Recovery

Buttercup hadn't stopped flying since she stormed away from the fight, and was touching down on the ground, Brick's words echoing in her head. Looking up she saw the now familiar apartment housing the Rowdyruff Boys. If it wasn't for one occupant of this building she would consider herself crazy for coming here, but he did seem to get her better than anyone else. With a huff she entered the building and made her way upstairs.

Reaching the top floor she made her way to the door and knocked. The silence filling the hallway was getting on her nerves, so she decided to knock louder. "Butch! Get up!" she yelled as she was almost beating the door down. "What the hell is taking him so long?"

Butch was lost in his dream when the sound of someone pounding and screaming overpowered his snoring and brought him back into reality. Looking over at the clock he noticed it wasn't even 8 yet. With an annoyed scowl he went to answer the door. Surprise filling him to see Buttercup standing at his door, in leggings and a black tank-top. "BC? What are you doing here?" He asked through the sleep haze he was now fighting off.

Buttercup stopped for a moment, she actually didn't know why she had come here of all places, her usual go to was the beach or city pool. "Just felt like I needed to talk to someone, and you're my chosen victim." She said crossing her arms.

"Well come on in then," He gestured in the door, looking her up and down he noticed her hair was unkempt and she seemed to be lacking the light eyeliner she had taken to wearing recently. "So you just wake up or something?"

"I've been up for a bit now, maybe 45 minutes." She said walking past him. "What about you, after all the times you've called me lazy I find you asleep long after I wake up." She gave a coy smile.

"I had to stay at work a little late last night, the person who was supposed to replace me at the gas station was an hour late." He said yawning.

"Wait you got a job too?" Butch only nodded as he landed on the sofa in their living room. "I got it just before Brick went missing."

"That's annoying." She huffed. Sitting on the opposite end of the couch she noticed the curious look in Butch's eyes. "That means I'm the only one of us six without a job."

"Really what's your sister doing?"

"Bubbles wouldn't say only that she had some orientation today, and couldn't stop doing that ear grating squeal of hers." She rolled her eyes as she remembered Bubbles hopping around the house yesterday. "And Blossom and Brick are partners in some case the Mayor is having them work."

"Huh, news to me on that." Butch laughed at the thought of the two reds constant arguing.

"Yeah, and the sooner that's over with the better. It's already gotten on my last nerve." Buttercup let out a grunt of annoyance.

"I sense a story coming on. After all you did say you needed someone to talk to." He leaned over with his legs crossed and smiled, "So give me the dirt."

"I challenged your brother to a fight." She started but noticed the color drop from his face. Any emotion his eyes held was replaced with worry.

"Are you that suicidal?" Butch asked.

"Why are you acting like that, it's just Brick. He doesn't have any special powers, nor is he anywhere near as intense in a fight as you."

"Look compliments to me aside, how do you think Brick became our leader?" He asked leaning back.

"I give up, how?" the annoyance in her voice was in no short supply.

"We all fought each other last one standing was leader, he came out on top easily."

"When was this?"

"When we were in hell, me and Boomer got sick and tired of him bossing us around for all eternity so we decided to have a battle royal. Me and Boomer thought it would be easy taking him down a peg or two, like you said no special powers, but he claims lacking a power makes him stronger. Something about needing to create new moves and abilities with what he has to work with. In his eyes having a special power makes you too reliant on it, and the best soldiers do the most with the least."

"If that was true it should have been a true battle..." Buttercup started before Butch finished her sentence.

"But Brick got right into your head and thrashed you around?" She looked him in the eyes and tried to look stoic with a nod.

"Yeah, that's something he has been working on for a long time now. It worked enough in hell, but Brick took to studying psychology in lock up, now he has it locked down." Butch relaxed and extended his legs almost touching buttercup with them. "So what did he say to you?"

"It's not important." She said looking down, "The guy is just a selfish ass hole."

"Yeah that's true." Butch let out a laugh, "And look you don't have to tell me what he said, but I know first hand how harsh he can be even in a friendly fight. He takes himself way too seriously, thinking he is destined for some great thing or another."

"To be the greatest douche bag the world ever saw." Buttercup laughed while she arched her hands in the air as she spoke.

"Still though, if I may let you in on a little secrete?" Butch whispered behind his hand before returning to his normal voice. "Brick doesn't fight like that to anyone who he thinks doesn't deserve it. It's kinda a backhanded compliment. He hates spending energy or time on anything the fearless leader deems beneath him."

"Oh I feel so much better." She said lacing her words with heavy sarcasm.

"Well, maybe this will cheer you up. When we fought in hell, he held this action figure I liked over my head during our entire fight."

"Hell has action figures?" She said with a raised brow.

"Shockingly enough hell has a variety of stuff from pain and suffering for all eternity to shopping districts. It was kinda surprising to see." He gave her a toothy smile before continuing, "Anyways I found this cool demon toy, and I got attached to it. I believed this thing gave me strength to stand up in the fiery fields of hell and fight better," He noticed Buttercup shifted her eyes down and to the right with a slight blush on her face, but didn't think to question it, continuing on he said, "but then we had our fight. He went on and on how weak I had to be to rely on some pitiful toy, how I couldn't lead in case anything happened to it I would be lost and get us all killed. While the words swam in my head I let my barrier down and he thrashed me against anything he could find, even Boomer at one point." Buttercup did notice the similarities between them at that point. Even having an unhealthy attachment to something as a kid. She did feel a little better knowing even Butch had succumb similarly to Brick's attack.

"Thanks that does help." She said.

"The funny thing is, as painful then as it was to admit that he was right. It allowed me to become even stronger, and grow as a warrior. Some of my favorite memories are in hell with my brothers." He said with a laugh then placed a hand to his chin, "Course my all time favorite moments are when we completely owned you girls in our fights when we came back." He chuckled.

"Hey I think our win score is 7 to 5 right now, you got some catching up to do Ruff." She said playfully punching him.

"Well 7 to 6 now since I managed to get employment before you. I count that as a win." he retorted.

"Oh yeah? What do you do? Something lame I bet."

"Yeah working at a gas station is lame, but it's still a win." He smirked at her.

"Well, I just have more self respect than to work at something I wouldn't want to do." She defended with a hand on her chest and nose in the air.

"I think most people just call that L-A-Z-Y." He chuckled until she was on him playfully hitting him.

"Take it back." She laughed at him.

"Not until you get a job!" He laughed trying to push her away.

"Ugh I wouldn't even know where to begin, I just want something where I could enjoy it while I work you know?" She said falling back on her side of the couch.

"Well other than picking fights what do you like to do?"

"Swimming obviously, cooking too, but I couldn't do fast food."

"No surprise there they usually look down at you if you punch an annoying customer through a wall." He grinned at her but something seem to click in his head. "Wait here." He ordered then rushed back to his room. Buttercup could here some noises and Butch yelling wondering where something was before she heard him rush back. He was holding a folded piece of paper in his hands out to her. "So one of the things the little convenient store keeps is a post-it board, and someone dropped this one off yesterday. Made me think of you."

Taking it in her hands she found it to be a now hiring flier for the city pool. They we're in need of a life guard, "Butch this is actually a good idea!" She yelled.

"Yeah I was gonna use it to tease you about being lazy again, but this works better if you ask me." He gave her a genuinely warm smile which she returned.

"One downside it says I would have to teach a class on swimming, that could suck." She moaned.

"Sheesh I hand you a perfect summer job and you single out the one thing you wouldn't want to do. You really are the queen of ass dragging aren't ya." She actually laughed at his joke then noticed the time.

"It's a little after 8 it opens in a few hours, if you got nothing better to do wanna come with?" She asked.

"Is that just your way of saying you want to see me in swim trunks again." He chuckled and stuck a tongue out at her obvious discomfort.

"You're an ass." She sighed.

"Yeah, but so far I seem to be your best friend, so whatcha gonna do." He said shrugging. "But yeah I'd love to go with ya, could be fun and it is my day off anyways." Dropping on the couch the two continued chatting and watching tv until it was almost time to go. Butch coming out of his room with a fresh change of clothes, green shirt with a diagonal stripe and blue jeans, he looked her up and down. "Maybe we should stop by your place so you can look presentable. Ya know?"

Since she arrived Buttercup finally realized she was still in her sleepwear, and hadn't even brushed her hair. Feeling suddenly self conscious she nodded and they took off to her house.

Earlier in the city zoo Boomer had been busting his ass bringing in tanks of small animals for the new display. Setting down a tank with some chameleons in it he looked in inside, "See that wasn't so bad. Told you I'd be careful." He smiled into the tank. He was making quick work of setting up the display, being able to float definitely helped. Thanks to him they were ahead of schedule. The display was about halfway done and it was barely nine in the morning.

A sense of pride swelled up inside him, and was about to head back for the next tank when he heard his supervisor, named Allen, call everyone together. Reaching the small group of people Allen smiled and spoke. "Good morning everyone first off, great job with the exhibit it's really coming along. Secondly, we all know by now Trixie, despite her love of animals," He rolled his eyes and spoke with heavy sarcasm, "Just couldn't take the heat so she resigned and no longer is with us." A small sound of disappointment washed over the small group of people. "I know I sense your pain. She did so much work around here." The amount of sarcasm was getting on Boomer's last nerve. She didn't do much, true, but at least she actually seemed to enjoy the animals. Unlike one or two of his coworkers who had taken to insulting half the animals in the exhibit they were setting up today.

"Oh well life goes on." Boomer reasoned in his head.

"Thankfully we didn't have to wait long for her replacement. Someone already had an application in, and despite some misgivings we've decided to bring her on board, So everyone please welcome Bubbles to our crew." He gestured to the corner of the hall which held the Puff smiling and waving to everyone a high energy and high pitch greeting radiating from her.

Boomer was both shocked to see her, and relieved. He gave a warm smile and waved back. Allen continued, "She is undergoing orientation and will be starting her official shift tomorrow. This doesn't mean you all get to slack off with two superheroes in our staff. Understand?" He looked around to be met with most people just nodding and one or two letting out an annoyed yes. "Good, I'll be finishing up the tour with her, so return to your duties and be safe." Boomer wouldn't say it out loud but he always appreciated how he ended every meeting with the same last two words.

As everyone dispersed Boomer hung back just a second to wave to Bubbles. She noticed him before anyone else and hadn't let her eyes leave him. With a final wave he floated up and in a blue streak flew off to finish working. "Well that went well. I was worried people would bombard you with questions." Allen said walking back to her. "They did the same to Boomer when he joined. His welcome was an hour long meeting." He chuckled.

"Oh? Well now I feel a little hurt they didn't ask me a buncha questions." She giggled.

"Well there is always tomorrow when you start your first real shift." He said and the two walked off to finish the tour of the zoo.

Boomer was working a little harder, Seeing his friend managed to put a little extra pep in his step and he had managed to complete the display before lunch. He was setting the last tank down and looked around pride once again filling his chest. One of the older employees popped his head in and called out, "Hey Boom, it's lunch time!"

"Be right there Jackson!" Boomer returned, and walked out of the building.

He had just walked out the doors when Bubbles floated up behind him. "Boomie!" She yelled startling Boomer making him fly straight up. Giggling all the way up she broke out in a fit of laughter at his blushing face laced with a coy look of annoyance. "That's payback for the little scare with the bat." she let out between laughs.

"You've just started a war little puff." Boomer jokingly snarled while wrapping one arm around her shoulders and digging his hand into her scalp. "I like to go nuclear." He laughed.

"Stop! Please have mercy! Not the atomic noogie," She laughed while trying to free herself. "Come on I'm sorry." She looked at him with pleading eyes, "Please?"

Boomer acted like he got shot through the heart and let go"Counter attack," he dramatically floated down with his hand on his heart, "No!" He cried till he hit the ground.

"That's why I like you Boomie, you're just fun to be around." She giggled landing next to him.

"Thanks Bubs, I try." He said getting up, "So what made you join the zoo crew?"

"A certain blond hair boy working here looked so lonely and it seemed like he needed a friend." She winked.

"Well I'm positive he appreciates it." He smiled back.

"Geeze you're so positive, why can't your brother, captain scowl, be more like you?" She asked as they started walking.

"Brick? I don't know cause I'm me and he's Brick." He shrugged.

"I know that," She rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying you two seem to be opposites it's hard to see you as brothers. He's just so serious and he looks like he'll burn your house down as soon as look at you."

"Well it has to be that way, we function best through our complimentary personalities. Well that's what Brick says at least." He defended as they walked up to a food stand and ordered a hot dog and salad.

"But he is so mean. Don't tell me otherwise I still remember when I pretended to be you, and the onslaught of bullying." She said as they took their food and left to sit down.

"Yeah, off the battlefield him and Butch could be huge asses, but that's just the way we were." He shrugged and bit into his dog.

"Doesn't make it okay to constantly out you and degrade you." She spat as she picked at her salad.

"Well, I don't know if I ever felt ousted, Brick has made it clear I'm very much as part of the team as him or Butch. He is the brains, Butch the legs," he started before Bubbles interrupted.

"And what we're you, the butt?" Bubbles sighed expecting something bad.

Boomer shook his head, "Nah Brick always said I was the heart. Together we made one strong fighting unit." She looked at him dumbfounded. The idea Brick was anything sort of sentimental or positive was foreign to her.

"That's a shock."

"Well I guess, off the battlefield we were allowed to fight and bicker all we want, but once we started a fight, all differences we're immediately put aside. It was Bricks carnal rule, and we never broke it."

"That might explain why you three we're always so hard to beat. Sometimes me and my sisters would argue even while fighting. It got really sad a few times." She said half laughing at some memories.

"If it wasn't for Brick I'm sure we would have went mad in hell. He kept us marching on, even after we all had a fight. I still remember how before resting he would always remind us we're the Rowdyruffs, we fight together and win together." he smiled warmly at his own memories. "So I never really felt like I wasn't as much of a Rowdyruff as Butch or Brick. Sure we argue and sometimes I get pissed off when they call me dumb, but that's just family some times. You get it don't you."

She seemed lost in her thoughts, " I guess it's nice to know he isn't a complete jerk."

"Oh he is." Boomer laughed, "But half the time he insults someone or picks on one of us, he just wants us to grow into something better. I do have to admit though when we get him back it is a wonderful feeling." He snickered. "Like recently we found him passed out on the couch and me and Butch drew all over his face, right before Langston came over."

"Who is Langston?" she said before sticking more salad in her mouth.

Boomer finished the last of his hot dog and spoke, "Oh he was our Probation officer, we still see him time to time, but honestly? I don't think I'm the only one who sees him like a dad or close uncle." He sipped on his drink then seemed to realize something, "Why the sudden interest in my bro anyways?"

"Oh he came to our house this morning to get Blossom for that thing the mayor wants them to do." She said sticking a fork in her food, "It's just something about him, makes my blood boil. Like I said he was the one to mainly pick on me when I pretended to be you. Maybe that's why I don't care for him." She finished before munching on her meal.

"I bet he doesn't even remember it anymore either." Boomer laughed. "But you know, he is ruff around the edges but if he can be a good guy if he respects you, But with his temper it's just so much fun to edge him on."

"I take it you the one who uses bad puns on him the most." She rose a brow at his ruff pun.

"There is no such thing as a good pun, so yeah." He chuckled with his arms on the table. "But still, if we're friends give him a chance. For me?" Boomer said with his own motives in mind. Ever since they spent the day together a few weeks back, he wanted Brick to get over his little grudge and just accept co-existence with the Puffs. If he could get the stupid hard shell Brick had cracked he was sure Brick would just move on with life. He knew it was the healthier thing to do, and he genuinely liked being around Bubbles. Anyone who like animals as much as him was a friend he wanted around all the time.

"Hello earth to Boomie?" Bubbles said breaking him out of his thoughts. "I said I'll try, for you okay?"

He gave her a wide warm smile, "Thank, I appreciate it." Looking at the time his half hour lunch was almost up, "So did you finish orientation then?"

"Yeah I got a few uniforms I got to take home and clean. So I'll be taking off here in a few. But wanna hang out after work, maybe tell me about the things I should know about this place, and the people working here?" She eyed him while sipping on her drink.

"Sounds fun, but first I should shower when I get off, Brick and Butch always say I smell like a zoo when I come home." He laughed.

"Oh god bad jokes run in your family." She sighed shaking her head.

"Bad jokes, puns, and quips." He chuckled, "But I'm the king of 'em in my house hold."

"Well, your highness, I look forward to spending some time with you later today." She said collecting her trash. They both waved goodbye and Boomer went to the main office to check with Allen about his next task.

Bubbles held on to her uniforms flying through the air, "So okay maybe Brick is a total jerk, but at least it seems the three of them are a happy family. He at least seems like he tries to be a good brother." She thought. Looking back at her morning interaction with him she thought, "Maybe I should apologize." A few seconds went by and she spoke aloud, "Nah, he deserved it, I'll just be less hardcore around him for now on." She giggled and sped up on her way home. Brick became the last thing on her mind as she wondered what she was going to wear when she and Boomer were going to hang out later.

Flying over the city Bubbles couldn't notice the two green clad brunettes walking on the city sidewalk. "Well that went easier than I was expecting." Buttercup smiled as she and Butch walked into a fast food place.

"I don't see how, anyone with some trace of sanity would be willing to hire a Powerpuff." Butch laughed, "You're a literal superhero being a life guard would be cake for you."

Laughing Buttercup felt her cheeks grow warm. "You know there was another opening as well." She said keeping her eyes on the menu and folding her arms. "Why don't you go for it?"

Butch gave it a few seconds of thought before replying, "Nah, I like spending time with you BC, but I think I'll keep my shitty job at the gas station. Some of the cars I get to see make it all worthwhile." He laughed, "Besides I don't want to spend too much time with you and make you hate me all over again."

"Whatever you say Butch." She said shaking her head, but her smile was still ever present. "Hey but seriously, thanks for cheering me up today."

"Anytime Butter-runt," Butch said "Anytime."

"Hey by the way." She kept her eyes on the menu as she spoke, "I guess cheering me up counts as a win so we're currently tied 7 to 7."

A.N. so this chapter was easier to write than the last too, it seems my writers block may be easing up. I would love to hear what you think though, please leave a review would you kindly.