I'm glad that people like this story. I usually prefer reviews, but people putting the story in their favorites story section works too.

Seriously though, please review. I need to hear from the people!

PS: As this is meant to be a pretty serious story, we do see Miss Bellum's face.

Chapter 4

Blossom could keep acting out of she wanted to, Buttercup wasn't going to waste time dealing with it. It was because she acted out like that that the student body didn't like her. Well, Buttercup had more important things to worry about, like the strange graffeti in Townsville. She decided to head to City Hall after school to speak with Miss Bellum.

Miss Bellum decided to run for mayor of Townsville after the previous Mayor retired. She still remembered the days when she would be called in simply to open a pickle jar that he had spent the entire day trying to open to no avail. When he retired he convinced her to run for mayor as she was "the only person truly qualified for the job". Now here she was in what used to be his office, running the city as best as she could.

She surprisingly aged very well. She still looked exactly the same as she did twelve years ago: tall, busty, long and full red hair that covered her right eye, sharp hazel eyes, and full sensual lips. She wore a darker shade of lip stick now giving her a much more darker look, and she switched the red business suit she always wore as a secretary for a dark red version. Why she had such a darker look now only a few people knew, but as she had become a more serious person (if you can imagine that) many people thought that she was just over worked.

As she waited for Buttercup she found herself looking at a picture of he and the Mayor. She hated that picture mostly because her head was out of the shot. She did however keep it because the Mayor was in it, along with Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup when they were five. They were such adorable five year old girls, so she wasn't surprised when they grew up into almost sexy teenagers. The only thing that did make her sad was that she rarely saw all three of them together these days.

She was snapped out of her daze when she heard a knock on her door, "Yes?" she asked.

"Mayor Bellum, Buttercup is here," her secretary, Lisa, said.

"Thank you Lisa, bring her in," Miss Bellum said setting the picture down. Lisa bowed and walked off, a minute later walking back leading Buttercup into the office. She probably just came from school because she was still wearing her school uniform.

"Good afternoon, Mayor Bellum," Buttercup said with a smile.

Miss Bellum laughed at Buttercup's greeting, "Good afternoon Buttercup. And please, you don't have to emphasize it so much."

"I'm sorry, it just has such a nice ring to it," Buttercup said shrugging her shoulders, but then got serious, "But let's get down to business."

"I assume you're here about the vandalism in Townsville, correct?" Miss Bellum asked getting up and going to her window.

"Yeah, mainly the graffiti that follows the attacks. It looks like the Gangreen Gang's handy work, but I'm not sure." Buttercup said.

"It isn't Ace's gang," Miss Bellum sounded really sure about that, which made Buttercup raise an eyebrow.

"How do you know?"

"Because I spoke to Ace about it a few nights ago. He seemed pretty sincere."

"Ace doesn't know the meaning of sincere," Buttercup said crossing her arms. Miss Bellum remembered then that she and Ace had history.

"I know that's how you feel, but he is really trying hard to change," she had to think about that last sentence, "Okay, not too hard, but he isn't the one Buttercup."

"No offence Miss Bellum, but I'm going to need a little more than that to believe it."

"I figured as much, so here's their current address," Miss Bellum said handing Buttercup a piece of paper, "You'll see, he really is changing."

"We'll see," Buttercup said looking at the address, "Thanks Miss Bellum," she continued as she was walking out, but before she left...

"By the way, how is everyone back home?" Miss Bellum asked.

"The Professor is doing well," Buttercup began, "Bubbles is... Bubbles."

"And Blossom? How is she?" Buttercup was deadly silent for the longest time, which scared Miss Bellum a bit.

"She's... in her own world right now," Buttercup replied slowly, as if not sure how to say it.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I have nothing to do with her and her "miserable" life," now Miss Bellum was worried, "If she wants to wollow around in self pity she can do it herself. I have a city to defend," Buttercup looked down, "At least someone remembers our promise twelve years ago."

"A promise?" Miss Bellum asked, but Buttercup kept walking out of her office, not turning back. Miss Bellum walked over to another picture of her with the three of them also at age five. This time you could see Miss Bellum's face as it was a close up picture of all four of them together, and they were all smiling.

It hurt her, seeing them like this, and remembering the days when they were practically inseparable.

Buttercup landed in front of an old warehouse. She looked at the address on the paper, and then looked up at the address on the building.

"Here's the place. It is significantly nicer than their old place," Buttercup said, remembering the junkyard they used to live in.

She walked into the warehouse, but the second she got in there was a loud bang, followed by foot steps. She looked around and saw Snake, Grubber, Lil' Arturo, and Big Billy all surrounding her. Surprisingly they looked the same as they did before, if not a little taller in Arturo's case.

"Well, if it issssssn't Buttercup Utonium," Snake said, holding a led pipe.

"She's trespassing on our territory amigos," Arturo said, "I say we do something about that."

Big Billy began laughing, "Yeah, Big Billy break her in two!" he shouted like a child, Grubber clapping his hands in agreement.

Buttercup charged up her fists getting ready to fight as they closed in, but...

"Stand down boys!" a fifth voice called out, making Buttercup's heart jump a bit. She recognized that voice instantly. As the other members cleared a path, Buttercup saw him sitting behind a desk looking really relaxed. He looked the same, which Buttercup was secretly happy about.

The Gangreen Gang's top dog, Ace.

"I told you jokers before," Ace continued, "There are two people in this miserable town that are always welcome through that door; the sexy Sara Bellum, and the equally beautiful Buttercup Utonium," Ace smiled after saying that, showing his fangs.

Buttercup crossed her arms and turned away, trying to ignore how fast her heart was racing right now. She would never admit it to Ace, but that smile of his always got her excited. She hated that about herself, and hated that despite how ugly and dirty the other four were, Ace had to be the one that was clean and good looking.

"We need to talk Ace," Buttercup said.

"Of course. After all, why else would you come down here unless you wanted something?" Ace snapped his fingers silently commanding Snake and the others to leave them. Once they were alone, Buttercup walked over to Ace's desk, "I'm surprised you didn't bring the other two Powder Puffs with you," Ace joked.

"It's Powerpuff," Buttercup corrected, "And I don't need their help to handle you Ace."

"As fiesty as always, just the way I like you," Ace said, clearly looking at Buttercup's assets now.

"Enough with the chauvinistic bull shit!" Buttercup snapped, shocking Ace for a second, but then making him laugh.

"And that's why you're my favorite Powerpuff. Alright, what can I do for you?"

"I'm only going to ask this once, and I expect the truth! Do you and the other Gangreens have anything to do with the vandalism and graffiti going on in Townsville?"

Ace laughed again, "Still trying to nab us, eh? Well I hate to disappoint you, sweet cheeks, but that isn't the Gangreen Gang's style."

"What do you mean "isn't the Gangreen Gang's style"?"

"Like I said, it isn't our style. You think of the Gangreen Gang and what comes to mind? Crude drawings, our symbol, rude statements, stuff like that. These symbols though, not our shtick, you dig?" Ace got up and walked around Buttercup, "Besides, we're clean now. We like causing trouble, but we've toned it down a good deal, you know that."

"No, I heard that," Buttercup said turning to face Ace again, "I don't believe it for a second."

Ace got really close to Buttercup and lowered his sunglasses, showing his sharp red eyes, "Look me in the eyes and tell me that I'm being insincere."

Being that close to him made her heart race again. She didn't want to admit it, but she could tell, he was being truthful. She pushed away from him and started walking out of the warehouse.

"It was nice seeing you again," Ace said arrogantly. Buttercup scowled, and then continued out of the warehouse.

Once outside she looked at the night sky, thinking about that symbol. If it wasn't the Gangreen Gang, then who could have done it. She needed more info on that symbol and on the other criminals of Townsville. Sadly for that, Ace was her best source of information, since he did tend to have his hands in everything that went on in Townsville, legal or otherwise.

As she flew home she saw someone looking at one of those symbols. She flew down to get a closer look at who it was, and was surprised when she saw the familiar purple cape.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that," Buttercup said to the person, who turned in her direction, "But I didn't think you would stoop so low as to resort to destruction of public property, Mojo Jojo."

Mojo Jojo walked out of the shadows with a toothy grin, "Ah, my worthy adversary. It's so nice to see you again."

"Tell me about it," Buttercup said cracking her fists, "I was afraid that you had forgotten about us. So, do you want it above the belt today, or below?"

"As much as I enjoy the thought of tearing you limb from limb, especially with you being alone, without your sisters, unable to fight at your fullest extent, I'm afraid that I, Mojo Jojo, have much more important things to worry about, things which do not include you, or your sisters, interfering with my plans."

"Aw, what's more important than spending time with your favorite niece?" Buttercup taunted.

"A simpleton such as you who lacks the keen intellect that one such as I possesses would not understand the complicated depths of my plan. So instead of wasting time monologuing with you, telling you of my master plan, I shall instead bid you, adieu," Mojo Jojo said pushing a red button.

Suddenly a laser beam shot at Buttercup from the side knocking her to the side. She got up and saw a silver tank with two lasers and two drill arms approaching her. She looked at where Mojo Jojo was but saw that he was gone.

"Damn it!" she said punching the ground. She then got up and got in a fighting stance, "Well, at least I get to fight something. Try not to get scrapped too soon!"

Buttercup ran up to the tank. The tank slammed one of it's drill arms to Buttercup, but she jumped to the side and then jumped up in the air and did a jumping uppercut to the tank. It did a good deal of damage, but not enough to destroy it.

Buttercup smirked, and then flew away from the tank as it fired its lasers at her. She flew straight up in the air away from the laser, and then flew back to the tank and tackled it knocking it into a building.

She landed in front of it, and waited to see if it would emerge. When it did, she ran up to it and began punching it continuously, not getting through it's armor though. It eventually slammed one of it's drill arms into Buttercup, who flew into another building a few meters away. She staggered up and looked back up at it, only to see it fire its lasers at her. This time she wasn't able to dodge it though, and took the attack head on.

As she staggered to her feet she saw the tank rolling up in front of her. She began wishing that Blossom and Bubbles were with her. Fighting Mojo Jojo was a lot different than fighting a few criminals. Mojo was smart, and he actually knew how they fought, thus actually making him dangerous. Right when she was about to pull out her cell phone though, her memory went back to earlier

Flashback

"That's not fair!" Buttercup said to Blossom.

A few seconds later...

Blossom lunged at Buttercup, and it looked like they were about to fight.

End flashback

As she remembered what happened between her and Blossom, her fist clenched, and all of her anger came back. She got up and looked at the tank with determination.

"I don't need Blossom, or Bubbles! I'll destroy this thing and stop Mojo Jojo all by myself!" Buttercup shouted running up to the tank. She then began punching it again, this time denting it's armor. She then jumped away as it fired it's lasers where she was previously. When she landed she punched the ground causing the tank to fall over. She held up her fist and charged it up with green energy, and punched the ground creating a wave on the ground which rushed at the tank, destroying it instantly.

As she got up she looked at the tank in anger, "I don't need them! I'll defend Townsville all by myself!" Buttercup proclaimed. She looked around, realizing that by now Mojo Jojo was long gone, "But where did you run off to?" she pondered this for a little while longer, and then flew off back to Professor Utonium's.

Once again, please review. All I ask is to refrain from flames.