To Anonymous L: Well actually... I have thought about getting this story published. I have a Wattpad account and I might publish a few of the original, fully-edited chapters on there (I can drop the username if enough people are interested in seeing this story as an original work, not just a PPG fanfic); I've already figured out original names, plot tweaks, etc. so I'm hoping, in the future, this story can make it onto people's shelves if they enjoy it enough. Only thing is, I'm still unsure if I would actually get this story published... But I'll keep everyone posted, and if enough people are interested in seeing it happen, who knows? Honestly, your review made my day! I don't think I've ever had someone tell me they liked my writing so much that they'd actually be interested in buying a copy. That's a very high compliment; thank you so much for your review, and for reading my story! ^_^
Thank you to everyone who reviewed and for the new faves/follows; I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Hope all is well!
Just one little note: I'm going to be starting school again very soon, so if chapter updates become non-existent for a while, I haven't given up; I'm just very busy. I'll try to work on updates when I can, but they may be far and few in-between for a little while buuut this is my last semester and then I get my English BA! Woop woooop! ;D
.: 19 :.
Thunder cracked across the sky as torrents of rain pounded the campgrounds.
Bubbles watched as raindrops dribbled down the window of the office bedroom, racing another droplet down the window pane. This was the first thunderstorm they'd had in a while and the humidity had dropped considerably, which was quite a blessing considering the heat had been unbearable the past few days. It was a gloomy day out, but it was nice for a change; Bubbles loved sunshine but sometimes gray days were beautiful in their own way.
Boomer closed the book he'd been reading and got up to place it back on the bookshelf. He came back to sit next to her on the bed, joining her in watching the rain beat softly against the window.
They'd been at the campgrounds for at least a week now, with no problems whatsoever. Their food supply was still pretty sizeable and they were happy, enjoying the reprieve from infected. The only nuisance was the mosquito bites they earned from sitting outside to take watch during the nighttime.
"Think the storm will let up soon?" he asked.
"I don't think so," she replied, eyes lifting to the overcast sky. "We've got a lot of cloud cover so it might last all day, maybe two."
"Figures." He sighed and let himself fall back against the bed, closing his eyes before running a hand over his face. He didn't mind a little rain, but he hated having nothing to do. It was times like these that he wished he had his phone, or at least some kind of video game to distract him. It was too bad he hadn't thought to bring his old GameBoy Advance along... If he had, he could pop in a game and entertain himself and Bubbles for a little while.
It might be worth it to make a quick trip to his house to grab the small gaming console, but with how the infected seemed to be taking over the neighborhood, maybe it was best to stay put where they were.
Bubbles eventually turned away from the window and settled down beside him. She wasn't tired so a nap was out of the question, but she was bored out of her mind. She looked at Boomer, who looked just as bored as she did.
"You know what would be nice?" she asked. He hummed to let her know he was listening.
"It'd be cool if we had electricity. Today would've been perfect for curling up and having a movie marathon."
"Or a gaming marathon." Boomer grinned. "Bet I'd kick your butt at Mario Party."
She chuckled. "You wish."
"Seriously! I used to be the best at that game. Brick never played it because he knew he'd get his ass handed to him and Butch would talk so much shit. Buuut in the end, he'd lose. I was ruthless as Toad."
At that, Bubbles burst out laughing. "You slaughtered your brothers as Toad?"
He cracked open one eye to look at her, mischief clear in his gaze. "Of course. Do you know how hilarious it is to wipe the floor with Mario and Dry Bones as Toad?"
She could only imagine Butch and Brick getting frustrated and throwing down their controllers in rage at having lost to Boomer, purposing playing as a cute character like Toad.
Boomer chuckled. "Did you ever play that game with your sisters?"
She nodded. "Not often, but yeah. My sister, Buttercup, usually hogged the gaming console to try out new horror games, first-person shooters, that kind of thing, so I usually didn't play much of anything; me and my oldest sister Blossom would just watch her play."
"Oh... Did you have any favorites? Like, did you have any games that you liked watching her play through? I know that when I was a kid, we'd take turns playing the Megaman X franchise, all the way up to X7. I was never good at those games, but Brick was the master at collecting all the energy tanks and finding all the hidden capsules to upgrade his armor."
Bubbles thought back to when Buttercup would replay certain video games for nostalgic value. Most of them were, like she'd said, first-person shooters, which the noirette tended to breeze through without difficulty, but occasionally she'd set up a Nintendo game or something from EA Games, like The Sims games. Bubbles herself used to be a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda, begging Professor Utonium for each new game that came out. Ever since she finished high school, though, she kind of drifted away from the franchise, instead turning her attention to fashion, writing, and figuring out her place in the world.
"Well... My sisters and I used to have this thing where if we were sick, the healthy one of us would marathon a game." She lost herself in a memory of when she and Blossom caught the flu when they were around nine years-old and Buttercup, who had miraculously remained healthy, played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the whole family. The Professor had joined them after whipping up a pot of homemade chicken-noodle soup, and they all watched as Link's adventure progressed from Outset Island all the way to slowly filling in the sea chart (by then, Bubbles and Blossom had recovered, but they continued to watch Buttercup go through the game until she successfully defeated Ganon).
"Buttercup got me into The Legend of Zelda when I was little," she continued, smiling at the memory. She wished they could have a video game marathon now, in the wake of the thunderstorm currently raging outside. "Before she was allowed to play shooting games, she played a lot of Nintendo stuff."
"Did you ever play?"
"When I was younger, yeah, I was a beast at Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, especially Wind Waker since I'd watched Buttercup play through it so often, but then life happened and I just kinda..." Bubbles shrugged. "I guess I lost interest for a while. Link was my first crush, though."
"No way." Boomer chuckled. "Princess Zelda was my first crush! How crazy is that?"
Bubbles looked up at him, both of his eyes now open and regarding her with mirth. "You're kidding!"
"Brick used to tease me all the time about how I'd blush like crazy whenever Princess Zelda was on the screen. Oh, and we used to watch those old '80s cartoons and I thought she was so pretty and strong."
"The cartoon was kinda different from the games, though."
"True, but I always liked the whole blonde hair-blue eyes thing."
Bubbles poked his side and it caused him to flinch away from her, letting out a surprised yelp. "So you're saying you have a thing for blondes?"
He poked her back and she squealed, shifting away from him. "Maybe. What's it to you, cutie?"
She stuck her tongue out and he laughed.
"What is it you once said to me? 'Keep sticking your tongue out and you won't get it back for a while'?"
Bubbles stuck her tongue out again in response and he lunged forward to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. Bubbles giggled against his mouth before giving in, Boomer propping himself up on one elbow so he wasn't kissing her at an awkward angle.
Their tongues danced effortlessly for a few minutes before they had to pull back, each panting for air.
"Stop being so damn good at kissing," Boomer groaned, burying his face in Bubbles' shoulder. "You're killing me here."
Bubbles kissed the side of his head. "Ditto, Boomer."
He looked up suddenly. "You know, I just thought of something."
She raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Don't campgrounds usually have, like, a storage building or something?"
Bubbles shrugged. "I don't know. This is the first campground I've ever been to."
Mischief twinkled in Boomer's eyes and Bubbles found herself grinning, wondering what her goofy boyfriend was thinking.
"I wonder..."
"I'm gonna get you!"
Bubbles laughed despite the pouring rain, sneaking behind one of the cabin buildings. "Like hell you are!"
Boomer crept around the corner of the basketball court, sidling against the wall before peeking around the bend. It was a little hard to see considering his soaked hair was clinging to his face. He was constantly pushing his bangs out of his eyes, and he could just barely make out a wisp of blonde hair as it disappeared behind one of the other cabins, but it was enough to make him start forward. Sure enough, the pretty blonde he was after was only a few feet away holding her water gun at her side with both hands as if she were getting ready to jump out and shoot.
He grinned and continued to creep closer. Just before he could surprise her, Bubbles surprised him by spinning on her heel and squirting him with water.
"Hah! Gotcha!"
Boomer laughed and held up a hand in an attempt to shield himself from her assault, lifting his own water gun to fire back, but she took off before he could pull the trigger.
"That was a cheap shot!" he called, and he heard her giggles not too far away.
"Maybe, but it worked!"
He grinned and chuckled to himself, glancing down at the plastic toy in his hand. Perks of staying at a campground? The gift shop sold water guns and, with a lake nearby, they had unlimited 'ammunition.' It had been Bubbles' idea, ironically enough; after spending two whole days inside, they were both antsy to go outside and do something, even if it was just to walk around. It was pure chance that Boomer stumbled across the gift shop and found a plethora of things like oddly-shaped pool floats, water guns, and other summer-themed stuff waiting to be played with. Bubbles had already called dibs on the pool float that was shaped like a cartoon box of French fries and Boomer, the one that resembled a whale with hand-grips and everything.
He ducked down and moved forward, peeking out from around the bend to make sure the coast was clear. Bubbles had "shot" him five times already and he would be damned if he didn't get her back at least once.
He caught sight of golden hair disappearing behind one of the other buildings and immediately ran back the way he came, hoping to catch her off-guard. He snuck closer towards the lake at the sound of water splashing.
She's reloading. Now's my chance!
Sure enough, he crept out from behind the wall he was hiding behind and tiptoed towards the unsuspecting blonde. She was just capping off her water gun when Boomer snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Bubbles squealed in surprise and kicked her feet, laughing once she realized he'd caught her.
"Got you, Bubbles! There's no escape!"
She stopped struggling against him and turned around, surprising him by wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning on her tip-toes to kiss him. Boomer's eyes widened slightly before he gave into her, moving to cup her cheek when she pulled away suddenly, sprinting away from him while laughing.
"Sike!"
"Hey, no fair!" Boomer pouted. She'd initiated a pretty hot kiss...
"All's fair in love and war, babe!"
...Okay, she had a point, but still!
"Try and catch me now!" she called over her shoulder, a radiant smile on her face despite the gloomy weather. Boomer couldn't help but grin as well.
"Oh, it's on, girly!"
Boomer cackled maniacally and sprinted towards her, already aiming to shoot at her, but Bubbles didn't realize she'd planted her foot in a slick, muddy spot. Her foot slid at an odd angle and twisted her ankle harshly, dropping to the ground with a pained yelp. She tried to sit up and nurse her injured ankle, but the sharp pains shooting up and down her leg made it hard to move.
The other blonde was immediately at her side, water gun forgotten on the ground where he'd dropped it. He placed a hand over her ankle and she physically cringed, hissing at the soft contact. He withdrew his hand and looked up at her with concern.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. How bad is it?"
"It's not your f-fault." She let out a shuddering breath, fighting back tears. "Ah... It's p-pretty bad."
He squinted at the injury through the rain, trying to gauge how severe it was, but it was hard to with how harshly the rain was coming down. And, as if on cue, a soft clap of thunder rumbled in the distance and they both swore under their breaths. So much for a fun day out in the rain... Not that they would've continued goofing around with Bubbles' injury, but playing out in the rain when thunder and lightning were around was not a risk they wanted to take.
Boomer stood up. "I'm going to carry you inside, okay?"
At Bubbles' nod, he carefully scooped her up bridal-style and brought her into the office. He set her down on the bed as gently as he could and she shivered, the combination of her wet clothes and the cool breeze seeping in through the open windows making her feel even more uncomfortable.
Boomer immediately tried to rectify the situation by closing the windows as best he could. He helped Bubbles by sliding off her sneakers and removing her socks, tossing them to the floor to dry on their own.
"Do you want me to help you with, um..." He motioned towards her outfit and Bubbles blushed.
"N-no, that's okay. I can do that myself, but thanks for helping me with my shoes."
Now that her socks were off, she could see the purple blotch forming around her ankle and it didn't look pretty. She'd probably have to be off her feet for a few days, which was really not ideal considering their situation. Yes, they had been lucky so far in not having encountered any infected, but if they did show up and Bubbles couldn't walk or run...
She shuddered, not wanting to think about that. Instead, she nodded towards her backpack.
"Could you just toss me my bag? I can take it from there."
"Sure." Boomer obliged her and stepped out of the room to give her privacy as she changed into dry clothes. When she was finished, she felt much better, curling up under some of the throw blankets they'd also pilfered from the gift shop. Boomer set her backpack next to the nightstand so all she'd have to do was reach down if she needed to get something from it. After changing into a fresh set of dry clothes himself, he curled up under the blankets with her and, together, they watched as the weather outside worsened.
The coming thunderstorm arrived and cracked down upon the campground with terrifying might, the wind-driven rain roaring against the roof and windows of the office. Bubbles thought it was kind of funny, honestly, how something as simple as a storm could make a person feel so small. When she was little, she used to fear thunder and lightning; now, as an adult, she didn't mind it so much but it was still humbling to listen to. Nature was a mighty force, terrifying yet also beautiful.
The same could not be said, however, for the creatures running amok around Townsville and the rest of the world.
"Do you really think there's more infected out there?" Bubbles asked, looking up at Boomer curiously.
"Out in the world?" At her nod, he sighed.
"To be honest with you, I'm not sure. Brick's radio worked for a little bit and we heard some reports, but... Who knows? I think so, though, based on how much the infected like to bite things."
She hummed in response, not really agreeing or disagreeing. She didn't like to think that the infected had managed to take over the entire world, but... Maybe it wouldn't do any good to hold out hope that things might be different outside of the Pokey Oaks region. Maybe the entire world was okay and it was just Townsville and Citysville that were dealing with this epidemic.
A few moments passed and they continued to listen to the rain, both not really thinking about anything; just enjoying the peace.
Bubbles broke the silence again when she whispered, "I hope our families are okay."
"I know they are," Boomer reassured her, kissing her temple. "Something's gotta give soon."
The blonde must have jinxed something because sure enough, later that night that, something did give.
Boomer had gone out to patrol the perimeter of the camp quickly to make sure nothing was lurking around. While he did that, Bubbles checked her phone to see if any information on her apps had been updated. Nothing had, of course, but it was still worth keeping tabs on despite her battery getting closer to dying.
After trying and failing to load the weather app, Bubbles sighed and clicked the screen off, placing her phone on the nightstand. She had just readjusted herself so that she was laying on her back when something lit up the room.
Bubbles picked up her phone again, eyebrows furrowing in confusion at the blinking light. After checking her phone a few days ago to see Buttercup's message (and still not being able to see it), the little light had stopped for good. Was her phone glitching out or something?
She swiped across the screen and opened her inbox, shocked to see a new number. She ignored the message preview and quickly tapped on it, opening it up to view the entire thing immediately. Her face lit up with joy at its contents.
'Hey Bubbles, it's Brick. We made it back to the house, hope you guys are safe. We have weapons so if you guys are able to come back, we can regroup and head to an evac zone together.'
Bubbles let out an excited squeal, hugging her phone close to her body. Boomer would be thrilled to know his brothers were safe!
"BOOMER!" she yelled. "Boomer, come quick!"
Only a minute passed before he came bursting through the door, baseball bat at the ready.
"Bubbles? What's wrong?!"
"Look, look!" She held the phone out in front of him so he could read the message. He relaxed his stance and let the bat drop to the floor, squinting at the message on the screen. It took him only a few seconds of trying to make out what exactly the curly font said before his face grew stone-cold.
"Can you text him back and ask him what the code word is?"
Bubbles blinked, surprised at his sudden seriousness. "Oh, uh.. Sure. Any reason why?"
He lowered his eyes sadly. "Because anyone could have found that number. It's been two weeks, and... I haven't given up hope that they'll come back, but... Only Brick and Butch know our secret code word. If it's really them, they'll know what to text back."
Oh... Good thinking.
She pretended to pout, trying to lighten the mood. "And you didn't think to let me in on it?"
Boomer rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "The code word is weird. You'll laugh at me."
"Try me."
He blew a raspberry before giving in.
"The secret code word we use is dumb-bah."
Bubbles tilted her head to the side, repeating what he'd just said in an inquisitive tone. Boomer blushed.
"Okay so, when I was a kid, I wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. When Mojo was helping me study for spelling tests, he'd always say 'dumb' with an emphasis on the 'b' sound because I kept forgetting. Well, my brothers heard it one time and ever since, they always pronounce it with emphasis on the 'b' just to mess with me... Oh hey, that actually rhymed."
Bubbles smiled. "That's really cute."
"What, that my brothers still tease me over Mojo's mnemonic, or that I was an idiot? Wow, I see how it is."
At her playful shove, he chuckled. "Kidding, kidding. Yeah, looking back, it was kinda cute, but I'm a man, now. A big, strong man who can spell the word 'dumb' without having to remind himself there's a silent 'b' at the end."
He puffed out his chest and flexed, making Bubbles laugh. She quickly typed out the text asking for the super-secret Jojo brother code word, sending it with a shake of her head. Boomer really was such a goober.
What shocked her is that she instantly got a reply, as if her phone hadn't been having trouble sending and receiving texts for the past month.
'Tell Boomer he's dumb-bah.'
As soon as Bubbles passed him her phone so he could read the message for himself, his eyes lit up. He hoisted Bubbles up and spun her around, laughing with her triumphantly.
"They're okay! They're really okay!"
He gently sat her back down on the bed and cupped her face, kissing her once, twice, then a third time for good measure. Bubbles giggled all the while, her own hands cupping his face. A great big smile remained on Boomer's face before his expression crumpled and tears welled up within his eyes. He closed them, sniffling, and Bubbles rested her forehead against his, running her thumbs over his cheeks in an attempt to comfort him.
"They're really okay..." Her heart broke at the pain-filled crack in his voice. "My God, Bubbles, I th-thought they were..."
She pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly as he cried into her shoulder. She rubbed soothing circles into his back, whispering that everything was alright, that the text was real and his brothers were okay. When Boomer was able to collect himself, he wiped at his eyes, still sniffling softly.
"I can't believe... I can't believe they made it back. I'm so happy and relieved, you have no idea."
Bubbles grinned. "I told you they'd be back!"
"Yeah, yeah, you told me so." He nuzzled his nose against hers, hugging her again. "You were right and I'm so happy you were. My brothers are alive!"
The very next morning, the first streaks of dawn were beginning to paint the sky when Bubbles found Boomer going through his backpack, making sure he had everything he needed for the journey to see his brothers.
Bubbles was propped up against the metal headboard with a few pillows they'd grabbed from the other cabins, watching as he took stock of the few articles of food he was going to take with him just in case something happened and he got stranded somewhere.
It was around four in the morning when Boomer decided to get up for the day and start packing. Bubbles had barely opened her eyes when she realized what he was doing, and he'd explained that after mulling it over for most of the night, he thought it would be best to meet his brothers back at the house and lead them back to the campgrounds, where they could figure out their next plan of action. Bubbles, however, would be staying behind while Boomer set out on this mini-journey to give her ankle time to heal.
She didn't like the idea at all, honestly, but she could see the logic behind it. Boomer wasn't at a disadvantage like she currently was.
"So you really think I should stay behind?" she asked, hoping he'd changed his mind within the past few hours of preparing for the journey ahead.
"You can't run far on a sprained ankle," Boomer reminded, shrugging his backpack on. His burden was significantly lighter than when they'd first arrived at this place, both figuratively and literally, and it showed; he was quite chipper this morning. "Listen, it's nothing personal and I do want you to come with me, but... I don't want anything to happen to you. And before you argue with me over that point—" he held up a hand the moment she opened her mouth to protest "—I know that you can take care of yourself, that's not the issue here. The issue is that you're injured and if we need to book it, you run the risk of making it worse or getting caught by those things. They're fast, they won't give you extra time to get safe; they'll take advantage of any weakness they pick up on."
"I know that," she grumbled, hating that he was right. "It's just that I don't like the idea of staying behind. I'd rather go with you."
He smiled. "I know, I understand. But I'll be back as soon as I can, and I will be back, you can count on it."
Bubbles tried to smile back, but it resembled more of a grimace. Boomer knew she was feeling uneasy about being by herself and he understood it completely, so he sat down next to her and pulled her into his chest.
"I'll be back in a day or two at the most, and then my obnoxious brothers will be here and we'll be heading to the zone, where we can figure out a way to find your family. Everything will be alright. It's just for a little while."
"I know." Bubbles hated how meek her voice sounded. "It's going to feel weird without you here."
"I know, but I promise, it's only for a short time."
She looked up at him with such a heartbreaking expression that he really wished he didn't have to leave her.
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you more." He kissed her forehead. "While I'm gone, enjoy the quiet because once me and my bros are back, you'll probably be hearing me and Butch bicker, like, a lot. To the point where you'll probably tell all of us to shut the frick-frack up."
The chuckle that Bubbles managed was bittersweet. She was dreading the silence that would come with Boomer's absence, but she knew he was right; it would only be for a little while. Good times, bad times... Everything only ever lasted for a little while, a fact that was unnecessary for Boomer to point out; she knew it well from her own experience.
"And make sure you take care of that ankle and keep an ear out for anything suspicious," he warned, readjusting his backpack straps. "If you hear anything funny, hide. If someone or something tries to break in and hurt you, you break them, understand?"
She made a face. "Boomer, I love you, but I'm not five. If someone tries to hurt me, they're going to get their ass handed to them. End of discussion."
He nodded, winking. "I know you can handle yourself, I'm just reminding you. Oh, and by the way..."
Before Bubbles could ask what else he wanted to say, he cupped her face and kissed her hard, leaving her slightly dazed. She just barely reached up to cup his own face to kiss him back when he pulled away, leaving her wanting more and missing the contact.
"I love you, too. Stay safe; I'll be back." He gave a mock-salute before heading out the door. She heard him secure the locks and then watched as he made his way to the wood line, turning to take one last look at the campground, before he disappeared into the thick foliage. When his footsteps finally faded, all that remained was the sweet sound of birdsong and insects.
Bubbles decided to check her phone one last time to see if, by some miracle, Buttercup's last text finally decided to load in.
But it appeared that when Boomer left, any luck went with him, for her inbox refused to work.
Boomer entered Professor Utonium's lab cautiously, looking around to make sure nothing was taking up residence there. Once he was satisfied that the lab was clear, he quickly made his way up the stairs and undid the locks just as Bubbles had once shown him. Walking through the house felt weird, like all the events with the infected had taken place years ago instead of weeks. How long had it been since he met Bubbles? Maybe a month ago, now?
Maybe that warranted a detour so he could look through Malph's or something to find her a little 'anniversary' present? It would be dangerous, so he'd really have to think it through before he made any decisions, but it was a tempting thought, especially when he thought of how Bubbles' face would light up at the sight of a little teddy bear or a shiny necklace. The sprained ankle had, understandably, put a damper on her mood, and he knew she wasn't too happy that he'd left her by herself to lead his brothers back to their little safe haven, so if anyone deserved some cheering up, it was Bubbles Utonium.
...Would Malph's even be carrying a little gift like that? Probably not, since it was way past Valentine's day and a grocery store didn't usually carry little stuffed animals unless you counted the plush keychains usually found in the card aisle. Actually, now that he thought about it, that was a pretty good idea... He might not be able to get Bubbles one of those oversized teddy bears, but maybe a small trinket would do the trick all the same. He just wanted to see her smile, and she didn't strike him as the type of girl to hate stuffed animals or any kind of gift.
As long as he could make her smile or laugh, he didn't care what he'd have to get. If it was a small keychain or if he managed to find one of those huge teddy bears and have to stumble down the neighborhood while balancing it on his back, he'd do what he had to do. His brothers would probably make fun of him and call him whipped, but... Bubbles was worth the effort, whether he was 'whipped' or not.
He made his way through the neighborhood, turning the corner at the stop sign to head down the road that led to his house, where his brothers would be waiting. He fully expected Butch to give him noogies for being such a worry-wart when they'd left; Brick would probably just ruffle his hair with a simple, "See? Told ya we'd be back."
However, Boomer got the impression that he was being watched. It felt like eyes were boring holes through him and he quickened his pace. He had no idea where the infected were hiding now, but he knew they'd give chase if they saw him. If he could just make it to Brick and Butch, who'd scored weapons they could use to finally take a stand against these creatures, everything would be alright.
He got so lost in his thoughts that when he came back to his senses, he was already standing at the end of his driveway. The house was still in ruins, but somehow looked different. Something was off, but Boomer figured there was new damage somewhere. The infected had the habit of overdoing everything, from overkill to over-ruining perfectly-innocent buildings, and his house was no exception.
He slowly walked up the driveway and peeked into the living room, taking care not to step on any of the broken glass littering the front lawn. The room was empty save for the overturned, broken furniture, so he moved on to step through the front doorway, wincing when his T-shirt caught on a large splinter sticking out of the door frame. He tugged the fabric free and started to head for the kitchen when he saw the room was occupied.
Butch was leaning against the fridge with his arms folded across his chest, as calm and collected as Boomer had ever seen him look before. Brick sat in one of the wooden dining chairs that hadn't been completely destroyed, drumming his fingers against his knee patiently.
They'd been waiting for him and Boomer was elated to see them, but before he could burst into the room with a joyful greeting, something inside of him forced him to halt. Suddenly, Boomer didn't feel so good; his stomach felt sick and heavy, like he'd just swallowed a bunch of rocks. Dread sat in the pit of his gut and he couldn't understand why.
They hadn't noticed him yet, Butch still looking off to the side while Brick was messing with his phone while the other hand tap-tap-tapped against his knee, and it gave him time to really look at his brothers. Brick and Butch looked the same as they ever did, but... Had they always been so sickly-looking? No, that couldn't be right; the older Jojo brothers were always healthy (aside from Butch's questionable diet of junk food and soft drinks) and their appearance showed it, so why, then, did they look all pale?
...Maybe they'd been spending a lot of time indoors to hide from infected? Boomer knew Citysville was probably loaded with the creatures, but he didn't know just how bad it was. The last time he'd ever been to the pollution-filled location was the day they packed everything up to move to Townsville.
But that didn't account for the pasty complexion when, just weeks before the infection hit, both brothers had been getting tanner from constantly being out in the sun; Butch especially since, after moving here from the city, traded cage-fighting for learning how to work on vehicles. He still trained outside sometimes so he'd already acquired a decent tan way before the infection even hit, yet now, as Boomer got a good look at him, he still appeared tan, but... He didn't look right. The tan of his skin was almost ashen, like he was ill.
Boomer didn't like where his thoughts were taking him.
Ironically, Butch noticed him first, his stony expression transforming into a warm smile that reached his eyes.
"Hey, Boomer. Long time no see, huh?"
Brick turned as well, offering Boomer a smile of his own. Boomer ignored the sick feeling and grinned, stepping fully into the kitchen. These were his brothers, after all; they clearly weren't infected. Everything was going to be okay again, just like old times, and maybe they looked strange because of the way the afternoon shadows were painting them. The last time Boomer had seen an infected, they hadn't exactly looked as calm and collected as his brothers currently did.
His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. Yeah, that had to be it... There was no way his brothers could ever be—
"It's good to see you guys are still alive and kicking!" he chirped a little too loudly, not wanting his thoughts to finish themselves. Then, in a softer tone, "I was worried you might not make it."
Butch pushed off the fridge to pull Boomer into a headlock, giving him noogies. "Seriously? C'mon, kid, give us a little more credit!"
Boomer would have laughed and tried to get back at his brother after getting out of his iron grip, but he noticed Butch's skin was cold.
Like... Freezing cold.
If Bubbles' phone had been correct when they last checked the date, it was the middle of July, so why did Butch's skin feel like he'd been sitting in the freezer for a few hours?
"What the hell?" Boomer tried to make a joke of it despite the feelings of dread growing worse. "What, did you guys take a pit stop in Antarctica or something on your way back? Geez, bro, you're fucking freezing."
Butch ruffled his hair, seemingly unbothered by the comment. "Where I decide to go in my personal time is my business."
Boomer wrestled out of the dark-haired young man's grip and forced a chuckle, moving to stand a few feet back so he could get a better look at both of his brothers. Butch still looked like his big, beefcake self and Brick still had that calm, aloof aura about him, yet something was different. Both of them were very much his brothers, both still alive and well, so what exactly...?
"So, how've things been since we left?"
Speak of the red-haired devil, Boomer looked at Brick, who had posed the question.
"Huh?"
"We left a while ago. How've you guys been holding up?"
"Oh." Boomer tried to shake off the feeling that something was very, very wrong, but he couldn't. Something inside him was telling him to run, to get out of here as fast as he could, to get back to Bubbles where they would be safe.
But was this his intuition or just anxiety at seeing his brothers after so long?
"Hello? Earth to Boomer?" Butch waved a hand in front of the blonde's face.
"S-sorry." God, what was wrong with him? His brothers made it all the way to Citysville and back, all in one piece, so he should be ecstatic! Why wasn't he happy? They weren't infected, so then what was making him feel sick inside? Was it because there were infected in the neighborhood, ready to pounce?
"It's fine. When you talk to someone as awesome as me, you're bound to go speechless," Butch joked. Boomer forced a smile even though his instincts were screaming at him to get out of whatever lion's den he'd unwittingly walked into.
Something is wrong, something is wrong, something is wrong, something is—
Stop; Brick asked you a question. Focus.
"Uh, sorry about that; to answer your question, we've been doing great, actually," he forced himself to say, despite the strong sense of unease churning in his gut. "We have plenty of food, we found a decent place to stay, the weather's been alright for the most part... The only thing that sucks is that Bubbles lost contact with her family, so there's that, but we're hanging in there."
He was NOT going to tell his brothers about her sprained ankle. If something was up, he wasn't going to unwittingly drag her down with him. If a world of shit was about to come down on him, he'd do his best to keep her safe even if it meant never getting to see her, laugh with her, kiss her again—
"Really?" Brick exchanged a look with Butch. "Her phone's not working?"
"It is, which is how she was able to get your message, but for some reason, she's been having problems with her inbox," the blonde explained, scuffing his shoe against the dirty tiled floor. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, but he fought to keep a calm facade. "Like, her sister tried to text her and she got one message, but the last one she sent won't load. I mean, I figured it was because we have crappy reception, but it might be an error with the app or something. Actually, Brick, since you're great with all this tech stuff, maybe you could take a look at it?"
Brick nodded, standing up. "Sure. Speaking of which, why isn't she with you?"
"Oh, uh..." He smiled weakly. "She figured she'd hold the fort down. You know, make sure everything is ship-shape when we get back."
"So you left her by herself when I asked you two to stay together?"
Yes, and I'm glad I did. At least I know she's safe.
"No, we actually agreed it was safer for her to stay behind. There's no infected where we're staying."
Brick raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly are you staying?"
Boomer tensed. "Uh... Well, we're actually camping in the woods. I don't know the exact location, but we know the woods are safe; we're in the middle of scenic nowhere, honestly."
That wasn't a complete lie, but vague enough to cover his ass and keep Bubbles' location secret in case something really wasn't right, and Boomer had a bad feeling that his instincts were telling the truth.
Butch and Brick exchanged a glance before they both gave a curt nod as a form of some unspoken agreement.
"Alright, Boomer. Lead the way."
They made it to the living room when the blonde suddenly felt nauseous at the idea of his brothers following him.
"Oh, w-well actually," he stalled, trying to think of some kind of excuse as to why they couldn't leave just yet. "Before we go, I was just wondering, what kinds of weapons did you guys get?"
"Handguns actually," Butch replied, patting his backpack. "We managed to find, like, five or six and a few boxes of ammo, so we should be good until we reach the evacuation zone."
Disappointment gnawed at Boomer; he'd been hoping they found something like shotguns, but something was better than nothing, and at least there were enough guns for each of them to protect themselves.
"Oh, okay. And I'm just curious, but how bad are the infected here?"
"Not too bad, actually." Brick smiled. "Why?"
The blonde felt his mouth go dry. Why was his brother smiling? And why was that a big fat lie, considering the number of infected had increased since his brothers' departure?
Something is really wrong...
"Well, when Bubbles and I left, they were in the neighborhood. There were a lot of them running around, even during the.."
Suddenly, the universe shifted. Boomer looked at his brothers, really looked at them, and he realized that something truly was wrong. His instincts hadn't been lying at all; they'd been right on the money as they always were, but Boomer didn't want to believe what was right in front of him.
Butch and Brick were paler than he'd ever known human beings to look, but they looked inhumanly beautiful, as if they'd just stepped out of a magazine. Their complexion was flawless, lacking any scars or scrapes from when they'd lived in Citysville. Brick still had freckles dotting the bridge of his nose but it looked perfect.
Everything about his brothers looked painfully perfect, to the point where Boomer could sense that something wasn't quite right. No one looked like that, not even airbrushed models in advertisements. And the icing on the creepy cake was the eyes... The eyes always told the truth.
Brick's eyes were still that strange maroon-brown and Butch's were still a plain green color, but now their gazes held a certain predatory look to them, like they were hunters regarding their prey carefully. Brick's expression only ever held indifference or slight amusement; Butch's emotions were always written all over his face, but Boomer would never use the term 'predator' to describe either of his siblings before. Brick could be, well, a grade-A jerk when he wanted to be and Butch had his moments where he could be an ass, but they weren't dangerous.
Butch made a face. "You gonna stand there and stare at us this whole time, or are we gonna get back to your little girlfriend?"
Boomer felt like he was going to vomit.
"Sorry, I guess I spaced out." That was a lie but Boomer was still trying to process all this new information. He turned and led them outside into the summer sun, where the ninety-degree weather practically smacked them in the face, only further solidifying the fact that Butch's skin should not have been as cold as it was.
Boomer felt himself stop walking, his expression stricken as everything slowly began to set in.
No... It can't be, it just can't...
"What's the matter, Boomer? Why did you stop walking?"
The blonde stiffened at the question because it wasn't exactly a question.
Brick and Butch knew.
They knew he could sense something was up.
Even their voices sound wrong...
Boomer lifted a hand to his mouth, hoping he didn't actually throw up.
How could he have been so stupid to ignore all the signs? If he could rewind time, he would've walked right out of that house right then and there as soon as he caught sight of Butch. He would've been miles away from here, safely in the tunnels, on his way back to Bubbles. Then they'd pack everything they could carry and get out of the campgrounds, move on and try to find one of the evacuation zones themselves.
But that thought stung... Even if his brothers were infected, could he really leave them behind?
At his youngest brother's silence, Brick's expression grew almost sad but Butch's remained slightly smug, like he knew something his brother didn't and couldn't wait to enlighten him.
"Finally figured it out, huh, little bro?"
Boomer swallowed thickly, turning around to face the two young men watching him carefully. "Figured out what?"
Butch grinned, which wasn't an impressive feat by itself because he usually wore a grin or smirk, but when his canines extended, the feeling of dread in Boomer's stomach reached a crescendo. The only time he'd ever seen sharp canines—fangs?—such as the ones his brother currently sported were when the infected were chasing him and... And...
Boomer took a tentative step back. Yup, the evidence had been right in front of him this whole time. The sickly tint to their skin, the weird way they behaved, the sharp teeth, the ice-cold body temperature that Butch possessed...
Were there even any weapons at all? Had this merely been a trap to lure Bubbles and Boomer in?
The blonde shook his head, despair momentarily replacing the fear and dread. "No... Y-you guys were the best of the best..."
"We still are." Brick spoke up this time, watching sadly as Boomer took yet another step backward. "We're still your brothers. We're still family."
"No." Boomer wanted to cry. "No, Brick, everything's changed now. Oh my God... H-how did...?"
"It's a long story, kiddo, and we don't have much time at the moment." Butch shoved his hands into his pockets, his expression becoming unreadable. "There's a lot to be done in this world, now that we've changed."
"What are you talking about?" For once in Boomer Jojo's life, he was completely serious, his tone colored by somberness and utter fear.
"That infection wasn't an infection at all," Brick explained. "It was an improvement. We're so much more than what we were, Boomer; we're stronger, faster, better."
Butch didn't even make a "that's what she said" joke, which only further proved to Boomer that his brothers were no longer themselves.
"Better, how?" he demanded, adrenaline beginning to pump through his system. "Don't you remember Bonsai Gardens, City Hall? How is that better? How is murdering innocent people better?!"
"We weren't the ones who did that," Brick pointed out, but Boomer stomped his foot angrily.
"It doesn't matter! You've become the very thing that did that, and you think it's better? Have you lost your fucking mind?!"
"Boomer, you don't understand—"
"You're right, and I don't want to understand! How could you?" He fought the tears that welled up in his eyes. "How could you defend this... This... Whatever you are now? How could you defend becoming a killing machine?"
This was worse than never having his brothers come back and forever wondering what became of the last two members of his family. At least ignorance granted him the option to think his brothers died valiantly; maybe then he could convince himself they died trying to save someone's life, or maybe they died in a blaze of glory, taking down a bunch of infected with them.
But this? The two young men standing before him were not Brick and Butch; they were cheap imitations, resembling the older Jojo brothers in appearance only.
The Brick and Butch he knew were gone.
"We didn't exactly choose this," Brick said. "We were trying to get weapons, but... We never made it."
"We were on the border between Citysville and Townsville," Butch chimed in, stepping forward. In the midday light, he and Brick looked virtually perfect. How could these creatures, these enemies of life itself, be blessed with such beauty? They seemed to be the ultimate predator, strangely blessed with all kinds of gifts to lure in unsuspecting prey. "We were surrounded on every side, there was no way we would've been able to get out alive. Citysville is so much worse than Townsville; we were stupid to think it'd be a good idea to go there. It was a suicide mission."
"It only hurt at first," Brick continued. "The venom always hurts because it literally kills muscle tissue, but once you get past it, once you awaken... You're so much stronger and you feel more alive than you ever have. We went down fighting but I don't remember what we were fighting for; getting turned was a blessing. We should've let ourselves get turned sooner."
"You were fighting to remain human!" Boomer growled. "And now you're not human anymore! Now you're murderers, just like every other infected!"
"We haven't killed anyone, Boomer, and neither will you."
All frustration evaporated from the youngest Jojo brother. "What do you mean?"
"We want you to join us."
Boomer's eyes hardened stubbornly. "I'll never join you."
"Well, kiddo, we didn't ask if you would. We've already decided."
"You'll have to fight me, then, because I'm not willingly going to let you turn me."
Butch chuckled humorlessly and lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment before looking back up at his younger brother. Boomer was shocked to see his eyes were no longer a natural green color; they were now intensely green, almost as if he'd put in contact lenses. Boomer was even more horrified to watch as Brick's irises changed from their usual maroon-brown to a blazing, aggravated red, practically glowing in the summer sunshine.
"Oh my god," Boomer whispered. "Your eyes... What the hell are you? W-what have you guys become?"
Brick stepped forward, holding out a hand. "See for yourself, Boomer. It's time you become like us."
The blonde shook his head, taking another step back. A sharp hiss pierced the air and he whirled on his heel, the surprised yelp caught in his throat when he realized he was surrounded. He was sandwiched between his brothers, standing just a few feet away, and crowds of Townsville's former residents. Boomer looked at the array of people he'd once considered his neighbors, decent people with happy-go-lucky attitudes and generous, kind hearts. Some were like Brick and Butch, with intense eyes, impossible beauty, and a colorless complexion. Others were... Others appeared to still be human. There were even some infected with their arms protectively wound around humans.
Boomer was at a loss. There were so many infected, but there were also so many humans. Humans that looked healthy, content even... Why weren't the humans afraid, and why weren't the infected tearing into the humans?
What on earth is going on here?!
He looked at each and every face, some of them watching him with tired eyes, others with curiosity swirling in their intense, almost hypnotic gazes. However, enough people regarded him with the same amount of kindness as when he and his family had just moved to Townsville that it made him feel sick inside... because he truly couldn't wrap his head around what all of this could possibly mean.
The bloodshed and chaos that had permanently stained Bonsai Gardens and City Hall with the blood of the innocent... Did that mean nothing? Why were these humans seemingly compliant with these creatures? And why did these creatures appear to be somewhat human again?
"I don't understand..." he admitted, reaching his hands up to tug at his hair. "I don't understand any of this. It doesn't make sense."
Butch's cold hand clamped down onto Boomer's shoulder, sharp claw-like fingernails digging painfully into his skin. "It will, kiddo, we promise it will. After you turn, you'll understand everything."
Boomer tried to shrug the hand off but it held firm, keeping him in place. The fearful chills that had been creeping up and down his spine gave way to anger, and Boomer yanked his shoulder free and spun on his heel, reaching back to grab the baseball bat that was slung across his back like a sword in a scabbard. He gripped it as if ready to hit a home run, to which both of his brothers shared an amused glance.
"Really, Boomer?" Brick asked. "You really think you stand a chance against us?"
"You're not turning me! Stay away from me!"
"Sorry, little bro, but we weren't the ones who decided this. We're just following orders."
"What do you mean, you're just following orders? Who the fuck is behind all of this?" Boomer roared, his cheeks growing pink with raw fury. "Do I really have to remind you what happened at Bonsai Gardens, at City Hall? All those innocent people with families, feelings, lives? Who the hell fucked all of this up?!"
Butch and Brick frowned, but to the redhead's credit, he offered a single answer.
"I think you can probably guess who was behind the infection getting out."
Boomer narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about? I don't know anyone who would be okay with all of this madness!"
Brick smiled. "Mojo worked quite a few night shifts in his day, didn't he? Did you ever think maybe he was working on something huge, something that would be considered the crown jewel of his career?"
All color drained from the blonde's face, his eyes growing wide with horror at the realization that his father, the very man who, though he could be strict, had loved him and always tried to be there for his boys, always tried to make time for his small family no matter how much work he had to get done... His father was the one responsible for all of the bloodthirsty creatures that had destroyed so much within such a short span of time.
"No..." he whispered, his expression crestfallen. "No, you're lying. You have to be. Mojo died, we watched him die."
"Mojo let himself get bitten," Brick explained. "Why do you think he didn't attack you? Why would he attack his own son? Boomer, don't you see? He was the first to evolve, the first to get bitten and not operate solely instincts."
"He attacked Butch, you idiot!" Boomer argued. "Don't you remember? He had Butch against the wall by the throat! Yeah, he didn't attack me, but he attacked one of his sons!"
"Boomer, he was practically 'patient zero' for this more evolved strain," Butch piped up. "And besides, when you first turn, things are a little..." He moved his hand in a circular motion, mirroring the universal gesture for 'get on with it.' "You're still getting used to your new heightened instincts, and then there's the thirst... It depends on the person and how much venom gets injected, and—"
Boomer pointed a shaky finger at his brothers. "Your logic is flawed and you know it. Stop bullshitting me and face it; Mojo fucked up by messing with something he shouldn't have. I don't know what he was doing in the labs, but he destroyed the world. Society as we know it has been forever changed, so many lives were lost, and it's all his fault! I don't care how great this stupid virus, or whatever it is made you; at the end of the day, you're still monsters!"
Brick's eyes hardened, anger swirling in his hypnotic red gaze. "Don't talk about Mojo like that. He didn't destroy the world."
"Oh yeah? I'm sorry; did you SEE City Hall?! And just how many people have you killed to survive, huh? How many people has dear old Dad killed?"
"Little bro, you'd better stop talking," Butch warned.
Or what, Boomer wanted to retort, you'll bite me?
In fact, he opened his mouth to voice his thoughts, to continue needling at the monsters that were currently masquerading as his brothers, but he noticed a blonde girl standing in the crowd of infected mixed with humans. She certainly wasn't Bubbles, but her golden hair reminded him that he needed to keep his head. He closed his mouth with a soft, audible snap, glancing down at the friendship bracelet still encircling his wrist, Bubbles' name spelled out against the pretty blue beads.
That's right... Bubbles is still out there. My brothers may be gone, but she's still worth staying alive for. I have to make it back to her; I promised.
Out of his peripheral vision, he scanned the crowds of people. The crowd seemed to be keeping a respectable amount of space from Brick and Butch, almost as if the two young men held some kind of influence over them, but the number of infected still outnumbered the amount of humans. And the humans looked like they were okay standing side-by-side with the infected, so if Boomer fought with his brothers or tried to make a run for it, it probably wasn't completely wrong to assume he'd be on his own without any kind of help.
Shifting his gaze back to his brothers, Boomer understood that Butch could crush him easily if he wanted to, even as a human, and although Brick was lean, he hit hard. There was no way he would be able to get out of this unbitten. There were too many infected to run from and his brothers were probably a hundred-times stronger and faster than they were as humans. It would be a miracle if he made it ten feet without getting tackled to the ground by Butch.
Bubbles' pretty face remained at the front of his thoughts. He had to keep his emotions in check so he could stay alive and get back to her. What good was arguing doing, anyhow? He was making valid points, but they were falling on deaf ears. Surely his brothers weren't so far gone that they were past bargaining? If any sort of humanity remained within them, could he somehow appeal to it?
"Okay." He swallowed thickly, making sure to keep his tone calm and neutral. "Alright. I have a question."
Brick and Butch exchanged a glance with each other before returning their attention to him.
"Shoot, kid."
"What would happen if you guys let me go?"
Surprise colored both of their expressions.
"Let you go?"
"I don't want to be turned, and if I'm being totally honest, I don't want to fight you guys." Boomer carefully lowered his bat but kept a firm grip on the handle. "Just... What if you let me go, let me remain human? What if you let me walk away, right now? I'm asking you to please, at least consider letting me go. If not for anything else, then as one last favor."
Before his brothers could argue, he added, "You guys didn't have a choice in getting turned, but you have a choice to spare me. I know you say this infection is great and everything but when you were human, there was a reason you avoided it. Well, I'm asking as your little brother; let me walk away. Allow me this choice. Please."
Brick, at least, had the decency to look torn.
"We can't."
"Why?"
"Why would you want to stay human when you could have so much more?" Butch interjected. "You'll understand better when you actually experience what this new life is like. Trust me, you're still yourself, but you're better. You can hear everything, see much more clearly; life is improved."
He was like a broken record, trying to talk up this new lifestyle as if the infected didn't go around attacking innocent people.
"But how is life improved when you live off of taking lives?" Boomer protested. "How is that any kind of improvement from the life we lived before, when we would screw each other over just to try to get to some kind of non-existent top level of society?"
"We don't have to kill to survive," Brick explained, moving forward. "We can just drink a little bit of blood and—"
A fearful gleam entered Boomer's eyes, pure adrenaline and anguish rushing through his system as he gripped his bat tighter.
"Don't. Please. Don't come any closer."
Brick held up his hands in the universal 'calm down' gesture and regarded his youngest brother with pity, but obliged him regardless.
"Boomer, I promise, you'll still be you," he assured. "The first few days will be a little crazy but after that, everything will be okay. You don't have to kill anyone. If you let us bite you, we'll all be a family again and you'll see."
"I'm sorry," Boomer choked out. "I don't know why you guys want to turn me and I really don't want to know why, but I can't let you turn me. I won't."
I have someone waiting for me, someone very special who deserves the world. I promised her I'd get back to her.
Butch frowned. "You're really gonna make us fight you, huh?"
"I'm not making you do anything, but I'm not gonna stand here and let you bite me. I refuse to become like you. After everything I've seen, I don't want the kind of life this infection will create."
His dark-haired brother sighed, shaking his head. "Have it your way, little bro. Just know we tried reasoning with you."
"Yeah, I know. I tried reasoning with you, too."
As his brothers moved into more of a hostile stance and began to circle him, preparing to fight, Boomer's thoughts flashed to Bubbles again. He'd promised her he would get back to her no matter what and he intended to keep that promise. She was all he had left and he'd be damned if he didn't make good on his word.
I'll come back to you, he vowed, bringing his baseball bat up as if getting ready to hit a homerun. No matter what's against me, I'll come back to you in one piece and we'll make it out of this alive.
I promise.
Pity flickered in Brick's eyes. "Last chance, Boomer. Become like us or you've forced our hand."
"My answer still stands: no."
"Come on, think this through. What about Bubbles?" Bringing up Boomer's girlfriend was a low blow. "If she could have a better life, wouldn't you want that for her? Wouldn't she want that for you?"
"Surviving on blood and being a monster is not the life I would want for her, and Bubbles would want me to stay human because she knows being human is better than anything this infection could make us into."
A smirk lit up Butch's features. "Don't worry, Boomer; right after we turn you, we can turn Bubbles too so she can join her sisters."
Shock colored Boomer's face. "Her sisters? What do you—"
"We didn't kill them, if that's what you're wondering," Brick supplied, shooting Butch a look. "Blossom and Buttercup will be waking up soon."
But that would mean Brick and Butch had... How was that possible? How could they have known that Blossom and Buttercup were Bubbles' sisters, unless the girls explicitly told them? And wait, if his brothers had gone after Blossom and Buttercup, wouldn't either of them have tried to warn Bubbles? Wouldn't they have tried to text her or something—
Oh my God.
That was the text that wouldn't load! That was the last text Buttercup had sent, that was Buttercup's warning!
"Bubbles' phone hasn't been working," Boomer whispered, trying to come to terms with this new tidbit of information. Everything was beginning to fall into place. "Buttercup was trying to warn her, to warn us, b-but her phone hasn't been working, the message would always come up blank, or the app would crash or—"
"It's very easy to mess with text messages if you know what you're doing," Brick piped up. He grinned, revealing his own set of fangs. "Like I said earlier, when you become like us, you'll understand. It was only right that we turned them, since they were meant for us."
Boomer felt sick. Not only had his brothers taken Bubbles' sisters from her, they'd snatched away Buttercup's last message to Bubbles. That had been Buttercup's final attempt to say, 'I love you' or a last-ditch effort at a warning to try to keep her sister safe. Brick and Butch claimed they weren't monsters, but they really were.
And to think that Boomer and Bubbles had left a note at their homes to ensure his brothers—and, if they were lucky, her family—could find them and keep in contact. To be fair, hindsight was always 20/20, but it had all been for naught.
"And once you're like us, we'll turn Bubbles too, if she's meant to be yours," Butch added and, although he'd implied that earlier, it finally cemented in Boomer's brain that they were going to go after Bubbles.
The look he gave Butch was almost murderous.
"Like hell you will!"
They would never get to Bubbles, not if he could help it. Even if it cost him his life, he'd do everything in his power to keep her safe, to keep her from becoming a monster.
Boomer readied his bat and that's when Brick and Butch charged forward with a loud, animalistic roar, fangs bared, their perfectly-handsome faces contorting with primal rage while black spidery veins appeared around their narrowed eyes. Boomer let out an enraged cry of his own while swinging his bat forward as hard as he could, the battle just beginning.
In a little cabin miles away from the outskirts of what used to be beloved, happy Townsville, Bubbles Utonium fiddled with her friendship bracelet, her fingers lingering over the beads that spelled out 'Boomer.' She smiled sadly at the little trinket and wondered when he'd return, hoping he and his brothers were doing okay. She wished she could be with him, but she trusted Boomer's promise all the same; before she knew it, he would be back and she'd be able to pepper his face with kisses, she'd welcome his brothers to their little safe haven with open arms, and they'd all somehow find their way to an evacuation zone where things would start looking up.
And if luck was truly on their side, she'd get to see her sisters and her father alive and well again.
Yeah... This little moment of silence would only be for now.
Everything only ever lasted for a little while, after all.
Anyone ever see that PPG episode "Bubble Boy" where Bubbles spends the entire day masquerading as Boomer? Remember when she spelled out "flowers are pretty... dumb" in curly graffiti lettering and got crap from Brick because she supposedly misspelled "dumb" and Brick purposely emphasizes the b-sound to make it seem like *she's* the idiot?
Yeah. That's where the super secret Jojo code word comes in. Yay for little easter eggs ;P
Special shout-out to my bud A.B. for helping me brainstorm when I got stuck. You know who you are and you're awesome!
