OMG! I don't know about you guys, but I have been waiting, and waiting, and WAITING for this chapter, because…
ENTER: ROWDYRUFFS!
*crickets chirp*
Okay. Whatever.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm writing this story for you guys, so knowing that you read it and like it is fantastically encouraging!
Also, on the note of reviews, to dispel Alactricity's fears, I will repeat, there will be no immediate romance. I promise. There will be hatred. Anger. Maybe even some violence.
With that cleared up, ya'll can continue to the chapter! That is, if you even bother reading author notes! Cuz I'm not sure if you do! Whatever! I'll stop babbling!
Blossom clenched her teeth slightly, waiting for the jolt of the plane's wheels against the ground.
Er-erch!
Yep. Nothing quite like a plane landing.
As might be expected, none of the Powerpuffs had flown on airlines much, having no need really. But, considering the several hour flight, and the flightless humans accompanying them, the private jet waiting for them at Townsville airport had been their best choice.
Slowly, the plane skidded to a halt, and the fasten seat belt signs turned off. The girls unclipped their belts in a chorus of clinks, grabbed their backpacks, and followed the luggage-less Agent Frocks out the door, down a small set of stairs and onto the flat, black surface of the runway.
Bubbles hopped off the last step and the three girls turned to face their guide.
"Headquarters is not far away. Just a ten minute car ride."
Once again, they all piled into another waiting limo. The short trip from the small airport through D.C. was completed in perfect silence, until they pulled to a smooth stop in front of a large concrete and brick building that was about eight stories high. Bubbles already large blue eyes widened.
"Wow, it looks kinda scary."
Buttercup face-palmed. Blossom chuckled slightly.
"It'll be fine, Bubbles," reassured Blossom.
The three girls quickly exited the car and, with Agent Frocks following them up the front steps, the little group reached the pair of plain wooden doors. Blossom reached for a brass handle and yanked one heavy, stiff doors open, stepping into the interior of Frocks's headquarters, her sisters and escort entering directly behind her.
Frocks took the lead and the Powerpuffs trailed meekly after him, up stairways, through halls, passing many ominous and forbidding offices, most with windows allowing through a view to the hall, the others completely surrounded menacingly by plain, white washed walls.
Finally, after they reached the top floor, which was labeled, "Director Agathit"On this floor, there was no hallway, only one door, directly in front of the stairs. For the first time since their journey began, Frocks's face showed an emotion other than a passive glare. He gulped slightly, took a deep breath, and, as if he was trying not to give himself a chance to rethink his decision, he swiftly pulled open the single door and marched resolutely into Director Agathit's office. For a spilt second, Blossom hesitated before following Agent Frocks. Her knees felt slightly weaker, her throat constricted, and her stomach flip-flopped. It didn't take a doctor to diagnose her sudden illness: panicking nerves.
But Blossom had never been one to let her emotions get in control of her head, so, as swiftly as she had paused, she marched right after Frocks, Buttercup on her heels, Bubbles bringing up the rear.
Inside, Blossom found a sight that surprised her. The demon office she had just hesitated to enter turned out to be quite pleasant. It was a large, rectangular room, scarce of much furniture, giving it a roomy, spacious feeling. One entire length of the wall was a giant glass window with golden sunlight flooding through, offering a gorgeous view of downtown D.C.. In the center of the room, and slightly angled away the doorframe, was a large desk made of the same, old, dark wood as all the doors in the building.
Seated at the desk was a plump woman with short, fashionable brown hair who looked to be about forty, peering at them through a giant pair of reading glasses that made her eyes look bug-like and far too large for her head.
In front and to the side of the desk, Agent Frocks stood with his hands folded behind his back, obviously trying to be as expressionless as usual, but failing miserably. He looked as nervous as if he was standing next to a hungry lion about ready to pounce and he had been told to play dead and pray that it wouldn't hurt him.
"Hello, girls," said the woman, who Blossom presumed to be Director Agathit.
"Hello," they chorused as an automatic response, not quite sure what do in this situation.
"I'm Sherry Agathit, no need to introduce yourselves, I already know everything," said Sherry, patting a couple of folders neatly stacked beside her, "Won't you have a seat?"
They sat down in the three plain chairs she gestured to that were placed in front of her desk. Blossom took the one directly in front of Sherry, and noticed instantly that they were no armrests, her least favorite type of chair. What was she supposed to do with her hands, while this imposing woman stared down at her? Put them in her lap? Let them dangle? Fold her arms?
In the end, she decided to simply rest them on her thighs. Sherry blinked once or twice as she watched them settle themselves.
"Well, I suppose you are eager to know why we called you here, unless," Sherry turned her strangely enormous and disapproving eyes to Frocks, who swallowed loudly, "Unless, this idiot went against regulations and blabbed."
"No Ma'am!" Frocks said gruffly, staring straight at the wall in front of him, not daring to make eye contact with his boss.
Sherry narrowed her giant eyeballs, not looking reassured at all. Bubbles, as usual, taking pity on every creature that existed on the face of the planet, intervened.
"No, he didn't, he really didn't, we swear!"
Still not impressed with her agent, Sherry turned back to stare the three teenagers she was faced with.
"So you say. Either, whatever damage already created can't be undone, so – "
"But he didn't!"
Blossom clapped a hand over her sister's mouth.
"Don't mind her, just please continue. What is our mission?"
Indignantly, Bubbles glared down at her sister's hand and pried it off her face. Nonetheless, she was sufficiently subdued to understand that arguing with this woman was going to get them nowhere.
Half-amused, half-annoyed, Sherry cast Bubbles a swift glance, before returning her wide gaze to the audience in general.
"As I was saying, mission details."
Eagerly, the puffs leaned slightly. Sherry paused, blinked, sighed, and removed her glasses, her eyes morphing into a more human size.
"About six months ago, Europe began to suffer from wide spread attacks across her major cities. Rome, Milan, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Lyon, London. Everywhere really. Always in major cities. Always the same crime. Murder."
Sherry paused, probably for dramatic effect, or perhaps to let the information sink in. Blossom nibbled on the inside of her bottom lip impatiently.
"In every crime scene, there was always one victim. When the body was analyzed, there was obvious damage caused by physical attacks, but, also, every victim's brain was damaged. Traces of an overload of hormones and chemicals. Sometimes even a rupture. Before each person died, they were in highly severe mental trauma."
Again, Sherry stopped, and turned to face the last retreating rays of sunshine the late afternoon offered, and, once again, she turned back to look at the Powerpuffs.
"One other consistency. Next to each body, was written one sentence. 'Everyone has a weakness.' No countries' military, spies, or any other crime busting agency has discovered anything, or been able to prevent a single death. This villain is a shadow. He leaves no traces, and has no apparent goal other than to terrorize human-kind. And he is doing a very, very good job of it.
"You might be wondering where exactly you come into this. The fact is normal humans simply aren't capable of fighting him, or her, or whatever we're up against. But then again, you aren't normal humans are you?"
For the third time, she paused, almost as if she expected an answer, even though her face and voice clearly told them she already knew. None of the girls responded.
"Anyways, the attacks have spread. Asian countries have reported numerous attacks. And, two weeks ago, New York was hit. We've decided to take more drastic measures. So, we recruited you, the Titans of Townsville – the Powerpuff Girls."
Blossom stared at Director Sherry Agathit. This was way more serious than she had imagined. Perhaps breaking into an enemy base and retrieving stolen technology, or maybe rounding up a gang of drug dealers. She never considered chasing after a frighteningly elusive mass murderer that no government in the world could handle.
"And how exactly do you propose we catch this mass murderer? You say the attacks are all over the world!" exclaimed Buttercup, unknowingly voicing Blossom's thoughts.
"Yes, each of you will take one continent."
"One continent!" echoed Buttercup, "Do you realize how big a continent is?"
Sherry frowned menacingly at the green puff.
"Yes, you little brat, I know how big a continent is, but were you listening to anything I said? The attacks only occur in major cities. So, you'll each stay to the biggest cluster of major cities on your continent."
"But still, that's a lot of area to cover," said Blossom, her eyebrows knitting together in concern.
"Of course. You will have partners. We find that is usually missions, especially on this scale, teams of two work splendidly. Oh, and one other note, the general public has yet to be informed. World wide panic would not help the state of things, so you should keep a low profile. Tourists, or some other believable story that you and your partners decide."
Timidly, Bubbles raised her hand.
"Question."
Scowling, Sherry turned her gaze to Bubbles, who gulped slightly, trying hard not to offend the grumpy lady again.
"Who are our partners?"
"You've actually met them before. They have quite impressive abilities, just like you."
"Abilities like ours?" Buttercup said slowly, "You mean super-powers?"
"But who else has super-powers like us? And we know them?" ask Bubbles, her innocent face scrunched up in serious thought.
Blossom was silent, her brain was working frantically to attempt to identify super-heroes from their past. After a moment of analyzing their busy childhood career, she could not summon to mind a single person with super-pow – oh wait – crap, she didn't say super-heroes, she said…that could mean…oh, crap, this is not good, if I'm right… does she know they're evil? Does she really expect us to cooperate with them?
Blossom opened her mouth to ask a question, but before she could even take a breath to utter a sound, a beep sounded from a small black box sitting on Sherry's desk. The director pushed a button, and snapped,
"Yes?"
A crackling, static- filled voice blared into the room.
"Agent Daves has returned with his charges. He's on his way up."
"Fine."
Sherry released the button from her round, firm finger. She looked up and smiled a wicked-looking grin directly at Blossom, as if she knew what she was thinking.
"Hold that thought, dear, you can confirm for yourself in a few seconds."
Buttercup and Bubble's heads snapped to stare at Blossom, who closed her mouth and pursed her lips, waiting as directed.
"Who?" hissed Buttercup, one eyebrow raised at the hard look on Blossom's face.
"We'll see," she answered calmly, not wanting to drag old enemies out of their history, but prepared for the worst nonetheless.
A few agonizing seconds passed in utter silence as every ear in the room strained to hear footfalls.
The door handle turned.
Suddenly, Blossom turned around in her chair, not wanting to face them, a sinking feeling in her gut telling her she was right.
Buttercup and Bubbles turned even farther around, eager to see. Frocks stared at the door very intently, most likely because it was his only escape route. Sherry leaned back in her chair, patient enough to wait and watch the scene unfold.
The door opened.
Blossom heard the first foot step onto the carpet in Sherry's office, and her entire body tensed. As three other pairs of feet followed the first, the most unbearably still moment of the day consumed the office.
Finally, Bubbles broke the horribly stillness with a soft gasp. Buttercup's fists audibly tightened on the back of her chair. Then, a soft chuckle sounded through the room. His voice had deepened since he was five, but there was no mistaking that snicker as anybody else, but her counterpart, Brick.
"Well, isn't this a blast from the past?"
Forcing her rigid body to move, Blossom faced the intruders. There they were, standing in their usual positions, identical mimicry of the girls' own favored spots. The Rowdyruff Boys, the male, evil versions of The Powerpuff Girls.
Some distant memory of crime-fighting inside of Blossom suddenly clicked, and her brain automatically began to analyze the villains in front of her, in a process she jokingly called, 'checking them out.'
She swept her gaze over the group. They wore all black, but around their right fore arm and left ankle was a thick band of their signature color. Their outfits were flexible, not much protection, but allowing for fast movement and speed. Although their black clothes weren't tight-fitting, the boys looked pretty muscular. They didn't look tired, sleep deprived, wounded, hungry, or thirsty. This physical analysis, combined with previous knowledge about abilities and methods of fighting, put the three boys at a level 10 threat risk. Preferable battle plan: engage in combat right here in Sherry's contained office, hopefully ending it quickly.
Sherry's loud voice shattered her concentration.
"Well, it's been a long time since you've seen each other, hasn't it been?"
"Not long enough," snarled Buttercup.
Sherry looked as if she was about to be angry again, but instead, changed her mind at the last second, and sighed, rubbing a plump hand across her eyes.
"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," she mumbled.
Sherry removed her hand from her face, rested her palms on her desk, and pushed herself to her feet.
"Look, this is going to take a little explaining. But first, you boys received the secure video and already watched it?"
The Rowdyruffs nodded in unison.
"All right, you know what the girls know. But I'm going to fill in the holes on each other's pasts.
"For the last ten years, the girls have been retired, as in not fighting any crime. They have been leading mostly normal lives with their father figure and creator. They went to high school, did their homework, got good grades, played sports, etc. Now we are recruiting them again for this mission, which calls for their special talents, which you boys share."
Brick's eyes narrowed, and he glared straight at Blossom, who returned the hard stare.
Butch frowned.
"So, they've been slacking off?"
Buttercup hissed angrily and stood up, as if to attack her loud-mouthed counterpart, but Agent Frocks and Agent Daves immediately barred the way. Buttercup's frown deepened, but she returned to her seat.
Sherry shook her head.
"No, they've remained athletically active, and they fought very intensely when they were younger, and such fighting is not easily forgotten. So, after much debate, we decided that the Powerpuff girls were fit for this mission."
Buttercup stuck her tongue out at the boys; Butch rolled his dark green eyes and re-settled his short attention span on Sherry, who gave a slight nod and continued.
"As for the Rowdyruffs. This is going to take a little longer to explain. Well, as you girls probably remember well, they used to terrorize Townsville with their super-powers, mostly to just get a fight out of you. After you retired, and the new police force came in, many villains tried to escape. Most didn't succeed, but the Rowdyruff Boys were some of the few who managed to get out of town.
"They lay low for a while, committing petty crimes to survive, until they 'met' Professor Strogoy, who was one of the world's leading physiatrists. He talked them into staying with him for a while, and after some time, convinced them to give up crime. A few years ago, the poor man was kidnapped, and to this day, the government has been unable to locate him. He's now presumed dead, most probably by the hands of foreign agents.
"That's when the boys decided to put their powers to use by joining the CIA. They've become an elite squad, given only the most dangerous and difficult missions. In fact, not even I'm given the full details of some of their missions, and I'm a pretty high up in the system."
Sherry finally stopped talking, carefully watching the six teens like a tiger before it pounces.
Blossom spared the boys a glance to see how the rant about their recent past had affected them. Brick was still gazing at Sherry, probably avoiding looking at the girls. Butch's arms were crossed across his chest and he was staring holes through the floor. Boomer was glancing nervously at each of them, and when his eyes me Blossom's, he too dropped his gaze to the carpet.
All was silent, as the girls absorbed this new information, and the boys looked anywhere but the girls. Finally, Blossom broke the gap in conversation.
"So, we're just supposed to accept the fact that the Rowdyruffs, who were created to destroy us, have suddenly turned good and have been working for the government all these years? You've got to be kidding me."
Sherry shook her head, again running her hand across her face.
"Like I said, this is going to take a while, isn't it?"
Bubble's eyebrows were furrowed together in confusion.
"So, you just let them join the CIA, just like that? They had a criminal record and all that, didn't they?"
"Yes, they did, but since they were five at the time of the crimes, had been created and raised by an evil monkey, they were pardoned a long time before they decided to apply to the CIA. With a little help from Professor Strogoy, it wasn't too hard. After all, their biggest offence was beating you three to a pulp, correct?"
Buttercup folded her arms across her chest and huffed. Blossom knew she didn't like to be reminded of rare occasions she had been beaten. As a matter of fact, now that Blossom thought about it, the Rowdyruffs had been the first, and most certainly, one of the few villains who were able to truthfully say they ground the Powerpuffs into the ground, quite literally too.
Bubbles pipped up, snapping Blossom out of her momentary reverie and back into the hostility that was practically crackling in the air.
"Well, they did steal a little boy's candy once…"
A pause filled the room.
"Yeah, like I said, the Rowdyruffs didn't really have a villainous goal," Sherry said dryly.
"But they were villains nonetheless," added Blossom, "And I know for a fact, that we are not going to work with them on this case."
"Same goes for us," Brick snapped, finally returning the glowers the puffs were throwing at him and his brothers, "We don't work with amateurs like these brats."
Sherry sighed, definitely not for the first time this evening, and most certainly not for the last.
"Okay knuckleheads, here's what I'm going to do."
Wow, this is my longest chapter, ever! Over three times as long than my last one!
The reason is because I just got back from a camping trip, where, I had no internet connection, but I did have Microsoft word, so I spent my free time typing this whopper of an update. And now, after a thirteen hour car ride back home -_- I'm putting the finishing touches to the chapter before I sleep in my real bed for the first time in six sleep deprived days.
And, because I want to see what happens as much as you guys, I'll try to crank out the next chapter before the weekend is over.
So…
Anyway, thanks for reading! :)