Crap! I am such an awful person! I am finally getting around to updating my stories. I've been able to finish my story play date so if your failed to read that, it is finished and not to toot my own horn, but pretty adorable. But here is the next chapter of Splitzer...to those of you that care. I never get reviews on this story anymore.

Battle Strategies

Blossom sank to her knees, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her hair was tangled and she was caked in blood and mud but that was the least of her worries. She was a triplet daughter to the King of Monshea. But not only that, but she was the older sister to Bubbles and Buttercup. Bubbles and Buttercup!

The redheaded girl turned toward her friends-no, sisters. Bubbles and Buttercup were sharing a tearful embrace. Bubbles held her hand out to Blossom who accepted it graciously. The blonde girl pulled Blossom into a tight hug as the three sisters cried in joy and sorrow.

And that's how they stayed, for hours it seemed like, until they were all cried out. Buttercup leaned back, using her swollen wrist to wipe her bloodshot eyes. There was no more time for crying, although it was still hard to register all that had happened. But like the intelligent person she is said, " We're sisters. Triplets. That's why everyone compared our looks." Immediately after she uttered those words she felt like a complete moron.

Blossom sniffled, a faint smile playing across her lips. "Shocker, huh?" She asked trying to make a joke.

Bubbles fingered one of the blades that had dropped beside them when he magical glowing had stopped. Her locket, as well as the others, had entirely disintegrated when he flashing had ceased. "I'm in awe right now. I'm..I'm s-s-so happy to have you two as my sister's." She broke down into more sobs, and Buttercup draped a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Bubs. We are all in a little shock. But it actually seems to tie alot of loose ends together." Blossom tried explaining to the others although it sounded more like she was trying to make some sense of it herself.

"Yeah, like how Boomer and Brick are always comparing our attributes." Bubbles suggested with a half smile, her lips trembling. Buttercup and Blossom's facial expressions became alarmed. Bubbles smile dropped instantaneously. "Oh Lord. The boys! Th-th-those..."

"...dragons took off with them as prisoners. We know." Buttercup spat. Hatred mixed with furious anger lingered on he lips from speaking such a horrible and depressing sentence. "I could kill them." The threat could have been funny, being that Buttercup's current condition was bloody, wounded, and was tear stained with bloodshot eyes.

Blossom nodded, thoughtfully. Her cheeks were still damp and her color was slowly returning to normal. "I was wondering about that earlier. Why is that our weapons from earlier had no effect on their scales, but the Swords of Light could cause lasting damage?"

Bubbles stiffened, rubbing her sore ankle. "Magic?" She offered.

"Seems like the only plausible explanation." Buttercup muttered. "But that's not the point. The guys are gone. We need to hunt down those dragons or else their doomed along with the world."

"No! We can't just go attacking blindly!" Blossom protested, using a clothe to wipe blood off of Bubbles knee. "We need a strong and structured plan that won't get us killed."

"Hey! Wait a second! I know that you're the oldest sister and what not, but we have only been related for like, 35 minutes!" Buttercup snapped back.

Blossom tried to not look offended. "Actually we have always been related, but we just failed to realize the draft sooner."

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Thank you Captain Obvious."

"Quiet!" Bubbles shouted, causing the bickering to silence. It hadn't been a loud or intimidating command, but it still got their attention. "We have barely been sisters for and hour and we are already in a retarded fight!" Blossom and Buttercup shared apologetic glances. "Buttercup is right, we don't have much time. But Bloss is right in the fact that we can't just barge in and sniper everyone."

"Ahem...sniper?" Blossom asked slightly confused.

Bubbles shrugged. "I dunno. Made it up. It just sounded right."

Buttercup grinned, pretending to launch some sort of projectile. "I like the sound of that. Sounds like a weapon that could blow up alot of stuff."

Blossom shook her head, long hair snaking back and forth. "We're straying from the matter at hand. We literally have life as we know it resting on our shoulders."

"It's not like life as we know it is a very good life style anyway..." Bubbles mumbled quietly. Her eyes were returning to the vibrant blue of the sea. Her hair was still shiny despite having been in a depressing battle. Her butt was starting to hurt from sitting.

Blossom dismissed the thought. "Yeah. But that's why we have to kill that wizardress and restore peace."

Buttercup rested her face on her palms. "Yeah. But have you ever heard of a ratio Bloss? There's three of us and, like, 69 thousand of them. That's, like, 23,000 to one. I may have a Gift of Hand to Hand Combat, but even I would fall to that many."

Bubbles nodded sadly. "Even if we still had the boys, the odds would have been unlikely. Just face the facts. We're doomed."

Blossom pulled her knees close to her chest, then rose to her feet. She stretched her hands out to her two sisters who stared at her outstretched palms blankly. A smirk crept across her face, an ingenious plot twist unfolding in her mind. "We're not doomed yet."

Bubbles tightened her grip on her cloak, pulling the scratchy fabric down harder on her lopsided and frayed pigtails. It was hard to believe that she had had a bath just a little less than 24 hours ago. The swaying o the horse's strides usually calmed her nerves, but right now she was to wound up. She kept a hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword that hung from the side.

After accepting the not-overly-astonishing news of how she and Buttercup and Blossom were sisters, Blossom had formulated a fool proof plan. The only thing was, was that it had a very slim chance of working. In fact, Buttercup had calculated that it had only about 6.4839% chance of succeeding. Not very high when put to a ratio of 23000 to one, but desperate times calls for desperate measures.

The horse in front Bubbles stopped, jolting of her subconscious. They were here. A chill tickled down her spine while she stared at the gray-blur stones of the city's outer wall. Blossom tucked her long orange hair behind her cloak. Buttercup shielded her body as best she could. Bubbles took a deep breath and counted to ten, hoping that their plan would or else more problems would fluctuate.

The kingdom was surrounded on two sides by the sea, while the forbidden woods protected the other two sides. To further protect it, a stone wall had been built around the perimeter of the kingdom the woods to keep thugs and ruffians from pillaging. A single archway in the wall acted as the entrance to the kingdom itself. From there, the traveler had to follow the dirt road through the village in order to reach the castle.

Blossom, who was on point like Brick always was, jabbed her heels into the horse's sides, ushering it through the archway and onto the path that would pass through the village. The mare took a few brisk steps forward, then broke into a leisurely gallop headed straight for the castle. Buttercup nudged her horse forward and followed with Bubbles trailing in pursuit.

The sky was inky and pitch black, so when Bubbles turned for a final look at the woods the trees were merely silhouettes in the milky moonlight that acted as if the wanted to strangle her. She muttered in horse to her stallion, and it instantly picked up speed.

Several times as they rode throughout the village on the road, Bubbles noticed several little shops and stores that seemed run down. She made brief eye contact with a brunette girl around seven peeking through a window before she hid.

Not after long, the castle approached. A stationed pair of guards blocked the entrance to the courtyard from them. Echoes of horse hooves notified the castle guards of their sudden arrival. Both men levelled their spears it was parallel with the ground. Bubbles shivered. It looked exactly the same as it did the night she and her sisters broke in and stole the key.

"State your business." The man on the left said. He was short with a round build, but muscular despite his pudgy face and hands. A thick brown beard covered half his face. A scar ran down from his right eyebrow down to the corner of his mouth and his hazel eyes were brown and cold, like he had seen death and many wars.

The man on the right was much younger. He couldn't have been any older 18 with icy blue eyes and the perfect complection of milk and honey. His hair was wispy and so blonde it looked white. Bubbles could reconcile that he was very popular with the girls in town.

Blossom's pink eyes twinkled from with her cloak. The man on the right peered straight at her shadowy face, intent and confused at he vibrant pink. "We have urgent news for the king."

The burly man huffed, slamming the butt of the spear onto the stone ground. "At this ungodly hour? Be gone with you!"

Buttercup's horse reered, becoming impatient, but she reigned it in. Her own eyes seemed to glow from the depths of her bilowy cloak. "This cannot wait. The king would want to speak with us."

"He would be most displeased with you sirs if you forbade us from entering." Bubbles added. She wondered if the guards had been stationed here long because they both looked alert.

The younger kid's eye twitched, becoming to look uncertain. He turned to the chubbier guy. "Randolph, I think these travelers must have an audience with his Highness."

Randolph scratched his beard. He seemed to be at a crossroads. Finally, he scratched his thigh. "Who might I pronounce to the king who wishes to summon his presence?"

Blossom's eyes twinkled brighter. "Announce that his daughters have finally returned."

Randolph cast a suspicious glare at them. "The princesses of Monshea? They have been missing for 16 years! Claudius! Sound the alarm."

The younger man, Claudius, shifted to pull a cord that would sound a bell. "Wait, Claudius. Don't sound that bell." Buttercup pleaded in a soothing tone.

Immediately he stopped advancing for the bell cord and spun to face them. He had a dreamy look in his eyes. "Randolph, I don't think that we should sound the alarm."

Randolph spluttered. "What do you mean? I am your captain! My word is law!"

"No Randolph." Blossom protested gently. "Let us pass. We mean no harm. We come on a peaceful mission."

"Peaceful mission." Randolph repeated. The words rolled off his lips like it was stale milk. He nodded slowly. "Peace is good. Claudius, opened the gate for our young travelers."

"Right away." Claudius hurried off toward a crank that would open the steal gate. He turned the wheel slowly, grunting in frustration. The metal bars creaked and shrieked in spurts until it came to a stop with a clashing of metal against stone. Claudius rejoined his comrade at the door. "We hope you find what you seek."

Blossom nodded at them with a smile. She leaned forward and her milky colored mare trotted onward. The uneven footsteps of horse feet behind her notified Blossom that her sisters were behind her.

Buttercup pulled alongside Blossom, the mane of the ash stallion blowing in the breezy night air. Buttercup's grin took up her entire face. "That was amazing! How did we do that?" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

Bubbles nodded eagerly, a lopsided smile on her chapped and peeling lips. "It was like we could control them!"

Blossom shrugged, keeping her eyes down as they trotted out of the courtyard and to the entrance of the castle itself. "I'm not sure. But if we can charm people into doing what we want, it could prove a useful tool." She kicked her left leg over the side of the horse, sliding to the ground.

Bubbles and Blossom followed her example. Buttercup sniffed the air then exhaled loudly. "This place does have a familiar atmosphere to it. Almost homey even."

"I get what you mean." Blossom answered. She took a half step closer to the castle. "It's almost hard..."

"...to believe that we broke into this same castle just 3 months ago about." Bubbles finished. She stared up at the castle, feeling a little dizzy at how high the building seemed to advance upwards. How could someone build something that high up?

"Yeah. It's like being here again is..." Blossom murmured, getting cut off again.

"...exciting." Bubbles grinned.

"...daring." Buttercup smirked.

"...thrilling." Blossom agreed. She took a deep breath. "Well there's nothing to be done standing around here. Let's go." The pink girl fixated her eyes on the enormous set of metal doors. Pressing her palms against the rough metal, she heaved it open.

Buttercup followed Blossom into the eery castle. The stones were cold against her bare feet. A tugging sensation at her gut made her jump when her foot brushed against something soft-only a carpet she realized. Tapestries of royal purple and dark reds hung from walls while chandeliers with glowing candles illuminated the cavernous hallway. Portraits of past kings and queens hung respectively and in excellent condition. Buttercup breathed a silent sigh, relieved that there weren't any skeletons shackled to he wall like at the Forgotten Lore. That had been creepy.

Bubbles latched onto Buttercup's arm. Her body was shaking, so Buttercup slipped a comforting hand into Bubbles. Their fingers intertwined, but Bubbles continued to shake with fear.

The hallway opened up into a vast room large enough to fill with he entire town. The ceiling curved up in a dome shape and it was decorated with cherish and other creatures. Several doorways were spaced around the edges of the room and balconies of different stories were supported by pillars. All of the balconies looked out over the giant room. But what was most startling, was that a pair of thrones sate in the middle of the room, elevated by a six foot by four foot slab of marble.

The throne on the left was smaller and unoccupied, but the throne on the right was larger with a man slouched in the seat. His eyes were an almond brown and soft, like he had experienced emotional pain his entire life. A scruffy beard was on his face and his hair was disheveled. He wore a wrinkled white cotton shirt and brown pants. Black riding boots were laced up to his ankles.

Blossom secured her hood over her head and strode forward. Bubbles released Buttercup's arm and the two girls took graceful strides after their elder sister. Blossom came to the base of throne and curtsied respectively, Bubbles and Buttercup mimicking her movements.

"My Lord, king," Blossom began, keeping her eyes lowered. "We seek your help in the war against Disoria."

Professor held up a hand. "Please dear one, I am strictly know as Professor." His dark eyes wrinkled sadly.

Buttercup removed her hood. "Would there be an exception for he title of Father?" She asked.

Professor's eyes widened, jaw agape. He made a move but silenced himself. He forward in his chair. Buttercup flicked her lime green eyes to the right, becoming aware of the guards had seemed invisible when they first arrived.

"What about an exception for two daughters?" Bubbles threw back her hood with a smile. Her perfect teeth and glowing smile made up for the fact that her lips were chapped, her head bruised, and her hair a squirrels nest.

Professor touched a calloused hand to his lips. He casted a glare in Bubbles' direction. "Shes the girl I saw out my window." He mumbled to himself. Bubbles blushed bit embarrassed. Could they really be his daughters? They certainly resembled his beloved children. "Come closer girls." He waved them forward as he rose to his feet.

Buttercup and Bubbles climbed the stairs. Blossom stayed at the base. At the top, the king stared teary eyed into each of their eyes. He desperately wanted to believe that it was them-that his two daughters had come back alive. But it was not certain. He raised a shaky hand and stroked Buttercup's frizzy black hair. After brief contact with the cuticles, he pulled away as if he had been burned. "I want to believe you, but..." a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Father. It is us." Blossom confirmed. She yanked the cloak's hood from shielding her face. The shimmer of her unique pink eyes caught Professor off his guard, as well as his palace-guards. She made her way up the steps and wrapped a protective arm around Buttercup's and Bubbles' necks, as if saying that they were united as one.

Professor stared intensely into her profusely pink eyes. Then at Bubbles blue eyes. Then Buttercup's green eyes. Tears sprang to his eyes, magnifying his brown irises. "Blossom? Bubbles? Buttercup?"

The girls curtsied again, bowing their faces so they were parallel to the ground. "Yes, dad." They affirmed in unision, completely coincidental.

Bubbles straightened up, tears rolling down her cheeks. She flung her arms around her dad and gave him a big hug. Guards started advancing toward them, but didn't seem to know what to do. The Professor hugged her back tightly, and pulled the redhead and brunette into the tender moment as well. "You're all Splitzers?! And so grown up!" He sobbed into their hair.

Buttercup pulled back after what seemed like an eternity. "Where's mom?" She asked, blinking back tears.

The Professor took a shaky breath. Three pairs of expectant eyes were glued to his every movement. "She was taken prisoner by Rena...I hadn't seen her in years."

"Rena?" Blossom growled viciously. "You mean Sedusa?"

Professor tried folding the wrinkles limit of his shirt. "That's right. That's what she called herself. But how...where have you girls been all these years? Why did you break into the castle, steal from me, and then not reveal yourself for another 2 1/2 months?"

Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup exchanged knowing looks, eyebrows scrunched in sympathy. Bubbles held onto her dad's hand as they sat in a tight circle on the ground. "Dad, you deserve the truth. But at the moment, the truth is to long and we're running out of time."

"Running out time?"' He looked puzzled for a moment but relaxed. "You mean rescuing your mother?"

"Well, yes that. But we also have to like...save the world." Buttercup explained.

Professor looked at Blossom for help. They couldn't be serious. Blossom nodded solemnly. "The Oracle-"

"Oracle?" Professor interrupted.

Buttercup tried to hide an annoyed look. "Dad, we understand that you have alot of questions, but just trust us."

Professor nodded slowly. "The Oracle told us that we had to save the world." Blossom explained calmly, although she was becoming frustrated as well. "He said we needed to lead an army to fight Disoria's forces while we sneak into her castle and defeat her."

"That and we have to save mom and a couple of our friends." Bubbles added with a dead straight poker face.

"Oh yeah. And got some revenge on a few dragons." Buttercup included, a paranoid scowl on her lips.

Professor rubbed his temples. "Dragons? Armies?"

Bubbles massaged the small of his back in a soothing manner. "Are you alright?"

"To much to process?" Blossom wondered. She picked .of the dry blood and mud that was caked to her ankle.

Professor looked up, of hope sparkling in his saddened eyes. "Of course not. I have You girls have quite the story to tell and have gone through a alot of struggles. If I can't trust my own daughters, who can I trust?"

"A person who is more sane than the three of us combined?" Buttercup suggested sarcastically.

Blossom rolled her eyes. "Dad, we need a battle strategy. Got a good place to work?"

Professor smiled. "Something tells me that you like books like your mother. Follow me." He rose to his feet much more gracefully than one might think a king could have. He led them down another hallway that twisted and turned. Identical chandeliers lit the way. Guards were posted either side hall.

They past several doors that would lead elsewhere. From the other side of one pair of doors came the smell of fresh bread, and Buttercup found herself slightly drooling. Eventually the hallway ended at a single enormous door constructed out of a beautiful piece of wood. The Professor pushed doors to reveal an immense library with scrolls tables set up everywhere. Maps hung from walls. Books lay half open on chairs, tables, desks, and the floor. A skylight revealed the night sky and the stars popping up in the sky. Although the castle library was indeed impressive, Blossom couldn't help but remember the Forgotten Lore as much more grand and fascinating.

"I welcome you to the kingdom's library. Centuries of knowledge at your fingertips." Professor smiled proudly.

Unlike the millions of years of information at the Forgotten Lore, Blossom thought, but didn't want to hurt his feeling. Instead she put on a genuinely grateful smile, because she was. "Thank you father. We need to start sketching attacks right away." She hurried off to a book shelf labeled 'Tactics of War.' and thumbed through a volume.

Buttercup breathed slowly. "So, since we're your kids, we can control the army?"

Professor narrowed his eyes skeptically. "With my blessing of course. Otherwise they heed only to the king."

Buttercup sniffed her nose. "Figures."

"The guards, however, are under your bidding."

Bubbles raised an eyebrow impressed. "That's cool."

Professor placed a hand on the frame of the door. Bubbles could tell that He was having a difficult time leaving them to plan a rebellion, especially after being reunited for only an hour. Finally, he sighed. "I should prepare our men for war." He said it in a fiercer tone than she bad anticipated. He was determined now. For what? Bubbles wasn't entirely sure, but determination was a heck of alot better than grief.

Bubbles skittered over to one of the desks where Blossom was trying to draw a map view of Disoria's fort and the surrounding land. She was having a tough time and getting frustrated. Buttercup watching over her shoulder probably wasn't helping much.

"Want some help?" Bubbles offered, squeezing into the seat beside her.

"I've got it," Blossom scowled defensively. She made a scribble mark. She grunted angrily, crumbling the piece of paper and tossing it aside. Then she violently shoved a pen and fresh piece of paper into Bubbles possession. "Knock yourself out."

Buttercup grinned as Bubbles gladly accepted the paper and drawing utensil. She had seen several of Bubbles 'doodles' back at their old hideout and they belonged in an art museum. After nearly 45 seconds flat, Bubbles had completed the illustration from the book with brilliant accuracy as well as giving it a three-D touch making it more dynamic.

"Whoa," Blossom breathed, staring at the incredible drawing. "How-" Bubbles shrugged modestly. Blossom shook her head. Reclaiming the pen, she began drawing as the armies. "This is how it's gonna work..."

Buttercup crawled into the enormous king-sized bed. No wait. Princess sized bed. Because that's what she was. Everything seemed to be enormous here. She had her own room, a balcony, a bathroom, and a closet filled with all sorts of clothes.

Buttercup figured that this lifestyle would be rewarding once they got rid of that bitchy Disoria and slut Sedusa...or Rena. After all, this was the safest she had ever felt in her life. After Blossom finalized her battle plan with their dad and some officers, Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup had spent an hour in armor fitting. Buttercup hadn't mind it. Having armor that covered her body snugly, protectively, and comfortably had sounded awesome in her ADHD mind. (She bad gotten a check up from a palace nurse, and pronounced that she had ADHD.)

The softness of the bed she as laying on reminded Buttercup of Butch, Brick, and Boomer. And her mother for that matter. They were all prisoners. We're they even alive? Was Butch healthy and still being that sarcastic dumbass to help cheer up everyone the same way she fell in love with him for? She hoped so. He may have been an asshole, but he was hers.

How unfairness it, that Buttercup was a princess who just came back from a two-hour long bath after attending an all you can eat baffet only to crawl into the most comfortable bed on earth? Buttercup eventually let her worries melt away, as she drifted into a dream about her and a green eyed idiot.

Yeah! Only a few more chapters left. I swear, I wrote most of this off a sugar high from Holloween candy so if there are mistakes, I apologize...I don't even know how to explain my current condition!