Dragon's Fury
Chapter 16: Caught in the Middle
A gentle breeze blew through the Endsville park. Families were enjoying picnics and people were taking their dogs out for a walk. The slight cool the wind brought with it was an omen about the coming of Fall.
The slight drop in temperature made the bright sun that much more bearable as summer tried to hold its grip on the land.
For Buttercup it didn't make much difference. Her new body was immune to any increase in temperature the sun would bring. Strolling down the stone walkway through the park alongside her husband and Ferratus, the wind merely toyed with her short ebony locks.
The purpose for their walk was not just for the sake of a simple stroll in the park, it was to discuss a sensitive issue in a less formal setting. It would make it more comfortable for both of them.
It was the afternoon of the day Buttercup had gone to give her parents her ultimatum. Now she was discussing with Will about Blossom and Bubbles coming to stay with them for a while to ease her parents minds.
"Are they still so paranoid?" Will asked.
Buttercup sighed. "Yes, and I know it's annoying but it would probably bring an end to this mess. I need some closure to this whole thing. I'm just tired of it all.
Will gently grasped her hand. "I know Buttercup but think about your sisters too. How do they feel about being caught up in the middle? We know what happened to Bubbles. What does she need to have some closure?"
Buttercup grimaced. What Bubbles had gone through during those hours of Buttercups captivity had not been pleasant. In some ways it was as bad or worse compared to what she had gone through.
For her, the world she knew had been slowly torn apart, but for Bubbles it had come down all at once, in a single stroke of betrayal.
"I guess I should talk to them before we make a final decision", Buttercup admitted.
"I'm okay with it", Will told her. "After all they're my family now too, but yes you really should talk to them."
He stopped as he realized that Buttercup's attention had suddenly been diverted.
Just a short ways off a family was playing near the pond. The mother sat on a classic red and white picnic cloth watching the father play catch with a rubber ball with their two children and dog.
Subconsciously Buttercup put her hand on her belly and her eyes became distant and wistful.
Will smiled and gently grabbed her shoulders. "Don't worry sweetheart, our time will come."
Buttercup sighed and they resumed their walk. "Does Ferratus play fetch?"
Will laughed. "Only if it's food he's catching."
Ferratus made no noise to deny it.
Buttercup smiled and took her husband's arm."I'm looking forward to our life together."
Will put a hand on her head. "So am I."
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Mandy wandered aimlessly around her room stepping aside every time she returned to the stack of empty cardboard boxes waiting to be filled.
She had to start packing now to leave with her aunt; to start a new life somewhere else, but the biggest problem was just getting started.
For the past twenty minutes she had walked in circles having not touched a single item. It still hadn't quite sunk in, she was leaving the home she had lived in since she could remember. Leaving all the people she had come to know over the years. Inevitably this brought her thoughts back to Billy.
The worst part of it all was that she would be separated from her best friend, her lover, the one who had helped create the life she now carried inside her.
At that moment that same little life began to demand food. Mandy was silently grateful for the distraction from the unpleasant task and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
She went to the fridge and frowned at how barren it was. Although the fridge had been fully stocked just two days ago her unborn child's frequent demands for sustenance had stripped it down.
Sighing she took out some yogurt and grabbed a spoon from the drawer. She sat down at the table and started spooning the yogurt from the plastic container into her mouth. Recently she had developed a habit of placing her left hand on her belly as she ate. She wasn't exactly sure why but it did feel soothing.
As she ate she became swept up into a pool of dreamy fantasy as she thoughts turned to her baby.
She imagined what her daughter would look like, what her personality would be, and how she would grow up. It made her remember the task she had been stubbornly avoiding all day.
She thought about another way of doing this, maybe there was a way she could stay. She might be able to stay and hide in Billy's basement. No one would have to know. She could stay there until the baby was ready to be born and then...
She stopped her train of thought cold, realizing what she was thinking, or rather about who she was thinking: herself. She was hit by a vast wave of self loathing as the weight of her selfish mistake cam down on her.
She had only been thinking about herself instead of the most important thing: her baby.
Tears started to flow in rivers down her cheeks and her stomach tightened.
"How could I be so selfish", she cried? "How could I not think about my baby? I'm her mother I'm supposed to think about what's best for her. I'm supposed to always think of her first."
She wrapped her arms around her stomach.
"I'm sorry baby. Mommy's so sorry."
Mandy finally broke down and cried, her wails went unheard beyond the walls of the empty house, not a soul to hear her uncontrolled bawling, and no one to comfort her.
Alone Mandy cried for a good long while until she finally managed to calm herself down and put the yogurt back into the fridge; no longer hungry.
"M-mom's right", she assured herself. "This is the best thing I can do for her. It'll be hard, but I need to do it."
Still holding back tears and sniffling she marched herself up to her room with renewed purpose and began her packing, vowing to finish it that day, for the sake of her baby.
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Feeling clean and physically refreshed, Bubbles stepped out of the shower and began to dry herself.
Earlier she had talked with Blossom briefly about the events of the morning until the talk became uncomfortable when it shifted focus towards herself. To get out of it she mentioned that she hadn't showered since yesterday morning.
Now dried off she looked at her reflection in the mirror. There were faint black circles under her eyes, and overall she did appear a bit stressed.
Bubbles splashed some cold water into her face but it didn't change her appearance at all. Sighing she started to get dressed.
Ordinarily her colour of choice was a light blue of some shade but this time she chose a dark blue blouse with a knee length skirt. Unusually conservative for her.
She looked again into the mirror and frowned. The outfit felt so unlike her and yet right now, it suited her; it suited her mood: dark.
She ran her hands over her figure and her frown deepened. Of the three sisters she had the smallest breasts. That never really bothered her before, but now... People told her that her best physical traits were her fabulously sculpted hips, flowing thighs, and supple rear.
"If they're so good then why not me?" she mumbled to herself.
Why had Buttercup been chosen instead of her? Why wasn't she or even Blossom in her position right now? This had been bothering her on some level for some time now. Out of the three of them why would Buttercup, outwardly the least suited (aside from her D sized mammeries) for motherhood, be chosen?
Bubbles hated to admit it, but now she had to: she was envious of her sister; Extremely envious. Buttercup seemed so happy; she had found her true love, she had children on the way, she was married. All of it seemed so surreal, so idealic. She wanted that.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
She blinked to remove the tears welling up in her eyes and then opened the door to see Blossom.
Blossom looked her over once, taking notice of her change of style.
"What is it", Bubbles asked, hoping to avoid her obvious question?
"Buttercup just called. She wants us to come and see her. She wants to talk."
"Now?"
"Sooner than later."
Bubbles sighed, she wasn't sure she was in the best frame of mind to see Buttercup at the moment, but she had promised to support her, and damn her selfish envy she was going to do it.
"Okay then, I'm ready."
Blossom raised an eyebrow. "You sure."
Bubbles grimaced, Blossom has always been perceptive. "Yes I'm fine, let's go."
Without waiting, Bubbles flew down the stairs and out the door; and only then looked behind her to see if Blossom was following.
Blossom caught up to her and gave her a look asking what was wrong but Bubbles looked away. She didn't want to talk about it right now.
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Mandy added another box to the stack, making this one four high. The boxes that had been empty just a few hours ago were now in five stacks four high, in addition to the five remaining boxes that had yet to be filled.
Now she only had her clothes yet to pack. She had to decide this carefully because she still had a few days before she left and she needed some clothes to wear until then.
She heard the door downstairs open and she could tell from the number of footsteps that it was her mother and siblings. The fact of their true biological relation was something she hadn't gotten used to yet.
As she started to pick through her clothes to decide what she would wear for the next few days her family came up the stairs to her room.
"Mandy!" Miril ran at her from behind and wrapped her tiny arms around her waist.
Mandy smiled and twisted to put a hand on her little sisters head.
"How are you doing Mandy", Krystal asked?
"Okay. Just packing."
"I see. Are you almost done?"
"Just my clothes left."
The rest of her siblings appeared from behind their mother and looked around the room curiously.
"Yes well I've been doing the rounds and taking care of all the loose ends. All while keeping these four under control."
Miril giggled.
"You could have left them with me", Mandy said.
Krystal sighed. "Yes but I thought it best you have some time alone. I know you have a lot on your mind."
That was an understatement.
Mandy looked at the stacks of packed boxes and sighed.
"I guess I just don't know what I'm supposed to do from now on."
Krystal smiled and pulled her into a gentle hug.
"You're supposed to come with us to be a part of our family again so that you can learn how to have your own."
That was something Mandy hadn't considered. She had never been raised in a proper family before, it had always been one dominating the other. Krystal was right; if she wanted to raise her daughter properly she needed to experience a family. If only that could include Billy sooner.
"I just wish some things didn't have to change."
"I know sweetheart, but life often forces things to, and when that happens we just have to do the best we can."
Mandy had to take that to heart, who would know better than her mother. After all that she had been through she would know that.
Mandy returned the hug.
"Thanks mom."
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Bubbles and Blossom landed in front of the door to Will's apartment. The late afternoon traffic was now driving through the suburbs. This door that they had both seen several times already still looked no more welcoming than the first time they had been here.
Blossom extended her finger and rang the doorbell, wondering who would answer.
They soon found out when the door opened to reveal Buttercup wearing the same outfit she had that morning.
"Come on in", she said.
She left the door open and preceded the two up the stairs to the apartment.
The got into the living room and spotted Bunny sitting on one of the chairs.
"You're here too", Blossom asked?
"Aren't I also her sister?"
"That's not what I meant, I..."
Bunny laughed. "Relax I know what you meant."
Buttercup sat down on the other chair and motioned for the two to sit on the couch.
She sighed and then began to explain.
"So anyway, Will and I discussed you two coming over with us."
There seemed to be a kind of sudden hush that came over the room even though no one had been speaking. Blossom found herself holding her breath unconsciously.
"He's okay with it but I thought I should talk to you about it first."
Blossom and Bubbles looked a bit confused.
"What do you mean?", Bubbles asked.
Buttercup sighed.
"Well it seems like you guys are always getting caught in the middle between me and, Mom and Dad. I thought I should ask you guys how you feel about it."
Bubbles and Blossom were speechless. They had not been prepared for that question. Neither of them had ever even thought about how they felt being caught in between, they never even contemplated the very concept.
"I guess it doesn't really bother me", Blossom admitted. "After all it's what I would want to do anyway." Bubbles seemed to agree.
"But what about school", Buttercup asked? "Won't you miss tests? Homework?"
"We can take care of that", Blossom insisted. "Honestly Buttercup it isn't an issue. We can easily make due."
Buttercup frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!"
Bunny frowned and looked over at her blonde haired sister.
"You're awfully quiet Bubbles."
Bubbles fidgeted slightly.
"Is something bothering you", Buttercup asked? "Please tell me."
Bubbles looked away, unable to meet her sister's gaze.
"I noticed you're dressing differently than normal", Bunny commented.
Suddenly aware herself Buttercup looked over surprised.
"Yeah I didn't even know you had a skirt that long."
Bubbles sighed and responded.
"Things can't be the same with me. I can't go back to being the same person I was before."
The others were silent, each one running through their minds about what Bubbles had been through.
"I know Bubbles", Buttercup said breaking the silence. "Of everyone you've been the one caught in the middle the most; that's why I wanted to talk to you. I just don't want you to be hurt like that again. I don't want to feel like I'm using you."
Shocked Bubbles looked at her. "Oh I've never thought about you that way Buttercup honest! It's just that... I'm not the same person I was before."
"And you never will be", Bunny told her. "All you can do is move on best you can and try to live your life as best you can."
"I know, but it's hard."
Bunny nodded knowingly. "But that's why it would be good for you to go. Being part of a family again will help you heal, and help bring back some of that spark you've lost."
Bubbles looked up at her. "Do you think so?"
Bunny nodded assuring. "I know so."
After a brief pause Blossom asked: "When do we leave?"
"Three days", Buttercup answered. "I know it's not much time but It's all the time we have. Most of my stuff is already packed and on its way. Do you have any idea how long you want to stay?"
Blossom frowned. "We probably won't know until we're there. I would imagine at least two weeks."
Bunny laughed. "Trust me; once you're there for a while you won't want to leave. Pack for at least four."
Blossom raised an eyebrow but Bunny's was saying it in all seriousness. It made her wonder: what kind of place could it be?