In the room next to the mayor's office, Wendy paced up and down whilst apparently waiting for someone. She glanced up when she heard the door open, to see Chief Mccoy walk in. His face expressionless.
"Thanks for coming dad" Wendy said, with some nervousness in her voice.
"So this is true then Wendy. About those boys" Mccoy closed the door behind him.
"Yes, as soon as I heard Brick Boomer and Butch were arrested last night, I needed you to prove that they were innocent" the scientist explained placing her hand on her father's arm.
"Brick Boomer and Butch?" Mccoy repeated in a tone that pointed out 'you're calling them by their names.' Wendy didn't say anything to that. "How did you know they were innocent?"
"I, just know. They wouldn't do anything like that all of a sudden, not these days. They've been staying neutral for the past couple of weeks, even saved lives a few times" the scientist insisted. Plus, Bubbles told her everything when she found Wendy last night.
"Yes, as you told me on the phone. You said you've been performing these experiments of yours on those boys. On Their powers or something. Wendy don't you realise these are former criminals? Dangerous ones." Mccoy, whilst caring about the safety of his daughter, was also somewhat trying to play devil's advocate for his own conflicting thoughts about them.
"Dad they saved your life as well. I'm the one who sent them to rescue you that night you were captured by the mob. Look, I know about their past. But the time I've spent with them, they've never shown any sign of hostility, genuinely. In fact the reason I think they agreed to rescue you was because they were doing it for me" she admitted.
Mccoy remembered back to when Brick saved him, and when he saved Brick. He did sound pretty genuine. Plus he saw with his own eyes that they were quelling the riot last night. The mall incident, saving officer Jones's life from a shooting. Maybe there was a chance these boys could be used for the good of the city? Maybe.
"Let me just explain" began Wendy "What I'm planning."
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Brick explained all he could to the mayor. He had to tell her everything, as he really had no choice, to prove their innocence. Though he left out everything to do with Bubbles, wanting to keep her out of this.
"So, you three were in this, warehouse of yours, when you saw the fires of last night, and you decided to help?" the mayor repeated what she heard from the red Rowdyruff.
"That's right," Brick confirmed. "If we had any intention of stealing, we would've done that instantly with our super speed, instead of apprehending all those crooks."
The mayor thought for a minute, not quite sure what to do, as the Rowdyruff boys, or at least Boomer and Butch, looked on hopefully at her.
She then explained to them "You understand, that we are going to hold you three in our custody, as you are still considered dangerous. And frankly I don't believe your story."
The boys didn't look too hopeful at that. Not until they heard the door open behind them, and both the chief of police and their scientist friend walked in.
"Wendy!" the three of them all said at the same time. All equally surprised.
"Chief Mccoy, I'm glad you're here," the mayor greeted. "I need you to keep these three in custody until more evidence is found."
"No need ma'am, that's actually why I'm here" he said in a calm tone, pulling out a slip of paper from his coat, walking over to the mayor's desk. "The police department's already searched for evidence against these boys, and due to the lack of it, and all the witness statements saying that these three were fighting the rioters and not committing any sort of crime as well as saving their lives, this is a pardon slip for them."
The police officers in the room pointing their guns at the boys didn't look too sure about that.
"You mean, we're free to go?" Boomer asked.
"You do realise who these boys are, Chief Mccoy?" the mayor reminded in a threatening authoritarian voice.
"I know all too well ma'am, but technically, these boys haven't done anything wrong."
"And what about the future Mr Mccoy? How can we trust these boys to," she paused. "Behave, after you let them go?" the mayor inquired.
"That's, where my daughter comes in, Mrs mayor" Mccoy responded and the three ruffs turned to her.
Wendy then spoke "Mrs mayor, I've personally known these boys for the past few weeks now. And like my father has explained, they haven't committed any crimes whatsoever. They've just been scavenging the streets for food and any means to live. They have neither harmed me, nor anyone that wasn't acting hostile. They've actually done this town a huge favour, and we're lucky, because they didn't even want to get involved in any such affairs. But they ended up saving lives and apprehending criminals instead ."
She got to the point. "So if they were put in parental custody of someone. Someone who could keep an eye on them, and look after them. You'll find that they'll be no threat to our city."
The mayor looked at her. "Are you suggesting that they be adopted? And who would do that exactly?"
"Well, someone like, me" Wendy answered, making the boys and other people in the room, apart from the chief, turn to her in disbelief, with some officers whispering to each other asking if she was crazy.
The mayor scoffed. "I hardly think you can look after three super powered children. What if they attack you?"
"They haven't attacked me as of yet" countered the scientist.
The mayor sighed "Look, Ms Innlost-"
"Mrs Innlost" Wendy corrected.
"Mrs Innlost, my backers would be against this heavily" the mayor explained.
"Oh yes your, 'financial backers', as you put it" Wendy said in a sarcastic tone. "Since Brick Boomer and Butch have been found innocent, are homeless, and such a young age, there's no reason that I can't go through the adoption process with them."
She then quickly took the keys from an officer's belt and unlocked the cuffs on the boys. "What are you doing!" the officer exclaimed.
"I'll prove they're not dangerous."
The cuffs fell to the floor with a thud and the mayor, her secretary, and the officers pointing their guns, jumped back in absolute fright. But the boys just floated there, looking at them with blank faces.
The mayor exhaled "Never do anything like that again Mrs Innlost." She sighed again. "Fine. You may take them, but they will still be kept an eye on by the police, and they are your responsibility, you understand?"
"Absolutely, I'll see these boys and myself out." She gestured for them to follow her, and taking one look back at the mayor, the boys floated out the room after her.
"Chief Mccoy" the mayor said "I know you're a busy man, but try to check on those boys regularly will you."
The chief nodded. "They shouldn't bother this city ma'am. Believe me, if they show any signs of trouble then I'll deal with it" he assured, although he hid his own conflicted feelings about the Rowdyruffs.
"Your daughter seemed very keen on them" the secretary pointed out.
"Yes I, I don't know if it has something to do with it but; but I still don't think she's gotten over Mark yet." Mccoy turned to his officers in the room "You men with me. We're done here."
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The Rowdyruff boys floated alongside the scientist at eye level. They were silent for a while, until Brick became the first to speak.
"Wendy, um, thanks, for that. Sorry you had to, reveal everything to your father and the mayor, though your dad did seem pretty reasonable."
"Yes, and I left without thanking him" she sighed regretfully. "I'll have to talk to him later."
"I'm surprised he let us go. Was there really no evidence against us?" Butch wondered.
"Well you boys didn't do anything so of course not. My dad hasn't told me, specifically anyway, what his opinion of you three is. But he did his job, as all the witness statements said that you were rescuing people last night" Wendy explained.
"Speaking of which, how did you know we were arrested? Is this on the news?" Brick questioned.
"Well sadly, the news reported on it yes, but that's not how I found out. Bubbles came to me."
"Bubbles? So that's what happened to her. Is she alright?" asked Boomer.
"Yes, she told me everything. She was very worried and felt guilty about the whole thing. I managed to calm her down and tell her I'd deal with it the next day. That she should go home and call me secretly when she got the chance. I gave her my cell phone number" Wendy explained.
"She must be worried," Boomer remarked, before bringing up something else from earlier. "So, does this mean, we're going to be living with you now Wendy?"
"Hm? Oh, right, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you boys about it, I mean I wanted to yesterday,"
"I thought that's what you were alluding to" Brick told her. "You realise, if you do that, it means, well, it means you'll be our, our-"
"Mother? Yes, I do. Only if, you boys are okay with it of course?" she said with a lot of hope detectable in her voice.
The three ruffs didn't know quite what to feel at this moment. An actual parent? One not like Mojo or HIM, but an actual human parent who didn't just want them for evil schemes, who would take care of them, living like, well, like a normal child.
"Won't this look bad on you?" questioned Butch.
"I'll ask my father to ask the mayor and the police to keep this adoption affair private, away from the likes of the media. To assure the citizens of Founders, they'll have to be told you're being adopted, but they don't have to know who by" Wendy ran it through with them.
"What just did you mean about the mayor's 'financial backers' anyway?" wondered Brick.
Wendy did a short fake laugh. "There've been a lot of investigations and inquiries about old misery mayor back there. For corruption and things like that. Accepting bribes, money. It's what you call a public secret. Everyone knows it's true but doesn't talk about it, or do anything. You always get people like that I suppose. Ones that promise to close guantanamo bay and never do for example. Anyway," she changed the subject. "How do you three feel about, what I proposed?"
There was a pause, then Boomer finally said "It'll be nice to live in an actual house instead of an evil lair, prison cell or an old warehouse."
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Bubbles had been worried all day about the events of last night. She's the one who ushered them to go and fight in that riot. Brick even saved her life, and now they've been arrested, the very last thing the boys wanted. This was all her fault. She tried to put on her usual cheerful face so no one would suspect anything, though it was a strain to wait to get home from school.
When she finally did it was a relief, though she had to wait until no one was around to hear her using the kitchen phone. She called the number.
"Hello."
"Mrs Wendy, it's me, Bubbles. What happened to the boys?" the Powerpuff whispered.
"Bubbles, yes, they're here, I managed to convince my father to pardon them, they're free to go."
"Hey Bubbles" Boomer's voice was heard.
"Boomie!" Bubbles said a little bit too loudly, but luckily no one heard her.
"Bubbles" Brick was now speaking "Thanks for, getting help, making sure we wouldn't get in trouble."
"No Brick, thank you, for getting me out of that burning building last night. I feel guilty about getting you three involved in that riot."
"Don't worry Bubbles. I've already talked about plans for the future" Wendy told Bubbles everything about planning to adopt the boys and that they'd be living with her, which Bubbles tried really hard not to squeal from excitement. "And the public won't know where they're living, so they'll be safe from them."
"Well thank goodness, I've been so worried all day, and, is it okay that I still visit them?"
Wendy chuckled "Of course dear. Though are you sure about not telling your father and sisters?"
Bubbles looked down "To be honest, I'm not quite sure how they'd react. I was hoping to play with the boys still in secret, if that's okay?"
"If that's what you want Bubbles, then okay" Wendy accepted.
The blonde puff then heard the Professor approaching the kitchen so she whispered "I gotta go, thank ever so much for helping Mrs Wendy." She hung up, and quickly flew out the kitchen pretending not to know the Professor was coming.
Later that evening after dinner in the Utonium household, Blossom and Bubbles were washing the dishes as part of their chores, while Buttercup was kicking a soccer ball outside in the garden, muttering to herself.
"You seem a lot more cheerful than earlier today Bubbles" the pink puff observed about her sister.
"Oh, yes, well I was quite worried about Buttercup and her match today, whether her team would win in the school's girls soccer tournament or not" Bubbles thought of quickly.
"But they lost," Blossom reminded.
"Uh, I'm just relieved is all, that's she's taking it so well" lied Bubbles, just as they heard a tree in the distance get knocked down by a soccer ball that had hit it with such force. "As well as she can take it anyway."
"That's the third tree now, doesn't she know this sort of thing impacts the environment?" Blossom sighed.
"Say Blossom" Bubbles began, not looking her sister in the eye. "Say if Buttercup were to turn around and actually admit that the reason they lost today, wasn't because the referee was biased, but because she foul tackled two of the opposite team's players, one during the game and one after. Would you accept her admitting she was wrong?"
Blossom raised an eyebrow at her sister. What kind of question was that? "Um, sure I would, though it's Buttercup, so I doubt it'll actually happen"
"But if she started turning her tactics in soccer around, and played better, would you support her?" Bubbles asked further.
"Of course I would, she is my sister, believe it or not" Blossom answered, glancing out the window again. "Why are you asking me this Bubbles?"
"Oh, I, just feel sorry for her. I still believe people can turn their game around" the innocent blonde smiled.
"Still think that huh? I guess, some people, not all people, but some can change. But I doubt anyone like Sedusa, or Mojo can. Anyway, we're done with the dishes, I'm heading off to finish next week's biology homework, as I've already done this week's" Blossom floated off.
Bubbles figured that maybe, if she was going to tell her sisters about the boys, she should wait a little longer.
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During that same evening in Founders, Brick Boomer and Butch were waiting for Wendy to return home, as she was down at city hall again.
They had even more time to think about this new 'arrangement'. And the more they thought about it, the more they liked it.
"So we'll actually have a family? A real actual family? Not one where we take orders or serve as henchmen? But like other kids and how they live?" Boomer expressed most excitement.
"We'll have food, a roof over our heads, somewhere warm to sleep, and we're more likely to be kept out of trouble this way" Brick figured. "I think it's without a doubt the best option to take."
"Yeah and, I guess, Wendy will have us to, keep her company as well, in this place" Butch muttered quite quietly, though the other two still noticed. "Are we really going to be like normal kids though?" Butch said skeptically.
"Not entirely normal, with our powers and past and all" Brick acknowledged his point. The ruff leader was too thinking of something else though. Something he'd been throwing back and forth in his mind. An idea.
"Remember how Bubbles described fighting crime in Townsville? And given all the families that are affected by crime in Founders? Which we've personally seen. Similar to how we were terrorized by criminals, do you think, that maybe, possibly," Brick stopped. "Actually never mind."
The front door then opened and they're now carer walked through, holding some papers in her hands.
"Wendy, how'd it go?" Boomer floated up from the floor upon seeing her.
"Hello boys. It went better than I thought. These are the adoption papers" she showed them to the trio.
"Doesn't adoption take months?" asked Brick,
"Normally, but you three are a special case. Since the police and mayor want you in someone's custody as soon as possible, an exception was made. And now, it's official."
The boys saw their names on the papers. Their new last names. With the official stamps and seals next to them. It was a feeling they had never felt before. It was like, a sense of belonging. That they were wanted for them. Not their powers. That they were a part of something now.
"So, does this mean-?" Boomer was about to say.
"That's right" Wendy knelt down to their level. She had the happiest look on her face that the boys had ever seen. Genuinely happy. "You're, you're my sons. You three are now Brick, Boomer, and Butch Innlost."
So the boys have a family again, a real family. I know I said there'll be a Bubbles chapter soon, which will happen, so don't you guys worry:) Maybe it'll be part of the next chapter, which will focus on the boys settling in to this new life as well. Again, thanks for all the favs, follows and reviews. I'm always happy to read them.
Powerpuff girls and Rowdyruff boys belong to CN.
