AN: So I hope you've enjoyed this so far :) Get ready for a wild ride…
Chapter 5: Challenge 5
Buttercup's POV
I woke up severely confused, in a place I didn't remember falling asleep in because last time I checked, the kitchen table wasn't this comfortable. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't upset, just very confused because I don't even remember going to sleep, just waiting at the kitchen table.
A few minutes of being awake was all it took to clear up my confusion and remember what happened last night, making me a little upset. Not mad, just… upset. I got up and walked downstairs, grabbing a bowl of cereal and milk, I wasn't in the mood to cook breakfast. I didn't say a word to anyone as I finished and got ready for yet another challenge. I didn't bother brushing my hair and just threw it in a messy bun that somehow looked decent and brushed my teeth. I grabbed a pair of black Nike shorts and a dark forest green t-shirt that was a few sizes too big, giving the look that I had no pants on. I put on an old pair of black and white Nike cross trainers with Nike mid calf black socks. I didn't bother with any makeup other than mascara today just so I didn't look like I had completely quit on the day.
After getting ready, I read the note and was immediately glad I got dressed before reading the challenge: "Good morning dear! Now that you've read this, you can't change. There is a motorcycle waiting for you outside and if you don't know how to drive it, I suggest you find out quickly because your challenge is to drive it at max speed across the entirety of Townsville without stopping or slowing down. When I said you can't change, I mean it, at this point in time you can't even put on a helmet. Good luck, hope you don't have… an accident"
I didn't care who heard me, I groaned VERY loudly in frustration. Not even eight seconds later, two streaks of pink and blue busted the door down and I quickly hid the note behind my back, I wondered if it would be against the rules if they 'accidentally' found a challenge sitting on my dresser…
"Buttercup, what's wrong?" I had to think fast.
"Uh… This whole morning has been AWFUL! First, I woke up really confused because I didn't even remember falling asleep, I didn't know where I was, then when I finally figured it out I got up and hit my fucking toe on the dresser!" I figured that if I said I stubbed my toe that it would be believable that I was so frustrated, and apparently it was, until Blossom noticed I had shoes on.
"It couldn't have hurt that bad with shoes on, Buttercup. What really happened?" I allowed another grin and I used the hand not holding the now crumpled piece of paper to slap my forehead and wipe at the rest of my face.
"I can't tell you. I want to, but I can't." She started to nod a bit in understanding, but I could see the tense agitation behind it.
"So I'm guessing you have to do something really stupid today? Can you at least tell us what you have to do?" I thought about doing it for a second, but I knew that if she found out, she would definitely stop me.
"Well… stupid would be one way to describe it, but I really can't tell you because you wouldn't let me do it if I did…" That was all it took for her temper to come back.
"We are only trying to look out for you Buttercup! Why are you being like this?" I was about to respond when Bubbles cut in.
"Blossom… Maybe she's not allowed to tell us. Please don't fight her, I hate watching you two fight, we're sisters…" I saw Blossom calm down and I completely forgot what I was about to say, Bubbles just had a way of doing that. I smiled at her and brought her into a hug that really surprised both of us.
"Thanks Bubs…" Before they could react, I ran outside and jumped on the motorcycle, determined to finds out how to work it before driving it through Townsville without brakes until I got out of the city. I looked around the bike and found the gas, really the only thing I was going to need.
I nervously sat on the seat of the motorcycle and revved up the engine, stalling for time, I REALLY didn't want to do this. I saw my sisters come out the door and they both froze.
"Please tell me you at least plan on wearing a helmet…" I gave Bubbles a sheepish look and broke eye contact.
"I wish I could…" She looked scared when I said that and made a movement to try and stop me, so I took that as my cue to get the hell outta there.
"Hopefully I'll see you guys later today!" To my surprise, as soon as I turned it on, the bike started going at least 100 mph and it wasn't a proud moment, but I let myself a small scream. I gained control of my emotions and started to watch where I was going, I didn't want to crash before I even got to Townsville…
Professor's POV
"How do you expect her to complete your challenges if you're trying to kill her?!" HIM had just recently showed me the challenge and I felt a surge of resentment towards the cross dresser from hell.
"Weeeell professor, since when have you known me to play nice? I don't really plan on both of you living! And something tells me it will either be both of you, or her who dies! If she doesn't accept a challenge and offers to take your place in death, I'll even let you have the honors of watching just how I kill her!" I was absolutely disgusted with this… thing. The hatred I felt brought me back to how all of this happened.
••••••••••Flashback••••••••••
I was at a Chinese takeout restaurant, Buttercup's favorite. I had agreed to bring them home dinner from work and after a heated game of rock, paper, scissors, Buttercup won, meaning we were having Chinese takeout.
Once all of our meals came out, I grabbed the plastic bag and the four fortune cookies the lady gave me and walked out. I had never really had any problems with this part of the city before, but for some reason I had a bad feeling as I walked towards my car, which I had to park a block away in order to not pay.
I was almost to my car when I felt something grip my bicep hard and pull me into an alley, covering my face with a rag that made me pass out.
The next time I woke up, I was tied to a chair and in a place I recognized as HIM's lair. I felt bad for thinking this, but I figured there was no way the girls could get me out of this one without someone dying.
••••••••••End Flashback••••••••••
I honestly hoped that I was wrong, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if Buttercup died trying to protect me because even if she was my toughest fighter, she was my little girl first.
Kitty's POV
I was walking down the street casually, my shiny amber hair falling a little below my shoulders. I wore a casual white sundress and sandals and decided to grab breakfast out. I pulled out my phone and was about to ask Buttercup if she wanted to meet me, when a huge gust of wind flew by, courtesy of a speeding motorcycle that had just run a red light.
I didn't think much of it and texted her, expecting a quick reply back, but it didn't come. As I walked a few more blocks I came to a halting realization that nobody else would do something as crazy as riding a motorcycle that fast through Townsville traffic, it HAD to be her. I ran down the streets, hoping to find her even if there was no possible way of me actually catching up to her, then I saw something that made all blood drain from my body, a five way accident.
Buttercup's POV
I looked down at the speedometer for a second and almost screamed when I realized I was going 187 mph. I looked up to see what was going on around me and I realized I was about to run into the back of the car, so I looked to the sidewalk, where luckily nobody was walking. I swerved around the car and found my way back on the road, where to my horror, pedestrians were crossing. I don't know why there were so many, but the flow seemed never ending. I looked around for a way not to hit them and my a grin came to my face when I saw one of those tow trucks that looked like a ramp. I veered off to the side where the truck was and rode up the truck, jumping over the front of the truck and the people on the crosswalk. I side in relief as I landed, but in my moment of distraction, I didn't see the huge tractor trailer until it was right in front of me.
Blossom's POV
Bubbles and I went back inside to get breakfast, deciding to eat the dinner that Buttercup made us last night. I was really worried about her, that motorcycle took off really fast and she didn't even have a helmet on, heck it didn't even look like she had pants on! I turned on the news after heating up the ribs and corn and almost dropped the remote as I saw the headline. "Five way car-crash right on Townsville border." A sense of dread washed over me and I could only pray that my sister wasn't a part of it.
A picture came up and all I could see was an overturned tractor trailer, a completely crushed Prius, a wrecked jeep, a flipped over minivan and right outside of Townsville, a motorcycle.
"We are here live at the scene of the car crash and are currently getting updates of survivors and victims of the crash. So far, the paramedics have searched both the Prius and the tractor trailer. A middle aged couple was identified as Jason and Carley Winster from the Prius and were found dead upon arrival. The man in the tractor trailer was also found dead due to a stress induced heart attack as the paramedics arrived on the scene… W-we will get back to you shortly with the remaining news on this tragedy when we come back after this break." I looked over at Bubbles and she had the same shocked and sad look on her face as I did on mine.
"Do you think the motorcycle was Buttercup's?" Bubbles seemed to be on the verge of tears because if she had been involved in that accident, there was almost no chance of her survival.
Kitty's POV
My hand raised to my mouth shakily as I listened to the reporter list off people who died in the accident and watched more people be dragged from cars that were mangled beyond recognition. My eyes alien drifted over to the motorcycle that had made it out of Townsville's border before stopping. The motorcycle itself looked fine aside from a few dents and the torn up wheels. I had to wonder how it escaped with so little damage when all of those cars looked worse. I turned to start my trek home when I heard a miserable sound of pure pain.
"Fuck." That was honestly the weakest sounding 'fuck' I had ever heard and I immediately ran towards the voice.
Blossom's POV
The news station came back on and the lady looked even more sad than before.
"After searching the keep and the minivan, we found five more victims, not one survivor. In the jeep, a teenager by the name Steven Oakes was identified and pronounced dead upon arrival." The lady choked back a sob. "And in the minivan, a family of four, a mother, a father, and two kids were identified and pronounced dead upon contact. The mother was named Sylvia Johnson, the father, Benjamin Johnson, the eight year old boy was named Colin Johnson, and the twelve year old girl was named Olivia Johnson. As for the motorcycle, the body still has yet to be found." After finishing, the reporter broke down in tears and Bubbles and I soon followed.
Buttercup's POV
I immediately thought back to all those action movies I've watched and leaned my bike all the way to the side, sliding underneath the tractor trailer, but it didn't feel nearly as cool as it did in the movies when the motorcycle didn't stay upright like they did in the movies and I fell on my side, the bike still moving. I could feel the severe road rash already cutting into my left leg and my shoulder as well as the burning from the exhaust pipe that rested on my ankle.
When I got out from under the trailer, I saw three other cars in the mess as I slid in the ground. I managed to get the bike upright and weaved between the three vehicles. I lost balance on the bike right on the Townsville border and I held on as it flipped over, landing me… not exactly safely outside of Townsville. I laid on the ground, everything in pain and I looked over to where I just came from and to my horror, I watched all of the cars either flip over or crash into each other.
I felt panic wash over me as I realized that I caused the accident and I dragged myself away from the scene so that nobody would see me if they went to check out the accident. I looked down at my leg to see it bleeding heavily on the outside and a third degree burn on my ankle. My shoulder wasn't in much better shape than the outside of my leg and I was pretty sure I broke a few ribs.
"Fuck." I wanted to scream, but at the time, all I could manage was a pitiful whimper. I went to take out my phone, but dropped it and froze when I heard a voice from the entrance of the alley.
"Buttercup..?" I thought I was about to get in a shit ton of trouble until I turned around and sighed in relief when I saw it was Kit.
"Oh thank God it's you. Look Kit, I normally don't ask for help, but I can't go out there, that accident was all my fault and they're all gonna want me in fucking prison, I can't afford that! Do you have a car?" She looked at me in concern and seemed to be thinking.
"I have a car, but it's on the other side of the city, plus, it'd be kinda hard to get it through that accident…" I peeked out of the alley and my heart jumped in my throat, it looked terrible…
"Kit, p-please tell me n-nobody died." My voice was shaky, but I didn't bother to hide it right now. She didn't respond to me and looked away. I started to hyperventilate and felt tears sting at my eyes. "Kit! Say something!" My breathing started to come out more erratically and I used both of my hands to grip at my hair. She still refused to talk and I felt my panic start to grow until I began to have a panic attack and started sobbing loudly, between gasps for breath. My hands started shaking uncontrollably and my heart was beating wildly.
"Buttercup, calm down! You need to calm down, you're going to give yourself a heart attack." She kneeled down next to me and started shaking my good shoulder, but I could barely even feel it. "Shit! Please Buttercup, don't do this!" I felt her start to violently shake my shoulders, desperately trying to snap me out of it, but the thoughts wouldn't stop running through my head.
You killed them
You're a murderer
Their blood is on your hands
Monster
I finally snapped out of it when I felt a sharp slap on my right cheek. I stopped panicking and wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her shoulder, letting everything out. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be happening, but this was the first time I had caused someone to die, possibly more. Also, for some reason, I found myself trusting the girl I had only met yesterday. I was grateful to her for hugging me back, even if it was sure to ruin her white sundress.
"I-I killed them! How m-many were there? How many d-did I k-kill?" I almost screamed to her between sobs. She didn't answer but only hugged me tighter. My chest clenched painfully and I screamed into her shoulder since sobbing didn't seem to get enough out. "Kit please!" I felt one of her hands move up to take my hair out of the bun that had already fallen out most of the way. She started to pet the top of my head and she finally answered me in a whisper.
"Eight." I let out a high pitched whimper and started to cry harder if possible.
"I-I didn't mean t-to! You be-belie-ve me r-right?" I probably looked like a child to her right now even though I was around one and a half years older, even though I was legally an adult. I just had to let out my frustrations over the last week and now seemed like a great time to do it.
"I believe you… I know you wouldn't intentionally kill anyone." I hugged her tighter and my crying started to lighten.
"Thank you… and sorry if I messed up y-your dress." She let me go and I pulled away from her, wiping the leftover tears from my face.
"Don't worry about the dress." I smiled at her, but then it dropped soon after it came.
"I'm sorry, I don't normally do that kind of shit, I've just been so stressed lately and I've never killed anyone before… I-I'm so sorry! I should just go turn myself in…" I tried to get up to walk out to the crash site, but I fell back down, not being able to support myself at the moment. I tried to get up again, but Kit gently held my shoulder down.
"Buttercup, please, you can't just ruin your life like that!" I turned on her, she didn't understand!
"Ruin my life?! I ENDED eight!" She gave me a sad look. And helped me up and let me lean on her.
"At least let me help you…" I was grateful to her for that, most people would've left me alone.
"Thanks Kit." She smiled sadly at me and nodded.
I limped over to the crash site and all eyes turned towards us, the paramedics immediately rushing over to me. I was taken from Kit and put on a stretcher and they started cleaning out my road rash. I let out a muffled scream of pain through my teeth as they doused it in fucking alcohol after they got all the rocks and glass out. There was no way that was necessary. After their small torture session, they covered it in gauze and wrapped it. After that, they called over the reporters and the cops to ask some questions.
"What happened to you?" The cop sounded very accusing and I knew he was already suspecting I was the one on the motorcycle, so I confirmed it for him.
"I was the one on the motorcycle… I couldn't use my brakes so when I came near a crosswalk I used a tow truck as a ramp to jump over the people who were crossing the street, but when I landed I was right in front of the tractor trailer and I didn't want to hit it, so I tried that cool action movie thing where they tilt their motorcycle to go under something, but mine didn't stay up like theirs always did and I slid on my side, which is how I got this roadburn. When I got from under the tractor trailer I managed to get my bike back upright, but then I saw four other cars moving in different directions so I swerved around all of them, but because my wheel was so messed up, it blew out and it flipped over the Townsville border. I'm so sorry! You can arrest me, seriously I deserve it!" I put my hands out to them so they could handcuff me but they only laughed.
"All of those cars ran a red light, you had the right of way! However, you were speeding, so I'm going to have to give you a ticket." I blinked in shock and I smiled a huge smile.
"So this isn't my fault? I didn't kill anyone?!" The cops smiled at me amused and nodded as did the other people around me. I started to sit up to look at Kit, but I fell back down and gripped at my side, I definitely broke a few ribs…
Professor's POV
I broke down when I saw the fatal accident, saying there were no survivors. I threw a watery glare at HIM and realized they he actually looked angry. I thought he wanted both of us dead… I pictured my middle daughter lying on the ground bloody and unmoving and it broke my heart, that was my fault…
I kept my head in my hands, wanting desperately to hear her voice telling me she was fine and that she wasn't actually dead and almost as if someone was granting my wishes, I heard her voice come on the television, telling everyone what happened. I looked up to see her green eyes full of sorrow and guilt as she retold the events that led up to the crash.
I couldn't help but chuckle lowly when she said she tried to do an action movie thing that didn't work, even though it could've been the very thing that saved her.
I gasped in shock as she offered herself up, however, since she never liked to take responsibility of her actions, she always tried to blame it on someone else! I was scared that they were going to arrest her for a moment, but was very relieved to see that she only got a ticket for speeding since all the other cars had run a red light. The smile on her face lifted my spirits considerably. Out of my three daughters, her smile was my favorite. It's not that hers was better, it was just that when she actually, genuinely smiled, it meant she was really happy, and lately I hadn't seen too many of those.
HIM growled after the news story was over and barked at me. "Don't you think both of you are going to get out of this! She will be dead by the end of the challenge! And when she dies, you die!" I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat and managed a glare.
"Buttercup's tougher than you think, she can make it through any of these crazy stunts you throw at her, with or without her powers!" His snarl slowly turned up into an unsettling grin.
"Then maybe I should start throwing out some challenges to mess with her mind…" My face paled until it had no color. Had I just made her challenges harder?
Bubbles's POV
I looked back up to the screen as I heard Buttercup's voice through the speakers. "Blossom, she's alive!" Blossom was by my side in an instant and we hugged each other tightly, sharing our relief.
"Oh thank God!" I heard Blossom mumbling into my shoulder. After a while, we pulled away from each other.
"Let's get Chinese takeout for when she gets home!" Blossom nodded in agreement and we drove my car to her favorite place, the same place the Professor was supposed to bring us food from.
When we walked in the house, we saw Buttercup sitting on the couch with a girl I had never seen before. "Hey, Buttercup! We brought home Chinese takeout, your favorite! How are you feeling, and who is this?" She looked at me, then the food and smiled in a way that made her eyes light up.
"Hey guys! Thank you so much! Umm, I mean I've felt better, but I've also felt worse and this is my friend Kit, I met her the other day and I kinda ruined her dress today so I let her have some of my clothes so she isn't walking around looking like a serial killer." The girl playfully pushed Buttercups unwrapped shoulder. She wore a loose white tank top and light denim shorts that I recognized as mine, but after looking at the two of them that Buttercup's shorts would be too big for her. She had one of Blossom's flannels that Buttercup stole a week ago wrapped around her waist, but my oldest sister didn't seem to notice.
"It's nice to meet you Bubbles and Blossom, Buttercup told me a lot about you guys!" Blossom and I smiled and returned the greeting.
"It's nice to meet you too Kit!"
Buttercup's POV
We ended up all giving Kit a part of our meal so that we all had the same amount, and surprisingly, I didn't mind. My sisters and Kit seemed to get along well and for that, I was glad.
After dinner, I drove Kit home. "Are you sure I'm safe in a car with you driving?" I shot her a playful glare as we walked out to my shiny black vintage camaro.
"Haha, aren't you just the little comedian! We'll step off, that's my job." She laughed at my comment and hopped in the passenger side as I took the driver seat. "But in all reality, I'll make sure you don't get hurt." She looked comfortable, so I pulled out of the driveway and followed the directions to her house. To her relief, I got her home without any scares or accidents. She got out of the car to walk inside, but before she could close the door I had to say something.
"Kit, wait!" She held the door open and looked at me expectantly. "Thanks for being there for me… Seriously, it means a lot more to me than you think." She smiled at me in return.
"It's no problem, Buttercup, we're friends, remember?" With that, she closed the door and pranced into her house. I felt my chest warm up, glad that I had a friend through all this stupid challenge shit. With that, I drove off, back to my house so I could call it a night, it had been a long day.
AN: So there's the fifth challenge! That next one should be less stressful and more lighthearted, hope you've enjoyed the story so far! Please review :)