Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi: Boomer's Story

Chapter Fourteen: "Eyes, look your last"

"My name is Blaine. I'll be your murderer today."

Blaine's words cut through Boomer's psyche like a magnum right against the temple of his head. The words of this bad twin, using his own voice in such a manner filled Boomer with an unexplainable fear. It was as if he was watching a nightmare, seeing himself do things which he would never do. But this was not a nightmare; Boomer was awake, and unfortunately, the world itself is more frightening than the darkest nightmare.

Boomer looked upon his doppelganger and gulped.

Why…why does he want to kill me? Thought Boomer.

Boomer was about to summon the courage to ask this, but Blaine cut him short.

"I know what you're thinking," said Blaine, behind that sinister smile.

Boomer looked up from the ground. Boomer was not used to hearing anyone identify with his feelings, because he felt no one understood him, with the possible exception of Bubbles.

"What? Did I shock you" continued Blaine. "Come on, think about it. We're both virtually identically, at least in the genetic sense. We're both made up of the same chromosomes, genomes, and everything, so logically we must think somewhat alike."

Boomer finally overcame enough of his fear to speak.

"You and I are not alike. You're…"

"Crazy?" finished Blaine. "Maybe I am. You really shouldn't say that about me."

"I-I didn't say that. You did."

"But you were going to, weren't you?"

Boomer didn't reply, because he was right.

"Well, the way I see it, you've got a lot of gall to call someone ELSE crazy," said Blaine.

At this, Bubble's voice rang out from behind the electric dome.

"Hey! Don't you talk to him like that!" shouted Bubbles.

Under normal circumstances, Boomer would have probably blushed at such a caring display of affection towards himself. However, at the moment, the feelings from Boomer's hear were currently drowned out by the fear in his brain.

Blaine turned and looked back at Bubbles, not expecting her to shout out. Blaine slowly walked over to her field.

"Listen, girl," said Blaine. "I've no problem with you, at the moment. I suggest you stay out of this, for your own safety. This moment belongs to me and Brother. You don't belong in this. Three's a crowd, as they say."

"Why don't you shut your face before I break it?" said Buttercup from the other dome nearby, furious.

Blaine did not acknowledge Buttercup's comment and continued speaking.

"As I was saying before that imbecile interrupted, I'd appreciate you to be voluntarily silent before I make it physically impossible for you to speak."

Boomer saw that, and some part of his brain click. Boomer found a well in his brain that contained all of his pent up anger. Anger towards Butch, Brisbaine, everyone, and released it. Boomer suddenly found the strength to yell out, with all the force it was possible to put in his own voice.

"DON'T EVER TALK TO HER LIKE THAT! EVER!"

Blaine turned back, looking amused.

"Oh," he said, advancing on Boomer. "Have I struck a nerve, Brother? I thought I would. But…before you react…I would like to tell you one very important thing…"

Blaine stood in front of Boomer, looking as if he was about to say something. But instead, Blaine lept off the ground quickly and shot his leg out into the left side of Boomer's face. Boomer was propelled across the ground, skidding against dirt, grass and rocks on the lawn. Boomer could vaguely hear Bubbles yell over the sound of his head ringing.

Blaine looked down on him, no longer smiling. He wore the look he gave Brisbaine only moments earlier.

"Don't…EVER raise your voice to me, Brother!" he said. "In case you haven't noticed, I can get offended easily. And, unlike with you, when I get offended, people get hurt. And I don't mean emotionally."

Boomer slowly brought himself up, putting his hand to his head. He looked back to Blaine, who looked like he was preparing himself for a fight.

"Stand up, Brother," he said. "And face your death head on!"

Boomer crouched down and looked into Blaine's eyes. An odd feeling came over Boomer. His eyes were exactly like his own in the physical sense, but there was something different about them. Something darker, in a way other than its shade of color.

"Why?" asked Boomer, wincing at his headache. "Why are you doing this?"

At this, Brisbaine, who had been silent for sometime, shouted out.

"He's doing it because he's knows how to take orders," said Brisbaine. "Although his attitude leaves much to be desired. But-"

"SHUT THE $& UP, YOU WORTHLESS SACK OF $&$," shouted Blaine, turning back towards him.

Through the field, Boomer could see Brisbaine have an annoyed expression on his face. Regardless of this, he did shut up.

Blaine turned back to Boomer.

"Why?" he said. "Why doesn't matter now. Telling you why would only waste time. You couldn't possibly understand."

Boomer did not like Blaine one bit, but Boomer couldn't bring himself to fight him unless he knew why this boy, this person who looked exactly like him, hated him with such passion.

"I…if you're going to try to kill me, I think I deserve an explanation," said Boomer.

"You don't deserve anything, aside from despair."

Boomer looked over at the field Bubbles was in. She was staring at him, with a worried look on her face. Boomer looked back at her, hoping that their small eye contact could offer her some comfort; however, Boomer doubted this.

Boomer looked at Blaine, who had moved so close to Boomer he was almost on top of him. Boomer remained crouched down.

"Get up," said Blaine, irritably.

Boomer said nothing.

Blaine threw his hand back and backhanded Boomer across his jaw. Boomer's face fell, and he felt blood gush in his mouth.

"I said, get up. Now!" said Blaine.

Brick yelled out from the largest field.

"Get your hands off my brother, dammit!"

Bubbles joined the chorus.

"Stop hurting him!"

Buttercup yelled as well.

"You know, you really are an asshole!"

The Professor, Dexter, Weasel, Otto, and Coop from the largest field joined in.

"How could you?" yelled the Professor.

"You vile piece of filth!" yelled Weasel.

"You can't do that to our friend!" yelled Dexter.

"You're a terrible person!" yelled Otto.

"That's not cool, dude. That's just not cool," yelled Coop.

They continued to yell, their distinct voices clashing together to make a loud, barely decipherable mass of noise. Blaine heard this and his left eye began to twitch he looked down for a moment, then threw his head upward and yelled out, throwing a fit.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! WHY ARE SUCH LOWER LIFEFORMS BORN WITH VOCAL CORDS!"

Blaine reached down and grabbed Boomer by the collar, as everyone else continued to shout.

"Tell them to shut up!" said Blaine. "Tell them to stay out of this! I have to do this! That cannot be changed?"

"Why the hell not?" said Boomer, spitting out blood on the ground.

"Tell them to shut up!" said Blaine, clearly irritated by the shouting.

Boomer noticed Blaine's irritation and used it to his advantage.

"I'm not telling them anything until you tell me why you're doing this," said Boomer.

Blaine stared at Boomer for a moment, then began to laugh. He let go off Boomer's collar, causing him to slump back to the ground.

"You're all so stupid," he said, laughing. He turned away from Blaine. "Why do you think? I'm curious. Why? Because I'm born that way? That I'm just some homicidal maniac? That I'm just plain evil?"

Boomer didn't reply, because he honestly didn't know.

Blaine dropped his head, laughing.

"Let me tell you something, Brother. 'Evil' is merely a hallow word used by the ignorant to justify themselves as righteous. Right and wrong do not exist. Good and evil are make-believe. There is no conscience…at least not for me."

Boomer recalled what the Professor had said earlier.

"The definition of a sociopath is that he can't tell right from wrong."

He wasn't kidding, thought Boomer.

Blaine turned back to Boomer.

"I mean, my God," he said, still giggling. "You really can't figure it out, can you? Damn, I'm ashamed to share you genes."

Boomer stared back at him, thinking about how mysterious and scary his clone was.

"Pop quiz, hotshot," said Blaine, smiling. "How old are you?"

Boomer raised an eyebrow.

"What does that have to do-"

Blaine's expression changed quick as lightning. He glared at Boomer.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION! WHEN DID THEY FIRST START MAKING YOU? HOW LONG!"

Boomer flinched, despite himself. He tried to recall when how long it was since he was 'brought back'.

"T-two years, I guess," said Boomer.

"And how long were you in that tube? How long were you in there?" said Blaine, with mock curiosity.

Boomer thought for a minute.

"Two months, I gue-"

"Two months," shouted Blaine. "Did everybody hear that? Two months!"

He turned back to Boomer and got uncomfortably close to him.

"Do you get it now?" whispered Blaine, with malice. "Do you understand?"

Before Boomer could say anything, Blaine turned away again.

"Of course you don't," he said. "Let me give you a hint. Got your &$$ing pen and paper ready?"

Blaine turned back to him.

"Here's the hint. You and I are the same age. Exactly the same age. Born, if you can even call it that, at the exact same time. Get it yet? Do you see?"

Boomer didn't see whatever it was he was supposed to be seeing. Blaine instantly realized this and got angry once again.

"Of course you don't! You're so simple. So blind. Which, ironically, is part of the reason for this."

Blaine clapped his hands extremely close to Boomer's face, much to Boomer's shock.

"Wake up!" said Blaine. "Alright, let me ask you this. We were both born at the exact same time. You were released from that tube after two months. We're both technically two years old. So…"

Blaine leaned in close, glaring at Boomer. Boomer's eyes widened and began to feel like he was about to be hurt not long from now.

"Where do you think I've been during all the time you were out of your tube?"

Boomer looked down, trying to assemble Blaine's disjointed message.

"Do you know?" asked Blaine. "I'll tell you. I've still been in that damn tube! Slowly growing…but unlike you, I was completely aware of all of it!"

Boomer looked up in Blaine's fiery eyes, shocked.

Blaine closed his eyes and snickered.

"Now do you see? Because I was made to be just a freaking back-up, I've been stuck in that tube. For two years, completely aware of my surroundings, unable to do anything."

Blaine pointed his thumb behind him, towards Brisbaine.

"Thankfully, that idiot let me out, after all that time."

Boomer looked down, and tried to imagine being trapped in a tube for two years. Being able to see others go by, unable to move, floating there, all too aware of each passing second. Boomer couldn't help but feel some pity for Blaine.

"Yes, being stuck there was a bitch," continued Blaine. "But that's not why I'm doing this…no…it's because of you!"

Without warning, Blaine grabbed Boomer by the hair and lifted him up. Boomer winced, as the pulling intensified his headache. Bubbles shouted out angrily.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Illustrating a point," said Blaine, glaring back at her. He turned his attention back to Boomer.

"You and I are so very different," he said.

Boomer looked back at him and couldn't agree more. Blaine's grip on his hair tightened.

"Here is a perfect example of why I'm not your biggest fan," continued Blaine. "I've been talking for a while now. Any sane person who knew how to take advantage of the trust offered to them would have used that opportunity to attack, get the jump on their opponent, save their worthless friends.

"But not you. Why? Why not?"

Boomer looked back at him, wincing in pain.

"I…I felt sorry for you. I couldn't just…just attack you without a reason."

Blaine drove his spare fist into Boomer's stomach. Boomer's head bent down and his mouth spewed out blood. He coughed repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Blaine continued his monologue.

"That is why we are different. You let your feelings get in the way of the opportunities offered to you. Sentimentality just cost you the chance to save your friends."

Boomer coughed. Even though Boomer didn't like to admit it, Blaine was right, and he felt like scum for that.

"And it goes deeper than that. While you moved about the world, I lied in that goddamned tube. I was completely aware of everything you were doing in that godforsaken lab. Your existence is a waste. You had the freedom and power to do whatever you wanted, make this world whatever you wanted. And what do you do?"

Blaine shook Boomer by the hair, back and forth.

"You stand there silent, looking like an idiot, watching events pass you buy, forsaking any and all control. You wish the world was someway, but you lacked any will to make it the way you wanted. You always let those feelings of yours get in the way. Fear, sentimentality, inadequacy, self-pity. It is an insult to life itself.

"Even though I had the will to do something, YOU were the one allowed to roam free about the world. I should have been free. And now you expect me, after watching you waste such freedom, allow you to continue living? I can not allow something with my face, with my voice, to be such a waste. That's just an insult."

Blaine lifted up his spare hand and drew power into it.

"We have godlike strength. We have the power to do anything. The only difference between us is that you allow your conscience, your feelings, your sensitivity, and above all, your fear to get to you. I am not going to make the same mistake."

Blaine closed his fist and punched Boomer again in the stomach, making more blood spew from his mouth.

"If I want something, I will use this power to make it so. If I want something, it will be mine. If I believe something to be wrong, I will destroy it. I will use this power to fulfill all my desires. I will take full advantage of my freedom and will. After all, the way I see it, with all my power, this is my world; you all just happen to live in it."

Boomer meditated on these words. Any previous pity he had for Blaine melted away once he heard his ideology.

It's not right…I can't let him do that, thought Boomer.

Boomer, trying to ignore the pain he was in, summoned the strength to move his foot in an upward arc. Unfortunately, Blaine saw this and grabbed it. He let go of Boomer's hair and threw Boomer's foot up the air, making him flip back.

Boomer took advantage of his temporary mobility to become airborne.

"Y…you're wrong, Blaine," yelled Boomer, with all the force he could muster. "You think that just because you have power, you can do whatever you want. That just because you're strong, you're right?"

"No," said Blaine, assuming a fighting pose. "I don't think I'm right because I'm strong. I just happen to believe I'm right, and happen to have the strength to assert that belief. It's quite a timesaver."

"You're wrong," said Boomer, looking down, balling his fist. "I didn't know what was right for a long time…but now I do. I think I do. We can't just use this power for ourselves. To do what we want! Looking out for only yourself…that never leads to happiness…I've come to learn…that making those close to you…making those close to you happy…is the only way to attain true happiness."

Down below, Bubbles looked up at Boomer in admiration. And several yards away, Brick looked up at Boomer as well, envying his conviction.

"Using your power for only yourself fulfills nothing," said Boomer. "You think my feelings prevent me from having happiness, and a while ago, I might have thought you were right. But now I've come to realize something. Love is the only true happiness there is. These feelings stop me from doing things, and sometimes the fear does get to me. But now I know these feelings can make me overcome that, and make me stronger than ever possible. Strength is nothing unless you have someone to use it FOR."

Down below, everyone in the fields looked up at Boomer, shocked at his sudden courage. Even Brisbaine was astounded at how much he had changed.

"The powers I was born with were amazing," said Boomer. "But, now the strength of my heart makes me even stronger. Blaine…"

Boomer balled his fist up more and yelled out.

"WITHOUT ANYONE TO USE YOUR POWER, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW TRUE STRENGTH!"

Blaine looked up at Boomer and scoffed.

"I did not come here for your idiotic poetry," he said. "And your talk of the power of heart only makes you look like a deranged Captain Planet…but…"

Blaine looked down, smirking.

"If that is truly how you feel, perhaps we should test this theory of yours out."

Boomer raised his eyebrows.

"What are you-" he said, but Blaine interrupted once again.

"You claim love makes you stronger, that it can give you the strength to defeat me. Well…how about this?"

Blaine reached behind his back towards his belt, and felt around. After a moment, he tripped a button.

Nearby, Bubbles' field began to flicker and fade. She looked at it perplexed. Before she could react, the field was down and Blaine zoomed quickly towards her, moving so fast he was a blur. He got behind her and put his left arm around her neck, restraining her. Bubbles winced as her throat had the pressure of his arm put on it.

Boomer looked down in horror.

"BUBBLES!" said Boomer.

Boomer quickly flew down, blue light zooming from his feet. As he closed in on them, Blaine lifted his right hand, and blue sparks began to cascade from it as the power filled it.

"One more inch and she's a corpse!" yelled Blaine, grinning.

Boomer reluctantly slowed down and stopped. He glared at Blaine. Not a few hours ago, Boomer didn't think it was possible for him to truly hate anyone; now he was prove wrong.

"Where is that strength of love now?" said Blaine. "Love is a weakness, you see. It is no strength. I wish to defeat you, Brother. But there is more than one way to defeat someone. Brother…the choice is yours."

"What are you getting at, Blaine?" said Boomer.

"You have a choice. This is your ultimatum. If you try to attack me, the girl dies."

Boomer looked at Bubbles, who was struggling against Blaine, prodding, struggling, and violently attacking against Blaine to try to escape, but Blaine endured the pain of her attempts; he was far too determined to let go at those attempts. She stared out to Boomer, clearly feeling ashamed she was like this.

"But…I will let her go, Brother. On one condition…"

"Anything! Just name it!" yelled Boomer.

"I'll let her go…all you have to do…is take your finger, like the one I have now..."

Boomer listened. He was prepared to do anything.

"All you had to do," said Blaine, smiling. "Is take your finger and blow your brains out! It's your choice. And I warn you, I'm not a patient person."

Boomer looked at Blaine. Then he looked at Bubbles. He looked around at all his friends still in the fields.

Boomer looked down at his hand.

"Tick tock, Brother," said Blaine.

From the field, Brick yelled out, worried.

"Don't do it, Boomer! Don't listen to him!" yelled Brick.

Boomer stared at his own hand, and the weight it now held. He looked into Bubbles big blue eyes. He looking into them, and surprisingly smiled.

Boomer looked down at his hand.

"What choice do I have?" he whispered.

"DAMMIT, BOOMER, DON'T DO IT!" yelled Brick.

"Listen to him, Boomer!" yelled Bubbles, in Blaine's grasp. "Don't listen to him! I'll be fine!"

Boomer looked at his hand and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry…for everything…everyone," he said.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T $&$ING DO IT!" yelled Brick.

Everyone else in the field yammered indistinct yells at Boomer.

Buttercup desperately tried to break out of her field so she could do something, but to no avail.

Boomer's hand shook, then he steadied it. He slowly began to raise it closer to his head. Blue energy began to fill it.

"DON'T DO IT!" yelled Brick.

"STOP IT, BOOMER! DON'T!" yelled Bubbles.

"Shut up, all of you!" yelled Blaine. "It's his decision, whether he wants to die on the inside or the outside."

Boomer remained still. His hand was filled with energy.

I never thought…it would be like this, thought Boomer.

His hand began to shake with energy. Sparks cascaded from his hand, as power began to charge in it. It was like Boomer's finger was a dam for power, and behind that dam was a monster tsunami.

"GODDAMMIT, DON'T DO IT!" yelled Brick.

Boomer's eyes remained closed. Boomer didn't expect his demise to be like this. He expected to be more afraid, but…somehow Boomer knew what he was doing was right. He was sacrificing himself for the greater good. He was sacrificing himself for the women he loved more than anything.

There were much worse ways to die.

"DONNNNN'T!" yelled Bubbles.

"Goodbye…I love you," he said.

Brick couldn't watch. At the Boomer's words, he turned away. These were the noises he heard:

WHAM!

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Thud!

Then, for a moment, there was only silence.