Idiotic Decisions and Worry
Brick touched down and didn't bother looking up to see if Blossom noticed his departure. Switching his cap around and keeping it low he swiftly found his way to the subway terminal. Paying his admission this time he was soon on his way home. "These monsters are are a problem. If they keep attacking like this I'll never make those girls useless." His thoughts ran through his head as he listened to the sound of the subway running across the tracks.
"Where do they even keep coming from? Is some mad scientist just throwing them at the city? Nah, I would have noticed by now with these attacks going on 10 stupid years." He looked up in the middle of his thoughts to see a television displaying the current news. Blossom was on the screen doing another interview.
"So Blossom it has been years since this monster has been seen, why was it necessary this time to end it, whereas last time a pacifist solution was the answer?" The woman was behind the camera this time, but Brick could recognize the voice. It was that Ash lady who was the most persistent in getting an interview with Brick and his brothers.
"Well, my partner in this fight and I, established the creature was more set on demolishing the city this time, whatever caused it to become so angry we have no idea, but upon finding the pacifist route to be ineffective we took action to eliminate the problem." She said with a smile.
"And who is this partner? I assume it wasn't your sisters."
"Actually it was Brick from the Rowdyruff Boys." She said her smile growing slightly wider.
"It is comforting knowing the two leaders of the cities most powerful crime fighters can work together so easily, was this planed or did you just happen to fight together?"
"He was the first on the scene, upon my arrival we teamed up and with some planning and teamwork we managed to end the monster this time."
"Yeah just leave out how you were stalking and chasing me down minutes before the monster showed up." He muttered leaning forward in his seat.
"So what was it like working with Brick? This would be the first time a Powerpuff and a Rowdyruff have teamed up, would this set things up to be a more reoccurring phenomenon?"
"I would be happy to work together with him again, it was in fact his plan that ended the monster. I do not think these team ups will happen again or even if they do that often, but it was interesting working with a person who values strategic thinking and brains in a fight as much as I do. He has some sharp rough corners to him, but I do have to concede to how effective he can be in a fight against monsters."
"Over the years we have seen numerous, uncountable even, attacks from Monster Isle do you think today may have been because of your victories?"
"Who is to say, after all the work we have put into ridding the beings from out city I do hope this victory will mean the end of Monster Isle attacking us any longer."
"Now that's interesting," Brick thought leaning back in his seat ignoring the rest of the interview, "The monsters all come from one place." A devious smile grew on his face. Hearing the familiar ding of the subway stopping he got off and headed home. Still not risking flying and running back into Blossom he walked through the city until arriving at his apartment.
"Lets see now," He said typing away at his computer. It wasn't long until he found the location of the island housing the onslaught of monsters. Not wishing to go under prepared he found the history of the island and Townsville. Learning how just before his resurrection there was even a time when the monsters and citizens were living together. "What a surprise that idiot former mayor caused that too. God damn how many times has he directly been responsible for the city being attacked?" He wondered out loud. It was close to noon, Boomer would be gone for a while longer, and Butch said he probably won't be home until late. Feeling the exhaustion from the last fight weighing down his arms he moved to his room and with a flop on his bed, passed out.
Two hours later his eyes snapped open. Looking at the clock he stretched and gave out a loud yawn. Stripping his clothes to take a shower he prepared for his mission. He slapped on a red tank top, and black jeans. He decided to leave his coveted ball cap at home and just tied his hair back. Finishing off with a pair of steel toed work boots he bought he went out with a determined grin on his face.
The only stop he made on his way to the shore was a pizza place so he could fill his gut. With renewed energy and a full stomach he rocketed off the beach, headed about forty miles south east of the shore. The flight didn't take long, as he touched down on the beach of the first island he found, he was wondering if he was even in the right place. All his doubts were shattered as he witnessed flying monsters take to the skies from the forest ahead, and hearing the familiar sounds of screeched and roars.
Realizing he may have bit off more than he could really chew he shook away his anxiety and tried to laugh. "I either die here, or I become the greatest hero Townsville would ever know." Fire lit off in his eyes and with a roar of his own to rival the monsters took off like a bullet to blitzkrieg the unsuspecting monster populace.
It had been a few days since the Orange monster attack. Mayor Bellum was busy typing away at some unfinished paperwork when Butch and Boomer broke through the windows in front of her.
"Mayor have you seen Brick!?" Butch and Boomer called out simultaneously.
Recovering from the sudden surprise she looked at the shattered window. "You could have come in through the door you know." She said looking at the two boys with disappointment.
"Mayor we're serious when we say this is an emergency, we haven't seen Brick in days!" Boomer yelled.
"Yeah, we went out for the day and when we came home he was still out, he hasn't been home, and his boss in the paper route even called asking where he has been. Brick never missed a day of work!" Butch said stressing the last sentence. "Have. You. Seen. Him?"
"Not since the last monster attack." She said calmly.
"What monster attack?" Boomer questioned.
"A few days ago an old monster attacked the city Brick and Blossom took care of it, while I didn't speak to them, I could see their colors streak across the sky. That was the last time I saw your brother." She hid the worry in her voice. She had been trying to call Brick several times each day for the last few days. Until they were both available she didn't want to have Blossom and Brick to know about the project she wanted them on.
"Of course the Puff has something to do with it. Let's go!" Butch called out, and before the Mayor could ask them to use the door they flew through window shattering it further.
Rubbing the sides of her temples she called for maintenance to come clean up the mess, and order a new window. "Brick better not be doing something stupid right now."
The two boys landed in front of the Utonium household and began furiously banging on the front door. They were so focused on their screaming and pounding they actually fell through the door way when the professor opened up. "Yes?" He said looking down at the two boys with a curious brow raised.
"Where is Blossom?" Boomer demanded.
The professor looked up the stairs, "I think upstairs in her room, I can call her for you if you want." But as he looked down he only saw green and blue racing up the stairs.
"Which one is Blossoms?" Butch asked. Looking over he saw Boomer pounding on all the doors racing up and down the hallway. Butch had to stifle his laughter when Buttercup socked Boomer for hitting her in the face in his rush.
"What's going on? Why are you here, and so damn loud at that." Buttercup said looking down at boomer clutching his nose.
"We haven't seen Brick in a few days and your sister was the last one to be seen with him." Butch replied.
"So why is he running up and down our hallways banging all our doors of the hinges." Buttercup scowled pointing down.
"He is probably just worried." Bubbles said leaving her room when she heard all the ruckus.
"Yeah, how would you react if it was your sister missing?" Boomer stated standing up.
"Okay yeah, I would probably go ballistic. Still though, it's way too early for all that noise." Buttercup conceded.
"It's 10 in the morning." Butch said with a scoff.
"In the middle of summer break." She clarified defensively.
"So lazy." He said smirking and shaking his head.
"Butch stop flirting we need to find Brick." Boomer shoved butch and started pounding on another door.
"That's the bathroom Boomie." Bubbles giggled. "This is Blossoms room." Opening the door they found it empty.
"Where is she?" Butch and Boomer asked barging in. "I will turn this place upside down if I have to." Butch finished.
"Why are you all in my room?" Blossom's voice rang out from behind the group.
"Hey Blossom the boys were looking for you." Bubbles said.
"I was in the backyard reading." She said holding up a book, "What do you want."
"Where is our brother?" Boomer nearly yelled.
"I haven't seen Brick in a few days. Why?" Blossom said rolling her eyes. She was actually reading one of the juvenile psychology books she got from the bookstore hoping to get something she could use to get Brick to stay within her sight. She was still mad how he kept easily slipping past her.
The boys recounted how they hadn't seen him in days, and was even missing from work. "So you have no idea where he went?" The boys shook their heads. Blossom decided she could use this, "Well maybe there is something in his room, if you take us to your apartment we could help you look for clues." She said with an earnest smile.
Butch and Boomer looked at each other, "Yeah Boomie, I would love to know where you live so we can see each other more!" Bubbles giggled.
"I don't like this." Boomer said.
With a nod Butch spoke, "I don't either, but what choice do we have, the pink one is the only one close to being as smart as Brick. We either let them come over and see if they can help, or sit around and do nothing."
Boomer nodded his head, "Okay follow us." And with that they all flew out the front door.
The professor watched them leave, listening in he felt a twinge of relief hearing Brick was missing, "He can just stay gone for all I care." He thought closing the door.
The door swung open and the boys lead the girls inside. "So this is the hideout for the Rowdyruffs?" Blossom inquired.
"Mayor Bellum is having us live here, until were 18 then we either pay rent or get out." Butch corrected, "So it's not so much of a hideout as our home for now."
"Oh Boomer which one is your room?" Bubbles said flying down the short hallway.
"Hey you can't go in my room!" Boomer said chasing after her. Buttercup just found herself a spot on the couch and was sitting down waiting for Blossom to find something.
"His room is the last one down the hall, cant miss it." Butch said pointing.
"Thanks." Blossom said and started walking down to the door. Butch heard the door open and close, he decided to sit on the sofa with Buttercup.
"How come your not helping Blossom?" Buttercup asked.
"Same reason as you, I guess."
"Yeah getting in the way of miss-junior-detective over there will only lead to her lecturing us." Buttercup laughed. Looking around she remarked, "Not a bad place you got here really, the mayor set this up for you?"
Butch went into detail of all that happened upon their reunion while Blossom was in Brick's room. She was surprised with how clean it was, the only thing she found out of place where some clothes she recognized from their last encounter, ever seeing the coffee stain on the shirt. He didn't have much, but that was probably by his choice. He seemed to like keeping this simple.
She couldn't see much of anything leading to a revelation about his location, but did notice a twinge of worry when she found the ball cap he was inseparable from laying on the lone pillow. She picked it up and left the room. Looking around she could hear Boomer and Bubbles in his room, the door was open after all. "Boomer! When did you start working for the Zoo?" She could see Bubbles holding up a shirt to Boomer who was trying to clean up around her. She didn't listen to the conversation beyond that, but did hear Butch and Buttercup talking in the living room.
Butch was walking back from the kitchen tossing a soda at his counterpart when he saw Blossom. "Find anything?"
"Only his hat, Can you think of any reason he wouldn't take it with him?"
The worry on Butch's face grew, "Only if he either didn't have a choice, or went of to do something that could ruin it." He grabbed the hat looked it over. "If he comes back I'm gonna kick his ass for making me worry." His grip tightening on the hat.
"Does he have a journal or something?"
"Beats me I usually see him sitting on that computer reading stuff, if he did it would probably be on there." He said returning to the sofa pointing to the computer.
With a smile she sat down, with a wiggle of the mouse she saw it go straight to the home screen. "Good thing he didn't put a password on it." She thought to herself. She noticed the internet tab was still open on the bottom of the screen, clicking it she was shocked to see a page detailing everything about Monster Isle. "He wouldn't do something that dumb would he?" She thought, but looking over to the hat in Butches hand made her worry grow. As she was about to get up and inform them what she found the silent apartment echoed with the clicking of the door knob and the sound of the door opening and closing. All eyes were on the door as Brick leaned against the door, covered in patches of dried blood. The colors varying between red green and yellow. Even some blue was mixed in the collage of blood that coated the young man.
His hair was matted and frayed, his breath was haggard, he also was covered in scars and bruises. Blossom took notice that his mouth, which was gasping for breath, was missing teeth. All the damage would be gone by tomorrow or the next day at the latest with decent rest, but it looked like he barely had the strength to keep himself up even leaning against the door.
Boomer walked away from his room and shattered the silence. "Dude what the fuck happened to you?"
"I was over at Nunya." Brick said never opening his eyes.
"Nunya what."
"Nunya god damn business." Brick said, leaning forward hands on his knees.
Butch stomped up to his brother and slapped him, "Bullshit dude, our brother goes missing for days, and comes back looking like this!? It is our business."
Finally opening his eyes he took notice of the Puffs who were standing behind his brothers. "What the fuck are they doing here?" He seethed.
"They were helping us look for you. If you didn't want them here you should have called. You have any idea how worried we were?" Butch said slapping Brick with his hat, "We actually asked the girls for help you dumb ass where were you?"
"I was taking care of some stuff. Look I'm back, let me shower and rest. It's all in the past now. So it doesn't matter." Brick said shoving past Butch. Boomer just got out of the way. The stench permeating from Brick invaded everyone's noses, and almost felt relief when they heard the shower going off in Bricks room.
Blossom narrowed her eyes and moved to the room. Seeing the bathroom door closed she resigned herself to sit on the bed. Bricks shower had run long, either from the fatigue or the immense work he had to do to get clean again. The steam billowed from the door as he made his way back into his room, seeing blossom sitting on his bed he clutched the towel he was wearing and screamed, "Jesus woman! What the fuck are you doing on my bed?"
"Well someone needs to chew you out for what you did." She said with a stern face. Brick could feel his temper rise at her smug words.
"Is this really a conversation that needs to happen while I'm in a towel?" He growled.
"Shut up." Her simple yet strong response managed to throw Brick. "What the hell were you thinking? Going to Monster Isle by yourself?"
"You have no proof of what I did while I was gone." His voice laced with venom.
"Your gone for a few days then come back covered in a rainbow of blood, I hope none of it was yours by the way, and still open on your computer is a website detailing everything about Monster Isle. We both know god damn well what you were doing." She said standing up and glaring into his eyes.
"The fuck does it matter?" He said not backing down from her glare.
"You could have been killed! Your brothers had no idea where you were! What would have happened if you couldn't make it back!" She was screaming in his face.
"What the fuck do you care?" He yelled right back, "I did what I had to do to stop the monster attacks!"
"That's not the point! First of all not every monster over there was even wanting to attack the city! Second I can't believe how irresponsible you are! We barely beat one monster together and you somehow think you could commit total annihilation by yourself!"
"I did didn't I? It was a solid 24 hours fighting and surprise attacks but that island isn't going to be a threat anymore!"
"You got lucky! Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going? Why by yourself? Brick, Why did you do something so stupid!" The last words echoed in Bricks mind sending rage throughout his body.
"Why the hell do you care? We are not friends, we're not enemies, we're just two super powered teenagers who live in the same city!"
"Oh my god, first of all; that's not the point. You were reckless, you put yourself in danger for no reason!" She could feel her eye twitching. She realized she could shout at him all day I won't change anything. "You're so dumb." She said quietly. Walking past him she opened the door and looked back, "You know, I would be more than happy to be your friend. Our siblings get along with each other, there is no reason we couldn't, but you insist on living this stupid dangerous lonely life, and that's your call. Enjoy solidarity." She slammed his bedroom door and stormed out of the apartment.
The four siblings were listening to the screaming match. Butch and Boomer we're torn. One the one hand they wanted to yell and scream at their brother too. He deserved it, but they didn't want Blossom doing it. Watching her storm through the apartment throwing her hands in they air with and annoyed grunt she left. "Well, I'll have to come see you at work soon Boomer." Bubbles said trying to kill the awkward silence before they left.
"Yeah you should." Boomer said half paying attention.
"Yeah and me and you still got a score to settle Buttercup." But said leading the two sisters out to the door.
"Uh yeah, see you guys." Buttercup said and with that both sisters left the apartment. Boomer and Butch looked at each other then with a nod walked to Bricks room. He had just finished throwing on some pajama bottoms and was sitting on the bed about to lay down when his brothers entered.
"What do you guys want?" He said. Looking up he was met by the saddened and disappointing looks on his brothers faces.
"Dude, we're happy to see you're alright, but what happened to fighting as a team?" Butch said. Brick didn't get a chance to respond as both brother shook their heads and closed the door.
Brick laid out on his bed letting out a slow extended fuuuuuck... as he did so. The memory of his past few days was playing in his head. Upon his initial attack against the monsters it was a solid 24 hours of nonstop fighting. Occasionally he had to hide in order to get a surprise attack on the tougher monsters, or when he found some food to shovel down as quickly as he found it, but his body ached and his mind grew weary. He ended up expelling so much energy by the end, it took him a day to recover his flight. He was going to need a day or two still to get back to 100 percent, but he held no regrets for his actions. He knew his brothers would be mad for a few days, but they'll get over it. He rolled onto his side and managed to find sleep within minutes of closing his eyes.
Blossom hadn't waited for her sisters, and as soon as she was outside she took to the skies. Flying as fast as she could she found herself starring down at the now vacant island. Brick had done a number on the place. Some creatures were impaled upon trees and even other larger monsters that had horns. One large monster was lying on the side looking like a knife was run down its neck to his gut. A few corpses were burnt, but most of the smaller monsters looked like they had bullet holes the size of a teenager through them.
The most powerful monsters from the island we're long gone, but still having their strength in numbers Blossom stood in shock how much devastation Brick had brought. "He just showed up and razed the population." She said solemnly. She was still conflicted on how to feel about this. She knew most the monsters attack as a means of proving themselves on the island by fighting the girls, but most of the inhabitants just didn't care for Townsville and wanted to stay away. Townsville was safe from any future attack, but he didn't need to go and do this.
"It's not like anyone will hold him responsible for this." Blossom said sadly. She gave her condolences and flew off back to the city.
Back in the city the mayor was watching her new windows get installed when she heard her desk phone ringing. "Mayor Bellum speaking."
"Hey mayor it's Butch." She heard the voice say then in the background she could hear Boomer demand inclusion as well, "Shut it!" Butch finally said after arguing in the background of the conversation.
"Hello Butch, did you find Brick?"
"Yeah he turned up, apparently he went to Monster Isle to deal with future attacks. He came home covered in blood. He's sleeping right now, but I thought we should call and let you know he's home."
A smile emerged on Bellum's face, "That's nice to hear, have him call me when he wakes tomorrow please."
"You got it Mayor." Butch said followed by a click and dial tone.
Hitting the end button she thought to herself, "Monster Isle huh?" She shook her head with a sigh, "At least he is alright I guess. That's what matters."
A.N. so that's my update for now. I ask you review or message me about the story. Whenever I get a review or message it truly ignites my motivation to keep the story alive. So if you want to see more at a quicker pace drop a review off and tell me what you think.