Chapter 3: Metamorphosis
It was just barely ten o'clock in the morning and the day was already filled with relentless suspense.
Ms. Keane had finished locking the doors of the school building and cleaned up whatever small mess was left behind from the morning's earlier ordeal.
Upon picking up and placing her papers down on her desk, she turned to where the girls were. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup sat on the tiny chairs of their desk, their faces expressing disbelief and perplexity.
Still adorning their trademark matching outfits, the girls struggled to keep themselves the most covered possible, for their dresses were now unbearably small on their voluptuous and matured frames.
"Blossom, what are we going to do now? Are we going to be stuck like this?" Bubbles asked with worry, her baby blue eyes shining with unshed tears.
"I don't know, Bubbles. But I think that lady we saw in that white hall we were in may have the answers we seek. We should start with that and find her whereabouts."
Buttercup quipped back with annoyance, trying to pull the hem of her dress down to keep it from rising any higher. "And how are we going to do that? We can't go out looking for her like this. I mean, look at us! We've somehow matured in our bodies and our dresses are now more like tiny tunics!"
Ms. Keane calmly approached the girls, aware of distress and panic. "Now, girls. Let's all calm down here and think. Who is this woman you saw? Is she a threat?"
The girls looked at one another with questionable faces. Bubbles piped up, her usually high voice now a soothing tone that's a couple octaves lower. "Well, not really. She… she actually saved us, and well, that's all we know."
"She brought us to this huge white hall of some sort that looked ancient. She was rather small and is dressed in various shades of purple." Blossom added in, recalling some of the characteristics of the strange woman they have encountered.
Buttercup nodded. "Yeah! And she something about the world being in danger of falling into corruption and chaos and put us into this huge bright light, which made us into how we look like now!"
The pink leader then pointed something else out that she just recalled. "Right, but she also mentioned that we must 'live on and fight', whatever that means. She seems to be the standpoint of an explanation to all that had happened!"
Ms. Keane absorbed the information that the girls had relayed and nodded in understanding, finding this all to be too unreal. But hey, the girls are a living testimony that anything is possible!
"Hmm. Well, first things first. Buttercup is right; you girls can't go out with what you are currently wearing. Your dresses are just too small! I wonder…"
Ms. Keane then had an idea. She knew of a close friend from her college days that runs a small but lovely fashion boutique not far from her home. She also recalled that her said friend owes her a couple favors from a while back as well.
"Girls! I've got an idea! Come with me and quick! We're taking my car!" The girls all gave a quizzical look at their homeroom teacher but followed her without question as quickly as they could.
"Where are we going, Ms. Keane?" Blossom asked her teacher with her sister in tow.
"Get in the car and I shall explain on the way!" Ms. Keane unlocked her magma red Chevy Malibu and jumped into the driver's seat to start up the engine. The girls all got inside the back of the car, closing the doors before anyone else could see them.
Turning the automobile on and setting the gear on drive, the four women pulled out of the small parking lot of the kindergarten and drove out towards Ms. Keane's intended destination.
As they were on the road, the sisters ducking every time they saw a pedestrian being too close to the vehicle for their comfort while Ms. Keane began to explain where they were heading.
"I have a very close friend of mine from college who owes me a couple favors. She runs a fashion boutique shop just around the corner from where I live. Perhaps she could help us in getting you girls a new wardrobe!"
The PowerPuffs widened their eyes and smiled. They'll be getting new clothes! Probably not in the way they would have expected or hoped, but it was a start!
Upon arriving to the boutique, Ms. Keane pulled her car up to the back of the shop, where it was more private in location. This would make it easier for the girls to get in the shop without being noticed easily, especially in the predicament that they were in.
Their beloved teacher placed a delicate finger to her lips and told the girls to wait out in the back for her. She rushed around the corner and up the front door of the shop.
Behind the counter was a lady with thin-rimmed glasses and wavy brown hair tied up in a bun. She was taking some measurement adjustments on a white blouse when she heard the bell of the shop's door jingle. She glanced up and burst into joy at the sight!
"Joyce Keane! Oh my gosh, I can't believe it! How have you been? I haven't seen you in quite some time!"
Ms. Keane greeted her dear friend in a warm embrace of reunion. "Hey, Stella! It has been a while, hasn't it? Listen, I have a bit of a dilemma that perhaps you could help me out with?"
Stella looked at her close friend in concern. "Sure, of course! What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Ms. Keane glanced around to make sure no one else was around. "Nothing terrible, but it's still urgent. Listen, I need you to lock up the front shop doors first. Then I will need you to open the back door. This is something that needs to be kept secret for now, okay?"
Stella was a bit stunned at the odd request, but complied, nonetheless. She pulled Joyce in and quickly locked up the front door and pulled the curtains of the glass panels, switching the sign 'We're Open!' to 'Sorry, We're Closed'.
Once the locks were in place, Ms. Keane and the fashionista quickly rushed to the back door and opened it. The kindergarten teacher popped her head out and saw the girls huddled by the car, trying to stay hidden the best they could. Once the girls saw her motioning for them to come over, they rushed as quickly as their long slender legs could take them without making much noise.
Once inside, Joyce closed the door securely and locked it as well. Stella was speechless as she saw who her friend brought with her. She was even more shocked to see the reason behind the emergency.
Before her were none other than the PowerPuff Girls, only they were not little girls. They were teenage women, with beauty beyond compare.
"Joyce.. what in the world?!" Stella sputtered in disbelief. Ms. Keane nodded in understanding. "I know, I know. It's a long story. Right now, we need your help; do you have any spare clothing that the girls can wear, as well as add into their wardrobe?"
Bubbles sneezed, shivering slightly from the lack of coverage that their tiny dresses provided. Buttercup kept tugging at the hem of her dress, only for it to finally rip from the stress of being stretched by her strong fingers. "Aw, man!" she bitterly groaned. Blossom was too occupied looking around the shop while huddling close to the floor as possible, covering her chest as much as she could.
Stella came to her senses and immediately nodded. "Don't worry! I got just the stuff! Wait right here for a moment!" Without another word, the tailor rushed off to the other side of her shop and into a closet.
About five minutes passed and the girls were starting to get antsy.
"Ms. Keane! Can't we just take some of the clothes that she has hanging around here?" Buttercup snipped impatiently. Even the shoes the girls were once wearing barely fit and were now kicked to the side. Their stockings were also shrunk in size, now barely covering up to their ankles.
"Buttercup! Be nice! It's a miracle that Ms. Keane knows this lady and she's willing to help us." Blossom chastised, her bosom coming close to popping out of the dress.
A loud tearing sound, followed by a squeak from Bubbles broke the tension; the blue puff's dress ripped entirely on the back and dangled loosely from her front, arms keeping the torn fabric from falling and exposing her. "Whoopsie!" The blonde puff blushed up a storm, posing like the Birth of Venus.
Ms. Keane tapped her foot rapidly, ready to give a holler at Stella until they all heard panting and the sound of racks being shoved and pushed over aggressively.
Stella came around the corner red in the face with beads of sweat running down her forehead, holding a rather large basket filled beyond the brim with various articles of clothes. "Sorry to keep you waiting! I got plenty of clothes here for you girls that will keep you dressed for days!" She sounded much more excited than she was exasperated or embarrassed.
The girls dove straight for the basket and shuffled through the mess of clothing, desperate to find coverage for their now much older bodies.
Blossom found a cute strapless pink mini dress rimmed with smooth black lace at the hem, along with an obsidian embroidered belt that has a butterfly clasp at the front. She also grabbed a pair of thigh high white stockings and at the corner of her eye, a nice pair of earrings that were gold at the clasps with pink sapphires dangling from them. She also took hold of a pink silk choker and a pair of black heels with straps that cross over and tie around the ankles. Taking what precious cargo she could gather; she then dove into the dressing room.
Bubbles did the same and took hold of a baby blue tunic top with black borders for the straps and upper edges minus the hem. She grabbed a pair of black elastic shorts and soft blue arm sleeves that have a grip to place around her middle finger on each. She made headway towards the dressing room until she spotted a pair of loose-fitting black ankle boots and a blue bead choker and matching blue pearl earrings that line up the ear like a trail of bubbles. She quickly grabbed the extra items and went in to change.
Buttercup shuffled around the clothes, muttering curses under her breath. Clearly, her sisters were able to gather their new belongings much faster than she could. She breathed out a swear as she finally found a strapless mini dress that had ruffles at the skirt's hem, going from black to light green then dark green, with a black streak going up the middle and top borders lined in black, shaped in upside down crescents. She grabbed a pair of knee-high white stockings herself and bolted for the dressing room. Like her sisters, some jewelry, and a pair of black mid-calf boots with white laces caught her eye. She took hold of a green choker with a large oval onyx in the middle, along with a matching green armlet holding another large oval onyx. She snagged a, obsidian cuff with a green spike protruding at the top and rushed in to change like her sisters.
Ms. Keane was flushing in embarrassment at her friend. "I'm so sorry about this, Stella."
Stella, on the other hand, looked rather pleased and smiled. "Oh hush, honey! You're doing me a favor! These girls needed the clothes more than anything!"
Joyce flashed a small and relieved smile. She then reached for her purse in search of her wallet. "Thanks, Stella. How much will it be for all this?" She was abruptly stopped as a hand caught hers. "Nonsense! You owe me nothing! It's me who owes you, remember? The clothes are for the girls to keep. Heck, they can take this whole basket home with them!"
"Really?!" Three voices chirped up in unison. The two older women turned to see the girls and were in awe.
Blossom was dressed up in her trademark bow, her bangs having more bounce in them and her hair long and straight. Her outfit altogether made Aphrodite pale in comparison to her surreal beauty. The pink minidress hugged her curvy bodice quite nicely and her long legs were snug in the stockings and heels looking classy to boot. The earrings she selected earlier shined brilliantly, complimenting her bright pink eyes nicely.
To her left was Bubbles, whose blonde hair was much longer, past shoulder length and tied in two pigtails that fell in waves. Two thin locks of hair decorated her sideburns, the bubble line blue pearl earrings glossy under the store lighting along with the matching bubble choker. Baby blue tunic hugged her bosom snuggly and was partnered quite lovely with the shorts she picked out, as well as the arm sleeves and the ankle boots.
On the far right was Buttercup, the black and green minidress giving her an edgy look with a touch of class. The jewelry also partnered up rather well with her attire, the knee-high stockings finishing the look rather well with the lace up boots. Her short black hair was no longer with flips at the ends, but straight and glossy like feathers on a raven.
In all, the girls were stunning and ready for action all at once.
Ms. Keane was a bit starstruck at the sight, wondering if such a beauty was a sin to even exist. Then it hit her.
"I'll need to talk to their father immediately." She said quickly and in a hushed voice that only Stella managed to catch.
Ms. Keane and Stella loaded the Chevy Malibu with the new clothes for the girls in the trunk and back seats. The girls rushed to the back to help, but their beloved teacher stopped them.
"Ms. Keane! Let us help!" Blossom insisted but was gently turned down. "Girls, I will handle taking your new clothing to your house. Besides, I need to talk to the Professor about what has happened. He has the right to know what happened to you girls."
"But shouldn't we be there too? I mean, the Professor is probably going to need to see us, right?" Buttercup piped up. Bubbles nodded. "Buttercup's right! He is our dad, so shouldn't we be coming along?"
Joyce let out a sigh. "I know that girls. But for now, you need to go and search out for that woman you saw. Plus, we don't know if more of those things will show up and terrorize the rest of Townsville. You'll need to get some answers as quickly as you can before anything else bad happens!"
"Wait! What about our shopping trip to the mall?! We won't have our dresses for the Gala!" Bubbles cried in dismay, her eyes brimming with worry.
Stella chuckled. "You girls don't need to worry about that! I got you all covered for the Gala. I was able to get the measurements of your clothes and sizes, so Joyce will come by later and get your gowns before the time of the event tonight". Ms. Keane was surprised and let out a suppressed sigh of relief. "Stella, you're a lifesaver."
The girls cheered happily, also relieved to know that their outfits for the event are in the safe hands of the talented fashionista. "Alright, girls. We can leave Ms. Keane to handle the Professor and our wardrobe. She's right; we've got to search for that purple lady and get to the bottom of this before anyone gets hurt!" Blossom declared.
Her sisters nodded in understanding. "Right!"
The girls gave their thanks to Stella and hugged her with great appreciation, to which the woman returned with gusto and pride. "Go rock those new outfits of yours, girls!" She whooped happily, a cheeky grin riding across her face.
They nodded then turned to Ms. Keane. They hugged their teacher like the mother figure they saw her as. "We'll be back in time before the Gala and for both you and the Professor, Ms. Keane." The leader of the PowerPuffs affirmed.
"I know you will. Please be careful, girls!" Their teacher said with slight worry lacing her voice.
"We will!" The three smiled in unison and took off to the skies.
Flying out of the suburbs, the girls stopped by the time they reached above the middle of Townsville Central Park.
"So, what now, Supergirl?" Buttercup quipped with a quirked brow. "Yeah, what's the plan, Blossom?" Bubbles' baby blues glanced at her sister in wonder.
"We split up and look to see what information we can gather. There's got to be some places that we can start from. Buttercup, you take the shoppes and arcade! Bubbles, you take downtown along the restaurants and business plazas! I will head to the library and City Hall to see if I can find anything that could link to the purple woman we saw. Let's round back here in about three hours. Go!" The pink leader gave out the orders and the other two nodded in affirmation.
In a blaze of pink, green and blue, the girls took off to their assigned destinations. Little that they knew that a pair of evil venom yellow eyes were watching their every move. The malevolent being then snarled. "So, they managed to survive my chimera? Interesting… Looks like I will need to send them some more playmates to entertain them with. Let's see how they will handle being in a playground with much bigger fish to handle." An evil cackle escaped their lips, echoing in the darkness and at the young women's unawareness to what would await them.
