Chapter 3: The Rowdyruff Boys

It's kind of cliché now that I think about three little girls who saved the world while three little boys attempted to destroy it. I wouldn't be thinking this normally, but after the last couple of days I had it came to me suddenly that fighting each other made no sense.

I wish I had figured that out long ago.

"What's going on Bubble-brain? Where are your sisters?" Brick teased as he crossed his arms confidently. He was so much like Blossom… so strong and independent…

"They're in a coma." I answered. I tried to get my lip not to quiver, but I couldn't help my automatic reactions to things that made me sad. "They haven't woken up from the monster attack."

Boomer tilted his head, but otherwise didn't say anything. Butch wouldn't even look at me. Brick laughed.

"Ha! Bringing down Townsville is going to be like taking candy from a baby. Especially a baby as whiny as you."

I bit my lip. "Do you really have to destroy Townsville?" They looked at me like I was dumb, but I continued on. "What about the other day…?"

"What about it?" Brick demanded.

"Well you helped-"

He scoffed at me. "Please. Like I actually care if the Powerpuff girls are safe. Come on boys! Let's get this over with and start enjoying our new city."

Boomer eager slammed into my side. I grunted as I hit the pavement hard enough for it to crack. I looked towards Butch. He was twitching, and I could tell he wanted to get into the fight, but he was holding himself back. It confused me.

I wanted to know why Butch is so different from his brothers. What had happened to him to have him change from the cruelest, most bloodthirsty of our enemies to one of the nicest?

I screamed when Brick's laser eye beams hit my back. Anger boiled in my belly. I was sick of being everyone's punching bag.

"Listen to me!" I shouted. "We're not all that different and I know that since you helped me and my sisters out when we got attacked you guys aren't all that bad. Why can't you help me? Why do we have to fight?"

"You obviously don't understand the nature of how we were made." Brick informed.

"What? You were made from snails, armpit hair, and puppy dog tails. What's that got to do with it?"

"It means that unlike you, Sugar, our nature is to destroy. It's fun and why the hell should we fight nature if it's fun?"

I felt sad for them. They didn't seem to understand all of the little things that were nice about life. The things that melted even the hardest of hearts.

"You fought your nature once when you saved us. Why can't you fight it again; at least until the Powerpuff Girls can give you a run for your money when it comes to fighting over Townsville?"

Boomer laughed hysterically like I told the best joke in the world. Butch had gone still. And Brick smirked down at me like I was someone to take pity on.

"Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles. Don't you think there are more gullible villains than us out there? I mean you don't really expect us to fall for that, do you?"

I stared up at him floating in the air. Suddenly I knew how to get them to agree. "What kind of villains are so pathetic they can't wait until they have a proper challenge to destroy the city that kicked them out?"

I was so proud of myself I could have patted myself on the back, but that was quickly squashed.

"You know… we could." Brick contemplated. "And it is nice to have a challenge for once; however, what's most likely going to end up happening is our sorry butts will be kicked back out of Townsville and we don't really want that." He smirked. "No deal."

Wait… Did Brick of all people admit he was weaker than the Powerpuff Girls? I thought briefly before fear hit me. All three of them really have changed. He wouldn't have been this quick to be honest, more likely he'd lord it over me how great he was and how… well not we are… I am.

"You've all changed so much." I murmured. Brick and Boomer looked shocked, but Butch finally met my eyes.

"You haven't."

A look passed through two of the brothers before settling on Butch. It was like he didn't see or feel them, like he was blocked from their silent communication. He trained his emerald eyes far off in the distance and I wondered what he saw.

I was going to find out why they had changed so much. And I was going to make them help me protect this city. I knew I couldn't do it on my own, even though I wanted to and to have a chance to keep Townsville together with my worst enemies…

Well it was kind of like a dream come true. I am an optimist after all. I love the thought of setting aside differences and working together.

"Ugh." Brick scoffed. "This is starting to feel like the Brady Bunch. Let's get outta here!"

Butch smirked at me before flying off. Boomer still looked surprised. I gaped at the boys even after they were long gone. Did Brick just give me a break for today?

I smiled. Tonight after my patrols I would talk with the Professor about Blossom's and Buttercup's condition because what fun would it be too kick the Rowdyruff Boy's butts without a little help from my sisters?

For the first time since my epic mess up I've finally felt like things are looking up.

XXX

"The results are inconclusive." The Professor muttered as he paced back and forth between one set of chemicals and another.

"What do you mean they're inconclusive?" I asked. He began to try explaining to me the results of his tests on Blossom and Buttercup, but I didn't understand a word of it. There were too many big words and my head started to ache from trying to keep up.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bubbles." The Professor gave me a weak smile. "What I meant to say was that maybe the monster's DNA affected the Chemical X in Blossom and Buttercup's system. I'm doing what I can to find some way to stabilize my results, but unless I get a sample of it's DNA there's no telling how long it will take for the girls to wake up."

I frowned at the floor.

"Now that doesn't mean you need to go hunt down that dangerous monster. I'll do what I can to fix this. Until then you hang in there. And remember to come straight home if you get in over your head. There's no reason for something to happen to you too."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He didn't know I'd been doing patrols, even though I've failed at fighting any of the villains my sisters and I would regularly defeat. Or that I tried to get the Rowdyruff Boys to help me out…

Yeah, he definitely didn't need to know that part.

My mind whirled from one thought to another. "Professor?"

"Yes, honey?"

"What kind of stuff do you have to collect for a DNA sample?"

He gave me a stern look, which I repaid with one of complete innocence. "Well… a little hair or bodily fluids is an example of a DNA sample."

"Really?" I asked. "Cool!"

He smiled and prattled on while I snuck out of his lab. He didn't need to know what I was going to do. And it shouldn't be too hard either. Snatch some hair and run like hell, then be the hero!

I bit my lip as I landed in a more discreet location outside of Townsville. It was time to practice fighting moves all by myself.

Surprising myself, I felt more comfortable being alone rather than have Buttercup rag on me or Blossom lecture me on how to fight better. It gave me more confidence to try different things.

Nothing could possibly go wrong that hasn't already, right? I mean… I was already the cause of a coma, and have been beaten to a pulp by more than one bad guy, then rescued by another bad guy… No. There was no way anything could go wrong by tracking down the monster that defeated us and getting a DNA sample.

Fly in, then out. That was my plan.

NOTES:
Not my favorite chapter, but I hope all of you enjoyed it. Thank you for all of your reviews.