Recap

"Once we get to Miyako's house…" Kaoru took a few steps forward on her own and looked back only to see no one there, "M-Miyako…? Momoko…?"

"Your friends will die."

Kaoru looked around and saw both Miyako and Momoko's blooded corpses on the ground with the shadow girl standing before them.

"There's no stopping it…."

Kaoru fell to her knees and punched the ground, causing her hands to bleed, "You liar! You promised that you two weren't going to die!"

"Kaoru snap out of it we're still here with you!" Momoko and Miyako shook Kaoru.

"It's just an illusion Kaoru-san!"

Meanwhile:

"Heheheh seems like my plan is working in action. It won't be long until they all fall."

Chapter 3: Explanation and Hope

"Come on Kaoru! Snap out of it!" Momoko slapped Kaoru hard and shook her.

"Momoko-san!" Miyako grabbed onto her, "You didn't have to hit her."

Momoko calmed down a bit seeing Kaoru look at them, "Are you finally back with us?"

"My name is Matsubara Kaoru. I'm so weak that I couldn't protect my family and friends…" Kaoru muttered under her breath as she looked down again.

Both Momoko and Miyako looked at her surprised, hearing what she just said, "H-How can you say that? If it weren't for you, we'd be dead already!"

"That's right Kaoru-san! You've saved me many times." Miyako remembered the times when she was close to death and Buttercup saving her, "Friends are supposed to help each other in the times that we need them the most. We can help you if you let us Kaoru-san."

"Holding your feelings in is like holding gas. It's bad to keep it in so tell us what's troubling you already."

Miyako sweat dropped, "Uhm… that's another way to put it."

Kaoru shook her head and looked at them, "Thanks… I'm fine now." she got up and helped Miyako up, "Let's go? I bet I have a lot of explaining to do."

Both Miyako and Momoko smiled, "You bet!"

Once they got to Miyako's home, the trio ate their dinner and took a bath before Kaoru explained anything to them.

"Where to begin…" Kaoru sat on the floor as Miyako and Momoko sat on the beds.

"First you sit with us?"

Kaoru looked away, "No it's kinda long so you two get comfortable."

Momoko sighed, "Typical Kaoru. So start explaining."

Kaoru thought about it, "I'm not sure when exactly it started but two days ago, I had a dream. There was a shadow of a kid but I couldn't tell exactly what or who it was. She told me that I was weak and couldn't protect anything and that made me mad."

"But out of all of us, you're the strongest one." Momoko thought of it, "Both me and Miyako couldn't even pick up your hammer together."

Miyako nodded, "And you protected both Momoko and myself many times before."

"I know lemme finish my story." Kaoru looked down a bit, "After she told me I was weak, flames surrounded me and I yelled at her that I wasn't scared of her since the shadow girl didn't show herself until then." Kaoru looked at her arm, "Then she grabbed my arm saying my mom was the first one to get hurt."

Momoko looked at Kaoru's arm, "Really?"

Kaoru nodded, "And when I woke up, there was a mark left where she grabbed me."

"How scary." Miyako got a bit scared.

"After that I had breakfast as usual with my family then mom just suddenly coughed blood. You know the rest kinda." Kaoru looked down a bit.

"Not entirely now continue."

"I don't know what else to say." Kaoru barely looked at them at all.

"One, who else was involved. Two, why are you avoiding eye contact." Miyako looked at her seriously.

"My mom, brothers, dad, then you two. I'm not avoiding eye contact." Kaoru looked at them for a few moments then looked away.

"Wait a minute. We're on the list too?" Momoko got a bit nervous while Miyako was watching Kaoru the entire time.

"That's why I didn't want to involve you two…"

Miyako looked at her softly and went to her, hugging her gently, "Thank you for telling us Kaoru-san, but we're in no danger right Momoko-san?"

"Yeah." Momoko nodded, "Even though what might happen to us is kinda scaring me." Momoko sweat dropped.

"Kaoru-san's mother coughed blood, what happened to your brothers and father?" asked Miyako, trying not to invade Kaoru's privacy.

"She said that my brothers would break their legs, my dad would break this arm and ribs, and…" Kaoru couldn't bring herself to finish.

"That both me and Miyako would die?"

Kaoru nodded slowly and looked away from them.

Momoko took a deep breath and went up to Kaoru. Miyako looked at her worriedly and moved a bit when Momoko asked her kindly to move aside for a bit as she pulled Kaoru to her feet.

"Come on Kaoru!" Momoko slapped her back hard, causing Kaoru to stumble forward a bit and glare at Momoko, "You seriously don't think that's going to happen right?"

"Not really." Kaoru rubbed her back as Miyako stayed silent and watched them.

Momoko looked around, "Hey~ do you happen to know where our friend Kaoru went? You look like her but she isn't as wimpy as you~"

That made Kaoru mad, "Momoko!" Kaoru lunged for her as Momoko moved aside, making Kaoru face plant the floor.

"Ah Kaoru-san are you alright." Miyako went to Kaoru's side, "Momoko-san I understand why you did that but you still went a bit too far."

"Don't worry Miyako." Kaoru got up to her feet and glared at Momoko, "Am I still whimpy?"

"Hmmm you seem more like the Kaoru we know but still." Momoko gave a small scoff.

"You're been on my nerves for a long time but this is the limit! I'm finally gonna get you today!" Kaoru lunged at Momoko once again.

"I'd like to see you try!" Momoko barely dodged Kaoru as Miyako laughed and smiled at her friends, happy that Kaoru's feeling better now.

After a few hours, Kaoru panted on the ground as Momoko panted on the bed, "Feeling better Kaoru?"

"I guess. I'm more tired than anything though." Kaoru panted a bit slower to breathe normally.

"Now should we go sleep for tonight then try to find out more about that shadow." Miyako got blankets for them to sleep with, "Hopefully we can get a good enough rest for tonight to find her."

"I wouldn't doubt it~" Momoko snuggled in her blanket happily, "What do you think Kaoru?"

"She'll appear soon…" Kaoru yawned and fell asleep on the floor.

Miyako smiled as she and Momoko took Kaoru to the guest room and put her in bed and went to sleep themselves.

"Now it's your friend's turn." the shadow walked towards Kaoru slowly.

"Why are you doing this?" Kaoru walked towards her.

"I'm not doing anything. You simply wished it."

"Why would I want to wish my family and friends hurt and dead?" Kaoru's eyes grew larger when she realized the shadow looked like her when she was 5, "You can't be…"

"Barely found out?" shadow Kaoru stared at her older self, "It's about time but it's too late."

"It's never too late for anything!" Kaoru growled at her younger, shadowy self, "Just watch! I'll save these two! Even if I die you'll never be able to touch them!"

Shadow Kaoru gave her sad but hateful eyes as she grabbed Kaoru by the throat and held her high, "I'd like to see you try."

"Grah!" Kaoru tried to get free but she couldn't even grab the Shadow's arm, "Mi…ya…ko…" Kaoru struggled to breathe, "Mo…mo…ko… I'm…sor…ry…" Kaoru's body went limp.

Both Momoko and Miyako got up, having a bad feeling about something and looked at Kaoru.

"K-Kaoru-san…?" Miyako touched her arm gently and gasped, "Momoko-san! Kaoru-san's arm is cold!"

"What?" now it's Momoko's turn to gasp and shake Kaoru gently, "Come on Kaoru! Wake up please!"

Miyako tried to stay calm and listened for Kaoru's heartbeat, "I can hear her heart beating!"

"We should call an ambulance!" Momoko got up.

"There's no time!" Miyako started to do CPR on Kaoru, hoping that it'll work, 'Please… let this work…'

Momoko watched helplessly, feeling that she's unable to help Kaoru in any way, 'Please… anyone…let Kaoru live…I don't want one of my best friends to die…'

Kaoru's limp body slowly moved and she barely glared at her shadow, "Seems like…ugh… I can't die just yet…"

"How can this be…?" Shadow Kaoru threw her down to the ground and stared in horror, "It's not supposed to end like this!"

"Says who?" Kaoru glared at her younger self as her white light shined brighter than ever.

"ME!" Shadow Kaoru glared at her older self as dark light engulfed her.

"Black light?" Kaoru looked the shadow, surprised that she had black light.

"You never realized…did you…? That's why… on that day last week when you walked alone, dark spores came into you and created me from your discarded feelings." the shadow looked at Kaoru with even deeper and sadder eyes, "Why did you throw me away?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about!"

"I'm your feelings of love, sadness, regret, loneliness and anger that you've never shown since you started sports."

"I never threw you away though!"

"Don't lie!" shadow Kaoru's dark light grew darker and heavier, "I'll make your world suffer! But before that I'll make you suffer by killing your friends!"

"I won't let you touch them!"

"I couldn't save her…" Miyako cried as she held onto Kaoru, "I'm so sorry Kaoru-san!"

"Miyako…" Momoko held her gently and teared up a bit when they thought that Kaoru was gone. Not realizing it, Kaoru woke up slowly and coughed a bit while getting up slowly, rubbing her neck.

"Damn kid… who does she think she is…?"

Both Momoko and Miyako looked at her, "K-Kaoru…?"

"Hmm?" Kaoru looked at them, "Hey guys."

Miyako threw herself at Kaoru and Momoko laughed softly seeing the great Kaoru on her back with innocent Miyako nuzzling her while crying.

"Hey Miyako I'm fine now." Kaoru held her gently and smiled at them, "Thanks you two…you saved me."

"That's what friends are for right?" Momoko gave her a thumbs up, "And you Miyako stop crying." They laughed and gave each other a group hug, Miyako never letting go of Kaoru.

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru stopped laughing and looked around, "Where are you?"

"No way…" Momoko looked at the door, surprised to see who was there, "There's two Kaoru's?"

"You can see her?" Kaoru got up and stood in front of them, "I don't want you two to get hurt, she's strong."

"A-Alright…" Miyako stood next to Momoko and watched them.

"Ok you! That's enough trouble!" Kaoru growled at her shadowy, younger self, "If you think you can touch them, you'd have to get over my dead body!"

Miyako and Momoko gasped, "What are you saying Kaoru?"

"I don't want you two to get hurt or any more involved than you already are. Please… just leave far away…"

"No way! I want to stay with you Kaoru-san!" Miyako shook her head and teared up.

"Yeah who do you think you are? A hero from an anime?" Momoko pointed an accusing finger towards Kaoru.

"Since you're distracted I'll show you the truth Kaoru!" Shadow Kaoru's black light grew darker and surrounded Kaoru, "There…"

"Kaoru?" Momoko tried to go to her, but was pushed back by the force, "Ow that hurt…" Momoko rubbed her butt.

"Momoko-san!" Miyako went to her side and glared at Kaoru's shadowy self, "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm only getting my revenge…for being casted aside all these years."

"Casted aside?" Momoko was confused.

"You can't be…" Miyako stood up and slowly went to her, "You're Kaoru-san…?"

"No way!" Momoko's eyes went wide, "She does look like her but still! That's no way that can be Kaoru!"

"Yes…I'm not Kaoru…she threw me away years ago…" the shadow glared at Kaoru who was struggling to get out of the illusion.

"How can she throw you away?" Miyako started softly.

"Ever since she started to get into sports, she left me behind." The shadow looked at Miyako, "All of her feelings that she never shown are trapped within me."

"Such as?"

"Love, sadness, regret, loneliness, and hatred."

"Woah woah woah! Kaoru has a short-temper and has been avoiding us before!" Momoko got up and stared at the kid.

"Momoko-san, short-temper has nothing to do with it." Miyako sweat dropped.

"Whatever the case is, I will make you two suffer for all the pain she has caused me!" the shadow's black aura grew darker as Momoko and Miyako screamed and fell back.

"Miyako! Momoko!" Kaoru looked around, trying to find her friends, "Great another illusion? I told you that I'm not afraid of you if you don't show me your true form!"

"How's this?" The shadow came out from the ground, looking exactly like Buttercup but instead of her usual clothes, she was wearing black shorts with green outlines, grey muscle shirt with green outlines, black vest with green outlines, and black shoes with green outlines.

Kaoru's eye twitched, 'Damn! Why couldn't I get those clothes! Oh well…' she shook her head, "If it's a fight you want, you got it! Powered Buttercup!"

"Try me!" they both swung their hammers at the same time, causing an explosion and both flew back.

"Damn you're tough." Buttercup prepared an attack, "Megaton Dunk!"

"Swing Sonic!"

Buttercup jumped back and tried to think of a way to defeat her shadow, "What to do…"

"Kaoru-san…"

"Eh?" Buttercup looked around for a few seconds, "Miyako?"

"Don't even bother calling out to her you coward!" The shadow raised her hammer, "Hurricane Lutz!"

"Swing Sonic!" Buttercup tried to slow her down a bit but it was useless, "Damn! Hurricane Lutz!"

Both spun around and crashed into each other, trying to spin faster and out due the other one.

"Just give up! There's no way you can win!" Shadow Buttercup released black light to increase her power.

"Ugh!" Buttercup struggled to keep up her strength, "I'm not giving up! Not after Miyako and Momoko saved my life!" Buttercup's white light shined brightly.

"Too bad for you but you've already killed them!"

"What? Don't lie to me!" Buttercup's strength weakened ever so slightly.

"Here's your proof!"

Just below them, it showed the normal green powerpuff Buttercup standing over her friends Blossom and Bubbles with her hands, clothes and hammer covered in their blood.

"That's a lie!" Buttercup closed her eyes tightly.

"You wished it. You wished that they would all stop bugging you and hated them with your heart. You're truly all alone now Matsubara Kaoru."

After the shadow said Buttercup's real name, she went back to normal.

"What…?" Kaoru looked at herself, "I-I'm me again…?"

"I told you. You were weak and couldn't protect anyone as you were now." Shadow Buttercup pointed off to the side and showed Blossom and Bubbles staring sadly at her.

"I thought we were friends…why did you betray us…?"

"N-No…No don't look at me like that! I…I never meant it to be like this!" Kaoru fell to her knees, "I can't believe it… it was me… I'm causing all of this…"

Little did she know, an evil being was floating above her then disappeared into the real world.

Me: And done! Wow 3 chapters so far? In less than a week? Yeah kinda slow for some people but to me this is good since the comp is still stupid. Anyways thanks Fujiwara Kanehira for reviewing! See you all next time!

Preview:

"You see, she wished that this would happen."

"Kaoru-san! I know that you aren't this kind of person so please wake up!"

"Kaoru! I knew you'd come for us!"

"If you ever, ever, try to touch them again I'll kill you!"

"She never casted me away…"