Each girl was fighting their own fear and losing. Mitch stood in his cage feeling completely helpless, mesmerized by the scenes unfolding in front of him. As an afterthought, HIM had tapped into Mitch's subconscious when he first entered Bunny's mind. Seeing she was dreaming of the boy, and aware that she liked his company, HIM decided to use Mitch as leverage, just in case Bunny needed...some motivation!
Bunny laughed at each of her sisters, and spoke cruelly, "What's the matter, Buttercup? Can't powerful you squash even one eensie, weensie spider?" Blossom, you're such a vain primadonna, it makes you so dangerous you can't even keep your sisters alive! Poor little Bubbles, the team is gone, dispersed to the four winds. Fat lotta good you were!"
Helpless, Mitch stared from his cage in open shock, appalled by the devilish change in Bunny! The Powerpuff Girls weren't the bullies, this thing, this abomination WAS the real bully! He had to help them, help Bunny!
Mitch called out in his trademark gravelly voice, "BUNNY, remember what you told me? EVERYBODY has a reason for being, you said. You have to like yourself, and BELIEVE your life has a purpose. He's TWISTING your feelings! You ALL matter to each other!"
Bunny shook her head trying to clear the cobwebs, and gave HIM the strangest look as if really seeing HIM and his motives for the very first time! HIM and his friends were using her anger, hurt, her very emotions, as a weapon.
"QUIET YOU!" HIM slammed Mitch's cage with a force beam dropping it to the floor! The door sprung open, but Mitch didn't get far because the Sandman and Boogeyman grabbed him by each arm.
Mitch was undeterred, "BUNNY, remember what you told me once about their bed, what's ABOVE the bed!"
Bunny remembered the plaque above the Powerpuff's headboard. It read:
In Memorium Powerpuff Girl Bunny "She was good after all, we were the ones who were bad."
Bunny was remembering, her brow was furrowed and her eyes were closed. She was beginning to cry, "They were...so happy to see me again! SNIFF They were...sad I had died!"
Mitch was also remembering, remembering something he overheard his aunt say. What was it, something about resisting. Resisting what...a devil? Yes, he remembered, "Resist the devil and he will flee!"
"BUNNY, FIGHT BACK! He has NO power over you that you DON'T give him. DON'T give in!"
HIM was trying to maintain control and slammed Mitch again with another force beam. The Sandman and Boogeyman dodged to avoid the outer fringes of the blast!
"I SAID, QUIET BOY!" This time the beam was more powerful, and knocked Mitch unconscious! It was the worse thing HIM could of done because it left no doubt in Bunny's mind as to the evil that was HIM! Angry at HIM and embarrassed at being so easily swayed she attacked, punching and kicking until he lost control of her sisters.
"YOU LEAVE MITCH ALONE!" Bunny's attack and yell awakened her sisters from their fears and they rallied to help. Seeing Bunny needed help to protect Mitch the four puffs forgot their differences and encircled him like adult oxen protecting their young. HIM was absolutely furious and bellowed his frustration! Fearing HIM would actually do the unthinkable, and kill Mitch, Bunny tried to distract HIM to defend her friend!
Bunny shouted for silence, "OH, JUST SHUT UP and go away! We will not abandon Mitch." Bunny's uniform began to change color back to its original purple. Mitch had helped her greatly with his timely advice and faith in their friendship. Now it was time for Bunny to show Mitch, and her sisters, what that friendship and being a sister truly meant to her!
HIM towered far above them like a skyscraper over a sidewalk pedestrian. Bunny and her sisters were seemingly overwhelmed, but were determined to shake off the shock of their paralyzing nightmares, and to rescue Mitch from HIM! They collectively tried to attack with assorted eye beams, but HIM had grown too powerful! All seemed lost when Bunny spoke softly.
"You were in my mind, and used my past against us, but don't forget...I was in your mind too, and I know your past, and it's floatin' a boat load of issues, mister! We WILL NOT abandon Mitch like you were abandoned...so long ago!"
HIM gave Bunny a classic double take and answered haltingly, the denial clear, "I don't know what you're...talking about!"
"Oh yes you do! Humans are beginning to bore you, but not the CX children, we're different. We weren't born in the traditional sense, and that both interests and disgusts you. You're hoping you can play us against each other because you're curious about us and how we'll react, and yet, because we're not Homo Sapiens, you can't stand us."
HIM began to tease Bunny, "So, tell me then dear, am I in denial?" HIM smiled condescendingly at her, waiting for her response. HIM manifested a classic psychologist examination couch. "Should I lay down for you, Doctor Freud?"
Bunny just ignored the couch and kept on talking, "Do you despise us because we remind you of your people, and how noble they were, and of how pitiful you really are? Humanity loves us and it makes you so JEALOUS! I think you're afraid of the CX children because you think they represent the next link in human evolution, and that scares you to death because you're afraid you simply won't measure up!
HIM raised his eyebrows WAAAY up at that and responded in a somewhat more agitated accent, "THAT'S preposssterous, how could ones such as you possssibly threaten one such as I?"
Just then, Blossom made eye contact with Bunny. Leader Girl seemed to be proud that Bunny was holding her own! In fact, all her older sisters seemed like they wanted to communicate something to her, but what?
Determined, Bunny kept on speaking, hoping to keep HIM off balance long enough until she could get to the one area she saw in his mind that she was hoping would trip HIM up and reduce his mind to rubble.
"It should be you humanity adores, and it absolutely enrages you that they don't! How pathetic!"
HIM defended his position, "Don't try to shrink wrap me, young lady! Better people than you have tried and failed! Pathetic and pitiful you say? Hardly! Do you have any idea of how many wars I've started throughout history by playing people against each other? It's so easy, it's child's play!
"If it's so easy then why have you failed time after time trying to defeat us?"
Bunny then caught Buttercup smiling at her, her expression of approval filling Bunny with pride! Buttercup was the one who had teased her the most, who made her life miserable most times, and now she was urging Bunny on!
Bunny decided to press the issue home before HIM could answer, "You were cast out...weren't you? Tossed out like so much garbage, and now you're so afraid of being alone you'd do ANYTHING to have company! It's been, what, over two thousand years now?"
HIM gasped at her, the truth written all over his face! HIM seemed scared, his expression beckoning her to stop.
She shook her head solemnly, not stopping!
Finally, Bubbles nodded to Bunny; her body language uplifting and confident, she seemed to be saying, "You can do it!" Renewed in spirit, Bunny pressed on!
"How sad you must be. Humanity is killing itself left and right, where's the challenge in that? Doesn't make for good company, huh? However, if you finally defeat us, we'll be gone, and you'll still be alone! That's why your heart's not really in it, is it? Because deep down YOU KNOW if you defeat us, you'll be TOTALLY alone FOR ALL ETERNITY!"
Bunny looked at her sisters, and the four of them, now reunited as a team began to chant, "Totally alone, yesss, how saaddd, yesss, how sad indeed!"
Bunny's final statement was the Coup de Gras, "So proud you can't stand us, yet too afraid to kill us!"
HIM shrieked a long and wavering wail before speaking. It sounded as if his very soul had been laid bare. An eons long grudge had been exposed, thrust outwards, doused with alcohol, set ablaze, and placed in a sacrificial altar for all to see. "NO, NO, NOOOO, DON'T YOU DARE PITY ME! I WON'T HAVE IT! THAT WASN'T FAIR, DON'T GO THERE! THEY CAST ME OUT! THEY DIDN'T WANT MEEEEE!"
HIM kicked the psychologist couch into oblivion, recreated it, and kicked it into nothingness again! He then recreated an entire room of furniture and set it ablaze with blasts from his eyes! Not satisfied with that HIM arched backwards, extended his arms upwards as if begging forgiveness or approval, and began screaming his utter anguish to the very heavens! Everybody covered their ears, and for several moments nobody spoke until HIM ceased his wailings and flailings before finally collapsing into a mentally destroyed heap!
Since the show was over, Sandman took one disgusted look at HIM and shook his head. Talking to the Boogeyman, he commented, "Dude's lost it, time to boogey, Boogey!"
"Man, I'm hip, that guy's a drip!" With that, the two henchmen vanished back to their respective worlds leaving HIM to deal with a quartet of angry puffs!
HIM was broken, at least for now anyways. Quickly, he held up a claw, pleading for the girls to stop. Shrinking back to his normal size, he spoke to Bunny, "I think...you'll be interested in this." HIM was not about to serve that mewling Princess in any shape, form or fashion. He had repositioned the camera in Princess's room for a very specific reason; to copy the entire conversation and incriminate her at a convenient time!
Bunny's eye's widened as HIM made Mojo's flying video camera appear. ALL their eyes got very, VERY wide as the camera played back the conversation HIM had...with Princess!
"PRINCESS! OH, SHE HAS FINALLY CROSSED THE LINE!" Buttercup looked angry enough to eat a titanium sandwich!
Bunny grabbed each of her sisters and gave them all a powerful group hug!
"You DO trust me! Thanks for believing in me!"
Like so many times before, the love they had for one another had saved the day. That, and some timely reminders from Mitch, of all people! HIM just sneered, his distaste clear!
Blossom asked HIM an ethical question, "Aren't you breaking your contract with Princess by giving us that camera?"
Unconcerned, HIM simply shrugged, "Well, I am the Father of all Lies, sue me!" HIM began to fade away and just before he totally vanished, he bade them farewell, "Taaa Taaa, girlllss. Seeee yaaaa."
They woke up in the Professor's lab about the same time he awoke, free from the influence of the Sandman and the Boogeyman. The same time across town Mitch Mitchelson woke up from the most real and unsettling dream he'd ever had!
The girls were unstrapping themselves from the tables, gasping and gathering their composure. Seeing the Professor looking so immensely relieved caused Blossom to desperately ask what had happened.
"Oh girls, I was ambushed by the Sandman and the Boogeyman. They gave me such a horrible nightmare, I thought you all had died. I was at your funeral, and all I could see was four little coffins! I've never felt so empty in my life! I couldn't even wake myself!"
Bunny tried to sooth the Professor's feelings. "Dad, it was someone called Princess, she used HIM, Sandman, and Boogeyman to attack me in my dreams. They scared me terribly when they entered my dreams and took over my mind!"
"Princess has always wanted to be the fourth powerpuff, Professor." Blossom added. "She's so spoiled that she thinks she can have anything she wants."
Bubbles added more, "Lately, we've been fighting among ourselves, and well, this whole thing exploded when Bunny got the last piece of cake." She stopped, too ashamed to finish.
Buttercup tried to continue, "HIM and the others used our emotions against us. We've been nagging Bunny lately, and well, we got carried away with it."
Blossom finished "Yeah, we haven't been making life easy for her. We're just bullies, like Mitch said." She hung her head shamefully, not bothering to look at the Professor anymore.
Professor Utonium stared at his four girls. "Ladies, I can't say I'm impressed with your behaviour. Frankly, it's disgraceful, but I am pleased you all learned something here."
He continued, "Bunny was sharing her slice of cake with me because with four little girls in the house I rarely get a whole piece to myself. Also, girls, she was talking to me because she wanted help with a serious problem...what to get her big sisters for their birthdays!"
Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup looked extremely ashamed of themselves after hearing THAT! It was a few moments before Blossom spoke, "We're sorry Professor, we were jealous of the attention you've been giving Bunny lately, and well, it got the better of us."
Professor Utonium looked at them for a moment before speaking, "Girls, as her big sisters you set the example, like it or not. Remember what it was like when you were first created? After the Mojo incident life settled down for you, but you had hundreds of questions about all sorts of subjects. Now, it's her turn, and we have to be there for her to answer those questions."
He then turned to Bunny, "As the little sister sometimes you have to listen to learn. Often, there won't be time for your sisters to explain, but rest assured, they will at first opportunity." Professor Utonium gave her older sisters a steely glare that said that they'd dang well better. "To be frank, I expected some squabbling and adjustments, but nothing like this! All of you, please remember, you're a quartet now. I expect you to act as such."
"We will, Professor, we promise!" Blossom looked very sad and embarrassed. She asked Bunny a cautious question, "You...ahem...were really talking about our...birthdays?"
Bunny, now calm and free of HIM's malevolent influence, looked at the floor and answered like she was guarding a precious secret, "...yeesss." The girls had to strain to hear her slow, halting whisper.
Blossom drew her little sister in and held her close, "We're very, very sorry. Sorry for everything, Bunny! Mojo's bringing you back to life was the only good thing he's ever done!"
"I'LL SAY!" Buttercup began to speak, "Professor, she totally gave HIM the SMACKDOWN! She really ripped HIM a new ah...uh...she won, YEAH!"
Bubbles finished with a timely, "She sure did, Bunny gave HIM a boot to the head!"
Bunny brightened up considerably after hearing her sister's compliments, but quickly lost her composure and was near to crying, "I shouldn't have acted the way I did either. SNIFF I'm an idiot."
Bubbles added, "Don't be too hard on yourself kid sister, HIM tried to get to me once and make me use my negative emotions. I drew monsters with some magic chalk he gave me. It made them come to life, it was tough, but we still won. If you'd like, we could tell you about it."
Blossom gave Bubbles an appreciative look, she was growing up, but it still seemed strange to hear Bubbles call Bunny a kid sister when Bubbles still seemed so naive in many ways. Professor Utonium was right, this was going to take some getting used to!
"REALLY, you'd do that after all we just went through? Umm...just who is Princess anyway, and why does she hate me for being the fourth powerpuff?"
Blossom explained, "She's a spoiled, rotten to the core, little brat who's wanted to be the fourth powerpuff from the very beginning. Her vast family riches and weak upbringing pretty much give her whatever she wants, and in her mind that is reason enough for her to join our team. Plus, you seemingly came out of nowhere and took the very spot she thinks she's entitled to!"
Bunny spoke, "Oh, I see, she's very jealous!" Bunny appeared to ponder that crucial tidbit for a moment, then continued. "Umm...about Mitch, will you help me with something...please?" She motioned for her sisters and the Professor to come closer.
The five of them proceeded to talk for several moments before the Professor concluded, "I'll see what I can do, Bunny. I make no promises, but that's a wonderful idea!"
A FEW DAYS LATER
The next morning, and for several mornings afterwards, none of the Powerpuff Girls came to class. Ms. Keane simply figured they were out doing their civic duty and didn't give it a second thought. Mitch, however, was as anxious as any kid had ever seen him having asked Mary, Robin, Pablo, and Harry Pitts constantly about their whereabouts.
When Bunny finally arrived at Pokey Oaks a few days later she was met by an excited, and very concerned Mitch.
"Did we share some kind dream a few nights ago, WERE WE ON A SWING?" Mitch had the feeling he could have been seriously injured, or worse! Furthermore, his aunt, true to form, had been out playing Bingo most of that night and had not even realized Mitch was in distress!
Bunny said that she had the same dream. Blossom concluded afterwards that Bunny's powers were developing, and amazingly enough, she instinctively manifested the dream power that very night.
Mitch sat in near disbelief as Bunny explained what had happened. Mitch wanted to confront Princess, but held off because she was a girl. Seeing Mitch's dilemma Bunny explained that she WAS a girl, and that she'd handle it with her sisters! Peering over Bunny's shoulder as she gave him a big hug, he kept a wary eye out for her big sisters. Strangely, they didn't seem that concerned anymore. He had no idea what to think, surely they were up to some tactic, but what?
After school let Mitch began to run home. He had the most persistant notion that the Powerpuff Girls were going to hold him responsible somehow for Bunny's experience, and he wanted no part of that!
Looking back and seeing that he wasn't being followed caused him to sigh in great relief. He turned to continue running and ran slam into Blossom!
"Blossom, please, just let me go, OK?" Mitch's eyes were wide with fear. Yep, he was in for another pounding!
Buttercup was up in his face as usual, "Dude, you're coming with us!"
Blossom took Mitch's hand in her's and spoke. He grabbed on fast to her waist as she took to the air. "We have a reward for you, something that's going to make you feel much better about yourself. It was Bunny's idea, and it's our way of saying we apologize, and thanks for helping her. Mitch, we're not bullies, and we're very sorry we hurt you."
Mitch looked down in wide-eyed fear, the skyline whizzing by rapidly as he spoke, "Well, I'd be very sorry if you drop me!" Looking down, he wondered what the heck Blossom was talking about!
Blossom looked down and pointed to the Townsville Veterans Cemetery. "Don't worry, besides, we're here already. There Mitch, that's where we're going." She pointed downwards to the rows and rows of solemn, and dignified headstones.
"A graveyard, I'm not feeling any better here!" Mitch's gravelly voice went up two full octaves!
After they landed Bubbles began speaking, "Well, you will soon. This took some doing, getting the government to give us permission to find out some things about your dad. It was all federally protected and private. The Professor made some serious long distance phone calls, woke up some pretty important people, and called in some favors. For the past few days we've been zipping all over the country to pull this off."
Mitch was startled, "My...my dad, whatta you know about him?" Bubbles began walking and leading Mitch down a row of headstones.
Buttercup took over, "Bunny said that he died before you were born. Did you know he was in the Army?"
"The Army...you mean, like with tanks and stuff?"
Bunny answered, "Yeah, just like that." The other girls all smiled as if very proud of Mitch. He wondered what in the world was freaking going on!
The group continued talking and walking down the row until Bunny stopped beneath a large Weeping Willow tree. She pulled a large, manila envelope out of her blouse and showed it to Mitch.
"A nice man in the Army gave us some things before we went to school today." She reached in and pulled out a letter. "This was from your dad, he wrote it to your mom. Would you like me me to read it to you." She cleared her throat as the other girls gathered around him. For some reason, his heart was in his throat. Bunny began reading as she stopped at a certain headstone. The letter read in part as follows:
"My Dearest Darling,
I was so surprised when I got your letter! I had no idea it would contain such wonderful news. This place where I'm at is so depressing, and hearing from you today was such an uplifting experience, I feel as if I alone could take on the entire terrorist army!
You're pregnant! That's such a blessing, I can't wait to get home and meet our baby boy. I just wish I could be there when he's born, but that's OK I guess. I can take comfort knowing that after I get out of the Army we'll enjoy all life has to offer. Just you, me, and our little boy!
I must leave now, our patrol is getting close to our target. I'll try to call when I can.
I love you,
Matt"
Bunny folded the letter, and put it back in the envelope. "I'm sorry, but that's all it says. He was killed the day he wrote the letter, but here's something else." Bunny handed Mitch an official Army photo, an 8 X 10 glossy of a smiling, mustached, brown-haired man in an Army dress green uniform.
"This is your dad."
Mitch was choked with emotion and could barely speak, "My...my...dad? Is this really...him?" Mitch blinked enormous tears back trying his best to keep from openly bawling in front of the girls.
Bunny gave his hand a comforting squeeze, "He looks like an older you, he's your dad, that's for certain!" Bunny showed Mitch another photo. It was his mom posing with his dad at one of those silly photo booths. Clearly, the couple had been to a fair or a circus as they had various cheezy souvenirs in their arms. The girls looked at the photo, and then at Mitch, the family resemblance was unmistakable.
Bunny exclaimed, "She's very pretty, but according to the paperwork here she grew extremely depressed after your dad died, and ultimately she died of a broken heart a few months after you were born. She missed your dad so much...it...killed her. I'm so sorry, Mitch."
Blossom spoke, "...but your dad loved your mom very much, and was looking forward to being your dad. Know that they loved you, and were happy to have you. As for your aunt, the city will help her raise you Mitch. She does care, she's just overwhelmed at the thought of having to take care of you, that's all."
All four of the girls looked at Mitch as he read the name on the headstone. He placed both hands on the smooth white marble, and lowered his head. The girls could tell he was close to losing total emotional control.
MATTHEW MITCHELSON SARGEANT US ARMY "A Grateful Nation Remembers"
Bunny whispered to her sisters, "Would you mind leaving so we can have a little privacy."
They nodded their understanding and departed, leaving just Bunny to hold a tearful Mitch. Bunny smiled and spoke appreciatively to them, "Thanks for making me proud to be a powerpuff again!"
THE NEXT DAY
It was Friday, and Friday was Show-and-Tell Day at Pokey Oaks. Ms Keane was enthusiastic, but not too expectant. Year after year the same predictable things were presented. After Mary rolled her wheelchair away with her run-of-the-mill homemade paper mache cat she called out for the next child. She was quite surprised when Mitch, of all kids, actually asked, seemed anxious in fact, to get up front and talk!
Looking at the Powerpuff Girls who nodded, Ms. Keane shrugged her shoulders and consented. She waved the boy forward. Mitch got up from his seat and walked to the front of the class. Smiling broadly, he spoke.
"Hi, I'm Mitch Mitchelson, and I want to tell you about my dad."
Elsewhere, HIM muttered a single wistful, word. He spoke it sadly, yet longingly...
"EDEN."
THE END
