For those who thought Bubbles was out of character in the last chapter, I want people to know that I have a reason for her behavior. She's pissed. How long do you think she can handle watching someone literally go out of their way to make her sister's life hell? And now she's pushed Blossom over the edge and is still talking? I wanted to show that although Bubbles is still sweet, she's still a teenager now, and has a dark side too, it just takes more to get it to come out.

Chapter 11

Nothing. Still nothing. Buttercup had been flying over Townsville for weeks now, and she still hadn't found any sign of Mojo Jojo's base. Ace was sure it was an air base, and his info (sadly) was never wrong, nor was he the kind of guy to put Buttercup on a wild goose chase. So that just meant it was really well hidden, and damn was it hidden. She didn't hope to bump into it, but she did at least hope to see some sign of it. After flying for a good few hours she stopped and floated in mid air with her arms crossed.

"Damn it!" Buttercup said to herself, "A clue of what I'm looking for would be nice!" She looked around, and saw nothing but the same clouds. Ace didn't tell her to fly around and search for it, that was her idea, and she was beginning to feel that she it wasn't one of her best ideas. Right when she was about to give up, she saw something red fly down to Townsville, "Hello..." she said before flying after it.

When she touched ground she landed in another alleyway. She looked around until she saw Brick standing in front of a newly made symbol, and he was with Mojo Jojo! Buttercup wanted to immediately rush out and fight, but even she knew better than to rush out and fight a Rowdyruff Boy without a tried to listen to their conversation, but they were too far out of range even for her supersonic hearing. Whatever they were talking about they were referencing the symbol a lot, and Mojo looked pretty serious.

Eventually Mojo looked like he told Brick to do something, and Brick nodded before flying off. What was that all about? Why were Brick and Mojo making these symbols? Nothing made sense anymore, and Buttercup was getting more confused.

"What the hell is going on?"

Blossom was getting a little tired of sitting around the house all day and night. She looked out at the night sky finding it hard to focus on her school work, which was mostly going well. Her Art Teacher still wouldn't give her an A on her work (which were the only assignments she had to leave home to do, but she waited until everyone else was gone to do them), and that had her really pissed. She also noticed that she had started getting really bad headaches, which was making her even more annoyed.

"I need some fresh air," she said to herself getting up.

When she got downstairs she saw the Professor sitting on the couch reading a newspaper. She didn't want to say anything to him, but she knew that if she didn't he would just get worried, so she walked over to him.

"I'm going for a walk," she told the Professor, who looked up from his paper with a smile.

"Okay, you have your key, right?" he asked, getting a nod from Blossom, "Good. I'll leave dinner for you on the counter, just in case you come in late," he got another nod from Blossom, who turned to walk out, but the Professor wasn't done, "Is everything okay, honey?" he asked, making Blossom stop.

"Yeah, I just need to get out of this house for a bit. Fly around the Townsville skyscrapers, stuff like that," she didn't turn around, which she knew had the Professor worried, but she didn't want him to see her face. It was a lot easier to lie about her feelings when she wasn't looking at the person she was lying to.

The Professor sighed, "Well, okay then. Just be careful out there. I don't care if you have super powers," he said with an edge of levity, making Blossom giggle a bit. This time she did turn around and smile at him.

"I will," with that she turned and walked out of the house.

Outside, she actually didn't start flying. In truth, when she said that she wanted to go for a walk, she meant walk. She rarely eve flew unless she wanted to escape from everything. Be in that one place where no one could find her. Right now though, all she wanted to do was clear her head.

As she walked though, a white limo rode up next to her. The window rolled down and (much to Blossom's dismay) revealed Princess, who was smiling evilly.

"Hey Blossom!" Princess said overly enthusiastically, "How's it going?" Don't answer, Blossom thought, do not grace her with an answer, "I missed you at school. It's just so boring there without you," Yeah, boring without your punching bag, Blossom thought, her heart racing right now, "You know, the school talent show is coming up. I hope you come to at least see that. Maybe you could even enter. But then again, being invisible isn't really a talent."

"Go somewhere!" Blossom snapped at Princess suddenly, unable to hold it in any longer. Sadly that just made Princess laugh, as it was just what she wanted.

"Good to see your voice still works," Princess taunted, "Oh by the way, I lied. The school is way better with one less freak to worry about," and Princess finally drove off, leaving Blossom on the verge of tears. Not tears of sadness, but tears of rage. Even after what happened, Princess still wouldn't shut up. Blossom felt like she was never going to escape this, and she almost wanted to really hurt Princess. Put her in a hospital or something.

Yes... that sounds like a good plan... That's where all people who you hate should end up...

"I just want her to leave me alone!" Blossom sobbed looking down, her hands balled up in tight fists.

Someone like her probably won't leave you alone until you make them... You have to make your feelings known...

"I tried that..." Blossom said softly, now walking again, "but she just takes all of my feelings and turns them into something else for her to make fun of!"

She's afraid of what you can do... but she isn't afraid of you... I think it's about time you changed that... Blossom...

"BLOSSOM! Look out!" a voice called out from behind her. She looked to her side and saw a truck about to hit her. Before she could react though, something flew into her at high speed, grabbed her, and pushed her out of the street onto the side walk. When Blossom was able to form a thought again, she turned and saw Brick of all people standing there breathing heavily. He looked tired.

"B, Brick?" Blossom asked in shock.

"Are... you... alright?" he breathed out. Just how fast had he flown for him to be this tired?

"Um, yeah," Blossom replied, "Thanks I guess," and Blossom turned to continue her walk.

"Bloss, wait!" Brick called out running after her, "Um, how are you feeling? It's been a couple of weeks, and you still haven't returned from school."

"I'm fine!" Blossom snapped, her heart racing again, but this time it felt different than when it was with Princess.

"Don't worry about Princess, she's all talk and no action."

"Why are you still here?" Blossom asked harshly.

"I just wanted to talk, see how you're doing. Is that a crime?"

"Why do you care so much as to whether I'm "fine" or not? For the record, why do you care so much whether or not I even like you?"

"I thought that would be obvious..." Brick said softly, making Blossom stop and turn to him.

"Obvious? What are you talking about?" she asked.

"That day, seven years ago, I used you, yes. But I realized that day that a lot of those feelings then were real. I went to the correctional facility because of what you said to me, and I wanted to change."

"What I said?" this was really confusing Blossom. Not only was he acting way out of character, but he wasn't making any sense.

"When you told me that you hated me. That hurt, a lot actually. I didn't know why at the time, but eventually whenever I heard you say that to me, and I remembered the look you gave me, I hated myself. So I went to get help, and I tried to change everything that you hated about me, so that maybe I could get your forgiveness, and maybe even... start over..."

"Start over? Are you telling me that you..." Blossom asked, and Brick nodded. Blossom didn't know what to think. Should she laugh in his face? No, he actually looked really sincere. It was hard not to believe him.

But she had been down this rode before with him, and that's why she wore glasses today.

"I know you don't have any reason to believe me, so give me a chance to prove it," Brick said after a while.

"Prove it? How?"

"Let me take you out this Friday at seven o'clock. After that, if you ask me, I'll leave you alone forever."

"Wait, take me out, as in on a date?" Blossom asked, getting another nod from Brick, this one more eager, "How do I know this isn't a trap?"

Brick reached into his pocket and pulled out a vile of white liquid, "This is Antidote X. Give this to the Professor and have him check if it's authentic. After that, take that with you on Friday. If I do anything that you don't like or you find suspicious, you can fire at me with that."

Blossom took the small bottle and looked at it. It definitely looked like Antidote X, the one weakness they all had as it took away their powers. It even made her fingers tingle, which was a sign that it was more than likely Antidote X.

Blossom looked up at Brick, "One date, that's all you want?" Brick nodded, "And if I ask you to leave me alone after that, you'll leave me alone?"

"It'll be like I'm not even there, I promise."

Blossom couldn't believe she was considering this. The answer should have been "hell no", but for some reason Blossom felt a need to see this through. Also, he did sort of save her life (though in hindsight, she was more worried for the driver of the truck than her) and for that he did deserve a fair chance to prove himself.

What was it they said? Innocent until proven guilty, or something to that effect.

"This is your one and only chance, Brick," Blossom said after a minute. Strangely Brick looked really happy.

"You won't regret it," he said with a smile. He then turned and flew off. Blossom looked at the bottle of Antidote X, thinking about what she agreed to.

"I better not regret this."

Professor Utonium was in the lab with Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup examining the Antidote X, which Blossom wasted no time getting to the Professor.

"Well?" Bubbles asked.

"I can tell you one thing, he was telling the truth about this. This is definitely Antidote X," the Professor stated.

"But so little?" Bubbles said looking at the bottle.

"That's probably because any more than this would kill the poor boy," Professor Utonium said, shocking everyone, "This is the strongest batch of Antidote X I've ever seen, and it's clearly fresh."

"He was telling the truth..." Blossom said to herself.

Buttercup looked away annoyed, "This smells like a trap," she said to herself.

"I don't know Buttercup," Bubbles said, "According to Blossom he looked sincere, and he's been making sure that Blossom gets her homework."

"But remember who he is. He's the leader of the Rowdyruff Boys, created by Mojo Jojo, who knows what he's thinking. Blossom shouldn't go."

"Maybe you should let me make my own decisions," Blossom snapped looking at Buttercup, who looked absolutely shocked.

"Wait, what?" Buttercup asked. Blossom then walked out of the lab.

"Where are you going?" Bubbles asked when Blossom was right at the door.

"I have a date in two days, I need to pick out what I'm going to wear," Blossom said walking out. Buttercup was incredulous. She hated Brick, and here she was actually thinking about going on a date with him? Buttercup rushed after Blossom. Bubbles looked at the Professor, who just shrugged his shoulders.

Blossom was looking in her closet searching for a dress to wear for Friday. It was kind of sad that she didn't have too many nicer clothes. Mostly just plain and practical outfits, not what you'd wear for a date.

Buttercup barged into her room, "You can't be seriously thinking about this!" Buttercup shouted.

"It's my business, not yours," Blossom said with a sigh.

"You were the one telling us that he's a Rowdyruff Boy and that he couldn't change!"

"But I also do believe in giving people a fair chance. Besides, the Professor confirmed that it was really Antidote X."

"If you go out there, you're asking for trouble," Buttercup said seriously.

"And why do you suddenly care all of a sudden?" Blossom snapped, "You didn't seem to care too much before when it was Princess teasing me!"

"That's because Princess is Princess, and can't really do anything to hurt you. Brick is actually dangerous though!"

"You're wrong Buttercup, Princess can really hurt me, and she does hurt me every chance she gets. She might not be able to throw me into a building or anything, but what she actually does hurts me, and it hurts just as bad if not more! I'm sorry Buttercup, but unlike you, I actually have emotions, and I'm not made of steel!"

That remark clearly hurt Buttercup, because her expression got really dark, "You think I'm emotionless? Well, I'm sorry that I'm not an emotional wreck!"

"Just go Buttercup! You don't have anything nice to say, and I have a date to prepare for!"

"Gladly!" Buttercup turned to Blossom's door, "Have "fun" on your date!" Buttercup stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Blossom threw a pillow at the door, and then sat on her bed screaming. Buttercup didn't understand anything, she had just proven that. As she lied down on her bed venting her frustrations though, even she found it hard to keep the dark thoughts away.