Chapter 6: Blast From the Past

Bubbles plopped a marshmellow into the sixth and final mug of hot cocoa that she had prepared. Bubbles brought a tray to the ring of people who were sitting on pillows in front of the fireplace. Walking around the circle of odd colored eye teens, she offered off mugs of the warm chocolate fluid before claiming the last mug. She sat down on a greenish brown pillow between Blossom and Boomer. Bubbles glanced at Buttercup, then at Blossom. They really did look pretty identicle. It had been brought to her attention when her and Buttercup had met the guys that they looked similar too. That would mean that all three of them looked similar. Bubbles couldn't get the idea out of her head. How creepy that three strangers...well semi strangers, can look so similar.

Blossom thought that the snug little underground cabin was cute. The walls were made out of smooth dirt. A table constructed of dark brown wood stood on the left side of the doorway that led to the underground room. It was cluttered with dirty plates, but that was it. From what Blossom was able to tell, Bubbles preferred to keep the place tidy and Buttercup seemed to assist the other guys with messing up the house. Blossom craned her neck to the right,looking back behind her. There wasn't a washtub or any curtains. Just some piles of dirty clothes assorted by colors and some sleeping bags. They were sitting on the pillows. Blossom figured that the small group bathed and did laundry at a small pool of water that they passed by not very far away.

Blossom looked back at the doorway, then at Buttercup who was sitting across from her. "How do you guys keep intruders from getting in? I know you have the giant rock blocking the entry, but what if it was to be blasted to pieces or something?"

Buttercup set her mug down onto the dirt floor. "You see, Blossom, this entire underground area has been protected by a spell that only allows Splitzers inside of its boundaries. A 100% mortal wouldn't be able to enter without being invited."

Blossom nodded. Seemed like a solid solution. She glanced between Bubbles and Buttercup. A few questions still floated around inside her head. She bit her lower lip before proceeding with her questions. "I don't want to pry. If its to personal, feel free to not answer, but how did you guys all meet?"

Butch sipped from his mug, then wiped off the chocolaty residue from his upper lip with the back of his hand. "They fell in love with us the second they saw us and wouldn't stop fan girling until we made them a part of our team."

Buttercup thwacked Butch on the back of the head. "Moron." She turned back to the rest of the group. " Well, when I was little, I was greatly abused by my stepfather and my two step brothers. According to the story they developed and told me, my father died of heart failure when I was a few days old. Shortly after, my mother remarried that asshole. Then she died somehow. I didn't believe them. I'm guessing that I was kidnapped because of my Gifts, because they used me to fight for their entertainment, slaughtering people for no reason." Buttercup looked at the floor. She looked like she would bust out crying, but instead held her composure. Her voice never wavered.

"tell her your Gift, BC" Bubbles urged, reaching forward to hold onto her friend's hand. Blossom did likewise. The three girls locked eyes for a moment, and a electrical surge coursed through them into each other.

The three girls felt their heart rate increase and released their hands. Boomer, Butch, and Brick were watching interested, but didn't risk interrupting the tense and emotional conversation.

Buttercup smiled. "My element is Weather. I can't actually command the weather, but my emotions help influence the outcome of natural weather."

Blossom gave a skeptical look. "Huh?"

Bubbles smiled. "For example, if the day was naturally sunny and Buttercup was sad, her emotion could help influence the weather around where we are at by maybe adding a few over cast clouds to the sky. If she was extremely sad or heartbroken, her emotions might be strong enough to combat the original composition of the sunny day and make it an overcast rainy day thoroughly." she explained.

Blossom beamed. "Okay! I get it. She doesn't actually control the weather but her natural emotions help combat the original days forecast, thus influencing the outcome of the weather patterns!" she concluded, proud about understanding the lecture.

"Exactly." Buttercup agreed.

Boomer chuckled. "We've known them for 2 years and I still don't know what the heck you guys just said."

"Anyways," Buttercup continued with her backstory. "My other Gift is Combat. Preferably hand to hand combat. I can handle a bow with arrows but I am more skilled and more deadly while wielding a sword or even a small dagger." Blossom nodded. "Anyways, my step family didn't feed me or let me play. Instead I had to kill people for their entertainment at age 10 because they claimed that they were 'sharpening my abilities.'"

Bubbles whimpered. "I'm pretty sure I was kidnapped to." Everyone turned to her. Tears threatened. "I think it's time to tell you my back story too. It's not fair that I have with held it from you guys for so long." Buttercup opened her mouth to say something but Bubbles cut her off. "Except you, Buttercup."

Brick sat up- he had been lying on his stomache. "Bubbles, you don't need to tell us if you don't want too. It's really fine."

Bubbles shook her head. "No. I knew that I was waiting for a specific day with specific people. I'm pretty sure today is the day I was waiting for."

Blossom's eyes widened upon hearing this. "You were waiting for me?" she wondered, astonished.

Bubbles gave a slight nod. "I am not sure why, but I feel like we are linked in a way. But back to my story." the remaining teens leaned in to better listen to the blue clad girl. Buttercup stayed content where she was,since she had apparently already heard the story before.

"I was in the care of a woman named Femme. She was very mean to me from the moment I could walk. I have the Gifts of Language and Water. She never really used me for my powers, as she saw that they were useless." Bubbles released a crestfallen sigh, resulting in several other sighs. "I can't even count all the nights I went to bed without any food for that day. I didn't bath for months at a time. I had bruises and scars from where she would beat me with braids of rope." Bubbles started crying softly.

Blossom pulled Bubbles into a tight hug before Boomer could make move himself. Buttercup crawled across the short diameter of the deformed circle and hugged her too. Bubbles sniffles, then continued on.

"After she beat me to a bloody mess one night when I was 14 for missing a small smudge on a plate while cleaning the dishes, I knew she wasn't afraid to kill me. Without thinking, I grabbed my octopus doll Octy, my only friend at the time, and escaped out the window, headed for the nearest town." Boomer, Butch, and Brick sat cross legged, listening withheavy hearts.

Boomer hung his head. How aweful! No wonder poor Bubbles never told them about her childhood. Her mother figure was a demon! Boomer looked at Bubble's hand,mresting on the floor trembling. How he wanted to hold her hand! Tohuddle her! To let her know that it was all over, and that he would keep her safe from every harm.

Bubbles breathing was shallow, her face pink, her bright neonish blue eyes bloodshot. At least her tears had ceased. Buttercup inhaled a sharp breath. "About two days earlier, I had escaped Ace and my stepbrothers because they were going to have me killed."

Blossom gasped, and choked on her breath. Kill her?

"I had been told to kill an old guy, but I refused. Ace and those other sorry pieces of life tried fighting me but failed. They were so embarrassed..."

"I would be embarrassed to. A 29, 19, and 20 year old men beaten publicly by a 14 year old, in hand to hand combat! Talk about impressive!" Butch commented, trying to lighten the mood.

"They were so embarrasseby that they were going to call the town guard to execute me publicly."

Blossom shook her head in horror. "For refusing an order and just causing embarrassment?! How cruel!"

Buttercup nodded her head. "my step brother Snake spotted me when I was sneaking away. I had to kill him quietly. I stole a horse, and started towards Troth. On my way, I was taking a back road through the woods when I saw a bloody heap on the side of the road."

"That was me," Bubbles sniffed.

"At first I thought she was a dead animal, but when I got closer I could see that she was still breathing and a person my age. I stopped the bleeding on her biggest wound, and took her to a side town called Crone. She was awake when we got there, and I explained I was a friend. When we realized that each other was a Splitzer, our friendship was sealed.I took her to some healer and he made me promise to serve him 18 years in payment since I was stupid and didn't swipe any cash from Ace. I agreed and he stables Bubbles." Buttercup explained.

Blossom slowly nodded. "Something tells me you didn't keep your promise."

Buttercup shrugged innocently. "After she was stable, I swiped her medicine and we took off on my horse horse before day break. We were traveling by night and camping during the day."

Bubbles broke away from the embrace, and sat cross legged beside Boomer. "One night, a rich guy with a strong horse, expensive sword, and satchels of provisions passed down our camp site, we decided to stock up. Unfortunately..."

Buttercup grinned sheepishly. "A trio of certain someone's decided to jump the same merchant."

Butch smirked. "Who would have thought that we would find such hot girls in unlikely places? Bean Sprout and Baby Blue, two sweet 14 year olds jumpin a guy 2'Times their size. Pinky locked in a tower in the middle of no where."

Brick gave brief applause. "Very observant, Butch. Good work."

Blossom nodded slowly. "Okay so Bubs and Butters met through running away around the same time, and they met you guys while jumping a guy. But where do Bree, Bhumi, Basil, and Britt tie into all this? From what I can tell, they are all older than us."

Boomer smirked. "With the exception of Britt."

Blossom made a pouty face. "I was about to correct myself but you didn't give me enough time too."

Sure you were.

Blossom rolled her eyes. Brick. You above everyone else should know that I am telling the truth since you can read my mind and all.

True. But I was just messing with you.

Butch crossed his arms behind his head. "Well, in order to tell that that story, we need to start with ours. Brick."

Brick pulled his hat off of his head, letting his dingy orange hair show. " When we were about 2 1/2 Disoria found out the the location ofthe first Splitzers to be born this century...us. Since I have Telepathy, when I was younger, I had a photographic memory. Because of that, I know that our parents cared for and loved us opposed to you girls' abusive captors. We also had two caring older sisters who-"

"Who were friends with Bree and the others!" Blossom realized.

"Impressive." Buttercup commented.

"It was found out ahead of time by some of my parents friends that Disoria was sending in assassins to do us in. Unfortunately those friends lost their lives obtaining the information. We had enough time to flee to safety. But when we got back, our home was in ruins and mom, dad, Elise, and Netta were all dead." Brick hung his head, as was Butch and Boomer. "Its sights like that that make you wish you didn't have Telepathy powers."

Bubbles looked over at Boomer, who was bleary eyed but fighting back the tears. Bubbles wanted to help comfort him. She could tell that he wanted to do the same when she broke down into hysterics. Bubbles bit her lower lip, then slipped her soft hand into Boomer's. Boomer's eyes darted toward his hand and his heart race increased. His eyes followed up her arm up to Bubbles' blue eyes. He gave a weak smile. Bubbles averted her eyes toward the floor, but smiled.

Brick inhaled, his breath trembling. "The girls' parents, Aunt Liss and Uncle Mo, as we called them became our step parents. And Bree, Bhumi, and Basil filled the spots of our older sisters. This happened almost 10 years before Britt was born. Aunt Liss and Uncle Mo never hid their hate for Disoria and her evil that fills the world. They swore to us that they would help avenge our family's demise. They were some of the first people to start this Rebellion that has been building for nearly a decade. Sadly, about 5 years after Britt was born, they were caught helping fugitives, interrogated, and arrested. We haven't heard of anything about them since."

"They've become legends. Many do not believe that they really existed, but was a story to help boost the Rebellion's cause," Boomer added quietly. He still held onto Bubbles' hand. She gave him a tight squeeze.

"And Britt knows the entire story?" Blossom wondered.

"Yeah," Bubbles responded sadly.

"Its such a burden for one so young to know such a tragic story as truth. Even worse to know it happened within her own family, to her close loved ones" Buttercup agreed solemnly.

"We have always stayed in contact with the girls, bringing food, moving them from city to city when it seems appropriate. They basically are our sisters, and we wouldn't want them to be hurt. Same with you three." Brick stated. Blossom and Bubbles blushed. Buttercup rolled her eyes, suppressing a happy grin. "We promised them that we would do anything to get Liss and Mo back, but its not looking good."

Butch shook his head slowly, eyes locked on his foot. His attention was undivided, while he spoke. "Its cruel to even bring up the subject of Liss and Mo around the girls. It gives them false hope that their parents might actually be alive. The reality is, is that who the heck really knows what kind of torture the Allies of Darkness might bring upon them? Its been 5 years. Its sad to say, but they are dead. There's no use fueling false hope." Butch said.

Bubbles ripped her hand away from Boomer and stood up. "How can you say that, Butch?!" she demanded, with an edge to her voice. She obviously did not agree with Butch's staement. "Hope is something you can't lose! As long as we are sitting here, free citizens Dorton we are hope for all people living in this aweful age. Sure, the lot of us are wanted throughout the continent, except maybe Blossom-"

Blossom raised her hand like a school girl. "Actually i killed a man. I'm wanted too."

Bubbles used her hand to indicate Blossom. "There you go. Our entire gang is wanted. Yet we are the only Splitzers left to save the world. We probably hold more power together than most calvaries. We are hope."

Blossom stood up. "I'll second that." She gave Bubbles a quick hug, then place her hands on her hips.

Buttercup rose from her seat as well. "Yes. Especially now that we are the last six besides Disoria."

Boomer shook his head. "Agash! We still have Agash." Buttercup and Bubbles shared an uneasy glance. Boomer paled. "We still have Agash right? Right?"

Buttercup and Bubbles shook their head. The guys' eyes widened and gasped. "We were visiting Agash about 2 nights ago. We were discussing what we should do next in our war against the empress. Then Disoria's forces set the building on fire."

"We escaped through the tunnel that he dug years ago. We got at least two miles away before they caught up. Agash held them off for a bit, insisting that we should escape and that he would prefer himself to die then us." Bubbles said. "We tried to protest but he eventually convinced us to run and don't look back. When I did look back...i saw a grey, hunched back figure stab him in the back with a sword."

"Thats aweful! Agash was an awesome friend." Boomer sulked.

"He was a strong alley too." Butch mused.

"Umm, im sorry, who's Agash?" Blossom asked.

"He was a Splitzer who survived massacres last century. He was born toward the middle of the century, so he lived well into this one," Butch explained. He figured it was time for him to shed some light on his own knowledge and not let Brick be Mr Smarty Pants. "His elemental was Fire like Brick, but he was pretty good at using magic. One of the last who knew how to use it. He was the one who enchanted our hideout here."

"What was it that Agash suggested that we do, before he died?" Brick wondered.

Bubbles twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "He thought we should learn what we can from the Books of Yore at the Forgotten Lore." Brick nodded.

Buttercup smirked. "I can't wait to get started."

How do you like the chapter? Well, i have some bad news..i have finals coming up in 2 weeks and i will be using my spare time to study and I might not get to update until summer starts...

BUT if i get maybe...7 reviews for this chapter...I'll update before then ;D hope you like and

please review for a quick update