Volatile Coworkers
It had only been a few minutes since they flew off to visit the Gangrene gang and Blossom was leading the way with Brick following behind. She hadn't bothered to look back to see if he was following or not, but trusted he wanted this done as much as her. The day hadn't gone anywhere near as well as she hoped, and it wasn't entirely Brick's fault either. Still, she couldn't help but notice the sickening feeling she got while she played that little spar in her head.
Nothing had really shown her any new way he fought, and that worried her. If the entire team of puffs had trouble fighting off one monster occasionally he had to have some nuclear option to eradicate that island the way he did. Something just seemed off and unstable about these facts. She was lost in thought before she heard him call out to her. "So where are they? Cause it looks like you're just flying aimlessly."
She didn't want to turn around to face him so keeping her eyes glued to her path she pointed down at the city junkyard. Descending and touching down he eyed their shack with a raised brow. "You sure? If they have a good fence they may have already cleared out."
"There isn't proof it's them, but they are the best suspect for now." She said taking a step forward. He was already at the door his hands in his pockets and foot crashing through the door. The door itself flew off the hinges and soared into the shack. Running up to the door she looked in to see the Gangrene gang looking half asleep and frightened at the sudden intrusion.
Big Billy was peeling the door from his massive gut. "Dah, who is it?" He said barely paying attention to the door.
Brick scanned the room and locked his eyes on snake. "You! I got some questions for ya." His voice was sharp and intimidating.
Snake's eyes grew to the size of plates as he stood up. "What'sssss up thisss time?" His slender form shaking under the floating ruff.
"I'm investigating some lame ass robberies, and my partner here says your our best suspect." He said nodding to Blossom who had barely stepped a foot inside the shack.
"Look man we've been on our besssst behavior. Bosssssss man can't have ussss ruining hissss new rep." Brick looked around after he spoke.
"Where is greasy Mc'Sunglasses anyways."
"Out of town touring with a band." Arturo spoke as he rose from the tire he was sleeping in. "Eh, man haven't you've heard we've gone straight?"
"Uh yeah! Boss is playing with some apes at the zoo." Billy yelled. "I got the magazine to prove it." He said reaching behind him.
"For the last time Billy man he isn't playing with anything from a zoo." Arturo said sitting back down on the tire.
"Found it!" Billy screeched out and handed Brick a magazine, who took it looking up at Billy from the corner of his eyes. Billy just smiled and fell back on the bent bed.
The cover read Townsville music mag! And had a profile picture of ace sitting on the cover with a bowler hat and leather jacket. Flipping it open Brick read the article aloud, "With founding member Murdoc incarcerated across the seas, guitarist noodle looks to Townsvilles very own Ace to fill the spot." A few minutes went by as Brick took the information in. Finally yelling, "What?!"
"What's up?" Blossom asked.
"Their leader is touring with the Gorillaz." Brick spat. "Damn I like their music too." Brick lamented handing the magazine to Blossom. She read the short article about his debut in the humility music video and how he was with them at least until things changed with Murdoc's situation.
"Okay that's Ace's alibi what about you four?" Blossom said dropping the book.
"We told you, Ace doesn't want us ruining his rep while he is gone. He said he'd send some money after a while if we were good, We've no reason to do anything until he gets back." Arturo said with his hands laced in front of him and his elbows on his knees.
"Besssssssidessss," Snake continued, "We ssswore off momsss teachingsss when sssshe treated ussss like dogsss."
"You need to stop talking like that before I shove your teeth down your throat. Who is mom." Brick growled.
"He is talking about Sedusa." Blossom informed. "She is the one who taught them everything about stealing."
"Where is she then?" Brick asked. Blossom looked down to the frightened Snake.
"No idea, We don't look for her no more." Snake said choosing his words as he spoke, Maybe to avoid aggravating Brick anymore.
"Whatever then let's go." Brick relented and left the shack.
"You four better keep on your best behavior." Blossom said following Brick, "Sorry about the door by the way." She called out right before flying away from the door frame.
The rest of the Gangrene gang had stood stunned before Billy spoke. "Hey guys. I'm hungry." A small chuckle filled the room killing all the tension that filled it moments ago. With agreement they all decided to grab a bite to eat.
Back in the sky Brick was coasting through the air to the station. Landing before the door he marched in. Blossom wasn't far behind him and said nothing as they trekked to their little makeshift office. When she entered she saw him digging through a filing cabinet. He looked at blossom who turned her head and took her seat looking back over the files she was given yesterday.
Brick rolled his eyes and pulled out the file he could find on Sedusa. Sitting down on the other end of the table he placed his earbuds in and read while listening to music. He was hoping the file would contain more information than it did. It didn't even have her real name, only her super villain identity.
The mugshot stapled to it had a woman with pale moon skin and fierce piercing green eyes. He noticed the blackened red hair standing unnaturally up. With a look of apathy he moved on to her crime list. Not much was there either, but he did find the paperwork detailing her team up with the gangrene gang. But again the lack of useful information was irritating. No known addresses, no known relatives, not even fingerprints.
Blossom was studying Brick as he read watching his facial ticks as he grew more and more frustrated. "You know, I'm probably a better source of information than that." She said but got no reaction. Seeing the focus in his eyes she saw the white cable leading to his ears. Rolling her eyes she crumpled up a piece of scrap paper and tossed it hitting him right between the eyes.
It was more annoying than anything to Brick but he slid his eyes up to meet hers. Plucking the bud out of his ear he asked, "Yes?"
"I said I could probably tell you more than that file." She said confidently.
"What's her real name?"
"Uh I don't know."
"Her home address?" She shook her head at that. "What about where she got her freakish hair power."
"Well I don't know that either."
"Than you've got the same amount of info this has." He said dropping the folder. "Do you at least know how we can find her?"
"No she is a master of disguise, even able to change her voice to perfect impersonation." He looked at her with dull eyes. "But maybe we can try to find out where the next place to get hit will be then stake it out." She suggested earning a slow nod from Brick while he sucked on his teeth.
He stood up and walked to the door. "I'm going to ask for a list of jewelry stores in town." Leaving her alone in the office. She had doubts she would be on this job much longer if they could pinpoint a location. A good thing in many respects, but she also knew the only reason Brick was here was because Bellum wanted to make it easier to keep an eye on him. After this though what would happen. It wasn't like he seemed to enjoy her company. This morning even free food hadn't convinced him to join her. It was the prospect of a lead.
Then the fact he never seemed to care when she gave him the cold shoulder. The best thing that could happen for Townsville was Brick learning to find a more humane way of dealing with criminals and flying on the side of good. Even if she genuinely wanted to befriend him she couldn't be around him at all times, and she could see it in his eyes he was more than willing to cross certain lines. She needed a way to reach him and get him to understand that brutality isn't the right way of dealing with things. "I need to learn more about him." She thought as she looked at his empty seat.
He came in moments later holding a sheet of paper with various addresses. He hummed to himself as he posted a map of Townsville on the post it board and placed a tack on various places after looking at his paper. About 7 places in total had been marked, and he placed a check mark next to three of them. They had four places left to find the responsible party before they cleaned out the city.
With the thought that the easiest solution is the best she decided just to ask. "Hey Brick?" He gave a grunt in response his eyes never leaving the map. "Since we're partners and all, why don't we get to know each other more?"
"Not much point to that. We know everything we need to know about each other." He responded. "At least enough to get this job done."
"Well, I don't know what you actually think of me." She said landing her cheek into her hand.
"I think you're a tenacious, hypocritical, know-it-all." He said, his eyes still never leaving the map.
"Hypocritical? Really?" She said masking the slight twinge of hurt with disdain.
"Who have I killed?"
"What are you talking about?"
With annoyance growing in his voice, he spoke, "Answer the question."
Feeling a little put off by his tone she crossed her arms. "No one to my knowledge."
"My usual crimes?" He said finally turning to face her.
"Assault, vandalism, and petty theft." She was wondering where this all was going.
"Beyond collateral damage in our fights I never really threatened this city. I stole money and food enough to eat. Sure I took that cabin by force, but it belonged to fuzzy." He spoke as he walked to a filing cabinet. Opening it up he lifted a folder out.
"Where are you going with this?" She was asking as he dropped her own criminal record in front of her.
"You, however, committed multi-grand theft with those stupid golf clubs." He sat in his chair and continued, "The papers had a heyday when you let a bank robber go because she was a feminist." A disgusted look danced on his face, "She was robbing banks for weeks before you decided to stop her. So we can add aiding and abetting a felon to your wrap sheet. I already covered how you three nearly collapsed this city to prove to Buttercup that she had no special power. Or how about the time you encouraged the professor to steal from multiple toy stores." His scowl was as fierce as her anger as he spoke but she allowed him to keep talking.
"One time I always find funny, is you were given access to better than military grade weapons to destroy the my brothers and I, and all you did was destroy a video game store and boardwalk. You didn't even take us into custody." Blossom was glaring down Brick a look of anger strewn across her face. "So excuse me princess if the fact you look down on me and my brothers like trash gets on my nerves." He was practically screaming at her.
"Me and my brothers never even wanted that stupid key to the world, but we heard what you and Buttercup wanted with it." Her eyes grew wide with worry as he kept ranting, "What was it again?" He placed a hand on his chin. "Oh yeah Buttercup wanted to turn the planet into 1984 even dubbing herself Big Butter." Then pointed at her, "And you wanted to practically enslave the male populace, removing their agency in what goes on in the community and place them in laborer assignments, only allowing females positions of power." He spat on the ground in disgust, "I would actually take Buttercups world over yours." He said crossing his arms and looking her dead in the eye, any color that was in his eyes had grown dull and faded.
"How do you know about all this?" She asked in a hissing whisper.
"Newspapers, the late night news, the fact word spreads through the criminal underground, and now your own record. You really think the press doesn't watch everything you do?" She looked at the table avoiding his gaze refusing to answer. Shaking his head he continued. "So the fact you three felt you had to hunt down and cage us up like animals, might be a sensitive topic for me. Do you see why now I see you a hypocritical?"
Breaking the silence she glared at him, "Well look at what being caged has done to you. You're educated, free, even gainfully employed. Aren't you better off then when I, as you say, locked you away like an animal?"
"It doesn't change the fact that every time you broke maj or laws, created havoc, or did anything that required an actual punishment, you three got off clean. The most you had to do was what? Community service? Me and my brothers lost years of our lives. We did what we had to to survive and we get the book thrown at us. We didn't even get a trial we were locked up and given a psychologist as a probation officer. Thankfully he still saw us as something human otherwise I would bet we'd still be in those dark room with your insults playing in my head on repeat." His scowl dropped in a fake smile, "I beat you because I'm a better person and smarter than you." Blossoms face went from angered to shock when she heard her own voice leaving Bricks mouth. "You'll have the rest of you're natural life to come to terms with that. Good luck and Goodbye Rowdyruffs." He dropped the fake smile and wave he had, and had returned to his normal voice he growled, "You locked me away for what you hoped would be indefinite, luck was on my side that I got to see the sun at all ever again. So you tell me how should I think about you."
She didn't say anything for a few moments, but finally spoke. "How did you copy my voice like that?"
Bricks voice caught itself in his throat realizing he let his new trick slip. "I've only ever heard you voice my entire life, I guess I got good at it making fun of you behind your back."
She felt like he was hiding more, but decided arguing with him wasn't the best course of action, "Look, you may have some point there, but what do you want? An apology? Cause you're not getting one. All the stuff is in the past, so what's it gonna take to just move on from all this and be actual partners and friends?"
"Why does it matter to you?" He groaned letting his head fall back. "So you can keep some lame ass promise to the mayor to keep an eye on me?" raising his head he retorted with and indifferent face, "I know that the mayor is in her little ivory tower using this as a way to keep an eye on me."
"Or maybe I'm more mature than you give me credit for and really want to be friends. Our siblings do it, even Buttercup and your psycho brother Butch, why not us?"
"Oh so now it's about your pride? Can't stand to see someone get along better with someone than yourself miss I'm-perfect-and-excel-at-everything." The look of annoyance on his face was growing further and further still. "You wanna be my friend then follow me." He said standing up and walking out of the door. Not one to back down from a challenge she followed suit and followed him out the door and through the skies.
"Where are we going?" She called out after a few moments. She couldn't see the hidden smirk as Brick pointed ahead of them and she saw they we're just outside city limits. They we're back in the dessert area they fought last, even the ditch he created out of her was still there, if only a little smoother thanks to the wind. "What are we doing here?" She asked already knowing the answer.
"You and me are gonna fight." A coy smile was replacing his usual scowl.
"Really? Isn't that the very thing Bellum doesn't wanting us doing?" She asked placing her hand on the bridge of her nose.
"Well either we fight, one on one, no dirty tricks, and after that we move on, or we just live with a hateful tension between us." He offered while stretching one arm over his chest.
"Brick," She tried reasoning with him, "Why is the answer always a fight with you? Why can't we talk things over like adults?" She looked him in the eyes. "I have no reason to partake in a fruitless fight. It's beneath me." She saw a glint of hurt in his eyes as he registered her last comment.
Brick raged in his head, "If she thinks this is beneath her, I'll just bring her to my level." He thought as she turned around to leave.
"Blossom Utonium, I'm surprised to see you back down from a fight so easily." The words didn't strike a nerve as much as the fact it was the Professors voice. Turning around to see Brick smirking he continued. "I know what you're thinking, weird to hear this voice from this good looking body." He posed a bit as he spoke. Returning to his normal voice he continued, "It's really a wonderful trick I picked up. It even saved me when your dad came knocking on my cell door. Foolish old fart wanted a fight and I gave him one." Suddenly the memory of the Professors bruises were flashing through her mind.
"Why would the professor want to fight you?" She asked.
"He blames me for the fight we had, the one where I pounded you into the dirt a while back. Remember?" His smirk grew, "He was right you know." Bubbles voice now came from Brick. "It was all setup by me." Buttercup this time.
"Yeah right, I think you're just picking a fight it's a neat trick though. Maybe you could teach me it one day." Her forced smiled straining her face as she attempted to keep cool.
"Oh really?" This time it was Mayor Bellums voice, then he switched to a new yet familiar female voice. "Blossom please believe me, The Rowdyruffs are demanding free food and threatening lives!" Her muscles tensed up at Brick who was floating with his arms crossed. The professors voice came back, "He set it all up, he beat me to a pulp, I bet he would have killed me if I let him." He didn't get to say another word as Blossoms foot landed itself in his cheek sending him rocketing to the ground.
"No one touches my family, or makes a fool out of Blossom Katherine Utonium!" She screeched as she watched his body become enveloped by a dust cloud. His sinister laughter was the first thing to bring her back to reality. She just gave Brick what he wanted, a fight. And she was going to deliver, the second thing was Brick suddenly appearing and slamming a fist into her throat.
She clutched her throat as she coughed leaving her open for the following succession of rib shots Brick sent into her with a cruel smile latched on his face. She managed to grab his arm and use it to careen a knee into his face throwing him off balance then flipped forward crashing her heel into his collarbone. As he fell face down she dropped herself onto his falling form, landing her feet right on both of his kidneys earning a yelp of pain from him when they hit the ground.
Before he had a chance to recover Blossom jumped off and kicked him in the ribs hard enough to send him flying into a rock formation. She was relentless and followed in pursuit of him trapping him between her and the rock unloading tactical strikes repeatedly onto his body and face.
He was growing frustrated having a harder time blocking her than he did with Buttercup, a smile emerged after being able to finally fight with her after so long. He unleashed a loud deafening roar that made the ground and rock formations around tremble with powerful and low roar. Being so close with such sensitive hearing Blossom covered her ears, already ringing with pain. Brick seeing his opportunity blaster her with a concentrated eye blast. The force of which knocked her off her feet. He grabbed her leg and pulled it close dropping his elbow on her knee.
The pain shooting through her left leg outweighed everything else that hurt, and looking at him blasted him with her ice breath freezing him in place.
She took to time to readjust her leg, making sure if it was broke it would heal correctly. Looking at the block of ice housing Brick she was startled to see he was staring at her with his arms crossed and another smirk aimed at her.
"I know I didn't freeze him that way." She thought as she cautiously put some weight on her leg, "Good it's not broken." But it was still sore, she needed to level the field when he got out of there. She was planning her next move when she saw the opening to the ice block open up and flames shoot out.
"In case you haven't realized it yet, the reason my favorite story is Butter-runts temper tantrum, is because it showed off some neat tricks I knew I could do myself with practice." as the ice melted he kicked off the ground and charged at her. She managed to sidestep it and latch onto his hair. Slamming him face first over head onto the ground she felt the ground give way slightly. He wasted no time in recovery as he got on his knees and launched his head into her gut, as soon as he connected she was forced to let go of his hair. He held his hands in front of him and charged an electric current blasting her in the face with it. Regaining her composure she saw him charging at her again. She began spinning creating a whirlwind of dust enveloping them both.
He was forced to stop with the coughing fit that the sandstorm forced on him. Blossom using his coughs to track him launched herself into a cartwheel racing to the blind Rowdyruff. When she felt her feet connect with his jaw she could hear the sound of breaking bone as he was once more sent flying by her.
Brick fought back tears as the sharp pain in his jaw sent waves through his body, "I better finish this soon, any more hits like that I might not come out on top." He held his swelling jaw and flew down to the ground. The sandstorm was still raging as he grabbed a nearby boulder. Lifting it over his head he sent it careening to the cloud.
Blossom was taking a moment to catch her breath. "I gotta end this waste of time." She knew now this needed to happen. A slew of emotions was coursing through her. Hurt and betrayal, she really thought Brick had changed but showing his little fight ploy had shown him to be just as manipulative. Confusion, She really wanted to look past this however for whatever reason and keep aiming for some form of friendship. Anger, hatred, hurt, and confusion had all found their way into her tornado of emotions. The last thing she felt was the most confusing, joy and excitement. She really didn't get to go all out like this anymore. It was somewhat liberating to be able to fight someone who was an equal in terms of fighting and planning. "If I can get past this we need to team up more." She thought to herself. "I'll just have to force him to see it my way." She looked up just in time to see a boulder break through the dust storm. Screaming she charged at it shattering the rock and continuing along her path.
Brick saw her race out of the now settling dust storm. He had risen above it and was waiting to see where she'd emerge from. He had to acknowledge the admiration he felt watching her charge and fight like this. He always liked fighting her the most, no one else could challenge his skills and stamina like her, and she was giving everything she had for this fight. "I almost feel bad about the fact fighting her feels so great." He chuckled to himself. "Let's see her withstand this." He mumbled and charged her.
She had barely escaped the dirt cloud when she noticed he wasn't anywhere in sight. Looking around she tried locating him until he appeared above her and managed to latch on to her throat. Slamming her body in the ground he pushed her body through the dirt creating a blossom sized ditched in his path.
Spitting out the blood and dirt from her mouth she looked up and saw him charging another blast of electricity in his hands. "All or nothing now Bloss!" He called out.
Nodding she mirrored his actions, a pink ball of electricity forming in her hands to match the red ball in his. With a loud scream from both parties the energies collided with each other and created a skirmish to pass the other.
A dark pink light surrounded everything as the two wills battled each other out. Both puff and ruff fought against the energy taking steps closer to each other hoping it would push the ball to the other. All this did was create a more concentrated focal point and when the two were mere feet away from the menacing ball of light it exploded sending them both through the dirt about 30 feet away.
The pain coursing through each of their bodies was being numbed by sheer force of wills. Each one slowly made their way back to their feet and locked eyes yet again. Making limped steps to each other Brick tried to blast her with his heat vision only for it to fizzle out just in front of her. She tried to use her ice power, but both bodies were only standing now on the reserved energies they had left. When they finally reached each other it became a shoving competition mixed in with weak punches.
The X in their systems was working overtime to heal their bodies, and keep them conscious. Finally after stumbling back from one push Brick managed to shove blossom down to the ground. Falling on her back Brick dropped forward landing his elbow into her gut.
Rolling off of the the coughing puff he began panting trying to catch his breath. "An entire legion of monsters didn't wipe me out this quickly." He half laughed through labored breaths.
"It's cause me and my sisters took care of the really tough ones a long time ago." She said getting over her coughing fit. For a few moments the only sound to be heard was their slowly recovering breath.
Brick broke the silence looking over at Blossom. "So you're middle name is Katherine?"
She nodded, "Picked it myself. After Katherine G. Johnson." Looking back at Brick, "So are we good?"
Brick had to give it a few minutes of thought, "Eh, I guess so babe."
"What did I say about calling me that." She groaned too tired to get up.
"I'll be gone long before you have the energy to get back up." He laughed sitting up. "Listen this was fun and all, but back to investigation. I think we should do some stakeouts, maybe get our siblings involved to help. What do you think?"
"Can't argue with that logic. So meet up at the station around 8?" she asked.
"Yeah, why not." he said dusting himself off. "I think I got just enough energy to float back to town, what about you?"
"I'll be fine. See you later." She said sitting up. With that Brick nodded and flew off feeling the most relaxed he has in five years.
A.N. my god this update took a while. What with writers block, work fatigue, a busy life. I just had no time nor motivation to work on this. I hope I did a decent job what do you all think. I honestly couldn't believe ace really is a stand in for the Gorillaz that's just bizarrely cool to me. Anyways Read and Review would you kindly.