Blissful Returns
I don't own PPGZ.
To Join a Party
(School, January 8, 2036, Tuesday)
"… What is this, Shirogane?" Ramira asked, looking at the envelope handed over by the rich kid.
"Just read it." Himeko said, affronted.
"Just tell us what it is about." Kaoru said, lazily flicking the envelope.
"It's an invitation to a slumber party I'm gonna have at Saturday." Himeko sighed.
"… I'm saying no!" Kaoru jumped up. "You're inviting everyone in the class, including the boys? Don't think our parents would approve of that…"
"The boys get their own room." Himeko interrupted, causing a few groans from the class, both boys and girls.
"It'll be fun, honest! All you need to do is go to the house, wave the invitation and you're in! Of course my parents would only let me invite people my age, so no thieves who got the envelope getting in."
"That's great then." Miyako smiled. "It'll be fun! We can play dress-up, and…"
"No thanks for the dress-up!" One of the boys said, "Let's play truth or dare!"
"I don't think my parents would allow me to go there…"
"Don't worry! Even if you don't stay, you can go home on Saturday night if your parents don't want you to stay." Himeko insisted. In the end, the whole class agreed to go to the slumber party, except…
"I'm saying no for absolutely no reason other than I don't want to." Ramira handed it back to the rich kid. The whole class looked at Ramira as though she said something unbelievable.
"Why?" Himeko asked dubiously. "I said it already. If your parents don't want you staying at my home late, you can go home early."
"Even so." Ramira said. "I refuse to think about what will happen while I'm there."
"There are cakes!" Momoko piped up. "Surely that could change your mind."
"I don't like sweets, Momoko." Ramira answered, wincing. "The idea of too much sugar on my mouth is enough to give me a stomachache." Momoko looked at Ramira as though the end of the world was near.
"Please, Ramira! You have to come!" Miyako begged. "Otherwise, it would be no fun."
"Seriously…" Ramira looked away. "What happened to leave me alone?"
"What happened to getting to know one another?" Sakamoto retorted. "You're new, Ramira. We need to at least know you better. Promise, no perverted stuff at the truth or dare." The last sentence made some of the boys groan.
"No means no." Ramira said, turning away, only to end up looking at Momoko's earnest face.
"You HAVE to come." Momoko pleaded. "It's no fun if we're incomplete." Ramira winced as the whole class said "Please!" repeatedly.
"… I give…" Ramira sighed, leaning on the back of her chair. "I'll stay at Shirogane's house at Saturday." The whole class cheered.
"Now that's everyone." Himeko gleefully said, giving back the envelope for the invitation. "Saturday, okay?"
"Ok to a different topic." Jesse jumped up, changing the topic. "What do you guys think of the new Powerpuff?"
"You mean Bliss?" Sakamoto confirmed, receiving a nod. "What do we think? Here's what I think. SHE LIVES!" Ramira looked away, abashed as she saw her class cheer.
"… You guys settle down." Ramira said; her face crimson with embarrassment, which she hides behind her Math book.
"Oh sorry, Ramira. We didn't tell you." A girl smiled. She then pointed at the nail hanging above the chalkboard. "You see that nail? Usually, there's a picture of Lunar Bliss, with Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru."
"So where is it?"
"I don't know." Jesse shrugged. "We never leave it here for a fortnight. Someone always brings it home."
"… Wasn't it her who brought it home last night?" Miyako asked pointing towards a girl. "Lunar Bliss is in that picture... And Bliss showed up yesterday…"
"Yeah… I saw Dad try to get at it last night…" The girl shuddered. "I never saw him want a picture that badly."
"But looks like you got it here, safe and sound." Momoko smiled, grateful.
"Hid it in my drawers, underneath the underwear." The girl chuckled. "It's the only place he won't dare look in case I call him a pervert." The girl pulled out the picture and gave it to Momoko. "It's too dangerous to hang anymore… Keep it at home."
"Okay." Momoko nodded, stuffing the picture in her bag. Suddenly a barrage of reporters entered.
"Excuse me." The first reporter asked. "We heard about a photograph of Lunar Bliss, taken last year apparently…"
"As you can see, it's not here." A boy answered.
"But it must be here! Our lead pointed us here!"
"Settle down!" The Principal walked into the classroom with Ms. Keane. "Please, you are disturbing the classes. We can't have that, you know."
"Sorry sir…" The reporters apologized. There were hundreds of students around the room, jealous of the attention given to Ramira's class.
"… So what do you want?" Miyako asked sweetly. "An interview regarding the photograph? But as you can see, it's not here."
"I see. Sorry for wasting your time." The reporter said. Each reporter left, disappointed.
"… That was a close call…" Kaoru breathed. "Good thing we take great care of it…"
"…" Ramira couldn't find anything to say. The class was treating the picture like a National Treasure or something.
"… So sorry, Ramira, we never told you much about it…" A boy apologized. Ramira nodded, looking away. 'Why are they so worried about not telling me? I'm the one who was avoiding them…'
"A new Powerpuff? I say it's an old one from last year." Sakamoto chuckled. The whole class laughed alongside him, except the four reverted Powerpuffs.
"… Well, we're looking forward to that slumber party, Himeko. I just hope that there won't be any braggarts around." Kaoru sighed.
"… Everyone. Remember, I'm right in front of you…" Ms. Keane sighed.
(Seirei Residence)
"A slumber party at the richest-kid-at-school's house?" Seishou said, grinning. "Second day in school and you're already in the in-crowd?"
"Something I can live without." Ramira said drily. "And the fact that Lunar Bliss is now quite a controversy… I can't believe my luck…"
"I'm sure you'll be just fine." Seimei patted her adopted daughter's head. Ramira sighed, remembering the voice and her constant hardships in the matter.
"I hope…"
"Don't. I'll be right here forever, my little rabbit…" The voice said, laughing maniacally. Ramira immediately felt a headache as the voice continued resonating.
"Are you okay, Ramira?"
"… I think I need to go out for some fresh air." Ramira said, finishing her food and walking towards the door.
"But it's nighttime!" Seishou complained. Ramira smiled, grabbing the belt hanging near the door and snapping it on.
"I'll be taking a bit of a flight in town, okay?" Ramira mumbled.
(Above the clouds)
"… Leave me alone…" Bliss said.
"Why, Bani? I'm the one who revived you." Darkness started to form into a shape.
"… You revived me to KILL the Powerpuffs." Bliss answered. "This is not what I wanted! I never wanted to be revived! You forced me alive by your own wretched darkness! You kept tempting me to be revived, in exchange for the duty, but no matter what, I refused!"
"Most people would be extremely pleased for a second chance in life." The darkness said. "But why are you not?"
"Because! My friends are more important to me than life!" Bliss answered. "My approach to Blossom on the Full Moon has no meaning if I actually had another chance of life!"
"… You are special Bani… But you will now have to choose between your Family and your friends."
"Either way… I will regret it." Bliss answered. "Because in no way will I allow you to use this body for such vile deeds!"
"But I gave you that body!" The darkness answered.
"This is the body of a sick girl in the hospital!" Bliss snarled. "Why do you torment me so? There are posters everywhere for the search of the girl? And this way…"
"You can't die, Bliss." The darkness laughed. "If you die, you'll be taking the girl with you to death!"
"… How I longed to find a way out of this situation… You vile MONSTER!" Bliss punched the darkness, but the darkness only scattered.
"That's it, Bani. Be filled with Rage. Let this rage cover your own heart. And be mine for control!"
"NEVER!" Bliss said, her fist shaking.
"Bani?" A voice said. Bliss spun around to see Blossom. Blossom was in tears, as she moved to hug her friend. Bliss moved away.
"Leave me alone, Blossom. It's not safe for you to be anywhere near me…" Bliss said, flying away from her friend.
"…" Blossom didn't chase after her second self.
"… There's time for me to know about it…" Blossom sighed, continuing with her patrol, not planning to tell the other two of the event.
(January 12, 2036, Saturday, Himeko's Mansion)
"… I should leave." Ramira sighed. "I'll just tell my parents that I didn't have the nerve to enter… He's unpredictable after all… This is the perfect time for an attack on the Powerpuffs." Ramira hefted her bag and was about to leave when Momoko jumped on top of her.
"RAMIRA! You came!" Momoko grinned. Ramira tried to get up.
"Mou, we did say to meet us at school!" Sakamoto said. "We were supposed to enter together, after all."
"Well we're here." Kaoru sighed. She then waved the invitation as instructed and suddenly the doors opened to reveal hundreds of maids.
"Welcome, guests of Himeko. Please enter."
"Ok…" Ramira said. "I should leave…"
"Nonsense!" The maids and her class said simultaneously. They pushed the girl in into the gigantic house.
"Seriously…" Ramira sighed.
"Welcome, everyone!" Himeko grinned from atop the stairs, wearing a gown.
"This is a slumber party, Himeko." Ramira yelled, "Not a Promenade!" Everyone had to nod.
"Wh… Oh fine!" Himeko tossed the dress off to reveal her "normal" clothing.
"Much better." Momoko grinned. "Ramira you go from one emotion to another don't you?"
"Just say my mood swings are faster than an average teenager." Ramira mumbled.
"Ok… Where's the cakes?" Momoko grinned.
(Room)
"This tastes good!" Momoko grinned as she chewed on her cake. She brought some into the rooms.
"Lay off the sweets, Momoko. They'll make you fat." Ramira said drily, playing Go Fish with a bunch of boys and is winning. Momoko sweatdropped at how familiar the tone and voice Ramira used to Bani, except that Bani used the two sentences sort of lovingly.
"Are you a Go Fish champion or something?" Sakamoto mumbled. Ramira shrugged, laying down her last set of four, making five sets, easily beating the other four, who only had either one or two sets.
"I wanted to play Poker!" Another boy wailed.
"I wanted stri-" The boy next to Sakamoto started to say but his mouth was immediately muffled by Jesse, the third player in the one-sided Go Fish tournament.
"No perverted stuff, remember?"
"How exactly did we end up playing such a kiddie game?" The boy next to Ramira mumbled. Ramira shrugged, while picking up all the cards. Ramira showed it towards Sakamoto, who crossed his arms.
"NO! No more Go Fish! Let's play Truth or Dare!" Sakamoto gave up on the fight against Ramira.
"Now, I'm game!" Kaoru grinned.
"Same here." Momoko walked up to the center of the room. Ramira edged to the corner, and is completely avoiding getting dragged into the circle. Too late though, Kaoru had already picked her up and deposited her between her and Momoko.
"Ok, since I'm the one who said it first, I'll get first pick!" Sakamoto grinned. "And of course, I'm going with Momoko!"
"Eh?" Momoko gasped at the sudden choice. "Dare."
"Hold my bugs for me for 1 minute." Sakamoto grinned, pulling out his bugs. Momoko edged away, not really keen on holding bugs. Sakamoto deposited the bugs into her outstretched hands, as the class started a countdown. After a minute passed, Momoko threw the bugs back into Sakamoto's position. Momoko immediately called Kaoru.
"Dare!" Kaoru said confidently.
Momoko whispered something into Kaoru's ear.
"What!" Kaoru gasped.
"It's a dare, Kaoru. Just do it."
"… Fine." Kaoru mumbled, walking out of the door and started her search. After a few minutes, Kaoru returned. Her hair was still messy, but noticeably she was wearing a skirt.
"Don't I look cute?" Kaoru said, making a seductive pose. Then she gagged and rushed out and returned in her PJs.
"Don't… Dare… me… to… do… that… AGAIN!" Kaoru snarled.
"It's just a dare, Kaoru." Ramira said. "It's your fault for choosing Dare."
"Ok Ramira, you do it then, Truth or Dare?"
"Truth." Ramira said, bored.
"Seriously, Ramira? Truth?" Kaoru gagged. "You're being a killjoy here."
"Then let me be a killjoy." Ramira drily said.
"Which one of the boys here you like the most?" Kaoru asked.
"No one." Ramira said, looking at Kaoru's eye to make sure she didn't think she wasn't lying.
"The hell? Invalid answer!" Kaoru said. "You have to say at least someone's name!"
"If you were asking for which boy I find interesting the most I would have answered something." Ramira answered back. "It's only been a week since I've been here, remember?"
"… You're logic doesn't make sense." Kaoru sighed. "Fine, just say who interests you the most?"
"That'll probably be him." Ramira pointed a finger at Sakamoto. "He's so interesting that I feel like slapping him in the face at the moment." Sakamoto gagged. The class sweatdropped at her answer.
"Seriously?" Sakamoto gagged. "I almost thought you were in love with me and you go pointing out that you want to slap me!"
"Yeah." Ramira answered. The game continued with some really interesting results. Miyako wearing rags, Himeko wearing maid clothes (much to her dismay), and Jesse talking about his worst failures (Not being able to take a single photo of the PPGZ correctly). After a while, the group got tired. The boys moved to the other room. Himeko headed for her own room, due to currently wearing rags (The very last dare), and doesn't seem to be coming back.
"Hey!" Momoko called softly to Ramira, who was sleeping in the corner farthest from them and nearest to the window. "Ramira!"
"Hm?" Ramira mumbled, quite forgetting to be hostile to Momoko. "What is it…?"
"… Do you really like Sakamoto?"
"No." Ramira said. "I was just really annoyed when he was laughing the whole time you held those bugs." Momoko was shocked at the answer. She never really expected Ramira to care, let alone want to defend her. But she can also understand why she restrained herself. It was a dare. A game. It was for the fun of it.
"… Thanks." Momoko went back to sleep. Ramira, on the other hand, was steadily growing awake, as a certain pain made her world spiral. She grabbed her bag in the corner and pulled out the belt. A darkness suddenly formed behind her. Ramira spiraled around to see the darkness grinning like a cat.
"It's time, my precious Bunny!" The Darkness laughed. Ramira yelled at the top of her lungs.
"EVERYONE!" The room suddenly had the girls awake, hearing her voice.
"Wha!" The girls all moved away from the darkness, save for Momoko, Kaoru and Miyako who pulled their own belts from the side of their futons. The boys also ran into the room, followed by the maids.
The scene surprised everyone. A form of darkness was at the corner of the room, right in front of Ramira who seemed to be either worried for them or angry at the Darkness. Then Momoko saw the belt in Ramira's hand.
"… That belt…" Momoko gasped. "Bani!" The whole room bolted in realization as they realize that the second persona had been with them.
"… Hello… sis." Bani, for the first time, addressed the girl as her sister, but tears streamed from her eyes as the darkness laughed.
Chapter End!
Momoko: This story is a bit fast paced, isn't it?
Lunar Wave: Kukuku, Blissful Returns just might become as short as Momoko's New Personality.
Miyako: I'm worried for what will happen in the next chapter…
Kaoru: Why don't I get the feeling that we'll like it?
Lunar Wave: Next Chapter: To Kill the Dark