A Welcomed Return

The professor and the girls were flying back from the Redwood national park in California. It was the last day of their vacation, and decided one last hike as a family was in order. The professor was being held up by Bubbles and Buttercup who gingerly sat him down when they arrived at their campsite.

"Okay girls, We gotta get this site pristine before we leave." He couldn't even finish his sentence when the girls had already packed all their belongings, including the professors, and got rid of all the trash. "I don't know what else I was expecting." He said with a chuckle while getting into his car.

Soon all the girls except Blossom had loaded themselves into the car, and after a final checklist making sure they didn't forget anything Blossom grabbed the roof of the car and took off. The inside of the car was peculiarly quiet. Buttercup was napping with the front passenger seat reclined back, and even Bubbles, who would normally be humming or singing was laid out in the back with face buried in her arms.

"It seems the girls need a vacation from this one." He inwardly joked. He let them be and returned to the paper he bought earlier that day. He had busied himself with the crossword when his watch alarm went off. "Are either of you girls awake?" He asked as he looked back at Bubbles.

"Mm-hmm," Buttercup roused. "your stupid alarm knocked me out of dreamland."

"Well, I'm sorry, but one of you needs to trade with Blossom. She served her hour."

Buttercup stretched her arms and rolled down her window, "Just don't let Bubbles get all lazy when it's my time to switch." She said with a smirk.

"Hey!" Bubbles called out to defend herself, but Buttercup was already out the window. Her presence was soon replaced by Blossom gently floating into laying on the seat.

Readjusting the seat back upright she smiled at the Professor. "You know something? This was a lot of fun." She said her grin only growing wider. "I mean yeah, we did all the same stuff we do at home anyways, but it was just different enough to feel like a different experience."

"Well I'm happy you enjoyed yourselves." He returned her infectious smile.

"Yeah, but now I just wanna get home, shower in hot water and lay in my own bed." She giggled with a yawn. She then locked her eyes on the glove box, "Maybe it's time to check on the phone, you know make sure nothing happened." She gave the professor a pleading look.

He knew there would be at least one missed call, if not more, from the Attack earlier that week. He didn't want her working herself up about it, plus it might interfere with his final surprise for the girls. "Now now, the vacation isn't over until we're home and unpacked." He let out a forced chuckle while he packed some tobacco into his pipe. "Besides I'm sure they survived the week, and we're still a few hours away. I doubt waiting those few more wont hurt.

Blossom couldn't argue his point, and if something did happen the professor was right. They were too far away presently to do anything anyways. With a pout and a huff she readjusted in the car seat and closed her eyes. "Well, if anything did happen I better be well rested to fight when we get there." She yawned and let herself drift off to sleep.

The rest of the flight home was filled with a comfortable silence. The only moments of actual noise was when Bubble and Buttercup switched places. They arrived with a sense of relief being home. No one but the professor took notice of the Townsville skyline as they arrived. It was perfectly intact and seemed no more peaceful than any city at that distance.

With a stretch of his legs and back as he exited the car the Professor announced, "Okay girls, we've made it home."

As Bubbles floated to the back of the car her sisters fell out and walked to the back to gather their belongings. Each grabbed their own bag and started walking to the door, while the professor fumbled with his keys. He made a show about trying to unlock the door claiming the keys were stuck maybe rusted from the lake all week. Finally he unlocked the door after about 30 seconds of violently shaking the keys in the lock. The girls sighed in relief and floated in when something caught their senses.

The house itself didn't seem as cold and dead as it should have. There was an unexpected warmth, like someone had been here all week long. All fear that their house had been broken into subsided when the smell of cinnamon filled their noses. There was also traces of lavender filling the air. Crooks don't make the place smell nice when they ransack a place, and certainly would take something if they did, but all items in the living room seemed accounted for.

"Professor, was someone house sitting while we were gone?" Blossom asked.

"Not exactly Blossom." The professor hid a sly smile from his daughter.

"What smells so good." Buttercup asked as she seemed to be led by her nose to the kitchen. Soon her voice rang out, "Guys there is a fresh Pie on the kitchen. It's even on plates already!"

Bubbles and Blossom dropped their belongings and raced to the kitchen were true to her word was a pie, still steaming three slices sitting on plates next to a color coded cup. The pie with the pink cup filled with ice water, had a small scoop of whipped cream lightly sprinkled with caramel sprinkles. The Blue cup, filled with juice, had a scoop of vanilla ice cream barely beginning to melt on top.

Buttercup was already halfway through her slice. Her cup was filled with juice as well, and had whipped cream on her cheek. Though with her whipped cream there seemed to be extra cinnamon sprinkled on. "Oh dis is good." She said before swallowing her bite.

"Buttercup how do you know that isn't poisoned? The fact there is pie waiting for us doesn't concern you."

"Oh relax Blossom, I can smell everything in here, and there isn't any poison." Bubbles said finding her seat and looking at her slice with joy.

"Professor," Blossom pleaded, "Even you have to admit this is weird."

He looked down at his girl and gave a small chuckle. "I wasn't expecting it, but I don't think it's weird."

"Why not." Her gaze was squinting trying to figure out what the professor knew that they clearly did not.

"Because I know about your real surprise." He said with a shrug as he took his own seat trying to cut himself a piece. As he looked over to Blossoms eyes, begging for more information, he pointed. "Which is behind you."

Before she could turn around she heard a familiar giggle, Bubbles and even Buttercups eyes were wide as they peered past Blossom. "It almost hurts to think you suspect the homemade pie I made to be poisoned Blossom."

Shooting around she was greeted to the sight of Miss Keane standing over her. Blossom immediately smiled, "Miss Keane, what are you doing here?"

"Well..." She began at a loss of words to try and explain the new living situation. She looked over at the professor who had his cheek stuffed with pie. He wiped his mouth and walked to her side wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he swallowed his food.

"Margaret and I have decided to take our relationship to the next level," All three girls were looking at him like he was talking in slow motion. "So for now on, She will be living with us." The squeal of glee the three girls made should have broken every window in the block. Even Buttercup was filled with happiness for her dad finding someone.

Soon after Margaret found herself wrapped in six arms squeezing her into an excited hug. Bubbles and Blossom were hugging her shoulders while Buttercup was hugging her off the the side. Just as she was returning the hug Bubbles looked like she realized something and shot off miss Keane. Only moments later they heard another squeal from the upstairs. She flew down holding an orange tabby cat with blue eyes.

"We get a kitty too!" bubbles chirped nuzzling the feline.

"It took her longer to realize then I thought it would." The professor whispered in Margaret's ear.

The cat jumped out of Bubbles arms and ran to the professor, and then laid down asking for a belly rub. "I get it, I get it." The professor replied and knelt down to affectionately rub the cat.

The girls looked in awe, "I thought nothing would make you like cats again." Blossom finally said.

"Neither did I until, what our third date?" He asked looking up and Keane, she nodded in return. "I was sitting on her sofa waiting for her to finish getting ready, Then Valentino here just jumped into my lap." He let out a chuckle, "He wouldn't leave me alone until I pet him, and I think it's safe to say we're both attached to each other." He laughed as the cat rolled over purring loudly.

The next hour or so was spent helping Miss Keane unpack and find room for everything. She made sure she didn't want to be called mom or anything just yet so they spent some time trying to figure that out. Eventually they agreed on Keane. Dropping the semi-formality seemed like a good compromise. After everything was put up, camping gear included Blossom felt like she was forgetting something. With a scoff of self-disbelief she playfully smacked her forehead, "The hot line how could I forget." She laughed. After finding the keys on the kitchen counter she rushed out to the car. Grabbing the phone and powering it up she saw the phone had two messages. Looking over to the city from their driveway she saw the city was fine, so it couldn't be that serious could it?

"Girls? Why aren't you answering your phone Mojo Jojo has a robot army and is presently attacking. Please tell me you already know and are on your way." The message rang out in Blossoms ear. Looking over at the city she felt her heart drop.

A voice in her head rang out. "Don't jump just yet, what's the second message?"

"Girls feel free to disregard that last message, the boys took care of it, but please call me as soon as you get this." The message quickly calmed Blossom down as she hit the call back button.

At the office Mayor Bellum was working out the last bits of paper work from the last attack. The week came and went like they always do and nothing had seemed to even want to attack the city. She was reading over a proposal for a small memorial statue in the park for the 40 or so people Mojo ended with his last attack when he heard her phone go off on her desk.

"Mayor Bellum speaking."

"Hey Mayor it's Blossom." She said with a slight twinge of guilt in her voice. "I just got your message."

"It's good to hear from you Blossom. Could you and your sisters please come to city hall. I really need to talk to you."

"On our way Mayor. See you soon." After Bellum heard the audible click she dropped her phone into the receiver. She didn't know what to do anymore. The girls, more than any one in the city, deserved a break. She couldn't make them feel guilty about it, and in the end everything turned out alright. She just kept thinking, What if the girls were there? Could they have stopped their cruel punishment? It's not like it would have mattered seeing as Mojo was waiting for them to leave. Bellum's mind was a war zone. She never expected the job to be easy, but this harsh gray area was something she was having trouble wrapping her normally cool and calculative mind around.

The sound of her door opening and feet clacking against the tile floor made her look up to see the three girls. "Hello Mayor. We came as quickly as we could." Blossom said.

"We would have been here sooner if a certain blond didn't try bringing the new cat along." Buttercup jeered at Bubbles.

"Not my fault Keane brought her cat to live with us." Bubbles responded by sticking out her tongue.

"Girls it's good to see you three again. How was your vacation?" She said shaking away her anxiety.

"It was good, We went to the mountains, camped out, played in the Forrest..." Bubbles continued listing off the various activities the girls did over the week.

"Why wasn't I informed of your leave?" Bellum asked as Bubbles kept listing off stuff.

"I guess we kinda forgot, it was planned only a week before we actually went." Blossom said. She had a look of self disappointment on her face as she looked down rubbing her upper arm.

"I'm not mad you went on one, but finding out through Mojo's rant was not a pleasant experience." Bellum spoke leading Blossoms chin to look her in the eyes.

"Wait did Mojo attack?" Buttercup asked.

"A week ago. Apparently he was spying on you, and after a few hours of you being gone he attacked with a robot army. Close to fifty people lost their lives, hundreds injured, and millions in property damage." Blossoms eyes looked guilty and Buttercups eyes were wide with rage.

"I'm sorry Mayor, we didn't think leaving for a bit would cause anything like that." Blossom said looking down.

Bellum was screaming at herself in her head, "What happened to making them not feel guilty about it? Remember that Sarah?" her thoughts ranted inside. "Do not feel like this is your fault for wanting to take it easy for once." She said standing up and waiving her hand in the air. "I'm only telling you what happened. The boys took care of it."

"Whatever they did was too good for him." Buttercup scoffed and folded her arms.

"Where is Mojo now anyways?" Blossom asked looking into Bellum's green eyes.

"He was transferred to a minimum security prison this morning. He was in the hospital since he was apprehended by the boys."

"Why would you place him in there?" Buttercup and Blossom asked.

"I think it's better you see for yourself." She stood up and requested her limo to get ready to head to Townsville jail.

"...Then I decided against a mud bath, I colored and drew a few more times, we went on a hike down in the Redwood forest, then packed up and came home. What did you do last week mayor?" Bubbles finally finished her list of activities and was confused by both her sisters looking at her in shock. "What? What did I say?"

A short drive, and explanation to Bubbles later the girls were being checked in the visitors section. "Now girls, I don't think it's a good idea to talk to him, but I wanted you to see how the boys handled it." She motioned to the room. It didn't take the girls long to spot him. He was sitting in a electric wheelchair. The end of the control stick was a cuff he was shoving a nub where his hand should have been through and was using that to control it. Both his legs had been removed, the area leading to the amputation was shaved and bandaged, a similar look was adorned on his forearms.

His face was completely emotionless, and it had barely any color to it. A nurse stopped by popping a few pills, probably pain killers, he then sucked his water through a straw. Buttercup was the first speak. "Okay maybe not too good for him."

"What happened?" Blossom asked.

Mayor explained in detail about how they paralyzed and amputated the chimp. "That's awful." Bubbles finally said after the story.

"I can't exactly say they were wrong though." Buttercup said never taking her eyes of the pathetic Jojo. She looked over to her sisters un-approving gazes, "I don't agree, but I can't say they're wrong is all." She spoke waving her hands defensibly.

"I guess I get it." Blossom said. "So what do you need us to do Mayor go and kick some Rowdyruff butt? Throw them in jail?" As Blossom spoke both Buttercup and Bubbles had grown sorrowful faces, the later more so than the former.

"I can't actually. If I do that, then I would have to place you three girls under as well." Bellum spoke while leading them out of the building.

"What do you mean by that?" Blossom asked.

"If I get them convicted for vigilante justice, then I would have to have you three apprehended on the same principal. They have such a following in the city now, there would be mob mentality demanding their release or your incarceration." She let out an exasperated breath, "Worse yet, the boys know it, and used it against me."

"What more did they do?"

"I asked them to fight crime in your absence like you three would. After the attack of course, and they said no. Unless I gave them a full pardon." She looked at the girls as they piled back into her limo. "The deal was if they behaved like you did until your return they would be pardoned for their past."

"And did they?" Bubbles asked.

"They never had a chance to break the promise. After the attack no one dared try and be on the receiving end of a Rowdyruff beat down."

"So they won." Blossom looked down at the floor.

"Yes, which is why I'm going to have to ask you to keep an eye on them." she said. "I'm erasing their official past, but considering only we four seem to remember it, I'm asking you to keep an eye and make sure they don't do anything drastic."

"Easy enough, we're already hanging out with them as is." Buttercup said.

"Wait really?" Bellum asked with a look of surprise growing.

"Well, me and Buttercup are. But I bet Blossom could work her womanly charms and get the stick-in-the-mud Brick out too." Bubbles giggled.

"If I could even find him." Blossom responded. "I haven't even seen him in the few weeks since graduation."

"I could just give you their addresses." Bellum replied.

"Nah, it'd be better if one of us could build up their trust first." Blossom said after weighing the options in her head. "Besides it doesn't seem to far away if my sisters are already hanging out."

"Well, to be fair it's more like running into the boys." Buttercup informed.

"Yeah, but I know you can do it again." Blossom affirmed. After swearing to Bellum they would keep the boys in line they took off. Mayor Bellum walked back into her office. Falling into her chair she finally felt a little better about the boys. It was a surprise hearing at least two of the boys were on friendly terms with the girls, hopefully they'd be a good influence. She picked up her phone and dialed the number.

"Rowdyruff hot line, Brick speaking." The voice called out after two rings.

"Brick, could you and your brothers please come to my office. We have some paperwork to go through."

"I take it the girls finally showed up." Brick's voice rang through, Bellum could picture the smug smile he had across his face.

"Yes, I'll be holding a press release announcing your pardon. A deal is a deal." She was about to hang up when she felt she had to add, "Please dress nicely."

A half hour later and the three boys were standing in her office each wearing a solid color dress shirt hanging loosely over a nice pair of jeans. Brick was wearing the tie Langston gave him, and his brothers were both wearing black ties. They were eagerly signing their names onto the paper. After that they were ushered to the steps of the Capitol building where a podium and crowd of reporters had gathered. Langston was there as well giving an approving nod to the boys from the crowd. Mayor Bellum took to the mic and spoke, "Ladies and Gentlemen, last week as we all know Mojo Jojo had yet again attacked our lovely city. It was only thanks to the sense of duty these three boys here had shown that he was defeated. While far too many lives were lost, a memorial has been approved for those lost by the way, we would like to thank the three young men who stopped him." The crowd which started bombarding her with questions had silenced themselves as she began to address the reason for the press release. "They have been an amazing help cleaning up the streets where the girls couldn't, not to undermine the girls several years of service, but since they decided to help out they have: Stopped a monster, stopped a bank robbery involving hostages, and the number of street crimes has dropped by nearly 40%. So I extend my personal thanks to these boys," She spoke with a forced smile on her face, "As I announce this government officially forgives and pardons them for all crimes committed before today." As she finished her statement an eruption of applause roared through the crowd. The boys themselves just smiled and waved to the crowd.

Back at the Utonium household the new family was watching the press release live on the news. "I really won't miss living there with all those attacks." she said sipping on her drink.

"I won't miss living without a cat." Bubbles said playing with a feather on a stick with the cat.

Buttercup had no interest in the sight and retreated to her room to go a few rounds on her punching bag.

Professor was smoking from his pipe, a slight scowl decorated his face. He found himself wishing he could forget and forgive, but he still associated the boys with that horrid night.

Blossom however was taking everything she could from the sight. One camera managed to get a close up of the boys, and she saw the soft look in Bricks eyes. For the first time she saw how easy it was to get lost and trust in those blood red orbs. She didn't know if it was some power or just charisma he had, but she now saw how he was getting the city to love him even before stopping a major villain. A warm feeling fluttered in her cheeks and chest as she took in the sight. "I can't have Bubbles and Buttercup showing me up in playing peacekeeper. Starting tomorrow I'll have to just run into him as well." She internally rallied to herself.