father," he said. His voice was cool and calm, yet it reflected a steel resolve and an unbreakable spirit.

"That goes for me as well, son," said the Professor. He motioned to Blossom. "Oh, I'd like you to meet one of your sisters. This is Blossom, leader of the Powerpuff Girls," he said.

The boy directed his attention to Blossom. If he noticed the look of shock on her face, he didn't show it. He smiled and gave a bow of respect. "It is good to meet you at last, my sister," he said. "I am your brother, and you may call me Blaine."

Blossom seemed to have recovered from the shock of seeing Blaine's entrance. "It's, uh, very nice to finally meet you, too, brother," she said, holding out her hand, which he shook.

He turned to the Professor again. "Would it be fine with you if I were to meet my other siblings, Father?" he asked.

"I don't see a problem with it," replied the Professor. Turning to Blossom, he continued, "Blossom, gather everyone into the lab who isn't already there."

"You got it, Dad," said Blossom, nodding. "I'll see you again really soon, Blaine," she called back as she left to gather everyone else.

"Come, Blaine, it's time to meet your family," said the Professor, motioning for Blaine to follow him.

"Of course, Father."