I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Plan of Attack Part II

Boomer was made as comfortable as he could be in Bubbles' room. He was still unconscious, but his wounds were dressed. Bubbles placed a kiss to his forehead before rejoining Blossom in the foyer. There was no time to waste. Brick and Butch—or rather H.I.M—would know that Boomer was no longer under the influence of their demon conjurer. That meant they had to head them off before they could come to find them. Not that it would be hard to do.

As the girls were leaving, Mojo was downstairs with the professor reinforcing their defenses. When they heard the girls leave, Mojo sighed. "Their battles will only get harder. Brick is quite formidable and I don't want to know what Butch will do."

"It's not really your boys they're fighting. It's H.I.M." The professor reminded as he did the final touches to his power suit. "Finished." He then stood up and began to put his legs into the specially engineered jumpsuit. Just as he was pulling it over his arms, Buttercup emerged from the small bathroom. She was using her flight ability to not put weight on her injured leg, but the slight shakiness showed she was still in tremendous pain.

Mojo glanced her way as she was lying down and noticed how damaged she was. "Did Butch do that to her?"

The professor looked Buttercup's way and sighed. "She was there when it happened."

The former simian villain sniffed, before registering something in Buttercup's scent and sniffing again. Turning around he noticed in the far corner the remnants of a test. Walking over to it, he looked over the notes with a critical eye. His sharp intake of breath had the professor spinning to look at him and shake his head. When Mojo looked to protest, the professor shook his head more adamantly.

"Does-?"

"No, and don't you say a thing to either of them." The professor warned.

Though Buttercup was lying down, her super hearing still caught the whispers of the professor to Mojo. She didn't put much stock into it as she knew the truth about her body. Whatever they thought was wrong. Closing her eyes, she tried to find the will to sleep.

The connection H.I.M had to Boomer was broken. Violently enough the Brick saw H.I.M fall to his knees in his mind. That and the wall between them started to crack. Brick stood up and pushed against it. Unfortunately, it was still too strong for him to breakthrough. Slamming his fist against it, he growled out in frustration and huffed a cloud of smoke. "Damn it."

"You're not free just yet. Not that you ever will." H.I.M said from his position on the ground with his claws on either side of his head.

Brick looked down at his demon mother and smirked. "But I will be. And you'll be dead. We'll be free of you."

H.I.M glared at his eldest son and then began to laugh. "You think you can be rid of me so easily? You already thought I was dead before, but here I am. No matter how many times you think you're rid of me, I won't be gone. I live because you three do. Wait, you four."

"Four?"

"Your adorable little son. Coal, was it?"

The Red Ruff pressed his hands against the barrier holding him back. "You stay away from him!"

"Kill him? Let him live so I have another vessel to fall back on? One will secure my being. The other will spite you. What to do? What to do?"

"When I get my body back, I'm going to make sure you can never take over us again." Brick promised in a deadly whisper. He pressed against the barrier again and more cracks formed. This time it was Brick's turn to smile. "We're going to destroy you. For good this time."

"Promises, promises," H.I.M said as he stood up. He then walked over to the barrier and stared down the one that never seemed to remember that the one who resurrected him was one to fear. "I won't bend you to my whims. I will break you."

"I'd love to see you try." Brick said as he pushed against the barrier smiling as more cracks appeared under his slight pressure.

"I don't have to try," H.I.M growled as he turned his back on Brick and took over his mind by mentally pushing Brick back.

H.I.M took control of Brick's body again, just as Butch was approaching. "They have Boomer." He said right as he was flying to his side. "Any progress with…" he gestured vaguely to his head with a wave of his hand.

"Annoyingly optimistic, but it's of no matter. Is the ape still breathing?"

"Unfortunately. Boomer's little girlfriend intervened." Butch huffed out an annoyed breath.

"And it looks like she took a piece out of your face while she was at it." Brick smirked, before frowning. "How did they manage to snag Boomer? I doubt it was the power of love." The very thought of that being the case sickened him.

Butch shook his head. "It felt too abrupt for that. Severing."

"However they did it, they won't again" Though he said the words, Brick chuckled and banged against the barrier. It went ignored as he turned back to Butch. "How's your little earworm?"

Butch's smirk stretched cruelly across his face. "Our toughest fighter has always been the weakest willed."

The two shared a laugh in agreement before seeing the girls headed their way. Butch cracked his knuckles and let his energy crackle around him. "Looks like they're bringing the party to us."

"Hold them off."

"What?" Butch turned to see Brick reaching out with his hand before stopping. His hand was pointed in the singular direction and when he opened his eyes the red danced like shimmering rubies. "Care to share?"

"Stall them. I've got a to get a little ruff." With that, he took off leaving a blazing red streak in the sky.

Blossom saw Brick leaving the scene and following the direction of his path. Seeing that it was toward Miss Bellum's her blood ran colder than the ice she commanded. "Blazing Coal!" She started to take flight after Brick when she collided mid flight with Butch. Together the two of them crashed to the ground. Butch imbedded Blossom into the rock, he didn't have a moment to gloat when he got decked from behind by Bubbles. When she landed in front of her sister, she reached her hand out. "Give me the dagger."

Blossom didn't hesitate to do as Bubbles asked. She needed to head Brick off before he reached Coal. She didn't want to leave Bubbles, but her baby was more important. She took off after Brick, but she already knew she wasn't fast enough to head him off. Tears burned in her eyes as she flew, but she didn't let them hinder her. The young mother's fears were realized when Brick had much too easily broken through the defenses of Miss Bellum's household.

Landing, she quickly made her way through the wreckage. She could hear Bellum speaking, but just over that was Coal's wailing. Moving faster she found them in Miss Bellum's home office. The fortified iron door the pulled apart and Brick was standing over Bellum as she cradled her son protectively against her chest. From where Blossom was standing she could see the smoke rising from Coal's skin where it was in contact with Miss Bellum's. What little bit of her face that was visible was contorted with pain, but she'd endure if it meant no harm would come to the infant.

"Brick!"

Red eyes tinted with yellow, flashed to Blossom and she couldn't help the recoil at the startling sit. H.I.M was just beneath the surface of Brick's face. Held in check only by so much, she steeled herself and took a step forward.

"Brick, you're there aren't you?" Blossom took another step toward him and was about to reach out when he charged. Brick slammed her into the adjacent wall, stealing the breath from her lungs. He then brought his hand to her neck and squeezed. The burn from early had yet to heal and tears surged to her eyes of pain rather than fear. "Brick, please."

"Shut up!" H.I.M's voice came through her red hot boyfriend's lips. "Don't speak."

"Brick," she tried again. Bringing her hand up to touch his face. "Please, I know you're still in there."

The hand on her neck began to burn, hot against her skin, and Blossom drew her hand back to call forth her ice. He fended off the worst of the burn, but she still felt the damage being done. She groaned against the pain but didn't take her pink diamonds off his ruby red eyes.

Behind them, Bellum tried to soothe Coal. His wailing had quieted to whimpers with his mommy there, but now she was fighting with Daddy. The room was hot with his inner fire burning along with his daddy's. He needed to be cooler to the lady holding him, but all he wanted was for his parents to home him and take him and take him home. That was all he wanted. When Daddy kept hurting Mommy, Coal let out a wail that was louder than his initial cries.

The sound seemed to pierce through Brick as she reached up with his free hand for his head. The longer Coal cried the more distorted Brick's face would appear. "Make it stop."

"Coal."

"Make him stop!"

"My son."

"Make…"

"Let…"

"…it…"

"…me…out!"

"STOP!"

Brick had spun around with more of H.I.M showing through than before. The pointed nose of the demon had sprouted and with his skin burning bright red and his eyes glowing yellow. He was a frightful sight and poor Coal, terrified at the thing glaring at him, screamed.

In the prison from within Brick's own mind, his son's cry made the barrier between himself and the demon vibrate. Drawing his fist back, Brick put all his power into his fist and broke through the barrier holding him back. H.I.M for his part was blown away by the blast. While pulling himself up, he shifted and transformed into the beast that few had ever known him to be. It wasn't the case for Brick, his brothers, or the girls. As children that might've been something to fear, but Brick had long since lost his fear of this demon. If anything he had more reason to fight back.

"You're so going down." Brick said as he cracked his knuckles and approached.

In response, H.I.M roared and flew at Brick. The two collided in a frightful battle. H.I.M used his size to overcome Brick and managed to pin him. Brick pulled his feet back and kicked. It threw H.I.M back and Brick was far pressed to take the advantage. Using his smaller size, Brick blitzed about laying attack after attack. Punches. Kicks. Firepower. Laser vision. It was an unrelenting succession.

While Brick was fighting the battle in his head, his body was stock still and his eyes were rolled into the back of his head. His lips twitched as he mumbled within himself. Blossom ran around him and grabbed Coal from Miss Bellum's arm. Her baby's cries softened to soft whimpers, but he kept his eyes on his daddy who hadn't come to hold him yet.

With a hand of ice, Blossom held it over Sara's seared skin to soothe her burns. "I'm sorry about your house."

"What's going on with him?" Bellum asked.

"I don't know," Blossom said before passing Coal back to Bellum. "This will definitely get worst before it gets better. Take him and hide wherever you can." She placed a kiss on Coal's head before flying at Brick She hoisted him over her shoulder and carried him out of the broken house. "Hold on Brick."

She had every intention of finding Bubbles and driving the dagger into Brick to draw out H.I.M. Hopefully whatever internal battle he was waging held him trapped long enough for her to save him.

It wasn't hard to locate Bubbles and Butch. The collisions of their battle were thunderous. Landing on the ground below, she held tight to him, as she followed the fight. Bubbles was battered and bleeding, but still full of power. Butch had his fair share of bruises but didn't look winded.

Suddenly Brick started to move and Blossom reacted before he could gather his wits about him. In a matter of seconds, Blossom had Brick and momentarily stunned. His eyes were closed, so all she could do to stay braced for whatever person might awake. His eyes twitched and Blossom's grip tightened. "Brick?"

"Blossom?" Brick's red eyes stared back at his girlfriend and he gave a wane smile. "It's me."

"How do I know that?" Blossom asked, looking for any sign of deception. "H.I.M's been swimming in your head all day. How do I know that you're you?"

A very Brick smirk crossed his face. "If I wasn't myself I'd tell you something that one we would know, but as you said he's been in my head all day, so everything I know he knows so it's a moot point." He then noticed her hair and his face fell. "I did that? Oh, damn. I loved your hair."

Blossom stared a beat before letting out a breathless laugh and leaning down to kiss him. "You're back.

"Not quite. He's held at bay. Whatever you did for Boomer to sever the H.I.M from Boomer, I need you to do it now."

Blossom was about to speak when she saw the yellow flicker in his eyes. H.I.M had managed to get loose, but Brick pulled him back somehow. All that told her was time was limited. Sitting up, she drew her fist back and quickly cut across Brick's face. His eyes fell closed and his breathing indicated that he was rendered unconscious. Standing up, Blossom looked to the sky to see if she could get an opportunity to call Bubbles. She didn't want to distract her and leave her open for an attack. In all honesty, her best bet was to take a crack at distracting Butch, something she'd only have one chance at.

Watching carefully, Blossom watched as they collided and parted a few times. Then just as Butch was about to go in for another strike, Blossom flew up and spun into a roundhouse kick. Only rather than catching Butch off guard he caught her leg and tried to dislocate her knee by twisting her leg. Thankfully Blossom moved with the kick and spared herself from joining Buttercup in wearing a cast. He intended to throw her and he managed to do so, but she caught herself in the air.

"Bubbles! Brick! NOW!" She then took over in her fight against Butch. If she had any hope that he would be tired from his battle with Bubbles, she was mistaken, but she didn't let that stop her from giving her all.

Bubbles after a moment to figure out what Blossom meant, saw Brick below and dove for him. She pulled the dagger out from where it was hidden and wasted no time plunging it into his thigh. Brick yelled out and reached out with one hand and grasped her neck. Bubbles struggled for breath, but she held tight to the dagger in Brick's leg.

With his eyes glowing a brilliant yellow, H.I.M fought against the physical and mental severing. He wasn't going to let go, despite being on the losing side of the battle. In a last ditch effort, he headbutted Bubbles, when she didn't seem to falter, he did it again and again, drawing blood from Bubbles' forehead.

Still, the Power Puff girl held strong and twisted the dagger in his leg, cutting into the bone. Brick's hand tightened and Bubbles started to see spots and her vision began to blur. "L-l-l-l-l-ee-ave," she said before pulling out the dagger and then sinking it into Brick's leg and cutting through the bone.

H.I.M was so present that the pain was felt in his mind rather than Brick's. He was holding his leg exactly where Bubbles had sliced through the bone. Brick took the chance and rushed H.I.M while he was distracted. He grabbed the demon around the neck and squeezed his neck just hick he did Bubbles. "You are mine now."

Yellow eyes stared up at Brick with nothing by contempt. "You haven't won anything yet."

"Not yet, but you neither have you and you never will." Brick then squeezed and drew his flaming fist back before bringing it forward with every intention of going through H.I.M's head. Unfortunately, all Brick caught was vapor and watched as the dark vapor dissipated before his eyes. "NO!"

On the outside, Bubbles was catching her breath while the H.I.M left Brick's body. Eerie yellow eyes peered at the girl, deciding if he should take her as his host. He was about to swarm her when a yell cut through the air. Blossom came hurtling through the air and landed hard on Bubbles driving the two of them into the ground.

"Sorry, Bubbles." Blossom groaned as she tried to pull herself up.

Bubbles could only manage a garbled mumble before gasping out an unintelligible yell. Her sister looked her way and together the two of them watched as the dark red vapor shot upward. Before their eyes, they watched as it enveloped Butch. In midair, he gasped and choked as he breathed in the poison that was H.I.M.

"Fuck," Blossom swore, momentarily shocking Bubbles. However, her sister had the same reaction as they witnessed the possession.

Brick as he was coming to, coughed and tried to regain consciousness. Pulling Bubbles up with her, Blossom crawled over to Brick and tried to rouse him. "Hey, hey. Brick?"

"My leg," Brick said as he tried to sit up. "Cauterize it."

Blossom looked down at his leg and saw that the damage that was caused and winced. The dagger was still in his leg and it was stemming the bleeding, but a quick x-ray showed that his femur had a clean break. "Bubbles," she groaned before turning around to look at her sister.

"Sorry," she croaked.

Brick groaned as he finally sat up, Blossom helped him as he looked up at Butch. "Fuck. It just had to be Butch." He gripped the dagger in his leg and took a deep breath. "On three, use your laser vision. Three."

Blossom quickly burned the sound to seal the wound. There was nothing she could do about the bone, but that didn't stop Brick from trying to stand. "Brick."

"I've got to help him," Brick said as he floated up shakily, keeping the weight of his leg. "Where's Boomer?"

"At the house."

"What's happening to him?" Blossom asked as she watched Butch writhe in the air.

"Nothing good." Brick promised with a groan. "Your sister did this to him, Blossom."

"Not now," she pled. "We've got to get you home."

Brick shook his head. "I'm not leaving my brother with that demon in him." The elder brother collapsed as the pain and blood loss caught up with him.

Blossom and Bubbles had to catch him and with whatever strength they had flown out of sight of Butch. Brick tried to protest, but there wasn't much that he could do. He was physically hurting and mentally pushed to his limits. He needed to rest, but there wasn't time.

"Damn it, let me go!"

"Brick, you're no good in this fight right now. I understand that you can't leave him but you have to. I'll handle him while Bubbles gets you home."

"NO!" Smoke came out his nose in frustration. "H.I.M will break him if he hasn't already. When we finally get H.I.M there might not be any of Butch left to come back.

Blossom and Bubbles shared a look before turning back to Brick. "How do we help him?"

"We need to reach him."

"How?"

Brick huffed out a breath and looked at his brother. "Where's Boomer, I'm going to need him too. Maybe Mojo as well."

"What about Buttercup?" Bubbles suggested since it sound like Butch needed his support group.

Brick's eyes flashed dangerously. "If I see her now, I might snap her neck."

Bubbles bristled, but Blossom quickly put that argument on ice. "Try to restrain yourself for the time being. We're going to the professor's and Buttercup is there."

Brick realized what Blossom was saying and was about to protest when Bubble threw her fist out and clocked him hard enough to render him unconscious.

"BUBBLES!"

The youngest puff lifted a shoulder as she shook out her hand. "We can get him out of here now. He should wake up by the time we get back."

Scowling at her sister, Blossom hauled Brick into her arms. "Hold off Butch as long as you can." Then she took off flying low between the buildings.

Bubbles stepped out from between the alley they'd been lurking and whistled loudly. "Hey H.I.M!"

Butch's writhing figure turned toward Bubbles, and the weight of the stare that fell on her made her shrink back a step. The yellow glare was filled with malice and destructive rage. She could see already this whatever coming her way was going to hurt. Badly. Even if she was in top form, which she wasn't. She'd been fighting all day. She was tired, but she had to keep pushing forward. Had to buy time for the others to possibly save him. She still had the dagger on her, but from how Brick was talking it didn't look like it would do him much good. Taking a deep breath, she braced for the fight that was more than just a little personal. She and H.I.M had their own beef to settle.

Boomer was awake and discussing strategy with the professor and Mojo when he saw Blossom bring Brick in. Rather than be glad his brother was back, blood drained from his face. "Where's Butch?"

Brick who was just roused awake shook his head. "H.I.M left me before Bubbles could finish the job. Didn't help the damn demon had me choking her out."

"What? And you left her alone with him?!" Boomer yelled at his brother. "Brick, you know what H.I.M could do to her in Butch's body."

"I didn't leave because I wanted to. She knocked me out," Brick retorted before rubbing his jaw. "Nearly dislocated my jaw too."

Boomer ran his hands through his hair and inhaled sharply. "He's going to kill her."

"Not if we act fast," Blossom said having more confidence than her sister's boyfriend. "Bubbles is also a good fighter. Better than me even."

Boomer tried to find comfort in her words, but he knew all too well how vicious H.I.M could be. He crashed on the couch and winced when his shoulder pulled.

Mojo wasn't any better. His arms were folded over his chest and her fur was standing on end. "Believe me, Bubbles can handle herself. I've been on the end of her fists on a few too many occasions back in the day. The one we need to be worried about is Butch. He was the most…scared of H.I.M though he tried not to show it."

Blossom ushered Brick over to the armchair and eased him down. The professor walked over and began his examination. "What happened when you left?" He prodded Brick's leg stopping immediately when he hissed.

"H.I.M sneaky fucker, hopped from me and merged with what was revived in Butch. He was…transforming when we were leaving." He let out a grunt when he felt his broken bones grind in his leg. "I know Bubbles had to get H.I.M out, but she wrecked my leg."

"A shot of Chemical X and a few weeks in a cast and you'll be fine." The professor assured.

"Give me the shot now and put a brace on it," Brick said before looking to Boomer. "You good to go?"

"Sore, but I can fight."

Brick nodded before looking to Blossom. "You aren't going to stop me."

His girlfriend already knew that he wasn't going to let her, even if she wanted to. "Let just be quick about what we're going to do."

Downstairs from the basement lab, Buttercup was listening to everyone's plan. Quietly as she could, she opened the door and floated through to the kitchen to the backdoor. Once she was outside, she silently took to the air and flew to where she could see the biggest signs of destruction. Her progress was slow as she was in pain from her previous beating and her cramps. Still, she had to do something to stop Butch.

Townsville was a wreck and she could count on one hand how many times she'd seen it that way. The first was their infamous tag game, next Mojo's Planet of the Apes, then their first encounter with the Rowdy Ruff boys. The only other time was when she and her sisters sped to a horrible future where H.I.M won. H.I.M was for the most part dead and just existing as a parasite. Once he was expunged from Butch, there was no reason to worry about that ever happening. As she made it to the freshest of the damage, she wasn't prepared for what she saw.

The thing that was supposed to be Butch was a monster. The skin was black as tar where the muscles bulged against the skin with thick red veins emphasizing their disproportionate mass with what little remained of Butch. His jaw was stretched on one side from the jagged sharp teeth fighting for position in his mouth. Acidic drool dripped down his chin to sizzle on the ground and Bubbles' skin as he held her pinned. One of her eyes was swelling and there were multiple cuts bleeding from her body. Her blond hair was loose from one of its tails and matted from the blood and other fluids. Even beaten up as she was, Bubbles was still putting up a fight. She was kicking him from below into his armored torso and digging her teeth into his claw. Her fist was raw at the knuckles and purple with the swelling from repeating punching.

"BUTCH!" Buttercup called out. It took her everything she had to not shrink back from the glare that rested on her. "You know it's me you want. It's me you're mad at. Let her go. I can take you."

Bubbles tilted her head back looking at her sister upside down. "Butter—," she coughed and turned her head to the side to clear it of the blood. "Buttercup, get out of here."

"Buttercup," Butch garbled out before leaving Bubbles and rushing Buttercup. She stumbled back from the force of the wind that traveled with him. "How brave of you to come when you're so worst for wear." The usually sickeningly sultry voice was distorted as it came through Butch's throat and pass those wicked teeth.

"I'm not afraid of you," she retorted.

The yellow bled away to green for a moment and the clawed hand wrapped itself around her neck. "That's just fucking it, isn't it? You just have to push and push and keep pushing until…." He threw his head back and let loose a roar before throwing Buttercup across the way and into the wreckage of a destroyed car. Her already banged up body felt every pit of pavement and wreckage. "You just make it so hard to—AAAHHHHH!"

While his back was turned, Bubbles took the chance to jump onto his back and drive the dagger into his shoulder. He roared and reared back like a wild bull. Bubbles wasn't able to hold on and was thrown, but the dagger remained embedded in Butch's back. Bubbles from her place in the street crawled out of the way of Butch's stomping, and somehow managed to Buttercup. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"To stop Butch."

Bubbles sent her sister a glare. "Are you fucking kidding me? Go home! You're hurt."

"You're no better." She said looking at her eye and battered body.

"I'm also not pregnant and miscarrying!" Bubbles snapped at her.

Both girls jerked back when the dagger was thrown between them, capable of slicing either girls' nose off. The green in Butch's eyes was still present and he looked very much the wounded beast before the yellow took back over. The laughter that filled the air was H.I.M's and he shook his head as he looked at Buttercup. "I just love how easy you make this for me Buttercup. I've always been able to count on you to cause discord."

No truer statement had ever been said. In the recesses of Butch's mind, he was huddled in the furthest corner, with his back facing the demon that raised him at one point in his life. His ears were covered and his eyes were closed. Whatever happened he didn't want to see it or hear it. He came up once when he saw Buttercup, but he was still so angry with her. Angrier than he ever thought he'd be capable of with someone he loved.

It wasn't as if this was the first fight he ever had with Buttercup. It was their nature to fight. It was just the first fight in where he felt utterly betrayed by her. How could she not tell him that she might be pregnant? How long were they fighting while she might've been pregnant? He knew they weren't being as careful with the sex, so some of the blame does fall on him, but why wouldn't she tell him that she might be pregnant? Why would so go to Mitch? The moment she suspected, she should've come right to him and said something, but she didn't. Buttercup was so easily embarrassed about things when it came to her feelings. He could usually see through her, but this pregnancy deal was different. It affected him too, and shouldn't have been something he heard from someone else. Least of all goddamn Mitch Mitchelson.

In his mind, he folded in on himself wanting nothing more than to just block out the world around him. It was a futile effort as H.I.M's voice kept whispering to him things he already knew.

Buttercup doesn't trust you.

Buttercup didn't tell you.

Buttercup just wants to fight you.

Buttercup only wants to fuck you.

Buttercup thinks you can't handle her.

Buttercup think you want her to fear you.

Buttercup thinks she's stronger than you.

Buttercup thinks she can beat you.

Buttercup thinks you're weak.

Weak. Weak. Weak.

Buttercup. Buttercup. Buttercup.

His mind was slowly breaking, but the same couldn't be for his heart. H.I.M watched as Butch unconsciously relinquished more and more control of his body. The demon was mildly surprised that so much of Butch's turmoil was centered around Buttercup. He hardly had to do a thing but utter readily believed doubts to his roughest Ruff. H.I.M was even expecting more of a fight, but out of all his sons, Butch was the most malleable. Seeing his pathetic state, he wondered if his error wasn't in underestimating the strength of his boys, but in choosing Brick to set an example. Well, he had Butch now and he fully intended to use him.

Butch also wasn't going to fight him. He might've the year before but he had his brothers with him. As well as a reason to fight. Now he had neither. His brothers were incapable of fighting and his love hurt him worst than anything else ever could. H.I.M thought he wouldn't find pleasure in breaking someone so easily, but he liked that he was being proven wrong.

"This should've worked," Bubbles said while pulling the dagger from the destroyed car they were crouched beside.

"A dagger?"

"Jack's dagger, smartass," Bubbles said holding it up between them. When she dropped it between them she looked pityingly at Butch. "Brick said this might happen. Where are the others?"

"Still at the house."

Bubbles pushed herself up with the dagger in her hand and was ready to keep fighting. "I'll buy them some more time." Before Buttercup could argue, Bubbles charged and Butch and the two of them went crashing into the building across the way. She drove the dagger into Butch's muscled side. He only growled and grabbed her head with his hand and squeezed. "Ahhh!" She reached to wrap on arm over his arm and drove the other up and. The snap was loud and she was dropped as Butch yelled with rage. With her on the ground, Butch kicked her as hard as he could sending her out into the open. She would've skidded across the pavement if she hadn't been caught in a warm embrace.

"Angel," Boomer said as he brushed her hair back and took in her injured form. "Oh damn."

"I'm okay," she said with a bruised smile. "I'm okay. Where are the others?"

"Coming. Where's—oh shit." He looked over her shoulder and saw Butch's mutated form and gripped her tight to him. Butch had emerged from the building and threw a desk at them forcing Bommer to duck. "This is bad."

Bubbles nodded and saw the others arrive. The professor and Blossom went to Buttercup while Brick and Mojo approached Boomer. Mojo stared in horror at Butch while Brick's skin paled. "Butch."

"Brick this is really bad." Boomer said while keeping a tight grip on Bubbles. "You don't think—."

"Don't even say it," Brick warned. He looked over his shoulder and saw Buttercup being helped off the ground by the professor. "What is she doing here?"

"Said she wanted to help."

Brick repressed the comment he had and turned back to his brother. Limping forward, he took in his little brother and sighed. "Butch. Hey! I know you're still in there."

H.I.M chuckled as he pulled the dagger from his side and dropped it to the ground. "A semblance maybe, but not for long."

Mojo, gripped Boomer's arm and Bubbles was now supporting him. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to get him back." Brick promised and he limped forward another step. "Butch! Can you hear me?"

Butch could hear his brother but had resumed his former stance of sitting with his back turned to the outside world. His anger was surrounding him and it feeding the demon that whispered his doubts and fears to him. Most of which were about Buttercup. The green Ruff found them hard to ignore as many of the words were true. None so true as the statement of Buttercup not trusting him.

In essence, wasn't that what all their troubles boiled down to? Not for a lack of love, but trust. From when they first started screwing around to actually becoming a couple of varying degrees of commitment, there always hung a cloud of mistrust. She never could figure that he felt what he felt for her was genuine. So easily, did something shake that trust she was supposed to have in him, despite him time and time again proving that he was did love her. And what does she do? She goes to fucking Mitch Mitchelson. She sought refuge in that worm over him. His anger flared just thinking about it and he linked his fingers behind her head as he dropped his head into his chest and between his knees.

"Fucking Buttercup," he growled out.

"You do everything for her," H.I.M whispered. "You know you do."

"I do," he admitted.

"You…do all the hard work," H.I.M continued, "and for what in return?"

Butch felt his heart pounding in his chest painfully and brought a hand down to grip his chest over it.

"Nothing but heartache."

His heart panged painfully in his chest to physically remind him of his bitter reward. "I hate this."

"Do you want it to stop?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to make it stop?" His mother's voice took on that soft soothing tone that used to terrify him as a child.

Darkness was beginning to creep its way around Butch. Inching closer as his will to love Buttercup crumbled. "How would you make it stop?"

H.I.M grinned as he felt Butch lose himself to heartbreak. Who would've thought he'd be the one to be undone by something as frivolous as love. "Give in."

The darkness had latched onto Butch and was crawling up his body. "Give in?"

"Yes, give in to the knowledge that she never loved you."

"Buttercup…never…loved me?" The darkness at his waist.

"Never."

"She never loved me."

"No one ever loved you.

Butch closed his eyes as a soft cry came from his lips.

"BUTCH!"

Cutting through the darkness of his mind with its vehemence was the last voice that the green Rowdy Ruff Boy ever thought to hear. His eyes cracked open and waited.

"BUTCH! SON, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE," the voice continued.

"Mojo?"

"He isn't here," H.I.M snarled appearing in his devilish fury before Butch and making him flinch back. "Remember, Mojo ignored the pain you and your brothers were in. He turned his back on you when you needed him the most. Cut you off for the money he gifted you. Took away as easily as he gave."

The small flicker of hope that Butch didn't realize had swelled in him died, but then he heard it again.

"BUTCH! Don't let H.I.M control you," Mojo's voice called out to him.

"It's Mojo," The darkness started to recede and H.I.M growled around him. "Dad!"

"Dad! Dad!" Butch's voice was a distorted warble and his eyes flickered between the green and yellow.

Brick caught the shift and let a small smile cross his face. "He's still in there, but we have to act fast."

"The dagger. I dropped it," Bubbles said while turning to look at Butch.

Boomer just wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry about it. You get out of here." He placed a kiss on her forehead and urged her to go to her sister and professor. "Yo Butch! Come on, You're better than this. You're not afraid of H.I.M."

"He is," H.I.M rasped seizing control of Butch's body. "He's always been afraid."

The elder brother hobbled forward with Boomer on his side helping him. The two approached their brother catching the glint of the blade caught Boomer's eye. "Brick,"

"Steady now."

Behind them, the professor was holding Buttercup up in a tight grip. "You need to go home, Buttercup. Blossom, Bubbles, take her."

"I'm not—."

"Enough!" The professor yelled unintentionally drawing Butch's attention to them. "You've caused enough damage Buttercup. You're in the way and of no help to anyone right now. Least of all Butch."

"Buttercup," Butch looked over his brothers' heads at the ravennette girl that broke his heart. "Buttercup!"

The air shifted and the red and blue Ruffs barely had a moment before Butch was bulldozing them over and going for Buttercup. Mojo barely made it out the way, but the professor and the girls weren't so lucky. The clawed hand swung knocking Blossom and Bubbles out of the way while the professor was spartan kicked. If it wasn't for the power suit enhancing his strength, he would've fractured a rib and not only that but possibly punctured a lung. Buttercup stumbled back from Butch's sudden approach, but she didn't get far as his clawed hand came up and caught her around the neck. He lifted her off the ground and tightened his hold on her.

"Butch," she gasped, as she stared into his emerald green eyes from within the face of the monster.

"Yes, hurt her. Hurt her as she hurt you." The voice in his head encouraged.

Butch squeezed and felt her skin give under the sharpness of the claw. Blood slicked the shelled exterior, but he didn't stop. Not until he felt a stinging heat in his shoulder. Spinning, he saw his brothers glaring at him with their laser vision still glowing in their eyes. He lowered Buttercup but still held tight to her.

"Let her go, Butch," Boomer called to him. "You don't want to hurt her. It's Buttercup. The girl you love, remember? Your wife?"

Butch looked down at Buttercup, and for a moment he remembered that he did love her. But looking at her, all he could see was that defiance. That challenge. That lack of fear. It angered him and he lifted her up with the intention of slamming her into the asphalt. He wanted to do it again and again until that look in her eyes was gone. His body twitched with the need to do just that.

"Brick," Boomer warned.

"I know." He then flew at his brother and none to gently twisted his arm holding Buttercup until he let her go. Once she was free he took to the air and spun until he released him, flinging him out over the city. He was quick to follow to make sure he stayed wherever he landed away from the people.

Boomer dropped his foot down into a piece of street, throwing the dagger up in the air. He caught it and flew after his brothers.

"Boomer! Be safe! Bubbles called out to him as his form shrunk in the sky.

"I will!" his voice echoed in the air before leaving his blue streak behind him.

Blossom checked to make sure Buttercup was at least still breathing, before standing up. "I'm going after them. Get her home and make sure she stays there." Then she went to follow the boys hoping to end this.

Bubbles was reluctant to let her sister go, but it was paramount that she make sure Buttercup stayed put. Gentler than Buttercup deserved she wrapped her arm around her shoulders and pulled her up.

"Let me go. I'm fine," she said in a voice that was shaky.

"Give it a rest, Buttercup!" Bubbles snapped at her. "You came here and literally did nothing but make it worst."

"I had to stop him." She protested weakly. "Had to reach him somehow."

Mojo knew now wasn't really the time, but the reality of what almost and would have assuredly happened was great. "He would've killed you and not thought twice about it."

"It wouldn't have been Butch. It was—."

"That WAS Butch!" Mojo snarled. "If you were paying closer attention, you would've noticed that only when he spoke to you were his eyes clear of that demon."

The Spice puff narrowed her eyes as she glared at the mutated chimp. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not trying to say anything. I'm stating that you are the cause of Butch's turmoil. Turmoil that H.I.M is using to keep my son under." Mojo point blank told her, uncaring of how she felt about the matter. His son's physical state showed how far gone he was, and his other boys made it clear that there was a slim chance of getting him back. Though he'd take slim over nothing.

"No more fighting, at least amongst ourselves," The professor groaned as he walked over to them while holding his side. He looked to Buttercup and her now raggedly wrapped leg and her bruised throat. It was clear that Butch meant to kill her, and the thought chilled him to the bone. "Buttercup, I want you to remain home until this is over. Am I to be understood, young lady?"

When she opened her mouth to protest Mojo cut her off. "You've done enough."

"Just shut up Buttercup," Bubbles pressed on while taking better grip of her sister.

Feeling rightfully ganged up on Buttercup silenced herself and fumed. She was injured and outnumbered, so there wasn't much for her to do, but think—which for her was at times a dangerous pastime. Especially when it made her confront truths she didn't want to. Like how Mojo might be right in that H.I.M didn't have as much control over Butch as she wanted to believe. She'd noticed the changing color in his eyes, but thought little of it as she knew Butch wouldn't hurt her. He could, but he wouldn't. He hadn't. Despite her wanting him to, or at least attempt to because she strongly believed he wasn't stronger than her. Though her mangled and battered body said otherwise. She was more bruised than she could ever remember being and felt pain in places she wasn't aware she had. H.I.M might've started it, but what if Butch was the one that wanted to finish it?

Permanently.

Hello, my lovelies. I feel like I had a lot happen in this chapter. I hope this was enough to make up for the impromptu hiatus. I never intended to get so behind on this story, but life has a way of getting away from you. It's coming to a head, and before I was prepared for everyone to hate Butch, I'm prepared for everyone to hate Buttercup. I don't know why I'm doing this to my greens, but they need to grow. Buttercup needs to grow, and yes there will be some pains involved. Still, neither confirming nor denying ANYTHING regarding Buttercup's condition. At least not yet. It's cruel I know, but I can't help being evil in this way. MWAHAHA!

On a more positive note, thank you my faithful readers so staying with me to see what happens. I promised I won't leave a story unfinished and I meant it. No matter how long it takes. I'm also still writing my original Rockstar available to read on FictionPress and Watt pad, with the links in my bio. I also have two upcoming works to start dropping in 2022. More details to come so stay tuned.

Until Next Time