(BUTCH's POV)
The sensation was nothing short of exhilarating! I felt alive! It was a feeling I had only ever encountered in battle. Kind of like I had discovered a profound new purpose in my life. This girl nestled in my arms brought forth a deep desire in me to spend countless moments with her. She had a captivating aura that pulled at my heartstrings in a way I had never truly experienced. My mind began to drift, painting vivid pictures of the countless adventures and intimate moments that we could have.
Love might've been a somewhat strong word to use but I can confidently say that I like this girl.
"Hey, are you still awake?" She asked.
I nodded. "What's up, Butters?"
"It's getting late. We should probably go back home."
"Not a fan of sleeping under the stars?"
She shrugged. "I don't mind, but we do have school tomorrow."
"Who cares?"
I heard her chuckle. "I don't but the Professor does." She stood up from the grass and pulled me upwards. "Come on."
"Alright, lead the way."
She grabbed my hand and started our flight back to her house. It was laid back and calming. The cool, mid-autumn breeze touched my face as we cut through the night sky.
I looked down below, my gaze drawn to the dazzling display of lights that illuminated the sprawling city of Townsville. Each flicker and shimmer seemed to pulse with life, reminding me of countless memories etched into my mind during my time here. Townsville was a unique place, vibrant yet scarred, where the echoes of past conflicts always lingered in the air. Despite the chaos—be it the rogue villains that appeared without warning or the battles fought above the towering skyscrapers—the resilience of the people was truly remarkable. They pressed on, carrying an unwavering sense of hope that perhaps came from years of adapting to the unpredictability of their lives. It was as if they had learned to embrace the chaos, developing a strange sense of normalcy amid the daily turmoil. The juxtaposition of ordinary life against the backdrop of calamity made this city feel both familiar and extraordinary, an interesting blend of dread and comfort.
I shook the thoughts from my mind as we landed at her front door.
"Well…Here we are." She muttered.
"Yep."
"Look, I wanna thank you for tonight. It was nice. Like really nice."
I nodded. "Yeah, it was."
"I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."
"Yep."
"…Butch."
"Hm?"
She turned her head to look away from me. "Y-you meant what you said, right?"
"Of course I did. Speaking of which, how about we link up on Saturday?"
"Ah, I would but I promised Mitch that we'd hang this weekend. You could probably come if-"
"No shot, Butters. I'd rather spend the day in Hell."
She rolled her eyes. "We'll figure it out."
We stared at each other for a bit longer and I thought about giving her another kiss. I wouldn't get the chance as the door flung open and a sharp pain flared up atop my head.
"OW! Son of a bitch!" I shouted.
"BUBBLES!" Buttercup shouted.
"Young lady, do you have any idea what time it is?!"
"Fuck you and that damn rolling pin!" I hissed.
"Butch!" Boomer shouted as he jumped into my chest.
"Dude!" I shouted.
"I'm so happy to see you!" He sniffled. "He's gone! Brick ran away!"
I pushed him back and scanned his face for any signs of bullshit. "Who the hell let him out?!"
"No one! He busted himself out!" Bubbles said with a downcast expression.
"It's true…" Said a voice that I almost didn't recognize.
Looming in the doorway was Blossom, her silhouette framed by the dim light behind her. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, accentuating the tension in her posture. The weariness etched on her face was unmistakable, a mix of exhaustion and a hint of defiance that made her expression seem almost hostile.
I moved Boomer off of me and steeled my features. "We got any leads?"
"Not much. We can assume that the three girls that we fought are behind it."
"Alrighty then…" I closed my eyes and dug deep into the depths of my subconscious. I reached further and further until I was able to grab onto the inner being that was currently dormant.
"What the hell do you want?"
"It's Brick…He escaped and I've gotta find him."
"I was very clear about NOT letting him free."
"Not my fault. He broke out on his own and I was hoping that you'd have some sorta demon sense or something to track him."
"Fuck off. I don't feel like dealing with this right now."
"Neither do I, but we'll have to deal with a whole lot more if he goes and tears up the city some more!"
"…Needy bastard Give me a second."
My eyes started to glow and my senses increased in potency. A moment passed before the voice spoke.
"…I don't sense anything."
"Did he leave the city?"
"More like left the Earth. Either he's mastered the ability to conceal himself or he's not on the planet."
"Can you sense beings in Hell?"
"Not from Earth. You think that's where he went?"
"That's where I last saw the three evil girls."
"Good point. I'll remind you that you've gotta be a full demon to open up a portal to Hell if that's your plan."
"I'm not really in the mood to go powerless again so soon…"
"You don't have that many choices here."
"I just don't know if it's really worth it. I mean, there's a chance that he's not even there. Should I just wait it out? Then again, what if he's in trouble?"
"Maybe so…It's your call."
"Fuck it! LET'S DO THIS!"
"WAIT!!!"
"Huh?"
A jolt shot up my spine, electrifying every nerve as I sensed a menacing presence charging toward us. It was closing in rapidly, and instinct kicked in—I readied myself for whatever was coming.
"Demons…"
"Could it be Brick?"
"..."
The two figures dropped down in front of us. One of them was the devil, Lucifer. The other…My brother, Brick.
"B-Brick!" Blossom shouted. She seemed like she wanted to go to him but something held her back. Maybe it was the instant hostility that engulfed us. Maybe she felt a bit of fear.
"What the fuck man?! Are you seriously running off with the enemy now?" I shouted.
"I'm making the most out of my current situation. I don't expect you to understand. You've had more than a decade to figure this devil thing out. I refuse to wait that long!"
"You FUCKING dickhead! There's no way you are that petty!"
"Call it what you want. It's my choice either way."
I was losing control of my anger as it festered within me. He was gonna risk everything because of his hurt ego?! WHY?!?
"Brick!" Blossom shouted.
He turned to face her. His eyes were trying and failing to remain stoic. He knew she didn't approve of this horseshit!
"What do you want?"
"Dude! Are you actually going to leave us for those monsters?!" Boomer asked. The hurt on his face made my blood boil.
"It won't be forever, Boomer. Just until I master this power."
I clenched my jaw and let out a damn near rabid snarl. "You…You'd risk your own damned life for power?! Stab EVERYONE in the back-" I paused to regain my composure. "You know what HIM did to us. You said that you wanted to be free! What changed so suddenly?! What is pushing you back to Hell?!"
He clutched his head and seemed to wince in pain. "Nrgh! I…I saw the truth! I saw the possibilities, Butch! You wouldn't believe the outcomes that I just witnessed!"
"If you stay with them I promise you that they'll all end with my foot up your ass!"
He chuckled. "There it is! That vintage, Butch attitude."
"Brick…Get your punk ass in the house or I'm gonna make you."
"Guess you're gonna have to make me because I'm not going!"
"You shouldn't have come back here then!"
"Very well…"
"Alright…" I gave him my trademark smirk and tensed up my legs. My power surged as I transformed back into a full-on demon. "You asked for it!"
"Annoying little brats! We are not wasting time with this game you're playing!" Lucifer shouted.
I blocked him out and shot forward with a cocked-back fist. I just have to knock Brick out and murder the demon next to him. "Nighty night, dumbass!"
"Oh shit!" I saw the look of panic on Brick's face as I approached.
"I said no!" The demon shouted. He quickly drew a circle and opened up a portal.
"What the hell?!" I couldn't stop myself in time. I flew right inside the odd portal and landed face-down in the dirt. I got back up and turned around to jump back through but it closed almost instantly. "SHIT! Where am I?!"
I scanned my surroundings and took in as much as I could. It looked just like Townsville. I mean, it was weird that it was suddenly daytime but…things seemed normal.
I jumped up to take flight and instantly came crashing back down to the pavement. "Damn! No way I lost my powers that quickly! I haven't even switched yet!"
"Hey, what gives?"
…
…
"YO! Do you hear me?! HEEEELLLOOOO!"
…
"What is going on?" I asked myself out loud.
From the look of it, I was about five minutes away from the Puffs place. That wasn't too bad. Hopefully, the jackass warped me into tomorrow morning. We'd just need a plan to get Brick back.
As I began my brief stroll towards the Utonium Estate, I concentrated fiercely, attempting to summon my abilities, but each effort seemed to slip through my fingers like sand. With every step, I became increasingly aware of the curious and sometimes bewildered glances from the people around me. Their stares felt like probing questions, each one a reminder of my unusual predicament. The street was alive with activity, but I felt a strange disconnect.
I stopped in front of the large gate. The place still looked the exact same. Normally I'd fly over it like it was nothing. Couldn't exactly do that as of right now. I tried to push it open but it seemed as if it was locked.
"Shit! I've gotta get inside of that mansion!"
"HEY!" I heard someone shout behind me. I turned around and saw a man with a gun pointed at me. Seemed like one of the guards. "Let me see some hands you rotten thief!"
"What? Me?! I didn't steal a damn thing!"
"Like hell, you didn't! You're wearing the evidence!"
I looked down at my clothes and sighed. I did still have on the Professor's nano tux. I can't believe I forgot about it! Funny enough, it was still pretty clean.
"I'm telling you that I didn't steal it!"
He scoffed. "You expect me to believe that some no-named punk that has NEVER stepped foot on the property was handed the singular prototype of his multi-billion dollar project?"
"…Okay no-named is a bit harsh."
"HANDS UP DIRTBAG!"
"Dude, come on! I'm telling the truth!"
He shook his head. "You're a school-skipping delinquent! I don't need to trust you!"
"Screw you! I don't have time for this." I spun on my heel and landed a kick across the jaw. His head hit the metal gate and he dropped down to the ground, unmoving.
"I need to find Boom or Butters maybe. I need help." I muttered. Against my better judgment, I ran the guy's pockets and took whatever cash that he had on him. "Little more than two hundred bucks…" I did feel back but I needed transportation and that shit ain't free.
It was a long and annoying venture that included a bus ride and more walking. In total, it took me around an hour to get to Townsville High.
It was 1:47PM. School wouldn't last all that much longer so I decided to just wait outside. I wanted to take a nap but it didn't look like that was possible with the hundreds of concerning thoughts flooding my mind. That guard said that I never set foot on the property but that wasn't true. Hell, I'm always there! Maybe he just didn't know me…
*RIIIIIIIIIIING*
That was the sound of the school bell ringing in my ears, shutting off any previous thoughts. Hundreds of students came flying out of the doors. I tried to focus on any familiar faces. It was hard but I had finally found someone that stood out.
"YO! Butters!" I shouted. I saw said, girl twitch before her, and the guy she was with turned to face me. Then the rest of the nearby crowd stared at me with a look of confusion.
"What the fuck did you just say?!" The guy asked angrily. No way! Of course, I gotta hear it from Mitch.
"I wasn't talking to you now move," I said plainly.
"You were talking to my girl though, right?" He had his brow raised in a way that was probably supposed to be threatening.
"What do you mean your girl?!"
"It's like I said…"
*WHACK*
I was so focused on the sharp pain across my cheek that I hadn't noticed my body hit the ground.
"Buttercup is MY girl! Keep her name outta your FUCKING MOUTH! You got that, trash?" He said aggressively.
Butters stomped over and gave me a disgusted look. "Mitch, let's just go already. I don't feel like watching this loser cry again."
He pointed at me. "You better watch yourself next time you piece of shit! Remember your fucking place!"
I watched them walk off with the anger flaring up in me. Mitch of all people just punched the fuck outta me and it hurt! IT HURT! Then on top of that, Butters took HIS side! Add the crowd's current mocking of me getting "bitched" and you had the perfect storm for my absolute rage.
"Oh my god…Butch, get the hell up!" I heard Bricks' voice from behind me.
"YOU!" I growled.
"Excuse me? Who do you think you're addressing right now? Better fix that shit!"
I lunged forward and grabbed him by his collar. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!?!"
"What?! Get off of me before I kick your ass, you moron!" He shouted.
"I said-"
*WHAM*
A swift kick sent me down to the ground. When I saw that the culprit was none other than Boomer, I nearly lost it.
"Boomer?! What the heck are you-"
"QUIET! Why are you making a scene you fucking idiot?! You know you're not allowed to speak unless we tell you to!"
"Bitch! I outta-"
*WHACK*
He slammed his blue sneaker into my face and scraped it viciously. "You get drunk or something you sad little freak? What made you forget the rules?"
Brick laughed. "Check out the suit! The dumbass probably took all day to put that bullshit on."
Boomer continued stomping my head to the point that I nearly blacked out. "Worthless shithead made me get my own lunch today! You know that me and Bubby need the extra! Guess who's not getting dinner tonight?"
Speaking of which, Bubbles and Blossom decided to make their appearances known. The blonde spilled her lukewarm milk all over my head while Pinky inspected my attire.
"OMG! So gross!" She shouted.
"What's the matter, babe?" Brick asked.
"The creep broke into our home and totally stole that suit from Dad!"
Brick kicked me furiously in my ribs. "Motherfucker! I told your stupid ass to stay away from their house!"
I held myself in a defensive position as Boomer pulled the aluminum bat from the side of his bag. "Tsk tsk tsk…You know what happens to dirty little thieves right?"
"B-Boomer! Please don't do this man!"
*PIIIIING*
"GAAAAAAAAH!!! My fucking knee!"
"You like stealing, right? Huh?!"
*PING*
*PING*
*PING*
"Stop! ARGH!!! STOOOOP!!!" I shouted desperately as he kept swinging. He left bruises all over my body and my left knee was swelling.
"Take that shit off!" Brick snapped.
I nodded and painfully removed the suit jacket as well as the vest. The shirt was even harder to remove but I eventually managed.
"Woah! Ditch the pants, dumbass!" Brick said.
"We are outside of the school!" I retorted.
"I don't give a damn! TAKE EM' OFF!"
I kicked off the dress shoes and undid the zipper. Slowly and still very much painfully, I dropped the trousers to the floor. The surrounding students all laughed and recorded me like a bunch of fucked up sheep.
"This is SO going on all my socials!" Bubbles said with her phone pointed at me.
"Now apologize!"
"…" My jaw clenched furiously before opening up to speak. "Sorry-"
*SMACK*
"Do it right!" Blossom said after backhanding me across the face. "Worthless ape!"
"C'mon bro, get down like the mutt that you are," Brick said with a smirk.
I begrudgingly did as I was told and bowed all the way down. "I-I apologize for what I did…"
Bubbles spit on the side of my face while Boomer kicked some stray dirt in my eyes. All four of them tossed their school bags at me.
"Pathetic…Get up and start carrying our shit! You know the drill!" Brick said before walking forward with Pinky under his arm. Boomer did the same with Bubbles while I struggled back to my feet. I grabbed everything and started to limp behind them in nothing more than a pair of black dress socks and my boxers.
My mind was failing me. My body was moderately battered and my spirit had been crushed in a matter of minutes. This world…It wasn't right! Brick's cruelty was one thing but BOOMER?!? Pinky being a total bitch along with Bubs was another thing as well. Add the fact that Butters seemed like she hated me…No! This was a nightmare!
"BUTCH! HURRY UP!" Boomer shouted.
I sighed and continued to limp towards them. Why was I the punching bag? How did Butch become the pack mule? The joke! This existence wasn't right! I need to leave! I've gotta get outta here!!!
They waited for me at the edge of the sidewalk. A large luxury SUV pulled up next to them. The chauffeur got out and opened the doors for them. As soon as I got closer, they all snatched their bags from me and got in the vehicle. Before I could climb in, the driver slammed the door shut.
"What gives?!"
Boomer flipped me off. "You know you're not getting in here dude! The six of us have plans tonight and NO, you're not invited."
"Six?" I questioned.
"Us four, then Mitch and Buttercup. God, you're so damn stupid."
"Yeah! Go home and clean the apartment, loser! We got the ladies coming over later." Brick added. "Better make sure the laundry's done too!"
The car door's windows shut, and with a roar of the engine, the vehicle shot off into the distance, disappearing into the horizon. A whirlwind of confusion washed over me—I was left in a state of disarray, my heart beating violently. I was gonna snap if this kept up. Power or not, I still have a hot enough temper to break bones.
"…FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!" I shouted.
I walked slowly and aimlessly. I didn't know where to go. My knee throbbed with a searing pain after every step, my feet were aching, and I was hungry and naked. This was one of the worst days of my life and it wasn't even over yet!
…Kill…
Four hours…It took me four hours to finally get to my destination. As I arrived, I took a pause and stared up at the old apartment building. I groaned with annoyance when I noticed that my keys were still in the tux.
…Kill…
It was a simple thought, but I genuinely wanted to cause some physical harm to someone. I leaned back against the brick wall.
My head dropped down. The realization was setting in for me now. It was the full weight of my situation that had finally dawned on me. If I was trapped here then this would be my life now. The fuckwads for brothers and my friends hating my existence was too much! TOO MUCH! No powers…No cash…No allies…Shit family!
Kill…
"What am I gonna do?!"
"…"
"Hey!" A voice called out to me. It was one that I had grown accustomed to ignoring.
"…"
"Butch! Hey, Butch!"
I slowly turned my head to the left and saw a redhead walking towards me. "What…do you want?"
"I was getting worried about you. You never showed up to our hiding spot so I thought that you might be in trouble." The smaller girl glanced at me. "You're in pretty rough shape. Your brothers did this to you again?"
"Why do you even care?"
"Why wouldn't I? You're the only person I can talk to in this shithole city! Plus, Tank gets anxious without you. Now tell me what happened."
This interaction threw me for a loop. Morebucks almost always found a way to get on my nerves. Now she was talking to me without all of the pretentious snark and petty attitude. Compassion was something that I didn't think she was even capable of.
"I don't even know. Brick flipped his lid and Boomer attacked me with a fucking bat!"
She sighed and opened up her backpack. "Have you eaten today?"
"No."
"I have half a sandwich for you. It's tuna."
I grabbed it quickly and started scarfing it down. It was a simple sandwich. Canned tuna on white bread. Nothing fancy in the slightest.
I glanced at this odd version of Princess and noticed her lack of extravagant clothing. She was dressed far more modestly and she had a tired look in her eyes.
"We should get you inside. Probably not fun being outside in your underwear." She paused for a bit. "Speaking of which, have you been working out? You seem way more defined than you were yesterday."
"You tell me. As it stands, I have no clue what I'm supposed to look like."
"Man, you are acting strange today."
"If only you knew…"
We walked towards the side of the apartment wall where the kitchen was located. She had me give her a boost up to the opened window. When she got inside, she quickly unlocked the doors and let me in. The second I walked inside, I could see the similarities. The living room was the same…so was the bathroom and kitchen…
I opened the door to the master bedroom and saw that it was decked out with a bunch of red furniture. Brick was clearly living good for himself.
"Arrogant prick." I huffed.
I opened the door to me and Boomer's room and instantly noticed the lack of my stuff in there. No bunk beds, no green dresser, there was a blue bean bag chair and a flat-screen mounted to the wall.
"What's wrong?" Princess asked.
"Where's all my stuff?" I asked.
"What stuff?"
"My bed, my clothes, my…EVERYTHING!"
She gave a worried look. "I thought you slept on the living room floor."
The anger was rising even more. "Of course I do. Why the FUCK wouldn't I?!"
I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a random can of soda. Princess seemed surprised by the simple action.
"You're taking your brother's stuff?" She asked with a frightened stare.
"Fuck them! They caught me off guard last time. It won't go down like that again!"
"I…I should really get going before we get in trouble."
"What? No way! Here, take a snack or something. I owe you one for the sandwich."
She waved her hands frantically. "N-no! I'm fine! I swear!"
"Okay…"
She made a move for the door but it had already flung open before she could head out.
"Woah! What the hell is this?!" Brick asked angrily.
"Eww! Who let the skank in your guy's place?" Asked Bubbles.
"BUTCH!" My blonde brother shouted.
My left eye twitched. My right hand twitched. My body was light and shaking furiously. "What? You got a fucking problem?"
"You letting trailer trash in our fucking pad?"
"Watch your mouth, Boomer. I'm only gonna tell you once."
He looked at me with intrigue. "That's funny…I don't remember you ever growing a pair. Must've tripped on that bum leg of yours and hit your head."
"Listen, Butch…You know how this goes. When we tell you to do something, we mean it! You understand me?" Brick asked. "This place should be spotless right now!"
"You know what Brick?" I said with a harsh glare.
Princess pulled my arm. "Butch, don't do it."
"Enlighten me, Butch."
"Eat a dick and die, pussy."
He chuckled a bit before snapping his fingers. "Hey, Mitch! Come and teach my brother some respect."
He nodded. "One-sec babe. Let me crush this loser."
Buttercup nodded. "Kick his ass, Mitch."
The brown-haired dickhead walked forward, his fists balled up tightly. "Alright chump, time for another beating."
I pushed Princess back and ducked his initial punch. He turned and swung again. This time, I parried the hit and struck him in the face with a jab.
"That's all you got? You fight like a little girl." I said.
"Tch! Says the guy whose name is one letter off from bitch."
"…So is yours."
"…"
"…Fuck you!" He shouted with another sloppy punch that I avoided. I punched him in the back of the head which made him stumble to the floor. "How is he-"
"Don't fuck with me!" I shouted.
*WHAM*
My head snapped back violently as it collided with the wall, the impact stunning me for a moment. Just then, Boomer launched a surprise attack, landing a fierce kick to my chin that sent my vision swimming. Before I could recover, Brick charged in, delivering a powerful hook to my stomach that knocked the breath from my lungs, followed by a devastating cross that crashed into the side of my head. The intensity of the blows left me nearly unconscious.
"Yo Brick! Looks like he stole a soda from the fridge too." Boomer said as he beamed the empty can at me. "You never learn, do you?"
"Looks like he needs another lesson, hun." Bubbles said as she handed him the aluminum bat.
"Aww! You always know just what I need." He said before planting a kiss on her lips.
Mitch got back up and kicked me hard while I was down. "You're lucky I went easy on your punk ass!"
"Please stop hurting him!" Princess shouted with tears in her eyes. She ran in front of me and stood as a shield.
Who would've thought she'd be the one trying to save me from my own family? What a fucked up world this was…
"Move you dumb whore!" Boomer said with venom in his voice.
"No! You don't have to hurt him anymore so please! Leave him alone!"
"Grr…Can one of you lovely ladies move this annoying bitch outta the way so that I can properly educate my dear brother?"
"With pleasure," Buttercup said with a crack of her knuckles.
"H-hey…Stop! Cut it out!" I said loudly.
Butters grabbed Princess by the hair and sent a knee to her face. The redhead gasped as the blood rushed from her nose.
I tried to crawl towards them but a sharp pain erupted from my already damaged knee. Then there was the pain from a few hard kicks to my ribs and back.
Brick stepped on my hand, crushing it under the weight of his boot. "Boomer…Give him a good smack across the temple with that thing, will ya."
"Want me to fix that fucked up brain of his?"
"That would be a bonus!"
Kill…
He readied his metal bat with an evil grin plastered on his face. It hurt to see Boomer of all people doing this to me. None of this should be real. They wouldn't act like this!
Blossom was having the time of her life teasing Princess, all while Buttercup and Bubble attacked her. Brick had me pinned to the ground with Mitch talking shit to me. This wasn't right. I had to stop this! If only I had my powers! I could've ended this in an instant!
Kill…
These…monsters! These wicked motherfuckers! I…I would've…
Kill…
"Sweet dreams, Butch!"
*PIIIIIING*
…
…
…
…
…
…
In a world where the very people I'm supposed to rely on hide a cruel loathing for me, I can't help but wonder why this world even exists. It seems my presence is enough to spark their disdain. Here, I've always been the outcast, the brother shunned and treated with contempt reserved for the lowest of creatures. To them, I'm a failure, an embarrassment that tarnishes their carefully constructed facade of superiority.
We had a mother at some point. She died trying to save the Butch that belonged in this world. This version of Brick and Boomer blamed him and now they take their frustration out on him every day. I don't know what this world's Butch is supposed to be like. All I know is that he WASN'T me!
Here, in this Townsville, there are no symbolic heroes or Chemical X powers to rescue me. I'm trapped in a relentless cycle of isolation, where even the hope of saving myself feels like an impossible dream. It's a bitter existence, one where love is just a front and evil lurks behind every familiar smile.
I couldn't tell you how long it had been since I was sent to this place. What I can say is that days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. My experience didn't get any better. Every day that I survived meant looking forward to Hell when I woke up in the morning. I could feel my brain slowly numbing itself to cope with the daily challenges. It didn't matter if I was home, at school, or just out in the open. My two brothers did whatever they could to bring suffering into my life. I tried desperately to hold onto my fonder memories of the past but my soul burned with hatred. I had reverted to my stoic self. A cold and damn near heartless creature that almost forgot how to smile.
I had one SINGULAR thing left in my life that kept me semi-stable. That thing was Princess. A mortal pain in the ass back in my past reality, but a somewhat sweet yet tragic person here. Instead of being unbelievably rich and wealthy, she was living in poverty with a father who abused her almost as much as my brothers did to me. She was bullied nonstop by the Utonium sisters which led to her getting treated like shit by the rest of the school. Apparently, we were all each other had. Guess that made us somewhat friendly enough to find a hideout that we'd sneak off to. It was the only place that we could get away from everyone's bullshit. We even had a dog that stayed there. A German Shepherd named Tank.
Yeah, everything was miserable, and my default emotion had become anger. The urge to murder everyone was looming over me in a way that almost seemed mesmeric. I thought of killing my brothers and their darling partners all hours of the day. I almost did one time. Unfortunately, something inside of my mind stopped me, and I ended up with a broken arm and a busted orbital cavity. Now my right eye is so damaged, I can't see out of it anymore. I can thank Boomer and his dumbass bat for that one.
I was nearly over the edge. There was a piece of me still somewhere deep down in my heart. I could feel him. He wanted to burn this world to the ground. I may be a regular human in this dimension, but that demon was in me. I hear him sometimes.
…
…
…
The rain…
I like the rain. It more often than not calms me down when I get amped up. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case today. No…Today was a pretty shit day for rain.
…
…
…
*BANG*
"DADDY STOP!!!" Princess screamed.
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
"…No…" I muttered as I dropped down to my knees.
The large, hairy man turned to his daughter as he lowered his silver Smith & Wesson 22. magnum. He stood there in his white tank top with a red face.
"Didn't I tell you to come STRAIGHT home?! I got people telling me that MY daughter is out in this beat-up shack with some schmuck that probably smokes crack and a goddamn stray mutt!"
"Y-you shot him…" She spoke through the stream of tears. "He's dead!"
"It's a stray! A filthy fucking stray! You wanna steal from me?! Take from me?! Ya father! All for a fucking dog?!" He shouted before turning towards me. "YOU!"
*click*
My mind couldn't fully process what was going on. "…Huh?"
"You been sleepin' with my daughter, punk?"
"No, he hasn't daddy! He's a friend from school!" Princess said while trying to pull her father away.
"Nah! I know it for a fact! You think I don't hear what those other kids have been saying?! Calling you a damn whore! MY OWN DAUGHTER!!!"
"It's not true! I swear it's not true!"
"I didn't-"
"Oh, I know you did! You think your hot shit don't you? I've seen you hanging with the Utonium girls! Think you're all better than me, right?"
"Daddy, let's just go home now! Butch isn't-"
*SMACK*
"Princess!" I shouted.
Everything that happened next was too fast for me to fully process. I definitely lunged forward. Maybe to catch the girl who was hit or attack the man that was responsible. I didn't know at the moment.
*BANG*
The sound of the gunshot rang in my ears before the pain in my gut set in. It thankfully didn't last too long with the numbness following soon after. My body collapsed to the wet and rotting wooden floor next to the deceased form of Tank. My one good eye struggled to remain open as I watched the bastard drag his screaming daughter away. I placed a hand on the dog that I had become fond of and let myself fade away.
…
…
…
Here I am again…Alone with my thoughts. Butch Jojo, the Baron of Berserk…The green devil that can put all of Hell in check. The man with a beast inside of him that could stand up to anybody…killed by a washed-up drunk's peacekeeper. How the mighty have fallen.
I don't even know if there's Heaven or Hell in this diet version of my world. Maybe I'll just be dead and that'll be the end of it. That'd be alright with me. Finally free of this shitty experience. Yep! It feels good to be dead…again…wait a second…
I almost forgot that I already died before! Wow! It's been so long that I hardly remember what life was like back then. Freedom! I remember that we were free! No more HIM, no more jail. Just us being us! That was nice…
"Bu…ca…ar…m…"
"What?"
"…ake…p…yo…cking…du…"
"I don't get it! Who is this?!"
"I'm…y…Wa…the…fu…up!"
"…Wake…up?"
"Y…E…S…"
…
…
…
My eyes fluttered open to a room with a ceiling light above. A steady beeping sound played next to me along with some other mechanisms in the background.
"Is this the hospital?" I asked.
"Sure is, dumbass."
To the left of the bed sat Brick, comfortably nestled in a worn leather chair that creaked softly with each subtle movement. His fingers danced over the screen of his phone, the glow illuminating his focused expression in the dim light of the room. With a casual air, he leaned back, his relaxed posture betraying none of the urgency of whatever message he was sending. A slight tilt of his head accompanied his nonchalant look, hinting at his confidence. It was that punk-ass look on his face that led me to question his intentions.
"What's going on? How'd I get here?" I asked.
"You got shot and left for dead in some raggedy-ass shack in the middle of the woods."
"Yeah, I know that part!" I winced in pain as I slowly sat up. "How'd I end up hospitalized?"
"For some ungodly reason, a random bystander decided to call emergency services to come and save you."
"So it wasn't you?"
He scoffed. "Fuck no! Are you kidding? Why the hell would I waste my valuable time trying to save your worthless ass?! Serves you right for sneaking off with that dirty tramp just to play with a disease-ridden fleabag."
I glared at him. "Why are you even here then?!"
"I beat Boomer at Rock-Paper-Scissors so I got to be the one to pull the plug."
"Hold on! I was on life support?!? How long was I out for?"
"About a week."
My heart stopped and I knew right away that I had to go. "Shit…I need to get outta this damn place!"
"Shut up and relax. You're not going anywhere till the doctors clear you." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What a waste of a Saturday!"
"Fuck you, Brick! I'm leaving!"
"What for?! Nobody's out there waiting for you! Hell, everyone out there has been celebrating! We all thought you were dead. Thanks a lot by the way! Now we gotta call off Mitch's plug-pull party."
I could feel the vein on the side of my head throbbing. "Not everyone in this world is scum-sucking trash like you and your group of fucking parasites! There's one person that gives a shit and I'm gonna make sure she's okay."
"I'm warning you, Butch. You aren't ready for the truth."
"The hell are you talking about? Y'know what? Screw you! I'm done with your little games, Brick! DONE!!!"
*Knock Knock*
"Enter!" Brick said loudly.
My room quickly filled with the people that I had grown to hate over the six-plus months that I'd been here. None seemed happy with me but that meant very little at this point. I need to go help Princess! Who knows what she's been through while I've been out?
"Figures the cockroach would survive," Blossom said aggressively.
Buttercup shook her head."Should've aimed for the head if you ask me."
Boomer plopped down next to me on the medical bed and cracked a grin. "Glad to see that you made it, bud."
"ARGH!!!" I grunted as he jabbed my abdomen.
"Oops! Sorry bro. Guess the wound is still a bit tender."
I shoved him off and tumbled off the bed. "Stay the hell away from me!"
I tried to crawl towards the door but Mitch blocked my path. "Where do you think you're going, tough guy?"
"None…of your business."
Brick stood up and walked towards me. "He wants to go see that dumb slut, Morebucks."
"Shut the fuck up, Brick!"
"Morebucks?" Bubbles questioned before she began a fit of laughter. Then the others joined her.
Why? What the fuck could possibly be so funny?! I'm on this goddamn, cold-ass hospital floor and they're laughing! WHY?!
"Aww! Is wittle Butchie in WUV with the skank?" Blossom said mockingly.
"NO!" She's all I have in this damned place!
"Haha! You really wanna see your girlfriend that badly?" Boomer asked.
"Just leave me alone!"
"Oh, she missed you SO much!" Buttercup said while ruffling my hair. "You guys must've really liked each other a lot! She was so sad when she thought you died."
My body shivered with anxiety. "Did you hurt her?" I asked in a lowered tone.
"Excuse me?"
"DID YOU HURT HER?!?!" I shouted with a hate-filled glare.
Boomer dropped his sickening smile and frowned. "Who do you think you're yelling at, trash?"
"Alright guys, funs over. Let's just break the news to our dear friend, Butch!" Brick said with a smirk.
Boomer slammed his foot down on the exit wound on my back. "Strap yourself in for this one brother!"
As if on cue they all shouted together in unison. "THE BITCH IS DEAD!!!"
…Dead…
…Dead…
…Dead…
…No! But why? She didn't do anything wrong! NOTHING! Except for hanging out with me…
I hadn't even noticed the tears falling from my face onto the tiled floor. I couldn't even hear what they were all saying to me anymore. I just wanted this torment to finally stop. I had enough! My time here has been nothing more than a drawn-out form of torture. To this day, I had no idea if this was all even real or some fucked up spell that Lucifer put me under. Either way, I wanted this world, universe, dimension, or whatever the hell else to fade away into nothingness.
"H-how did she die?"
Brick snicked. "How else? She killed herself."
*CRACK*
"Poor baby hung herself in that sorry ass shack." Bubbles cackled hysterically. "All because her bestest friend in the whole wide world died! Oh, the irony."
*CRACK* *CRACK*
"Guess she died as she lived. Poor as fuck and all alone!" Mitch said with a stupid laugh.
*CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK*
"Bet you wish you DID kick the bucket, huh? Then that stupid girl wouldn't have died for nothing." Boomer added.
"See Butch? You're still a fucking waste of life. You found someone that tolerates your existence and yet they still ended up offing themselves!" Brick spoke in his smug tone. "Just tell me now if you actually wanna die."
"Yeah, Butch! You wanna die?" Asked Buttercup.
"Wanna die?" Asked Mitch.
"Huh? You wanna die? Do ya?! Huh?" Asked Bubbles.
"Yeah, bro? You wanna die?" Boomer asked with another stomp to my back.
"Go on Butch! Tell us if you wanna die!" Blossom said with a giggle.
…
…
…Kill every single one of them.
I stood up from the floor, knocking Boomer over in the process. The tears continued down my face but there was no sadness behind them. Nope, nothing at all.
"Hey, asshole! I wasn't done!"
My head turned slowly. "Do I want to die? Sure! Why the fuck not? I've already been there and done it! You know what happens when I die? Huh? Do you? DO YOU?!?!"
"The fuck are you talking-"
*BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM*
The explosion of crimson liquid splattered along the entire back wall of the hospital room. The whole building shook with the magnitude of my punch. Then the silence of the room fell just as the headless corpse of Mitch did.
"Oh my god! OH MY GOD!!!" Blossom screamed.
Buttercup fell to her knees with a horrified look on her face. "M…Mitch?"
I let out a relaxed breath. "…I come back stronger and stronger."
"How did you just do that?! No way you could be strong enough to punch a human head to paste like that!" Brick shouted.
"Oh shut up, Brick. It doesn't matter what world I'm in. You still love the sound of your voice."
"Y…Your eyes!" Bubbles shouted fearfully.
"You scared? Well, you should be. None of you fuckers are leaving this place alive!"
I lunged forward and punched a hole through Bubbles' abdomen. Her screams echoed through the room before I finally shut her up for good with a large blast of energy that also tore apart the west wing of the hospital.
Blossom started to dry heave as her sister's ashes scattered to the wind. Buttercup was in shock at the display of my power. Yeah…Buttercup…
"Motherfucker! You just made a huge mistake! You can't kill a Utonium!" Boomer shouted. I threw a kick right into his left kneecap, severing the bottom portion of his leg. "Ngh GRAAAAAAAAAH!"
"You like targeting legs so much right?" I lifted him by his blonde hair and looked him dead in the eyes. "Tell me how that shit feels, bro. Go ahead!"
I dropped him back to the floor and walked towards Buttercup. The fear in her eyes was oh so precious. It was both cathartic as well as bittersweet. Despite all of the trauma they put me through, the Butters from my lifetime, the REAL Buttercup Utonium was still in my thoughts. I wanted to go back to that one. Not this fucking imposter! This fucking fraud!
"Stay away from me! STAY BACK!" She screamed.
"If only you knew of the Buttercup that I shared a kiss with before coming here. God, she'd hate to see this weak-ass version of herself." I stood before her and glared. "You're a disappointment." I raised a glowing index finger to her skull. "You got any last words?"
"I…I'm so-"
I fired the beam through her head and watched her drop dead. Seeing the body of Butters dead like this would haunt me for a while. Even still, she wasn't mine. Not even close!
The remaining three all looked defeated. Boomer was still on the ground, holding his bleeding leg. He was noticeably more pale now. Brick had stood by Blossom and held her close.
"You really are a freak! You're a monster! A rabid beast that needs to get put down!" Blossom said with teary eyes.
"Well, you're almost right. I'm not a monster. I'm a fucking devil! Remember that fact with the little bit of time you have left."
"Listen, Butch! Just leave Blossom outta this! She's one of the brightest people on the planet! She and Mr. Utonium can change the world! Let's keep this between siblings!"
"Brick…Look around the room. It's too fucking late for that! I'm down a leg already!" Boomer said with shallow breaths.
"He's got a point, dumbass. You AND Pinky are both smart enough to know that you're gonna get what's coming to you. Oh, and speaking of Utonium…" I dashed across town and grabbed the nano tux from the estate before turning the place into a large crater. Now dressed in the black tux, I returned to the hospital room.
"What did you just do?" Brick asked.
"Took back what I NEVER stole, slaughtered every single person on the property, and blew the damn place up for shits and giggles."
"My home…My parents…" Blossom muttered.
"Dead and gone!"
"Y-you son of a bitch! I'll kill you!"
She bolted out of Brick's arms and ran at me with a hate-filled look on her face. I caught both of her arms and bent them downwards, snapping them instantly.
"Goodbye, Blossom."
I trusted my head straight into hers and crushed her skull on impact. Bone fragments and brain matter littered the blood-stained floor that her body dropped to.
"NOOOOOO!" Brick shouted.
I cracked a grin. The hellish one that I had adopted over the years. One I hadn't used since being here. "Then there were two."
"B…Brick…I can't…feel…anything…"
"Yeah, that's it. If you see a light, walk towards it, you little shit." I said before I spat on the blonde jackass that was slipping in and out of consciousness.
"You made your point already! Just hurry up and finish us off you sick fuck!" Brick yelled.
"Oh, don't you worry about that!" I let the green aura flow around me and charged as much power into my legs as I could. The hospital was in ruins by the time I hit fifty percent. When I felt my peak, I lunged right at him with a glowing fist cocked back. "NIGHTY NIGHT YOU ROTTEN MOTHERFUCKER!!!"
I threw the hardest punch that I could muster. It would unfortunately never land. Right as my fist neared his face, a glowing circle appeared and sucked me back into another dimension.