Chapter 7: MONSTER ISLE

"I don't know what I was expecting, really."

"Nor I. It's... it was certainly not this."

-0-

Monster Isle was really not that far off from Townsville, a few dozen miles perhaps, far enough to not be counted as part of the country, yet close enough that it's inhabitants had a major effect upon the city.

Namely, monster attacks. For decades, this seaside city was under siege from all manner of creatures. Known and unknown alike. Vertebrae, nonvertebrate, slime, rock, aquatic, land dwelling, sky dwelling, wings, hooves, fins, gills, horns, beaks and the sharpest teeth you've ever seen.

All that changed a little over two and a half years ago.

The birth of the Powerpuff Girls caused quite the commotion, in both monster and human settings .Distrust and suspicion in one, respect and awe in the other. Shockwaves through the scientific community shook the field to its core. The monsters recognized the source of the girls power.

Black Blood Volcano.

How a human had obtained the power of that which gave them life escaped them, as the site was guarded religiously, but if the gods had deemed it possible then so be it.

Now this is not to say all the monsters respected this. They didn't trust humans, and in turn the decision made by the gods. They raged, ignoring the treaty placed and attacked without caution.

Even those monsters would admit, however reluctantly, that the Powerpuff Girls wielded the power with ease. An ease unknown to many of them.

If respect was not gained through origin, it was gained through experience.

-0-

Boss was insane, letting the lobster stand there holding their brother like that! Sure Butch wasn't exactly sure about calling the kid a Rowdy, but he was without a doubt their brother. Butch just didn't want the blind tyke to get himself hurt is all.

Okay so he'd grown fond of the kid, so what? He wasn't soft like those sissy girls! Protecting family was manly dang it!

"... the child died, exploding much like you boys had in your first life."

Explosions were awesome. Unless they were the ones exploding. Worst birthday EVER. Then meeting the lobster right after exploding? That was the icing on the turd cake.

Revenge, that was their end of the deal. It sounded pretty sweet at the time, but when achieving it seemed in reach it just felt... Empty. It just didn't seem right. Making fun of Butterbutt was well, waaaay more entertaining than offing her.

Beating her to near death for pops birthday didn't count. The monkey hadn't really wanted to off the girls for a while either. And it's not like the girls hadn't come back from worse, ya know?

Okay, Boss had gone a liiiitttle too far on that one. But what else do you get for the monkey who has everything?

That didn't matter right now. What mattered was that the kid he'd (begrudgingly) grown fond of was in the claws of an overgrown lobster-man-thing!

"... and that brings us to now, dear children, and your foolish following of your counterparts. Just like them, don't you agree?"

Brick is silent. Eyes closed.

"Now I have yet another instrument with which to further my purpose! Once they agree, of course."

Uh uh. No way was Butch gonna let the lobster drag his new brother down with him. He glances at Brick again, begging for action.

After another moment of silence, he does.

"You know Him, you're right. The Powderpuffs and us, we're very similar. But you've forgotten something..."

A jerk of his head, green and blue get ready to pounce.

"We're. Not. Them."

Flames emerge from their leaders hands.

"On the count of three boys."

Butch's hands begin to glow, waves of power dissipating into the air around him as his body shakes with excitement.

"Three."

-0-

Monster island wasn't nearly as scary a place as the name would lead you to believe. Bubbles went there often, to assist with the monster scouts. Even participating in activities during the summer.

Out of her three- now four sisters- Bubbles understood the residents of Monster Isle the best. Mostly due to her ability to understand any language, but it was certainly aided by her compassion for all living things. She'd been planning to introduce Bunny to some of her friends there.

But not like this. Guttural screeches and moans come from her younger sister, floating and convulsing above the isle. Pulses of purple power prevent anyone from getting close, accompanied by streaks of ugly pink.

She'd seen something similar to this, a year before. In retrospect, that was the last time she'd seen Boomer in battle. Barring of course, the beat down the previous Saturday. That was... interesting, to say the least.

Her elder sisters were close behind her, having stopped at the house to grab some supplies. But Bubbles could safely say those wouldn't do much good.

This fight was up to Bunny, no matter how much watching it hurt.

-0-

Paramedics arrive at the scene, taking over from the various doctors that had been there for the convention.

Bunny had burst through all five of the buildings floors, thankfully only injuring those too close. And there were very few of those, due to the next speech on the roster. One he had planned on watching himself. A discussion on the various applications of-

No no, he shouldn't get distracted. His daughter was in danger. And his phone was broken from debris crushing it. Narrowly missed getting his hand as well...

The creatures words were troublesome, three to four and six to eight? What in the world could that be referring to? What was the location Him wanted to gain access to? Was it even a location?

"Utonium? You need to get your hand treated, so that burn doesn't get infected."

The woman with prosthetic limbs is leaning down, taking his fried hand in hers and examining it.

"Or at the very least so you retain the nerves... Utonium?"

Focus was difficult, with the combination of pain and fear wracking his body and mind. Had to try though. Had to. For Bunny. For his girls.

"He's in shock ma'am, step aside."

White… white… All he could see was white….

-0-

Boomer simply didn't have it in him to hate. Dislike perhaps, but never hate.

He didn't even hate the Powerpuff Girls for killing him. Not in the way his brothers did, at least.

Yes, Boomer simply could not hate. At least, he thought so. However there was one being that brought out hatred from him.

Him.

Unlike his brothers, he remembered most of their time under Hims control. Maybe it was for the best that he was the only one who remembered that bright white light and motherly voice, since all that followed was pain.

He tried to ask Bubbles for help once, during that awful time. Him hadn't let him. The creatures hold on him had been too strong... but Mojo freed them.

That same white light filled with motherly love flowed through Mojo on that day, severing the connection. Two other voices accompanied their fathers, filling them with light and hope.

His brothers didn't remember this and called him a sissy if he brought it up. Maybe they were right in that. Regardless, he was simply happy to have them with him.

Their new addition dangles from the monsters claws, brow furrowed. Still deep in sleep. Red lightning- disturbingly familiar- occasionally arcing across his body.

None of their blows were doing any damage. It was almost like Him was playing with them.

Or maybe he wasn't even there. It wouldn't be the first time... A plan forms in Boomers mind as he zooms around. If he's right then well, he won't get a face full of gross lobster claw. Again.

Changing course directly for Bull, his brothers shout for him to stop. But in a puff of pink smoke Bull is in his arms. Wisps grab at him, leaving burn marks down his skin and clothing. Ugly, familiar marks.

Curling up around the smaller boy, Boomer shouts his defiance.

"Fight Him Bull, you have to fight him!"

-0-

"...fight him!"

Softs voice. Softs touch…. Soft was there.

Closing his eyes, Bull let his brothers touch clear the pink fog attempting to cloud his mind. Purple had ceased her crying, laying limp in the chains, twitching occasionally.

Wait…

The same chains had started to form from the clouds, around his own limbs.

That wasn't right.

Lines become more defined, but before they could solidify a pulse of purple- it had to be purple, he was purple, she was purple- dispersed them. The claw on his shoulder grips tighter.

"Cuuuursssssed child, Flow…. Interfering yet again."

It hurt. The claw. It… hurt.

Purple was hurt.

It was trying to hurt him too.

It didn't like Soft.

So Bull didn't like it either.

Finally, something in this weird place that made sense.

-0-

None of this data made sense! Was it corrupted? Had Buttercup downloaded a trojan horse again? Oh this was bad bad bad bad bad bad-

"Upside down Leader Girl."

An annoyingly calm Buttercup turns the tablet and all at once sense returned.

"Oh. Thank you, Buttercup."

There was no time to be embarrassed, as pained screams echo through the air. Now readable- although if she had realized it was upside down before she probably could have read it anyways- the data reflected the horror they were seeing before them.

Each mangled scream let out a blast of power, aiming for the volcano. Purple ripples flow over a previously invisible barrier, giving it true form for the first time since its discovery.

But that wasn't her focus right now.

Her focus was on her sister.

The lightning arcing across her body was eerily familiar. Intertwining, seemingly forcing Bunnys signature purple aura to its will.

Bunnys flesh bulged slowly, only to quickly shrink back to her new normal. Black swollen veins pulsed an ugly pink. Only one being could be doing this. The parallels were clear. Hims power, flowing through her body, forcing her to the edge of explosion, but never letting it happen.

"Bubbles."

Said puff startles, having been focused on the horror before them.

"Get the citizens to the far end of the island. If things go sour, there's no telling how much damage could be dealt."

Perking up upon being given something to do, Bubbles gives her elder sister a salute, vanishing from sight moments later.

Buttercup watches her go.

"... Do you think we'll lose her again? So soon after getting her back…?"

Pausing, Blossom meets her eyes.

"I refuse to lose her again. Are you with me?"

Any uncertainty leaves her face, a sharp nod confirming her resolve.

"Good."

-0-

Tired… she was so tired…. Couldn't she just sleep again?

"Keep holding on, please, they need you…"

Who needed her again?

She could feel her fingers again. Something warm was holding her.

Opening her eyes, deep purple has replaced the ugly pink.

A strong pulse of energy surrounds her.

It felt right.

It felt safe.

"Savior, we will see you soon."

-00-

Ah, its been a while. This chapter, despite how short it is, has been in production for what, two years now? I've gotten a few favorites and follows in that time, bringing a smile to my face and encouraging me to write a few more words, if only a few.

Life has been kicking me in the butt lately, but rest assured the random comments that appeared on this story and my other one helped bring a smile to my face when I'd felt down. Proof I could make things, y'know?

Thank you all, and look forwards to the next chapter! With no small amount of luck it won't take me quite this long.

And remember, I have a PPGZ comic on my deviantart, which you can find in my profile description! I managed to backlog that so I have quite a few pages to post still, be sure to tell me what you think!