Blossom shared an expression of ambition beside her two sisters.
The walk down the treehouse hall was long and silent, the sounds of conversation from other agents occasionally sparking. For the Powerpuff Girls, however, they remained eerily silent.
Her face had a bit more light to it now, the bags under her eyes receded thanks to the weekend's recovery. Her hands had been clenched into fists, hugging her hips while they swayed left and right with each step. She hadn't been wearing her occasional outfit but rather a gray tracksuit with a red circle over her left breast, as well as a pair of white sneakers for running. Though her crimson bow snugged comfortably on her head, her hair had been tied up into her iconic tight ponytail.
To her left, Buttercup kept up with a firm pep to her step. She also wore a gray tracksuit with little to no difference, though had a green circle and black shoes. Her eyes held worry as she looked over at her sister, calmly deciding to speak up. "You think they're gonna take it well?"
Lastly, to her right, Bubbles stepped in line with them. Her jumpsuit had a blue circle, wearing white forces. Her blonde hair slightly bobbed after every step, her hands held tightly behind her back to try and remain professional. "I.. don't really know."
"One was upset at his party about him finding the journal," Blossom swiftly replied. "Though I doubt he'd lash out on him. The more I learn about him, the more questions pop up. Let's use this meeting to figure out more on what we know about him."
The order rang in Bubbles mind as she nodded, now by this point scratching the back of her head. "Alright, I'll let you two do most of the talking since you know him better. What do you know so far?"
Buttercup answered, "We know he's from the future and that he was a soldier; he says that we lose eight years from now and that the book belonged to a time traveler named Rick."
"That's what I'm saying," Blossom interrupted. "Nigel got upset about you mentioning Rick, but why?" she turned to look back over at her other sister. "Apparently, in the future, I'm also the one who made him his suit. When he and Buttercup left Dexter's lab, we both.. found an interesting video in his helmet."
The green powerpuff girl tilted her head, shoving her hands in her pockets. "What video?"
"It's.. quite odd," she replied softly, a hint of somber emotion in her voice. "Apparently I was his mentor, training him on how to become a superhero."
Bubbles pitched in, "That suits you; I'm sure you'd make a great teacher for him. After all, given the short amount of time I've known him, he seems sweet."
"What's with all the skepticism, sis?" Buttercup asked. "What do you wanna do about it exactly?"
Blossom let out a sigh, rubbing a hand on her temple for a second before letting go. "Just be cautious and try and figure out what he wants; so far, he's been a good help though he's been acting weird."
Bubbles registered her comment, taking the time to read into what she said. All she could do was nod and affirm her request, though in her head there was a second objective. Her hands started to rub together, getting somewhat clammy at the thought of this whole meeting. Whenever her sisters were around, meetings like these went a lot smoother. Though on her own, she was a nervous wreck without anyone to help her. Her mind went to the comforting thought of that blonde boy in the blue sweater again, idly day-dreaming. "Okay."
"I will," her other sister replied. "Though why don't you ask him yourself? You said the video showed that you were his mentor in the future, not me or Bubbles."
She sighed sharply while they were well on their way up a spiraling wooden staircase. "I don't know how to approach this."
An idea clicked in Bubbles' head. "Buttercup is right, though I think being easy on him is okay. If we lose in the future, he must be really upset about it. Obviously you meant a lot to him?"
There was a long pause that came from Blossom as she had to stop and think about it. Her shoulders still stood tall, though she couldn't help but feel upset. They were right; he wasn't necessarily a superhero, he was a fighter. His zeal in nearly every action he took was a reflection of who he was:
a desperate survivor clinging onto life, no matter what cost.
When they stopped in front of the KND treehouse meeting doors, her hand reached up to grab onto the door. Beside her were two guards, their rifles tucked closely to their chests when they watched them approach.
"Ladies."
Buttercup immediately went into a fake smile and waved.
Bubbles legitimately smiled and waved but quickly tucked her hands behind her back afterwards.
"Good afternoon," Blossom replied with a grin. She turned back to the other two and said, "I'll remember what you said. Let's get this over with."
The doors to the briefing room swung wide open, revealing the expansive room from within. The loud sound of conversation filled the room, as nearly a dozen people either stood or sat inside many of the surrounding chairs. The room itself was a hive of activity, with operatives clustered in groups discussing missions, strategies, and inventions. The air was filled with the sound of laughter and camaraderie, punctuated by the occasional beep of a communicator or the whirring of machinery.
At the front of the room, a large holographic display flickered to life, projecting images of the latest threats and challenges facing Sector V.
On one end of the room, all five of the original Sector V agents had come together. A couple of them had smiles on their faces while One stood boldly like always, his arms crossed with a serious glare. Five had a smirk, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed and her eyes hidden underneath her red cap.
Hanging out together in one corner of the room, all three of the Eds had claimed a spot. Ed had sprawled out in one of the chairs and nearly crushed it with his own weight, a stupid smile on his face while he leaned back with his hands behind his head. Edd and Eddy were currently conversing with one another while wrestling with big jawbreakers in their mouths.
"...You think we need to add more boxes?"
"You're missing the point, Eddy! We need more power, more force ya know?"
"Maybe we can get one of those big dexlab turrets in the watchtowers-"
"HOWAREWEGONNADOTHAT?!" Edd shrieked. "They are boxes, Eddy! They'll collapse on the weight!"
"Oh yeah."
Standing alone huddled in their own circle, a group of armed monkey operatives stood at the ready. Their piercing eyes kept a close watch on nearly everyone in the room, protecting their king of the board: Mojo Jojo.
The tyrannical monkey had sat down in one of the various office chairs in the room, his arms firmly laid down on the arms of the chair while his legs dangled. His massive brain inside his helmet pulsated with each thought, calculating what next to say within the moment. He radiated a sinister aura in the room, bringing an uneasy feeling to many of the people in there.
"Sir," one of his minions began. "Are we staying for the entire meeting?"
He nodded firmly," Yes, it is important. If that scientist Dexter is willing to put aside his agitating robots and invite me, clearly there is much more than what is implied here." He grit his teeth, turning to face his minion.
"M-May I grab a snack?"
There was a long pause, his eyes looking at the excuse of a monkey up and down before waving his hand nonchalantly. He sighed, posing like a near proper ruler and rested his head on his hand. "You may, but be quick."
Sitting in one of the chairs beside an older man, a young man had his hands in his lap. His legs were crossed, slouching as if there was little to no care in the world. His green eyes also looked around at everyone in the room, though didn't really seem to have any sense of urgency about him. Beside him was an older man, dressed in a red hawaiian shirt over a white collar one. His legs were also stretched out underneath his khaki pants, his black shoes occasionally tapping the floor. He didn't seem to mind anyone else in the room, until he leaned over and nudged the young man beside him. "Ben, sit up straight."
Ben Tennyson let out a sigh, adjusting himself in his seat. "The meeting doesn't start for another few minutes, grandpa. Besides, this is like the hundredth meeting I've been to. I doubt it's going to be any different."
"Then why would Mojo Jojo be here?" he gestured over.
Ben just shrugged, folding his arms. The Omnitrix rested on his, glowing faintly under the big group. "I'm not so sure, maybe it's a guide meeting? I don't know why people even flock to his cause."
There was a moment of silence, until Grandpa Max sat up in his chair and popped his fingers a little bit. "Did you check up on Alice recently? Is she doing alright?"
"She's doing just fine," Ben nodded with a smile. "She's gotten used to her powers now."
A sigh escaped the old man, causing him to join his grandson and slouch back a little bit as well. Like grandfather, like grandson. "Ahh, that's good to hear. I hope she turns out much like her mother."
"Excuse me mon."
A third voice sprouted from out of nowhere. The two of them slightly jolted in their seats, looking up at the other person who joined in on their conversation.
Standing before them was a tall figure dressed in a long black robe, covering nearly their entire body. Underneath the hood was a skull, two bony hands holding onto a long scythe while humming with a dark and necrotic energy. He had no eyes, merely just the sockets though spoke as if he had pristine jamaican articulation. "When do we start? I tought dis meetin' was supposed to roll an hour ago!"
"Sorry Grim," Ben shrugged. "I think we're about to start now. Dexter incentivised all of us to be here early, probably for a dramatic effect?"
The Grim Reaper put a sassy hand on his hip, mimicking a frustrated huff with his teeth. "Well it bettah be worth it; I came here tinkin' dere was gonna be a buffet!"
Grandpa Max squinted his eyes, "I thought the grim reaper couldn't eat anything."
"I can! It just goes straight trough me." Grim gestured toward his torso, patting what would be his stomach if he had any organs.
Eyeing at some of the machines on Grim's other shoulder, Professor Utonium adjusted his coat a little bit and bit his lower lip. Digital data transferred itself through one of the screens, reading some of the biology about a recently discovered fusion monster. He seemed to be eager, watching the green lines of code reflecting off of his eyes as he diligently took notes. His demeanor was softened, the work not quite as stressful as he once thought.
Finally, Niles sat in a chair alone underneath the hologram in the center of the room with his arms crossed over the table. He wore his suit, the cape calmly drifting over the rest of the chair. His mask had remained over his eyes, adding onto his iconic look. Never once before in the last seven years did he enter a fuller room and feel so lonely.
When the three Powerpuff GIrls entered the room, Buttercup locked eyes with Mojo Jojo.
An immediate glare formed on her face.
The doors closed behind them, revealing another pair of masked agents who surveyed the room with weapons.
Mojo returned her gaze with an equally intimidating stare, his eyes looking deep within her soul while a hand caressed his chin ominously. A pair of his minions turned to watch the girls making their way in, remaining quiet unless spoken to.
Bubbles placed a hand on Buttercup's shoulder and frowned, shaking her head. "Gosh, I didn't know he'd be here. Maybe just ignore him for now until the time comes?"
"I swear if he tries anything in this damn room-"
Blossom's eyes widened as she turned to look back over at her sister, shocked by her tone. "Buttercup, it's alright. He's in Sector V; don't worry about it. If anything happens, I can guarantee you he'll be met with the proper force."
The two kept their stare at each other for a little longer until Mojo Jojo let go, turning to watch some other people talk within the room. A sense of authority washed over her as she grit her teeth, winning their staring contest.
"Best you hold me back; otherwise, I'd be pummeling him into the ground right now."
Blossom's eyes widened even more, "Yeesh! Okay, let's find some seats and get settled."
Niles was in deep thought, wondering on what to say while a hand rubbed his head. He frowned, looking somewhat stressed given the situation he was placed in. His other arm had sprawled out across the wooden table in front of him, his fingers tapping on it. He was loosely thinking, lost in his own forlorn thoughts.
"Hello Niles!" Bubbles cheerfully began and patted him on the shoulder twice, reaching for the seat beside him and immediately took it. "How are you doing today?"
He turned to look over at her and grinned, placing his other hand on the table and shrugged. "I'm as good as I'll be for now. You?"
"I'm doing great! Thank you!" her smile widened as she got comfortable.
Blossom took a seat on the other end beside Niles, following in her sister's advice and patted him on the shoulder too. "Things will be okay; if I'm going to be honest, you're going to have to be totally upfront with everyone here. I can't promise everyone will take this well."
Buttercup leaned over and ruffled his hair a bit, getting it messy before taking a seat beside Bubbles.
He slightly strained from the ruffle, smirking and swiping at her hand. "I figured."
Her hands folded and her fingers intertwined together, sitting up straight. She had completely focused on the hologram in front of her, ignoring everyone else in the room for now in order to remain professionally adamant about the meeting.
Almost right on cue, the doors to the balcony were closed and the lights began to dim. In the center of the room, the projector quickly shifted over and began to display several more figures who shimmered transparently together. From small, circular metal plates on the ground emerged these patrons. Some of them were standing, others sitting together. The advanced projector quickly transformed into an image of Dexter, adjusting his glasses with a hand behind his back.
First came a young boy with messy hair, wearing baggy clothes and a big backpack on. Beside him was his small, blue blob best friend with his hands behind his back. Mac and Bloo sat together on a couch, the faintest sound of background noise coming from their end like an obnoxious feedback.
Next came a small, older man dressed in a lovely tuxedo and red bowtie. He twirled his white mustache and adjusted his monocle, sitting in a large comfy chair. The mayor of Townsville rubbed his hands together in anticipation, looking around at all of the people attending this meeting.
Lastly, a soft breeze blew in the wind as an awkward robed man did his best to adjust the camera itself. In his usual fashion, Samurai Jack slightly failed at getting the camera at a good angle. He bit his lower lip, giving an awkward smile until he adjusted it. He stood up straight, placing a hand on the butt of his sword.
"Jack, you have to press this knob here-" came the muffled voice of Tetrax.
He blinked, widening his eyes and leaned in to press something. Shortly afterwards, he looked around at everyone in the room and smiled awkwardly. "Oh."
"Ladies and gentlemen," Dexter began as his hologram scanned the area around him. He gazed at everyone within the room, taking a deep breath and gripped his wrench tightly. "Thank you for taking the time to come to this meeting. I am sorry that it vas unprecedented, however I can assure that this is certainly vorth listening to."
Beside him came the image of Computress, towering over him with her usual charming grin. She held her hands behind her back, slightly swaying left and right.
"As of late, ve have received incredible news in regard to the state of the war at hand. Lord Fuse's forces are growing by the day, though ve have received information capable of possibly turning the tide of this very fight. For the longest time, there has been a struggle. Despite my best attempts to craft technology capable of combating gods, it is slowly being one-upped every time."
Everyone in the room patiently listened, staring at him with an eerie silence. The younger Dexter, a much more charming and persuasive scientist, had them in his grasp.
"Some of you may think I am crazy, others.. full of myself. Regardless, I say vith full confidence that vhat I am about to reveal to you is true. There is but one man in this room who has experienced this, specifically his own fight with Aku."
Many eyes turned to look over at Samurai Jack, standing confidently with a blank expression on his face. He remained unexpressive, listening closely.
Niles took a moment to get a good look at him, seeing him in his state. The painful memory of the Forsaken Valley replayed in his head as he sat up, his eyes widened. Something in him felt like the anguish he had experienced was truly for nothing, a reverse of what had happened. The state of time travel was taking a psychological effect on him, causing him to sink in his seat a little bit more with sorrowful eyes.
"As you know, the concept of time travel is quite real." Dexter held up the leather school journal in his hand high, showing it around to everyone as if he were about to do a magic trick. "Ve have received a journal, filled with countless projects and experiments by an unknown assailant referred to as Rick. I cannot stress enough how impeccable these inventions are; granted, they seem quite rugged, though vith a little bit of polishing I have no doubt in my mind that they can work."
Nigel was the first man to speak up in the room, his crossed arms grabbing his chest tightly. "What of the journal? What's in it?"
Dexter turned to face the man in the back, shaking the book slightly. "It is filled vith technology, practically a new way of life. One of the main fuel sources is fusion matter, powering items from mechs to weaponry, to spaceships and much more. There is a new weapon counteracting Lord Fuse, a line of companions referred to as 'Nanos'. My friends," he dramatically paused. "It makes my inventions look like childsplay."
The room slowly filled with quiet murmurings as everyone expressed slight disbelief and concern; on some faces, people were happy. Others seemed skeptical about this information. How could a single high school journal hold the key to beating an alien warlord from the vast reaches of space?
"Well who found it?" Ben asked, standing up in his chair and taking a step forward. "Did someone donate it to the cause?"
There was a lens flare in Dexter's glasses as he adjusted it, rolling his shoulders and pointing immediately in the room. "You vill see that we have a guest vith us; it was found by none other than one of our recruits, agent number four nine dash twelve."
Everyone turned to face him in the room; there were many looks of different opinions, though mostly curiosity.
"Niles, if you vould please introduce yourself." Dexter digitally insisted.
The young man stood up and looked all around in the room, feeling a sense of pressure. He had to choose his next words carefully, or otherwise be thrown into the spiking pit of judgment. "My name is Niles, and I am from the future."
Mojo Jojo rubbed his chin heavily, a low growl as he inspected the man closely. He was in sharp disbelief, though was curious nonetheless.
"Where did you find it?" One pressed, taking a couple of steps closer to get into his eyesight and placed his hands on the table. He nearly jumped in as soon as he had the chance, "I don't doubt you're from a different timeline, though I need to know: where was it?"
Niles stared at him for a second before carefully answering, "Eight years later, it was found in the crash sight of Mandark's ship in the Darklands. I didn't get to meet Rick but just somehow stumbled across it like it came from out of thin air."
Five approached and stood beside Numbuh One, adjusting her cap. A single eye looked at Niles, "Who is this Rick fella anywho? He a friend of yours?"
He shook his head in response, "Rick is a time traveler, though an operative to earth's forces. He isn't an agent of the Kids Next Door, maybe rogue? There's not a lot to know about him other than that he's a technological genius."
One sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose, "So you just.. found it? There were no clues, no leads, it was just there?"
Niles paused for a moment but simply answered, "Yes."
"You see," he started. "I have been searching for Rick for quite some time; first, it started off with a few rumors from agents. Then, one claimed to have spotted him somewhere on a mission. At first we thought it was false, or merely just a myth, until one agent claimed he had answers on how to win this war."
Edd rubbed his hands together nervously. "Why did you come back here? To warn us?"
He sighed, slightly rubbing his forehead a little bit.
Instinctively Blossom reached over and patted him on the shoulder, giving a concerned look but motioned for him to go ahead anyways.
"Well of course. The reason I came back, other than to deliver the journal, is because eight years from now we'll lose."
The room was quiet. Equally everyone shared looks and darted eyes between one another, some curious while others dreadful.
Grim didn't seem slighted by this information at all with his hands on the scythe; he just stared at the man, humored with what he had to say. It seemed like he had a lot of work to do in the future.
"How?" Ben asked, coming to the desk in the middle. Grandpa Max followed behind him, though remained attentive as to not disrupt the meeting. "We're a strong force when we work together; I highly doubt we'd be beaten."
Niles looked over, "That's just it. One of the many reasons we lost is because we refuse to coordinate together properly. Whether it's heroes, villains or the in-between, our survival depends on everybody." He frowned, turning to look down at the desk in front of him. "We only just now realized that during the later end of the war, when our resources were limited."
"Granted there might be some issues with the Plumbers," Max replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Though we're well-versed."
Four spoke up from the back and held his hands up, "Look, I hate to be the guy to ask this but it doesn't seem like anyone else will, so you're saying you saw everything? I mean.. to the very end?"
"Nearly the end," he replied. "In the journal, it contains the data to constructing a time machine. The Dexter of the future spent the very last of his resources to get it to work; they decided, in case things got better, to send me back so that they could prolong the fight as much as possible."
Surprisingly, the majority of the room was handling it well. Though for the faintest of heart, there was near full shock on their faces hearing this information in front of them.
"Are you.. planning on going back?" Grandpa Max asked, scratching the back of his head a bit.
Niles just shook his head no; he was nervous, just thinking about the whole thing all over again.
"So why am I here?" Mojo Jojo bluntly asked, getting up from his chair. "Why is it that you, Dexter, bother me and my work just to make me hear from a sad, disheveled veteran of a future that isn't ours?"
Two shook his head, "It's going to be ours if we don't do anything about it."
"Because," Niles snapped, getting up from his seat and turned to him. "Another reason is because villains like you failed to help us. We asked you countless times, put aside every single petty reason just to bond and yet you refused until it was too late," He snapped, his anger starting to build up. "The only villain who proved to actually help was Demongo, and even then it took him some time before he warmed up. Jack nearly killed him when he was introduced to the team."
Samurai Jack blinked, tapping his chin as he listened to Niles' anguish. "So, we had to rely on everyone in order to succeed?"
"It sounds desperate because it is; we were desperate." The man just sighed, looking at the armor hugging his body and shook his head. "I knew every major fight, each creature's tactics, what weapons to use and how to counteract against Fuse in his own game. Yet still, we didn't have enough people to help." he huffed with strain in his voice. "I will admit, I was a coward. There were many times when I should have died but didn't, so now I'm here to make amends. The Dexter and Blossom of the future entrusted me with this task, all of the survivors did."
Five raised an eyebrow, "Who exactly survived 'till the very end?"
"Those two, of course," he began, gesturing toward Blossom and Dexter. "Major Glory survived, Rex, Lance, Two," he smiled over at him somewhat, then continued. "Hoss, Tom, the Scotsman, Demongo, Professor Utonium and Ben."
Ben had a smirk across his face, "I knew I'd make it."
"And the rest of us?" Numbuh Three asked innocently.
His silence answered louder than words. The room grew on edge hearing about his news, clearly either in surprise or in disbelief. No one wanted to believe their cruel fate.
Eddy stepped up to the plate and shoved his hands in his pockets, "So what now? You're just hanging out here with us until we can get you home?"
"He's not going home, Eddy." Edd replied softly.
Utonium stepped in, a soft grin on his face as he took a seat beside his daughter Buttercup. All three of them were glad to see him with a smile. A hand adjusted his coat, the other sprawled out on the table. "Niles," he softly began. "You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable, alright?"
He turned to look at him in silence.
"Do you have someone to go home to?" he softly asked.
Buttercup grit her teeth at his question, turning to look over.
Bubbles shared a bit of sympathy, frowning at him.
Blossom had a grave realization: he watched everyone go.
It hit him, his eyes lighting up as he leaned in somewhat. A hopeful realization turned on his face as he slightly jolted in his chair. "I do."
"I think it's safe to say here," Ben interrupted as he looked over with a soft frown. "As a guide for the forces of earth, as well as a higher up for you, I think it's in your best interest to take a break Niles."
He looked all around in the room, seeing everyone's expressions. "You've done enough to help us out, so let us lend you a hand here. I can tell you've been through a lot."
Deep within, he'd never want to admit how terribly messy he was. Niles nodded softly, gripping his hands on the table and lowered his head.
He would get to see his parents again.
"I think that would be great," Dexter added onto it, turning to look down at him. He expressed his sympathy, "I am sure you know that ve vill be pestering you about information, agent. However, this grant leap of yours vill not come vithout reward."
Blossom perked up, "With all due respect, if it comforts him, Niles has asked to work with the Powerpuff Girls."
"Is that true?" Ben asked, looking at him. "How come?"
It took him a moment to answer, though he looked up. "I was tired of seeing everyone around me pass away; I didn't have much influence as a soldier and so I went to Blossom and Dexter about making a change. Dexter was my guide, after all."
The scientist proudly smiled; to know a future soldier like him joined his academic cause brought a sense of pride.
"So what's with the suit?" Two asked.
Blossom replied, "I believe I made it for him; he's my.. apprentice."
It felt so strange when he looked at her; in the future, she was far older than he was. If anything she felt like an older sister to him, so seeing her younger than him gave him mixed feelings about the whole thing. "You taught me everything I know now with how to use a super suit, as well as morals on what to do in the right situation."
Bubbles smiled past the distress, "That's very sweet."
"As for the suit," he continued, turning to look over at Two. "It's how I get things done."
Two shrugged, "Fair enough."
Mojo Jojo dwelled on the argument he had caused initially, listening to this conversation very intently. Deep down, he aspired for a sense of community among his minions like this, yet knew that none of their intellect amounted to his genius. His glare eased a little bit, "What does this mean for me, scientist?"
Dexter turned to look back, his hologram flaring a little bit. "I vould like you to join us, and to vork together. Your technologies intrigue me and vith our sciences together, as vell as this book, I am certain the future will be ours."
"Hmm," Mojo Jojo winced and replied dryly. "I will think about it."
"Well then," Edd twirled his thumbs. His hat was off now, resting anxiously in between his shaking hands. "Is there anything you could think of now that would help? Over at the Cul-de-sac, we're considering some renovations."
He turned to look back, seeing the three paying attention to him. "Keep it how it is; there's no need for improvements, not yet."
"If young Niles here is a clear sign that our future may be doomed," Professor Utonium began. "We need to elaborate on what we're doing wrong and fix it. Given his help, I'm certain we can solve this."
Samurai Jack replied stoically, "I am afraid things are difficult up here; I will do my best to help, though I am hindered in the Forsaken Valley. Lord Fuse is planning another attack, and Tetrax and I are working diligently on a defense."
"Do you need some help?" Ben asked. "The Offworld Plaza has quieted down for now, thanks to Bubbles. Those pesky spawners have been destroyed."
Jack waved a hand and smiled, shutting his eyes. "No no, we can take it from here. I am grateful for your offer, however."
"I can say on behalf of the Powerpuff Girls that we will continue to watch over the Suburbs and Downtown, though if anyone needs our help feel free to ring us." Blossom spoke out loud.
The Mayor smiled and clasped his hands together, "Thank you so much, girls!"
Eddy spoke out loud holding up a finger, "As king of the Cul-de-sac, I'd like to decree that.. well nothing really changes! The rangers will be around though or whatever, I'm sure."
"We're looking into some things," Grandpa Max stated, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Though the Plumbers will be fully operational in no time. Some things came up, odd things."
The digital outline of Dexter interrupted the conversation and held a finger up, "Alright, alright friends. Good to note that ve all have one another's backs, though back to the matter at hand. I vill be meeting with many of you to discuss much of this tech; my labs here are busy at vork ensuring that there will be an overhaul of technology. Trusting in the technology of this book, hopefully this fight vill be much easier than anticipated."
The room quickly quieted down, centering the attention on the scientist.
"Girls, Numbuh Two, how is Sector V?"
Two crossed his arms, leaning back. "Everything's alright on our end, for now!"
"We found out that a Fusion of Major Glory spawned in Pokey Oaks North," started Buttercup. "He's been dealt with."
Dexter scratched his chin, tilting his head at her. "What vas the reason for his arrival?"
"We're not so sure," Blossom said. "Likely it was a misfire or random debris from Fuse? It landed in the middle of the park, he did damage, Bubbles flattened him. Simple as that."
A hint of dumb surprise was on the man's face as he squinted, pinching at his glasses before turning to the side. With a heavy sigh he asked, "Any updates from the Cul-de-sac?"
"Not currently, Dex!" Eddy whipped back and got settled in a chair, crossing his legs and arms.
Edd put his hands behind his back and smiled widely, "We're considered wrangling up some of the academy recruits and making them into rangers! Better off to start 'em young on the field."
Dexter nodded, turning to look over at Mojo Jojo.
"Nothing," the chimpanzee simply replied. "Though the Darklands holds hopeful."
Lastly, Ben and the scientist locked on. He simply shrugged and shook his head, "The plaza is all clear; I'm going to help out nearby and clean up Orchid Bay a bit. I've heard that things are rough down there."
Grim spoke up, "I checked in wit Johnny and de pirates; we're gonna need some backup."
"Alright, I'll see about meeting up with you guys down there." Ben replied with a grin.
Dexter continued, "Vell in any case, I vill be diligent at work in order to ensure that our technology is upgraded. It vill take some time, so I may be quiet on my end but don't worry. Ve have a lot of interesting things to try out and plenty of time to mobilize. As for you, Mister Arachnid."
Niles looked up, remaining silent.
"I thank you for your work, as vell as having me as your guide in the future. That means a lot to me." he nodded. "For now, take a break. I will ensure that you receive the proper compensation for your efforts. If I may ask, vhat was your rank before you arrived?"
He sat up confidently, "I was a captain."
"Hm," Dexter hummed, impressed. "I'll remember that."
Ben chimed in, "We'll need to discuss what your possible rank might be in the future, as well as what kind of role you'll be playing. You have a lot of important information and I think it's good to rely on you as a source; I agree with Dexter, though."
Take a break.
Perhaps this was the more lenient side for an outcome to this conversation; telling the group that a majority of people were going to be casualties in this room and then be put to rest for a little while. Even with it screaming in his face, a little something in him ushered defiance. Generally he was alright with being told what to do as most of the people around him were his authority figures, though in this distant past he felt like it was reversed. To Niles, the war hardened him. Was it ego that made him feel defiant? Or merely the position he had been placed in given his role in the future? It's unclear whether or not it was out of relief or out of stress, he sighed. "Yessir."
"As for the rest of us, orders vill be given depending on what the future holds. For now, remain alert and active. Victory is far ahead, my friends, but it is there. I thank you for coming on such short notice and, unless anyone has questions, this meeting is adjourned."
Finally, after nearly this entire meeting, Mac spoke up from his couch. "I, uh, just want to say that Bloo and I will be coming to Sector V soon. There's been.. a problem at the house; we'll need some help."
"Got it." Dexter nodded, putting his hands behind his back. "Vell then, in any case please have a good rest of your days and stay safe!"
With that, one by one the holograms shut off. The lights in the room were slowly turned back on as the blinds were pulled. The doors to the balcony opened up once more, letting in enough spring heat and sunlight pierce through the room.
For a moment, it was quiet. Everyone had their eyes on Niles for a moment, then it broke out into some soft murmurs between a few of the people.
The first one to get up from his seat was Mojo Jojo, his minions forming an escort around him as he began to make his exit. Dramatically he flicked his cape, putting his hands behind his back and stood up straight. He stopped, standing next to the Powerpuff Girls and scanned his eyes over all three of them.
Buttercup gripped the table harshly and stared daggers into him, inhaling sharply.
"Soldier," he began, looking at Niles. "You think we should be desperate enough to work together? Tell me why, again."
He just stared at him for a moment like he was an idiot. Niles blinked, "Because Fuse isn't someone to be trifled with? He adapts to his environment, absorbs planets and people into his mass and never stops evolving. You out of all people should know that, especially being stationed in the Darklands with a cinema front row seat."
He huffed, contemplating his words. "Have you ever considered that we have our own agendas? On behalf of the villains, if we work together it's supporting your cause. We do not see eye to eye, so much so in fact that some of us wish for the destruction of this planet and all who inhabit it."
"So you're just gonna let us die, your legion die?" Niles bluntly spoke out, looking up at him. He makes a gesture with a hand, "I guess life really doesn't matter that much to you, does it?"
Buttercup sniffled a bit and gripped her fist tightly, "If you have something useful to say, Mojoke, say it. Otherwise, buzz off."
There was a chuckle and a smirk on his face as he heard Buttercup, rubbing his hands behind his back and rolled his shoulders. "If we are to work together, or at least some of us, there's a great expense we expect." He leaned in a little closer. "You, out of all people, should know that." he mocked.
"If you aren't going to support the cause, then please leave," Blossom argued. "We don't need your condescending attitude bringing us all down, Mojo Jojo."
He took a step back, holding a hand up and waved it. He simply smiled, satisfied with even getting to disrupt the people he solely despised. "I am implying that I am open to a possibility, out of the villains. That is all."
"Get out of here before I break your nose, chimp." Buttercup replied coldly.
With a worried expression Bubbles quickly leaned in and placed a hand on her sister; she could blow up at any moment and break this whole room, given their history.
Ben and Grandpa Max stood still, hands at their sides ready to draw at any moment's notice.
A click came from one of Sector V's team, particularly from Five as she shot Mojo Jojo a gunslinger's stare.
Utonium slightly sunk in his seat a little bit, holding his clipboard up at the slight standoff.
The three eds remained quiet, though considered booking for the door if things got out of hand.
Grim smirked, his fingers curling tightly around his scythe. He enjoyed every bit of this.
All he did was nod, rubbing his hands together and departed. The monkeys shot a few dirty looks at everyone in the room, one of them pointing at his eyes and then pointing his fingers at the three Eds when they left. Their exit was slow and dramatic, a sudden change of pace from the usual comfort of the treehouse.
Then, the stress eased. The room calmed down as conversation began to spark up between everyone. They started grabbing their stuff, either stretching or preparing to make their way toward the door.
Blossom sighed, rubbing her temple and looked over toward the other girls. "We really need to open up a little bit more.."
"What for?" Buttercup replied sharply. "Did you forget the pain he caused me? He caused you guys? Then, when he gets an invitation from Dexter, he has the audacity to act like he's a big shot!"
Bubbles turned over toward Niles, letting go of her sister. "Speaking of, how do we get him to join us?"
"Softly," he replied. "Blossom is right. You all might be the best for the job in extending an olive branch. Yeah he's prideful, otherwise he's not going to even consider working with us."
Buttercup grit her teeth, "Unbelievable. Blossom, you can talk to that greaseball all you want. Count me out."
"If you think Mojo Jojo's a problem getting to join the fight," Two began, approaching and took a seat on the table. "Just think about Stickybeard. That guy's been a pain in our neck for years!"
Five crossed her arms, "Yeah, he's been stealin' candy from the Cul-de-sac for a long time."
"That guy owes us a heap of jaw breakers, and I'll break his jaw to get 'em!" Eddy roared and threw his fist up in the air, glaring ferociously.
Ben sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I can just imagine the conversation with Vilgax now.."
Niles pushed in his chair and grabbed onto his cape, throwing it over his shoulders. He shut his eyes and lowered his head, clicking it back into place and let it flow on his back. "Mojo, Stickybeard, Vilgax, Ice King, it doesn't matter. The truth is that without them, we lose this war. Something I learned is that Fuse is a bigger threat than any of them; granted the teamwork might be standoffish and gritty, though it has to happen." He made a gesture with a hand to articulate his words. "After all, we managed to convince Demongo to join our side but it was only after he realized that the end of the world interfered with his and Aku's plans."
Buttercup didn't like hearing what he had to say, even if he was right. She had a dirty side eye, sitting back and crossing her arms.
"I could try and talk to Mojo Jojo, leader to leader." the red powerpuff girl replied, tapping her chin.
Ed shrugged and waved his hand, "Eh, we'll get there when we get there. I'm hungry."
"Let's go grab a bite to eat! I think that new burger joint just opened down the street after the whole fusion fiasco." Edd had a wide tooth grin on his face.
Eddy nodded, giving a flimsy wave. "Well we're off! Toodles!"
The three of them made their exit afterwards shortly enough, giving the room just a little bit more space.
When Niles took a step back, Grandpa Max stepped up to him and offered a slow hand for him to shake. "Good to meet ya, Niles. I wanted to say thank you for your help, even though it's not supposed to happen for a while. I hope we can cross paths soon."
The man took his hand and shook it firmly, looking up to him. There was a tired grin on his face as he nodded, "Thank you, Mr. Tennyson. The Plumbers always do amazing work."
Ben approached and stood beside him, offering a hand to shake as well. "So you want to go from being a soldier to a superhero, eh? Hey it wouldn't be my first choice but go right ahead."
"I just don't think I'm cut out for the soldier life anymore," he said with a tired tone, frowning. "Maybe it'll be a good change of pace."
After their handshake, Ben shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded softly. "I get it, though it has its own kind of stress. Take care of yourself, alright?"
Meanwhile, in the other side of the room, the group of KND operatives had their own huddled up circle.
One looked to his left, then to his right. "Alright team, we need to devise a plan to handle the villains in our areas. The three Eds already have Father in the Cul-de-sac; our next priorities are Stickybeard and Toiletnator."
"We're seriously recruiting Toiletnator?" Four spewed sharply. "That guy's a grade-a idiot!"
Two rubbed the back of his head, "Well, the more we can get the better."
"I got beef with Stickybeard," Five sniffed and rolled her head. "That guy makes a move on the suburbs and I'm on his ass."
One turned to look over, shaking his head. "Why's he a problem for the Cul-de-sac? Eddy mentioned he was stealing jawbreakers?"
"Stickybeard keeps robbing them of candy shipments and roughs up the rangers, mostly as skirmishes. Since there aren't any fusion monsters in the area, it's turning into a turf war." Two explained.
"Five," One smiled. "I'm tasking you with handling this mission."
She groaned, "Are you kiddin' me? What for?"
The leader crossed his arms, a flare of ambition in his eyes. "I've got the feeling you and him can come to an agreement; besides, you seem to be the most vocal about it and you're the closest in the area."
"Probably because the sucka's a pain and it's my station?" Five chuckled.
Three grinned, turning to look over at One. "I think Two and Five should go! They'd work well together-"
Two didn't say anything, grinning and slightly twisted his foot in the ground with his hands behind his back.
"Why not? He's stationed here after all." Nigel responded and took off his sunglasses. "I need to help Bubbles with Princess; she's been a big problem for everybody in the downtown area."
Four crossed his arms, "Good luck. I heard she's such a prissy brat; gosh, just the thought of hearing her voice might make me sick."
"Yeah, she's got the Powerpuff girls stressed out." Abigail took off her hat, taking a deep breath. "Alright Nigel, if you want me to handle Stickybeard I'll give it a shot. Don't be surprised if he comes back out in bandages, though."
One put his glasses back on, forming a serious look. "Only if he doesn't cooperate, alright?"
"Yeah sure."
Two rubbed the back of his neck, "You think we're gonna need a crew?"
"We'll get there when we get there," Five replied. "I ain't worried about it right now."
Finally, Nigel turned to look over at Three and Four. "Kuki, Wallace, I want you two to find Toiletnator and convince him. Last I heard, he was somewhere up there in the jungle with you guys hiding out."
"It'll be a surprise if he managed to avoid the whole battle," Four tucked his hands in his iconic orange hoodie. "Last time I checked, at least half of the Twisted Forest was blown to bits."
Three smiled, "Yeah! The fight went really well!"
One did a double take, seeing Niles talking with Ben and Grandpa Max and grit his teeth. "I'm told our time traveler is the one who helped you guys out; what happened up there, anyways?"
"Listen mate," Four begins. "The man shows up in his suit and obliterates an entire wave of creepers coming our way; we take him back to Mount Blackhead. Next thing I know, my guys find out about a mass swarm coming to the camp and this guy goes full commando and starts planning a whole defense! The strategists say it works and the entire camp stays up nearly all night setting up the battlefield. The next day, we start the battle and the army gets sweeped in an instant. I've never been so proud of my boys up there for cleaning up the garbage."
Five snorts, "Probably 'cuz he's a captain?"
"What was going to happen if he didn't show up?" One asked inquisitively.
Four scratched his head, "Well.. aheh, I can't say we would be in a good spot."
"You need to step it up, Four. You're better than that, I know it." he replied distinctly. "When you get your reinforcements, slow it down and look at what you've got to work with. You don't always need to barrel in guns blazing every time, you know."
Wallace sighed, "Yessir."
"I can safely say the guerilla operations are going great!" Three smiled. "I got roughed up a little bit, though we're still going strong. We were considering burning some of the forests back to clear the creepers, though the Magic Tree said not to."
Four crossed his arms, "Not to mention that stupid tree, ugh."
"Regardless," One circled them in. "You have your missions and duties. If what Dexter says is true, if the tide of the war changes, then I can safely say we're all getting back together."
Three's eyes widened as she smiled widely, "Really?!"
Two held his hands up in the air, "Al-right! That's awesome!"
"No kiddin'?!" Four shouted.
Five remained silent, putting her hands on her hips. "If it does happen, it's about time. Numbuh Five misses our old missions and problems."
"As much as I'd like to stay around, I'm afraid I gotta go. I'll see you guys later, hopefully." Nigel smiled softly.
One by one he went to all of them and gave them a hug, patting them on the back before departing and exiting.
Back over on the other side of the room, the Powerpuff Girls and Professor Utonium were speaking with Niles.
"If I may, Niles," Professor Utonium asked and wrapped an arm around Bubbles. "Would you care if I took a sample of your blood? You'd make for an interesting study."
He nodded, offering a handshake. "Of course, Professor. It's good to meet you.. again."
The professor smiled and took his hand, shaking it firmly. With his clipboard at his side, his other hand buried itself in the pocket of his lab coat as he spoke. "I understand you're going to be spending a lot of time with my girls?"
"Yessir," Niles nodded. "They're great at what they do."
Blossom couldn't help but grin, crossing her arms and tilting her head to the side.
"Of course we are," Buttercup replied. "Don't you forget it."
Bubbles grinned, "How flattering of you, Niles!"
"I understand if you're to become a student, I humbly ask that you treat them with respect." Utonium spoke with a firm distinction in his voice. "I believe Blossom mentioned you were a student of hers even in the future too?"
He nodded, remaining quiet about it.
"Dad-" Blossom began.
He held a hand up, shaking his head. "I understand, it's just spending a long time with a young man his age-"
"DAD!"
A chuckle came from Professor Utonium as he tilted his head back.
Niles could only just grin, putting his hands behind his back and had a slight hue of red on his face.
Blossom distinctly had her eyes on Niles as she held her hands up, speaking almost like a command. "It's not going to be like that; all we're going to do is just be a sort of guide for him into the superhero life."
"Yeah, besides," Buttercup smirked. "She's talking with Dexter anyway dad, don't worry."
Utonium lifted his head up, his eyes widened a little bit. "Oh? Is this true?"
Blossom's eyes widened immensely, her face burning red. She turned to look over at her sister, contemplating whether to kill her now or later. She darted between all of them, stuttering a bit. "W-Well, how is it any different from Bubbles seeing Boomer?"
Everyone turned to look over at Bubbles.
All she did was smile and chuckle a little awkwardly, her face flushed red. "What? He's cute! Plus, he gives me gifts all the time. He's the sweetest."
Professor Utonium let out a slight laugh, watching his daughters crumble at the mere mention of a boy. It was too easy. "I met Boomer, yes. So far he's been excellent to Bubbles; here's hoping Dexter does the same."
"Daaaaaaad-" Blossom melted, her face in her hands as she sighed.
Buttercup sat there like a proud cat on the table, crossing her legs and felt satisfied.
Niles turned to look over at Buttercup, now laughing a little bit at this whole conversation. He missed these, their bantering with one another.
"Well, Mister Arachnid, it's a pleasure to have you alongside us here in the fight," Professor Utonium started, getting back on track. "Even though it's been in another timeline, thank you for your service."
"I'm hoping to do better here than I did back there," Niles replied. "It means a lot to me though, Professor. Thank you."
The group slowly began to make their way toward the door, exiting as one big posse and started over toward the stairs for some fresh air. The room behind them was slowly being emptied as the others went about the rest of their day.
"Well if orders are to stay put for now, what are you going to do?" Blossom asked Niles.
He shrugged, "I'm going to stay put, I guess. I'm going to visit my parents."
That subject was touchy, causing a bit of hesitation from them.
Buttercup softly asked, "You still up for a fight before you take off? It's alright if you need to go see your parents, though. I understand."
"Of course," Niles nodded. "After today, I kind of need to vent a little bit."
Bubbles blinked, "Do you need to talk about it? Venting is good!"
He shook his head, "Maybe? I don't know."
"If you ever need someone to talk to, just let me know." she smiled. "I don't really mind!"
The thought was sweet, making him happy. She was so supportive. "Thank you, Bubbles. It's kind of hard to go through all of that and then just be told to 'stay put', though I'll listen."
"Since you'll be here for a moment, I want to talk to you at some point," Blossom began softly. "I have a few questions about the future."
"Of course," he split off, waving to the group. "I'll be seeing you guys later, and thank you.. for having my back."
The group all waved back.
"Don't mention it!" Buttercup smiled.
Bubbles softly waved in return, "Anytime."
"Of course, Niles." Blossom replied.
As Niles exited the treehouse, the hot sunlight peered down on him. He held his hand up to shield his eyes and looked out to the typical bustling environment of Sector V. A deep breath calmed him down, easing his worries and stress as he put his hands on his hips. His cape flowed gently in the soft breeze, his hair twirling in the wind while he contemplated what the next move was. A break was just what he needed, the inevitability that Nano Alien X was right humoring him. Blossom did a great job picking out the right nano for him.
"Niles."
He turned to look back, his stiff torso holding still making him look much more robotic than usual. The voice sounded familiar, too familiar. He winced, feeling a sense of anxiety wash over him.
An operative dressed in black head to toe stood in front of him, her long ginger hair running down past her shoulders. Her face was covered by a pair of black goggles and a mask, combat armor running down all over her body. There was a sense of worry in her tone, almost empathetic. "Oh thank goodness I made it-"
"Blossom?" he softly asked.
In sheer seconds, the two locked on and grasped onto each other. Niles' shaky hands gripped onto her back tightly, leaning his head in aggressively and choked himself in the neck through his armor just to nuzzle himself into her shoulder. He shut his eyes, rocking left and right with his cheek squeezed up against her.
"It's okay," she whispered, gripping her hands around his armor. She couldn't get past the plating, so simply held him there for a second and rested into his neck. "I made it."
His voice spoke out in a hushed tone, "What are you doing here? If anybody finds you, they're going to be asking questions."
"I have some bad news," she shakily whispered. "I'm afraid you and I are the last ones."
Niles breathed heavily, an eye twitching as he blankly looked forward. Shortly afterwards he let go so as to not catch any attention and took a step back, trying his best to look past her goggles and mask. "Oh hell.."
"The machine only had enough power to send one person back; it all happened so fast." she spoke out of fear, though behind the mask her smile widened. "Did you get them the journal?"
He nodded frantically, "Yes, yes I did. I gave it to Dexter straight away. We, uh, probably shouldn't talk here. Come on, let's head back to my garage."
She nodded, not saying a word and quickly followed him.
When the two landed softly at the front garage door, Niles walked up to the combination lock on the door and pressed in the code: 0-7-2-1.
Gently and ruggedly did it start to lift up; he turned to look back at Blossom and sighed. "You have no idea how good it is to see you."
"It's good to see you too, Niles," she replied softly. Her chest rose and fell with each bated breath, "I'm so glad you made it. I was there, at the meeting. We.. we lost."
He shook his head, "I knew it was going to happen eventually but.. so soon?"
"How long has it been since you've been here?"
Niles took a moment to think about it, breathing in heavily. "Just a little over a week or so. Why?"
Blossom sighed, "Time runs differently in between the timelines; it's been months since your trip. Only just now did everything fall apart."
He started his way into the garage and pressed on the chest plate, opening it up and climbed out from his suit. He stretched his arms and legs, offering her back inside and breathed uneasily. "Lord, this.. this is awful. D-Do you need something to drink? Or to eat? The trip felt weird, didn't it?"
She nodded, "Yes, it did. I'm alright, though. I was at the birthday party the other day in disguise and got some food to go."
Her hands reached up and grabbed onto the mask, pulling it off to reveal part of her face. Her tender lips pursed out into a frown, showing her distress.
Niles offered his arms out, tilting his head. "Do you need some support?"
She nodded, slowly taking a couple of steps forward and wrapped an arm around his back.
Tenderly, the two embraced one another.
Something was wrong.
A sharp pain flamed up in Niles' stomach as his eyes widened, holding his breath. He let out a grunt, grabbing onto Blossom and started shaking instinctually to get out of her grasp.
She held him firmly, her superhuman strength planting him in place as he choked a little bit.
His shaky eyes turned to look down, seeing a soft trail of blood pierce his shirt. Her hand had been lodged deeper through his shirt, forming a green, bubbly edge.
She twisted it even further, the slightest sound of moosh from his insides sloshing.
"ACK!"
Niles shoved her back with all of his might, causing her to slip and slightly fall out. He stumbled, grabbing onto his stinging wound and let out a grip in pain as he hit the floor. "No! NO! H-How?! HOW?!"
Blossom lifted up the goggles from her head, revealing a pair of sparking red eyes. She smiled holding up her bloody, knifed arm. It was an unnatural switch between fusion and pure skin, dripping hot. Her head rocked to the side as she kept moving forward, letting out a sigh. "Niles, how could I let you go like that? I love you too much."
"Oh dammit-" Niles turned for a moment and pushed himself up, hunch-walking over toward the desk and let out another groan in pain.
His pop gun pistol rested in front of him, just within reach-
PEW!
A bright red ray blasted the gun far off, causing it to clatter and hit the wall. In sheer seconds it fell to the floor, melted in half.
His hands gripped the table too late; he turned back with a pair of wide eyes and saw her moving in closer.
She leaped up into the air, a bright red light flashing from her prance as she grabbed onto his shirt tightly. He was lifted up, slamming into the wall.
The tools and some of the spare scrap collapsed onto the ground, leaving a mess everywhere it went.
"Aah!" Niles let out a shriek in pain as he hit the wall, gripping onto her arms to make her let go. His fingertips sizzled as if grabbing onto pure acid, drilling his nails through her skin. He coughed, a little bit of loose blood spewing onto his bottom lip as he reeled his hand back. He went in for a punch, but was quickly swept away by her hand.
His eyes widened, fear sent down his body as he scrambled to fight back. Her speed and strength was sheerly too much, rendering him useless in this case.
"You and I are going to be taking a little trip together," she spoke softly. It quickly shifted into a firm hiss, "Don't move."
The last thing Niles saw was her bubbly hand, her fingers wrapped around his head. Despite how much he had throbbed and pushed back, it felt like her hand pushed deeper and deeper into his skull. The world around him spun, growing heavily and dark. His occasional grunts and hisses of pain subsided, the lethargy washing over him as the power of fusion coursing in him began to take over.
He rested cozily in her arms, passed out dangling like a giant stuffed prize won at an amusement park.
Fusion Bubbles let out a sigh and threw him over his shoulders, gently stroking her green hand over his hair and threw her goggles back over her eyes. "Good boy."
Not a second thought passed her mind; she turned, exiting the garage and left it how it was. All sorts of devilish thoughts ran in her mind, given the go-ahead by Fuse to play with him in any fashion she saw fit. To simply imagine the possibilities made her somewhat gitty, a soft laugh coming from her as she continued to hold him in her arms.
She disappeared, leaving Sector V behind. Blossom couldn't help but smile widely, happy with her new catch.
4/17/24
Introducing the main four guides was tricky, though they play a significant role in the fight against Fuse. For those who don't know, Dexter, Ben, Edd and Mojo Jojo are four 'factions' you can choose for special quests. In this case, being some big leaders for the war at hand, breaking the news about Niles being a soldier of a distantly grim future is a hard topic to cover. I'd like to think that the Powerpuff Girls would look after him, given their initial reactions and how fondly he's reacted to them.
As a second meeting, it's kind of a call back to chapter two as well with a bunch of members coming together to discuss the current state of affairs. It bleeds into other chapters though, as multiple characters have questions for Niles about his past. To them, his information about what happens in the future is far more useful than who he is. To the girls, however, he's a little more than that. Even in the past, his bond is close with them. Only a few truly care about his struggles in the future, initially fully backing up a main reason they failed in this story: ego and pettiness. One thing about the future was that it brought everyone together, since there were higher stakes.
Of course, Niles falls into this emotional trap with the girls so much in fact that the second he sees a visage of his old mentor, he blindly follows her. He'll come to realize that the past was a death trap and only he had the ticket out of there.
A random fun fact: 0721 is my birthday.
Also yeah, we're building some ships!
6/6/24
Just a formatting update. Thank you for following along! There's been a lot of talking but I promise you it's going to get pretty wild here for a second.