It was adorable. Utterly and wholeheartedly adorable.

"You know how to make bouillabaisse?" Bubbles questioned, a look of astonishment lighting up her face as she admired Boomer's cooking skills.

His cheeks flushed ever so slightly and he tried to hide it by pretending to need another spoon and bending down to dig through the drawer. "Yeah, I haven't made it in a while though because my brothers don't like it."

She leaned over the stock pot and sniffed the wonderful aromas. "Well it smells a-mazing."

Boomer wiped away a smile and returned with a second wooden spoon which he used to stir the broth. "You're good with desserts, right?"

She nodded, rocking back on her heels to give him space. "I think I'm going to make chocolate soufflé tonight...or maybe creme brulee...or something more elaborate like a croquembouche...or a baked Alaska, that's supposed to be difficult."

Boomer's eyes went wide. "Supposed to be?! That shits near impossible. I tried to make it once cuz Butch fucking loves ice cream-" He noticed her frown. "Er...Butch loves ice cream but when I put it in the oven, everything went to crap. The ice cream started melting and so the meringue fell off and everything turned to liquid. It was a mess and I followed the instructions exactly."

Bubbles giggled. "Probs a bad recipe. I guess I'll have to teach you the right way to do it then. Baked Alaska it is." She excitedly brought him over to the counter and began the dessert, the blue ruff taking on the same look of astonishment at his counterpart's talent.

Blossom threw Brick a knowing smirk. "Didn't I tell you this would work?"

He crossed his arms. "Excuse me? I agreed with you."

She chuckled and took his hand, pulling him to his feet. "I think it's time we stop watching them like hawks. The cuteness is overwhelming."

He sidled up next to her as they walked into the backyard. "Now we just have to deal with the greens..." He grimaced. "That's not going to be pretty."

She swatted his arm. "Just because they're impulsive, have a bit of a temper, prefer violence over peace, and tend to rip each other to shreds whenever they fight doesn't mean theres not still hope." She stated matter-of-factly.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, say that to me again in 50 years and I just might doubt it a tiny bit less."

Blossom was about to give a snarky response when Buttercup stepped in front of her.

"Hey Bloss." She flashed her a suspiciously bright smile.

The pink puff raised an eyebrow. "Hi?"

Buttercup crossed her arms behind her back, sporting a devious look. "Soooo, seeing as Bubbles and the other blue one are preoccupied with making friends, and the other ruffs need to start settling into their new house, I thought this would be the perfect time for us to catch up and go to the arena."

Blossom blinked. "The arena? We haven't gone there in-"

"It's only been three months." Buttercup stated quickly.

Brick frowned. "Arena?"

The red haired puff's eyes went wide and she turned pink. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." She bit her lip, turning her face to her sister. "But Buttercup...what if something happens with Bubbles and Boomer?"

Buttercup was unamused. "Like what?"

"Pinky, Butch and I are right across the street."

Blossom subtly kicked her counterpart and glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Exactly, and this could be the perfect chance for them to prove they're responsible enough to handle being heroes." Buttercup added.

Blossom pinched her nose. "Ugh, fine. But only for a few hours, okay?"

Buttercup shrugged. "Whatever you say, leader girl." She disappeared into the house and Brick looked at his counterpart with an arched brow.

"Wanna explain?" He asked.

She shook her head. "It's none of your concern. Now go home and start unpacking and do not let your brother mess this up." She growled, giving him a stern glare.

He didn't budge. "I wanna know what this arena is."

She scoffed and whipped around, making her way into the house. Brick chased after her.

"Pinky."

"No."

"Tell me." His voice took on a low tone.

The blues were still busy in the kitchen when they walked in and Blossom took it as a perfect opportunity to avoid the stubborn red ruff behind her. "Hey Bubs, Boomer, how is it going?"

Two blonde heads spun around in cue.

A smile stretched across Bubbles' face. "Great! I'm teaching Boomer how to make a baked Alaska." She tilted her head to the side, pigtails following. "How come Buttercup came in here and flew up to her room so fast?"

Brick leaned forward so that he was speaking into her ear. "Yeah, why is that Pinky? What is she so excited about?"

Blossom grit her teeth. "We're going out for a bit. Is that okay?"

Bubbles nodded, a little too quickly. "Yes! Go ahead. We'll be fine. Is Brick going with you?"

Blossom's face changed color again. "NO! No he is not."

The blondes blinked in confusion and Brick crossed his arms. "What are you hiding?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Nothing. Stop digging."

He leered over her. "I'll stop digging when you stop lying."

"I'm not lying, I'm simply not telling you anything." She countered.

His jaw clenched.

"Leader girl let's go!" Buttercup's call echoed from the living room, just in time. She turned on her heel and hurried upstairs, stuffing some clothes into a bag before joining her sister at the door.

"See you guys later!" Blossom shouted to the blues then flashed a victorious smirk at Brick before slamming the door shut.

Sweat slid from her face in hot streams, coating her neck and chest. She was breathing heavily and could feel her sides aching from the exertion. She prepared herself as Buttercup leapt from the top ropes. Blossom was forced to catch her, before slamming her into a belly-to-belly suplex. She then attempted a submission hold but Buttercup grabbed her wrists and set her soles into Blossom's stomach, rolling backwards and throwing the pink puff to the ground. Blossom got to her knees just in time to catch Buttercup's leg and twist her into a heel hook. The green puff grit her teeth but didn't submit. Blossom released her and while her sister was still sitting up, she sent a sharp roundhouse kick directly into Buttercup's face. There was an audible sound as her shoes connected with her sister's jaw and the green puff fell onto her back.

"God damnit why do you have to have such long legs?" Buttercup growled as she rubbed her injury.

Blossom chuckled, wiping the sweat from her brow. "And why do you have to be so strong?"

Buttercup grinned and returned to her feet. "Short vs tall. Strength vs flexibility." She threw a punch at Blossom, who dodged, before kicking her leg out at the pink puff, who jumped over the attack. "Who will win?"

Blossom avoided another punch by ducking under Buttercup's arm. She ran to the ropes, hopped up onto the second ones, before jumping off and pulling Buttercup into a tornado DDT. The move knocked the wind out of the brunette and Blossom took the opportunity to get to the top ropes and come down onto Buttercup's neck with a leg drop. The puff was groaning in pain. Blossom caught her wrist and twisted her arm, preparing to put her into an arm bar hold but Buttercup instead used her other arm to grab onto Blossom's before wrapping her legs around the pink puff's waist and pulling her into a kimura hold. Blossom gasped as pain shot through her shoulder and she almost tapped out. Fortunately, she was able to squirm out of Buttercup's grasp before giving in.

"You've still got it, leader girl." Buttercup brushed off her pants, a bright glee of excitement in her emerald eyes.

'Leader girl' shook out her sore arms and leaned back into the ropes with a satisfied smirk. "So do you, we both haven't wrestled in three months."

Buttercup scoffed. "Wrong, I still came here at least three times a week and then everyday after you...'died'." The word fell out of her mouth like poison and she grimaced.

Blossom pushed off the ropes. "Alright, come on. Less talk, more wrestling."

The green puff hesitated, casting her lidded gaze to the side. Her voice took on a serious tone. "Do you ever wonder what would happen if one of us actually did die?"

"Buttercup..." Blossom began, dropping her arms from her fighting stance.

"No, I know it's depressing to think about but...I get worried sometimes. I still feel like I could lose you at any moment and I don't want to feel that pain again, that empty, hollow, endless pain." She placed her hand over her heart, as though the ache had returned, and looked up to her sister. "Bloss, what was it like when you thought you had lost us?"

Blossom winced. Going back to that moment wasn't something she enjoyed doing and seeing her sister standing before her and imagining her lying back in that crater...she hated the memory, the image, ingrained in her mind. She wished she could erase it completely. But perhaps that memory had strengthened her love for her sisters. In a strange way, seeing her sisters die was a wake up call to how lucky she was to have them by her side now.

"You don't have to-"

"I felt my world collapse." Blossom began, meeting her sister's gaze. "It was as though the sky had turned black and fog was clouding my vision. All I could feel was the stinging, throbbing ache in my chest. A numbness encased my body. I couldn't even feel the rain falling overhead, or the tears dripping down my cheeks. My skin tingled, but it was a dull sensation. I was only aware of the pain in my stomach and the void in my chest. I could have cried for hours and yet the ache would continue. There was no relief, none. I didn't care about anything at that moment. I couldn't think. I could only see what was before me and the sight of your lifeless bodies struck me into a state of stupidity. It was the single most horrendous thing I have ever had to experience."

Buttercup's mouth opened...then closed. She had no response.

Blossom offered her a reassuring smile. "But it's over now and we're back together. Nothing will ever tear us apart again. You got that?" A nod. Blossom raised her fists. "Then come on, we don't have all day."

Buttercup chuckled and copied her sister's stance. Blossom was dashing towards her, in an attempted spear, when a piercing, shrill siren brought her to a stop. She slammed her hands over her ears, as did Buttercup.

"What is that!?" Buttercup shouted over the noise.

"A new monster siren I think! Ms. Bellum told me about it but I've never actually heard it before!" Blossom shouted back.

They hurried out of the ring and into the locker room, where the siren was a little more muted. Blossom pulled out her phone and called Bubbles.

"Hello?"

"Bubs, we have an emergency. Monster attack."

"Where?"

Buttercup checked her phone. "Downtown, near the coast, last seen at the end of Washington street."

"Washington street." Blossom relayed.

"Should I tell the boys?"

"No, not yet. If we need backup, we'll call them." Buttercup was gathering their stuff back into a bag. "Meet us there asap."

It was...huge.

Huge and...had ice breath.

The city shook with each step the giant thing took. It's roar had already shattered countless windows. It was taking the city back to the ice age. The destruction it was causing would cost thousands if not millions of dollars and soon it would end up killing someone. They had to think fast. So Blossom and Buttercup began to discuss a possible plan while they waited for Bubbles.

"Maybe it's like the T-Rex and can't get up once it falls." Buttercup suggested.

"No, look, they're much longer." Blossom countered.

"What about injuring it's legs so it can't move?"

"There's a hard covering of plates over his entire body, we can't pierce through it."

"Does he have saliva glands or something that we can destroy to cut off his ice breath?"

Blossom watched closely as the monster separated it's jaws in another roar. "No, it must be coming from his lungs."

"Girls!" Bubbles joined her sisters as they studied the monster below. She gasped at the sight. "How are we supposed to defeat that!?"

Buttercup narrowed her eyes. "Way to have faith, Bubbles!"

Blossom glanced at the nearby sea, then to the telephone wires criss-crossing through the city. "We can electrocute him."

Both sisters turned to her.

"Bubbles go grab one of those telephone poles and wrap the wire around the monster. Buttercup, you're with me." Bubbles did as told, dashing away in a streak of blue. Blossom and Buttercup dipped down to ground level, a good distance from the monster. It's foot crashed down right beside them, splitting the road into a crumble of rocks. They separated as a gust of ice was blown their way. Blossom attempted to counteract the attack with her own ice breath, but the monster's was stronger and she had to duck out of the way to avoid being frozen into a giant ice cube. Bubbles appeared and began flying around the monster, wrapping it up in electrical wires. "Buttercup, time to lift this thing! On the count of three!" They situated themselves beside each leg. "One!" Their hands slipped under the monster's feet. "Two!" And the wires snapped as the monster ripped them away from his body. Blossom gaped as the cables fell to the ground. "Shit."

"GAH!" Buttercup cried out as the monster's foot came down, stuffing her into the gravel. Bubbles went to attack but a large hand encircled her and she was launched through a set of buildings. Blossom stiffened as she was grabbed and lifted towards the monster's mouth. A green blast of energy made contact with the thing's eye and it dropped her. Buttercup was then swatted away like a fly. Bubbles flew forward but was frozen mid air. Both sisters fell to the ground and got back up. Blossom stepped away for a moment, trying to figure out a plan.

"Bubbles duck!" Buttercup pushed her blonde sister away and was flung into the road, forming another deep crater. This time, however, she didn't immediately get back up. Bubbles called to her sister but Buttercup had hit her head and was out cold. The monster raised both arms over it's head, bringing it's hands together, and tried to bring them down onto the green puff but Bubbles screamed into it's ear. It clawed at her and she did her best to dodge the attacks but eventually the monster caught her with his left hand and she hit the ground, hard. Blossom screamed out for her sister as Bubbles fell into the pile of twitching, live wires. The blue puff jolted as she was shocked and Blossom rushed to her, pulling her from the cords.

"Bubbles...?" She whispered gently. Bubbles moaned in agony and Blossom breathed a sigh of relief. She got to her feet to carry Bubbles but was instead thrown to the side by a leg and collided with a brick wall. Her teeth came down onto her tongue and drew blood. She spit away the bitter taste and looked up in time to face a cloud of ice breath. She put her arms up in preparation for the blast. It never came. A wave of heat made her hair stand up and she looked over her raised arms. The ferocious flames died down enough for her to see who was standing in front of her. A red cap was worn backwards by a pair of red eyes that spun around to see her and a grin slipped onto his face.

"Brick!" She couldn't help the smile that curved her own lips.

The monster stopped blowing at them and he was able to rush over and help her to her feet. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a grateful hug.

"How did you know we needed help?" She asked as she pulled away.

He rolled his eyes. "Obviously we followed you guys in case you needed backup."

She rolled her own eyes before grabbing his arm and pulling him to the sky, where they were safer. Below, Butch was fighting off the monster while Boomer helped her sisters to the top of a tall building. Her eyes drifted to the sea once again. It was still the best plan, but they didn't have any telephone wires...

Boomer made sure the girls were okay before diving in to help Butch, firing bursts of energy at the monster. Her eyes widened. Of course. She remembered that while training with Boomer, he had revealed his special powers.

"Brick," She caught his attention and he called for the others. "Butch, Brick, and I are going to lift this guy up and drop him in the sea. Boomer, you're going to electrocute him as soon as he hits the water, got it?"

Boomer nodded and Butch grinned. "That's it? Simple enough for me!" The three of them dove down to the monster.

"Brick try burning it a bit, Butch give it a few punches straight in the face, we need to weaken it." The three of them separated and began firing at the monster. With the combination of Butch's punches, Brick's flames, and her own attacks, the thing began to slow down. "Butch you're lifting it's mid section, Brick get his legs!" They got into position and began to lift in sync. To her surprise, they were able to get it into the air much more easily than before. "Head to the sea!" She kept her arms under the monster's thick neck, leading the boys to the coast. "Boomer get ready!" She brought them a mile out before they dropped it into the sea, having to fly away as a large burst of water was thrown into the sky. Almost immediately, the monster began to rise, shifting back to it's feet, it was only stomach deep. "Now!" Boomer's hands began to twitch and spark as he gathered up the energy, hovering directly over his target. Blossom's eyes flickered back and forth between the ruff and the monster, her anxiety growing with each inch that the monster rose. A ball of white energy crackled in Boomer's hands. The monster continued to gain ground. She had told him to be ready, he should have been charged beforehand, what the hell was taking so lo-

"BLOSSOM!"

A scream erupted from her throat as the monster's long arm reached out and claimed her, it's sharp claws and thick skin sealing her in a tight hold as she was ripped out of the air. Her scream was silenced by the sudden surge of water that rushed into her lungs as she was forced underwater. As soon as the burning sensation filled her lungs, a shuttering, sharp pain split through her entire body. She barely noticed the claws that released their bone-crunching grip. She saw white flashes and slammed her eyes shut, but they only continued. Her body jerked uncontrollably with every sharp burst of pain. Her skin felt hot, as though it was steaming underwater. Her fingers curled, her jaw clenched, her teeth bit down on her tongue and she continued to tremble even as the searing pain subsided. Before she could comprehend what had happened, she was pulled into a pair of arms and lifted from the water. The cold wind hit her body like a sheet of ice and she welcomed it, her skin felt as though it had been burnt to a crisp.

"Blossom?"

She swore she could feel something crawling over her body, everywhere, all at once.

"Pinky?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she stared into Brick's crimson glare. She looked down at her arm, tendrils of electricity flickered and died, which explained the crawling feeling.

GROOOARR

A gurgled bellow erupted from below, the powerful sound waves shaking the air. She moved her position so that Brick could hold her with one arm. The monster crawled back out of the water and reached another paw towards her.

She curled her fists into Brick's shirt, holding on for dear life. A claw swiped at her leg, so close that she felt it's rough talon on her skin.

Brick's hand went out and the monster's arm snapped at the elbow, bending back the wrong way at a 180 degree angle. This time, an ear-piercing cry spewed from it's mouth. Her eyes went wide.

The monster released a low growl and looked up at them, Blossom didn't even know monsters could glare. It sucked in a breath, she instinctively flinched, and then it's teeth snapped together, their pointy ends slicing it's tongue in half. The fleshy organ fell from the monster's mouth and into the sea, where a frenzy of sharks attacked it. The four teens looked down. Blossom shivered, despite the heat radiating beside her.

She turned to her counterpart. "Brick?" His eyes were a furious crimson, narrowed dangerously at the monster, his jaw tight with rage. His grip on her waist strengthened and her heart began to beat faster. The monster took a step back from the enraged teenager only for his leg to give out with an audible crack. He fell to his butt, powerless. The fight was over, the monster was down, what was he doing? "Brick...please." He pulled her closer to his chest, his glare set on the monster who was desperately trying to get away with only two limbs. He was determined on making the beast pay. A set of smaller cracks bent each of the monster's fingers towards his knuckles. It was howling in pain by now. Blossom's stomach sank with dread. "Stop..." The monster's head tilted to the side as it's opposite arm began to rotate backwards. She pulled on Brick's shirt, shaking him. "Stop it! Stop!" It was as though he couldn't hear her, his eyes were filled with white hot rage. Nausea turned her stomach as a grin slipped onto Brick's face at the sound of the monster's shoulder popping. But even that wasn't enough.

Brick extended his arm again.

"Bro stop!"

"It's over, leave it be!"

Even his brothers' shouts were ignored.

Blossom's heart was racing by now, what could she do? Brick wouldn't listen, he couldn't hear her. He was going to torture this monster to death. He was going to break every last bone in his body until he was a puddle of flesh.

Brick narrowed his eyes at the wailing monster and it's neck began to twist.

Her eyes popped open. "BRICK NO!"

BANG

His hold on her waist went slack and she was forced to hold him up by his shirt as the rest of his body went limp. Butch stood behind him holding a metal beam. His green gaze weakened.

"What the hell was that?"

She looked to the unconscious boy in her arms and then to the mutated monster, the weight of dread heavy in her gut as she replied, "I...don't know."