Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of the Demashitaa! Powerpuff Girls Z anime.

The storyline and any OCs are my ONLY property.

This merely serves as entertainment for the viewers!

(Warning: This story is rated T; it contains violence, vulgar language, and minor suggestive adult themes. Read at your own risk.)

Bloom's P.O.V.

We flew a ten-minute flight to Crystal Creek. It was quite far from where the base was, but fortunately, we were able to get here fast enough. And surprisingly, the flight remained silent.

Well, except for the non-stop bickering of dumb and dumber green.

It was like a pair of raccoons chattering really loud. It started nicely for the first few minutes until Butch began harassing Butterfly. And, of course, Butterfly wasn't going to just sit there and ignore him. That's when it all started to get chaotic.

We have one that was perverted and the other one that was hotheaded, what else do we expect when they're together? I wouldn't be surprised if Butterfly would go as far as biting his head off.

Once we arrived at our destination, I was immediately captivated by the sight before me. My feet were literally planted on the ground as I stared in awe.

I've never been here before. The reason why I haven't is pretty obvious. It was called the dark forest for a reason, but I never really got to see the beauty of it, and it really mesmerized me.

All the beautiful features of this scenery are just really hard to sink in all at once.

The area was surrounded by trees which varied in colors of red and green. There were bushes and big rocks that were in colors blue and yellow. Birds with magnificent magenta wings that I've never seen before were beautifully chirping in the trees. But there was one majestic scene that made me stare in awe.

The creek.

The water was as clear as crystal, just like the name suggests. You can see all the different kinds of fish swimming around. The sun's rays shone through the water, making it sparkle like diamonds. Truly magical and majestic.

Can't you just imagine being here with someone special? It would be any girl's dream. My prince charming and I would sit here and gaze at the calm water. We would eat chocolate coated strawberries and—

"Hey, Ice Princess, we don't have all day for you to stare at the water, you know." I was pulled out of my thoughts as Brick called for me. Out of irritation, I rolled my eyes at him and decided to join their conversation.

Way to go and ruin a girl's dream, jerk.

"Good." He said, giving me his infamous smirk. "I have scanned the area and I have found a place for us to hide and wait for Kurogawa. Boomer and Bright, you two will be hiding behind that big blue bush as you wait for his men to arrive."

He pointed at a really big bush not far from where we were standing. "Be sure to blend in." He added. "Once you two see the guards, take them out silently. We don't want to startle him." Both of them gave our commander a nod.

"Once your part is done, immediately send us a signal. Bloom and I will be hiding in one of the red trees." Brick reminded them while showing them the old tree just a few meters behind me. "Just be sure that we'll be able to get your signal while we're hiding there."

"Got it." Boomer replied.

Brick then directed his attention towards the other two. "Once that is done, we'll send a signal to both of you." He said, eyeing both Butterfly and Butch. "You'll be hiding in the highest green tree over there in the east. Once you get the signal and when the place goes dark, we'll leave it up to you two to do the dirty work."

I just looked at him as he continued to give additional instructions. The way he spoke with such authority and firmness was something I've never seen before. From what I can see, he really was a natural-born leader.

I overlooked it when we first arrived here, but the way he was able to command his brothers with such ease made me feel intimidated as well. While Bright was doing the layout of the place and Butterfly acquiring information from other agents, I took my time stocking up on intel in the organization's library.

Pretty weird, right?

It was the last thing I thought that that place would have. Nevertheless, it proved useful in my intel gathering.

After some time digging, I was able to find a way using my M.D.P. to acquire some basic information about the agents in the place. It was outdated, making me think that they were now keeping track of their agents in a different place. One thing that was interesting though was that not a single one of the S-rank agents today had started out at a very high position. And that Brick, at age fifteen, was the first one to rise to the S-ranks among the three brothers.

The reason? His high intelligence, combat ability, and knowledge on computers and technology.

That's where the problem lies. If he is indeed as smart as I think he is, who knows when he'll catch on our act?

"Does everybody understand the plan?" We all looked at him before nodding in response.

He looked down on his M.D.P. "It's already 2:45. Take this time to discuss with your partner what you're going to do. Everybody move to your positions. Go!" Without warning, we all flew to our hiding spots.

I flew to the red tree and I stood on the longest branch. As I waited for Brick to follow, I stared at the pathway. It took a while before something made an appearance. My eyes caught a glimpse of a big pack of men dressed in black a few kilometers away from where Bright and Boomer hid.

Looking to my right, I saw Brick beside me. He sat down quietly as he looked at the pathway. He remained still, plastering a blank expression on his face. A look of seriousness was evident in his deep red eyes.

As I averted my gaze back at Bright and Boomer, I saw them giving signals to each other. And after that, I saw Bright turn invisible. As I caught a glimpse of her senbon needles, I couldn't help but frown at the scene before me.

I wonder, what were those combat abilities that made them such high-ranking criminals?

Guess we're just going to find out.

Bright's P.O.V.

It was already nearing 2:55 pm. Boomer and I quietly hid as we waited for his men to approach our spot. Out of the corner of my eye, I could already see his frontmen nearing us. Kurogawa, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found.

"So, what's the plan?" I whispered, looking up at him as his head peeked out from the bush.

"You got your needles with you?" I nodded. "Try to take them out, I'll handle putting the bodies away where he can't see them."

My eyes widened. "What are you saying?" I asked in disbelief. "There are like more than ten of them!"

He looked at me, flashing me a soft smile. "Don't you trust me?"

I remained silent. What exactly was he planning to do? Should I really let him do that alone?

Looking down, I sighed, "Just give me the signal." I said in a very soft voice. It was embarrassing to answer him with a straight yes or no. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

Right now, I just want to see for myself how much he's changed over the years.

After a while, the sound of footsteps became distinctly louder. Boomer seemed to fiddle with something underneath the sleeve of his jacket. I waited, and after a few seconds, he looked at me and nodded.

Like a quick and mischievous fox approaching its prey, I turned invisible and took out my senbon needles. Standing up, I began to quickly count the number of men in front of me. Using my flight ability, I jumped up and struck down on the guards.

Before they had the chance to groan and scream in pain, suddenly a bunch of other men came and began covering their mouths and subduing them.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

There stood Boomer, along with a few more people who looked and dressed exactly like him. He overpowered and even outnumbered Kurogawa's men easily. He kept them in their place as we waited for them to faint.

Then, there was a moment of silence. The men remained as still as a board. And just like that, their bodies became limp in Boomer's clutches.

Stealthily, Boomer and his clones carried the mens' bodies and hid them behind large trees and rocks. I quickly turned my head around to see that Kurogawa hadn't arrived yet.

I quickly followed him towards the trees. The men were all unconscious, with Boomer piling them up like a pile of books. Looking around, I realized that his clones were no longer there.

Seeing that I was already beside him, visible, he began to wave his hand in the air. Then, seemingly out of thin air, a small dove made out of water sat on his hand, chirping and even fluttering his wings around.

How was he able to do that?

If he can duplicate himself and can apparently manipulate water while Brick can control fire, what else can they do? More importantly, how much stronger have the other villains got?

One thing's for sure, this mission got even more serious and even more dangerous.

Narrator's/Third Person's P.O.V.

The two leaders sat in silence as they waited for their signal. It was almost 3:00 pm, any minute now Kurogawa was going to show and they needed to be prepared. Their task was fairly easy, but they still needed to be on high alert just in case something goes wrong.

They sat in silence, with Brick focusing on the pathway while Bloom had her mind somewhere else.

None of them said a word to each other ever since they began hiding. Getting bored, Bloom started to drift off deep in thought.

It has been about a week since they've arrived, and Bloom couldn't help but miss being in the city. For the past few days, they've been cautious about contacting the Professor and some of their colleagues for even though the entire room they were in was soundproof, the wall that was separating them and their roommate wasn't. That's why the girls have been talking to each other in very soft voices when they need to contact each other.

And since there was nothing to discuss about the mission they had so far, they haven't been talking much. So, in a way, Bloom has been feeling pretty alone.

She was especially missing the Professor, Ken, and Peach. Ever since the incident that happened four years ago, they never left the girls' side. Without them, maybe they wouldn't be who they are now. But now that the girls were working with them as one team and one family, it was a whole new beginning for all of them.

Being heroes, they have a big responsibility to the people of this city. Being the leader, Bloom had a bigger responsibility. This secret mission was something she decided to take in order to protect the city. She knows that many lives will pay if they make one little mistake to blow their cover.

And she knows that none of them want that to happen.

It may be hard to not be with them as of now, but they were doing this for a bigger family.

The city wasn't their second life anymore, it is their life. Crime fighting was something that they chose. Even if they were the ones who were struck by those rays when they were barely thirteen, they like to think that they were chosen. And in the end, they fell in love with what they do.

And in turn, they fell in love with all the people inhabiting the city, and would do anything it takes to protect them.

Sure, it wasn't a normal life. They never expected this to happen, but they can't change that anymore. A lot of bad things had happened ever since they became heroes. They had, at one point, wanted to just live normally again. However, as time passed by, they all agreed that they would never change what happened that day.

Bloom sighed as she started to reflect on her life.

As the leader, she always had to put others above herself. She couldn't care less about her problems, because she, first and foremost, was someone that the people looked up to. Along with her two best friends, they would always put their needs before their own because the city was their priority.

That was why they chose to be a hero.

They wanted to see the world smile. They wanted them to be happy, all the time. They wanted them to be safe, they wanted more for them because that is what they deserve.

Even at such a young age, their morals were always centered on what was better for the city. If it meant getting rid of a few who kept causing trouble, then so be it.

"How long are you going to space out on me, Ice Princess?"

Her long train of thought was cut short at the sudden voice that called out her nickname.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Brick flying with a small water dove on his shoulder. She was a bit confused at first, but she just went along with it and flew beside him.

"Sorry." She firmly said. Scanning the area, she was able to catch a glimpse of Kurogawa and a few more men walking down the big dirt path. Trying to think of something, a small wisp of cold mist enveloped her hands.

She then wove her hands above her head, creating a large dome that covered the majority of the forest. Although, there was one little problem...

"Ice is see-through, you know that right?"

Bloom looked at him with a big pout on her face. Even though she was able to cover the forest, she wasn't able to completely block off the light. Crossing her arms over her chest, the big ice dome disintegrated and vanished into thin air. "What do you suggest we do then? He'll be arriving any moment now."

Smirking, Brick held up one of his hands and closed his eyes. Her eyes followed what he was doing, and that's when she noticed a watch on his hand that was not his M.D.P. watch. Unlike the plain white watch, this watch was black. And instead of numbers changing every minute, a big white R was written on the very center in red.

Then, a small white mist came from his hand. It then moved forward towards the area of where Kurogawa was going to go. After a while, the mist solidified, and then a translucent white force field enveloped the area in front of them.

Bloom's eyes widened. He went from spitting spitballs to spitting fire and creating force fields. And if her gut was correct, then all of those powers were coming from that watch, just like how they were with the belts. Finding out how and where they got that was going to be on their list of things to worry about.

"You could have just told me earlier," Bloom said. "It could have saved us a lot of time, you know. That is if you were so kind enough to remind me that you could generate those things." She snapped, pointing at the force field in front of them.

"You didn't ask." Brick said. "For someone as smart as you, I'd expect you to think for a minute before acting."

She ground her teeth as she glared at him furiously. "It didn't hurt to try."

"Touche."

She huffed in response. "Last time I checked, force fields aren't used to block out sunlight either." She pointed out.

Brick just smirked in response. "Well, for your information rookie, these force fields of mine aren't like any other ordinary force field." He explained. "I can modify it so that they don't allow anything to pass through them. Once Kurogawa nears Butch and Buttefly's area, nothing too little or too big can enter nor escape this force field. Not even sunlight."

Bloom then whipped her head to face the force field. Looking at it more intently, she noticed that inside the forcefield was very dark. It was almost impossible to make out the trees and pathways.

Facing away from him, Bloom let out another huff. 'Showoff.'

Butterfly's P.O.V.

Where the hell were they? Bloom and Bright should have been done by now, what's taking them so long? I'm so close to losing my shit because of this asshole.

What the hell is his deal?

First, he flirts with me, then I reject him, and the next thing I know, we're already fighting. And then it's back to the beginning. Like seriously! I didn't agree to this mission to just waste my time. And how come I always had to be paired with him?

We stood at the base of the tree with him leaning against the tree and me a few feet away from him. I've been ignoring him for the past few minutes, but it didn't seem to do me any good.

"Oh babe, ain't giving me your attention now huh?" He chuckled. "Come on now, don't be like that." I then began to tense up as I felt him snaking his arms around my waist.

Oh, you're so going to get it!

As I felt his face rest on my shoulder, I elbowed his little buddy down there, making him hiss in pain. He cursed out loud, falling to the ground as he clutched his crotch. Turning around, I couldn't help but chuckle. This asshole deserved it.

"Want to grab hold of my waist again, dickhead?" I said, bending down to his level. "Ain't so tough now, are you?" With a smirk on my face, I patted his right cheek. He was unable to respond because he still hissed in pain.

Poor little baby.

I stood up straight and I flew up on a branch on the tree where we were supposed to hide. I wouldn't say our cover is blown though. Kurogawa isn't here and there was still no signal so Butch can hiss and groan all he wants since nobody can see us.

I'm not helping him up. I may be his "ally" now but that doesn't mean we'll get along very well, even if I am under the same roof as him. We are enemies then, and we are enemies now.

I leaned against the trunk of the tree as I breathed in the cool breeze. Man, peace and quiet never felt so good until now. As long as Butch is nowhere in sight, this is paradise for me.

"Don't think you can relax after what you did to me."

Looks like I spoke too soon.

I turned around and there he was, angry and irritated. He glared at me intensely as he flew steadily, not minding the wind that blew through his hair. What a surprise. Still smirking, I flew towards him.

"And what makes you think I'm scared of you?" I asked mockingly, getting up in his face as I returned his glare.

I saw him clenching his fists hard. Looks like I hit a nerve. The next thing I know, his fist came closer, coming a few inches from my face.

Letting out a small gasp, I caught his fist just in the nick of time. He looked at me angrily, growling as I firmly gripped his hand. Suddenly, his frown turned into a more sinister grin.

"Huh, lucky." He then started throwing punches at me, each one I managed to dodge. Despite his build, he was very agile. That and with every blow I block, I could feel the strong impact it left.

Getting fed up with him, I threw a kick to his face but he managed to block it, grabbing a hold of my ankle.

Shit.

He gripped my ankle firmly, throwing me against the trunk of the tree. As my back hit the wall, I couldn't help but wince a bit at the pain. He wasn't playing anymore.

He then flew straight at me, placing his right hand on the left side of my face and his left hand on my right leg. Probably to make sure I don't make his little buddy cry again.

I tried to escape but he firmly placed his right hand on my shoulder. It didn't hurt, but it was still enough to keep me from moving. Damn it, he was strong.

"Not so fun when you're the one cornered now, are you?" He said as his face was only a few centimeters away from my face.

"Tsk." I hate to admit it, but he's right. Unfortunately for him, I was stubborn. I wiggled and shifted roughly, trying to shake away his grip. But no matter how much I struggled, he still kept me in place.

With both of his hands, he pinned my hands above my head. His face neared my ear, his hot breath unconsciously sending shivers down my spine. "You've been a bad girl, Butterfly." He whispered, his lips barely touching the skin of my ear. "I could do so many things to you right now, but I'm not that kind of guy. Don't worry, after a while, I'll have you eating out of the palm of my hand. Just wait."

He then released his grip on me. I didn't say anything else, glaring at him as he just smirked back at me. I would've shouted at him, punched him some more, but he was stronger than what I imagined. I may be reckless, but I was no idiot. If I continue this any longer, it'll just ruin the whole mission.

He'll just have to wait to see how I'll have him eating out of the palm of my hand.

Before I could move, a small little shower of snowflakes rained in front of me, seemingly out of nowhere. Looking at the dirt path, I could already make out the silhouette of Kurogawa, as well as a bunch of other men. Not waiting for him, I quickly flew down to meet our target.

Narrator's/Third Person's P.O.V.

Kurogawa and his men trudged along the forest. His long black coat trailed along the pathway, his gloved hand firmly gripping onto a leather suitcase. His flight was about to leave after a few more minutes, and that's why he tasked his other lackeys to go ahead and made sure to guard the jet just in case they were late.

However, as he continued to walk, he felt as if something wasn't right. Turning on the hidden earpiece he had, he tried to connect with one of his men. "Moritoki, what's your status?" Instead of a reply, he was met with static noises.

Realizing that something was wrong, he halted. He then signaled his men to stay alert. Looking around, he waited for something or someone to show up. Even from where he stood, he could already feel another person's presence.

The wind blew colder and stronger, its force making the group wince. From out of the corner of his eye, he could faintly see something or someone floating in the air. Before he could make a move, however, the whole forest suddenly became dark.

Gritting his teeth, Kurogawa shouted, "It's an ambush, move to your positions!"

Even if they were surrounded in darkness, the men could still make out the silhouettes of two people that stood in front of them. Kurogawa fiddled with something underneath his coat. Pulling out a small round ball, he threw it onto the ground.

"Don't think that you punks are at an advantage just because we're in the dark." Kurogawa said in a low voice as the smoke that emitted from the ball enveloped him and his men.

A low chuckle was heard from one of the figures. "Vision enhancing gas, huh?" A deep voice asked. "Wonder where you got that?"

"Hn, so you're from the R.I.D." Kurogawa replied, his vision getting clearer as he can already make out the faces of his attackers. "All the more reason to kill you then."

"Don't get cocky now," Said the raven-haired girl, her smirk now becoming visible. "If you give us the documents like a good little boy, then nobody needs to get hurt."

Kurogawa furrowed his eyebrows. Something about this girl felt familiar, yet he couldn't pinpoint what.

Shaking off the thought, he once again signaled his men, making them pull out their own weapons. "And you expect me to accept that pretty little offer of yours huh? Taking out a sword hidden in his clothes, he taunted the pair. "Well, the answer is no, little girl."

Her emerald green eyes burned with anger. This was her chance to finally take this man down for everything he did to her and her teammates. And she was not going to let the opportunity pass. Taking out her katana, she gave one last look at her partner before charging at the group.

Butch followed immediately after, taking on three of his men at once in hand-to-hand combat. Butterfly, on the other hand, parried each strike aimed at her. They were very outnumbered, but both of them didn't feel the need to call their backup.

Kurogawa hissed in frustration. His inability to conjure up his shadows was annoying him. As he was thrown back again by her sword, he took this opportunity to whip out his sidearm.

Catching a glimpse of his weapon, Butch shouted. "Idiot, get out of the way!" Pushing off his attackers, he held out his hand towards Butterfly.

Turning around, Butterfly was met face to face with the silver steel barrel of his gun. Kurogawa fired. Before she could react, the ground erupted from beneath her, throwing her back. The bullet met the hard soil, barely even passing through.

Her eyes widened, shooting a glance towards the raven-haired man who had still had his hand held out.

'Since when did he…' Butterfly couldn't process what just happened. But as another man charged at her with his sword, she quickly got up from her feet and swung her katana. Kurogawa stared down the tall man with forest green eyes, his expression getting angrier by the minute.

"Looks like you're not just any kind of brat." He said. "Things just got more interesting…"

Furrowing his eyebrows, Butch quickly attacked his lackeys. "Bring it, old man." He taunted, landing two big blows on each of his men, knocking them out.

Kicking off her now unconscious enemy, Butterfly quickly flew over to Butch's side. His men were all down, but Kurogawa didn't seem the least bit fazed by this. Sensing something wrong, they both stood their ground as they waited for his move.

Kurogawa then took a small knife from his coat. Holding it out, he looked at both of them before smirking. He quickly slashed the side of his face, the knife falling down to the ground. The blood dripped down his face, staining his lips that now turned into a wide grin.

"What is he doing?" Butterfly asked in a low voice, gripping the handle of her katana firmly.

"Just get ready until he attacks."

As the blood now fell down onto the ground, Kurogawa muttered under his breath. "God of death, give me your strength. From where thy souls lie, from there you shall rise!"

The ground shook hard, making both Butterfly and Butch lose their balance. A black haze began to surround Kurogawa, the mist emitting from the bodies of his men. As it began to surround him, his hair began to turn white as snow and his eyes black as the night.

Lifting themselves up, they quickly charge at the man. But as they got close, they were quickly thrown back by a sudden blast of darkness. Tumbling backwards, both of them glared at Kurogawa.

"Fuck…" Butch cursed. "Didn't think this son of a bitch would put up much of a fight."

"I thought the darkness was supposed to be his weakness?" Butterfly said through gritted teeth. "His power… how is he…"

He glowered at the man in front of them. "If he was able to get into the agency and steal some files, that means he's no easy enemy." He answered. "Brick's force field ain't going to hold up much longer either. Those things he's controlling aren't shadows, so once the light comes in he's going to get even stronger."

"Yeah, I can't even sense his henchmen's breathing anymore." Butterfly replied, the air surrounding them remaining cool. "Sick bastard."

"He's one strong son of a bitch, I'll give him that."

Butterfly chuckled, putting away her katana. "Don't tell me you're giving in now?"

He smirked. "On the contrary, I'm more than fired up now." He replied, balling his fists in excitement. "Just don't go and get in my way, babe."

"I could say the same to you."

"Pathetic." Kurogawa said, holding up his hand towards the sky.

Not wasting any time, Butch ran up to the man and held out his fist. "Earth wall!" The ground underneath Kurogawa erupted from both of his sides and began to encase him. Pushing out his arms, the dark mist that emitted from his hands tried to push the ground away. Seeing his struggle, Butch tightened his fist, using all of his power to trap him.

With Kurogawa occupied, Butterfly—running up to him at full speed—began to wave her right hand in the air. "Wind Blades!"

Swift gusts of wind flew straight at him. It ripped through his dark clothing, wounding his pale skin. Kurogawa groaned, the pain causing him to lose focus. His strength began to wane, the walls inching closer to him.

Butch caught his mistake almost immediately, punching the ground beneath him. "Earth coffin!" He shouted with even more force than before. The earth that surrounded Kurogawa was bigger than before. It was too much, and after a few seconds, he was enclosed within.

Taking a breather, Butterfly slowly approached the circular casing. The place was silent as they both waited for any sign of struggle. Seeing as Kurogawa was finally immobilized, she let out a sigh. However, as she took a closer look, a small crack was at the very bottom. And to her shock, a dark mist emitted from it and began to approach Butch.

"Look out!" She shouted, but it was too late.

Butch whipped his head around in confusion. A muffled voice screamed from inside the casing, "Soul strangle!" Before he could react, Butch was already restrained as the dark mist began to suffocate him. The ground that surrounded Kurogawa began to retract, revealing his teared up clothes and partially mangled body.

As he held up his right hand to control the dark mist that entangled Butch, he then turned to look at Butterfly. Butch's breath was becoming shallow and his words were becoming incomprehensible. If she didn't get a move on, he was going to die.

Kurogawa stretched his other hand towards Butterfly, the dark mist charging towards her. Her eyes, for a brief moment, seemingly flashed a brighter green. The feeling of anger burned throughout her body, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed into a straight line.

As the mist approached her, she suddenly disappeared from his sight. Confused, Kurogawa began to survey his surroundings. Then, he was suddenly knocked down to the ground, releasing his hold on Butch.

Butch fell on the ground as he was desperately trying to catch his breath. If he was going to be in his grip for a little longer he would've already lost his consciousness. His vision, though a bit blurry, could make out a small figure pinning down Kurogawa's body onto the ground.

Butterfly used all her strength to tackle him to the ground. His wounds were weighing him down, but he was still able to struggle against her grip. She glared at him before scoffing. "Let's see how you like it."

Slightly puckering her lips, the air surrounding them began to swirl. A light sucking sound can be heard from her lips, and as she did, Kurogawa found it harder to breathe. His ears began to ring loudly as the air around them swirled around viciously. He slowly became limp under her touch. After a few more seconds, he was finally unconscious.

She pushed herself up, lightly coughing as her throat felt a small burning sensation. It was a technique she learned under the three days they had to prepare. However, she could already feel the drawbacks of taking in too much oxygen.

Her body felt tired. Even with the superpowered clothes she wore that increased her endurance and stamina, using their new powers were still able to put a considerable amount of toll on her body. Even in her Powerpuff clothes, when she was met with a very strong opponent that caused her to exert her powers for an extended amount of time her body still wasn't resistant to fatigue.

Through the dark surroundings, she was able to locate the briefcase that Kurogawa was holding a while back. He threw it aside after finding out who we were, but he kept it tightly guarded behind him. Walking slowly—still coughing a bit—she took the small case.

"Gotta admit, you're one tough chick." His teasing voice said behind her.

She scoffed. "Didn't think a brute like you would need rescuing."

"So I was careless for a split second, big deal."

"He could've killed you."

"Were you worried?"

She didn't answer. She began to contemplate on what she was going to say to him, knowing that the honest answer was going to start another teasing session for her. Was it wrong for her to worry about him even if he was her enemy? It was like an instinct already for her to jump into action to protect someone, even if that person was Butch.

"I was worried that I might get scolded if anything happened to you." She said, glancing over her shoulder to look at him. "Because unfortunately, I'm the one responsible for you."

He chuckled, his hair framing his striking features. "Still, thanks."

Butterfly whipped her head back around to avoid his gaze. Even if she couldn't look at herself right now, she can already feel the faint blush that was crawling onto her pale face. "Idiot."

Narrator/Third Person's P.O.V.

"Maybe we should go check in on them." Bright said worryingly as there was no sign from either pair. Both her and her partner sat down on a big tree just a few feet away from where they took out some of Kurogawa's guards. They were waiting for a signal just in case they needed backup, but with the complete lack of communication on the other end, who knows what had happened to her friends?

Boomer had his eyes closed, fully relaxed. "I'd give it a few more minutes. Knowing how Butch is, he's probably toying with Kurogawa as we speak."

"But what if something bad really did happen?" She asked. "What if he also got Brick and Bloom?"

He shrugged. "Brick always has a backup plan just in case something goes wrong, so if something did happen I highly doubt he wouldn't call us by now."

"Still…"

"Just trust me, okay?"

"I've known you for less than a week you know, so it's not that easy."

Boomer chuckled, opening his eyes slightly to look at her. "You have a point." He replied. "But I promise, I'm not going to do anything bad and I'm not going to say anything that I'm not sure of."

"That still doesn't take away the anxious feeling." Bright answered, pouting. She didn't know what he was trying to do as he continuously asked her to trust him. How could she? He for sure couldn't trust someone like her who he'd just met and knew nothing about, how much more for her?

He has changed, but to what extent?

"Tell you what," He said, adjusting himself as he looked her straight in the eye. "Since we're still a bit awkward even if we're basically living together, how about a little icebreaker?"

She raised her eyebrow. Was he trying to fool her or is he really being friendly and nice? She couldn't really wrap her head around what he was saying. The only thing that came out of her mouth was, "W-What?"

"It's simple, I ask a question, you answer honestly, and vice versa."

"And what do we get out of this?"

He held up his hand. "One, we get to find a common ground. Two, we'll be able to understand each other on a basic level, meaning we can get along during your stay here and not have any petty fights. And three, you'll be able to relax. And before you know it, they'll be calling us saying that the mission is a success."

She wasn't sure at first. 'He might be trying to trick me into giving information about myself,' She thought. Being that she was undercover, she wondered if she should really answer truthfully, even if it's going to just be harmless questions. But after a while, she realized that it may also be her chance to get a piece of useful information out of him.

"Okay, you start then." She initiated.

Boomer looked up, his hand on his chin. "Hmm… Favorite color?"

"Huh?" Bright couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Is it not that obvious yet?"

"Hey, you never know, I was just making sure."

She smiled, "Okay then, what's yours?"

"Black."

Bright looked at him in confusion. "Are you serious?"

"Nah, I'm just messing with you, of course it's blue." He answered, chuckling. "Any hobbies?"

"Well, I like drawing and painting in my spare time."

"An artist, huh?"

"I wouldn't say I am, I'm no professional after all." She replied, "Favorite food?"

Boomer sucked in a breath. "That's a tough one." He scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with a definitive answer. "I've been pigging out on tonkatsu lately, so let's go with that."

"I should have figured, that's what you had for lunch, right?"

"Yeah, I'm still debating if that's what I'll get for dinner too."

"You're really hooked on it," Bright replied, laughing.

He laughed with her, looking at her amusingly with his cobalt blue eyes. "Okay then, answer this," He started, "Who's your favorite rowdyruff?"

She poked her cheek, the sides of her lips perking up into a soft smile. "Hmm… none."

Boomer pouted, "You're mean."

"I just met you, you know." She answered, though the memories of him and her five years ago were replaying in her head. He was surprisingly calm. She half expected him to pull out some nasty antics the first time they reunited, but he has been, in a way, acting pretty normal.

Aside from the fact that he's now a superpowered artificial human.

"Gotta work on my people skills then." He replied, sighing.

The sight of him with a small pout on his face as he hung his head low was something new to Bright. A small smile crept up on her delicate lips. Despite their history together, in the back of her head, she wants to believe that he really did change.

Was he just putting up a front for her to lower her guard down? Right now, she didn't seem to care. In the coming weeks, she'd have to put up with him. And that means gaining his trust and getting along with him as well.

She had to lie, it was inevitable in the situation that they are in. However, as the minutes went by of them asking questions and laughing, Bright couldn't help but feel relaxed. Was it the way he talked? The way he effortlessly seemed so charming and charismatic? She wasn't entirely sure.

But she didn't mind it at all.

Third Person's P.O.V. / Narrative P.O.V.

A small squirrel approached a girl with long auburn hair, nipping at her shoes. Picking the little critter up, she realized that it was something else. Upon further inspection, she realized that the animal was made of soil.

'If this is the last signal, then that means that Brick isn't the only ruff with elemental powers of his own.' Bloom thought to herself before flying towards her partner.

Showing him the squirrel that kept taking tiny licks at her fingers, he groaned. "About fucking time." Brick said, putting his hands down as the force field began to fade.

As they landed, and as Bloom released the little critter, she noticed that Brick kept murmuring and massaging the back of his shoulder.

"You okay?"

He looked up at her, his expression grim. "If those two could've hurried it up then I would be okay." He answered, stretching out his limbs. "That idiot brother of mine should've known that I can't keep that force field up for long."

"Kurogawa might have been stronger than we expected," She replied, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Need some help with that?"

Brick retracted almost instantly, making Bloom look at him confusedly. "I'm fine." He said firmly.

"What? I was going to cool your arm to numb the pain." 'Don't tell me he still has that cootie phobia?'

"It'll heal soon enough, don't worry about me."

She crossed her arms over her chest. Everything about them now seemed like a mystery, like they were completely different people. They had been enhanced, not only them but the other villains as well. The dark aura they had was stronger than it was years ago, so strong that it was almost suffocating.

But how?

Just how much about the R.I.D. have they yet to uncover?

"Jojo-sama." A voice called out, making both leaders look over their shoulder. There stood three men dressed in black, the R.I.D. insignia tattooed on the side of their necks. "We have come to take Kurogawa back to headquarters."

"Head that way, you'll meet up with Butch and Butterfly. They've already subdued him."

"Understood."

As they left, Bloom couldn't help but stare at him. Just like before, he was bossy and demanding. However, the way he exemplified his authority would make anyone intimidated.

Opening the palm of his hand, small wisps of flames appeared. Slowly, it started to form into small little leaves. Brick blew lightly on them and they flew upwards and towards their other teammates. "Let's go, the others will just join us back at the meeting point."

Nodding in response, both leaders went back to making their way towards the said meeting place. Not a single word was uttered by either of them; the level of awkwardness rose with every step that they took.

Bringing her head up to look at the red ruff, she stared at his calm and collected look. For her, it was weird to see him like this. He was much taller than her, and his facial features became more defined. Even the way his body was built was different. Even with all the clothes he wore she could tell that he was fit.

"Got something to say, Ice Princess?"

She was caught off guard by Brick's sudden statement, making her jump a little.

Annoyed by the nickname that he frequently called her, she glared at him intently. She regained her composure, making sure not to break the death glare she was giving him.

Getting the message, he mischievously countered her glare with a sly smirk plastered on his face. "Must've caught your attention to make you stare at me."

"Yeah right, as if." She countered, all the while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Aww, no need to get so heated up," He teased. "I just wanted to know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours."

Bloom was a bit taken aback. Was he still trying to flirt? Hasn't he realized that it wasn't going to work on her?

But then again, this was her chance to ask about the thing that was bothering her up until now. "If that's the case, I'm curious as to how you got those powers of yours."

Brick's face turned serious for a moment, before returning back to his playful and sly expression. "Must have come as a shocker for you, huh?" He asked. "That is, if you've known how my brothers and I were years ago."

"We didn't really gain our powers through the actual chemical Z, so I was wondering as to what made you what you are now." She replied, hoping he wouldn't call her bluff. "Word is you and your brothers weren't transformed by the infamous black Z-rays either."

"Let's just say that we're a special case." He replied, the smirk never leaving his face.

She continued to analyze him. His unwillingness to disclose anything about his background was beginning to annoy her. Even in the past couple of days he kept giving her vague answers.

Was he getting suspicious and therefore was cautious about everything?

She hoped that wasn't the case. The more suspicious they get the harder it is for them to blend in. Now that he's secretive, Bloom plans on getting on his good side. If she could put up the act longer, he might start to confide in her.

Now, the game to see who would fall into who's trap first begins.

As they neared their meeting place, something caught Bloom's attention. "Do you hear something?"

Her sudden question made Brick stop in his tracks. Focusing on his surroundings, he could faintly pick up the sound of rustling. Looking around, they both tried to find the source of it.

The sound grew louder and louder. And as it came closer, that's when they realized where it was coming from. Looking back, they were both taken aback by what they saw.

"What are you—!"

"どけ! (Get out of the way!)"

Before any of them could react, they got rammed into by a raven-haired boy, making both him and Bloom fall on the ground.

"Fuck!" Butch exclaimed, grasping his left shoulder as he landed a few inches from the redheaded pair.

Looking over his shoulder, he was met with a pair of red eyes glaring at him. Realizing what just happened, and worried about the enraged Butterfly who was chasing after him, he stood up and quickly brushed off the dirt from his clothes.

"Sorry guys, but I gotta ditch." He said. Ignoring the scrapes he had, Butch quickly ran away from the scene. This left both leaders on the ground, coughing slightly at the dirt that surrounded them after they fell.

"Shit." Brick cursed as soon as he fell on the ground face first. But to his surprise, the ground was softer. As he tried to get up, he extended his hand to have the ground support his weight and balance. However, to his surprise, he was able to grab a soft ball.

Well, that's what he thought.

He could not quite put his finger on what he was exactly holding. Curious, he squeezed it.

"Kya!" Bloom shrieked, instinctively slapping Brick hard. As Bloom's hand came in contact with his cheek, Brick was sent off of her torso and towards the bark of a big tree. He let out a loud grunt as the impact left his body in shock.

Maybe someone should tell Brick of the saying'Curiosity killed the cat'

"Pervert!" Bloom angrily shouted while she wrapped her arms around her chest.

"I didn't even mean to, jeez! Calm the fuck down! You hit like a dude!" Brick countered as he placed a hand on his cheek. A bright red hand mark was starting to grow visible as he was rubbing it to ease the pain.

Bloom angrily stood up and brushed her clothes. She did not even bother to wait for Brick, let alone talk to him. She was so pissed off that she started to walk, or should I say storm off, away from him.

Brick tried multiple times to call her name but Bloom merely brushed off his attempts. All was well until another raven haired person bumped into her which made her fall face first on the hard ground.

"Ouch!"

"Bloom! Are you alright?!" Asked a worried green-eyed girl named Butterfly.

She kneeled beside Bloom to make sure she was alright. Butterfly tried to get a glimpse of her friend, but Bloom merely laid there on the ground with her hair covering her face.

"Just leave me here and catch Butch. I can manage. He went straight ahead." Bloom said as she was still laying there, not even bothering to lift her face up.

"I owe you one, thanks." Butterfly gratefully said as she ran off to where Bloom directed.

'Where's the respect for the leader?' Bloom thought as she let out a loud groan.

She flipped herself over. As she did, a sharp pain came through, making her wince and grab at her ankle. 'Damn it, why get a sprain now?' Massaging the sore spot on her foot, a hand suddenly reached out to her. She didn't need to look at the person to know who it was. She ignored his offer of helping her up, turning her face away from him.

"Are you going to let me help you up or would you rather have me drag you all the way to headquarters?" Brick asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'd rather get myself killed than be with a pervert like you." She replied.

"Tsk, so stubborn." He grabbed her hand and forcefully lifted her up. He carried her bridal style and flew away, much to Bloom's chagrin. She tried to push him away but that only made his grip around her tighten. After many failed attempts, she finally snaps.

"Put me down! I will kill you in your sleep if you don't put me down right now, Brick Jojo!" Bloom shouted with irritation visible in her voice.

"Stop being a drama queen." He replied, trying to get her to hold still. "The rest are already flying behind us. So if you don't want to head back to headquarters then be my guest."

Surprised, Bloom looked behind and there were Boomer and Bright who were flying side by side while carrying Butch and Butterfly on their backs. Bloom didn't miss the marks on Butch and Butterfly's necks which were probably left by needles. Senbon needles to be exact.

Bloom sighed. 'They'll never learn.'

Boomer and Bright looked at each other then they looked at Brick and Bloom. 'Leaders, they'll never get along.'

They peacefully flew back to headquarters. And again, no one said a word.

Well at least we can all say, mission accomplished.

Author's Note: Okay, can the blues stop being cute? And how do I get any Jojo brother as my boyfriend? Haha, well anyways, I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I've updated it to give more conversations and moments between the different pairings so as to give more depth to their relationship.

Which will also become more interesting later on ;)

As always, don't forget to favorite, follow, and review!

See you in the next chapter!

~Disastress