CHAPTER 2: TOWNSVILLE TOUR TERMINATED
An hour after her awakening, Bunny sat on her eldest sister's back, taking in the view from the clouds. Bubbles floated to the side, excitedly pointing out different landmarks, ones Bunny hadn't gotten to see the first time she flew.
"And that's Mojo the meanies lair, he built it on top of a volcano! Blossom says he can use the thermal energy to power everything, but I think he's just there cuz no one else wanted to be."
She continues her rant, Blossom occasionally correcting some of the 'facts' she spouted out in her excitement. Buttercup was nowhere to be seen, having stayed behind to fix the hole in the floor. She'd be joining them soon, so long as she didn't cause any more damage than she already had.
Blossom places a hand on Bubbles shoulder, catching her attention.
"Let's give her a closer look, rather than ramble about it all day."
Bubbles squeals.
"That's a great idea Blossom! Let's show her the kindergarten first, that's where she'll be going soon!"
Not giving her pink eyed sister a chance to catch up, Bubbles shoots off towards Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. Blossom sighs with a smile, flying a tad bit slower than the blue Puff.
"Sorry about that Bunny, she gets easily excited and forgets sometimes. She's the fastest of us after all, the only person in the world who could keep up with her is Boomer, and I'm sure you'll meet him and his brothers soon."
With that they land outside the kindergarten, Ms. Keane speaking with the excited Bubbles.
"Ms. Keane!"
Said woman turns to Blossom with a smile.
"It's great to see you Blossom! And who's this little one hm?"
Bunny hides behind Blossoms long hair, peering out at Ms. Keane, studying her bright blue eyes.
"This is Bunny. She's really shy, but hopefully she'll be coming to school here soon!"
Bubbles gives her an encouraging nod, but Bunny just shrinks back more, uncertain.
"It's okay Bunny! She's really nice and a great teacher!"
It was too late, Bunny was almost completely covered by Blossoms hair. The only bit to be seen were her shaking hands, clinging to her sister's shoulders. Bubbles sighs.
"Sorry about that Ms. Keane, she woke up not very long ago, and everything's still confusing."
"That's quite alright, she's not the first shy child I've met, kind of reminds me of you girls your first day."
Blossom smiles.
"Thank you for understanding. We should probably hold off on introducing her to the Mayor for a bit…"
"With how eccentric he is, that would be wise."
With a wave and a goodbye, the two puffs take off yet again for a fly about, showing Bunny the sights and ignoring the curious civilians. They could introduce Bunny to the city later, when she was ready.
For now, they flew around the city, keeping some startling findings of the Professor in mind.
"She doesn't appear to have powers like you girls," he said. "Despite Chemical X in her system."
Though it was disappointing to know she couldn't join them in crime fighting, it was also a relief in a way. Bunny had been originally created as a way to lighten the load, the girls having been too young to understand that they had created a new person, and not just an assistant or workhorse.
Through her death, and other experiences in the following years, they'd realized that their unstable creation had been their responsibility.
One they should have taken better care of.
Now, with her back, they were more than ready to make up for lost time.
If only the day could have continued as peacefully as it was.
-0-
"So not fair…"
Buttercup grumbled, glaring at the hole in the floor, wishing she could intimidate it into fixing itself. The damage had been worse than the Professor had first thought, and needed an electrician to repair the wires. Luckily none of the pipes were hit.
And she was stuck waiting for that! She could be out, racing with her sisters, showing Bunny the skate park and the dump and her other favorites spots. Stupid Professor, insisting she not touch the wires. She's been thrown into telephone pole wires plenty of times! She knew what electrocution felt like.
Stuck listening to the laughter and giggles and screams of joy…
"Right up here, thank you so much for coming on short notice."
Finally! Electric dude was here.
"Not a problem Professor. But why isn't Blossom doing this? She came by to learn a couple months ago…"
Hmph, figures. Leader Girl loved learning things and helping fix Buttercups mistakes. Two birds with one stupid electric stone.
"She's busy at the moment, I'm sure it will be on the news soon enough. Right up here in the girls room, just by the door."
"Ah, and you've turned off the power?"
"To this area, yes. Buttercup, pay attention. You might be able to do this yourself next time."
The pouting girl perks up.
"Y'mean it? You'll trust me with this?!"
"Of course Buttercup. You're just as capable as your sister. Plus, I know that if Blossom tried to teach you, we may not have a house at all."
The repairman chuckles and gets to work, showing the black haired girl how to splice wires together.
"AIEEEEEE!"
A shrill shriek pierces the air, forcing everyone in a mile's radius to cover their bleeding ears.
Everyone but Buttercup.
"Bubbles!" She zooms out, breaking a hole in the ceiling, covering her father and the shocked repairman in debris.
He sighs with a frown.
"Could have sworn we got her out of that habit… You might be here a while longer. Would you like some tea?"
-0-
The disappearance of Bunny from Blossoms back was terrifying. The mystery of her location was quickly solved when a low, not quite to puberty voice chuckled.
"Well well well. What have we here boys?"
A lighter giggle mixed with a cackle follows, Blossom and Bubbles glaring up towards their equals.
"Brick, give our sister back. Now."
He raises a red eyebrow in surprise, lifting the shaking bundle in his hand.
"This… Tiny thing…. Is a Puff? It's shakin' worse than Blue when we cornered her alone a few weeks ago."
Blossom flies up to eye level.
"Yes, she is. Now hand her over unharmed, and there will be no trouble."
A smirk comes to Bricks face.
"Y'hear that boys? Unharmed."
Boomer giggles and flies backwards.
"I'm open I'm open!"
A small squeak from Bubbles and a gasp from Blossom, staring in shock as their little sister was thrown towards Boomer like a football.
"AIEEEEE!"
Blossom acts quickly, aiming to intercept the unwilling projectile, only to be tackled by Butch, leaving a smoking crater in the ground.
Bunny clings to Boomer, staring down at her injured sister with fear.
"Butch! You next!"
Boomer pries her off, tossing her gently towards the rough ruff right as Bubbles regains her senses and tackles him.
Shaking off the concrete dust, Blossom flies back up to the deranged game of catch.
"What's wrong Pinkie?" Brick easily catches the whimpering child.
"We ain't hurtin' her! Just having a lil fun!"
"I swear to our creators Brick, if you don't hand her back this instant, I'm going to-"
"Gonna what Pinkie?"
He gets up in her face, grinning as Boomer once again catches Bunny.
"Gonna sit there like the sissy you are? You don't dare try anything while we got this brat. I can see it in your eyes…"
Blossom gulps, averting her gaze.
"Knew it. Fortunately for you, I'm willing to make a simple deal. Don't fight back, an' we'll put her down. Easy as that."
"B-Brick?"
"Shush Boom, I'm wheelin' and dealin' with Pinky."
"But Brick…"
"Not. Now. Butch, fix the babies problem."
"Nu uh! I'm not holding the sobbing brat, Boom can keep that."
Brick groans.
"Just don't drop 'er, a hostage is useless dead."
Hearing that, Bunny clings tighter to Boomers sweater. She didn't know what death was exactly, but she remembered it hurting, a lot.
"Now Pinky… Surrender without a fight and we stop throwing the purple puke ball. Easy enough-"
Boomers girly shriek fills the air as he's struck out of the sky, his precious bundle safe in the arms of Buttercup.
"Boom! Crap, plan b boys! Use the stuff!"
Butch licks his lips and grabs something from his pocket as his brothers do the same.
"Didn't come quietly… Big brained won't mind you idiots a bit beat up for his birthday- where'd they go?!"
A few skyscrapers away, a loving reunion was taking place.
"How the he- er, heck did they get their hands on Bunny!"
Blossom frown deepens.
"They caught us off guard. He had Boomer snatch her from my back before we saw them."
She turns to the still shaking Bunny, held tightly in Bubbles embrace.
"Bunny, you need to stay here okay? Stay hidden while we take care of them."
The purple puff sniffles and nods, wiping her reddened eyes.
"Formation alpha, corner and control. Take 'em down girls, then we can get back to showing Bunny the actually good things the world has."
Nodding in unison, the puffs zoom off to face their rivals.
"First things first, figure out why they attacked. They don't usually attack without a reason these days, regardless of apparent weaknesses in our ranks- ouch!"
Blossom winces, holding her upper arm and pausing.
"Buttercup, that wasn't funny!"
"Wasn't me leader girl!"
Buttercup zooms back to her leader, Bubbles close behind.
"If it wasn't you, then.."
Two more yelps and winces.
"Sh- crap, Bloss, there wasn't any stupid nanobot junk happening today, right?"
"That was once Buttercup, and even then it wasn't planned… Oh dear…"
Bubbles grabs a hold of her falling sister, struggling to pull her back up to her previous spot.
"Blossom, you're losing altit- alti…"
"Altitude Bubbles, Bloss you look… Oh… That's why…"
They watch with growing horror as Blossom pales, Buttercup and Bubbles soon following.
"Like it sissys? Diluted Antidote X, giving you just enough power to stay afloat and scream while we kick your butts."
Within moments, each girl was slammed into the ground by their respective counterpart. Butch cackles, pounding Buttercup over and over as she weakly attempts to shield her face.
"Cheating…. Little…"
Her words were cut off by a surprise punch to the neck.
Bubbles wasn't faring any better. Already fainted as Boomer hit her back and forth with his electric bat. Boomer counted his lucky stars that the injection worked.
"How beat up do we want them again?"
Brick looks up from choking Blossom.
"Enough for Pops to be able to land a finishing blow."
Boomer frowns and shrugs, letting his target fall to the earth.
"If you say so…"
-0-
Bunny stared in horror as her sisters were thrashed. It was all too similar to her death, just before it. She.. She couldn't just sit and watch… She couldn't…
Her hands grip the edge of the roof, slowly cracking it as rage pooled in her belly. How dare they.. How dare they try to take what she just got back, what she died saving! Her eyes flashed purple, the slight snaggletooth growing as her back hunched.
How. Dare. They.
-0-
"Aight, that's enough. Can't have 'em bleed out just yet.."
The boys float up, studying their handiwork. Each girl was black and blue, barely recognizable.
"Perfect. Grab and g-"
A loud boom shakes the earth around them, drawing their attention to the source. Butch whistles.
"Looks like lil sis became big sis…"
Stomping towards them, leaving footprints in her wake, an enraged Bunny snarls. The boys take a subconscious step back, her unrelenting gaze awakening a primal fear within them.
"B-boss…"
Brick shakes his head, trying to rid himself of his nervousness.
"Grab the puffs and go- where'd ugly..?"
A roar echoes from behind them, pushing them down to their backs.
"S***!"
Brick winces, shrapnel scratching his face moments before he was crushed beneath a powerful mass of flesh. Butch and Boomer soon follow, each in too much shock and fear to fight back against Bunny.
"Bun….ny?"
Bubbles opens one terribly swollen eye, unfocused eyes attempting to decipher the scene in front of her. Bunny slows in her assault, turning to the slowly recovering puff.
"Bub...bles…"
She ends her attack, crawling over to her sister.
Bubbles reaches for Bunny.
"Are… You… Okay…?"
Bunny sniffles and nods, slowly shrinking back to normalcy. Behind her, the boys leave as fast as they can, heading straight for Mojos lair.