Chapter 6

Free Spirit

Sophomore Year - September

Bubbles floated above a vineyard overlooking the valley. Townsville sat at the center, a yellow-tinted statue on a under a big blue sky.

Her supplies rested on a small force field that drew near. Bubbles swirled her brush through the yellow on her palette, blending with white and the slightest bit of black. Yellow was such a weak color, if she had used more, it would surrender to the black immediately and she'd be left with a rotten banana mess.

When she was satisfied with the range of yellow she had, she experimented with the lime green and hot pink. Those two always found themselves in her work.

Bubbles began painting on her small canvas in long horizontal strokes. She captured the morning sky with a little wave, giving the background a wind-swept feel. The blue and yellow hadn't mixed, giving her sky an otherworldly glow without falling into green.

The pink-yellow and the green-yellow made up the hills in front of the sky. They flowed into each other like two rivers meeting.

When the background had dried, Bubbles used a straightedge to get the skyscrapers square and in perspective. They stood out against the curves and swirls that made up the sky and ground. Canary gave the buildings a glare and balanced the dijon shadows.

One or two pops of purple and she was finished. It was perfect. Townsville was always monochromatic like that, the glass and white concrete of the buildings reflected the atmosphere. It could be a somber blue, or an electric orange, or a vibrant green. Today it was yellow, and Bubbles preferred to think of it as reflecting sunshine instead of the dry, late summer air.

"The city of Townsville!" Bubbles proclaimed, holding her painting up. She admired her work for a moment before her alarm went off.

Shutting down the chime, she packed up her paints and sighed. No more time to enjoy it, she only had a few minutes to get to school.

A few seconds later and she was in her room swapping her art supplies for her school bag. After rinsing out her brushes and a quick check of her makeup, she floated downstairs to grab breakfast.

Buttercup, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting jeans, a band tee, and those clunky boots she wore every single day, leaned against the counter waiting for the toaster.

Bubbles gathered berries, chopped walnuts, and a scoop of granola into a bowl.

"Blossom leave early?" Buttercup asked. The toaster popped and she spread a copious amount of butter on her toast.

"Must have," Bubbles replied, adding a scoop of yogurt to her breakfast.

Buttercup checked their surroundings to make sure their parents weren't in earshot. "You going to that thing tomorrow night?"

Bubbles' friends tended to stick to their own parties. She knew what kinds of things happened on the other side of town. "I hadn't planned on it."

Buttercup crossed her arms and huffed. "Mitch is going."

"Okay..." Bubbles rolled her eyes.

"And apparently he's friends with Butch now."

"They hang out in the same circles. What's the problem?"

Buttercup pursed her lips. "Butch." The word ground itself out of her mouth, like she didn't want to let it go.

She wanted Bubbles to engage, but Bubbles was already over it. "Blossom knows more about boyfriend troubles than I do."

"I can't talk to Blossom, she's always on me for ditching."

"She's not 'always on' you," Bubbles said, washing out her bowl. Buttercup needed everything said out loud. "She wanted to know that you got the job done. And, yes, she is worried about your future. But she was not going to tell mom or dad."

"Yeah, but I still have to deal with her 'I'm disappointed in you' look." Buttercup finished her breakfast and grabbed her bag. "It's worse than dad's."

Bubbles took a breath. She had let Buttercup drag her into Blossom-drama too many times. No more, she wasn't their mediator. She refused to be a part of Blossom and Buttercup's childhood issues. She would just leave it there and pick up her own bag for school.

They took off and flew side-by-side. Buttercup always wanted to fly faster than was warranted. Bubbles kept pace with her, using a force field as a windscreen so her hair didn't get messed up.

When they passed close to downtown, they heard commotion below. "Help!" A thief ripped the purse off of a woman's arm.

"Your turn," Buttercup said, flipping her hair out of her eyes and she sped off in school's direction.

The thief ran up the sidewalk.

This was the perfect chance for Bubbles to get some good karma in. She reached her hand out and envisioned grabbing the thief's leg. A ball and chain made of force fields clamped around his ankle.

The thief tripped and hit the sidewalk. He lumbered back up and tried to run. The ball and chain, still around his leg, stopped him from getting very far.

Bubbles landed. "Are you alright?" she asked the lady who had her purse stolen.

"Yes. Thank you, Bubbles."

"Don't thank me yet! We're not done." She strode up to the thief with the lady in tow.

The thief pulled with all his might, dragging the heavy ball up the sidewalk about an inch at a time.

"Nuh uh uh. You're not going anywhere. Not until you're sorry."

The thief scowled and tried to pull Bubbles' force fields off of his ankle.

"Apologize," she demanded.

"No, it's okay. He doesn't need to-"

"Oh yes he does. Otherwise, this is where he's going." Bubbles closed her fingers over an open palm and prison bars formed around him.

"What the f-"

"Language!" Bubbles stomped her foot and made his cell smaller. "Now are you going to apologize or not?"

The thief took in his situation, a glowing cage he'd never escape, a superhero right in front of him. He had no way out. He lowered his head and mumbled, "sorry..."

"That's it?" Bubbles turned to the lady. "I don't think he's actually sorry."

"No. I am." He looked at the lady he had stolen the purse from. "It was wrong to steal your purse. It has been tough-"

Bubbles glared at him. He recoiled.

"I was bad. I'm sorry."

"Now give it back."

He offered her the purse through the bars. She took it and made sure everything was still inside. "Thank you." She waved before leaving.

Bubbles waved and smiled back. She strode up to the thief still trapped in the cell. "Now don't you feel better?"

"Yes," the thief said with hope in his eyes. "Now can I go?"

"Go? I thought you were sorry?"

"I am!"

"Then why don't you want to make it right?"

"I thought I did. I gave the purse back and said 'I'm sorry'."

"You're only part-way there. You still need to make it right with society." A police vehicle pulled up to them and two officers got out. "You caused harm to all of Townsville by trying to steal that sweet lady's purse. That's why you're going to do community service."

The prison cell disappeared and the officers put the thief in handcuffs.

"But I can't-" he pleaded, one of the officers leading the him to their police car.

"It's called 'being a good citizen'."

"Thanks, Bubbles," the other officer said. "You're making this city a better place."

Bubbles arrived at school wondering if Buttercup had actually made it there. There were still 15 minutes before the bell for first period. She leisurely strode down the hall with a song in her heart to a chorus of "Hey Bubbles" following her. She smiled at her adorers in turn.

She didn't know why they were giving her so much attention. Sure, she looked cute and smiled at everyone, her makeup was immaculate, and her mom let her get that expensive purse, but it's not like it was Prada or anything.

The cheer squad was at their usual table in the forum. A few of the popular guys hung around to be near girls they liked.

"Hi Bubbles," Dee Dee said, as if they hadn't been texting all night.

"Hi!" Bubbles chirped to everyone, but mostly to her best friend, Dee Dee.

"I heard some new guy beat up Tyler in the halls during class yesterday," Dee Dee said. She was always saving the good gossip until they were all gathered.

"Really?" Marcie said. "I know he went home early."

"Who beat him up?" Lee Lee asked.

"My sources tell me it was some nobody," Dee Dee explained. "But I do have a name."

"Who?"

"Tell us!"

Dee Dee loved dragging it out, keeping them all on the edge of their seats.

"Boomer."

"Boomer?" Marcie asked. "Who's that?"

"Yeah," Mee Mee said "I've never heard that name."

"Like I said 'some nobody'. Apparently no one knows."

"I know who Boomer is," Bubbles offered.

"You do!?"

"Yeah, it's weird that you guys actually don't know who he is."

"Why?" Lee Lee asked.

"He's a member of a very popular group." This time it was Bubbles' turn to draw out some information. Her friends were practically drooling with anticipation. Dee Dee looked like she wanted to murder her. Bubbles loved every moment.

"He's a Rowdyruff Boy."

The gasps could be heard from across town.

"There's a third Rowdyruff Boy!?"

"Oh my gosh!"

"Is he as hot as the other two?"

"That's impossible," Dee Dee said. "I would know if there was a third Rowdyruff Boy."

"There is. And I'll prove it." Bubbles began leading the squad down out of the forum. She had no idea where Boomer hung out, he wasn't part of any popular group. In fact, he never usually stayed in one place for very long, and he always hung out by himself. But Bubbles did notice that he was with Mike Believe at lunch the day before.

Bubbles hadn't talked to Mike since fourth grade, but she did happen to know where his group usually congregated before school. She led the squad to the science and math building and peaked her head into the computer lab. Mike and his friends stood around talking about something that didn't matter. Boomer was with them.

Bubbles swayed toward Boomer. "Hey Boomer." Mike and his friends gawked at her. The girls gathered in the doorway to watch.

"Hey... Bubbles." He was so cute when he was shy and confused.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Uh... Yeah..."

"Do that thing with the lightning real quick."

"Right now?"

Bubbles moved aside so her friends could see. "Yeah, real quick."

"Okay..." Lightning jumped up his arm and collected itself into the palm of his hand.

She looked back to her friends. They were all giggling in a tight clump. "Oh, that guy. I keep forgetting about him," Mee Mee whispered.

"Dude, there are computers in here," Mike said.

"Oops," Bubbles giggled. "Sorry." She turned back to Boomer and smiled at him. "That's all I needed, thanks."

The lightning dissipated and he tilted his head. "No problem."

Bubbles brushed a bang away. "I don't usually do this, but do you want to go on a date?"

"Y- yeah." He looked at her skeptically, but smiled none the less.

"Cool. Pick me up tonight at 7?"

"Yeah, Cool."

"Give me your phone." Bubbles snatched it right out of his hand, programmed her number, and took a silly selfie to attach to it. She handed it back to him. "Text me."

"Y- yeah."

She laughed. "See you then." Bubbles turned to rejoin her friends. "I promise not to trap you in a weird force bubble thing this time," she said over her shoulder so everyone could hear.

He laughed. His friends gawked. Perfect. She walked right back to Dee Dee's side.

"Didn't you used to fight that guy?" Dee Dee said. "Now, you're going out with him?" The other girls giggled again.

"He's a an old crush. You never notice the younger guys."

"What, like my dorky brother and his weird friends?" Dee Dee asked. "No thank you."

"So Blossom plops down at the table, totally mad, and starts reading that contract you guys signed with the mayor. So I ask 'what does it say?' And she gets all mad at me. Like I didn't listen to a lecture she hasn't given yet. Like I'm too lazy to read it myself."

Boomer snorted and shook his head. "Sounds familiar."

"She would be so outraged if I snatched it out of her hands to read it myself, though she would do the same to me without a second thought. Blossom understands that legal stuff way better than I do anyway. And I don't care what it says, I only care what it means. All the tiny little details don't mean anything to me. So why read it when she can just tell me? Blossom has a need to always be in control anyway, and explaining the situation to me helps her think through it. I'm not lazy and I'm not disinterested. Listening is important and takes focus too."

Boomer nodded and gave her a half-smile.

"Oh! Did I just-" Bubbles moved a strand of hair out of her face and beamed a smile at him. "Sorry about the tirade."

"Don't be. It's so nice to hang out with someone who gets it. You should think about becoming a... uh..." He squeezed his eyes shut trying to remember the word.

Bubbles knew exactly what he was going to say. She had heard it a thousand times, especially from her dad. 'Psychologist.' Everyone thought she'd be good at listening to other people's problems. It was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Criminal profiler! That's the one, because you'd be good at figuring out why people do stuff."

Bubbles blushed. She had been thinking about studying to become a programmer, but everyone always wanted her to get into a more girly profession. Becoming a criminal profiler would show them. She had always liked playing detective as a kid. Boomer understood her. That was so rare among all the guys she had gone on dates with.

She looked back up at him and sipped her drink.

He got embarrassed all of the sudden and looked away.

Bubbles giggled. "You're really cute."

Boomer couldn't stop himself from smiling. "Sorry, I've never been on a date before."

"This is your first date? You're doing so well. You're such a good listener."

They quieted for a bit when their food came. Bubbles had ordered a meatless spaghetti while Boomer got a cheeseburger and fries. Bubbles' meal was so delicious and the conversation was so pleasant that she almost forgot to warn Boomer about herself.

"So, I should probably tell you," Bubbles started. "I have this thing about dating."

Boomer looked around like he was in trouble. "Oh..."

"I never go out with the same guy twice." She needed to say it out loud to set their expectations, even though it never stopped them from building expectations anyway.

"uh... okay." Boomer tilted his head. "Like, ever?"

"Never." That was Bubbles' rule and she was sticking to it.

"Huh." Boomer furled his eyebrows. "Why?"

Bubbles swirled her pasta looking for a way to explain it. Not enough guys ever asked her 'why?'. They always tried convincing her to rescind her rule without understanding why she had it. "I love love. I'm such a sucker for a romantic comedy, you know. But there's stuff I want to do before I fall in love."

"Wow. Okay..." Boomer looked at his remaining fries. "Like what?"

Bubbles smiled. No guy had ever actually asked her that one. "After graduation, I want to adopt a dog and drive around the country, seeing what there is to see, going wherever I feel like." Bubbles' chest fluttered, she could hardly wait.

"...Do whatever you want," Boomer said, wistful. He sighed. "I bet you're going to fall in love with someone great somewhere on that trip."

"Maybe," Bubbles said. "I don't think so."

They finished their meals at the small restaurant downtown. Boomer paid and they got back out to the busy Townsville streets. People walked by, looking at their phones, engrossed in whatever they were doing. Bubbles looked up from the bottom of a canyon of glass and steel and light. Starbursts, white strings adorning the light posts and red brakes on the cars that passed by, flowed around them in the dark blue night.

Boomer took a long breath looking at it with her.

"So, what do you feel like doing now?" Bubbles asked.

Boomer thought for a moment. "I want to watch a sunset."

"It's already nighttime." Bubbles kept her voice nice and sweet so he didn't get offended. "Where are we going to find a sunset?"

Boomer rose up into the air. He smiled with contentment at the sensation. "Come on."

Bubbles launched upwards. The air rushed over her skin and for just a moment, she was weightless, spinning through space. She felt alive.

Boomer swirled around next to her as he went faster and faster. They went over the ocean, breaking the sound barrier and went even faster. Bubbles had no idea where they were going and she liked it. The thrill of spontaneity and surprise filled her being.

They found a sunset only a few minutes away and watched while sitting on a tropical island, orange and green on a black ocean.

Boomer looked off into the distance and spoke pensively. "Sometimes, I like to go as fast as I can. None of the bullshit can keep up and time slows down. For a few seconds, I'm free."

"Yeah! I feel like I've been fighting crime for so long, I forgot how good it feels to just... fly."

Boomer smiled for a moment, then it dropped right off his face. "Then you make it all the way around the world and you're back exactly where you started." He looked at the ground.

"That's not true." Her eyes caught his. "You guys aren't exactly bad anymore."

"Pretty sure I am. Kinda stole from that guy, Tyler."

"Yes, but you knew it was wrong and gave it back. That's progress."

"Hey, yeah. You're right." He smiled again.

"Weird what happens when you get away from your supervillain parents." Bubbles laughed and hugged him. He hugged back. He was strong, stronger than any guy she had gone out with before, but he was also gentle. He didn't squeeze like Buttercup always did. His embrace was gentle and kind.

The world fell around them. Bubbles held on while Boomer took them into space and around the moon. It got really cold, but she couldn't have cared less. Boomer shot faster, them both becoming rays of light. Saturn swirled around, rainbows shot through its rings. The stars twinkled and time really did slow down.

They landed in her driveway, still holding hands.

"I had a really good time..." Bubbles said.

Boomer smiled. "Me too..." He ground his shoe into the concrete. "Do you want-"

"But, I don't want to give you the wrong idea."

"Oh..." Boomer deflated. "I thought we were having such a nice time..."

"We are." Bubbles touched his arm. "Best date I've ever been on." She took a step back. "But like I said, there's a lot of stuff I want to do, and a relationship is only going to get in the way."

"Yeah... Stuff." Boomer gave her a melancholy smile. " I get it."

Bubbles' heart ached for him. He was a great guy and it would take someone very special to truly appreciate him. That person just wasn't her.

She put her hand on the back of his head. "Don't explode."

"Wha-"

Bubbles gave him a good smooch. Then, to her surprise, she gave him another, and another. "Wow..." she said when they finally separated.

"Yeah..." Boomer whispered back.

Bubbles moved toward the front door. "I'll be sure to let all the girls know what a good kisser you are."

He looked at her dreamily. "Goodnight, Bubbles."

She blew him one last kiss and disappeared into the house.

None of her family was up, so she tried to be quiet and floated up the stairs. She first went into the bathroom where she washed off her makeup. She got into her nightie and quickly brushed her hair. As she pulled back the covers on her bed, she found someone already in it.

"Where were you? I've been texting." Blossom asked, groggily.

"I was on a date. I'm not even that late."

"Bubbles, it's 4AM."

"It is?" That couldn't possibly be right. She looked at her phone. She had three texts from Blossom, a bunch from Dee Dee, and the clock said 12:18. "No it's not, it's barely after midnight."

Blossom pointed the screen of her phone at Bubbles. It said 4:07.

"That's not right."

"It is, Bubbles." Blossom sat up. "Who were you out with?"

"A guy."

"Must be some guy if he had you out that late without you realizing it."

Bubbles smiled. "Yeah."

Blossom glanced at Bubbles' phone. "Why does your phone have the wrong time?" Her voice was deeper, awake.

Bubbles hid her phone from view. "I don't know."

"The only way that could happen is if-" Blossom sprang up. "You went into space, didn't you?"

"You know what, I guess I did."

"Who were you with, Bubbles?"

"In... space?"

"Yes."

"No one."

"Bubbles..." Blossom groaned.

Bubbles sighed. Blossom was going to find out either way. Someone was going to tell her. Even the geekiest geeks and nerdiest nerds heard all about what the popular group was doing. They had no privacy. But that was the burden of being popular. "Boomer," she admitted.

"Boomer!?" Blossom took a big breath to really let Bubbles have it. Then she let it all go, looking to the side. Her lips crumpled not really knowing what to say. She buried all the criticism, truly not needing to control her sister's every action. Bubbles was her own person, a person Blossom trusted.

"He's a really great guy and I had a lot of fun."

"But you're not going to go out with him again?"

Bubbles sighed. "No."

"Good." Blossom finally settled back into Bubbles' bed. Apparently, she was going to stay the night. They hadn't regularly shared a bed in the last few years and Bubbles always missed the company.

"No dating Butch or Brick."

"Barf and yawn." Bubbles rolled her eyes. "Brick has one of those faces you want to punch, you know?"

"Thank you for that." Blossom gave Bubbles a short hug and rested into her, falling asleep almost immediately.

Bubbles cuddled into her sister. She hadn't realized how tired she was. It had been a magical night, she wondered what the next day would bring.

Kindergarten

"If you would have stayed out of the way, my plan would have worked," Blossom pointed a finger at her sister.

Buttercup pointed right back. "You were in my way!"

"Your way won't work."

They went back and forth about who's way wouldn't work. Bubbles looked up at the monster with her hands on her hips. Neither of their ways was going to work, but she knew something that might.

The monster roared at her. Bubbles held her breath so she wouldn't have to smell it.

When it was finished, she looked up at it and took a breath. "Excuse me, Mr. Monster. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to stop destroying Townsville. We like our town very very much and I would appreciate it if you would just leave. Pretty please with sugar lumps on top?"

The monster looked at her for a few moments. Without another roar or act of aggression, it turned and went back into the ocean.

"Thank you!" Bubbles waved to the retreating monster. She twirled through the air and flew back down to her sisters. "There, that's how you get rid of a monster you big fat doodoo-headed wieners!" She turned had headed toward home.

"Jeez, I could have done that." Buttercup said.

"True," Blossom agreed. "That's the easy way."

They argued about who's way was better all the way home.