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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi is owned by Bleedman/SNAFU Comics.
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Chapter 9: Disorderly Advance
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This place... is wrong.
That's the first thought that came to my mind as I opened my eyes into a pure void of black and red. I was floating around, not falling and yet not moving- I was still and unable to find any footing in that darkness. Not only that, but my body was on high alert- even before I recalled what brought me here.
The fair, the attack, Diego Brando, Bell, the end of the world and...
And this.
"I assume you are terrified," An elderly voice muttered, spent and yet active. The source of it, as I turned to find it, proved to be something quite peculiar.
A Stand, there was no doubt in this, but it was wearing clothes; a brown bowler hat, same-colored jacket and pants, together with a yellow scarf. And... and its presence was spread beyond its form- it was this whole place.
"W-What are you?"
"I am a Stand and yet much more. I am an Avatar for the ever-ruthless shift of reality driven by common factors within existence itself- a form of power beyond [Heaven] and [Hell]. I am the bringer of change when needed, but I refuse pursuit as I am untouchable."
The Stand took some 'steps' towards me, then stopped, adjusting his cane.
"You may call me, ｢Wonder of U｣."
I frowned at this, looking around again and... remembering that someone was missing.
"Wh-What happened to the other kid?"
"Diego Brando has been set off to his own chores. Just like you will be given your own tests."
"Tests? I am not a lab rat!"
"Indeed, you are not," The Stand rebuffed my anger with a flat tone. "You may think this is a fight you could win. Maybe, but in a world where [Fate] favors creatures, so does such a thing known as [Misfortune]. I am within the flow of calamity, the current domain we are 'enjoying'."
Calamity? Misfortune? What was this guy talking about?!
"I see from your gaze that you can't grasp the extent of this situation. Let me draw a simpler explanation then- What were the chances that you would have ended up with your current Stand?"
The question felt far more important than a mere example. It made me frown as I felt a nervous gulp from ｢Second Chance｣ at hearing this.
"What do you mean with that?"
"I am sure you have contemplated this before. The arm was neatly wrapped and sealed to prevent it from falling outside the truck. Yet, oddly enough, the minuscule chance of it ending up released and then fall off the truck happened."
"...You mean that you did this?"
"I am not that powerful no. However, I could 'push' Calamity to intervene on specific circumstances. It can't be a precise task, rather it works with the best outcome that favors my end goal."
"You are not some sort of bad guy, aren't you?"
"I am neutral," ｢Wonder of U｣ remarked calmly. "Sometimes I may be opposed to those chosen by [Fate], other times I am willing to cooperate as an ally of it."
"Then... why? Why did you give me this power?" I pressed, confused on what was going on at this point. I could understand that the Stand had coerced this 'Calamity' into doing its bidding but on Calamity's own grasp of things. Yet, I just couldn't pinpoint the reason behind such a personal intervention on my situation. Back then and now.
"Because a threat has gained control of one of my counterparts and... let's just say that your own counterpart in that dimension is not prepared to face 'me'."
"So- So you just gave me these powers to fix that? To help some other dimensions?"
"Only one," The Stand assured. "Yet, it is also true that your current situation is not promising at the moment. You are far from tapping into your true potential. Hence why I need to test you thoroughly in the next few months to let you grow and, eventually, face that dangerous foe."
"And that means... Diego too is being tested for this?"
"Yes."
I groaned, dreading the chance of having to team up with that scumbag. "Why? Can't I do that myself?"
I tensed up as I felt a sudden wave of unease slamming against me.
"No. The plan is unchangeable. You and Diego shall train, unleash your true potentials and face that threat. It has to be you two and no one else."
That was very ominous, but before I could ask for more answers, I suddenly found my body going full still.
"Now, I hope you got everything you needed because you need to start your test. Beware that you will have to be mindful of what choices you made. I will not be helping you with any of those, regardless of your odds of survival."
I couldn't speak as a portal appeared under my feet. Gravity was soon returned to me as I fell into it and... and I 'ended up' in some sort of dark cage hanging by the ceiling and standing over an abyss of spikes. The darkness around limited my sight, but I was more concerned about the cage giving up on my weight and the fact that the only way out was a distant door that was not connected to a floor-
"I-Is anyone there?"
And I realized I wasn't the only one in this trial.
The little girl was getting tired of being 'punished'.
It's been two hours now since her 'father' had left her in this cage standing before a sea of spikes. The derelict place was horrible- it wasn't like the nice home her mommy had let her live since she was very little. Everything was fine back then, but then her 'dad' came along, found them, and then had a 'mean fight' with her mommy. It's been a year since she had last seen her and... she hated her father!
The dark-haired girl glared at the void, expecting it to twist to her wills of something, green eyes being red and puffy after crying a little all the while hugging her always-loyal plushie. Sniffling, the child thought something would change soon. She was hungry, she felt cold, she missed her mommy and she didn't want to be here any longer.
She wished for it now than ever, upset and angry but also scared and cold. A blink went by... and something fell into a cage nearby.
THUD
The strange loud noise coming from the cage beside hers stirred her from her silent posture, eyes wide open as she peered into the shadows, her 'mighty' eyes (as her mommy used to call them) easily spotting a figure slowly standing up and checking down to the spike. They tensed up, surprised and... and the girl was confused.
"I-Is anyone there?"
The fellow kid paused and then slowly turned to look at her. There was a moment of silence as she realized this one was a boy. A normal human kid which was... weird considering that her father didn't like humans after what 'mommy did to him'. Yet, the strange confused look on his face had her think that maybe he didn't end up here on purpose.
"Hi?"
"Hello~," The girl smiled. "Who are you?"
He blinked, his shoulders sagging in what looked like relief. "My name is Arthur. But my friends call me Artie."
The girl smiled. Artie? That was such a silly name- and it reminded her of the cute name her mommy gave her.
"Hi Artie."
"...Your name?"
Oh right!
"My name is Marceline. But mommy always called me 'Marcy'. Oh, and this is Hambo!"
"Nice to meet you, Marcy and Hambo. Why are you here?"
She blinked, eyeing Artie in confusion. "dad said I was being naughty. What about you?"
He opened his mouth, then paused and frowned. "Your dad put you here... as a punishment?"
Marcy nodded, and the human looked 'weird' for a moment.
"That's not right."
"Yup. It's so bad here! It's so cold, I am hungry and I- I want my mommy!"
The cage she was in groaned a bit as the jumping she did to show her upset made it slightly more unstable. Artie tensed up at the sight, but managed to calm her down.
"I-it's alright, Marcy. I promise you that I will help you find your mommy but... she is not here, right?"
"I saw her in the human world. Before dad took me here."
"...Where's 'here' by chance?"
"Dad's realm," Marceline answered, knowing just this much.
"Oh," Artie hummed, then patted his cheek. "Say, Marcy, do you know how to leave this realm?"
She nodded and smiled. "Dad has a portal in his living room. I was trying to get there but- but he found me and put me here. Again."
The older kid frowned at this, seeing her sit down with a sad look and... he smiled.
"Say, how about we make a pinkie promise? I help you out of that cage, and you tell me where we need to go to leave this place. If we make it out, then I promise you that I will bring you back to your mommy."
Pure delight erupted within Marcy's little heart. "Really~?"
The boy nodded, walking up at the edge of his cage and extending his right arm towards her. His pinkie was out, and Marcy stood up before mimicking his gesture and soon finding her own pinkie grasping his.
"I swear that I will do my best to make sure you are freed and taken to your mother."
She smiled some more. "I swear that I will guide you out of here and... that I will be your friend. Hambo and I."
Artie smiled back at that last addition and nodded, then moved back.
"Now, Marcy, I need you to step back as I break the bars, okay?"
The girl nodded obediently, and, to her surprise, the bars were indeed broken by a strange boy-like demon that came out of Artie. First, the figure pulled two bars apart in Artie's cage, then floated over hers and broke the bars there. She was then picked up by the figure and then brought to Artie's cage.
"Who is that?" She finally asked and Artie appeared surprised. "You can see him?"
Marcy nodded, then frowned. "Shouldn't I?"
"Well... no. But this isn't bad, I think."
Shaking his head, Artie still picked her and Hambo up, moving to the edge of the cage closer to the door. The figure appeared again to break two more bars, but this proved to be enough to make the cage too unstable to hold for long and-
They jumped.
Many children her age would be frightened by the feeling of air rushing horizontally as Artie propelled them both towards the door, but Marceline was unique enough to do one thing at the feeling of such a rush: giggle excitedly.
The figure stood in front of them, punching the door open and letting them pass through. The demon skull guard standing outside the room looked shocked at their landing, but it barely had time to react that the figure slammed his fist on the Guard's head and sent it crashing on the nearby wall.
"Ready?" Artie asked, Marceline nodding as she knew this was it.
"That way!" She exclaimed, and the two kids bolted to find a way out of that little maze. Luckily for them both, Marcy had time to learn the right path to the portal, and as they avoided a few more guards, they finally arrived in the living room, the portal in sight as they rushed towards it.
And then they stopped as they noticed someone passing through and-
"Marceline, what did I tell you about being... naughty?" Hunson Abadeer, the Ruler of the Nightosphere, smiled at the circumstance. "Oh, and who is this new friend of yours?
She gulped nervously. Her father had found them and they were going to be punished for sure!
AN
Arthur Endswell vs. Hunson Abadeer! Or... not?
P.S. Yes, Snafuverse has Adventure Time somehow connected to it. So, here's Lil' Marcy.